Most Wins from Rifle Builders

[billmo]

Definitely not trying to start any arguements. Just had a simple question. As far as Bench Rest rifle builders goes, is there a particular builder and/or combination of builders that sort of dominate the field as far as winning rifles go? Thanks for comments. Bill

 

[tmbryant]

It depends upon what type of competition you are wanting. Say for instance you are wanting the most wins in 100/200 benchrest rifle competition, I'd say it has to be Dwight Scott. Dwight does just about all the barrel work for Tony Boyer who has won more national events than any other shooter in the history of the sport. Other competitions will have other gunsmiths that are being used. Bruce Baer is probably one of the more popular 1000 yard benchrest gunsmiths.

If you look through the equipment lists, you'll find that one of the most popular gunsmiths is Self. Which just means that the more that a person is into competition, the more you'll find that they are doing their own work.

The most wins from rifle builders probably has more to do with who is shooting their rifles than it does with who built the rifle. The rifle is either right or it isn't. After that it comes down to the skill of the shooter.

 

[butchlambert]

Listen to Mike. He is right and Mike is one of the more sucessful smiths and I think he is very topnotch.
Butch

 

[Jeffvn]

Mike gets it done pretty well, and his reputation as a smith is good within the tactical shooting community too. He just needs to finish his house so that I can order a rifle from him....

JeffVN

 

[butchlambert]

Jeff,
Get your components together and it will go a lot quicker. I'm probably speaking to the choir, but that is the biggest holdup in a build.
Butch

 

[JDJones]

I don't shoot competitivly, yet, but I think alot more plays into the guys shooting world record groups than just who the gun is being built by. I have built several of my own guns and had several guns built by some "top" smiths and I would put my work against theirs anyday. If Dwight Scott and the guy i'm using now,Nathen Dagley) were both to build a gun that was going to contend for a world record I think that the quality of the barrel would be WAY more of a factor than the builder. The things like reloading and bullets come in, you can have a world record setting gun in the hands of a guy thats not gonna take the time or have the knowledge to load for it and the gun isin't gonna do much but be well built.

Now that said, I'm having a new rifle built that will be a dedicated F-class and long range varmint gun, I have access to a lathe so i could do the job myself or I could send it to my buddy in North Dakota but I'll likely have Don Geraci install the barrel, why?, because if I ever decide to sell the gun I believe that it will hold its value better having been built by a world class bench rest shooter, will his job be any better than what I or any other great builder could do??

 

[billmo]

Yea JD, I get the picture. I was just wondering if there was just maybe one or two builders that kind of just run out in front of the general population of builders. Surely, I agree that the driver has a portion to do with the rifle winning. Along with the loads fed to it and all the other varibles one might think about. Bill