Modern long-range benchrest rifles are capable of remarkable accuracy. At the recent Rendezvous Match at the Vapor Trail Valley shooting club, some exceptional targets were shot. This is a special combined match with relays at both 600 and 1000 yards. Be amazed at the accuracy modern rifles can achieve at these distances. Match director Tom Jacobs reports: “We had two screamer groups under a inch at 600 yards, and six groups under 3″ at 1000 yards. Three of those were under 2.5″ screamers.”
New Range Record at 1000 Yards — 1.338″ 5-Shot Group
Dave Way set a new Vapor Trail 1000-yard Range Record for single 5-shot group. He had a wicked small 1.338″ group (0.128 MOA) with a 49 score.
New Single Target Small Group Record at 600 Yards — 0.645 (0.103 MOA)
At the Rendezvous, Jason Cohen set a new single-target small group range record at 600 yards. This was a 0.645″ group shot with a .284. That works out to 0.103 MOA (1 MOA is 6.282″ at 600 yards).
Multiple Agg and Overall Titles for Al Benarrock — and a $1500.00 Check
Al Benarroch had a phenomenal weekend. He won the 16 target 600yd/1000yd Ultimate Agg (Grand Overall), the 1000-yard 8-target group Agg with 4.953″, and the 1000-yard 8 target Overall. What a weekend for Al!
The match was a big success. Match director Tom Jacobs posted: “We had great weather at a match for once, temps were mild for us this time of the year, the winds were not bad at all but we did have quick switches, that the valley is known for. Mirage was bad at times, but no dam hurricanadors for once! We hung 778 targets down range, not including all the tuning targets throughout the week. We estimate 9336 rounds went down range for the match, not counting a week of guys tuning.”
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What’s better than a super-accurate 6BR rifle? Well, two super-accurate 6BRs. This week we feature a pair of tack-drivers owned Forum member Mark Schronce. These “Brothers in Arms” share similar stocks, but otherwise the components are different. Mark’s 17-lb gray laminate Light Gun features a Hall action, HV taper barrel, and muzzle brake. The 21-lb Heavy Gun, in “Desert Camo” laminate, boasts a trick dual-port BAT action, and full-contour 30″ barrel without brake. Both guns shoot tiny groups, track like they’re on rails, and give Mark a serious hardware advantage in club competition.
Mark provides this report: “The Light Gun started as my 22-250 AI varmint gun, with a Hall action and McMillan Hunter Benchrest stock. I wanted to build a proper Egg Shoot gun, so I had Richard Franklin (Richard’s Custom Rifles) chamber a Lilja 12-twist in 6mm BR Norma, with a .262″ neck. Using Fowler 80gr FB bullets, the gun shot great right out of the gate. (See my report, Egg Shoots and 600-yard 6 BR). I was curious about the heavier 6mm bullets, so I had Richard chamber and fit a 1:8″ Krieger in 6BR. But this time we went with a .271″ no-turn neck. The Krieger holds quarter-MOA with the heavy bullets, and, to my surprise, it shot the 80s as well as the 12-twist Lilja did. For the 2005 season, I ordered one of Richard’s latest 008 F-Class stocks. This new design is very comfortable to shoot and it’s much more stable in the bags than my old Hunter stock. That added stability will be a big plus for 600- and 1000-yard benchrest matches.
A Heavy Gun for 1000-yard BR and “Belly Benchrest” (F-Class)
I’ve been active in 1000-yard Benchrest for a few years, shooting my 6mm BS and 6mm BR Light gun in both Light and Heavy classes. I wanted to build a rifle for the Heavy Gun Class yet stay within the 22-lb F-Class limit. And I wanted it to have the best hardware I could buy. On a BAT ‘MB’ action (with Jewell trigger) we fitted a 30″ 8-twist 3-groove Lilja, 1.250″ diameter, no muzzle brake. Richard cut the chamber for 6mm BR Lapua Brass, .271″ no-turn neck, throated for Sierra 107gr MKs, matching my current Light Gun. The stock is a pillar-bedded Richard’s 008 1000-yd/F-Class model, with 10 coats of auto clearcoat, all work by Richard. Burris Zee rings hold a Leupold 8.5-25×50 LRT mounted on a BAT one-piece Weaver base. The Heavy Gun weighs in at 21 lbs, much lighter than most Heavy Guns (50 to 100 lbs). But with the 6BR’s light recoil, it’ll do just fine for long range, yet still make weight for F-Class.
Why a 6mm BR Chambering in a Heavy Gun?
I toyed with the idea of going with a 6BR Improved for Heavy Gun, but I’m not convinced the Improveds are worth the extra hassle of fire-forming, not to mention the added cost of custom dies. By way of background, I used to have a Rem-actioned rifle chambered in 6BR BS (Bill Shehane), which is very similar to the 6BR Dasher. I found the 6BR BS was only about 100 fps faster than a standard 6BR. For the shooting I do, that extra 100 fps is not critical. If, in the future, I feel I need more speed, I will go to a .243 AI or a 6.5-284. To be honest, I love the 6BR cartridge. Barrels last forever, and the accuracy can’t be beat. Yes a 6BR is a little light for everyday 1000-yard shooting, but on good days it can set world records. I may move up to a 6.5-284 some day, but for now I will stay with the standard 6mm BR. If I ever do want to go to a bigger caliber, the 8.5-inch BAT Machine MB action gives me this option.
Hall vs. BAT Light vs. Heavy
Comparing the two actions’ bolt lift, lock-up, fit, and finish, I feel they are equally good. However, the BAT can run stout loads with Federal 205 primers — loads that cratered Fed 205s with the Hall. I don’t know if this is a function of the actions’ engineering, or the barrels. I’ve got a Lilja on the BAT, while the Hall wears a Krieger. I do know the BAT has a tight-fitting firing pin, and that might make a difference.
Both my actions have a built-in recoil lug — a really nice feature when you are changing barrels, and one of the main reasons I favor custom actions over a Remington. I think anyone would be pleased with either the BAT or the Hall.
There is a big difference in shooting a Light Gun vs. a Heavy Gun, as you might expect. The Heavy Gun is more stable and recoils straight back. However, even at 21 pounds, the Heavy Gun actually recoils harder into your shoulder than the muzzle brake-equipped Light Gun. But if you take the Light Gun’s brake off, and put the action back in the old Hunter bench stock, the gun would jump, torque and roll. It’s much better with the 008 stock now, but still not as rock solid as the Heavy Gun. On recoil the 21-pounder just tracks straight back, no jumping, no yaw, no rolling–very impressive.
Load Development and Accuracy Results
Developed last year, my favorite Light Gun load is 30.5 grains Varget, CCI BR4 primers, and 106gr Clinch River VLDs, running 2825 fps. The Light Gun shoots other bullets very well, but the Clinch Rivers performed best, with groups in the 0.1s to the low 0.2s at 100 yds. I use Lapua brass of course.
I began my load development for the Heavy Gun with components I had from last year: Varget, N140, and N540 powders, plus Fed 205, CCI BR4, and CCI 450 primers. I also had a good selection of bullets: 95gr and 105gr Bergers, 105gr Lapua Scenars, 106gr Clinch Rivers, and 107gr Sierra MKs.
The Heavy Gun liked the Bergers right from the start. During break-in and fire-forming (with 95gr Bergers 0.20” into the lands, 30.0gr Varget and CCI 450s), the rifle shot in the low 0.2s at 100 yds, 0.3s at 200 yds, with a 0.182″ small group at 200 yards (see photo). I then moved up to the heavier bullets and again the Bergers stole the show. Best load for the Berger 105s (seated 0.15″ into the lands) was 30.5 grains Varget and Fed 205s at 2850 fps. At 100 yards, this recipe shot in the 0.1s to the low 0.2s with a small group of 0.089″. (By the way, this same load in my Hall Light Gun would crater the Fed 205 primers. I may have to change to CCI BR4 primers for the hot summer days.) After working with the 105s I wanted to see how the Heavy Gun performed with lighter bullets. I tried my favorite Egg Shoot and 600-yard load–80gr Fowlers pushed by 31.5 grains of Vihtavuori N135 with Fed 205 primers. The results were fantastic. The big BAT produced a 100-yard aggregate (five, 5-shot groups) in the 0.2s with an 0.129″ small group. Overall, at 200 yards, both guns could agg five 5-shot groups in the 0.3s and 0.4s. Eggs Beware!
Big, Strong, and Versatile ‘MB’ Action by BAT Machine
I looked at all the custom actions, and decided on a BAT model ‘MB’, configured Right Bolt, Left Port, Right Eject. The ‘MB’ action has some pretty unique features, including an integral recoil lug on the underside, and a recessed tenon (i.e. the threads start 1″ from the front of the receiver). The action is 8.5″ long, but with a 7.5″ bolt. The extra inch is added to the front. That provides extra bedding surface and room for a third pillar. The 8.5″ action length gives me the option to go up to a 6.5-284, while the dual ports should help give me the speed I need for the 10-round strings in Heavy Class. Also I can load from either side for F-Class.
Why did I choose a BAT? First, BAT quality is second to none. Moreover, BAT will custom-configure your port(s) and bolt for the same price, no added fees. Other action-makers charge extra for anything other than your basic Right Bolt, Right Port. This makes the BAT about the same price as a Stolle or Nesika, if you want a set-up like mine. The right-side ejection port is slightly smaller than the left feed port, but I can still feed 6BR cases from either side if I wish. The MB action is so big, the little BR case runs out of ejector as soon as the case leaves the chamber, so I push the case out to the right as I load the next round from the left. The BAT will eject a loaded 6BR round just fine, but a fired case only ejects sometimes. This action would work great with a longer round, such as a .243 AI or 6.5-284. If you want completely reliable 6BR ejection, you’ll need a smaller BAT action. But then, like my Hall standard action, the port would be too small for a 6.5-284.
