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January 20th, 2010
 At the request of AccurateShooter.com, respected Benchrest ace Lou Murdica tested the brand new, early production Norma 6PPC brass. Lou shot 30 cases (both turned and unturned) over the past few days, and he endorses the Norma brass without hesitation. Lou says “the Norma PPC brass is great brass. Without a doubt this will be highly competitive brass in the short-range benchrest group”. Lou did observe that the necks on the Norma brass were slightly thinner than on Lapua 220 Russian brass, but that really doesn’t matter. With a slight neck turn, Lou declares, “the Norma PPC brass is as good as any out there.”
Lou said, based on his testing, the Norma brass holds pressure well, and the accuracy is outstanding. Lou shot five 5-round groups, as in a match course of fire, and his largest group was “around 0.148″ at 100 yards.
If you’re a short-range benchrester, definitely watch this video and listen to Lou. He thinks this new Norma brass will “change the game”. Note — Lou said most PPC shooters can shoot the Norma cases with no change in their powder recipes. So you won’t lose any velocity using Norma’s new brass. Lou was very impressed with Norma’s new offering, enough so that he declared: “I would go right for the Norma right now if I could put a bunch in my hand.”
January 3rd, 2010
Here’s your chance to own a piece of benchrest history — A “classic” 6PPC benchrest rifle built by renowned smith and benchrest shooter Seeley Masker. Up for auction right now on Gunbroker.com is a pretty blue Heavy Varmint rig, built by Seeley on a blued Hart 1A action. The barrel is a 20″ Hart, marked: “Seeley Masker 6PPC .262 Neck”.
For those young folks who haven’t heard of Seeley Masker, Seeley was a “legendary BR gunsmith, an innovator, and a major force in the development of Bench Rest shooting” (AllinWA writing on Benchrest Central). Forum member Butch Lambert notes: “Seely Masker built my first two rifles. The work was superb”. And noted tool-maker (and smith) Alan Warner says Masker would be included on any “short list” of great early BR smiths. A Masker rifle would be a piece of “treasured history” according to Warner.
The rifle is Gunbroker Auction #152079095. The current bid is $615 with no reserve. Here’s a chance to get a nice, older PPC with a great “provenance” for under $800.00.
December 5th, 2009
If you’re not familiar with the short-range benchrest game, and want to learn more about this most precise of all shooting disciplines, Canada’s Peter Cronhelm has prepared an excellent summary of Benchrest Basics. Cronhelm covers everything from the origins of the PPC cartridge, to the special lingo used at short-range benchrest matches.
Terminology
Bughole: Very small group.
Mothball: The 10-ring on the standard Benchrest Target.
Tomato Stake: A worn out or otherwise inaccurate rifle barrel.
Screamer: A group measuring less than 0.100″ at 100 yards or less than 0.250” at 200 yards.
Weather Report: A Group “scattered” as a result of poor wind doping.
Wailing Wall: Place where targets that have been scored can be viewed by competitors.
Dope the Wind: Ccompensate for the effects of wind by shifting aiming points on the target.
‘Ultimate PPC’ by Speedy with engraved Stiller Viper action.
Competition — Benchrest for Group
Matches are usually shot at 100 and 200 yards with some including the 300-yard distance. Individual scores are determined by measuring the actual size of the 5-round group[.] Aggregate scores are the average of all the groups shot over the course of the match. [In short-range benchrest for group] the placing of the group on the record target is not considered, only the size of the group.
At the top levels, 5-round groups are usually a single ragged hole in the target. To ensure that the competitors fire 5 rounds into the target, a moving backer paper is installed behind the record target. This way it is easy for the match officials to see that all 5 rounds were fired. For each target, there is normally no limit to the number of sighting rounds a competitor may fire, but there is a time limit for record fire.
A total of 5 groups (per class) are fired in a typical Benchrest match. Winning aggregate scores are commonly in the 2s (less than 0.3 inches), with individual groups in the 1s now common, and individual groups in the zeros (less than 0.1 inches) becoming more common.
How is it possible to fire a group measuring only 0.1 inches across with a bullet that is 0.243 inches in diameter? Group sizes are measured from center to center of the two widest bullet holes. As a result bullet size is removed from the equation and groups from different caliber rifles can be compared on equal terms.
If you want to learn about “point-blank” BR, give Peter’s well-written article a read. Found on the Canadian National Firearms Assn. website, Peter’s fact-filled summary provides a quick but thorough explanation of the rules, gear, and shooting styles used in the short-range benchrest game.
