Unlimited/HB Shooting
This shooting has been my favorite since 1995 when I bought my first of 2 Rail Guns. I was fascinated with all the parts. If I would have been single back then I would have slept with the Rail. My 1st Rail was a conglomerate of 5 smiths. All worked at Sierra Bullets. Among them were Ferris Pindell, Arvie Martin, and 3 I didn't know. I still have the Rail. It is what most call an underslung gun. The rail is turned 180 deg with the barreled action under. I call it an aircraft carrier. It came with a Hart 6PPC barrel and original SAKO 220 Brass. The action is detailed Rem 600 with a stainless cone bolt. It had 2 scopes both Unertl a 6X and a 30X. First time I shot the gun in competition I shot a .1858 agg at 100 good for a win. Takes some getting used to. It is a true Rail, you shoot you return to battery. A lot of weight being pushed around on stainless rails and delrin guides. My first big competition with the Rail was in 1995 at the Visalia Invitational. The Invitational always in October is the premier 5 shot competition in the Country. A 2 day marathon of skill and guts. No Jay Youngs or Dodds back then. I thought I was hot that weekend but I had listened to some advice that got me in trouble.
The Invitational started out in a blaze of 1's all over the place and several 0's. I was hanging in there but I was not smooth. Skip Otto was next to me and he had his Rail cooking. Then my doom happened. A cease fire was called and when they said shoot or remove I chose to remove. I had been seating my bullets too far into the lands and my bullet stuck and most my powder stayed in the action. Skip had finished his group and jumped on my gun clearing powder out. I had no shots on the target and could only get 3 downrange. With a 2 inch penalty I was out of the top 10 for the Invitational. I shot some good 200 yd groups so all was not lost.
In 1996 I was hot again with the Rail. Going into the Invitational I was not going to make any screw-ups. My first 100 yd was 24th. Didn't matter my agg was a low 2. That afternoon the worst storm I have ever shot in showed up. The sky was black all afternoon. Dennis said it could snow. An electrical storm blew the computer up so hand scoring was the game that day. As we started 200 Gary Ocock said we would be lucky to finish. I didn't care I was pumped. I started at 200 with a triplet of 3's,a 4,and a 7. Since the computer wasn't working nobody knew anything except Gary. When he saw my groups he knew I'd won but he wouldn't tell me. I was hoping for a top 10 finish. When trophies were read off I got nervous. In 200 yd they didn't read my name off. Finally all the trophies were given away except 1st and I got sad. Then Dennis pulled out the 1st place trophy and said it was mine. My first trophy at a Registered Shoot. It's all I hoped for. Then the trophies for the Grand. Since I had place 24th at 100 I would have been happy to have my name read off anywhere. I cheered for all the placers. Dennis stopped again before giving out the 1st place trophy. Everybody looked around trying to figure who's name hadn't been called out. Dennis smiled again and handed me the 1st place Grand Agg trophy. I couldn't talk which is rare for me. Then Dennis reminded us Day 2 would start at 200. I was in good shape next morning the storm went away and the computer was replaced. We shot the same benches and rotated in the afternoon for 100. I was still shooting close to Gary and Skip. The first Match at 200 was won by Gary Ocock with a .150. That gave him the lead in the Invitational. He never looked back. Skip had a chance to win but lost a shot straight up at 100. Gary won the 200. Gary was 1st in the Invitational. I think he has won 5 Invitationals. Skip was 3rd and I finished 4th.
My underslung helped me win several nice trophies some 1st. Then I bought my wood top Rail. This one designed by Eric Miller features ball bearing guides, air craft quality Eric reminded me, riding on stainless guides. Could have slept with this one too but my wife wouldn't let it in the bed. This Rail operates fast on the rails. I use a spring and catch the trigger guard as it recoils. I ease the top to the front with the aid of the spring. I usually put a 22 PPC barrel on the gun. It has a Wichita 1375 action a Weaver 36 scope. The gun is too hot to handle at times. I finished 4th in the Visalia/Phoenix Invitational with it. A 4 day Shoot of 5 shot. I shot an .18XX agg at 200 at both Ranges. This is my main Rail now because I have 5 barrels for it and I love to shoot 22 PPC in Rail Guns. All my Rail barrels for either gun are 1.35. I use Hart, Krieger, and a Snake River barrel. My calibers are 22PPC, 6PPC, 6BRS. The 22 PPC are .243 & .245 nk. The 6PPC are all .262 nk. I also have a good amount of trophies with this gun.
Now you can see why I favor UNL/HB competition. Some feel Rails are where shooters should start. I agree. But at Raton with 75 benches and rotation after every Match you must prepare or die on the pad.
