Rail gun verses heavy gun in short range

[NC/Br Shooter]

I'm wanting to understand the aspect of rail gun in short range br. I shoot some short range br. But not yet any registered matches. Only club matches thus far. So I haven't paid much attention to weight of the guns Iv built.
The two I have are around 14lb and the other is 18.. I understand where my weight is and if need be, what to do cut weight and all. So what's the appeal to a rail gun?
Can rail guns shoot in same division as a heavy gun?

 

[Mulligan]

Rail guns shoot in the unlimited class.
LV weight limit is 10.5 pounds
HV 13.5 pounds.

CW

 

[jackieschmidt]

If you are talking about NBRSA and IBS Short Range Benchrest, there is no difference in Heavy Bench and Unlimited.

https://www.nbrsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/rule_book_nbrsa_short_range.pdf

Go to 2.2. And 2.7.2 in Definitions. As you can see, the rules are at least an 18” barrel, safely fired, and not attached to the bench.

The class has evolved into shooters using true return to battery Rifles, or more commonly known as Rail Guns.

 

[rayporter]

Unlimited Class “Rail Guns” — The Epitome of Precision « Daily Bulletin

Hail the Rail. If you are looking to put multiple shots through one hole, the Unlimited Class benchrest gun, aka Rail Gun, is the firearm of choice. These heavy Unlimited rigs are the most accurate benchtop shooting machines ever created.

bulletin.accurateshooter.com

 

[NC/Br Shooter]

So in unlimited, It's basically who can keep their gun in tune through out the match?

 

[BoydAllen]

So in unlimited, It's basically who can keep their gun in tune through out the match?

The thing that separates the sheep from the goats in all rifle classes in short range benchrest is the ability to read wind flags. Typically competitors will have four flags between them and the target for 100 yards and five or six for 200 yards. If you have never shot a very accurate rifle over a set of flags you probably have no idea how much the wind varies between shooter and target, and how much small differences influence the path of bullets.