Richard’s #008 Stock — How it Handles
The 008 stock is the best design I’ve ever shot off the bench. I like to hold my guns, and the 008’s grip profile gives me the control I like. The trigger is close enough for my short fingers. The underside of the buttstock is flat and completely straight (parallel to the barrel), so the gun tracks straight back. During recoil, the scope stays on target, making for quicker recovery time. In the picture at left, you can see that the underside of the fore-arm is relieved in the middle with raised strips on the left and right. These “rails” make for less surface area contacting the bags, less friction, and more consistent recoil. The high comb on the stock allows better prone shooting. For now, the stock is fine for what prone shooting I do. But if I do get seriously into into F-class I may want to add an adjustable comb or cheekpad. We’ll see.
Plans for Competition — The Lure of Hickory Groundhog Shoot Dollars
Some years ago, after building this pair of accurate 6mmBR rifles, Mark Schronce told us: “I can’t wait to see how this pair perform at long range. I will also take the Light Gun to the big Hickory GroundHog match in April, but I may put the barreled action back in the Hunter stock. This year you have to use bipods or sand bags, no front rest. [Editor: that is no longer the rule.] I don’t know if want to drill into my pretty new 008 stock for a bipod mount. I’ll let you know how it goes, and hopefully I’ll come back with some loot from the Shoot.” NOTE — that year Hickory offered about $8000 worth of prizes.
Want to see the details?CLICK HERE to view full-screen photo.
Here are five targets, each with FIVE shots in essentially one hole. This amazing feat of accuracy was accomplished six years ago. We are reprising our report because this five-target Aggregate arguably represents the most impressive feat of 100-yard accuracy in the history of marksmanship on this planet.
Check out those five targets. The Aggregate (average) of all five targets is a tiny 0.0840 inches! These were shot by Gary Ocock at 100 yards in a California benchrest match on August 6, 2017. Though Gary’s amazing 0.0840 Five-Target Agg beats existing records, this was not a “sanctioned” match, so Gary’s killer Agg will NOT be submitted for IBS or NBRSA records. So, sadly, the Agg won’t appear in the record books, but this remains a spectacular, verified feat of rifle accuracy, accomplished in competition.
The argument can be made that this is the Most Accurate Gun Ever Built. As far as we can determine, no one has ever shot a smaller 5-target Agg anywhere, at any time.
The Unlimited Benchrest Record That Will Never Be (Official)
Report by Boyd Allen
Gary Ocock’s stunning unlimited Aggregate is beyond amazing. That’s an average of five, 5-shot groups of .0840. Shot under sanctioned match rules, but at an unsanctioned 100-yard fun match, this Aggregate is well under the current 100-yard official records of the IBS (.1386), and the NBRSA (.1242). The fourth of the five groups measured a minuscule .018, less than half the size of the existing NBRSA Unlimited record of .049 (also shot by Gary). Check it out:
When the top 15 shooters all post teen Aggs, conditions must be pretty favorable. However there were some light switchy winds — Gary said that he shot better in the left to right condition.
GUN SPECIFICATIONS
Ocock’s red Jay Young Unlimited Railgun features one major difference from Young’s typical Railgun designs. The bottom of the barrel block is integral with the top (moving part), of the gun. The barrel is Ocock’s usual 1:13.5″-twist Krieger chambered for the 6 PPC. The BAT Neuvo action is unusual in that its lugs are horizontal at lock-up instead of the usual vertical. With horizontal lugs, both lugs maintain contact with their abutments when the action is cocked. In the more normal configuration when cocked the top lug is forced off of its seat by a combination of the angle of the trigger cocking piece interface, the pressure of the striker spring, and bolt clearance at the rear of the action.
LOAD SPECIFICATIONS
Gary shot this remarkable Agg with well-used brass, Vihtavuori N133 powder, and self-made 66gr BT bullets* seated at “jam”. This amazing Agg was shot on the second day of a 2-day Unlimited Benchrest match. On Day 1 Gary had experimented with various loads using both surplus IMR 8208 and Vihtavuori N133, but was not satisfied with the results. For his first group on Day 2, Gary tried a light load of N133. After seeing the result, however, he decided to go to the other extreme — a super stout N133 load — with the same powder. As you can see, Gary’s willingness to experiment paid off.
Notably, Gary used light neck tension. Ocock found that for these bullets and this barrel, light neck tension worked best (contrary to “normal” N133 benchrest practice). Ocock used a bushing that only produces .001″ difference between the diameters of sized and loaded case necks.
Comment on Ocock’s Achievement
Congratulations to Gary Ocock for superb shooting (and smart loading). Even though the match was not sanctioned (so the Agg will never be a record), Ocock has raised the bar very high, and given us a new standard of ultimate accuracy.
Though this 0.0840 Aggregate and 0.018 group will never go into the record group, they are still noteworthy. There’s virtually no doubt that they would have survived inspection by any record committee. Except for the lack of fixed backers, an IBS requirement (for detecting cross-fires), all other conditions were met for an officially-sanctioned match.
Boyd Allen notes: The reason that the match was not sanctioned was that the sanctioning bodies like to have a month’s notice when scheduling a sanctioned match and because the range had been down for modifications and this was the first match after that, there was some question as to whether the work required to have stationary backers could be finished in time for the match. Rather than promise what might not be deliverable, the decision was made to hold the match under all of the usual competition rules as a non-sanctioned “fun” match. None of this diminishes Gary’s performance.
* Gary Ocock shot his own, boat-tail match bullets, made with George Ulrich-crafted dies using Hood cores. Although he said that it had been a while since he had weighed any, his best guess was that they weigh something around 66.5 grains.
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Hardware Choices: Actions, Stocks, Barrels, Optics and More Tech Talk by Jeff Stover
This article was prepared by past IBS President Jeff Stover based on results from the 2019 IBS 100/200 Group Nationals held August 12-17, 2019 at the Holton Gun & Bow Club in western Michigan.
Let’s examine the Top Ten rifles from the 2019 IBS Group Nationals in the 10.5-lb Light Varmint Class. We’ll focus on the most popular rifle components — the choices for Actions, Stocks, Barrels, and Scopes.
Hall of Famer Jeff Gaidos taking aim at the 2018 IBS Group Nationals. He has a low-profile carbon-fiber stock with a Leupold fixed-power scope.
For some years now, BAT has been the predominant action. This year BAT actions held nearly 100% of the Top Ten places in all the Bag Gun equipment lists. Bruce Thom’s Idaho-crafted actions, except for a couple stray actions in Heavy Bench, swept the top rankings.
Next, look at barrels. Bartlein or Krieger seem to rule with upstate New York’s venerable Hart barrels as competitive. Shooters tend to go with winners, so Wayne Campbell and Jeff Peinhardt dominate as gunsmiths for the top benchrest shooters.
In stocks there seems to be variety, but there is some commonality. The Scoville and Scarbrough stocks, both Michigan-made, are laminated wood (balsa and other wood) with carbon fiber and wrapped in carbon fiber. The Scoville stock on my 10.5-lb rifle weighs 18 ounces but is full size with a nice long fore-end. Bob Scarbrough makes a very similar product. Both are winners — it’s a choice of Ferrari or Lamborghini. The Roy Hunter and Terry Leonard stocks among these top rifles take a different route to winner’s circle. Both are wood (cedar or other), but super high-tech as they are laminated with carbon fiber. They are beautiful to boot. High-magnification Leupold, March, and Nightforce scopes rule the roost among benchrest optics.
Bullets and Powder
Bullets are important. Really important. A hot bullet gives you “Teen Aggs” and lots of trophies. An average bullet does not. Most of these are 68 grain 6mm boattails. The Peinhardt (StaMoly Precision) bullet is well represented on this list, but some top shooters make their own as you can see. Bullet jackets are likely StaMoly or J4. For powder, nearly everyone shoots Vihtavouri N133 except a few guys running LT30/32 or surplus 8208.
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Do you need targets — not just any old targets, but the correctly-sized targets for specific shooting disciplines (such as NRA Smallbore, F-Class, and 1K Benchrest)? Well you won’t find them at your neighborhood gun store. Precise, dimensionally-correct competition targets are produced by a half-dozen specialty printers. In this article we provide links to the leading target sellers, with a chart showing “who’s got what”. Look for your particular discipline and the vendors will be specified.
Sources for Official Shooting Competition Targets:
AccurateShooter.com offers dozens of FREE, printable targets for target practice, load development, and fun shooting. We also offer a few of the most popular NRA Bullseye targets. One or more of these printable targets should work for most training purposes. However, some readers have asked: “Where can we get the real targets… exactly like the ones used in NRA, IBS, and NBRSA shooting matches?”
All these vendors carry nearly all the NRA High Power and Smallbore targets, including the smaller F-Class targets. National Target has the F-Class and High Power targets, including 100-yard reductions of the 200, 300, and 600-yard military targets.
Orrville Printing currently sells IBS targets for rimfire (50 yard) benchrest, short-range centerfire Benchrest (100, 200, 300 yards), Hunter BR Rifle (100, 200, 300 yards), plus the official 600-yard and 1000-yard IBS targets. National Target Company also has most of the IBS targets. NBRSA short-range, 600-yard, and 1000-yard benchrest targets are available directly from the NBRSA Business Office. Send an email to nbrsa@icloud.com or call (434) 993-9201.
