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Running a local match,... how to deal with muzzle brakes?

I'm not curious at all. This attitude is exactly why I'm not interested in short range benchrest. Lot of these guys need to look in the mirror to see the problem
All of these so called “attitudes” that we as Short Range Benchrest Shooters seem to possess are mostly a fabrication of the Internet, put forth by shooters who have in the most part never participated in a organized Match. Many are ignorant of the extreme requirements involved in achieving the accuracy and precision that is required to be competitive. If they did have this knowledge, they would understand why rifles with Muzzle Brakes have no business on the line in an organized 100/200/300 yard Group or Score Match.

I have been shooting competitively since the mid 1990’s. I have been to countless Matches all over. I shoot both Group and Varmint for Score.

I rarely if ever see the attitudes that many of the posters in this thread say exist. In fact, just the opposite is true. The vast majority of Benchrest Shooters will, to the best of their ability, help any shooter that is having problems with everything from equipment, load development, reading flags, to bench manners.

The NBRSA has even set up a Mentors program where experieced shooters will donate their time, in some cases an entire day, to help a new shooter get headed in the right direction. I happen to be a Mentor for Score Shooters in The Gulf Coast Region, my home range being The Tomball Gun Club in Northwest Harris County Texas.

I would like to know some of the Benchrest Matches that you have attended where you were confronted with the “attitude” that you alluded to. I could contact the appropriate Region Director and ask him to address the issue with his Match Directors in his member Clubs.

I do not have a solution to the problem of cost and shooting. From what I know, a top notch F-class or PRS Rifle and everything that goes with it cost just as much as a top notch Benchrest Rifle. True, there are “Factory” offerings that are sold with these Disciplines in mind, Ruger and Savage offer these, while nobody really offers a truly competitive Short Range Group or Score Rifle off the shelf.

Back to the OP’s problem in running his Matches. At Matches I attend, whether a local Club Match or a National Event, the competition is friendly until the Range Officer says “commence fire”. Then nobody is giving any quarter. The competition is always pretty fierce. Most are shooting their exact same equipment at all venues. If you want to be competitive, you better be on your “A” game .
If his Matches are “informal“ now, it won’t take long for things to get serious.

We still consider shooting from a Bench at 300 yards still in the Realm of “Short Range”.

Because of the extreme accuracy requirements that defines Benchrest, you can see why a shooter who is there to do what it takes to win does not appreciate being handicapped by an adjacent shooter who insist on not following the rules and etiquette of the Discipline by using a Rifle with a Muzzle Brake.

I would try not go so far as to call the Brake Shooter’s behavior rude and inconsiderate. I attribute it to ignorance of the requirements of the activity at hand.

If you plan on attending any Match, first check to make sure your equipment falls within the rules of that Discipline and the Match and be willing to to follow what ever mandates the event has.

This is common sense, and common courtesy.
 
I shot BR matches in WY and TN. There were some good people at both. There are also plenty with the attitude seen here. Your experience does not mirror mine. The same is NOT true of any of the other matches I've shot regardless of discipline which includes imhsa, f-class,and steel matches. It's an easy choice for me, shoot matches I enjoy more vs dealing with super grumpy dudes. Like it or not your short range BR is dying.
 
I shot BR matches in WY and TN. There were some good people at both. There are also plenty with the attitude seen here. Your experience does not mirror mine. The same is NOT true of any of the other matches I've shot regardless of discipline which includes imhsa, f-class,and steel matches. It's an easy choice for me, shoot matches I enjoy more vs dealing with super grumpy dudes. Like it or not your short range BR is dying.
“Attitude seen here”

Explain that statement.
 
It isn't a benchrest match!!!!!! You're trying to apply rules from your chosen game to another game that doesn't have your rules. You say there should not be brake in SR BR. Ok fine, your opinion and the rules as I last read them. A 300 yard varmint match not sanctioned by NBRSA or IBS isn't a SR BR match!!!!! Not to difficult to understand. I do understand that if a guy showed up to an NBRSA or IBS SR BR match and had a brake there would be an issue because thats what the rules say.

As far as F-class having brakes, no it isn't allowed. That isn't what I was referring to with my prior comment. It was the attitudes of people at the matches. I cannot think of a person at an F-class match that I ever had an issue with. Not true with BR.
 
It isn't a benchrest match!!!!!! You're trying to apply rules from your chosen game to another game that doesn't have your rules. You say there should not be brake in SR BR. Ok fine, your opinion and the rules as I last read them. A 300 yard varmint match not sanctioned by NBRSA or IBS isn't a SR BR match!!!!! Not to difficult to understand. I do understand that if a guy showed up to an NBRSA or IBS SR BR match and had a brake there would be an issue because thats what the rules say.

As far as F-class having brakes, no it isn't allowed. That isn't what I was referring to with my prior comment. It was the attitudes of people at the matches. I cannot think of a person at an F-class match that I ever had an issue with. Not true with BR.
If you showed up at an F-Class Match with a Brake on your Rifle, and laid down next to Eric Cortina, would he be a “grumpy old man” if he complained and told you you could not use that there.?
As for the 300 yard informal match, the OP has said he is already facing problems. When his regulars stop coming because of the disruption of the Muzzle Brakes, he will get the message.

You can’t please everyone. So do the prudent thing and concentrate on those who understand the rules and bring suitable equipment for that venue.
 
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Once again you missed the target.

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MUZZLE BRAKE!!!! NOTHING. Is it possible to be any more clear?? Once again just in case you missed it again, NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MUZZLE BRAKE!
 
