Richard Schatz won the 2010 IBS 600-Yard Nationals held recently in St. Louis, Missouri. Congratulations to Richard for this big win against very capable competition! Posting in our Shooters’ Forum, Richard Schatz noted: “It was a great time seeing old friends and making new ones. The St. Louis range turned out to be very challenging with winds switching fast enough to keep everyone on their toes just trying to stay in the game.” Forum member David L. (aka David2) attended the match and tells us: “St. Louis has a very nice facility. The Match Director and target crew [ran] a good match, even with some gusty winds blowing off or loosening a couple of targets.”
Match Report by Jerry Kloeppel
St. Louis hosted 74 shooters at its first 600-Yard Nationals. Pleasant temperatures and strong, gusty, switchy winds both days kept shooters off-balance. As usual though, the weather conditions didn’t seem to bother some while driving others crazy. Friday was all Light Guns and at the top of the heap was Dan Hobbs with a First Place group Agg of 3.013. Richard Schatz came in second with 3.019 and Samuel Hall in third with a 3.028. Now that’s a tight race!
For score, Hobie Bond [took first] with a 361 followed by Jay Cutright’s 355 and Mike Jakubczak’s 352. Mike also won the overall Light Gun Championship. The Small Group of the day went to Sam Hall with an amazing 1.128″ in those conditions. Richard Schatz found a way to keep them in the middle… with two perfect 50s for the day. Also on Friday Mike Hanes won a Kelbly stock for a shot closest to the center.
Saturday’s winds were even worse than Friday’s and again some shooters made it look easy. In Heavy Gun, Sam Hall took first in group with an impressive 2.136 Agg. Al Forbes finished second with a 2.590 and Schatz was with with 2.612. The score Champ was Richard Schatz with a 355 total, followed closely by Richard Griffins (352) and Dan Hobbs (351).
Here is how the Two-Gun overall standings worked out. In Two-Gun Group, Sam Hall was first, with a 2.582 Agg. Schatz was second with 2.815 and Al Forbes was third with a 3.004. A group size tie-breaker gave the Two-Gun Score title to Richard Schatz over Richard Griffin (both men racked up identical 696 scores). Also on Saturday, David Dorris of Benchsource presented Don Elder with a shiny new Benchsource annealing machine as a prize for the shot closest to center. And that brings us to the 2010, IBS 600-yard overall Champion: Richard Schatz. Congratulations Richard.
The 2010 IBS 1000-Yard Nationals took place September 1-4 at the Gopher Rifle & Revolver Club (GRRC) in Harris, MN. There were three days of shooting for both Light Gun (LG) and Heavy Gun (HG) classes, with IBS, NBRSA and Williamsport rifles eligible. There was some rain on Thursday (Day 1) that delayed the afternoon relays, but, overall, Thursday had the best conditions. Mike Wieland of GRRC reports that winds were very strong on Friday (Day 2), while on Saturday (Day 3) “a breeze developed that provided a challenging condition and kept the groups bigger and the scores lower for most of the shooters”. The very strong winds on Day 2 also produced a number of DQs.
Bauer Wins Two-Gun and Heavy Gun; Baron Graham Wins Light Gun
The Overall Two-Gun Match Winner was Jim Bauer, who shot a 6mm Dasher in LG and a 300 Ackley in HG. Both guns were smithed by Gordy Gritters and featured Krieger Barrels, BAT actions, and Shehane stocks. In his Dasher, Jim loaded Spencer bullets with Reloder 15. For his Heavy, Jim used Berger bullets with Reloder 25. Jim’s match Aggs were 8.879 for LG and 9.694 for HG. Finishing Second Overall in Two-Gun was Jim Isaacson, followed by Jay Cutright (3rd), David Powley (4th), and John Stecik (5th).
Match Two-Gun Winner Jim Bauer also won the Heavy Gun Division with his Gritters-built 300 Ackley. Close behind were runner-up Steve Sabo shooting a 300 WSM (Broughton barrel, BAT action), and third-place Jay Cutright shooting a Bartlein-barreled big 7mm wildcat. Fourth and fifth in HG, respectively, were Tod Soeby (300 WSM), and James Isaacson (6.5×47 Lapua). Though there were quite a few 6mms used in HG class, the big boomers dominated the top positions.