Need Steel, Cardboard Silhouettes or specialty targets? ALCO Target Company in Duarte, California is the USA’s leading producer of the full spectrum of shooting targets including paper targets, cardboard targets, steel targets, and target stands.
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.243 Ackley Improved for Long-Range Varminting and Benchrest Competition
Whenever Matt Bianchini brings his bright yellow .243 Ackley to the firing line, heads turn. This is one truly handsome rig–as good-looking as it is accurate. Built to smoke varmints at long-range as well as compete in 1000-yard benchrest matches, this rifle is proof that competition improves the breed. Fitted with a Farley action, Jewell trigger, Leupold LRT scope, and Lilja or Krieger barrel, the Yellow Ackley is a “no compromise” match rifle that can run with the big dogs in 1K Benchrest competition. And with the Ackley’s ability to toss 106gr Clinch Rivers at 3350 fps, this is one flat-shooting, hard-hitting varmint rifle.
Ultra-Fast, Ultra-Smooth Farley Action…and One Wicked Paint Job
The heart of Matt’s rifle is a Farley action. Farleys have found favor with Benchrest competitors, because the bolt can be worked so fast. And the Farley is as smooth as it is speedy. The difference is quite noticeable if you compare it to a blue-printed Rem 700, or even a recent Stolle Panda. Farleys were true customs, built one at a time by the Farley family in Oklahoma. Unlike a BAT action which is machined from billet steel, a Farley starts with a stainless investment casting, much like Ruger pistol frames. It uses a cone bolt for smooth, yet solid lock-up.
One of the unique features of the Farley is the ejector–it can be switched on or off, depending on the shooter’s preference. So, if you’re load testing some hot rounds, you can turn the ejector off. In a match you can turn the ejector “on” to function normally. Matt is now a confirmed Farley fanatic. He tells us: “I’ve got quite a few other very nice actions, including Nesikas. But none of them are as slick as that Farley. When you work the bolt it feels like it’s on ball-bearings.”
Matt’s Screamin’ Yellow Ackley–The Need for Speed
.243 Ackley Improved Speed Demon
In a long-range varmint rifle, speed kills. Ultra-high velocities will deliver flatter trajectories and more explosive hits on critters. That’s where the .243 Ackley Improved really shines.
Matt has explored the upper limits of .243 Ackley Improved (AI) performance with his yellow long-range rig, fitted with a 29″ Lilja 3-groove, 1:8″-twist barrel. Using a stout load of Alliant Reloder 25, Matt’s “Screamin’ Yellow Ackley” has topped 3340 fps with Clinch River 106s. That’s serious speed for heavy 6mm bullets. This shows a well-built .243 AI leaves Dashers and 6XCs in the dust when it comes to pure velocity.
Ultimate Evolution of the .243 Winchester
Matt’s show-stopping rifle is a .243 Ackley Improved (40-degree shoulder, .271″ neck), chambered with a Manson reamer. On top of the stainless Farley “S” action, in Farley 30mm rings, sits a Leupold LRT (1/16 MOA dot) boosted to 18X-40X by Premier Reticles. Matt has SIX barrels for the gun, three Lilja 3-grooves, a couple Kriegers, and a Shilen.
Matt’s gun currently sports an 8-twist 29″ Lilja 3-groove HV taper that Matt says cleans up like a dream. The stock is a Shehane ST-1000 Tracker made in fiberglass by McMillan, with a BAT trigger guard and Shehane polished billet aluminum buttplate. Prior to final finishing, Matt worked over the flats and some of the angles. That’s why the facets are so well-defined on this rifle compared to some ‘glass Trackers you may have seen. The gun was chambered by Dave Bruno of Cheswick, PA.
Matt bedded the stock and applied the stunning Sikken “Viper” yellow paint job himself. That flawless, smooth-as-glass Screamin’ Yellow finish is no ordinary paint-job, but then Matt Bianchini is no ordinary do-it-yourself painter. His family runs an automotive body-shop, so he had access to premium paints and a quarter-million-dollar spray booth with all the latest technology. Still, Matt spent many hours on this stock to get everything right, trying a couple colors before he settled on a Sikken automotive “Viper Race Yellow” formulated for the Dodge Viper sports car. After careful prep work, Matt sprayed two coats of Viper Yellow, and then added three coats of high-grade automotive clear, which was then baked-on in a heat chamber. Matt also painted the Sinclair front rest to match the stock, and even polished the surfaces of the Hoehn windage top. A lot of effort, Matt told us, was required to achieve the results you see here.
3300 fps for 1000 Yards
Though Matt’s Ackley has harvested its share of varmints, the gun was built with 1000-yard benchrest competition in mind. At left is the firing line at Thunder Valley, Ohio. Yep those targets (upper right) are 1000 yards away. Now you know why Matt has a 40-power scope.
The Yellow Ackley weighs just under 17 pounds to meet IBS and NBRSA “Light Gun” weight limits. While Matt says his bullets don’t “go to sleep” for a couple hundred yards, this gun can still shoot 1/4″ groups at 100 yards and hold that accuracy much, much farther. Matt reports, “my best-ever group was five shots in .397″ at 400 yards. Yep, I got lucky with the conditions, but this is a very accurate rifle.”
.243 Ackley Improved–More Velocity, Less Case Stretch
by Bob Blaine, Sinclair International
Parker Ackley reluctantly developed the .243 Ackley Improved (“AI”). Ackley finally gave in to his customers’ requests to develop the .243 AI. He had always felt that the .243 Winchester was already an improved configuration, but he did say that the best thing to be gained by improving the .243 Winchester was to substantially reduce the case-stretching problems. The .243 Winchester parent case has always stretched brass, almost as bad as the Swift. Even though you get more velocity with the improved .243, I’ve also found that the improved version gives a bit more throat life than the parent case does.
The .243 AI delivers more velocity by virtue of enhanced case capacity–roughly five grains more H20 capacity than a standard .243 Winchester. The .243 AI has a water capacity of approximately 57 to 58 grains, compared to 52-53 grains for the standard .243 Winchester.
Loading for Long-Range
For long-range shooting, Matt loads 106gr Clinch Rivers with 47.5gr of Alliant Reloder 25 for his Krieger barrels, a little more powder with the Lilja 3-grooves. The Lilja load runs 3342 fps, with a 3.228″ OAL. Cases are neck-turned Lapua .243 Winchester. He uses Wilson inline seater and Wilson eck-sizer dies (.267″ bushing), and a custom, reamer-cut FL sizing die.
Not Just for BR, This Gun Can Hunt
While Matt has a big stable of varmint rifles, the Yellow Ackley has seen plenty of duty in the ‘Hog fields. Matt is from a farming family and he can shoot practically right out his back door (see top photo at the farm). He has nailed some big ground-hogs at 800 yards and beyond. The .243 AI does kick a bit compared to other varmint cartridges, but even with 105-106gr bullets, it’s not bad. He has considered adding a muzzle brake at some point to one of the barrels, just so he can see impacts better.
Screamin’ Yellow Dasher?
Matt originally thought of building the gun up as a 6BR or a 6BR Improved. He has a Manson reamer similar to a 6mm Dasher, with a 40-degree shoulder and .008″ body taper. He actually chambered a couple barrels with that 6BR Improved reamer, but he hasn’t shot them yet. He was so pleased with how the gun performed in .243 AI, that he saw no reason to change. And it may be a while before he slaps a Dasher-chambered barrel on the rig: “I really like the way it shoots as a .243 AI. I’m so impressed with it that I don’t want to mess with anything. And I don’t think I’ll be running out of Ackley barrels anytime soon.”
Since the .243 Win is such a popular cartridge, all the major die-makers offer reloading dies. It’s hard to go wrong with a Redding Type ‘S’ Full-length bushing die–item 77114 for the standard .243 Win and item 77420 for .243 AI. Whidden Gunworks also makes great .243 Win sizing dies (and custom .243 Win AI dies on request). These will both resize the case (and bump the shoulder) as necessary, and allow you to adjust neck tension with bushings. Alternatively, you can go with a body die, and a separate neck bushing die.
If you load primarily one brand of bullets, another slick set-up is to buy a Forster or Whidden full-length, non-bushing .243 Win sizing die, and then have Forster or Whidden hone the neck for your desired amount of tension. This elegant one-pass sizing solution produces very straight rounds with low run-out.
For bullet seating, both the Redding Competition Seater (item 55114) and the Forster Ultra-Seater (item U00034) work great for the standard .243 Win case. If you shoot a .243 Ackley, Redding’s .243 AI Comp Seater (item 55420) costs quite a bit more than the standard version Forster doesn’t list a .243 AI seater in their catalog. However, you can just run your chambering reamer into the inner sleeve of either seating die to fit the .243 Ackley Improved case.
If you want the “Cadillac” of production seater dies for the .243 Win, order the Wilson Stainless Micrometer seater (item 50-1114S) from Sinclair International. Costing only a few dollars more than a Redding Comp seater, this die is a joy to use, providing very positive control over bullet seating depth. When used with a quality arbor press, the Wilson offers unrivaled “feel” for bullet-seating force. This can help you monitor neck tension, one of the most critical factors in maintaining low ES and SD for long-range accuracy.
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Bauer Power. Today’s Sunday Gunday story features Jim Bauer and Sally Bauer, a “power couple” in the International Benchrest Shooters (IBS) mid-range and long-range benchrest game. Jim and Sally both compete at 600 yards and 1000 yards, and both have been VERY successful. A decade ago, in 2012, Sally was the IBS 1000-yard Shooter of the Year. She had a great season, piloting her impressive Stars & Strips Heavy Gun (shown above). Sally now serves as the IBS Treasurer.
