Bench Rest Gun Pics

horsemen61 said:

I am interested in maybe getting into benchrest shooting and since it seems most of us have a lot of Free time

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Benchrest shooting covers a wide range of sins. There are organized competitions for centerfire and rimfire, with each sub-divided and administered by different organizations, and further separated into categories. The most prominent membership organizations being NBRSA and IBS. The most active type competitions being centerfire short range (100, 200 & 300yd) with matches held for four categories of rifle. Some tournaments will have events for all four categories. But one rifle will get you started. Here is the rifle I shoot in the Unlimited class..

Technically, all mine are.
I’m not into the “Run ‘N Gun”. Or standing there.
My Tactical Rolls are jelly filled and enjoyed with coffee!

I bought a MidwayUSA Half Acre ground mat before I realized there is only three weeks between ‘No Snow’ and ‘Grass Too Tall’ in Michigan.

My latest “Bench Rifle”.

The Valkyrie, K’ara.

Organized Bench Rest competition is in a constant state of evolution in rifles, equipment and techniques. One of the most notable innovations has been a return wood stocks, like this beautiful stock made of lightweight western cedar by Terry Leonard. It weighs only a pound and is made rigid by two layers of woven carbon fiber like shown on the bottom .

I’ve been out of the game too long. Sadly, I don’t have any pictures to share of my rifles back when I was shooting in the late 80s. I took a sabbatical that turned into a hiatus and long to return to the art. Thanks for the posts (and motivation!).

I've had a few rimfire benchrest rifles, but never seriously shot Centerfire benchrest.

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After one particularly great Rimfire match in which I shot two 250's and a 249, I decided that it was time to let go. I'd started the program at our Maine club and was discouraged by the changes as folks got to be more seriously competitive than the "fun with friends" it was when we started.

FYI: The rifle with the painted flames was built by Butch Hongisto, a southern gunsmith/Fimfire Benchrest competitor who worked on some of my rifles. He became ill and stopped working/competing about 15 years ago and I bought the "flaming" Remington from another National competitor who bought it and wanted to move on to other rifles.

The Annie was a position rifle in a factory wood stock. I bought the synthetic stock and fitted it to the action. It competed okay in the relative beginnings of the IR 50/50 program in Maine at the time, but it was clear that I needed more "firepower" when travelling out of state.

I was determined not to break the family finances to buy very expensive gear to go with rifles, or to shoot several weight rifles, but was content to keep things simple and somewhat competitive. The game became too rich for my likings, but I'm pleased to have started the game in Maine and have run the first State Unlimited Championships. (Photo attached: Me with two 250s and a 249 to win the match that day...X-counts were in the 15-16 range, but I don't know where the targets are.)

JP

This isn't my gun, I saw it at a LGS. Biggest rifle I've ever seen, a 50 bmg benchrest rifle. Just thought I'd share it. I do want to get into the sport some, time is short.

If you are serious about getting started in BR you would be well advised to attend a match and talk with the fellows. Most guys are quite willing to help you out.

A used complete rifle makes the most sense for most beginners (and many "old hands" too). There are some very good, and very competitive, rifles for sale that have had all of the gunsmithing already done and have some life left in the barrel. Building a new competitive rifle requires finding a smith with knowledge of BR rifles, and a fair sized pile of cash. Barrels are consumable pieces of the rifle so be prepared to replace them when the aggs start to grow.

Obturation said:

This isn't my gun, I saw it at a LGS. Biggest rifle I've ever seen, a 50 bmg benchrest rifle. Just thought I'd share it. I do want to get into the sport some, time is short

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I’ll be 70 next birthday. I always thought I’d had too little time and money. But someday.......

Well, now I have the time and money, but not sure I’m physically able to move enough to do the competition I’d like to do.

Seamaster31 said:

If you are serious about getting started in BR you would be well advised to attend a match and talk with the fellows. Most guys are quite willing to help you out.

A used complete rifle makes the most sense for most beginners (and many "old hands" too). There are some very good, and very competitive, rifles for sale that have had all of the gunsmithing already done and have some life left in the barrel. Building a new competitive rifle requires finding a smith with knowledge of BR rifles, and a fair sized pile of cash. Barrels are consumable pieces of the rifle so be prepared to replace them when the aggs start to grow.

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This. I agree 100% and it’s been my experience as well. I attended a few matches - had to make a few trips - but it was well worth it. I absorbed every issue of Precision Shooting (and later it was Shooters News too), met some great folks, and bought my first rig, a used 6ppc Wichita 1375. Easy to learn with, and everyone was eager to share advice.

Walkalong said:

6PPC .262 neck Benchrest gun, used to shoot registered matches where there are no excuses.
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Nope, not a "flier", just a bad group that will kill your aggregate.
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Georgous rifle!!! Almost too pretty to shoot!

Picher said:

Georgous rifle!!! Almost too pretty to shoot!

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@Walkalong - I have to agree with @Picher on this
that's a beautiful rifle!!! Who built her?

My gunroom looks like a rest home for retired benchrest rifles. This rifle was built 40+ years ago and chambered for 7mm/.300 Wby Mag for 1000 yd bench competitions. It represents the creative efforts that went into long precision accuracy during that era. The work that went into shaping and finishing the stock is almost unimaginable today. I bought it at a sale just to get the scope and the Pre-64 M-70 action but haven't had the heart to tear it down, so now it enjoys retirement along with several other retired rifles.. .

An awful lot of former distance and precision shooting competitors have gone to sporting clays. A lot of older folks have ailments that only get worse with age, but a shotgun allows many to stay in at least one competition. So if you have quit for whatever reason, take a look at clays.

Here is another resident of my rack for retired Benchrest rifles: Made entirely: action, barrel and fiberglass stock, by Ed Shilen it was state of the art about 40 years ago when I was first getting serious about Benchest competition. Caliber is 6mm Rem BR and scope is 36X Leupold. The Shilen action pioneered design concepts that have been much copied since in other rifle types. Similar rifles are still seen in Benchrest matches but have mainly been surpassed by later developments. But still pretty to look at and easy to shoot ..

so this has truly piqued my interest.
When a gun is described as a .262 neck gun- I get the chamber neck is .262 inches for the reamer cut. what is the neck turn vs. no turn descriptions?
this is pretty fascinating equipment.

GoldieMI said:

so this has truly piqued my interest.
When a gun is described as a .262 neck gun- I get the chamber neck is .262 inches for the reamer cut. what is the neck turn vs. no turn descriptions?
this is pretty fascinating equipment.

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Volumes have been written on turning necks ... but the general idea is to make the case as concentric in the neck as possible, and for many years brass quality varied quite a bit. Neck turning allowed one to clean up the brass dimensionally.
Later, many smiths started cutting chambers with necks that didn’t require the shooter to turn the necks down to achieve clearance. Brass quality got much better when Lapua became available for the PPC. I’ve done both.....can’t say I endorse one over the other.

Anchorite said:

I’ve done both.....can’t say I endorse one over the other.

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thank you...that makes sense to me. much appreciated