Questions on getting into Benchrest with .30BR

[JeremyMTB]

I will start by saying sorry if the below is dumb newb questions......

I am looking to start shooting benchrest and was thinking of starting with a 30BR. I can't really load at the range and I also shoot at a few different ranges so it seems the 30BR has decent flexibility in preloading.

I currently shoot a custom .308 in some club competitions that lean more toward F class. I am set up to reload but have a large stock of FGM that my gun shoots well enough for these competitions. I also shoot some .22lr benchrest so I have a good front rest and such.

I need a rifle (I am set on the optics front). I am thinking a used rifle to see what I like and it seems the 30BRs don't really wear out. I will also need reloading dies as well as the equipment to form cases. The whole "having to produce a caliber that doesn't exist" is throwing me off a little. Any recommendations? I did some research and came up with the below but it is far from set in stone.

So far my shopping list is:
Lapua 6mm BR Brass
K&M Shooting 6mm - .30 expander
K&M Neck Turning Set
Neck trimmer
Best Die Set?

Thanks in Advance
Jeremy

 

[Bill Norris]

Redding dies get the nod. I have full length and neck bushing dies with the comp seater.

 

[anschuter2013]

You could just buy prepped 30BR brass from Wes Johnson in TX. His website is P1ZK.com.

Great guy to do business with and does quality work.

 

[JEFFPPC]

Your smarter than most just by realizing a used rifle makes a lot of sense. I would not buy anything until you find a rifle, it might come with dies and brass. Since you are looking for
a 30br I imagine your looking to shoot score. If you find a used rifle try to find out what style reamer the barrel was done with. An original no freebore or a newer style reamer. It will determine what jacket length you want your bullets to be made on. I would look for a rifle done by a known smith. Don't turn down a good deal on a 6ppc. Inexpensive to open the bolt face, get a barrel done, good to go and save a lot of money you can invest in bullets, powder, and windflags. I would look for something built on Panda. High quality low maintenance action.

 

[JMayo]

Wilson fl die & seater here.
Little to No run out. Use k&m arbor.
Lapua brass ...send to DJ brass for resizing and turning.

I'm shooting well. Getting accustomed to the recoil finally.

 

[JeremyMTB]

Thanks for all the info. Appreciate people taking the time to help a new guy out. I hadn’t thought about redoing a 6PPC.

is the recoil worse than a .308?

 

[JEFFPPC]

No, less by a good bit. Light bullet, smaller powder charge.

 

[Jeffrey Tooker]

If you start with a Panda, (of which I have two), Kelbys can chamber a barrel with
just the serial no. from the Panda. Send them the bolt and they will open it to BR
bolt face for ~ $ 60.00, and it will still work with PPC. Their prices are as good or
better than I can find locally. It is Kelbys work and they stand behind it.

 

[JMayo]

In ibs score the rifle has to be 13.5lb or under. I'm a thin guy, the shoulder position, shooting free recoil will punch pretty good if it gets more than an inch run at you. its not like a hunting position with meaty shoulder.
Got on my collar bone/shoulder joint first time shooting. I got a shooting shoulder pad as soon as I could.
I must remind myself this isn't a 6mm !

 

[JEFFPPC]

You don't need to give an inch of space. When shooting 30br I allow the butt to just brush my shirt. It sure does not need a running start.I also believe there is a mental aspect, just saying.

 

[rkittine]

Can we assume that you are talking about Short Range Bench Rest out to 300 yards, but no more? I shoot a 30BR for 300, nut not often so I started with pre-prepped brass. Did the same initially for my 6PPC (100/200 yard)

Bob

 

[R.Morehouse]

You are going to get a whole lot of rounds out of your barrel. I suggest whatever gun you get, have the barrel threaded for a tuner. My tuner of choice is made by Mike Ezell. Best of luck with your new 30. I LOVE mine.......Easy to keep in tune and very responsive to input from the tuner.

Regards
Rick

 

[JeremyMTB]

Bob - Yes. It will be mostly 100 & 200 yd. I live in CT and don't even know where to shoot beyond that.

The local club I shoot at has a score class and a group class. I am interested in score and think at this club I can be competitive in both with a 30BR. It is 100yd.

