Freedom Benchrest Florida Matches 2026 Season

[Alibaba]

Hello shooting family,

On December 27th and 28th at Manatee Gun and Archery Club we will have our 3rd and 4th 600 yard Freedom Benchrest matches.

Will shoot LG, HG, & Tactical you will need 20 per and unlimited sighters in Sunny Florida.
Will have lunch both days.

Please join us and let’s have fun and enjoy what we all love to do.

You must notify via email or pm at your earliest convenience if your planning on attending, so we can make arrangement for the food and to expedite the assignment sheets. Email to al.dashermarco@gmail.com

Below is the registration for and liability release which has to be brought in the day of the match.

Hope to see as many of you there.

Thank you
Al. B
Manatee Match Director

 

[Alibaba]

Weather lady predicting a warm and sunny day so come and join the fun.
Al. B

 

[Bob Longo]

Let the good times roll.

 

[Bob Longo]

Only a week away.

 

[ebb]

What is tactical gun?

 

[quest450]

What is tactical gun?

Tacti-cool is a sniper wannabee rig, shot off a bench utilizing front rest and a rear bag, you can shoot using a bipod and a squeeze bag like a real man would..........I'm donning my flame retardant suit so go ahead and fire at will

 

[Bob Longo]

What is tactical gun?

Here it is from the Freedom Rule book. Basically a magazine feed rifle. You are required to magazine feed while shooting but the rifle needs to be capable of magazine feeding the round you are using.

 

[Bob Longo]

Tacti-cool is a sniper wannabee rig, shot off a bench utilizing front rest and a rear bag, you can shoot using a bipod and a squeeze bag like a real man would..........I'm donning my flame retardant suit so go ahead and fire at will

Mark you are fireproof without the suit. Nothing burns your ass.

 

[CaptainMal]

Tacti-cool is a sniper wannabee rig, shot off a bench utilizing front rest and a rear bag, you can shoot using a bipod and a squeeze bag like a real man would..........I'm donning my flame retardant suit so go ahead and fire at will

Not really but quite accurate as I see it. Put a magazine of some kind on a 50# heavy rifle with 2" diameter barrel. Use one of those $2-3,000 front joystick rests coupled with a detached 50 lb adjustable rear rest. No concern to make weight. You can even use stocks an with 8" forend, wood, fiberglass or metal. You do not have to use a trellis stock. Scope power is also unlimited.

What it is is unlimited heavy gun with some kind of magazine cut in the action. Mark ... you are on to it but no respecting sniper would carry or manipulate all that stuff. You don't need a flame suit. I may need one though.

 

[big john 5394]

Can you carry my rifle to the bench it's too hot to handle.

 

[Rick Richard]

I just built a rifle to shoot in the Tactical class:

CRB (Custom Rifle Barrels) 1.250 barrel 28 inches in 6.5X47
Foundation Criterion stock
TT Diamond trigger
Bat Hammerhead action - 5 shot magazine
NF 15-55 Comp scope
22ish lbs

 

[ebb]

I have a Remington 700 in 6.5-284. It did real well in the early years of the 565 yard Mantee Saturday shoots. It has a 6.5-20 Leupold and is in a McMillan A5 stock. I am not deluded enough to think it is still competitive with some of the match rifles that Mr. Alex builds. Maybe I could shoot it in the Tactical rifle class? It has a magazine but I am not sure if my load of choice will fit and cycle through it. Thanks Bob for your nice informative response. Yea Rick that was what I was thinking, my rifle may be too dated to shoot.

 

[CaptainMal]

I have a Remington 700 in 6.5-284. It did real well in the early years of the 565 yard Mantee Saturday shoots. It has a 6.5-20 Leupold and is in a McMillan A5 stock. I am not deluded enough to think it is still competitive with some of the match rifles that Mr. Alex builds. Maybe I could shoot it in the Tactical rifle class? It has a magazine but I am not sure if my load of choice will fit and cycle through it. Thanks Bob for your nice informative response. Yea Rick that was what I was thinking, my rifle may be too dated to shoot.

Bring it out on the 29th or 30th. Don't think you ever have to use the magazine.

I have fond memories of the 565 yard berm to the left of the current main range benches. We had that, then a 600 on the right with the 1,000 in the middle. Today it's 300 on left, 200 non right and still 1,000 in the middle. just not enough benches for 1,000 to have a real tournament.

 

[ebb]

I shot one Saturday and was on the 31st bench, and as long as I was shooting on the right side of the fence with the clay birds I was fine. But when I cleaned a few and had to go to the left side I was at such an angle I missed. It looked to the guys on the first few benches like I missed by 2 feet, but it was the angle I was shooting at and by the time it hit dirt it looked bad. I miss the early shoots and buying a chance on a 40X military rifle. I loved the guy that ran the place back then. I used to tease him about never awarding any of the rifles and have raffles going for many years on the same rifle.

 

[ebb]

My old rifle was built on a long action it may feed fine I just never tried I don't think.

 

[Rat Rifle]

My old rifle was built on a long action it may feed fine I just never tried I don't think.

To repeat Freedom Tactical rules, “rifle must have a fully functional magazine”. “All rifles MAY be fired in a single shot manner”. Don’t hesitate to bring Your rifle out and join the fun. It may surprise You.

 

[CaptainMal]

There might be merit to trying a hunting rifle in that class. In my case I have both a 338 Win Mag and a 7mm Rem mag with BOSS muzzle brake/tuners on that really do shoot sub MOA. My testing with them at 600 yards have shown me I can keep a few shots on the smaller gong plates.

Only thing is all the Tactical Class rifles I see used have smaller cartridges like the omnivorous Creedmore or BR cartridges. That limits the recoil, heat and muzzle blast. All three of those issues would be problematic shooting 20-30 rounds per shoot. Sure would be rude to inflict that blast to the side toward another person on an adjoining bench.

Just something to think about for those wanting to try 600 yard competition without spending many thousands for a proper benchrest or tactical rifle.

 

[Bob Longo]

I have a Remington 700 in 6.5-284. It did real well in the early years of the 565 yard Mantee Saturday shoots. It has a 6.5-20 Leupold and is in a McMillan A5 stock. I am not deluded enough to think it is still competitive with some of the match rifles that Mr. Alex builds. Maybe I could shoot it in the Tactical rifle class? It has a magazine but I am not sure if my load of choice will fit and cycle through it. Thanks Bob for your nice informative response. Yea Rick that was what I was thinking, my rifle may be too dated to shoot.

To me Matches are about having a good time with great people. I have never been disappointed at any match. My first Benchrest Match I DQ for having only 4 shots on the target. Bring your equipment out and have some fun or just come out and meet the shooters and get check things out.

 

[quest450]

I'd like to 2nd what Bob said, it's all about hanging out with friends and maybe some shooting...sorry I'm gonna miss this one, family obligations

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all my friends !!

 

[ebb]

I am planning to attend at least on Saturday. After reading the club rules I am unsure if I will be allowed to shoot. It says I must qualify? I have shot in at least 5 or 6 of the 600 yd matches and 4 or 5 of the 1000 yd matches. I finished 2nd in 2 of the 1000yd matches after getting beat in a shoot off with an attorney from Tampa. Getting beat is a fact of life, but by a lawyer. I was so ashamed. Never had to qualify before. Is it possible to qualify and shoot on the same day?