This past weekend we reported that the NBRSA approved the use of the Gonzales cartridge feeder in registered benchrest matches. This device, supported by an arm attached to the front rest, holds 6PPC cartridges close to the loading port on the left side of the action. Using a remote (red) cable activated by the left hand, the cartridge feeder drops one cartridge at a time directly into the action. Now, thanks to Rick Pollock of Benchrest.ca, we can show you close-up photos of the device, so you can see how it is positioned and supported. Note that the Gonzales device does not touch the gun.
Watch Video to See Speed-Feeder in Action
The cases are gravity-fed, but the shooter has positive control over feeding. A cable with a push-button control runs from the magazine down to the rear foot of the pedestal rest. You just push the button to drop one cartridge from the magazine. Watch the video below to see how it works:
Get ready for a major new technology that could change the benchrest game. Carlos (Carlito) Gonzales, a benchrest shooter (and Professor of Engineering) from Argentina, has perfected a horizontal, external “floating” cartridge loader that can reliably feed PPC cartridges as fast as you can work the bolt.
We have received a report that Gonzales’s fast-feeding device has been approved by the NBRSA for use in benchrest matches. Pascal Fischbach told us: “I had an email September 17th from Gene Bukys, [stating] that the board of directors of the NBRSA approved the use of the ‘[Gonzales] manual cartridge feeder’ for use in NBRSA competitions.” [Editor’s note: We don’t yet know if the device is approved for all NBRSA benchrest matches, or just short-range matches.] Pascal added: “The device was presented at the delegates meeting of the WBC11 in France and approved for use during the World Championships. The next step for Carlito will be to market it. He is also willing to license the concept, plans, and methods to a machinist capable of manufacturing it in the USA.” See Discussion Thread.
External Horizontal Cartridge-Feeder
The Gonzales loading device is an open-ended, covered metal tray situated on the left side of the action (but it does not touch the gun — it is supported by an arm attached to the front rest). This feeds into the left-side loading port. The cases are gravity-fed, but the shooter has positive control over feeding. A cable with a push-button control runs from the magazine down to the rear foot of the pedestal rest. You just push the button to drop one cartridge from the magazine. We don’t know exactly how the cartridge is released in the magazine itself, but in the video below you can see how the push-button works.
You push the button as soon as a spent cartridge ejects (watch Carlito’s left hand in the video above). It is a clever set-up that works very, very fast. The video shows Carlos running five cartridges through his action in just 9 seconds (time marker 00:31 – 00:40). That’s fast! On a repeat viewing focus on Carlito’s left hand to see how he works the push-button cartridge dispensing control.
Credit to Pascale Fischbach for sourcing this story and video link.
Distribution of CH-Reticle Benchrest Scopes Will Be Limited
If you’re looking for a Nightforce 12-42×56 Benchrest model scope with a CH-series reticle, you may want to act soon. Nightforce is reducing production of these models and the limited runs will be strictly earmarked for Nightforce’s most active dealers. (NF Benchrest scopes with other reticle choices will continue to be widely available). Nightforce’s CH (i.e. cross-hair) reticles, are offered in three versions: CH-1 (fine cross-hair), CH-2 (fine cross-hair with 0.2 MOA inscribed dot), and CH-3 (fine cross-hair with 0.2 MOA “floating” dot). The CH reticles have always been popular with benchresters, as they provide an unobstructed view of mirage and windflags. The CH-2 reticle has been used by the USAMU for long-range and High Power competition. The CH-3 includes an open area around the 0.2 MOA dot, which makes the dot easier to see on dark backgrounds. On the CH-3, only the dot can be illuminated.
Where to Find Nightforce BR Models with CH Reticles
The CH-series reticles are no longer offered in the lower-power 8-32×56 BR model at all. If you want a CH reticle in a NF Benchrest scope, you’ll need to order the 12-42×56 scope. AND, you’ll now need to order from a major stocking dealer. EuroOptic.com currently has one of the largest inventories of 12-42×56 BR Nightforce scopes with CH Reticles — it has about 50 of these CH reticle Benchrest scopes in stock. To order, call (570) 220-3159, ask for Jason Baney and mention that you heard about these CH reticle scopes through the Daily Bulletin. Jason will make sure you get the right CH reticle version at the best possible price. Another large stocking dealer of Nightforce scopes is D&B Supply, found on the web at ScopeUsOut.com.
Gene Bukys, reigning 2011 Supershoot Champ, racked up another prestigious title. Is this guy on a roll or what? We’ve just received news that Bukys won the Two-Gun Overall Title at the World Benchrest Championship (WBC) held in Volmerange-Les-Mines, France. James Mock reports: “Gene won the WBC Two-Gun Championship by outlasting Mike Ratigan (by .001 MOA) and Tony Boyer. Bukys and Boyer were also on the winning USA ‘A’ team. (Ratigan was on the USA ‘B’ team). Congratulations also go to all members of our three teams. Outstanding shooting was done by Larry Costa, Jack Neary, and Andy Shifflett. Our teams have ‘done us proud’.”