Baron Graham shot very impressively to win the Light Gun Division. Baron shot a big 30 wildcat (300 Atlas), built by Leonard Baity. In his Krieger-barreled 300 Atlas, Baron shot used Berger Bullets with Reloder 25 powder. Second in LG was Jon Ammerman shooting a 6XC, followed by David Powley (3rd, 6-6.5×47), James Isaacson (4th, 6.5×47), and Gordy Mitchell (5th, 6mmBR). Though Baron’s big 30 won LG overall, the mid-size 6mm and 6.5mm cartridges did very well. Though a Dasher didn’t crack the Top Five in Light Gun, there were a bunch of Dashers on the line. This little cartridge, an improved version of the 6mmBR case, is really coming into its own in 1K competition, as is the 6.5×47 Lapua.
The Gopher Rifle & Revolver Club crew did an excellent job running the firing line, working the pits, handling targets, as well as doing the scoring and information gathering. Mike Wieland of GRRC says: “Thank you to all the volunteers, the sponsors and the shooters who made this a success!”
The 2010 Varmint Hunters Association Jamboree will be held July 26 – 30th, in Pierre, South Dakota. This 5-day event features a 2-Day Shootout, 3-Man Team Competition, and 3-Gun Match with prizes valued at over $4900. Classes for the Shootout are: Field Stock, Stock, Modified, Limited Open, and Unlimited Open. CLICK HERE for complete Shootout Rules.
In conjunction with the Jamboree, the South Dakota state 600-yard IBS Benchrest match will be held on Friday, the 30th. During the course of the week, other fun matches will be held, including a 600-Yard Groundhog Shoot, a 100-Yard Youth Shoot, and a .22 LR rimfire fun shoot.
The Jamboree is a family event with fun shoots Monday through Friday. There will be live and silent auctions, symposiums, special Ladies’ Events, regularly nightly speakers or entertainment, and a big Jamboree Banquet at the Ramkota Lodge on Friday. For more information, visit www.Varminthunter.org/jamboree.html, or call VHA members services, 1-800-528-4868.
Advanced registration is $35.00, while registration during the Jamboree costs $40.00. A Shootout ticket alone is $25.00, while a Banquet ticket costs $25.00. You must be a member of the V.H.A. and registered for the Jamboree in order to compete in the Shootout.
Texan Jackie Schmidt, using a 13.5-lb 30BR Heavy Varmint rifle, has shot a pending NBRSA world record 5-target, 5-shot-per-target Aggregate at 100 yards. Jackie’s 5x5x100 Agg measured 0.1118! How small is that? To help our readers visualize this, the illustration at right shows what a SINGLE 0.111″ 5-shot group (with .30-cal holes) would look like. Jackie’s actual measured group sizes for his five-target Aggregate were: .153, .093, .120, .100, and .093.
If this record is certified, it will be the best 5×5 100-yard Agg ever shot in history by a bag gun in competition. Jackie’s Agg may also beat the “Unlimited” (Rail Gun) 5x5x100 records, but we’re still researching that. Remarkably, Jackie shot his 0.1118″ Agg with a stout-recoiling 30 BR (not a PPC), he did it in howling winds, and he did it with brass that had been fired 30 times! He also shot the entire Agg without cleaning his barrel.
We know it may be difficult for some readers to understand how hard it is to average 0.1118 for 25 shots on FIVE targets. To help demonstrate this, we’ve created an illustration that shows a SINGLE 0.111″ five-shot group. Jackie shot five groups that averaged this size. And he wasn’t “machine-gunning”. He took 6-7 minutes to shoot each target, firing on a “angle transition” in the conditions. Jackie explained: “The wind was switching, but I wasn’t shooting the dominant condition. I would wait for the transition and then shoot when the flags came around to about 15 degrees.”
Jackie gave credit to his rifle: “Though I usually use this rifle for score shoots, this 30BR is the most accurate rifle I have in terms of shooting small groups. I was lucky and hit the perfect tune. There was absolutely no vertical. You can’t shoot [an Agg] like this unless you have a rifle tuned to the hilt.” Jackie recognizes that this performance was a “once in a lifetime type experience.” He told us: “Today everything was right. The rifle was shooting impeccably, I had a good handle on the conditions, and just didn’t make a mistake.” Jackie added: “These days are few and far between — you just have to cherish the moment.”