Black Rifle and Targets photos courtesy Jim Borden, www.BordenRifles.com. |
October 27th, 2009
Billy Copelin dominated the 2009 NBRSA 1000-yard Nationals in Sacramento, winning the National Championship and setting four pending records in the process. Billy used a 17-pounder in Light Gun Class, and a bigger rifle in Heavy Gun Class, but both were chambered for the 6mm Dasher. The little case, an improved version of the 6mmBR Norma, performed brilliantly in Billy’s hands. Along with his overall championship, Copelin won Two-Gun Group Agg (6.566″), Two-Gun Score Agg (840-8X), Light Gun Group Agg (4.611″), Heavy Gun Group Agg (8.522″), and Heavy Gun Score Agg (561-4X).
Jim O’Connell, official match scorer, observed: “It was Billy Copelin’s weekend as he won just about everything that wasn’t nailed down. On his way to winning the 2009 National Championship, Billy set four new records and earned himself a spot in the Hall of Fame (joining Jerry Tierney and Don Nielson). Congratulations to Billy…that was some fine shooting!” Copelin’s four pending records are: 3-Target LG Score (147-3X); 6-Target LG Group (4.611″); 2-Gun 12-Target Score (840-8X); and 2-Gun 12-Target Group (6.566″). Below is a video of Copelin shooting at the 600-yard NBRSA Nationals in 2008.
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Generally Good Conditions Prevail
Fairly nice weather conditions prevailed for the 2009 NBRSA 1000-Yard National Championship. As a result, some fine scores were fired. Ventura, CA shooter Barry Bluhm, who won the Light Gun Score title with an impressive 279-6X, told us “There was nice weather most of the time all three days. Winds were 3 to 6 mph, but they didn’t stay the same. During some relays, winds got twitchy and would switch from side to side. If you missed a wind call, you could get burned.”
Barry, who does testing for AccurateShooter.com as one of our elite “designated trigger pullers”, noted that while Copelin “pretty much cleaned everyone’s clock with his Dashers”, a lot of guys shot big cartridges in Heavy Gun Class. George Tompkins was shooting 300gr bullets from a massive, metal-stocked Maxi chambered for the .338 Lapua Magnum.
Jerry Tierney finished second overall in this year’s NBRSA 1K Nationals. Jerry, the 2008 NBRSA 600-yard Champion, brought his .284 Winchester to the match, “making LG weight by an ounce or so.” Tierney, who is renowned for his wind-doping skills, tells us “he was rooting for the wind to blow, but it was Dasher weather.” Jerry added that the big boomers did not distinguish themselves: “The true heavies made a lot of noise but were not really in the running in these conditions. It was strictly a Dasher weekend, and a really great shooter [Copelin] behind a Dasher finished on top.” Tierney added that Copelin really deserved the championship: “Billy’s been at it many years; we all knew he was going to win the big one someday.”
Great Shooting by Many Competitors
Though Copelin hauled away the biggest trophies, there were many impressive performances by other shooters. Jay McMunn shot an amazing 2.445″, five-shot Small Group in Light Gun, and Stu Harvey wasn’t far behind at 2.473″. Charles Greer nailed two ten-shot 99s in Heavy Gun and one was a very small 6.649″ to boot. Robert Hoppe and T. Johnson both had 10-shot HG groups under 5.5″ (though Copelin shot smallest of all with a 4.907″ in HG).
Overall Rankings, using the NBRSA scoring system, which counts placements for both score and group, are listed below (lowest total wins). CLICK HERE to download complete results with group and score rankings for all events. We send a big “Thank-You” to Jim O’Connell from providing these match results so quickly.
National Champion — BILLY COPELIN (5 total points)
Second Place — GERALD TIERNEY (24)
Third Place — KENNETH SCHROEDER (26)
Fourth Place — CHARLES GREER (31)
Fifth Place — BARRY BLUHM (33)
Sixth Place — GREG WILSON (44)
Seventh Place — ROBERT HOPPE (46)
Eighth Place — LOU MURDICA (47)
Ninth Place — T. JOHNSON (54)
Tenth Place — GARY NOBLE (55)
October 22nd, 2009
The 2009 NBRSA 1000-yard Nationals (Sloughhouse 1000) will be held at the Sacramento Valley Shooting Center in Sacramento, California on October 23, 24, & 25th.This event is being hosted by the Sloughhouse Benchrest Shooters Club. The NBRSA 1K benchrest Nationals should draw many of the nation’s top shooters. This is one of the major long-range events of the year on the West Coast. Match organizers invite all long-range benchresters to attend, even if you have not tried 1000 yards before. A good 600-yard gun can be quite competitive at 1000 when conditions are favorable. Two classes will compete, Light Gun (17-lb max weight) and Heavy Gun (Unlimited Weight). The current match fee is $75.00 per class, so it will cost $150.00 to shoot both classes.