Since there are only two classes at the WBC, Light Varmint and Heavy Varmint, Bukys’ Two-Gun title essentially makes Gene the overall WBC individual Champion, giving Gene bragging rights as the best shortrange benchrest shooter in the world. WBC matches were conducted at 100m and 200m, equivalent to 109.4 yards and 218.7 yards respectively. There is one final 200m HV 10-shot group match to be held Saturday. That will be followed by the Awards Ceremony and Closing Ceremony.
Serious shooters dream of having a backyard range where they can practice, test loads, and shoot for fun with friends. For most of us, having even a 50-yard backyard range is impossible. And those lucky shooters who do have their own range can typically go out to 100 yards, but that’s it. It takes plenty of open land to set up even a 200-yard range, and then you still need the side of a mountain for a backstop, or many acres of additional clear land behind the berm, for safety reasons.
Mother of All Backyard Ranges
AccurateShooter Forum member J.R. (aka Huntinco) has put us all to shame. He is building the “mother of all backyard ranges” at a secret location in northern Utah. How long is J.R.’s range going to be? 500 yards? Nope — think WAY longer. J.R. has laid out a facility that is a full 1600 yards from firing line to the final target bay. Plus there are pits every 100 yards out to 1600 yards.
J.R.’s range is not just a strip of vacant land with a few target stands. The range will boast a full-featured shooting facility when it’s completed. J.R. is constructing a finished, covered “all-weather” shooting house with seven indoor shooting stations (and more benches outside). He explains: “I poured a 12×90 pad. I’m enclosing 45 feet and just putting a roof over the other 45 feet. On the enclosed part there are six, 6′-wide shooting stalls, with one on the end that’s 12′ wide. Shooting windows are 5′ wide and 4′ high. One small problem is that, the way the property lays out, only the 12′-wide stall can shoot 100 yards. All the rest will start at 200 yards.”
Interior Finishing Suggestions Are Welcome
J.R. hasn’t finished the interior of his shooting facility yet, so he is soliciting ideas as to how the inside should be laid out: “I need your input because I have never been to a range. I just shoot here on my place. Please help me with [your input] on the inside layout.”
Those of you who have suggestions for J.R., please place a comment here. And no, we won’t reveal where this beautiful range is being built. But we do give J.R. a hearty pat on the back for making his “dream range” a reality. CLICK HERE to view more photos.
UPDATE — Here are photos of the Shooting house, interior and exterior. Nice job J.R.!
The NBRSA 100/200 yard Nationals will be conducted September 19-24, 2011 at the Midlands Shooters Assn. Range, located at 3212 E. County Road 136, Midland, TX 79706. There are still places available for the Nationals. Fees are: $190 for 3-gun (SP,LV,HV), $250 for 4-Gun, and Juniors shoot for half-price. There is a $40 late fee for registrations received after August, 20, 2011.
NBRSA Membership Meeting on August 22, 2011
The NBRSA’s Annual General Membership Meeting will also be held in Midlands, Texas, in conjunction with the Nationals. The meeting, scheduled for Thursday, September 22, 2011, will be held after the day’s shoot and before the Awards ceremony. All active NBRSA Full Members are welcome to attend, whether they compete in the match or not.
Story Tip by EdLongrange. We welcome user submissions.
The White Horse Center Range near Peeltree, West Virginia, will host the 2011 National IBS 1000-Yard Nationals from September 3-5, 2011. The good news is that the match directors have lowered the fees in response to the week economy and high gas prices. If you register before August 8th, the match fee is only $80.00 per gun.
Match Schedule and Fees
The 1K Nationals will be a 3-target Aggregate match for both Light Gun (LG) and Heavy Gun (HG) with six (6) targets total. Membership in the IBS, NBRSA, or Williamsport organizations is required — bring your membership card. The match will run Saturday, Sunday, and MONDAY, September 3, 4, and 5. Practice and Sight-in will be available Wednesday (8/31), Thursday (9/1) and Friday (9/2), starting daily at 8:00 am. NOTE: There will be a $10.00 per target fee during practice days and the shooter must furnish his/her own target puller.
Match fees for the Nationals are $80 per gun ($40 per gun for Juniors), if post-marked before August 8, 2011. Thereafter fees go to $90 per gun ($45 per gun for juniors). All registrations MUST be received by 3:00 pm Friday, September 2nd. No walk-up registrations will be accepted on match days.
How to Get There
The Center is located 9.7 miles south on State Route 20 from I-79, exit 115 or 10.1 miles north of Route 20 from Buckhannon. Look for a brown and yellow Dept. of Natural Resources sign on Route 20. Take Crouse Road to the next sign, turn right at the sign, and proceed up the hill to the Center. Map coordinates are: 39°, 7′, 11″ North latitude; 80°, 13′, 4″ West longitude. The White Horse Center website has information on area hotels and campgrounds.
Story Tip by EdLongrange. We welcome submissions from our readers.
