Why not give it a try!!

For those clubs who have never competed in benchrest, can I just say that you do not need 'state of the art' equipment to do well or win

At our club, a humble AA400 (.177) with the AA stock has won the clubs Summer and Winter leagues for the last 2 years beating the rimfire boys and the more expensive EV2's etc.

This last season the AA400 air rifle won by 0.7 of a point out of 2000 points, with a very experienced rimfire shooter coming second. So you do not need a rimfire at 20/25 yds
The scope used was a £100 tasco 24 power. However the same rifle with a cheapo (£50)-10 power scope won the same league last year

The top 3 air rifles were all AA400's with standard stocks, all using JSB's or AA pellets

The bench rest equipment used (ie.sand bags and front adjustable pedestal) cost just £65/set and tables/benches can be cheaply made

So you do not have to lay out much money to be competitive at Benchrest shooting
If your club only has outdoor facilities then choosing the 20 yard option instead of 25 yard will help with coping with the wind

Entries for the Winter League are still open until 4th August, so why not have a word with your clubs secretary and give it a try. You will have about 8 weeks to make a table/bench and get some practise

We have one club member who is 85 years old and has very poor eye sight but can (with a 24 power scope) post some excellent scores. So age is not a problem with this discipline
john