The good folks at Kelbly’s have announced a great October sales promotion. If you buy a March scope — any March scope in stock — you’ll earn a $300.00 credit that can be used to purchase any other products Kelbly’s sells. That includes rings, reloading gear, bullets, and many more items you’ll find at www.Kelbly.com.
Jim Kelbly explains how this works:
“For the month of October only, buy a March Scope in stock and get $300.00 of credit towards Kelbly’s products and the Kelbly’s store. Kelbly’s now carries a number of reloading products and bullets. The credit can be used same day as scope purchase to get scope rings or anything else we sell. This sale is for any March Scope in stock. With over 150 scopes in stock there is a great selection of scopes. If you would like to see a inventory of scopes just email us and we will send [that] to you. If you have any questions just email or call. NOTE: Scopes will only be sold to U.S. citizens and shipped to U.S. addresses.”
For more information, email jim[at]kelbly.com or call (330) 683-4674 and ask about the October Promo.
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In one of the closest margins of victory ever, Gene Bukys won the Two-Gun Overall Aggregate at the Kelbly’s Fireams Industry Super Shoot (FISS). Gene’s final Two-Gun Agg was 0.2728, with Jeff Gaidos just .0001 behind at 0.2729. That’s about as close as it can get, and other shooters were not far behind. In third place, at 0.2765, was Jeff Summers, followed by Tony Boyer (0.2827) and Larry Costa (0.2924). Looking at the numbers, only 0.0196 separated the Top Five in the Two-Gun.
Two-Gun Overall, Top 20
1. Gene Bukys, 0.2728
2. Jeff Gaidos, 0.2729
3. Jeff Summers, 0.2765
4. Tony Boyer, 0.2827
5. Larry Costa, 0.2924
6. Bob Scarbrough, Jr., 0.2943
7. Wayne Campbell, 0.2989
8. Lou Murdica, 0.3020
9. Steve Theyes, 0.3078
10. Larry Sharnhorst, 0.3104
11. Ken Hottenstein, 0.3111
12. Joe Hynes, ).3121
13. Dave Coots, 0.3123
14. Cristian Rando, 0.3140
15. Bud Welsh, 0.3193
16. Jeff Graves, 0.3253
17. Geoff Esterline, 0.3254
18. Dean Ekstrom, 0.3315
19. Dave Bruno, 0.3326
20. Bob Brushingham, 0.3339
Conditions were very challenging throughout most of the Super shoot, with strong and often fast-changing winds. Jerry Sharrett posted: “We had some interesting conditions. By the ends of the aggs many of the tails were caught up in the Daisies. For example, during the HV 200 in bench 9 the last three flags were bound up and useless. And many of the front flags, [were the] same way, especially on the right end.” Here is an audio recount of Days 1 through 3 by Ian Kelby (right click to “save as”):
Fellow Shooters Praise Winner
Here are some comments posted on Benchrest Central.com:
“Congratulations to all of you guys in the top 20, especially to the Grand Master from Texas. Special congrats to my friend Dr. Cristian Rando from Buenos Aires, Argentina, shooting his Argentine CGM1 Thunderbolt, made by gunsmith Carlito Gonzalez.” — Pascal Fischbach
“Congratulations to the great Gene, this guy understands the [wind] conditions and rifle tuning better than anybody.” — Carlos Gonzalez
“A close margin of victory in any sport is a true indicator of the level of competition. In Track and Field,it would be called a ‘photo finish’. The best effort won a hard-fought match. It will be remembered because the margin was so close: 0.0001.” — G. Chism
“I ran the Blue Bonnet match earlier this month and from the range officer’s seat, was fortunate to observe Gene at his best. He just sits and waits for his preferred condition and then just rips off five in about thirty seconds. From his past performances in the last few years, he continues to cement a great legacy in the benchrest world.” — Virf
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Ready for the Super Shoot? The 41st Annual Firearms Industry Super Shoot will be held on May 22-25, 2013, at Kelbly’s Rifle Range in North Lawrence, Ohio. This annual event draws some of the best 100-yard and 200-yard benchrest shooters in the world. Last year’s Super Shoot had almost 300 competitors from the USA and 14 other countries (about 15% of the competitors come from overseas).