Jackie’s 5-target Agg was so good that many experts predict it will stand as a record for a long time. On Benchrest Central, respected BR gunsmith Mike Bryant wrote: “The current record … was still Rex Reneau’s .1399 Agg from 1982. With Jackie’s Agg, I’m sure that it will easily beat Rex’s record when measured by the records committee. It’s just too far under the current record for it not to hold up… [and] to do it with a .30 BR is even more amazing. That should put to rest the notion that the .30 BR is a score cartridge only.”
Many people are surprised this pending Agg record was shot with a 30BR rather than a 6 PPC. When asked if he thinks the 30 BR can rival the 6PPC in group competition, Jackie told us: “In the 13.5-lb Heavy Varmint class, a good 30 BR is every bit as accurate as a good PPC, and possesses an equal Agging capability.” It’s different in the 10.5 classes, Jackie acknowledged: “in the LV/Sporter 10.5-lb classes, the 30 BR can get a little aggravating over the course of a match due to its greater recoil.”
Jackie’s Aggregate May Be Best in Benchrest History
Shooting in a Midland, Texas BR for group match, Jackie battled shifty, 15-20 mph winds in what may well be the greatest single-day display of “pure accuracy” in the history of the shooting sports. To put this accomplishment in perspective, Jackie’s 5-target Agg was better than any other 5×5 100-yard Aggregate ever shot in a registered benchrest match by a bag-gun. And according to the published records we could find on file with the NBRSA and IBS, Jackie’s 0.1118″ also beats even the existing rail-gun 5x5x100 Aggs. So, this could potentially be the smallest 5-target Agg ever shot in history, by any gun, in any registered match, at any time. Below are the current IBS and NBRSA World records listed on the Internet:
Current Benchrest 100-yard World Records (5 Targets, 5 shots per target)
5-5-100 Aggregate (NBRSA)
Unlimited: .1283″ Steve Kostanich 8/10/2003
Heavy Varmint: .1399″ Rex Reneau 9/6/1982
Light Varmint: .1500″ Jeff Fowler 6/11/1994
Sporter: .1573 (na) Dick Katchmar 4/14/1985
5-5-100 Aggregate Records (IBS)
Unlimited HB: .1386 (na) R. Howell 12/3/04
Heavy Varmint: .1407″ Tony Boyer 8/3/07
Light Varmint: .1599″ B. Goad 8/13/08
Sporter: .1592″ R. Boop 8/13/08
Gun Specs: Jackie was shooting a 13.5-lb 30 BR that he chambered and assembled himself. The barrel is a 4-groove, 1:18″ twist, HV-taper Krieger, fitted with a 5.5-oz. “snubber” barrel tuner made by Jackie. The action is a cast Farley, “glued and screwed” into the stock and fitted with a Jewell trigger. The stock is a Robertson Composites BRX, built with extra weight to make the gun a dedicated 13.5-pounder. The scope is a 50-power March.
Record Load: Jackie was running a stout load of Hodgdon H4198 powder, Federal 205M primers, and BIB (Robinette) 112gr flat-base bullets seated about .003″ into the lands. Load is “tuned for 3020 fps”. Cases are formed from Lapua 6mmBR brass using a dedicated forming barrel that blows the necks out to 0.330″ in one step. Trim length is 1.540″, longer than most 30 BRs. Jackie turns the necks for a total of .002″ clearance.
On June 12, 2010, at the Piedmont Range in Rutherfordton, NC, Sam Hall, shooting a 6mm Dasher, set TWO new pending IBS 600-yard world records with a stunning 0.686″ five-shot group. The group was centered up in the Ten Ring for 50 points with two doubles! This group should give Sam both the single target IBS Light Gun small group record AND the Light Gun score record. Sam’s 0.686″ beats Paul Wagoner’s 0.711″ previous small-group record set in 2008 with a 6 BRX. Larry Isenhour previously held the IBS score record with a 50-3X (0.944″) group shot in August, 2007, also with a 6 BRX. NOTE: Sam had only one X, but the official tie-breaker for the score record is group size, not X-count. Therefore, if approved, Sam’s 0.686″ group establishes both new group size and score records. (We wish the IBS had some other official recognition for high X-count.)
