To all shooters If benchrest is so easy show me Benchrest competition

[JB101]

The club I go to shoots 25y, 50M & 100yd benchrest comps 22lr all outdoors either from some covered firing points or outside benches if the weather is ok.
Out of interest is there a handicap put on clubs that use internal ranges or is in all based on gun score regardless?

James

[Rutty]

The club I go to shoots 25y, 50M & 100yd benchrest comps 22lr all outdoors either from some covered firing points or outside benches if the weather is ok.
Out of interest is there a handicap put on clubs that use internal ranges or is in all based on gun score regardless?

James

That's an interesting question to which the direct answer is "no". The first thing to look at is the definition of an "outdoor" range:

NSRA Rules
1.10.4 An outdoor range is one that is open to the skies for at least 90 per cent of the area of the range between firing point and butts. Targets may be fired in natural or artificial light.

So anything else is "indoor".

As there are (or were) very few indoor ranges over 25 yds/mtrs it is usually assumed that competitions shot at distances in excess of that figure would be shot outdoors. However there do seem to be a few more indoor 50m and the occasional 100yd range these days so it would be the responsibility of the competition organiser to specify in the Conditions section of their rules whether or not shooting had to take place on outdoor ranges only. If shooting on indoor ranges was permitted; the norm for 25yds; then the conditions should state this although there would be nothing to stop you shooting outdoors if you so desired.

Rutty

[gwyn]

I have been shooting bench rest for about 6yrs or so now and find it very interesting to say the least!
I shoot air rifle (AAS400) its a lot better than i am! I am 73 and glaucoma in my shooting eye,but enjoy it ,had to give up 10mtr rifle and pistol because failing sight ,but better with a scope.
My clubs range is 25yds indoors.
We have 13 shooters in the current Leeds and District Winter league(which shoots underYorkshire rules) in this league providing the match secretary does the entries correctly then any competitor using an air rifle will find that on the result sheet there is letter "A" alongside there name, in the current league there are roughly 16 divisions of 6,in the first 8 divisions i think there are only 3? air shooters,but from rd 9 down the air shooters are in the majority, the scores from 20yd and 25yd are mixed together on the final score sheet. but there is no indication of the shot distances,I do think there is an advantage to the 20 yd air shooter as the extra 5yds can make a difference to pellet spread? therefore less +1 and 10's ?although it uses a scaled target(Yorks2004).we cant shoot at 20 yds due to our range construction so cant test the theory out,
We used to shoot the Yorks county league as well and still would but they were not willing to denote an air rifle entrant, so we do the Leeds only.
I think the fact that air does not realy feature in any of the upper divisions shows the advantage of rimfire ammunition over the pellet?providing of course that the rimfire ammunition is of good quality,and scores shot by some of my club members also shows that an ex prone match rifle will out shoot the sporter. i used our old club Anschutz prone rifle with a scope on one season and my average was was instantly some 5 points hire, big, heavy and a thick stable match barrel using quality Eley ammunition.
So an ex prone match rifle for best scores, but of course it is nice to know how you are doing against your fellow air shooters?
There are a lot of variables with air that rimfire does not have.
Most of us find it an enjoyable , frustrating challenge!
Don.

[Mr.C]

I shoot indoor bench at 20yds at my local club. I've only just, in my late 50's, got hooked on rifle shooting and find the discipline in breathing and trigger control are helping no end in the HFT shooting I also enjoy.
Some people may find bench rest easy, I've yet to manage straight 10's.