Jim Bauer has also been a top IBS performer shooting a similar, wide-forearm Maxi-Tracker Heavy Gun, with beautiful Eagle-on-black paint scheme. Jim Bauer won the IBS 2015 1000-Yard Nationals shooting a 6mm Dasher in both Light Gun and Heavy Gun classes. And Jim holds the IBS 1000-yard 20-Target Light Gun Aggregate Score Record. He set the record in 2021 with 47.15 Agg Score and 5.4171″ group average — that’s very close to half-MOA for 10-shot groups at 1000 yards!
Jim Bauer Wins 2015 1000-Yard Title with Duel Dashers
Jim Bauer won the IBS 2015 IBS 1000-Yard Nationals shooting a 6mm Dasher in both Light Gun and Heavy Gun Classes. Here’s his match-winning Heavy Gun. Smithed by Gordy Gritters, Bauer’s Heavy Gun featured a BAT action, Krieger barrel (in barrel block), Shehane HG stock, and Nightforce scope.
At the 2015 1000-Yard Nationals, Jim Bauer was both Two-Gun Champion and Overall winner. Bauer shot great in both Light Gun (LG) and Heavy Gun (HG) matches, posting Top 10 finishes in both classes. Bauer ran 6mm Dashers in both Divisions (LG and HG) with Vapor Trail bullets.
Sally Bauer Honored as 2012 IBS 1000-Yard Shooter of the Year
In 2012, Sally Bauer became the first (and only) lady to win the title of IBS 1000-yard Shooter of the Year. Sally earned that honor through hard work, dedication, and a burning desire to “be all she can be”. While helping her husband Jim rise to the top of the 1000-yard benchrest game, Sally was taking notes and working toward her turn at the top. Well friends, Sally took no prisoners in 2012 and earned Shooter of the Year honors. Sally’s handsome 67-lb Heavy Gun, “Stars & Stripes”, is painted with an American flag theme.
Sally Bauer and the IBS 1000-Yard Heavy Gun Record
A decade ago, in 2012 Sally Bauer set a then-pending International Benchrest Shooters (IBS) Score Heavy Gun (HG) record for 1000-yard competition. Her score was 100-5X with a 3.495″ tie-breaker group. Though that record has been surpassed (with a smaller tie-breaking group), Sally was the first lady ever to post a pending IBS 1000-yard benchrest record.
Sally’s Amazing 1K Group
At the end of the Heavy Gun match #10 Sally was directed by Range Officer Gordy Mitchell to leave all of her equipment and rifle setting on her bench. Sally was perplexed by Gordy Mitchell’s direction but he assured her “It is a good thing”. Rumors swirled and Dave Holland was summoned to the pits.
Dave and Gordy brought the target back to the scoring shed and had club officials and some respected competitors measure and sign the target. All agreed Sally had just shot an IBS record score. Sally’s rifle and equipment were measured and photographed and the target sent off to the IBS for final measurement and verification.
Sally’s Heavy Gun Specifications
Sally’s 67-lb Heavy Gun was originally purchased from Bill Shehane, and it uses Bill’s Maxi-Tracker stock. The gun was originally chambered for the 6-6.5×47 Lapua Improved. But the gun didn’t shoot like the Bauers wanted, so it was rechambered to 6mm Dasher by Gordy Gritters. The action is a 2″-diameter, round, chrome moly, 3-lug, 7 ½” BAT. The barrel is a 28″, 1:8″-twist Krieger, with 1.45″-diameter straight tube. The barreled action is secured in the stock with a 9″-long barrel block. The gun uses a 12-42x56mm Nightforce BR scope and a Jewel BR trigger. Gordy Gritters smithed the rifle. Jim Sauer states: “We have known Gordy for years now and trust every phase of our gun projects — all of them are mechanical works of art. When we get our guns from Gordy we know we can put our focus on brass prep and load development and don’t have to worry about the guns being right. That really helps save time.”
Editor’s NOTE: The following information was for the original 2012 load Sally ran in her IBS Heavy Gun. Load details and procedures may have changed now, a decade later.
Reloading Procedure for Sally’s “Stars & Stripes” Maxiby Jim Sauer
With every new rifle we start with new brass. The first step is to run them through a full length sizing die, then over an appropriate expander mandrel. Since we use a .270 neck on our 6 Dasher chambers, neck turning amounts to a 80% cleanup of the new Lapua brass necks. We do the normal primer pocket and flash-hole uniforming.
We fire-form two times to make sure we get nice sharp shoulder corners before competition. We then separate them according to weight using 1/10th of a grain differences for each box. Much of our loading process is geared around time savings. We look for easy-to-use, consistently good products and don’t vary from them unless we have a problem or results aren’t to our standards. We have chosen to shoot Clay Spencer’s 103gr 6mm bullets. We weight-sort and bearing-surface sort them and that’s it. I gave up trimming and tipping simply because it didn’t improve how Clay built them. We also use only one primer, the CCI 450.
We use one of four different powders. Our “go-to” powder is RL15, next we try Varget, then IMR 8208, and if that doesn’t work we try H4895. We have found that these bullets usually shoot best at 2970 fps. This is not an absolute, just what normally works best. We always try higher and lower velocities looking for that special load. Once we find the powder and quantity that works the best we play with the seating depth. Usually this is a fine-tune method and most of the time 15 thousandths into the rifling works the best. But don’t be afraid to jump the bullets as much as 0.100″. When we use this procedure we usually find a combination that will shoot nice, round ¾” groups at 400 yards.
Our reloading regimen starts with ultra-sonic cleaning our brass, then tumbling until shiny. We anneal the brass every time. We proceed to full-length resizing, repriming, and lubing the inside of the necks with graphite. We then charge with our selected powder and seat the bullets. We measure for concentricity, [shooting] the best ones for the record and the others for sighters. The load that Sally shot the record with is 33.0 grains of IMR 8208 XBR, CCI 450 primers, Spencer 103gr bullets, Lapua brass, bullet seated 15 thousandths into rifling, Velocity 2980 fps.
About Sally Bauer – In her “formative years” of competitive shooting, Sally listened to proper and basic instruction and learned at her pace. She developed her own style and discipline. Not wanting to be dependent on others Sally learned to set up her rests and carries Stars & Stripes to the bench by herself.
Jim Bauer reports: “Sally and I would like to thank the kind people we have met in this crazy frustrating game of shooting. For the most part fellow competitors have been helpful and giving of the time, experience and knowledge. Every range owner and operator we have come across has treated us like family and friend. I can think of no other sport where the participants give so freely.”
Bauer Power in Action at the 2017 IBS 600-Yard Nationals
Would you like to see this IBS “power couple” in action? Here are videos of Jim Bauer and Sally Bauer shooting at the 2017 IBS 600-yard Nationals in Memphis, Tennessee.
Jim Bauer sends 5 record rounds down range with his “Eagle” HG in Maxi-Tracker stock
Sally Bauer shoots sighter rounds with her Stars & Stripes HG in Maxi-Tracker stock
Transporting Big Heavy Guns in Style with Slide-out Carriers
The Bauers have created a very smart and clever system for transporting their rifles to matches. The Bauers have a great transport set-up, with custom, slide-out rifle carriers fitted to their van. You can see Jim’s and Sally’s Heavy Guns in the lower drawer.
And here is a close-up of the Light Gun in the Bauer’s second slide-out carrier (top in photo). The patriotic “We the People” message is welcome.
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7mm (.284) remains the caliber to beat in F-Class Open Division (though some shooters have had success with .30-Cal short magnums.) With a standard .284 Winchester, or better yet, a .284 Improved, you can drive the high-BC Berger 180gr and 184gr bullets to competitive velocities.
The straight .284 Win is an excellent cartridge, quite capable of winning F-class matches. However, in most barrels, it can’t push the 180s at 2900-2950 fps velocity levels*. A lot of barrels will top out at about 2850 fps. That’s where the .284 Shehane comes into play.
The .284 Shehane is a slightly modified wildcat that retains the same 35° shoulder as the parent case. However, by blowing the sidewalls out 0.010″, the .284 Shehane picks up about 3.3 grains of extra case capacity. That enhancement makes a BIG difference. The extra boiler room is enough to drive the 180s at 2900-2950 fps with 30-32″ barrels using H4831sc, Vihtavuori N560, or Alliant Reloder 16. (That’s with a reasonably fast barrel. Some barrels are faster than others.)
Norm Harrold Won 2018 F-Class Open Division Nationals with .284 Shehane Rifle
Norm Harrold (above) won the 2018 USA F-Class Nationals shooting a .284 Shehane. Norm’s F-Open rig features a McMillan Kestros ZR stock and Bartlein barrel chambered for the .284 Shehane, which has a bit more case capacity than a standard .284 Winchester. Norm loaded Berger 184gr 7mm bullets in Lapua brass. Norm revealed his load in an Erik Cortina YouTube Video.
F-Class shooter Erik Cortina notes that the .284 Shehane has a velocity edge over the straight .284 Win because it holds more powder: “The Shehane has more capacity than the .284 Winchester. Ryan is using 54.0 grains simply as a fire-forming load. Typical load for a Shehane is around 57.0 grains of Hodgdon H4831 SC.” By blowing the sidewalls out 0.010″, the .284 Shehane picks up about 3.3 grains of extra case capacity. That enhancement makes a BIG difference. The extra boiler room is enough to drive the 180s at 2900-2950 fps with H4831sc, with long barrels.