Record-Setting Chambering, Load, and Hardware
Sam was shooting a 6mm Dasher with 32.0 grains of Norma 203B powder, Berger 105gr VLD bullets (unpointed), CCI 450 primers and Lapua brass, neck turned to 0.266″ for a 0.268″-necked chamber. Regarding the choice of powder, Sam says Reloder 15 gives the same accuracy and speed as 203B but he “just happed to have 8 pounds of [203B] and decided to use it in this rifle.” Interestingly, Sam was jumping his 105s about forty thousandths. That’s right, .040″ OFF the lands. The record gun has a BAT MB action, Shehane Tracker stock, and Krieger 29″, .237″ bore, 1:8″ twist HV barrel.
Here is Sam’s report from Piedmont:
Shooting the Record — Conditions and Strategy
The afternoon was slightly overcast with mild mirage. Winds were running left to right at approximately 5 mph. During the afternoon I noticed the wind would stay in one direction for several minutes then would make a complete reversal. On my record round I had made four (4) shots when I noticed the wind picking up in intensity slightly from left to right. I knew this because I saw my wind flag Daisy wheels start spinning faster. For the fifth shot I held left one inch from my previous four shots and let it fly. I was shooting the string as fast as I could and stay smooth. I was expecting a reversal because the wind has stayed constant for too long — it was about time for a reversal.
Evidently holding off was smart — otherwise the group might have been a 1.686″! This year I have been concentrating on learning more on wind and mirage reading. This game is getting more competitive every year. I figure the only way I can stay ahead is to work on my wind reading. If you don’t read the wind, you are eventually going to get bit.
About my Light Gun
I was shooting a BAT 1.550″ round, dual-port MB action with non-fluted bolt. The stock is a Shehane fiberglass ST-1000, pillar-bedded by Tom Meredith. Tom epoxied lead shot in the butt to bring it up to 16.94 lbs. with a Leupold 40x competition scope. The barrel is a 29″, 8-twist, .237″, HV contour Krieger with a Vais muzzle brake. This barrel, purchased three years ago from Brunos, came off the Terry Leonard-stocked rifle that earned me a lot of Shooter of the Year (SOY) points in 2009. It has about 700 rounds on it. It started life as a 6BR, but my reamer had gotten dull and left a rough chamber. So I gave the barrel to Mike Davis and told him this was a perfect excuse for me to try a 6mm Dasher. The barrel is now chambered as a 6mm Dasher with a .268″ neck with .124 freebore, the same as my Maxi-Tracker 6 Dasher.
Load Details — Yes I Was Jumping Berger VLDs a Country Mile
Last year, I could not get the Berger 105 VLDs to shoot like I wanted in this barrel, so I used Berger 108 BTs, jumped .015″. After last season, I tried the 105 VLDs again. I think they have a slight advantage in the wind compared to the 108s. But again the 105s would not shoot well at 600 jammed in the rifling as I normally do. I noticed this barrel was shooting better off the rifling. I kept backing the bullets off the rifling. I found a sweet spot 40 thousandths off the rifling. The gun was shooting 1 to 1.5 inch groups pretty consistently at 600 yards at my home range. The day I shot the record was the first time I had shot this load and rifle in competition. I believe it is a keeper! — Sam Hall
IBS 600-yard National Champion and recent 600-yard Shooter of the Year Sam Hall has been hard to beat when he’s got his 6BR or his Dasher dialed in. Sam recently told us that he’s been experimenting with the 6.5×47 Lapua cartridge, thinking that a larger, higher-BC bullet might perform better in the wind.
Sam’s competitors are probably hoping we’ll report that Sam is struggling with the new cartridge, and can’t get his new 6.5×47 to shoot. Well, guys… no such luck. Sam recently took his 6.5×47 Heavy Gun out in some fairly windy conditions, but still returned a spectacular four-shot group at 600 yards. Sam measured the group at 0.357 inches. We measured it at 0.371″ with OnTarget software, but that was going off a photograph, which can be less precise. Either way, 4 shots in well under 0.4 inches at 600 yards is spectacular.
As Sam told us, however, “I just wish I’d shot that in competition… with a fifth shot of course.” Even though Sam’s group was shot in practice, it’s still an amazingly small group — one that suggests that the 6.5×47 Lapua may have great potential as a Benchrest cartridge. The group size, in MOA, is 0.059!