CLICK HERE for the match Sign-Up and Registration form (PDF file).
Sacramento Valley Shooting Center 1000-yard range (seen from 600-yard line).
There are RV/camping facilities adjacent to the range, and moderately priced hotels can be found within a 20-minute drive of the range. If you camp you should bring water, food and all essentials as the range is pretty far from a store. Do note, however, on Saturday, October 24th, a catered lunch will be served and on Friday, October 23rd and Sunday, October 25th, a hot vendor will be available on the grounds so that shooters may purchase lunch.
If you have questions about the range facilities or driving directions, you can call Sac Valley Shooting Center at (916) 354-9668. The Center is located approximately 15 miles South/East of the city of Sacramento. The physical address for the range is 15501 Meiss Road, Sloughouse, CA 95683. To navigate to the range, take a look at the map below. The Sac Valley staff cautions: “Do not use GPS or Map Quest to get to the range. On the Dillard Road side is an unpaved, nearly impassible rock road. Use Ione Road to approach Meiss Road [from the east]”. You can also get detailed, turn by turn directions (from main approach highways), on the Sac Valley Shooting Center website. CLICK HERE for directions to range.
October 17th, 2009
LINK: Williamsport Benchrest School Slide Show
Sebastian Reist attended the 2009 Williamsport 1000-yard BR school. A talented professional photographer, Sebastian did a superb job capturing the highlights of his Williamsport 1K training weekend in a marvelous slideshow, complete with sound track. Photos and slideshow courtesy www.sreistphotography.com.
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October 3rd, 2009
The final results have been tallied for the 2009 NBRSA 100/200 Yard Benchrest (Group) Nationals. This was an epoch event, with numerous potential records set, including a stunning 0.093 by Tom Libby in the 200-yard Sporter Match. (Target photo below, courtesy James Mock.) Exceptionally good conditions produced phenomenal scores, with dozens of Teen Aggs in some events. Jack Neary won the Two-Gun Grand with an impressive 0.1788 Agg. Tony Boyer, runner-up to Neary in the Two-Gun, took the Three-Gun Grand with an 0.1995 and Boyer won the Four-Gun Grand as well with an 0.2038. Other top shooters, by class, are listed below.
| Sporter Grand |
LV Grand |
HV Grand |
UnLTD Grand |
Jack Neary, 0.1846
Gary Ocock, 0.1846
Mike Ratigan, 0.1872 |
Tony Boyer, 0.1661
Jack Neary, 0.1731
Tim Courtney, 0.1805 |
Bob Scarborough, 0.2160
Mike Ratigan, 0.2166
Lowell Hottenstein, 0.2244 |
Tony Boyer, 2.165
Jeff Summers, 2.300
Mike Conry, 2.363 |
Click Here for Complete Match Results and Standings
 Hottenstein Bullets were HOT
A quick glance at the official equipment list shows some remarkable trends. First, Lowell Hottenstein’s bullets were indeed the “Hot” ticket. The majority of Top 10 finishers in every bag gun class used Lowell’s bullets. In fact, in both LV and HV classes, 8 of the top 10 shooters used Hottensteins. That’s 80% Top 10 usage in the most competitive classes — a remarkable showing for one bullet-maker.
As for powder, Vihtavuori N133 was still favored by the vast majority of shooters… but watch out for Hodgdon’s new 8208 XBR powder. (More on that in a separate report).
Cut-Rifled Barrels and BAT Actions
Bartlein and Krieger cut-rifled barrels completely dominated the match. In Sporter, Light Varmint, AND Heavy Varmint Classes ALL of the Top 20 shooters used either a Bartlein or a Krieger. You read that right, in ALL the bag gun classes, nobody cracked the Top 20 without either a Bartlein or Krieger. Is the button-rifled barrel “obsolete” in short-range benchrest?