2012 Super Shoot Highlights Video (Watch This — It’s Very Well Done!)
If you’ve never attended the Super Shoot before, and don’t know what to expect, former Sinclair International President Bill Gravatt offers some insights into this great event:
Super Shoot — What It’s All About
The excitement and anticipation leading up to a Super Shoot can be hard to explain to those who haven’t been to one. Every year, some shooters arrive at the Super Shoot a week early to dial in their rifles, learn wind conditions for the range, and enjoy the camaraderie of their fellow shooters. As the match draws closer, campers and RVs fill the area behind the range, and shooters stake out turf all over the property with their reloading and cleaning equipment setups.
Many shooters choose to load cartridges in the main barn directly behind the 60-bench firing line, while others decide to work in pop-ups, campers and other outbuildings around the facility. Benchrest shooters tend to load in small batches, and some most load cartridges between each match. Many shooters clean their rifles after each match, while others sometimes go two or three matches between cleanings, depending on the number of rounds they fire.
Another part of high-level benchrest competition that will amaze first-time attendees is the quality and amount of equipment benchrest shooters use. Just in front of the shooting benches and the targets, range flags of all kinds sprout up, from the typical “daisy wheel” flags to very sophisticated velocity indicators that show varying wind intensity. Shooters adjust their flags to align with the particular target in front of a specific bench, just slightly below the path of the bullet but still partially visible in the high-powered scopes.
The rifles represent a variety of actions, usually custom, with heavy benchrest barrels by various barrel makers. The most popular cartridge used is the 6mm PPC, but occasionally you will run into someone using a 6mm BR or a slightly modified 6mm BR, and as well as a few other cartridges. Rifle rests used are typically heavy tripods or plate rests. You see a lot of Sinclair rests, Farley rests, and a variety of others, including a few homemade rests. Bags are typically Edgewood or Protektor.
Super Shoot — Runners, Pickers and the Pursuit of Perfection
The techniques vary between shooters, and they are interesting to observe. Some shooters “run” their targets and will shoot a quick sighter and then run all 5 shots as fast as they can before conditions change. Others are “pickers” and shoot each shot carefully, going back and forth between the record target and the sighter target to verify wind conditions and bullet drift. These guys will sometimes shoot up to 10 sighters and use the full seven minutes. Both styles of shooting work and many shooters use both techniques depending on the match conditions[.]
Anyone who attends the Super Shoot will come away with a greater appreciation of precision benchrest shooting. Experienced benchresters already know there will be windy days that drive them crazy, and less experienced shooters can get completely lost when… holding off a shot in the wind. But the reward is worth it. It’s very satisfying to hold off a full inch at 100 yards because the wind changes during your string and drop your fifth shot into a sub 0.100″ group with only seconds remaining on the clock. And that’s what the Super Shoot is all about.
The Super Shoot begins with the Light Varmint Class, for guns that weigh 10.5 lbs or less, and consists of a Warm-Up match and five Registered Matches at 100 yards. Shooters are assigned to one of at least six relays and rotate through 12 benches between each of the registered matches. The rotation ensures each shooter faces various wind conditions found at different parts of the range. Competitors can fire an unlimited amount of sighter shots into the sighter target square. The shooters use these sighters to check changes in wind conditions and determine the amount of hold-off, if necessary.
Once the match starts and the “Commence Fire” command is given, shooters have seven minutes to fire five shots into the record target square. These five shots comprise their “group” score for the match. The groups are gauged using a target measuring device with a magnifier and measures the two outermost shots in the group from center point to center point. This group size is the shooter’s score for that match. The laymen’s way to calculate group size is to measure outside edge to outside edge and subtract the bullet diameter. Both procedures achieve roughly the same results. The group sizes for the five record matches comprise their 100 yard Light Varmint Aggregate. Obviously, the smallest aggregate wins.