Forum member Jim Hardy has shot the .284 with great success. He tells us: “In my humble opinion, the .284 Shehane is the best balanced long-range round there is — bar none. Here is why:
You have to shoot a 30 Cal Magnum with a 240gr bullet to equal the performance of most 7mm chamberings with the 180 Berger VLD. With the .284 Shehane, you have a .308 bolt face, medium action, and Lapua brass. You use less powder than the 7 mags, and have great accuracy and ballistics even while fire-forming. The .284 Shehane shoots inside the 6.5 AND the straight .284, the .300 WSM, and the .300 Win Mag with less recoil. What is not to love about the 284 Shehane? It is a no-brainer for long range — F-Class or Prone or 1000-yard Benchrest.”
Amazing Accuracy When Fire-Forming .284 Shehane
If you look at that 5-round group you might think it was shot with a 6 PPC or maybe a 6mmBR. But no, this was done with heavy 180gr Berger Hybrid bullets and the .284 Shehane. In fact, this impressive sub-quarter MOA group was shot while fire-forming with a very well-worn barrel! Gun builder Ryan Pierce of Piercision Rifles explains: “Here’s a 5-shot 0.191″ group at 100 yards with my .284 Shehane fireforming loads. This barrel has 2200 rounds through it. It had 2000 as a straight .284 Win and then I set it back to .284 Shehane to form brass with. [The load was] 180 Hybrids with 54.0 grains of H4831 SC.”
Scotland’s Grant Taylor. who used the .284 Shehane to finish third at the 2009 F-Class Worlds in England says the .284 Shehane is “very accurate with superb vertical spreads at 1000 yards. [This] caliber… has awesome accuracy. I’m getting 2930-2950 fps with spreads in the 3-5 fps range. I use Hodgdon H4831sc powder, CCI BR2 primers, and pointed 180gr Bergers.”
.284 Shehane Showcase — Two Special F-Open Rifles
Jason Cohen’s “We the People” patriotic .284 Shehane F-Class rifle. This rig scored second place in its very first match, a 3×20 at 1000 yards in Wyoming.
Here’s another handsome .284 Shehane F-Open rifle. Owner Jason Cohen explained why he chose the .284 Shehane chambering: “The .284 Shehane has a proven record of accomplishments and that is why I have chosen it. I use Lapua brass (6.5-284 necked-up), CCI BR-2 primers, Hodgdon H4350 powder, and Berger 184gr bullets. All these components have been a successful combination that has worked flawlessly[.]”
The barrel is a Blake Machine 1:8″-twist finished at 32 inches. It was fitted to my action by Dale Woolum of Woolum Accuracy. Dale also threaded the barrel for a Woolum Accuracy tuner. This has proven to be a valuable tool in my load development.
The rifle began its life as a Will McClosky Cerus stock. This was sent that to Bryan Blake at Blake Machine. Jason noticed that Bryan had been adding aluminum rails to the front of Cerus stocks to lower the center of gravity and improve tracking. Jason asked Bryan to fit the stock with forearm rails, shown in the photo below. Bryan did all the stock work and fitted the action, rails, and RAD recoil pad.
The .284 Shehane — Accurate and Forgiving Wildcat
Jason explains why he selected the .284 Shehane chambering: “The .284 Shehane is amazing, very forgiving and not temperamental. Straight .284 or Shehane — you cannot go wrong. I run a 184gr Berger at about 2850 FPS and get great brass life in my other rifles. I usually start to consider tossing the brass around 15 firings. Primer pockets start to get a little looser and the brass seems to need more sizing than the newer brass with less firings.”
.284 Shehane Load Development
Load development for me starts with each new barrel. I screw on the new barrel, fire 25 rounds of whatever I have left over and then clean it. I push out to 600 yards and do a ladder test in round-robin format. I start 0.6 grains lower than my last charge that worked. I work up from that reduced charge weight in increments of 0.3 grains. The paper tells the rest of the story. Once I get something that works well at 600 yards I go back in work around that by 0.1 grains. After that I play a little with seating depth and look for a change. I will occasionally mess with the tuner and tighten things up if possible.
.284 Shehane Raffle Prize Rifle for Team USA
This stunning .284 Shehane rifle was constructed as a raffle prize to benefit Team USA members preparing for the F-Class World Championship. This eye-catching F-Open rifle was crafted by Blake Barrel and Rifle in Arizona. This prize rifle features all top-of-the-line components: Borden BRMXD Action, Cerus multi-laminate stock with forearm extension, R.A.D. recoil reduction system (hydraulic-damped buttpad), Bix ‘N Andy trigger, and Nightforce Competition scope. The stainless Blake barrel is chambered for the .284 Shehane wildcat, and sports an F-Class Products tuner on the end.
.284 Shehane Also Shines in 1K Benchrest Competition
The .284 Shehane has won in Benchrest as well as F-Class competition. In 2013, Henry Pasquet won the IBS 1000-Yard Nationals shooting a .284 Shehane. Henry’s Championship-winning rig is shown below. Note the 5″-wide fore-end which is not legal for F-Class. Henry also runs a combo tuner/muzzle-brake.
*Some exceptional barrels chambered in straight .284 Win can reach 2900 fps with the 180s. Ryan Pierce has a 32″ Brux barrel that is delivering 2900 fps with the straight .284. However, Ryan acknowledges that his velocities are not typical: “A lot of .284 Win barrels top out at around 2850 fps with the 180s”.
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Shown are funnel with ultra-long drop tube (which helps get more kernels in the cases), RCBS Chargemaster (in wood box), and Hood Press (similar to Harrell’s Combo press).
Loading at the range remains important in the Benchrest for Group discipline. In a Special Report below, past IBS President Jeff Stover explains how loading methods (and hardware) have evolved over the years. The advent of accurate, affordable electronic powder dispensers, such as the RCBS ChargeMaster and Frankford’s new Intellidropper, have changed the game and made it easier to load efficiently at the range. And quality manual powder measures are fast and can be very consistent, with a little practice. Loading at the range permits competitors to tune their load to the conditions, change seating depths, or even choose different bullets to suit the barrel’s preferences on any given day.
Although pre-loading is not uncommon, most 100/200-yard group shooters usually load at the match, often between relays. The goal is to shoot smaller groups by staying “in tune”. In a game where 5-shot groups “in the 1s and Zeros” is the goal, tuning loads for the conditions helps deliver match-winning accuracy. Nearly all competitors in this short-range discipline shoot the 6mm PPC cartridge, or a PPC variant.
Loading at the Range — Then and Now
In benchrest shooting for group, loading at the range has been de rigueur for decades. In the Score discipline, preloading is usually the custom. The main reason is that, in Score competition, only one Aggregate (warm-up match and five record targets) per day is usually shot. That would be less than 50 shots, assuming a few sighter shots. Also, the 30BR, the dominant Benchrest-for-Score cartridge, is very amenable to pre-loading.
By contrast, the Group discipline includes 21 targets (two warm-ups and twenty record targets) over a weekend, usually shot with 6PPC-chambered rifles. Many times, the 6PPC shooters may tweak their loads through the day given changing atmospheric conditions or simply trying to find the correct tune to “dot up”. This term, “Dot up”, means the shots are essentially going through the same hole, or closely so.
Loading at the range was a bit different when benchrest competition was in its infancy. The 1951 book, Modern Accuracy by Bob Wallack, is the best of the early benchrest books. Copies can be found, from time to time, on eBay or Alibris. It is a fascinating survey of benchrest as it existed more than six decades ago. There’s even coverage of a controversial target that was argued over at the time. In it, there is a photo of Wallack using the rear bumper of a car at the bench to clamp his reloading tools. Things have come a long way compared to the range loading set-ups of modern shooters. Here you can see Bob Wallack way back in 1950:
Modern loading bench set-ups shown in this Special Report belong to top shooters Howie Levy, Bob Hamister, and Kent Harshman.
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Look and be amazed! In competition, a rifle drilled FIVE perfectly-overlapped bullet holes — the last virtually indistinguishable from the first — at a target a football field (100 yards) away.
Today we feature a benchrest rifle that earned its place in history by setting a small-group record in 2013 that may never be broken. This .30-caliber benchrest rig shot a 0.0077″ five-shot group at 100 yards. That’s the smallest 100-yard group ever shot in competition by ANY gun at 100 yards in history. And we may never see anything smaller in our lifetimes.
In setting that .0077″ (seventy-seven ten-thousandths of an inch) record, the shooter, Mike Stinnett, broke a record that stood for four decades — the 0.009″ five-shot group credited to Mac McMillan. The previous NBRSA Light Varmint Record of .009″ for five shots (at 100 yards) was set on 9/23/1973, 49 years ago. Experts considered that record “untouchable”, “unassailable” — in other words “unbreakable.” But Mike broke Mac’s record 40 years after it was set.
The Record-Setting Rifle and Cartridge
The gun that produced the historic .0077″ group was a Light Varmint-class Benchrest rifle chambered as a .30-caliber wildcat, the 30 Stewart. That cartridge is based on the 6.5 Grendel case necked up. The load had Hodgdon H4198 powder behind BIB 114gr, 10-ogive bullets. Notably, the record-setting ammo was pre-loaded before the match.
