Smallbore BenchRest USBR

KAZ · Post by **KAZ** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 12:51 pm

I wondered if there are any other 22RF bench rest shooters here. I started shooting at these targets approx two months ago. They are shot at 50 yds with the goal being 250-25X. My best so far is 245-8X. If, you want to do well at this sport you will have to become a wind shooter. What I'm certain about in my dealing with the wind is that I'm uncertain about anything. I shot my first match yesterday (243-4X) and I one point every wind flag(there were 28 flags, I had two out) was pointing a different direction

this is my 245-8X

blue68f100 · Post by **blue68f100** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 3:21 pm

Nice shooting even if I must say so.

It's always fun when the wind is circling.

Post by **Bullseye** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 8:46 pm

Nice shooting!

I'm not up on .22 benchrest shooting: is there a time limit for you to shoot the string of 25 shots?

R,
Bullseye

KAZ · Post by **KAZ** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 8:59 pm

Thanks Blue, the wind is a cruel Mistress!
Bullseye, you have 20 minutes which seems to be plenty. I'm already admiring the shooters who take every second of the 20. Sometimes I'm impatient and should have waited for more a favorable wind condition. The winner in Sundays match was Kay Gould, she showed us all how it should be done

Regards

Post by **Bullseye** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:40 am

Less than a minute per shot. Plus I see sighting targets, which means you can have more than the 25 shots in that finite time period. There's only the 25 shots for record so wasting time on sighting shots eats into your official time.

Figuring the wind takes a lot of studying. Usually wind has predominant tendencies and even with switches will return back to the prevailing direction and speed. The trick is to figure what the wind mainly wants to do and then wait out a change until it goes back to the pattern. This is the same in High Power rifle during the six hundred yard prone slow fire stage. The wind is a big factor at the long line and a lot of folks lose points because they don't know how to read the wind or are too impatient to wait out a cyclic change. Time management is very key in these situations. If you get behind then you'll have to take what the wind offers and run with it. But if you stay ahead, you can pick and choose the wind and make a lot less sight changes in the process.

That benchrest .22 looks like fun I may have to give it a serious go.

R,
Bullseye

KAZ · Post by **KAZ** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:37 pm

You are correct Bullseye, I noticed that out of the 7 shooters 5 of us finished with time(5 or 6 min) to spare. The winners(1st &2) both used every second of the 20 minutes. I hope that you do get into it. Perhaps we could set up a GunTalk fun match once a month. Let everyone shoot whatever they want on these targets at 50 yds. We have some great shooters on this forum! I'm having a lot of fun with it, and I'm learning the wind. This link is direct to the printer on these targets 250 for $37 plus he subsidizes the shipping for a very low shipping charge. My friend owns a range and I put him together with this target printer and he was able to cut his target cost by 75% for the same quality.
http://www.americantargetcompany.com/USBR.asp

chadflys · Post by **chadflys** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 3:09 pm

Nice shooting Kaz, first time out! Not bad at all. What set up are you using. I just got into the BR shooting myself. I had made several post as to what was good and inexpensive gun to get. I got the CZ 452 varmint. I really don't entend to compete with the big boys. I just cant afford that equipment race. I had to float the barrel, I did a little tinkering on the trigger myself, and a pressure pad at this point under the barrel as suggested by bearandoldman and bullseye. Seems to be doing better now. My 20x scope is ok, but is a bit of a drawback compared to some of the Weaver T-36's that most prefer for this kind of shooting. The best I've shot at this point is 232 with 5x's. That was before I did my little mods. I'm tinkering with the action torque settings now. I had to send in my scope as it was not focusing well and zoom quit working. I'll be using my old 3x9 until I get my Nikon back. I'm having fun...Cant wait to go test myself and gun again.