The second day repeats the process, only competitors are shooting the Heavy Varmint Class rifles, weighing up to 13.5 lbs, at 100 yards. On the third day, the targets are moved to 200 yards and the Heavy Varmint Class is shot at that yardage. The reason for staying with the Heavy Varmint Class is that shooters who switch to heavier barrels can leave them on after shooting 100 yards. On Saturday, the final day of the match, the shooters compete with the Light Varmint guns at 200 yards.
There are winners for each yardage and gun: Light Varmint 100, Light Varmint 200, Heavy Varmint 100, and Heavy Varmint 200. There are also winners for each gun with the two yardages combined. The grand champion of the shoot is the Two-Gun Champion who has the lowest overall group aggregate for the four days of shooting.
For more information, email jim[at]kelbly.com or call (330) 683-4674. You can register onsite (at the Kelbly’s range) or CLICK HERE for 2013 Super Shoot Registration Form. NOTE: After May 10, 2013 registration fees are $130 per gun — no exceptions.
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If you want a March scope, now’s a good time to buy. Jim Kelbly of Kelbly’s Inc. has announced that, during the month of April, “March Scopes are being reduced by 10% for any March Scope in inventory.”
Jim adds: “We have a number of March scopes in inventory and many of the most popular models are [in-stock now]. So give us a call here at Kelbly’s at 330-683-4674 if you would like to purchase a March Scope or check inventory.”
Remember — if you snooze, you lose. The folks at Kelbly’s expect the in-stock inventory of the most popular March scopes to sell out fast. NOTE: This 10% savings offer is limited to March scopes currently in-stock at Kelbly’s. Backordered items or units to be delivered in the future are not discounted.
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New Jumbo .338 LM-sized Action and New KTS “Tactical” Stock
At SHOT Show 2013, Kelbly’s showcased a pair of impressive .338 Lapua Magnum rifles. One of these guns featured the beefy new .338 LM repeater action, fitted into Kelbly’s new KTS stock (top rifle in photo above). The KTS stock shares the long wheelbase of Kelbly’s popular 1000-yard benchrest stock. The particular KTS in the above photo features a 2.5″ rounded forearm, adjustable cheekpiece, and butthook cut-away on the bottom of the buttstock. Kelbly’s website states: “The Kelbly KTS stock is designed for long-range competition and tactical shooting. The KTS stock is based off of our 1M stock. It is available in right- or left-handed models. The KTS is extremely adaptable — we can install an adjustable cheek piece, a 3-way butt pad, a butt hook, or a beaver tail front end (2.5″ wide). The standard configuration is just like the 1M stock, the previously listed options must be requested.”
Personally, I found the wrist/grip shape on the KTS stock much more comfortable than the very fat, blocky grips found on some “tactical” stocks. If you are thinking about buying a McMillan or a Manners “tactical” stock, you should give this new Kelbly KTS consideration as well.
New 1-8x24mm FFP from March
What’s new from March this year? We didn’t see any new high-magnification scopes, but Kelbly’s rolled out an all-new March 1-8x24mm tactical scope. This First Focal Plane scope should be ideal for three-gun competition. The new March 1-8x24mm should also appeal to hunters who want a bright, compact scope with a true 1-power viewing option plus ranging capability.
Kelbly’s is now importing the beautifully-crafted GRS laminated stocks from Norway. Featuring an ergonomic grip, these GRS stocks come complete with adjustable cheekpiece and adjustable buttplate. For decades, Kelbly’s has been a respected source for quality fiberglass stocks. Now, as the GRS importer, Kelbly’s will offer some of the nicest laminated wood stocks on the market. Although final pricing has yet to be set, Kelbly’s expects GRS stocks to cost $600.00 to $700.00. We think this is competitive price range when you consider that GRS stocks come standard with adjustable hardware and no final clear-coating is needed.
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Forum member (and respected shooting journalist) James Mock has provided a follow-up report on the recently concluded Firearm Industry Super Shoot.
First, James wanted to give credit to this year’s overall winner, Jeff Summers. James writes: “Jeff Summers persevered through the four days and came away with a HV Grand and a two-gun win at Super Shoot XL. This was his second Super Shoot win. For those who do not know Jeff, he is from eastern Tennessee (Oak Ridge area). He shot a BAT action and Bartlein 1:14″-twist barrel. He is a bag squeezer and shoots homemade bullets. Also, he smiths his own rifles”.
