Tips & Tricks for better score 600 & 1000 Benchrest

[Jet]

During the sighter period at either 600 or 1000 yds and outside of the last 60 seconds I'll take a shot anytime I see a significant condition change, always holding center. When the target is down I visualize where the spotter should end up. When it comes up it either verifies what I thought would happen or educates me on what to watch and what to ignore. I also make the same calls on shooters to my left and right assuming they are holding center.

I pay a lot of attention to my first shot in a sighter period on a fouled barrel. Conditions will be different from the last target shot whether that was the previous day or previous relay/bench.

As you know as much or more then anyone here, every range has it's own personality. Even benches on the line based on terrain, shadows, etc can behave differently. It's takes constant work on the small details to be consistently competitive.

Good Shooting

Rich

 

[shoot4fun]

@BartsBullets there were, if you look closely at results, a lot of poor scores. I know what happened to my Saturday LG groups and scores. It's called too much H4895 in the BRA. It had performed well in testing and, stranger still, showed no issue on the first two targets of the morning. Then it literally (almost actually) blew up. I was picking primers out of the FP hole with a pocket knife to get them all down to the target! As for sighters, since they put no aiming point on the plate, I shot one at the commence fire and then no more until 1 minute. I used the first hit as my aim point for all others. I shot at 1 minute, 30 seconds, 10 seconds and 5 seconds. I told myself I was using the 5 second shot to determine hold on the target. Sometimes it worked but others my record shots hit where I was holding instead of where I was wanting them.
If there was a poll taken after the weekend at MSSA I am quite sure most every shooter would say they were dissatisfied with their scores before anything else.
I think back to a short-range match where the wind was so bad it blew wind flags over. I asked a guy from Texas how they ever shot well there with all their wind. Simple, he said, the wind always blows hard enough and long enough that anyone can get all their record rounds on target in the same condition. I sure seldom see that kind of wind calls in my neck of the woods.

 

[INTJ]

Let me use an aviation analogy to illustrate my point. When I was a T-38 instructor pilot we taught the technique of “doubling the drift” when rolling out on downwind. We would fly initial at 300 KIAS, make a 4-5g 180 break turn and slow to below 200 on downwind. We would note our drift correction on initial, double it, and rollout on that drift doubled heading. That would get us close. Then we would look at our ground track to make sure we had properly compensated for the wind.

With that in mind, I like to find my shooting drift correction by finding a spot on the target vs using an offset hash mark on the reticle. It works out this way:

During the sighter period I strive to get centered in the most prevalent wind condition. I also try to find bullet impact at other conditions. When things go right I will be centered for the prevalent wind condition. I do not adjust my crosshairs during the record group.

Assuming the prevailing condition is when the wind flag is limp, I hold centered in the bull. When the wind flag is at a 45 degree angle I hold into the wind on the edge of the blue. When the wind flag is at 90 degrees I hold at the edge of the larger scoring ring.

If the prevailing condition is 45 degrees on the wind flag, I am centered for that condition, and the wind dies; then I move downwind to the edge of the blue.

If I can’t find consistent hold offs during the sighter period then I make sure to shoot inside of 30 seconds, note the condition, zero the scope, and try to find that condition during the record group. If that fails I just make a guess and go for it.

Sometimes this works great, other times—like when we had 15-25 mph direct crosswinds in White City last Oct, it doesn’t work so well. When the flags are already at 90 degrees and never let up from that, it’s hard. I did try reading the amount of bend in the flagpole, and the flagpole with just a string on it seemed to help, but mostly I was just lost.

And sometimes, even as systematic as I am trying to be, I fail to centered on target. However, since I started approaching the wind this way I am better centered than I was.

 

[Ned Ludd]

I'm sure all the suggestions and tips posted up to this point will be helpful. However, if you really want to crush your opponents, get yourself one of these for each of those pesky competitors that might beat you:

 

[Rtheurer]

Rtheurer,

Mempis is a pretty easy range to master! I’ve won there multiple times! When I’m shooting im trying to make a CORRECT decision on how to put 5 shots in the 10 ring (3 inches) without any feedback other then the sighter plate in the last 30 seconds or so. I shoot probably too many sighters. Because I’m matching mirage at one end of the field with wind flags on the close end so I can determine a condition which will allow me to shoot the smallest group.

Remember a 10 on an f Class 600 yard target is 6 inches. So five shots towards the edge of your 10 ring is 10 dropped points for us which is the kiss of death.

Bart

Yes Sir I fully understand. Just trying to help.

 

[BartsBullets]

Yes Sir I fully understand. Just trying to help.

Much appreciated!

 

[mikeeg02]

I've found at some ranges it works well to use a spotting scope and spot for others while they are shooting. Spot during sight in, and when they shoot, judge the condition for yourself, and make a guess where they should of held, wait for their target to come back, review it with them and ask where they held or if they adjusted. It's like free advise.