At some point I might look into 2 guns or one I can change the barrel but starting with the .30BR seemed like a good idea and I already shoot a .308 so the recoil is not much of a concern to me and the leaway in loading sounds beneficial to my situation. (I could also be completely off on this thinking)

 

[JeremyMTB]

Jeff- I have read about opening the bolt face on certain manufactures to shoot both calibers. If it is open to 30BR it has no effect on the 6PPC accuracy? As I type this it seems like this question could open a can of worms.....

 

[rkittine]

If you want to find a good used rifle, contact Bob White at the Shooter's Corner. He usually has a great inventory and will not steer you wrong. He also runs a Short Range Bench Rest Clinic and Workshop (two Saturdays) each year at Cheer Ridge Gun Club in New Jersey. Great way to get acclimated and meet some Northeast Shooters.

I started with a 6BR Norma, which I still shoot at 300 and 600. Bob White set me up with an interesting rifle for short range. The buttstock has a 3 pound weight in it that can be removed. (I do not shoot free recoil and balance is not a concern of mine). With the weight in it makes Heavy Varmint class and out makes light varmint. I have a 6PPC barrel and a 30BR on a BAT B Action with a Jewel Trigger.

I just like to play against the guys mainly hat my home club, so usually shooting against guys with their Remington 700 Varminter in .22-250. So, I do well.

Bob

 

[JEFFPPC]

Jeff- I have read about opening the bolt face on certain manufactures to shoot both calibers. If it is open to 30BR it has no effect on the 6PPC accuracy? As I type this it seems like this question could open a can of worms.....

No can of worms. I have had 2 Pandas opened and have shot numerous calibers out of them. Why do you think it would harm PPC accuracy? Actually if anything by allowing a little space around the cartridge rim it might help it center in the chamber without any influence from the bolt.I think, your thinking to hard, lol. I have both set up as 6 BRXs right now, both shoot consistant 3 shot 100 yd groups in the zeros and ones with 107 class bullets.I have had PPCs,. 243, 30 BR, 6.5 x47 barrels, no problems, great accuracy. Lots of good deals on 6ppcs on here the last 90 days.Its a dying sport I am sad to say, thus it's a buyers market. Young guys all going to f class and tactical.

 

[anschuter2013]

If this isn't your local club, check out BellCity Rifle Club in Southington CT. They host IBS score matches at 100 and 200 yards. The next match is Saturday September 12th (100 yards) and Sunday the 13th (200 yards).

https://bellcity.org

Also, check out the 2020 score match schedule on the IBS website.

https://internationalbenchrest.com/events/category/score-schedule

Bob - Yes. It will be mostly 100 & 200 yd. I live in CT and don't even know where to shoot beyond that.

The local club I shoot at has a score class and a group class. I am interested in score and think at this club I can be competitive in both with a 30BR. It is 100yd.

At some point I might look into 2 guns or one I can change the barrel but starting with the .30BR seemed like a good idea and I already shoot a .308 so the recoil is not much of a concern to me and the leaway in loading sounds beneficial to my situation. (I could also be completely off on this thinking)

 

[jackieschmidt]

You don't need to give an inch of space. When shooting 30br I allow the butt to just brush my shirt. It sure does not need a running start.I also be Live there is a mental aspect, just saying.

^^^^^^

 

[JeremyMTB]

Bell City is on my radar. It is not my local club but close enough to make it so. I have been meaning to head up and meet them but this whole COVID thing has put a damper on guests there.

I will give Bob a call and see what he has. Thanks for the tip.

I like the opening bolt face idea. How hard is it to swap barrels? Is this something that happens at the range between classes?

 

[JimPag]

Bell City is on my radar. It is not my local club but close enough to make it so. I have been meaning to head up and meet them but this whole COVID thing has put a damper on guests there.

I will give Bob a call and see what he has. Thanks for the tip.

I like the opening bolt face idea. How hard is it to swap barrels? Is this something that happens at the range between classes?

Rich Suhie who is the match director at Bell City is scheduling a 2 day match to make up for a two day match in VT that got axed on September 12th and 13th. So if you wanted to shoot then be there. As far as swapping barrels that's a piece of cake. I have 16 Short range score rifles in 9 different calibers so I'm constantly testing different stuff. I'm lucky because I shoot right out of my garage, I always have the chronograph set up so with all the testing I do, I swap barrels all the time.