The Smallest 100-yard Group in History
All target shooters strive for perfect shot placement. Well one man has come closer to perfection than any other shooter who ever lived. You are looking at Michael Stinnett’s .0077″ NBRSA world-record group, the smallest 100-yard 5-shot group ever shot in the history of rifle competition. The group was certified at .0077″ (though labeled .008″ on the range-signed target below). A moving backer verified that this was FIVE shots — no question about that. You may be surprised but this was NOT shot by a 6 PPC, but rather a .30-caliber wildcat, based on the 6.5 Grendel.
Group Is Smaller than ANY 100-yard Group Shot in ANY Class
Mike’s amazing group stands as a NBRSA Light Varmint Class record. But it is also smaller than the current NBRSA 5-shot, 100-yard records for ALL other classes, even Unlimited (Rail Gun). Likewise Stinnett’s .0077″ group is smaller than the IBS records for ALL classes:
Better than any Rail Gun too — Mike Stinnett’s .0077″ group was smaller that ANY group shot in ANY class — event Unlimited Rail Guns, as shown below:
Below is a larger-than-life-size view. Using this photo we measured the group with target-calculating software, and it came out .006″ (the software only goes to three digits). We recognize that it would be much better to work from the real target rather than a photo, so we are not challenging the official measurement in the least. But this does confirm that this is a phenomenally small five-shot group.
Stinnett Sets .0077″ Record with a .30-Caliber Modified Grendel Cartridge, Pre-Loaded
Many folks have asked about the gun and ammo that produced the .0077″ group. The rifle was chambered as a .30-caliber wildcat, the 30 Stewart, which is based on the 6.5 Grendel case necked up. Mike was using Hodgdon H4198 powder behind BIB 114gr, 10-ogive bullets. Notably, the record-setting ammo was pre-loaded before the match. Unfortunately, we don’t have a photo of the target yet — it is still in the hands of the official NBRSA certification committee. However, Mike has been kind enough to tell us about his rifle and his load.
Mike Stinnett .0077″ Record Group Equipment Report
Mike reports: “Several guys have asked so here is my equipment listing. The hardware build actually started in 2008 with the goal of building two identical Benchrest rifles which could be used for both group and score. The idea was to shoot 6PPC and a .30 Cal without a base rifle change.”
Record-Setting Rifle Equipment and Components
Action: Kelbly Panda “Speedy Shorty” with solid bolt and PPC-diameter bolt face. Kelbly was asked to build several actions which were identical with the intent to eliminate any variance in head space between the two new rifles. This helped me use a single set-up on sizing dies for both rifles and ammo is interchangeable. Both actions were sent to Thomas ‘Speedy’ Gonzalez to be blue-printed and have Jewell triggers installed.
Reamer: 30 STEWART (I just call it a 30 PPC as that is what everyone expects, but it is in fact a custom design and Ralph deserves about 99% of the credit).
Barrels: Krieger was selected for the barrels. After discussions with Randy Robinett of BIB Bullets, a 1:17″ twist was identified as the correct, safe solution. Ralph Stewart has cut all my chambers using a custom-designed reamer. [Our goal] was consistent headspace and Ralph has been able to keep my barrels within .0002 variance. The barrel tuner also comes from Ralph Stewart.
Stock: Larson (including action bedding)
Scope: Leupold 45X Competition in Kelby Single Screw Tall Rings
Brass: Lapua (Base case is 6.5 Grendel)
Bullets: Randy Robinett (BIB) 30 Cal. 114gr, 10 Ogive (secondary bullet; primary is 112gr BIB)
Powder: H4198 – Stout Load with 2980 FPS Velocity
Front Rest: Farley Coaxial
Bags: Micro Fiber
Flags: Graham Wind Flags (large)
About the Cartridge — 30 Stewart (Based on Lapua 6.5 Grendel Parent Brass)
Mike explains: “Our goal was to shoot H4198 as the optimal powder for stability. There were several versions of the reamer before we settled on the current configuration. I am optimized for the 10 Ogive BIB bullet, powder to the base of the bullet. I found in testing the small 30-cal case did not like compression at all. The bullet is seated only 0.12″ into the case with zero freebore.
Cases were initially created with the .220 Russian (like a PPC) but I later decided it was better to build from the 6.5 Grendel. I size the brass and bump the shoulder back until it will fit into the chamber, fill to shoulder with International Clays, cotton wad packed on top. I have a fire-forming barrel. (I would not recommend this Clays and cotton wad method in a good barrel.) After initial fire-forming, I then mandrel the neck up the rest of the way to .30 caliber, turn the necks and trim.
It takes at least 8 firings to fully form a case! If you fire only three loads I find the brass does not have a sharp shoulder or any pressure on the bolt so any die selection is incorrect. Brass continues to harden well past 25 firings. I have match brass with well over 500 rounds fired, and I have never blown a case or neck yet (using my forming method).
For loading I use a Hornady Custom Shop Sizing Die and a Ralph Stewart Custom Seating Die. For those who are curious, yes the small group was fired with pre-loaded rounds. I do this now and then with local matches or may load 50 in a batch for one match.”
Mike wanted to thank his smiths, Randy Robinett, and all the folks involved in running the matches: “A big THANKS — as these are the guys that make our matches possible and without question maintain the integrity of the targets and record system. I was very fortunate to have all the right people in the right places for this match and my record. As for measurement – I only saw the target for about 10 seconds up close and can say I’m very happy I did not have to measure that group! Thanks again to everyone!” — Mike Stinnett
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We saw some interesting gear at a 600-yard IBS match at the Piedmont Gun Club (Rutherfordton, NC) a few seasons back. On display were a variety of hand-made wood cleaning cradles designed to fit on table tops. These typically employ a box-style design, with layer of cloth or other padding to cushion the underside of the stock. On display were both single-rifle cleaning cradle/boxes and dual-rifle rigs. This is a good do-it-yourself project that can be built with simple tools.
Click Photos to View Large Versions
Notice that these cradle-boxes feature an extended lower section in the rear. This lower “lip” butts up against the edge of the table so the whole assembly stays in place. In the photo above it appears that the lower section may actually be cut from a rubber block, but we’re not sure.
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Our featured rifle this Sunday is a one-of-a-kind memorial project, crafted in 2008 to honor Michelle Sutton and her service to the sport of Benchrest. Michelle passed away in 2007 after a long, courageous fight with cancer. This special custom 6 PPC benchrest rifle was built in order to raise money to fight cancer. On August 15, 2008, at the 2008 IBS Nationals, the rifle was awarded at a special drawing. Individuals who made a $20.00 contribution to the American Cancer Society were offered a chance to win the rifle, Leupold 45X Comp scope, and an array of shooting accessories (shown below). We’re proud to showcase this unique rifle once again, and help honor Michelle’s memory.
Michelle Sutton–Her Contribution to Benchrest Shooting by Jim Borden
Michelle Sutton contributed significantly to the growth of Benchrest shooting in general and the International Benchrest Shooters in particular. She was involved in Benchrest shooting from an early age, attending shoots with her family (P.J. and Kaye Hart, Clyde and Mickey Hart). She was an active competitor in her early years and then later provided her leadership, labor and planning skills to make sure that shoots were conducted in an efficient and effective manner. As time passed, she gave up her personal shooting to schedule and plan shoots and to provide the target scoring at matches for 3 to 4 different clubs. It was during her measuring of targets that her famed and sought-after “Smiley Faces” were developed.
Michelle made a practice of hand-penciling a Smiley Face on very good targets. (Sometimes she handed out a “frowney face” when someone did themselves grievous harm with one shot.) It came to the point that you could hear on the firing line: “I just shot a small one — I hope it’s small enough to get one of Michelle’s Smiley Faces.”
Michelle spent over 15 years as the Chairperson of the IBS Records Committee and she was an instrumental part of the Group Committee, including chairing that Committee for almost 10 years. She and her husband Jack developed the ideas and plans for the four Benchrest Shooting Schools and she led the planning and running of those training programs. She was instrumental in helping a number of the clubs organize and run the IBS Shooters Championship matches.
Michelle battled cancer for over 10 years while at the same time attending to family, friends, business, and the game of Benchrest shooting. She was always an upbeat person and was a joy to be around. Her strength and character set an example for the rest of us to follow.
The Michelle K. Sutton Memorial Rifle Project
Shortly after Michelle’s death in August 2007, Gerry Malerba started organizing the creation of a special rifle to honor Michelle’s memory. The rifle would be the Grand Prize in a Sweepstakes drawing and all net proceeds would support efforts to fight cancer. Gerry enlisted the help of Jim Borden, Mike Mastrogiavanni, and Ward Tarasek to make the project a reality. Thanks to many generous individuals and companies in the shooting industry and Benchrest community, a spectacular custom 6 PPC rifle was built, with a complete inventory of matched shooting accessories.
Nick Coppogreco provided gold-plated cases with silver-plated bullets, all housed in a custom, fancy wood cartridge box provided by John Petteruti and Fred Weing. The box has a special engraved message, “Magic Bullets to Cure Cancer” with Michelle’s signature “Smiley Faces”.
Remembering Michelle — P.J. Hart’s Little Girl
I guess my best recollection of Michelle was back in 1971 or 1972. (How time flies….) I saw this little slender girl at the matches at South Creek. I was there with Frank James and some other noted shooters. Michelle was going to shoot the junior match. Here dad P.J. Hart was coaching her. In those days the 222 Rem was king and Michelle proved her shooting skills right away–she took first place, winning a silver tray.
I remember the photo session. The little girl with Popsicle legs and big pink glasses and a pretty pink dress. She was a sweet child. I remember how proud her dad, P.J. Hart, was of her.