Sam’s load was 37.0 grains of Reloder 15 with 130gr Berger VLDs and CCI BR4 primers. The gun is a Bat-actioned, 47-lb “true heavy” built by Leonard Baity using a McMillan 50BMG stock. The barrel is a 29.5″ Brux, 1.25″ straight contour, with a 1:8.5″ twist. Sam reports:
The gun has a BAT MB 1.55″ round action. The reamer was a Kiff (PTG) .290 neck with .160 freebore. The loaded round is .288 at the neck. I made a mistake labeling the target. The primers were CCI BR4s, not 450s. The 130gr Bergers VLDs are lot 0225 (the early ones). They are in the rifling as far as I can get them (jam). I use a .287 Redding bushing in my Redding “type S” FL dies. I seat with a Wilson seater. The stock is a McMillian Light 50 BMG stock full of lead from McMillian. With the 40x Leupold it weighs 47 pounds. The fore-end is 3.5 inches wide. Leonard Baity did the complete rifle. I had him to put a rail (3 inches wide) on the back so I could use my adjustable rest Leonard made me a few years ago for my Shehane Maxi-Tracker stock. Even though this rifle is only 14 pounds lighter than the 61-pound aluminum stock Maxi-Tracker 6mm Dasher I shot last year, it feels like it is 25 pounds lighter. It is much, and I mean MUCH more manageable carrying this rifle around than the Maxi-Tracker. I can actually use my Farley, joy-stick rest with the rifle. I just replace the 3 inch bag with a 3.5 inch wide bag. I can make adjustments much faster with the Farley than I can twisting knobs.
The reason I built the 6.5×47 Lapua is to try to beat the wind we have here in NC in the spring. Plus, the fact I love to shoot and experiment. The 6.5 bullets are not affected as much by the wind as the 6mms. I started shooting 600-yard competiton with a 6.5-284. I could predict where the bullet was going to hit much better with it than the 6mms I shoot now. In windy conditions, the 6mms seem to “dance around” when sighting in. The heavy 6.5 seems to say on track and Point of Impact is more predictable. In 600-yard competition, score is half the game. I figured if I could get a 6.5 shooting somewhere close to a 6BR or 6BR Improved, I would be ahead of the game in the wind. So far this rifle is agging at 600 yards pretty close to my Dasher and BRX, but not better. After I found this load that shot the 0.357 inch 4-shot group, I went out and shot four more, 4-shot groups in some wind of 10-20 mph and the rifle agged 2.08 inches.
I am still haunted by a “flier” in each group. I am still trying to work that out. The 0.357 group I will say was a fluke because it is the only group I have shot that did not have a flier. The rifle sure won’t group like that every time, but that one time sure was pretty! You may ask why I shoot 4-shot groups during load development and practice. Three is not enough, but four will tell you what the rifle will do, plus I can shoot more groups before the barrel gets too warm.
Our first match is next month at Piedmont. I am going to give this rifle a try. Time will tell if I will stick with this round for serious 600-yard competition or back to the 6mms. — Samuel Hall
Jeff Stover, President of the IBS (International Benchrest Shooters) just sent us the final rules and safety guidelines for AR benchrest competition under the IBS. Jeff noted: “Shooters should understand that the ranges and clubs will determine whether to allow AR rifles in their particular IBS benchrest matches.” This program is not mandatory, and each club will decide, based on its own priorities, whether ARs will be allowed to compete. When they ARE “invited”, AR-platform rifles will run in their own separate class.
Many of our readers know Joel Kendrick, one of America’s top mid-range shooters. Joel is a two-time IBS 600-yard Shooter of the Year, and we have featured Joel’s match-winning 6×44 as one of our Guns of the Week. Joel now works with MMi-Trutec, specializing in the salt-bath nitriding process. This is a surface-hardening procedure for steel that creates a super-hard, low friction layer for the top 10-20 microns of the metal. Barrels treated with salt-bath-nitriding show much improved wear resistance and reduced friction.
For match rifles, varmint rifles, and hunting rifles, the most significant benefits of salt-bath nitriding are enhanced barrel life, and easier cleaning. Joel’s own F-Class rifle has a nitrided stainless barrel with over 5000 rounds — and it still holds 1/4 MOA at 100 yards. Other well-known shooters, such as John Whidden, have observed that nitrided barrels can shoot longer strings of fire between cleanings, with no reduction of accuracy. What is the cost of nitriding? As Joel explains in the video below, nitriding a single barrel costs $60.00, but there is a minimum first-time lot charge of $200.00. If you submit multiple barrels at the same time, the price per barrel can be reduced significantly. For more info, visit the MMI-Trutec website or contact Joel Kendrick by phone (704) 616-6442, or via email: joelkndrck [at] aol.com .