One range I shoot at I feel I've been spotting at pretty well lately, but things haven't been as wild as they can be there. I make suggestions while the shooter shoots (which is allowed) and am usually really close. Course when I go to shoot, sometimes you cant help but get excited and not fully pay attention, but you also cant typically see as much as a spotter can, because their only real focus is to watch the condition. Not being focused on placing the shot for their score lol. Bench manors, so on.

 

[rebel]

This weekend I probably had the best shooting gun on the line at Memphis ...16 Targets agging 2.018 yet my scores pretty much sucked.

One target my 5 second sighter went high about 6 inches. I said “nope I’m not falling for the banana up the tail pipe!” Well that’s exactly where they hit! High on the target with a nice score of 26! You could see every shot up there in the white. It makes you feel icky!

On the other hand Guys like John Ross continue to score well!

So help a brother out!

Bart

Just the fact that Mr.Sauter gets frustrated with some of the same things I do gives me hope that I could possibly improve at some point. I have no business posting here as I am not much of a competitor, fun club matches, mostly UBR, groundhog matches and having access to 1000 and 600 yard private ranges where I occasionally go to get humbled severely.
At a club UBR match Saturday afternoon I had shots go high seemingly for no reason. My only advice I could possibly give to a man with some incredible rifles and talent is to keep asking "Why?".
Obviously, I haven't answered my own question when I asked, maybe you'll be blessed with an AHH HAH moment.

 

[Raythemanroe]

When you can't tell how much a switch from a let up or the sun rolling in and out is going to effect your next shot, shoot like "Bob"!

Ray

 

[kneedtospeed]

I'm still wantin to pull a few G's in the Talon, even push a few...!

Thanks for your Service!
(All who've served)
and Happy 4th !

 

[bd28a]

I’m definitely a rookie concerning the wind. I shot my first match at Whitehorse and Mr. Taylor spotted for me and I was centered on the clay very well until the last 10 seconds of the sighter period. I let one go and it went between 1 and 2 o’ clock about 15 inches. My exact word was “what the...”. Stan said “hold the 7 ring at 7 o’clock”. When the target came back I had a 47, lol. I guess ol’ Taylor is good for some things

 

[BartsBullets]

Just the fact that Mr.Sauter gets frustrated with some of the same things I do gives me hope that I could possibly improve at some point. I have no business posting here as I am not much of a competitor, fun club matches, mostly UBR, groundhog matches and having access to 1000 and 600 yard private ranges where I occasionally go to get humbled severely.
At a club UBR match Saturday afternoon I had shots go high seemingly for no reason. My only advice I could possibly give to a man with some incredible rifles and talent is to keep asking "Why?".
Obviously, I haven't answered my own question when I asked, maybe you'll be blessed with an AHH HAH moment.

Rebel,

That’s a very good point! This match was the first time out with this rifle and scope. My first few targets were dead center but high. Which didn’t make any sense because I was drilling the sighter plate. High shots in short range are normally a bag problem! I’ll have to work on this at the house and see if it’s an in issue. But I suspect it is part of the problem.

Bart

 

[mikeeg02]

When you can't tell how much a switch from a let up or the sun rolling in and out is going to effect your next shot, shoot like "Bob"!

Ray

He's such a machine.

I should also add that even with what I think I'm learning, sometimes I still eff it up. I think it's just part of this hobby. If it was easy to figure out, or predictable, we'd all be shooting small 100s. And nobody shoots small 100s every time lol

 

[BartsBullets]

That

When you can't tell how much a switch from a let up or the sun rolling in and out is going to effect your next shot, shoot like "Bob"!

Ray

That is impressive!

 

[mikeeg02]

That

That is impressive!

Thats not just a one off video either. Hes consistent. I have a couple I took in the same low 20 seconds.

 

[BartsBullets]

Thats not just a one off video either. Hes consistent. I have a couple I took in the same low 20 seconds.

This was in pretty good mirage so I was a bit slow trying to aim!

 

[Raythemanroe]

That

That is impressive!

I think he shot a 6"ish ten shot 100 score in some pretty good switchy conditions also.

Ray

 

[dkhunt14]

This was in pretty good mirage so I was a bit slow trying to aim!

In heavy mirage I like to trust my gun tracking and send them. I am not near as fast as Bob with he light gun. Now in heavy, I can run a lot faster. But I shoot a 300 WSM and the recoil makes a lot of differemce in speed. Matt

 

[dkhunt14]

Shawn,

We go about tuning differently but our goals are the same. I want a rifle that shoots small and isn’t wind sensitive. I’m not a sunrise Benchrest tuner. I tune in conditions throughout the entire day, but I’m not shooting ladder tests.

So a Tuned rifle isn’t my problem. I often have the best rifle on the line. As you pointed out the better your gun shoots the more precise you have to be with score.

I’m not way off on Score. I just need a little tweaking.

Bart

I know a lot of people don't believe this but when tuned right, the gun shoots way better through the conditions. Not an easy thing to find and some barrels never will score great. Matt

 

[dkhunt14]

Guys

Anyone have some tips or tricks that have helped them shoot better scores? I’m listening!

Bart

Build a 300 WSM. Matt