After that I saw little of Michelle. Once in a while I would see her at Hart’s shop or at a match with her grandmother Mickey Hart. Michelle was at the age to excel in her studies and I saw very little of her until she started working at Hart Rifle Barrels some years later.
She met Jack Sutton and they married. They had quite a lot in common. Both of them loved to hunt and fish–the perfect match. As time passed, Michelle had some medical problems. The “Big C”, cancer. This was very bad news. She fought the disease fiercely. I would ask her from time to time how she was, on my visits to the shop. Her reply would be “I’m OK”. She never complained, even though she felt terrible. Jack would say very little but you could tell he was deeply concerned. He fought the illness with her, always loyal and faithful by her side. They were a team, and hoped to beat the cancer together.
She tried her hardest to beat this. I remember the last match she scored, at Camillus. I was so proud of her. Even though she was quite sick, she wanted to score for our club.
She was very special… we miss her so much. – Gerry Malerba
The Michelle Sutton Memorial Pink Rifle
How the Rifle Came Together
Gerry Malerba explained how the project got started: “I was shooting at Canastota Conservation Club last year. We had lost Michelle recently, and that was the ‘last straw’ for me in a series of losses to cancer. I vowed to do something about it, so I decided to build a special rifle to raise money to fight cancer. I figured if we could double the build cost of the rifle I’d be happy.
I approached Joan Borden about getting a gunsmith’s price on an action and a Robertson stock. Joan indicated her support for the idea. I was prepared to buy the action and stock, but before long, folks were donating key components. I mentioned the project to Paul Ryan, who donated a Jewell trigger, saying: ‘count me in, I have lost a lot of family to [cancer].’ Then David Apple generously donated a certificate for a new Borden action and Harley Baker kicked in a new Hart Barrel. We were in business!”
Smithing the Pink Rifle
Jim Borden started on the action and was getting it ready when he called Ian Robertson about the stock. Ian not only donated the stock, he put the special pink color (Michelle’s favorite), in his line-up. I guess Michelle was everyone’s friend.
Jim Borden also installed the trigger and bedded the rifle. His son Jim Borden, Jr. donated a butt plate and Jay Lynn Gore did a beautiful 100% coverage engraving on the buttplate. The barrel was sent to Hart and special fluting was done by Michelle’s brother in law Billy Sutton. Michelle’s brother Jim Hart did the chambering job. Many other special items were donated for the rifle, as listed below.
All the Pink Rifle Components Were Donated:
The Rimrock Right Bolt, Left Port, Right Eject Action was donated by David Apple (via certificate). The action carries serial number MKS007. The action was polished by Jim Borden, and Michelle’s Smiley Faces have been engraved on the receiver. Paul Ryan donated the Jewell Trigger fitted to the action. Jim and Joan Borden also donated a polished trigger guard.
Robertson Composites donated the special Pink/Black Robertson Rimrock pattern stock. Ian Robertson created this new color expressly for this benefit project and has added it to his inventory.
The one-of-a-kind pink and black anodized Leupold 45X Competition Scope was donated by Leupold & Stevens through Allen Tucker. Kelbly Inc. donated the coated Rings.
The Hart Barrel Blank was donated by Harley Baker. Michelle’s brother in law Billy Sutton did the special fluting and her brother Jimmy Hart did the barrel fitting and chambering.
Jim and Joan Borden donated the polished trigger guard and polished bases. Jim also donated his labor for the inletting, bedding, and action glue-in.
Jimmy Borden donated the polished buttplate. The plate was elaborately engraved by Jay Lynn Gore, with Michelle’s well-known Smiley face in the center of the engraving design.
Treasure Trove of Shooting Gear
Donated Shooting Accessories, Components, and Gear
As an effort to raise money for cancer research, the pink rifle and an array of other items were offered in 2008. Individuals who made a $20.00 contribution to the American Cancer Society were offered a chance to win the rifle. As shown here, the full prize package included: Sinclair Hand Priming Tool (donated by Mike Bryant), Sinclair Reloading Press and Neck-Turning Kit (donated by Sinclair Int’l through Fred Sinclair), Big Foot Rear Bag and Front Bag (donated by SEB and Paul Schmid), 1000 BIB 6mm bullets (donated by Randy Robinette), Farley Coax II Front Rest (donated by Farley Mfg.), Pink Bore Guide (donated by Russ and Martha Haydon), Certificate for 3000 Berger Bullets (donated by Berger Bullets through Eric Stecker), Custom Cartridge Box (donated by John Petteruti and Fred Weing), 100 Lapua 220 Russian prepped cases (donated by Glen Jackson), Gold-Plated Cases with Platinum-Plated Bullets (donated by Nick Coppogreco), Redding Competition Die Set (donated by Redding Hunter), Edgewood Front and Rear Bags (Donated by Jack Snyder).
Jack Snyder of Edgewood Bags crafted custom, ‘hot pink’ Front and Rear Bags. Farley donated its Coax II Front Rest, and the Bordens donated a Jackson/Borden Farley Bag container. Other donated accessories not shown in photo include: Jackson/Borden Farley Bag Containter (donated by Jim and Joan Borden), Aluminum Rifle Case (donated by Gerry Malerba), Action Cleaning Kit (donated by Dave Short), Wind Flag set and Carry Case (donated by David Halblom), Wind Flag Poles and Carrier (donated by Randy Perkowski), Gun Tent/Bolt Folder/Stock Boot, Pink with Smiley Face (donated by Bill Gammon).
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Here’s a tip for guys who shoot the 6 PPC, 6 Dasher, 6 BRA, .284 Shehane, or other wildcat cartridges that require fire-forming. Use your fouler shots to fire-form new cases. That way your fouler shots do “double-duty” and you get your brass fire-formed without putting extra rounds through your expensive barrel.
This procedure is recommended by Joel Kendrick, the 2004 IBS 600-yard Shooter of the Year. After he cleans his barrel, Joel knows it takes two or three shots to foul in the bore before accuracy returns. When shooting his PPC, Joel uses those fouler shots to fire-form his new brass. Joel explains: “I like to have relatively new brass always ready. By fire-forming a couple cases after each barrel-cleaning during a match, by the end of the weekend I’ve got a dozen or more freshly fire-formed cases to put into the rotation. If you do this with your fouler shots you get your fire-forming accomplished without using up any extra barrel life.”
This not only saves barrel wear, but it saves you trips to the range for the purpose of fire-forming. We thank Joel for this smart suggestion. For those who do not have a dedicated barrel for fire-forming, this should help keep your round-count down. Note: With this fouler fire-forming routine, you should ALWAYS do the fire-forming with the SAME POWDER you load for your match ammo. Joel currently works as the Supplier Quality Process Engineer for MMI-TruTec, a company that offers barrel surface coatings that can further extend your barrel life.
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The Tack Driver Showdown is a one-of-a-kind “all comers” rifle match. This unique multi-discipline match will reveal what rifle types are truly the MOST accurate, at least out to 300 meters. The Tack Driver Showdown II match will be held Saturday, November 6-7, 2021 at the Mid-Carolina Gun Club in Orangeburg, South Carolina. The organizers have invited virtually any type of rifle (except railguns) to compete at 300 meters for group and score honors. There should be nearly 100 competitors at the event this coming weekend. No organization membership is required. NOTE: Registration closes Wednesday November 3, 2021 at 6:00 PM. Contact Match Director Jim Cline at: 843-957-6546. Forum members can also send a PM to Jim Cline aka jcline.
Unlike any other rifle match in the world, on the firing line you will see 6 PPC LV/HV rifles, 30 BR score rigs, 17-lb 600-yard and 1000-yard benchrest guns, F-TR rifles, F-Open rifles, Palma rifles, PRS rifles, and maybe even an AR15 or two.
The concept behind the event is to settle the unending arguments about which guns are TRULY the most accurate. The 6PPC is king in 100/200 group competition, the 30BR rules 100/200 score, 6mmBRs and 6BR Improveds dominate in 600-yard Benchrest, the .284 Win is the leading F-Open cartridge, and various 6mms and 6.5mms win PRS matches. It will be interesting to see which chamberings and bullet weights will “rule the roost” at 300 meters. Match Director Jim Cline plans to post match results on our AccurateShooter.com Forum. For more information, read this Forum Thread.
Tack Driver II targets will be placed at 300 meters (328 yards). That’s not even “mid-range” by benchrest standards, but it should be far enough that the higher BCs of the bullets shot by F-Class and 600/1000-yard benchrest rigs could come into play.
Basic Information on the Tack Driver Shoot:
There are two divisions — bolt-action rifles and semi-auto gas guns. There are no specific design limits other than a 22-lb maximum weight, and a .338 maximum caliber. Past IBS President Jeff Stover tells us: “We envision the full array of the world’s most accurate rifles on the line: short and long range benchrest rifles, F-Class, AR, other tactical, egg-shoot rifles, whatever…[.]” Key rules are listed below. Semi-autos will need chamber flags, otherwise bolts must be out at all times. You do not have to be a member of the IBS to shoot. The range will be open Friday, November 13th starting at 12:00 noon for practice and flag setting.
Cash Payouts for the Winners in both Group and Score
Match Director Jim Cline noted that First place through Fifth place will be paid in both score, group and Grand Aggregate finishing positions. Match fee is $120, which includes a catered lunch both days. Jim states: “We will have an additional $30 cash option, $50 cash option and a $100 cash option. You have to be in the $30 cash option to get in the $50 cash option and in the $50 to be in the $100.”