Stephen Perry
This shooting has been my favorite since 1995 when I bought my first of 2 Rail Guns. I was fascinated with all the parts. If I would have been single back then I would have slept with the Rail. My 1st Rail was a conglomerate of 5 smiths. All worked at Sierra Bullets. Among them were Ferris Pindell, Arvie Martin, and 3 I didn't know. I still have the Rail. It is what most call an underslung gun. The rail is turned 180 deg with the barreled action under. I call it an aircraft carrier. It came with a Hart 6PPC barrel and original SAKO 220 Brass. The action is detailed Rem 600 with a stainless cone bolt. It had 2 scopes both Unertl a 6X and a 30X. First time I shot the gun in competition I shot a .1858 agg at 100 good for a win. Takes some getting used to. It is a true Rail, you shoot you return to battery. A lot of weight being pushed around on stainless rails and delrin guides. My first big competition with the Rail was in 1995 at the Visalia Invitational. The Invitational always in October is the premier 5 shot competition in the Country. A 2 day marathon of skill and guts. No Jay Youngs or Dodds back then. I thought I was hot that weekend but I had listened to some advice that got me in trouble.
The Invitational started out in a blaze of 1's all over the place and several 0's. I was hanging in there but I was not smooth. Skip Otto was next to me and he had his Rail cooking. Then my doom happened. A cease fire was called and when they said shoot or remove I chose to remove. I had been seating my bullets too far into the lands and my bullet stuck and most my powder stayed in the action. Skip had finished his group and jumped on my gun clearing powder out. I had no shots on the target and could only get 3 downrange. With a 2 inch penalty I was out of the top 10 for the Invitational. I shot some good 200 yd groups so all was not lost.
In 1996 I was hot again with the Rail. Going into the Invitational I was not going to make any screw-ups. My first 100 yd was 24th. Didn't matter my agg was a low 2. That afternoon the worst storm I have ever shot in showed up. The sky was black all afternoon. Dennis said it could snow. An electrical storm blew the computer up so hand scoring was the game that day. As we started 200 Gary Ocock said we would be lucky to finish. I didn't care I was pumped. I started at 200 with a triplet of 3's,a 4,and a 7. Since the computer wasn't working nobody knew anything except Gary. When he saw my groups he knew I'd won but he wouldn't tell me. I was hoping for a top 10 finish. When trophies were read off I got nervous. In 200 yd they didn't read my name off. Finally all the trophies were given away except 1st and I got sad. Then Dennis pulled out the 1st place trophy and said it was mine. My first trophy at a Registered Shoot. It's all I hoped for. Then the trophies for the Grand. Since I had place 24th at 100 I would have been happy to have my name read off anywhere. I cheered for all the placers. Dennis stopped again before giving out the 1st place trophy. Everybody looked around trying to figure who's name hadn't been called out. Dennis smiled again and handed me the 1st place Grand Agg trophy. I couldn't talk which is rare for me. Then Dennis reminded us Day 2 would start at 200. I was in good shape next morning the storm went away and the computer was replaced. We shot the same benches and rotated in the afternoon for 100. I was still shooting close to Gary and Skip. The first Match at 200 was won by Gary Ocock with a .150. That gave him the lead in the Invitational. He never looked back. Skip had a chance to win but lost a shot straight up at 100. Gary won the 200. Gary was 1st in the Invitational. I think he has won 5 Invitationals. Skip was 3rd and I finished 4th.
My underslung helped me win several nice trophies some 1st. Then I bought my wood top Rail. This one designed by Eric Miller features ball bearing guides, air craft quality Eric reminded me, riding on stainless guides. Could have slept with this one too but my wife wouldn't let it in the bed. This Rail operates fast on the rails. I use a spring and catch the trigger guard as it recoils. I ease the top to the front with the aid of the spring. I usually put a 22 PPC barrel on the gun. It has a Wichita 1375 action a Weaver 36 scope. The gun is too hot to handle at times. I finished 4th in the Visalia/Phoenix Invitational with it. A 4 day Shoot of 5 shot. I shot an .18XX agg at 200 at both Ranges. This is my main Rail now because I have 5 barrels for it and I love to shoot 22 PPC in Rail Guns. All my Rail barrels for either gun are 1.35. I use Hart, Krieger, and a Snake River barrel. My calibers are 22PPC, 6PPC, 6BRS. The 22 PPC are .243 & .245 nk. The 6PPC are all .262 nk. I also have a good amount of trophies with this gun.
Now you can see why I favor UNL/HB competition. Some feel Rails are where shooters should start. I agree. But at Raton with 75 benches and rotation after every Match you must prepare or die on the pad.
Stephen Perry
