Looking to build an unlimited benchrest rifle with a Rail Gun Rest.

[Aileron]

Howdy Y'all:

Does anyone know where I might locate a used rail gun rest that is for sale? I figure to buy the rest of the parts new. Looking at the 7mm BR. Any action, Barrel, trigger... recommendations?

Regards,

Ken

P.S. I imagine you know what I am typing about but just in case ...
http://benchrest.com/youngrails/

 

[riverwolf1]

Go over to Benchrest Central and look at the classifieds, you will occasionally find one there. Not sure why 7mmBR would be of interest as no one shoots one with a rail gun. You could use any action including a Rem. 700 as the action is not secured to anything. The barrel is clamped in the V-Block. As far as triggers Jewel triggers or Bix &Andy, Barrel, Kreiger, Bartlein, Hart, Shilen are all what most competitive shooters in short range BR use.

 

[Aileron]

Wow! Thanks for the info. I guess thinking 7mm BR would be a good selection provides evidence to how long I have been out of Bench rest shooting. Any suggestion for the right cartridge to use? 308 Winchester or something bigger? How about 7mm Rem Mag? Someone said it holds the thousand yard record now. No-one uses Douglas barrels any more? I used to fancy Timney triggers. I'll check out the ones you listed. Thanks again. One of the shooters here in Cheyenne suggested people never use Sierra bullets in Bench rest competition any more. He also said no-one uses boat tail bullets for bench rest competitions either. Is that true? I remember being particular and weighing all bullets prior to loading and Sierra Match King Boat tail bullets worked best for me about forty years ago.

Regards,

Aileron

 

[riverwolf1]

Aileron, figured this might help you out, if your talking short range benchrest here is a 2017 equipment list. Under the column stocker is who made the rail gun. Now if your talking Long Range, I have no idea. Regarding your question about bullets, custom bullets is what everyone shoots, Sierra not so much.
Dave Berg is spot on we need a bit more info as to your plans for how your going to use it. Also even used your talking about several thousands in cost as used rails bare are 1800-2200 used then action barrel, trigger scope!

 

[Aileron]

I hear there are two in Wyoming and a bunch of competitions in Colorado I imagine two-hundred yards will be the longest I will compete in. I understand barrels are normally changed every 1000 rounds or less. Might be more with smaller cartridges. I will use this weapon simply for bench rest shooting. Any recommendations? I used to shoot 7mm-08 a bunch in Hi-Power Silhouette shooting and still have tons of cases, primers and bullets for it.

 

[riverwolf1]

Well, I am not sure about wyoming, but there are matches in CO. what worked in Silhoette won't work in Benchrest. The 6ppc cartridge is king and has been for many years. Lapua 220 russian brass by lapua which takes a small rifle primer is king. There is one guy in TX that has a 30BR barrel on his rail gun and some that shoot 22ppc. The other item you need to know is how much they weigh 55-65 lbs and they are a PITA to move! Especially when you get older!!! The barrels are 1.250-1.350" in diameter no taper. I am curious why you just don't build a Light Varmit gun which would allow you to compete in 3 different class's of shooting. The rail is but 1 class and there are not as many rail gun matches.

 

[Aileron]

I am a BIG ol' boy and I am sure I can handle fifty pounds. Of course that is subject to change without notice. The reason I started looking at the unlimited class rifles is a long story. The best part of that story is I am not as still as I was years ago. I was told one of those fancy electronic triggers would cure that problem but I would have to shoot in the unlimited class.
Maybe I should try one of the lower classes and see how I do. I'll see if I can find those classification rules.
Thanks again.

 

[rcparker1]

give Scott Hunter at magnum metal a call. Hes a good guy that makes a rail gun close to the young design. shooting 100-200 yd benchrest almost everyone is running the 6ppc. most run around a 13.5 twist with 62-68 grain bullets.

 

[ebb]

Check out Benchrest Central, that forum has a complete section on rail guns that has tons of info and lots of pictures. Some of the best unlimited shooters in the sport are members there.

 

[Aileron]

Thanks.

 

[Aileron]

Howdy riverwolf1:

You (and several other shooters) mentioned not knowing of any benchrest competitions in Wyoming so I checked it out. The people that ran the NBRSA shoots in Casper closed up. I am told there is only one official benchrest competition left in this state. It is about four miles out of Buffalo:

Buffalo Outdoor Rifle Club, WY
Contact Pete Eisele for details at 307 217-1155

April 9, 2017 HBR
April 23, 2017 VFS
May 13, 2017 HBR
May 28, 2017 VFS
June 11, 2017 HBR
June 25, 2017 VFS
July 9, 2017 HBR
July 23, 2017 VFS
August 13, 2017 HBR
August 27, 2017 VFS
September 10, 2017 VFS

They want to run another one in November but it depends on the weather. I will call there about the first of November and see if they decided yet and I will post it here if they plan to. The Buffalo Outdoor Rifle Club puts on official shoots for the NBRSA.

