Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Sporter class Bench rest caliber

Of course, if they run it according to IBS rules then all cartridges must have minimum 45 grains case capacity(30-30) to qualify for VFS/HTR class. For those that have to look, 243 is the start. Ahh and scope power limited to 6X

https://internationalbenchrest.com/documents/folder/rules/rulebook_for_score_discipline

Pg. 24

There are no case capacity rules in either the IBS or NBRSA V.F.S. class.

IBS 'Hunter' (10 lbs, repeater action, 2.25" fore end and 6X scope) has to be 45.0 gr of water (30-30) capacity.

IBS 'Varmint Hunter' is the same class w/o case capacity rules.

The NBRSA 'Hunter' class has no case capacity rules.

Yes Al I know. They changed that and pussified it back around 2000. Seems the NBRSA guys couldn’t hit the target unless they had a 3” forearm and a 36 to 45 power fixed scope on their 6 PPC which we all know is just what 90% of hunters carry in the field. Completely fugged it up to drawing new shooters. Real fun going to a hunter match with your favorite deer or dog gun and be put up against a full blown bench gun.
After that rule change we saw a 60% drop in participation. In fact one of the longest running state sanctioned fun matches is now dead due to that change. 1991-2017. In 91 the match had 130 shooters in 7 classes, 2017 the match drew 9 shooters in 3 classes the other 4 were cancelled due to none or only one entrant.
Pure Benchrester who took over as match director totally fugged up what was an annual family fun match and turned into no fun and no participation. Typical.

I guess extreme 'gamesmanship' is the American way. As originally intended, NRA Sporting Rifle High Power was intended to get us hunters off our asses and get some fun practice. When first instituted, most clubs scheduled their matches a week or two before deer season. Average Joe's participated, it was a success, out came the deer rifles. In about 6 short years the purpose built rifles started showing up, built to just pass weigh in, in cartridges like the .222 and .221 Fireball. Pretty soon, Joe and his '06 or .270 were beaten so badly, it was no longer fun. So in another 5 years, Joe, predictably stayed home...and the game died. We as hunters owe a lot to the BR community in the way of knowledge and equipment...but it came with a price.

We used to do something like that. The distances were 300 and 600. The guy who organized it .. and won most of the matches .. shot a trued up 700 short action in 6mm BR with a 1-10" twist to launch 90 grain Bergers. The 90 had some advantage in the unknown breeze at 600.

At 100-200-300 I would go with .223 .. or maybe rechamber/set the barrel back and go with .222. Either 12 or 14 twist would be ok, 52 grain Sierras or Bergers unless you want to get real fancy.

You're off by a decade and a half. The NBRSA didn't drop the case capacity rule in Hunter class until 2015.


The NBRSA Hunter class has always been 10 lbs, repeater actions, 2.25" stocks and 6X max scopes.

The 3" stocks and unlimited scopes are in the Varmint Class (Varmint For Score).

Of course, none of this is germaine to the OP's original post which involves a fun style shoot. But inaccuracies, whether intentional or not, deserve to be corrected.

You guys are funny as hell, bringing all those NRA rules and such into what is supposed to be a "hillbilly" type match. Let's re-read the OP:



Now, you noticed the OP has not responded much after all the bs you guys spew about NRA this and rules that. I've shot a lot of these types of matches. Generally held by small clubs. They are intended to get people out shooting. Winning something, like a Turkey, ham, money is just the icing on the cake and quite alluring. You have all types of people at these shoots. Often times you'll have a master class shooter or 2 show up from the big cities. We see it at my club in Washington quite a bit. I'll generally not pull out my best rifles in these types of shoots, until the master class shooters come out of the woodworks, then the rules for me change. The reason you saw 4 certificates for Turkeys on the table in one of the pictures I posted earlier in this thread. There were only 6 turkeys being given away that year and I would have felt like an azz, taking all of them. I learned quite a while ago, when shooting for money and prizes in trap shoots, that you have to learn to sandbag on occasion. Keep it fun, let people shoot and only pull out the good stuff when you need/have to. That's my take on this thread..

WTH is an AR1O bolt rifle?

First off they were talking NBRSA not NRA if you re-read, two completely different entities.
there have to be rules even at a "hillbilly" match or a "BRC" or it's chaos.

Wasn't as much after a couple of guys started showing up at our local BR50 22 bench rest matches with Vudoo rifles and Nightforce scopes.

you must live in a sheltered area. we've been doing custom barrel 40x single shots for years which are still the staple for accuracy the new voodoo's and as another like remax are awesome rim fires don't get me wrong but they still cannot compete with a true 40x custom barrels benchrest gun

My local range has been doing these type of shoots during the warmer months for 5-6 years now. I’ve won a few but mostly just enjoy having a good time with like minded people.

Ours are shot at 200 yards. 10 varmints with varying values, each with a 5/8”-3/4” dot for an additional 10 points, 2 relays, 20 scored shots with 3 sighters for each relay. 800 points possible. Top score has been 710 a couple of times.

We have no weight limits or classes. We all game a little bit. It’s all part of the fun. Seems like we usually have around 15 shooters and shooters come and go through the years, hopefully the aren’t been pushed out by competition and gaming.

In our game it seems like little cases like 223s and 6 BRs have the advantage. A good rest is important. Calling the wind, good technique, and shooting the right target are the most important.

In our matches your biggest competitor may be more happy to spot for you or share his load recipe. I really enjoy the competition because it gives meaning to working harder to shoot better with your peers.

Hope this motivates you guys to get these matches going at your home ranges after all “shooting is America’s pastime”. Before every match we have the pledge of allegiance and guess what no-one takes a knee.

My Anshutz 54 has outshot more than a couple 40x s.

not knocking the they mentioned. but barrels properly placed in the 40xs with shilling Little Joe and such are pretty top-notch..

not knocking the they mentioned. but barrels properly placed in the 40xs with shilen lilja and such are pretty top-notch..

I have shot quite a few ground hog shoots. The longer range is the winning target. In the summer, 300 and beyond are difficult when mirage is running strong, you just can't see the bullet holes with smaller calibers. I would go with a 30 caliber.

it is a simple way of saying a precision rail type rifle looks just like a AR-10 but its not a semi-auto its a bolt action in a AR-10 type frame its the latest and some feel the greatest. i own one in a Ruger precision rifle chambered in a 6.5 Creedmoor and its accurate shoots 5 shoot groups at 100 yds 1/2 inch all day long. do i like this rifle ? not really but i had to see how well this type of rifle shoots . i would not wanna hunt with it but if America was invaded it would be the rifle i would use.

That is a tough target!

This “Hillbilly” shoot has already changed from a shooting match into a colossal pissing match. It didn’t take long to bring in fast twist and 6.5 Creedmoor.


What a joke, I never knew anyone close to being a hillbilly with anything like the ridiculous “better than his idea” type of gun. I would take a sporter weight rifle in 223 and shoot 40 grain bullets and surprise a bunch of gamers at just how good that will work.

Your barrel isn’t going to get hot, you will do well and then you can tell all the wannabe hillbillies that their Creedmoor and fast twist stuff never came close to a real hillbilly gun…

I tried to find one of these the other day. They are very difficult to find, many distributers don't have anything in 6mm ARC.

To the OP; If wind is an issue, then the 6mm bullet will be easier to hit with at longer ranges. But with a heavier bullet comes more recoil and it will be difficult to spot your own shots.