This match format has drawn the best of the best. At the target distance, the very mature 6 PPC still seems to rule the roost. The trigger drivers certainly are the decided difference. Actions, barrels and stocks are chosen by the drivers to suit their style. Then it comes down to dealing with Mother Nature.
I am still interested in seeing a comprehensive equipment list to see how the F-Class shooters placed against the BR types. What would happen if the match was conducted beyond 300 yards?
In my opinion, The Tack Driver is a Short Range Benchrest Match masquerading as a Long Range Match.
The distance is still within the “precision” flag reading capabilities of the Short Range Game, and not so far out to take advantage of the superior down range ballistics of the bullet/cartridge combinations that are used in such Disciplines as F-Class and Precision Rifle.
In short, if you know how to read conditions and have a good idea as to how those conditions are going to affect the bullet’s journey to the target, go with the most accurate combination possible, At this time, that tends to be a well tuned 6PPC, 30BR, or one of the 6BR variants.
I was talking with a couple of shooters at The Tack Driver and the question of Flags came up. “What if there were no flags allowed”? Would this then swing the “advantage” to cartridges that are designed for longer range Disciplines? The only way to answer that question is to say….”no personal flags allowed”.
When Jim first conceived this Match, the thought was to answer the question as to the accuracy capabilities of various combinations at a distance that is kind of half way between Short Range and Long Range. 300 meters is the distance because that is as far out as Orangeburg can go.
300 meters might seem like a rather short distance in today’s world of shooting where the trend seems to promote shooting at extreme ranges. Almost all of the major bullet manufacturers promote BC over many of the other aspects of bullet performance. If you are shooting at distances where BC is an over riding factor, this is sound thinking. In Short Range, BC is barely an after thought. Extreme accuracy as defined by the agging capability of a bullet outweighs all other factors.
However, when you are attempting to consistently hit a 1 inch circle or place five shots in a 1/4 MOA group or less, 300 meters becomes quite the distance, especially at a Facility with wind characteristics of Orangeburg.
The simple fact is, The Tack Driver is still a Benchrest Match. A Benchrest Match that stretches the capabilities of the Combinations that are common in Short Range Benchrest, but does not seem to (at this time), capture the advantages of Combinations that are suited for longer distances.