Harpenau Wins Light Varmint Grand
James also wanted to spotlight some talented new shooters, including a schoolboy who represents the next generation of benchrest shooters. James reports: “Many think that the top shoots are the exclusive domain of the old grizzled shooters, but that is not always the case. In the Super Shoot this year, Mark Harpenau (left, below) won a yardage and the Light Varmint Grand Aggregate (10.5-lb Class). Mark has been shooting only three years. Also, young Wyatt Peinhardt (right, below) finished first in the youth group and in the top fifty among all 270 shooters! It is good to see new faces in Benchrest.”
Photos by James Mock.
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Here’s a sneak preview of the new March FX 5-40x56mm tactical scope from Kelbly.com. This FFP scope features a 34mm main tube, side focus adjustment (10 yards to infinity), and 24 milrads elevation travel (about 94 inches at 100m), with 0.05-milrad click values. The March FX will be offered in both a non-illuminated basic version (weight: 860gm or 30.3 oz.), and a higher-priced illuminated version (weight: 890gm or 31.4 oz.), with four brightness levels. So how much will these babies cost? MSRP for new March FX has not yet been announced, but we expect to get pricing info at SHOT Show in January.
First Focal Plane Reticle and Huge Magnification Range
Yes the FX features a First Focal Plane (FFP) milrad-type Reticle. This means that the ranging stadia (hash marks) remain constant relative to the target at all magnifications. So, you can range your targets using the milrad system at any power settings. That’s a big deal for tactical shooters. This new FX scope also offers an 8 times power range — the highest magnification ratio in any FFP rifle scope made to date. Is that valuable? Our tactical shooting buddies say yes.
On some tactical courses of fire, you can definitely use the full 40X magnification on precision targets at 800-1000m. However, for target spotting and close-range multiple target courses of fire, the 5X magnification, with its wide field of view, definitely comes in handy. AccurateShooter.com’s “Master Fabricator” Mark LaFevers currently uses a 12-42X Nightforce NXS in tactical matches. He likes the Nightforce but he tells us that: “The NXS I’m using with its minimum 12X does not open up enough for some of the close, multiple-target stations.” Overall, Mark was very intrigued by the new March FX: “I like the March’s 34mm tube and first focal plane design which allows ranging at all magnifications. Depending on the price, this scope would be a contender for the kinds of unknown distance, tactical competitions I’ve been doing. For benchrest, on the other hand, you really need a more finely-graded MOA-based adjustment system, in my opinion.”
Story Tip by EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
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We previously reported that Texan Gene Bukys won the Two-Gun Championship at the 39th Firearms Industry Super Shoot (FISS) held at Kelbly’s Range in North Lawrence, Ohio. This was a notable performance, as Bukys started out Friday with a 1.249 LV group at 200 yards and came back (in tough weather conditions) to win the Two-Gun. Bukys’ Aggregate for 100/200 yards in both the 10.5-lb (Light Varmint) and 13.5-lb class was .2240″. Larry Costa (Florida), the 2008 Two-Gun Champion, finished a close second with a 0.2247″ Two-Gun (all yardage) Agg, while Wayne Campbell (Virginia) finished 3rd with a 0.2302″ Two-Gun (all yardage) Agg. Costa also had the best 10.5-lb class 100/200 Agg, at 0.2173, while Bukys had the best 13.5-lb class 100/200 Agg, at 0.1902. Bukys, Costa, and Campbell will all be on the USA team at the 2011 World Benchrest Championships held in France this summer.
Berger’s Stecker Nails Small Group
Notably, Berger Bullets Master Bulletsmith Eric Stecker shot the smallest group in the entire competition, a stunning 0.054″ in the 10.5-lb class at 100 yards. Yes that’s 0.054 for FIVE rounds — it appears those Berger guys do know how to make some pretty good projectiles. Andy Shifflett had an 0.084″ small group in the HV class.
