Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Vudoo at the range

Paul39 said to go to school on .22 Benchrest; truer words were never spoken! Many folks think shooting off of a benchrest with an adjustable forend rest and a good rear bag is a guarantee for shooting small groups. Well, it isn't as easy as it looks! Absolute concentration to details (uniformity) is essential. Yes, a competitive rifle and GOOD ammo is a big part of the equation, but without the uniformity (good bench technique), the group just isn't what you expected.

There have been lots of really good tips given on this thread, if we could only remember them once we are on the range. I have a state of the art 6mm PPC light varmint class rifle. I think that shooting it is lots easier than my .22 LR benchrest rifle - probably due to the weight of the gun and what wind does to the .22 slug.

In bluebird weather it is just a trigger pulling contest and 50-yard groups with the .22 is seemingly only limited by your ammo. My BR-50 Cooper will shoot groups in the mid to low teens with a good lot of Eley Ten-X. However, once that wind starts to blow and shift, then it's the guys that have learned to read and shoot in the wind that can still shoot small groups.

J Scott - Enjoy that rifle! Learning and improving is the name of the game!

Craig

My son confirmed that he has Bill Calfee's book. He lives in another state, but I should borrow it and read it some time.

Perhaps it'll inspire me to get more serious about benchrest, but that could prove costly!

Paul

Maybe, but what else do you have to spend money on? (that is this much fun)

Just a thought on ammo, try some Pistol King (who cares what they call it, it shoots pretty good in some rifles). I have three CZ Scout rifles (a 452 and two 455s), and at 50 yards, they'll shoot right behind your rifle, all three of them, and an autoloading 512 that is right there with them with good ammo. Mine like Geco Semi-Auto, which I was able to buy for less than $30/brick.It's been discontinued, or renamed RWS Semi-Auto, take your pick, but it's been good to me. One outfit closed it out at $139/ CASE, but I missed out on that.

I know a guy who shot rimfire benchrest and was pretty good at it (he won the Nationals a few years back). He gave up on rimfire because "chasing good ammo lots" was too much hassle and cost too much. He found it much easier to do well with centerfire..

Everything you said was 100% accurate, but don't forget follow-thru with rimfire. It's important, too!

I must say, this thread has been a great read. Lots of good info and feedback. Enjoy the journey to same hole groups. Kinda reminds me of trying to achieve a perfect golf game. Lots of variables, techniques and equipment to experiment with. It’s maddening, addicting, but fun as hell!

I agree. Lots of knowledge on display and posters have been very helpful. I continue to be impressed with the people here.

For those of you that are Snipershide member's, go look at the most recent 6x5's in the Rimfire section. There is not a damn thing wrong with a Harris bipod. It's all I have ever used and my groups are pretty small at 50, 100 and 200. Could it improve with a front rest? maybe. But I will keep on with the Harris for now. If it ain't broke!

I will also admit that all of those targets that I entered were shot on days that called for little to no wind and were shot in the first couple of hours of daylight.
Wind is you biggest enemy in rimfire when shooting groups.

My username is the same as it is here.