BAT, BAT, and more BAT. A BAT Machine action was in EVERY Light Varmint rifle in the Top 20. 100%. Among Heavy Varmint rigs, 16 out of the Top 20 used BATs (there were two Pandas, a Stolle Teddy and One Farley). Again, that’s remarkable dominance by a single action-maker. There was more diversity among Top 20 Sporters, but BAT still had 10/20 or 50%.
Light Varmint Top 20 Equipment List
Heavy Varmint Top 20 Equipment List
Sporter Top 20 Equipment List
September 25th, 2009
 The 2009 NBRSA 100/200 yard Benchrest (for Group) Nationals are underway this week in Missouri at the Benchrest Club of St. Louis. Conditions have been extraordinarily calm, with very little wind. As a result, a host of potential records have been set. At the completion of Unlimited (UNL), Sporter (SPTR), and Light Varmint (LV) classes, there have been thirteen (13) possible new World records shot, and more may come in the final Heavy Varmint (HV) relays. Potential records set so far include:
UNL 10-100: Tony Boyer and Eric Stanton
LV 5-100: Jack Neary and Tony Boyer
LV 5-200: Gene Bukys
LV Grand: Jack Neary and Tony Boyer
SPTR 5-200: Tom Libby
SPTR Grand: Jack Neary, Gary Ocock, Mike Ratigan, Mark Buettgen, and Rodney Brown.
Thus far, Jack Neary has won the Sporter Grand Aggregate, and he won the LV 100 with a spectacular 0.15+ Agg. We’ve been told that Gene Bukys won the SPTR 200 with yet another 0.15+ Agg. That’s amazing shooting by Jack and Gene. Tom Libby also shot a .093 in Sporter at 200 yards to set a potential record.
To give you an idea of how many shooters have turned in truly superior performances, there were 20 teen aggs in the LV 100 alone. Below are the Top Ten LV 100 Aggs. As one observer commented on Benchrest Central, “I can’t imagine how it must feel to shoot a .1690″ Agg and finish 7th…or worse yet, a .1498″ and NOT win!”
1. Jack Neary .1482 (Possible New World Record)
2. Tony Boyer .1498
3. Mike Conry .1574
4. John Horn .1626
5. Larry Costas .1648
6. Tim Courtney .1660
7. Larry Scharhorst. 1690
8. Lester Bruno .1708
9. Eddie Harris .1794
10. Bob Scarborough Jr. .1800
On Day 1 of the Unlimited Match, Tony Boyer shot brilliantly at 100 yards, nailing a 0.1894 Agg which lowers the existing record by 0.0271, a large margin in short range benchrest. The previous UNL 8-10-100 NBRSA World Record Agg was 0.2165 set by Lester Bruno in 2001. In the same St. Louis UNL 100 match, Eric Stanton also broke the existing record with an 0.2161.
We will update this report as more official results are received. If you have photos of the NBRSA 100/200 Nationals in St. Louis, please email them to mailbox@6mmBR.com. Please include caption information (Date, Event, Shooter, Equipment etc.).
September 19th, 2009
The 2009 200-300 Yard IBS Score National Championship was held September 12-13 at the Thurmont Conservation & Sportsmans’ Club in Thurmont, Maryland. Competition was fierce with the combined yardage winners taking one-point victories in two of the three classes. Shooting a 498-17X, Wayne France won the 200/300 combined in the Varmint for Score (VFS) class, followed by Al Weaver (497-17X), and Hal Drake (497-10X). In Hunter Class, Gary Long (491-10X) took top honors for the combined yardages, followed by Frank McKee (487-5X), and David Apple (484-11X). Finally, in Varmint Hunter Class, David Thomas (494-11X) edged Eddie Harren (493-12X), with Sara Haran finishing third with 484-5X.
During the match, there were four perfect 250s shot at 200 yards: Curtis Nelson (250-12X) and Fred Ridgway (250-11X) in VFS, Gary Long (250-6X) in Hunter Class, and David Thomas (250-8X) in Varmint Hunter Class. Wayne France nailed the best score overall at 300 yards, an impressive 249-7X in VFS class. Congratulations to the winners and to all the competitors.
