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Interest in long range sporter class?

Alex Wheeler

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First I'll say that I have not talked to any organization about adding a class. But Im wondering how many guys would be interested. I have always enjoyed building, tuning, and shooting hunting rifles. Maybe even more so than BR rifles. Its just really rewarding to shoot tiny groups with a hunting rifle thats not designed to do that as its primary goal. I have thought of the rules for over a decade. Id keep it pretty simple. Folding bipod, rear squeeze bag, and a realistic weight limit. Something like 10 or 12 pounds with the bipod. Something you would actually take hunting. I even thought about a minimum cartridge to avoid everyone building 6mms on the BR case. Just a way to get a little more use out of our actual hunting rifles and keeping the rules in a way to avoid full blown BR rigs finding a way in. How many of you guys would shoot something like that?
 
I don't know if I'd ever compete but if I did and that was a class that's what I'd be interested in since that type of rifle is mostly what I mess with. We do have active 1K matches here but I've never gone to check it out. The minimum cartridge I think is a good idea too.
 
I would shoot this if there were any within 400 miles.
Lots of ways to try and keep it "hunting".
They run one on weekdays in Hamilton Mt. 200 yards.
I think it's 6mm or larger. 6x scope max. Action came as factory gun. I think rebarrel is ok.

You could also do a power factor like in Ipsic and other handgun disciplines.

Once you have rules, they will begin looking for ways to stretch them. I shoot a little archery. In bow hunter class I shoot the bow I hunt with, and I am very much in the minority.
 
I would be interested in this. My favorite shooting is a bipod and squeeze bag. I shoot F-Class now and ELR but these tend t pull you deep into the gear game. I like the idea of something more basic and realistic.

To me, a 10 to 12 lb weight limit is too low though. I do some serious deep backpack hunting and my rifles weigh around 11.5 without a bipod. I've pulled the bristles from my toothbrush but my hunting rifles would not make weight at a 10 lb limit.
 
First I'll say that I have not talked to any organization about adding a class. But Im wondering how many guys would be interested. I have always enjoyed building, tuning, and shooting hunting rifles. Maybe even more so than BR rifles. Its just really rewarding to shoot tiny groups with a hunting rifle thats not designed to do that as its primary goal. I have thought of the rules for over a decade. Id keep it pretty simple. Folding bipod, rear squeeze bag, and a realistic weight limit. Something like 10 or 12 pounds with the bipod. Something you would actually take hunting. I even thought about a minimum cartridge to avoid everyone building 6mms on the BR case. Just a way to get a little more use out of our actual hunting rifles and keeping the rules in a way to avoid full blown BR rigs finding a way in. How many of you guys would shoot something like that?
I would love that and it would probably be the first competition I'd be interested in competing in.
 
Sounds like a great idea and a gateway into Light or Heavy gun for those that might not be sure about BR or want to spend all the money on a rifle and equipment initially. Everyone already has the rifle and equipment to get started, or could easily obtain it. It would teach people how to tune, the importance of a good rifle and good components, and teach technique all while doing it with a rifle they can take hunting. It’s a win win in my book.

I would 100% shoot this if there was a match within 5-6 hours of me. It honestly sounds very fun and a good way for me to do something more with my hunting rifles.

Just a thought, you could make the class have a power factor. Like bullet weight x velocity must equal “X” number. Bare minimum could be like a 25cal 133gr @ 3000fps or 400,000 power factor.
 
We shoot two tournaments a year that are a similar format. Hunting rifles only but we do use rests. The “Skedaddle Long Rifle Championships and the Rifleman’s Chalange. The Rifleman’s has a trail walk section that’s in the field and the second half is off a bench. 350 to 1050 yards. Both are a lot of fun. It’s actually how a handful of us migrated into benchrest.
 
First I'll say that I have not talked to any organization about adding a class. But Im wondering how many guys would be interested. I have always enjoyed building, tuning, and shooting hunting rifles. Maybe even more so than BR rifles. Its just really rewarding to shoot tiny groups with a hunting rifle thats not designed to do that as its primary goal. I have thought of the rules for over a decade. Id keep it pretty simple. Folding bipod, rear squeeze bag, and a realistic weight limit. Something like 10 or 12 pounds with the bipod. Something you would actually take hunting. I even thought about a minimum cartridge to avoid everyone building 6mms on the BR case. Just a way to get a little more use out of our actual hunting rifles and keeping the rules in a way to avoid full blown BR rigs finding a way in. How many of you guys would shoot something like that?
Alex -

Howdy !

Like the premise.
 
First I'll say that I have not talked to any organization about adding a class. But Im wondering how many guys would be interested. I have always enjoyed building, tuning, and shooting hunting rifles. Maybe even more so than BR rifles. Its just really rewarding to shoot tiny groups with a hunting rifle thats not designed to do that as its primary goal. I have thought of the rules for over a decade. Id keep it pretty simple. Folding bipod, rear squeeze bag, and a realistic weight limit. Something like 10 or 12 pounds with the bipod. Something you would actually take hunting. I even thought about a minimum cartridge to avoid everyone building 6mms on the BR case. Just a way to get a little more use out of our actual hunting rifles and keeping the rules in a way to avoid full blown BR rigs finding a way in. How many of you guys would shoot something like that?
Alex -

Oops, hit reply button before I meant to....

Would recommend something be done to compensate for the prescence of things like braked .300Win Mags.
Last shoot I was in, they assigned me a bench located between two different .300Win Mag shooters. Concussion was so bad, that it once set off my rifle's 2oz trigger ( not when I wanted my gun to fire ). No joke. I had driven 7hr to attend that shoot.