 

[riverwolf1]

Looking at their schedule there are no rail gun shoots in the matches you listed. All of those matches are score matches, the VFS is by definition NBRSA heavy gun, which would be a 13.5 lb rifle, 3" fore endmost are chambered for 30BR and you can use any scope power you choose as long as the total weight of the rifle does not exceed 13.5 lbs. The Hunter rifle is a rifle weighing 10 lbs and the scope is limited to 6X, and the fore end of the rifle can not exceed 2&1/4". Once again the dominant caliber is .30 BR.
Some other calibers you run into are .30x47, .30x44, 6mmBR and on occasion full size .308. The problem with the larger cartridge is recoil management, muzzle breaks are not allowed, basically you will shoot 100 rounds per day and thats a lot of abuse on the shoulder. Almost everyone that shoots these 2 disciplines has 2 purpose built rifles! Did I mention that only bolt action rifles are permitted! You could build a light varmit rifle that has changeable barrels and use it to shoot both VFS and group shoots and you could use a standard hunting rifle for the Hunter part of the competition. Building 2 purpose built rifles would cost you 6K dollars. you could buy 2 used purpose built rifles for between 3-4k dollars thats not including scopes!

 

[Aileron]

Thanks for the information.
I asked the guy that runs the benchrest shoots at Buffalo if anyone shoots rail guns and he said none of the people that shoot there have one. He didn't say they couldn't. I guess I better finish reading the official NBRSA rules. Thanks again. I probably would have missed that one. I just thought any rifle that did not qualify by the Class rules (including by weight) had to shoot in the unlimited class.

> Once again the dominant caliber is .30 BR.
Hmmm... Someone said it was the 6ppc. I guess "Ol Timers" like me easily get confused.

I have a Remington model 700 varmint rifle. No idea what it weighs but will weigh it when I get home this evening. It is chambered for 243 Winchester, so I will build a new barrel for it. It's trigger feels like the worst I have. I'll change that, too … if that is allowed in the hunter rifle class. I don't have a 6x scope. Any recommendations on a good 6x scope?

 

[6MMsteve]

try Shooters Corner he has a bunch of used rail guns I tink

 

[rcparker1]

Rail guns are used in group match that is dominated by the 6mm ppc. Score shooting in a totally different game. Many shooters use to .30 because it will cut the next ring. You are talking apples and oranges.

 

[riverwolf1]

Let me make a bold suggestion Aileron, Learning what you need to shoot benchrest, is not easy! 1. You need to find a mentor and listen to what he tells you.
2. You need to take a road trip and visit a shoot, so you can actually talk to folks that know what they are doing, just reading the rules will not get you to where you need to go! The score shooters in Buffalo are real friendly people and once you see what's going on you will most certainly know what you need to do.
I have been shooting benchrest for 23 years and in that entire time I have never run into anyone that started in benchrest with a rail gun! Additionally there is no rifle including rail guns that are allowed to have an electronic trigger!!!

 

[Tim Singleton]

No one in this thread is trying to talk you out of something you want
They all are trying to help
If you want a rail to have fun with build it. But there are only a handful of matches across the entire USA each year to shoot it in competition

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

Additionally there is no rifle including rail guns that are allowed to have an electronic trigger!!!

Wrong. From the NBRSA rule book:

(a) Unlimited Rifle: Any rifle having a barrel 18 or more inches in length, measured from the face of the bolt to the muzzle, and having a safely operated firing mechanism. For minimum barrel length, the legal method of measurement from the face of the bolt shall be employed.


All other classes require a manually operated firing mechanism, though.

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

No one in this thread is trying to talk you out of something you want. They all are trying to help. If you want a rail to have fun with build it. But there are only a handful of matches across the entire USA each year to shoot it in competition.

And a rail can really shoot small.

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2017/08/gary-ocock-shoots-amazing-0-0840-aggregate-with-railgun/

 

[Aileron]

Ahhh... I see now. I am more interested in shooting tight groups. I realize beating the current records is very close to impossible but the challenge and competition are what attracts me.
Fifty caliber would do even better than thirty caliber in score shooting if it wasn't for the shock and recoil. I agree. I need to go to a match and see how it flies.
I will probably still build a rail gun for that reason but I will compete in the normal benchrest competitions as well. Thanks again for all the help.