2009 200/300 IBS Score Nationals Equipment List (Partial)
September 18th, 2009
Sam Hall did it again. The 2008 IBS National Champion and 2008 Shooter of the Year captured his second straight National Championship, winning the 2-Gun Grand Agg shooting a standard 6BR in both Light Gun (LG) and Heavy Gun (HG) classes. It was an impressive victory in challenging conditions at the Varmint Hunter Assn. (VHA) range in Pierre, South Dakota. But this was a very close match. Mike Davis, runner-up in the Grand Agg, tied Sam in 2-Gun points, but Sam was awarded the title based on 2-Gun Small Group tie-breaker. Richard Schatz was just one point behind Sam and Mike. All three men shot superbly and any of the three could have won it all. Davis won the HG Overall Agg (with Hall second), while Schatz won the LG Overall Agg, with Hall again placing second. Both Davis and Schatz shot 6BR Improved cartridges in both LG and HG — Davis shooting the 30°-shoulder BRX, while Schatz campaigned a 40° Dasher. Rodney Wagner (6BRX) and John Griswold (6 Dasher) tied with 27 points in the 2-Gun overall, with Wagner earning 4th place overall on the tie-breaker.
Horrendous Conditions on Friday — Many DQs
Sam Hall said the conditions on Friday were “horrendous” with 25 to 35-mph gusts. Conditions were among the worst ever seen by the VHA rangemasters, and a third of HG competitors (17 of 48) DQ’d because the wind blew shots off paper. Luckily, conditions moderated for the Saturday relays, with mild 10 mph winds. Regulars at the VHA range said Saturday’s conditions were “about as good at it gets in Pierre.”
Complete Results are posted under Long Range Match Results on the IBS Website.
Equipment — Still dominated by 6BR and 6BR Improved
A quick look at the equipment lists for both LG and HG classes showed the 6mm as the preferred caliber, with a 6mm Dasher or 6mm BRX the most popular cartridge (though Hall won it all with his standard 6BR). Despite the windy conditions, the mid-sized cases such as the 6-6.5×47 Lapua couldn’t outshoot their smaller brothers. Notably, Sam Hall used a plain vanilla 6BR to win LG Agg with a 2.852″. Shooting a 6BRX, Mike Davis won HG Agg with a 2.492″, with Hall’s 6BR only .054″ behind.
LG Equipment List
HG Equipment List
Calibers: 17 of the top 20 in LG shot 6mms, mostly Dashers (but Hall won LG with a standard 6BR). There was one .22 and two 6.5s. In HG it was pretty much the same story, 16 of 20 using 6mms, with a couple 6.5s, a .308 Baer and a 30 BooBoo (not “39” as stated in equipment list).
Barrels: Sam Hall won LG Group Agg with a Broughton button-rifled barrel, but otherwise cut-rifled barrels from Brux, Krieger, and Bartlein dominated the Top 20 in both classes. In HG, Mike Davis shot a Brux to finish #1. NOTE: Sam Hall had a Lilja barrel on his second-place, 28-lb Heavy Gun, not a Brux as shown on the official equipment list.
Bullets: Sam Hall used Spencers in LG, and Steve Shelp shot BIBs in his 30 BooBoo Heavy Gun. Otherwise it was “all yellow box”, with Berger filling the Top 10 equipment rankings for both LG and HG. It’s fair to say Berger Bullets dominated the match.
Powder/Primers: Alliant Reloder 15 and CCI 450s (usually pushing Berger 6mm bullets) composed the preferred combo in both LG and HG. Sam Hall did use CCI BR4s, however. Rodney Wagner was the only Dasher shooter to use Hodgdon Varget, but he finished fourth overall in the 2-Gun Aggregate.
Optics: While ace shooters Sam Hall and Mike Davis both used Leupold Competition Scopes in both LG and HG classes, Nightforce scopes, (mostly 12-42 BR models) dominated the Equipment Top 20 lists. To our surprise, there were only a couple March Scopes in the Equipment Top 20 in HG, and just one in LG.
Stocks: Shehane (D & B Supply) stocks were used by 8 of the Top 10-ranked LG Shooters, and 5 of the Top 10 in HG rankings. The Trackers, both ST 1000 and MBR Tracker, remain hard to beat. We did see some “true maxies” in this match.
Hall Reveals Shooting Secrets in Home-Made Video
If you’re interested in 600-yard competition, or just want to shoot more accurately and consistently from the bench, you should watch a video Sam Hall put together last year. Because of wind noise, the audio is pretty bad at first, but be patient. Sam delivers some invaluable advice in the video. His tips on body positioning, gun-handling, and follow-through can earn you some points in your next match.
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