Interest in long range sporter class?

[davidjoe]

If someone wants to do it, I can work it into the 1k scoresheet for them.

Edit: I can add it to the 600yd scoresheet too. This is a relatively simple thing compared to some of the relay rotation that was requested, haha. @tom @InTraining

I have some light Mark V’s I’d love to use in a match like that. They are very light despite having a robust action. Even a 30-378. A cold bore long shot to start things off, way out there under this regime woukd make this entertaining.

 

[bobinpa]

I'd do it...
Everyone thinks their "deer rifle" will shoot 1/4" all day long.... until they have to shoot 1/4" all day long.
I'd make it,
6.5 caliber or bigger.
Front bipod and rear squeeze bag.
weight limit 10 pounds, maybe 12 pounds but I think 12 is too much.
Limit the scopes too. Maybe 12x or 15x at most.
This should be a true hunting rig.... not something you build to compete in hunting class.

It's a great idea!

 

[jackieschmidt]

Pure "Hunting Rifles" in the West, Start at, 6MM / .243 Win. and End Up at, Sub, 8.5 Pounds Max., Weight !
I AIN'T Carrying, a 10-12 Pound Rifle, 5 Miles into, the Mountains OR,. rolling Hill, Deserts AND Hauling, a Deer / Antelope,.. Back to, the Truck ( That's FOR, the Internet, idiots ! )

I’m not much of a hunter, just too darned old now. But I have helped several friends put together really nice hunting rigs based on Remington 700’s and a Mauser or two that would weigh around 8.5 pounds with scope and sling. All are chambered in traditional calibers such as the 30/06 and 270 Winchester.

Since Alex included “long range” in his thread title, that pretty much excludes what many shooters use in the Texas woods. I think what he is really referring to is the classic 35+ year concept of Kenny Jarret’s “Bean Field Rifles”.

 

[LVLAaron]

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?

That's the kind of match that really excites me. Doing things with things that aren't supposed to do the things you're doing. I love shooting an AR in F-Class matches. It separates the man from the machine.

 

[Skedaddle Shooter]

Defining a “hunting rifle” also depends on what part of the Country you are hunting.

In the North East Woods, You will see a lot of 30/30, 35 Remingtons, and 12 gage slug guns. In the Texas woods, you will probably see more 270 Winchesters than anything. Of course, out in the western mountains, shooters tend to want something that retains at least 1800 ft lbs of energy at 600 yards.

In the North East, you are walking. In East Texas, you are probably taking White Tails out of a stand. In the South West, you might be hiking and shooting off of cross sticks.

My point is, the term “hunting rifle”, and how you use it, means different things to different hunters in different parts of the Country.

Hi Jackie,
We started the Skedaddle Longrifle Championships in 1989. At that time it was just a handful of us and we were all shooting model 70’s, 700’s and 77’s. But as in any fun competition where you want to beat your buddies for bragging rights, over the years it started to be an arms race. I’m am the guilty party of getting it started when I had Dan Dowling build me a 280 improved back in 1991. It was still on a 700 action and a McMillan sporter stock, but that unleashed the hounds. After a few more years of escalation we settled on, your rifle had to be a rifle you hunted with and no heftier a Remington Sendero. Roundish forend no bigger barrel profile than a Sendero. We told everyone to call us if they had any questions prior to coming to the shoot. It has worked pretty well, but our shoots are mainly the same 30 guys year after year so it’s easy to get the gist of what we are after. The whole point of the shoot is to get guys more comfortable with their hunting rifles and know how much needs to be going your way to make a shot out past 400 yards or so. It has been very helpful to our group in teaching us how to make a reliable longer range shot and what each of our limitations are in how we gauge which shots we should take in the field. I think Alex’s idea is a great way to get more folks into the sport and help teach them what it takes to shoot at longer ranges and when they need to sneak a little closer.

 

[Ian]

I really like this concept and would definitely want to participate myself.

 

[marchx]

@Alex Wheeler
I don’t think that adding a sporter class makes sense in benchrest. Matches of hunting/ tactical rifles take place all over Europe. It is not a benchrest competition though. If you do not allow a rest in a benchrest match, it’s a contradictio in adiecto, isn’t it?

 

[Bc'z]

I'd do it...
Everyone thinks their "deer rifle" will shoot 1/4" all day long.... until they have to shoot 1/4" all day long.
I'd make it,
6.5 caliber or bigger.
Front bipod and rear squeeze bag.
weight limit 10 pounds, maybe 12 pounds but I think 12 is too much.
Limit the scopes too. Maybe 12x or 15x at most.
This should be a true hunting rig.... not something you build to compete in hunting class.

It's a great idea!

I have a 6.5-284 @9.9 pounds with a 4.5x14 Leupold that fits perfectly!!
Barrel makers gotta eat too, as well as the fella chambering.
I'd shoot it.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I’ve always wanted a right bolt, left port magnum action for a hunting rifle because it makes no sense to handle rounds and empty brass with your trigger hand when shooting prone (or any other position for that matter). Unfortunately most manufacturers won’t build that configuration in a magnum hunting/sporter rifle style action. I’ve seen ELR guys using left bolt, left port actions as a right handed shooter, but I don’t want that. Right bolt, left port would be perfect for this type of competition.