With regards,
357Mag
 
I think it could be fun, but I wouldn’t want a minimum caliber. I would want to bring a 22. I think it could be fun to do a 600 or 1k “bullseye”. Something like you have 5 minute relays, including setup on the bench with your hunting rig and squeeze bag, and take a single shot at the target for score. With the fast relays, you could do a bunch of relays and aim for at least 3 relays or 15 minutes between consecutive targets for each shooter. Pits record score for each shot to keep things easy. I’m thinking sight-in right before the match starts, but no sighters during. If it’s a group match, I would vote for 3 shot groups, but then the logistics are more like a traditional BR match and require target measuring and more time for relay changeovers.
 
Anything that might keep some animals from getting blasted in the face with their offspring’s parts piled up for maggots, just to get some YouTube views has my vote.

If we have to “bait”some hunters into this happy snare they will never escape from, then trick ‘em, they will thank you later.
 
Anything that might keep some animals from getting blasted in the face with their offspring’s parts piled up for maggots, just to get some YouTube views has my vote.

If we have to “bait”some hunters into this happy snare they will never escape from, then trick ‘em, they will thank you later.

Judging by your avatar banner, I'm guessing you watched "Quigley Down Under" recently?

Sporter class sounds fun. Is the idea similar to the current hunter class, but with bigger cartridges?
 
Nice idea. I don't LR hunt, but the idea of shooting my hunting rifle to paper or steel at LR is appealing. I'm assuming you're talking 5 shot strings since these are hunting rifles. Weight limits will not only keep that realistic for open country hunting, but also force scopes to be appropriate too. At least in the <=12lbs, even more so if you did <=10lbs total. Bipod and sqeeze bag work. Would it be bench or prone, or shooters choice? Basically a tackdriver style shoot but for LR hunter/sporter. As in open to all, just send in your form and fees and attend.

You might have a looksee at NRL Hunter rules section 4 for some ideas for classes/weights and power factor. Would be nice to be able to use or build rifles to use in both this and NRL Hunter if a person was up for both. While I have nothing against a factory class, I no longer have any interest in it. I want to be able to build custom to my needs/wants so the overall weight class as the main limitation is IMO where it's at.

Is this something that could be done at Deep Creek for one location? That's certainly doable for drive time. Not to mention going up the Clearwater and Lochsa any time of the year is a pleasure. Oh, but please not during hunting season (western states).
 
Twenty years ago I built a Hunter BR gun on a Nesika model V in 300 Jarrett that weighed 10 lbs. ready to hunt. It was stupid accurate! I'd be interested even though I no longer like the recoil of those super fast 30 cals.

Where would you be putting these on Alex? I'd even help out if that's needed to get it going since that's all I do now. I Shoot and RO everywhere across the Western States, North and the Southwest.
 
First I'll say that I have not talked to any organization about adding a class. But Im wondering how many guys would be interested. I have always enjoyed building, tuning, and shooting hunting rifles. Maybe even more so than BR rifles. Its just really rewarding to shoot tiny groups with a hunting rifle thats not designed to do that as its primary goal. I have thought of the rules for over a decade. Id keep it pretty simple. Folding bipod, rear squeeze bag, and a realistic weight limit. Something like 10 or 12 pounds with the bipod. Something you would actually take hunting. I even thought about a minimum cartridge to avoid everyone building 6mms on the BR case. Just a way to get a little more use out of our actual hunting rifles and keeping the rules in a way to avoid full blown BR rigs finding a way in. How many of you guys would shoot something like that?
Really cool! But if I build a hunting rifle, I’m building it for hunting! Not building that type of rifle to prove anything in a competition where I will just be wearing out good barrels to gloat about how good it shoots to a bunch of random people. I could have the most accurate hunting rifle in the world, but the only thing my hunting rifles need to prove to me is the meat they put in the freezer :)
 
Really cool! But if I build a hunting rifle, I’m building it for hunting! Not building that type of rifle to prove anything in a competition where I will just be wearing out good barrels to gloat about how good it shoots to a bunch of random people. I could have the most accurate hunting rifle in the world, but the only thing my hunting rifles need to prove to me is the meat they put in the freezer :)
Exactly, we built them for hunting but only get to use them for that. Shoot a few groups to make sure they are dialed but they mostly sit. Just looking for a way to get some more use out of them. Lots of money that just sits there most of the year. Its part of the hobby. If it was only about the meat we'd just buy tikkas. We like rifles:) Plus thats not why we shoot competition, no one is proving anything or gloating. We are having fun shooting with out buddies. You need to go to deep creek and see what its like.
 
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Really cool! But if I build a hunting rifle, I’m building it for hunting! Not building that type of rifle to prove anything in a competition where I will just be wearing out good barrels to gloat about how good it shoots to a bunch of random people. I could have the most accurate hunting rifle in the world, but the only thing my hunting rifles need to prove to me is the meat they put in the freezer :)
This is a point well taken.

In Benchrest, all aspects of rifle performance are sacrificed for extreme accuracy in a very controlled situation with no consideration for terminal ballistics. This includes unrealistic feeding and ejection in any situation besides sitting at a Bench with the rifle secure.

The real aspects of a good rifle designed for hunting in an uncontrolled situation is good accuracy combined with dependable feeding from a magazine and flawless extraction and ejection.

Any competition set up for hunting rifles should at the very least incorporate these features.
 
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