In linked PDF files below, you’ll find complete results for the 2011 Super Shoot. Considered by many to be the major 100/200 yard benchrest event in the world, the Super Shoot was held May 25th through 28th. Over 250 of the top benchrest shooters from 12 countries competed in this four day, two-gun event. Conditions were tough with constantly changing wind conditions in addition to thunderstorms, intermittent rain/hail and the inevitable mud.
These Downloadable PDF Files Contain the Complete Super Shoot Results:
Two-GunGrand Agg
(100 + 200)
1. GENE BUKYS 0.2240
2. LARRY COSTA 0.2247
3. WAYNE CAMPBELL 0.2302
4. JACK NEARY 0.2434
5. CHRIS HARRIS 0.2447
6. BART SAUTER 0.2485
7. JEFF SUMMERS 0.2506
8. TONY BOYER 0.2553
9. LESTER BRUNO 0.2580
10. HARLEY BAKER 0.2635
10.5-lb LV Grand Agg
(100 + 200)
1. LARRY COSTA 0.2193
2. WAYNE CAMPBELL 0.227
3. LESTER BRUNO 0.2396
4. DON NIELSON 0.2474
5. TONY BOYER 0.2502
6. JACK NEARY 0.2511
7. BART SAUTER 0.2514
8. ALLEN ARNETTE 0.2533
9. GENE BUKYS 0.2578
10. L. HOTTENSTEIN 0.2605
13.5-lb HV Grand Agg
(100 + 200)
1. GENE BUKYS 0.1902
2. JEFF SUMMERS 0.2085
3. AL BLACKWELL 0.2169
4. CHRIS HARRIS 0.2186
5. JEFF GRAVES 0.2188
6. DAVE COOTS 0.2255
7. LARRY COSTA 0.2302
8. KEVIN HUFF 0.2329
9. WAYNE CAMPBELL 0.2331
10. STEVE THEYE 0.2332
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Report by Forum member James Mock
Not only did Gene win the 2-gun at Chippewa SS Warm-up, and the “Heartbreak award for one bad group that cost him last year’s SS; BUT he has now won the BIG ONE. The 2011 Super Shoot champion is Gene Bukys. He persevered after shooting a 1 1/4 inch group at 200 yards. Congratulations to Gene! — James
Further Super Shoot Results will be provided as soon as available. Photo courtesy James Mock.
New March 3-24x42mm FFP Tactical Scope
Every year, a visit to the Kelbly’s booth is one of the highlights of our SHOT Show experience. This year, Jim Kelbly showed off an impressive new First-Focal-Plane 3-24x42mm March Tactical Scope. We were impressed with this new scope. It offers a wide range of magnification in a compact design. As first glance you think you’re looking at a 4-12X optic, not a scope with 24-power on tap. The scope is intelligently laid out — with mil clicks to match the mil reticle. Notably, the elevation turret delivers a full TEN mils per revolution. That is the same as Nightforce’s “high-speed” mil turret, and the ten mils of “up” should get you all the way to 1000 yards with most popular cartridges. If you’re a tactical shooter looking for a mil-mil scope you should check out the new 3-24X March. We think it is very competitive with anything out there, and it is a lot more compact than many scopes in the 20-24X power range.
Kelbly’s Also Builds Complete Rifles
Along with March scopes and Kelbly/Stolle Actions, the Kelbly booth had a stunning F-Class rifle on display, with a 10-60X March scope on top. This red and black beauty belongs to Jim’s son, Ian Kelbly. It features a polished Stolle Panda F-Class action, pillar bedded to a Precision Rifle & Tool laminated F-Class stock. This was the stock design Charles Ballard used to win back-to-back U.S. F-Class Championships. Jim noted that Kelbly’s continues to offer a full range of gunsmithing services, from barrel chambering to building complete rifles — with your choice of Kelbly stocks or third-party stocks.