A SEB MAX front rest, with the ability to handle wider rifles, was unveiled today by Forum member Ernie Bishop (aka xphunter). This is a prototype, and production versions will hopefully be offered in 2012. Weighing roughly 35 lbs. (16 kg), The new SEB MAX rest fits forearms up to 8″ wide. Without side plate assembly and special front bag, the SEB MAX can accept a 9″-wide stock. The Center-to-Center distance between the posts is 300mm (just a bit less than 12″). This makes the SEB MAX 100 mm wider than the SEB NEO, allowing for 275mm clearance between posts. The bottom plate of the top is 265 mm long (almost 10 1/2″). The side plates assembly with side bag is about 1.25″ thick. Net space is approx 8″ . Posts and height are the same as the SEB NEO, which already has a huge amount of elevation travel. For more info, visit www.SEBCoax.com, email Ernie Bishop at ernieemily[at]yahoo.com or call Ernie at (307) 257-7431. Ernie is the U.S.A. distributor for SEB products.
Ernie Bishop reports: “The new SB MAX is very smooth! I have used it out to 1000 yards so far and am very pleased. I do not know the price yet.” For more information, read this FORUM thread. As set up in the photos below, the SEB MAX is set for the 6″ forearm on Ernie’s 7mm WSM specialty benchrest pistol.
If you’re curious about Ernie’s 7mm WSM handgun, here are the details. Eric Wallace smithed this specialty handgun, as well as the stock. It is a 7mm WSM built on a BAT action fitted with 1:8″ test Bartlein barrel, with Wallace muzzle brake. The rig uses a Sightron S-III, 8-32 scope, and Jewel trigger. The gun was set up to shoot in the Heavy Pistol Class at the annual Long-range Handgun shoot run by the MOA Corporation. Ernie Bishop tells us: “When I have the time, it will also be used for light gun rifle matches at 600 and 1000 yards. I also have a McRee handgun chassis stock so I can use it for more huntng or field shooting.” Ernie does not have the load “fully tweaked yet”, but he’s currently running H1000 behind 180gr JLKs in prepped Winchester 7mm WSM brass, with Federal 210M primers.
The faster a benchrester can send his rounds down-range, the better his chances to complete his 5- or 10-shot group in the same conditions before a major change. Shooting fast is NOT always the best strategy, but many world records have been set using this technique. Even if you’re a “picker”, there are times when you’ll benefit from shooting fast. With current benchrest hardware you still have to manually load each cartridge, even if you have a drop-port action or if you have an ejector that kicks out the fired case. To speed up the loading process, benchrest shooters employ elevated loading blocks that place the cartridges inches away from the loading port. That speeds things up, but you still have to manually pluck your cartridge and stuff it in the action… until now. Get ready for a major new technology that could change the benchrest game.
External Horizontal Benchrest Magazine
Carlos Gonzales, a benchrest shooter (and Professor of Engineering) from Argentina, has perfected a horizontal, external “floating” magazine that can reliably feed PPC cartridges as fast as you can work the bolt. This is interesting because, in 2009, this Editor discussed an attached horizontal feeding tray with three different action makers. All of them dismissed the idea as impractical or too radical. Well guys, it looks like Carlos pulled it off.
The Gonzales “magazine” is actually an open-ended, covered metal tray situated on the left side of the action (but it does not touch the gun — it is supported by the rest). This feeds into the left-side loading port. The cases are gravity-fed, but the shooter has positive control over feeding. A cable with a push-button control runs from the magazine down to the rear foot of the pedestal rest. You just push the button to drop one cartridge from the magazine. We don’t know exactly how the cartridge is released in the magazine itself, but in the video below you can see how the push-button works.
You push the button as soon as a spent cartridge ejects (watch Carlos’s left hand in the video above). It is a clever set-up, and as you can see, the magazine system works very, very fast. The video shows Carlos running five cartridges through his action in just 9 seconds (time marker 00:31 – 00:40). That’s fast! On a repeat viewing focus on Carlos’s left hand to see how he works the push-button cartridge dispensing control.
Kudos to Carlos for his great new invention. According to Pascale Fishbach: “Everything Carlos makes is of extreme quality. The magazine loader will be available just after the world championships in France, where hopefully a couple of them should be put to work.”
Now the question remains… will the official benchrest “powers that be” allow this device, or will they, fearing change, say it is forbidden under current rules. We would like to see the Gonzales magazine ruled legal for both domestic (American) and International competition. But, we acknowledge that Carlos’s invention could raise the cost of competition. The Gonzales mag would be one more “go-fast” item that serious benchresters would have to purchase.
Credit to Pascale Fischbach for sourcing this story and video link.
Report by Forum member James Mock
Not only did Gene win the 2-gun at Chippewa SS Warm-up, and the “Heartbreak award for one bad group that cost him last year’s SS; BUT he has now won the BIG ONE. The 2011 Super Shoot champion is Gene Bukys. He persevered after shooting a 1 1/4 inch group at 200 yards. Congratulations to Gene! — James
Further Super Shoot Results will be provided as soon as available. Photo courtesy James Mock.
The 
The White Horse Center Range near Peeltree, West Virginia, will host the 2011 National IBS 1000-Yard Nationals from September 3-5, 2011. The good news is that the match directors have lowered the fees in response to the week economy and high gas prices. If you register before August 8th, the match fee is only $80.00 per gun.
Match Schedule and Fees