Isn’t the subject of this thread how to deal with the disruption caused by muzzle brakes in a close quarters competitive environment.?
I would describe the OP’s matches as a close quarters Match shot off of Benches.
 
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Once again you missed the target.

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MUZZLE BRAKE!!!! NOTHING. Is it possible to be any more clear?? Once again just in case you missed it again, NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MUZZLE BRAKE!
I understand your complaint. But this post/thread is about the fck. ultra loud noise and blast of muzzle brake in your ear while you are trying to shoot the very best you can at 100-300 yards. Real or perceived attitude of BR shooters is another matter. Shooting next to a 38 Super will wear you will out, as will shooting next to a muzzle braked rifle.
 
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You asked me to explain my post, I did. Maybe I'm not articulating it well. The match is not a sr br match. It has no rule against brakes. It literally makes zero difference what rule nbrsa or IBS sr br matches have. None. It isn't one of those. It's a varmint match. If the match director wants to run off one group of people that's up to him. Makes no difference to me as I'm not shooting his matches. He may lose regulars. He will lose nearly everyone else and probably never gain anyone else. Most guns these days have brakes.

I disagree that the attitude is another matter. I read all the responses in this thread. Most people what chimed in said ban brakes because it's a BR match. That attitude is why the sport is dying. It ain't the cost, time, accuracy requirement, etc. All the long range matches I've attended have lots of people and they spend lots of money, time, etc to compete.

For the record Ive shot next to way bigger than 308's with brakes in BR matches and was never worn out.
 
If you showed up at an F-Class Match with a Brake on your Rifle, and laid down next to Eric Cortina, would he be a “grumpy old man” if he complained and told you you could not use that there.?
As for the 300 yard informal match, the OP has said he is already facing problems. When his regulars stop coming because of the disruption of the Muzzle Brakes, he will get the message.

You can’t please everyone. So do the prudent thing and concentrate on those who understand the rules and bring suitable equipment for that venue.
Nope. Just a hypocrite as he sells them.:)
 
The moderator locked "The Bitch is Dead" thread in 13 posts. Why has this one drug on for 192 now! Started out good, started to die about 100 posts ago! Still limping along with absolutely nothing coming out of it now.
 
You know, these short range benchresters are kinda like the LGBTQ crowd. No tolerance and think they own 300 yards from a bench. They are simply a small crowd of Karen's that have had their skirts stepped on. They probably will never shoot one of these matches. They can't stand it if you run things the way you want to and not their sacred way. This thread had nothing to do with 300 yard sanctioned short range benchrest matches, and e everything to do with being able to get braked and unbraked rifles on the line for a day of shooting.
This thread should be locked. You short range benchrest competitors please go shoot your sport and please stay away from matches like this. They are not for your group. I had tolerance until I started reading more and more crying and whining from people that will never go shoot one of these. Stay in your own lane and it shouldn't be a problem.
 
There is a non registered Match called The Tack Driver, held in Orangeburg SC each November.

It’s 300 meters. It is designed to allow Rifles from varied Disciplines to compete heads up in a combined Group and Score Format, shooting off of benches. The 6PPC is by far the cartridge of choice, and a Short Range Benchrest Shooter has won it every year.

The only reason anybody would want this discussion ended is to keep shooters in the dark as to how disruptive Muzzle Brakes are in a close course environment shooting off of Benches.
 
I remember that the OP was posting about something informal, benches and on the ground ... ARs and bolt guns, and it got morphed in to ignoring rules for sanction matches.
I respectfully disagree with the assessment that this has morphed into a discussion about ignoring rules in Sanctioned Matches.

We only brought up Registered Matches as an example how Rifles with Muzzle Brakes can adversely affect the performance of a shooter at an adjacent Bench.

But, (there is always one of those), it is a fact that in any competitive endeavor where participates fire from Benches, a rifle with a Brake will have an adverse affect on the adjacent shooters ability to read the condition, hold his point of aim, all the while having no more contact with the rifle than the tip of one finger.

I shoot a lot more Non Sanctionec Matches than Sanctioned. Some are 300 to 400 yard clay break matches, some are shooting bottle caps, and of course, the majority are shooting at a paper target. Regardless of what I am shooting at, or what distance, it is exactly the same as a Benchrest Match. Flags to read the wind, usually shooting my LV 6PPC or HV 30BR fired free recoil from a Bench.

The vast majority of Club Matches, Fun Shoots, Clay Breaks, or what ever name they assign to it, it is still in reality a Benchrest Match, where shooters are under an awning, with benches spaced 6 to 8 feet apart, attempting to achieve the highest level of accuracy and precision possible.

This is not the venue for a Rifle that, through it’s purpose built design, creates havoc with adjacent shooters and hampers their ability to achieve the highest score possible.
 
The vast majority of Club Matches, Fun Shoots, Clay Breaks, or what ever name they assign to it, it is still in reality a Benchrest Match, where shooters are under an awning, with benches spaced 6 to 8 feet apart, attempting to achieve the highest level of accuracy and precision possible.

Maybe that's why we're on opposite ends of the spectrum here. I do a couple of different monthly fun shoots in my area, there are no wind flags. The only flags are ones they might put up on a target frame, downrange, which is just a construction tape. Honestly, I haven't seen a user-installed wind flag in probably 10 years.

Your "fun shoot"s are BR matches with no rule enforcement, mine are more "run what you brung". A few guys shoot on benches at the end of the line, but most don't use them.
 

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