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Here is late-breaking news from the Firearms Industry Super Shoot at the Kelbly’s Range in North Lawrence, Ohio. Canadian George Carter has won the 2010 overall two-gun Super Shoot Championship. Together with his lovely wife Vera, the Carters also won the husband and wife event, and Vera placed first in the woman’s 13.5-lb (Heavy Varmint) competition. We are told that Gene Bukys placed second overall by a very narrow margin, and it has been reported that Bart Sauter (of Bart’s Bullets), finished third. According to Bill Gammon, who took the photos below, the match was well-attended, with shooters from many different countries including: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Indonesia, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, UK, and the USA.
Kudos to the Carters, and congratulations to all who participated in this year’s Super Shoot. View more photos on the Benchrest in Canada Forum.
COMPLETE RESULTS of 2010 Super Shoot
Attached below are the complete results of the 2010 Super Shoot in various file formats. The summaries provide event by event rankings for the top shooters. The comprehensive files list all match results (and aggs), shooter by shooter, in alphabetical order. Sorry, no equipment lists are available yet.
1. GEORGE CARTER 0.2233
2. GENE BUKYS 0.2243
3. BART SAUTER 0.2295
4. BOB SCARBROUGH, JR. 0.2296
5. TIM HUMPHREYS 0.2328
6. JEFF SUMMERS 0.2348
7. DALE BOOP 0.2377
8. DAVE BRUNO 0.2413
9. STEVE THEYE 0.2439
10. DAVID KERR 0.2443
11. LEE HACHIGIAN 0.2452
12. BILL SYMON 0.2468
13. DWIGHT SCOTT 0.2521
14. KEN HOTTENSTEIN 0.2525
15. PAT HURLEY 0.2526
16. TONY BOYER 0.2540
17. HARLEY BAKER 0.2593
18. JACK NEARY 0.2601
19. LARRY COSTA 0.2616
20. JEFF GAIDOS 0.2621
In the 10.5-lb (LV) class the Grand Agg Top Five were: 1. Steve Theye 0.2161; 2. Gene Bukys 0.2225; 3. Bob Scarbrough, JR. 0.2267; 4. Andy Shifflet 0.2283; 5. Larry Costa 0.2289. Bart Sauter had the low 100-yard LV Agg at 0.1874, while Steve Theye had the best 200-yard LV Agg at 0.1964. Small Group was shot by Eddie Harris, an 0.077 at 100 yards.
For the 13.5-lb (HV) class, the Grand Agg Top Five were: 1. George Carter 0.2176; 2. Bart Sauter 0.2242; 3. Gene Bukys 0.2261; 4. Dave Bruno 0.2315; 5. Tim Humphreys 0.2322 Smiley Hensley won the 100-yard HV Agg, with an 0.1774, while Jim Carmichael had the best HV 200-yard Agg, an 0.2161. Small Group was an 0.087 shot by Bob Hammack at 100 yards.
We had a chance to visit with Jim Kelbly of Kelbly’s Inc., at SHOT Show 2010. Jim had all the new March scopes on display, including the amazing 8-80x56mm long-range scope, part of March’s ground-breaking 10 times zoom range series. Jim reviewed the March line-up, explaining the many high-magnification models available for precision shooters.
Jim also showed us the stainless Grizzly II action and the new Atlas series of stainless actions. The Atlas actions are designed for varminters, tactical shooters, and long-range shooters who want an affordable stainless action with a Remington 700 action footprint. The Atlas actions should be a simple drop-in installation for stocks inletted for Rem 700s. At the close of the interview, we asked Jim about the future of benchrest competition. Jim believes that we will see more cross-over of short-range shooters into the long-range disciplines (and vice-versa), along with growth in the F-Class and tactical disciplines.
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The good folks at Kelbly’s have announced a great October sales promotion. If you buy a March scope — any March scope in stock — you’ll earn a $300.00 credit that can be used to purchase any other products Kelbly’s sells. That includes rings, reloading gear, bullets, and many more items you’ll find at www.Kelbly.com.
Ready for the Super Shoot? The 41st Annual Firearms Industry Super Shoot will be held on May 22-25, 2013, at 
If you want a March scope, now’s a good time to buy. Jim Kelbly of 
Forum member (and respected shooting journalist) James Mock has provided a follow-up report on the recently concluded Firearm Industry Super Shoot.