 

[LRPV]

I’ve always wanted a right bolt, left port magnum action for a hunting rifle because it makes no sense to handle rounds and empty brass with your trigger hand when shooting prone (or any other position for that matter). Unfortunately most manufacturers won’t build that configuration in a magnum hunting/sporter rifle style action. I’ve seen ELR guys using left bolt, left port actions as a right handed shooter, but I don’t want that. Right bolt, left port would be perfect for this type of competition.

BAT will make you an HR. Just in case you didn’t know.

 

[Scalloper]

That would be up my alley for sure. The main reason I joined this site was to extend my ethicall hunting range and learn better reloading skills.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Yep Bat will and so will Defiance. I had a single shot dual port HR in 338 lapua imp that was sweet.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Hi Jackie,
We started the Skedaddle Longrifle Championships in 1989. At that time it was just a handful of us and we were all shooting model 70’s, 700’s and 77’s. But as in any fun competition where you want to beat your buddies for bragging rights, over the years it started to be an arms race. I’m am the first guilty party of getting it started when I had Dan Dowling build me a 280 improved back in 1991. It was still in a 700 action and a McMillan sporter stock, but that unleashed the hounds. After a few more years of escalation we settled on, your rifle had to be a rifle you hunted with and in accordance with a Remington Sendero. Roundish forend no bigger barrel profile than a Sendero. We told everyone to call us if they had any questions prior to coming to the shoot. It has worked pretty well, but our shoots are mainly the same 30 guys year after year so it easy to get the gist of what we are after. The whole point of the shoot is to get guys more comfortable with their hunting rifles and know how much needs to be going your way to make a shot out past 400 yards or so. It has been very helpful to our group in teaching us how to make a reliable longer range shot and what each of our limitations are in how we gauge which shots we should takes in the field. I think Alex’s idea is a great way to get more folks into the sport and help teach them what it takes to shoot or not shoot at longer ranges.

Those last couple of sentences are an entire subject on their own.
The Club I am a member, Tomball, is primarily made up many more hunters than match competitors. One of the topics of discussion that comes up fairly often is “at what distance should we be shooting at Game Animals”?

In discussion with one of our members before his annual elk hunt, he said his professional guide had informed him that he would not be taking any shots further out than a determined 400 yards. And also, he gave him a list of bullets that he preferred he use in his 280 Ackley Improved. They included The Nosler Partition or Accubond, several Barns offerings, and Remington Core Locs or Federal using the Barns TSX if using Factory Ammo.
Nothing under 150 grains.

He said rather jokingly that the Guides reason was he did not like tracking a wounded animal at 2:00AM in the morning in three feet of snow.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Yep Bat will and so will Defiance. I had a single shot dual port HR in 338 lapua imp that was sweet.

Yeah a dual port would be even better!

 

[pavementends]

Rather than a caliber restriction, how about a cold bore shot @ 500 or better yet an unknown distance, any position except off bench and the score counts half the score of the match. It will be impossible to prevent the "gamers" from trying to bend the rules. Long ago sprint car days we had folks come to a local race with 25K engines to compete for a $500 purse. We recently started an informal 22lr match mostly old guys with 10/22 etc. Bu the second match folks were showing up with full blown benchrest rifles and $2000 rests.
I like the idea but have little faith in how to keep it fun.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Rather than a caliber restriction, how about a cold bore shot @ 500 or better yet an unknown distance, any position except off bench and the score counts half the score of the match. It will be impossible to prevent the "gamers" from trying to bend the rules. Long ago sprint car days we had folks come to a local race with 25K engines to compete for a $500 purse. We recently started an informal 22lr match mostly old guys with 10/22 etc. Bu the second match folks were showing up with full blown benchrest rifles and $2000 rests.
I like the idea but have little faith in how to keep it fun.

Such is the nature of any competitive endeavor.

 

[LVLAaron]

Such is the nature of any competitive endeavor.

Not to go off topic, but I've wanted FTR to get some stricter rules... 26 inch barrel, harris bipod, squeeze bag....

 

[B Nettesheim]

Folding bipod
Rear squeeze bag
A high power factor
A limit on scope magnification
Mag fed
Weight limit
5 shot groups

 

[harro]

My take on this is ....

12.5 lbs max weight includes everything ( Bipod , Suppressor , Mag etc ) except ammo and rear bag.
Shooter must Drive/Hold the Rifle - No Free Recoil .
Must be loaded from Magazine .
5 Shot Groups , with a time limit ( don't know what amount of time , but something like 10-15 sec per shot )
No sighters after competition commences for the day .
6.5 Cal and bigger is Hunting Class .
25 Cal and Smaller is Predator Class .

 

[RabbitSlayer]

I don't shoot competition but this would be the sort of match I would try. This exactly describes my guns and shooting, except I shoot more varmint cartridges. 17 hornet up to 6 creed. PRS is too ridiculous remembering course of fire. Im too old and fat to enjoy prone.

Varmint and predator hunters are also hunters. We just don't carry the guns as far. I mostly walk a mile or two on easy terrain with 10-12 lb guns, so I think they should be allowed.

Maybe 6mm requires a 308\creedmoor size case min. Also many occasional hunters or big game\predator hunters shoot a .243 as a one gun solution.