KAZ · Post by **KAZ** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 3:59 pm

I'm in this just the same way that you are in that I'm only competing against myself trying to get better each time at shooting the wind. All of the best equipment is for nothing without dealing with the wind. I used to only shoot in calm conditions, now I go out and play in the wind on purpose. I bought all used equipment(rifle,scope,rest, and wind flags), and it is all better than I am at this point, perhaps it always will be. Get a quality rest, and a weaver T-36 as soon as possible to go along with that great CZ you are building. If, bearandoldman, greener, and Bullseye decide to get shooting these targets we will all have a run for the money

Regards

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 4:55 pm

KAZ wrote:I'm in this just the same way that you are in that I'm only competing against myself trying to get better each time at shooting the wind. All of the best equipment is for nothing without dealing with the wind. I used to only shoot in calm conditions, now I go out and play in the wind on purpose. I bought all used equipment(rifle,scope,rest, and wind flags), and it is all better than I am at this point, perhaps it always will be. Get a quality rest, and a weaver T-36 as soon as possible to go along with that great CZ you are building. If, bearandoldman, greener, and Bullseye decide to get shooting these targets we will all have a run for the money Regards

You told me to get a good rest, so I am going to bed early tonight and will take a nap every afternoon, that should do it. That rest you have looks fantastic, I see it does not have a padded rest front or rear and that gives me some ideas. Part of my problems seem to be depressing the rear rest slightly and reducing pressure when I trigger the gun. My just go down into my workshop and make somethng as I can not shoot untilSunday, the local Sherriff dept uses our rangew for a week twice a year for qualifications.

KAZ · Post by **KAZ** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 5:33 pm

baom, I would not be surprised that you with your engineering background could build an excellent rest combining wood and metal from an existing rest. Think one piece so that the front and rear is always in perfect line. There have been several made by skilled shooters. I'm doing the matches because they are active here in about a 100 mile radius, and full of great friendly shooters. However I have a lot of fun shooting these targets on my own at my little range. It is very different than shooting for group size. Regards

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 5:49 pm

KAZ wrote:baom, I would not be surprised that you with your engineering background could build an excellent rest combining wood and metal from an existing rest. Think one piece so that the front and rear is always in perfect line. There have been several made by skilled shooters. I'm doing the matches because they are active here in about a 100 mile radius, and full of great friendly shooters. However I have a lot of fun shooting these targets on my own at my little range. It is very different than shooting for group size. Regards

Well, I can't shoot until Sunday because of the range being closed, got tools and material here or at the local hardware or Home Depot. The crew and top plate from my old rest and a little time should get me softening. Looking at that Pappas rest gave me some ideas. Coarse elevation in the front with the screw, coarse windage by moving the whole rest, fine windage and elevation at the rear, forearm lightly held and a forearm stop to get same return every time.

KAZ · Post by **KAZ** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 6:54 pm

You are right about the bolt stop to set the rifle in the rest the same time. Everyone I know then allows free recoil which kind of surprised me at first, because I was trained to hold onto the rifle. Regards

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 7:15 pm

KAZ wrote:You are right about the bolt stop to set the rifle in the rest the same time. Everyone I know then allows free recoil which kind of surprised me at first, because I was trained to hold onto the rifle. Regards

I have learned so far with my equipment that as I shoot lefty, left hand lightly holds gun and operates, try to keep face off of stock right hand either holding front or rear rest whee it will do no damage, but
II have had my shoulder against the butt pad.

recumbent · Post by **recumbent** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 7:57 pm

to shoot good with free recoil requires a very light trigger 4 oz or less.
My Cooper TRP3 has a 2 oz trigger and I shoot it free recoil. it did not work good with the 6 oz trigger so I put a Jard trigger in it.

KAZ · Post by **KAZ** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 9:28 pm

recumbent, you are so right about the triggers. I thought that I had some great triggers until I stumbled into the Bench Rest game. That 2 oz Jard must be sweet. My 40X has a Jewell that is a real pleasure to pull. It is still hard to just watch the wind flags for the right moment.