Is there a downside to nitriding? First, the nitriding process results in a BLACK matte or satin finish. If you like the natural silver finish of stainless steel, you shouldn’t nitride your barrel. Second, and most importantly, the salt-bath-nitriding process creates a surface so hard that you can NOT re-cut the chamber with normal reaming tools. Therefore, before nitriding, the barrel must be finished chambered. Basically the barrel should be fully finished, crowned, chambered and headspaced before nitriding. NOTE: MMi Trutec CAN mask the crown during nitriding so that the barrel can be re-crowned at a later time.
Defying its reputation as a stodgy, conservative organization, the IBS will allow AR-style rifles to compete in their own class at IBS benchrest matches next year. Both AR15-platform and AR10-platform rifles can compete in this new, provisional class.
This will NOT displace any of the current classes (e.g. Sporter, LV, HV, Unlimited), nor change any rules for current classes. The “AR Experiment” will last for one year and then the IBS will determine whether to make the class permanent. IBS President Jeff Stover stressed three points:
1. This is an experiment for a one-year trial.
2. Clubs MAY have an AR class, but they are not required to do so.
3. The IBS Nationals are NOT affected — there will be no ARs at any Nationals
The IBS has distributed proposed draft rules, and the IBS plans to adopt final rules on March 1, 2010. Here are some of the key proposed rules:
AccurateShooter.com offers dozens of FREE, printable targets for target practice, load development, and fun shooting. We also offer a few samples 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?”
National Target and Orrville Printing currently sell 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. However, this year the IBS designated Orrville Printing as the official source for IBS 100-200-300-600 group and score targets. Orrville Printing was selected after an extensive review of available target papers in 2008. Clubs hosting IBS registered shoots may use up old stock, but new purchases should be from Orrville Printing.
We are told that National Target supplies NBRSA matches. One other NRA-licensed target vendors is Central Target Company (Kentucky), (502) 895-3390, but it appears that Central Target doesn’t maintain a web site.
*National Target Co. is allowed to sell off remaining IBS Target inventory.
ALCO Target Co., Ph: (626) 358-4814, 2048 Central Ave., Duarte, CA 91010 American Target Co., Ph: (877) 733-0433, 1328 South Jason St., Denver, CO 80223 National Target Co., Ph: (800) 827-7060, 3958-D Dartmouth Ct., Frederick, MD 21703 Orrville Printing Co., Ph: (330) 682-5066, 1645 N. Main St., Orrville, OH 44667 Pistoleer.com, Ph: (618) 288-4588, 12 Schiber Court, Maryville, IL 62062 U.S. Target Inc., Ph: (800) 746-6836, 16472 Common Rd., Roseville, MI 48066
Alternate NBRSA Target Source
NBRSA 600-yard and 1000-yard targets are also available from Karl Huntstiger, wfo13 [at] aol.com, 2901 E. Cortez Street, Phoenix, AZ 85068.
Texan Jackie Schmidt, using a 13.5-lb 30BR Heavy Varmint rifle, has shot a pending NBRSA world record 5-target, 5-shot-per-target Aggregate at 100 yards. Jackie’s 5x5x100 Agg measured 0.1118! How small is that? To help our readers visualize this, the illustration at right shows what a SINGLE 0.111″ 5-shot group (with .30-cal holes) would look like. Jackie’s actual measured group sizes for his five-target Aggregate were: .153, .093, .120, .100, and .093.
Gun Specs: Jackie was shooting a 13.5-lb 30 BR that he chambered and assembled himself. The barrel is a 4-groove, 1:18″ twist, HV-taper Krieger, fitted with a 5.5-oz. “snubber” barrel tuner made by Jackie. The action is a cast Farley, “glued and screwed” into the stock and fitted with a Jewell trigger. The stock is a Robertson Composites BRX, built with extra weight to make the gun a dedicated 13.5-pounder. The scope is a 50-power March.
Defying its reputation as a stodgy, conservative organization, the IBS will allow AR-style rifles to compete in their own class at IBS benchrest matches next year. Both AR15-platform and AR10-platform rifles can compete in this new, provisional class.