2021 Tack Driver II Showdown Rules Overview
1. NO membership of any organization required.
2. NO one piece rest, all shooting will be done off benches. You may use a bi-pod, bags or rest combination.
3. You have to shoot the same gun at all targets. If you have a catastrophic failure, you have to continue with a gun of the SAME caliber and cartridge. (Has to be approved by the match director ONLY.) Scope failure will require a scope change.
4. No electronic equipment of any type will be allowed on the bench or downrange.
5. No spotting scopes allowed on the bench or people spotting for you.
6. No coaching under any circumstances (except youth).
7. Any gun is legal 30 caliber and under with a 22 pound weight maximum.
8. Any protest will be handled by the committee and their decision is FINAL!
2021 Tack Driver II Showdown Match Course of Fire
1. Competition will consist of 5 group targets and 5 IBS 200 yard score targets at 300 METERS.
2. All targets will be 7-minute matches. There will NO warm-up match on either day. ALL
shots count in the scoring area of the target.
3. Range will be made available for practice on Friday before the match starting at 8:00 AM only closing to set flags. Flag setting times are 7-8 am, 9-10 am, 11am-12pm and the
range will be called cold at 3:00 pm to end all practice.
4. We will alternate targets each time:
Day 1: Score/Group/Score/Group/Score
Day 2: Group/Score/Group/Score/Group
5. We will rotate 10 benches for the second day’s course of fire.
6. Winner will be determined by place of finish at each discipline. If there is a tie we will break it by highest place of finish. If that can’t break it we will go to group place of finish.
Covered Firing Line at Mid-Carolina Gun Club. Photo from 2019 100/200m Score Nationals.
Jim Cline tells us: “Preregistration is REQUIRED. A $100 nonrefundable deposit is required with your form to hold a spot. Limited to the first 100 guns! There will be a $60 nonrefundable deposit to hold a camping spot 1st come first serve. I have 13 with full hook-ups and 7 with power and water. There is space for self-contained camping as well.” For more information, including camping/RV details at the Mid-Carolina Gun Club venue, contact Jim Cline at 843-957-6546, or post questions on this Accurateshooter Forum Thread.
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Think you need a relatively long case-neck for good accuracy? Think again. Stan Ware broke all the rules with his radical Wolfpup cartridge, proving that a near-no-neck design can deliver match-winning accuracy. Read on to learn how the Wolfpup works…
Retired gunsmith Stan Ware is a talented shooter who’s not afraid to think “outside the box”. Stan competes in both Hunter Benchrest (HBR) and Varmint for Score (VFS) disciplines. In his quest to build the ultimate Hunter Benchrest cartridge, Stan created the radical “Wolfpup” wildcat, based on a 6mmBR parent case. Noting the dominance of 30 BRs in VFS matches, Stan wondered if a stretched 30 BR could work in HBR competition. The challenge was case capacity. Under HBR rules the cartridge must hold at least 45.0 grains of water, equal to the capacity of the classic 30/30 case.
To get the requisite HBR case capacity, Stan figured he needed to boost the volume of a 30 BR case significantly, so he would have to move the shoulder forward — a lot. He did this by running a 30 BR reamer deeper and deeper, test-firing brass along the way. After three reamer passes, he ended up with the capacity he needed (the Wolfpup holds 45.3 grains of water). But then he looked at the finished product — a case with almost no neck, and he wondered “how could this possibly work?”.
From Trashbin to Winner’s Circle
Ware’s prototype Wolfpup ended up so short-necked, so unlike any “normal” cartridge, that Stan figured it was “dead on arrival”. Stan told us: “I said ‘this ain’t going to work’ and I threw the brass in the trash can. Honest. But later I thought I better shoot it and see what it does.” There was one problem — Stan didn’t have a seating die. He noticed the short neck provided a bit of tension after fire-forming, so he literally seated some bullets, BIB 118s and 125s, with his fingers. For powder he used H4198 and started with 35 grains, one grain more than a 30 BR load. Stan then did a pressure work-up: “I actually went up to 41.0 grains and didn’t have a sticky bolt. I ended up at 37.9 grains of Hodgdon 4198 — that gave 3150 fps, where the sweet spot is.” (Later testing revealed a second accuracy node at about 3020 fps, using 36.4 grains of H4198).
Stan’s radical short-necked Wolfpup shot great from the get-go. Once he found the right velocity node, the gun shot in the ones and zeros with both 7-ogive and 10-ogive bullets, both 118s and 125s. The Wolfpup proved easy to tune — it’s not finicky at all. And it’s a winner. Stan began shooting the Wolfpup in 2006 in both VFS and HBR matches and the ‘Pup’ started winning matches right away. In 2007, Stan won the Wisconsin State VFS Championship shooting the Wolfpup. In June 2010 at a Webster City, Iowa VFS match, Stan won the Grand Agg and posted high X-Count for the match, while placing first at 100 yards and second at 200 yards. How’s that for a cartridge that almost ended up in the trash bin?
Does Stan deserve an award for “most innovative benchrest cartridge design”? Stan chuckles at that notion: “I’m not a hero, not a genius. I really didn’t do anything. The fun part is thinking outside the box — for me anyway. Shooting is an age-old process of experimentation. You never learn it all.”
Why Does It Work?
How can such a radical case design perform so well? “That’s a good question,” Stan admitted. He then explained: “The 30 BR is inherently accurate, so I figured something based on the 30 BR should be accurate too. My personal belief is that the short neck doesn’t hurt you. Plus if the throat in the barrel is straight, the bullet can self-align. If the chamber is good, the bullet will self-center in the throat. In a regular case there’s not much room to do that, so a bullet can start off-center, and you don’t get the same results every time. A bullet in a conventional case is stopped from self-centering by the stiffer neck, particularly in a tight-clearance BR gun.”
Reloading the .30 Wolfpup
Stan’s Wolfpup chamber has a neck dimension of 0.330″. He turns his necks for a 0.327″ loaded round. Bullets are jammed .020″ forward of first contact with the lands. When he closes the bolt it pushes the bullet back in the case — almost a soft seat. Stan notes: “To start with I normally bump the shoulder .0005-.001″ so they go in easy. Just by doing that I get a little neck tension. I also use a bushing. Right now I’m running a .322, but it’s not particularly sensitive. I’ve tried one-thousandths increments up to a .325 bushing and couldn’t tell a lot of difference.” For bullet seating, Stan uses a Wilson 30 BR seater die into which he ran the chamber reamer. This gives perfect case fit during seating operations.
About the Illustrated Gunstock
You’ll notice Stan’s stock contains scenes from Vietnam and a quotation. Here’s the story. A Vietnam combat veteran, Stan served “in-country” with the Army’s 509th Non-Divisional Combat Unit (out of Fort Riley) from 1965-1966. Shortly before he left Vietnam, Stan went to a shop to have a souvenir lighter engraved. He asked the vendor for an appropriate inscription. The shop’s metal-worker engraved: “War is a tragedy. It takes mans’ best to do mans’ worst.” That message, along with the combat scenes, were hand-painted on Stan’s rifle by his wife Susan, a talented artist. She spent more than 20 hours painting the rifle stock.
Photos courtesy Ryan Ware and Stan Ware.
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Hall vs. BAT
Load Development and Accuracy Results
Big, Strong, and Versatile 
Ultimate Evolution of the .243 Winchester
If you load primarily one brand of bullets, another slick set-up is to buy a Forster or Whidden full-length, non-bushing .243 Win sizing die, and then have Forster or Whidden hone the neck for your desired amount of tension. This elegant one-pass sizing solution produces very straight rounds with low run-out.
Sally’s Amazing 1K Group
7mm (.284) remains the caliber to beat in F-Class Open Division (though some shooters have had success with .30-Cal short magnums.) With a standard .284 Winchester, or better yet, a .284 Improved, you can drive the high-BC Berger 180gr and 184gr bullets to competitive velocities.
Michelle spent over 15 years as the Chairperson of the IBS Records Committee and she was an instrumental part of the Group Committee, including chairing that Committee for almost 10 years. She and her husband Jack developed the ideas and plans for the four Benchrest Shooting Schools and she led the planning and running of those training programs. She was instrumental in helping a number of the clubs organize and run the IBS Shooters Championship matches.
I remember the photo session. The little girl with Popsicle legs and big pink glasses and a pretty pink dress. She was a sweet child. I remember how proud her dad, P.J. Hart, was of her.
The Rimrock Right Bolt, Left Port, Right Eject Action was donated by David Apple (via certificate). The action carries serial number MKS007. The action was polished by Jim Borden, and Michelle’s Smiley Faces have been engraved on the receiver. Paul Ryan donated the Jewell Trigger fitted to the action. Jim and Joan Borden also donated a polished trigger guard.
Here’s a tip for guys who shoot the 6 PPC, 6 Dasher, 6 BRA, .284 Shehane, or other wildcat cartridges that require fire-forming. Use your fouler shots to fire-form new cases. That way your fouler shots do “double-duty” and you get your brass fire-formed without putting extra rounds through your expensive barrel.
Retired gunsmith Stan Ware is a talented shooter who’s not afraid to think “outside the box”. Stan competes in both Hunter Benchrest (HBR) and Varmint for Score (VFS) disciplines. In his quest to build the ultimate Hunter Benchrest cartridge, Stan created the radical “Wolfpup” wildcat, based on a 6mmBR parent case. Noting the dominance of 30 BRs in VFS matches, Stan wondered if a stretched 30 BR could work in HBR competition. The challenge was case capacity. Under HBR rules the cartridge must hold at least 45.0 grains of water, equal to the capacity of the classic 30/30 case.
From Trashbin to Winner’s Circle
Why Does It Work?
