Why Not Mag Feed?

[Phil3]

Why are most BR rifles single shot with no mag feed? And for those using a Remington or other action for a BR gun, why would you convert the action with a mag to single shot with a special follower for single shot use? I ask because I understand many BR shooters want to run off as many shots as possible when the wind conditions are right. If that is the case, then which is faster? A single shot or a mag fed rifle? The latter seems faster since there is no handling of the round. If the mag runs out, dropping it and inserting another can be done very quickly. Perhaps BR rules prohibit mags, or is there something else I am missing? I am not at all advocating mag feed over single shot. I just want to know why single shot is used.

Phil

 

[ridgeway]

Rigidity and smooth feeding of a round. See with a mag fed rifle, the brass takes a beating and loading meticulously crafted ammo would be extremely counterproductive. A BR shooter is very anal about handling precision loads and would not want to mess them up jamming them into a magazine. Plus one would be limited to certain seating constraints, especially long throats.

 

[Phil3]

Makes sense, but after seeing how some guys hustle getting a round in when the wind is right, I wonder how gentle they are! Yup, long bullets may not fit the mag. That would be a show-stopper right there.

Phil

 

[fdshuster]

Phil3: Every benchrest match I've fired in requires single load only.

 

[CatShooter]

Rigidity and smooth feeding of a round. See with a mag fed rifle, the brass takes a beating and loading meticulously crafted ammo would be extremely counterproductive.

Rigidity is not the issue - an repeating action has two ports, so do many BR actions - they are called dual port receivers.

Most of my rifles are built on single shot receivers, but I have three that are repeaters, and the brass does NOT take a beating, running through the magazine.

BR matches require single feeding, so there is no advantage to repeating receivers.

 

[Eddie Harren]

NBRSA & IBS rules require Hunter Class rifles to have a magazine, and to be able to feed two rounds, in succession, from the magazine.

 

[ridgeway]

Oh please...you are saying my 1.53" dual port BAT B is not as ridgid as a Remington? LOL.

The OP is talking about BR single shot actions opposed to a factory repeater. Apples to oranges here. Now, custom single shot action to custom repeating action....now we have an apples to apples scenario.

 

[CatShooter]

Oh please...you are saying my 1.53" dual port BAT B is not as ridgid as a Remington? LOL.

The OP is talking about BR single shot actions opposed to a factory repeater. Apples to oranges here. Now, custom single shot action to custom repeating action....now we have an apples to apples scenario.

I did not refer to your action.... nor is your action the only dual port in existance.

Oh PLEASE, get over yourself. Your Bat action is not the center piece of all posts.

 

[LHSmith]

As Doc pointed out, the Hunter Class rifle must have a magazine.....but I know of no-one who does not load single shot with these guns. 3 reasons....1/more bag upset if loading from a magazine ....if you do not have a set-up that tracks well your chances of being a contender are slim to none....2/ the chance of changing seating depth on the bullet.....seating depth is critical and many run light to perhaps no neck tension (fitted necks)....3/ Failure to feed.....last thing you want with the clock running down with seconds remaining waiting for YOUR condition to return , is to find out you have been sitting with an empty chamber the last 5 minutes because of a Fail-To-Feed issue. Benchresters minimize risks.

 

[alf]

NBRSA & IBS rules require Hunter Class rifles to be able to feed two rounds, in succession, from the magazine.

Baloney.....

 

[GSPV]

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2008/06/hunter-benchrest-the-basics/

 

[JabaliHunter]

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2008/06/hunter-benchrest-the-basics/

Yes, it says:
■ Gun must have magazine capable of holding at least two cartridges. (Normally, however, Hunter BR shooters don’t feed from the magazine.)

It doesn't say that the rifle must be capable of feeding from the magazine...

 

[FergusBailey]

As noted, the rules of BR require the rounds to be single fed, so what is "better" is redundant for that particular discipline. Having said that, a good BR shooter can get 5 shots on the record target in 15-20 seconds, and I am not sure that feeding from a magazine would cut that down.

Also, (assuming the rules DID allow a magazine) weight becomes an issue in LV especially, and the loaded rounds in the mag may need to be weighed in with the rifle (note that some of this is conjecture since the rules do not allow it today).

Irrespective, I do not like to load from a magazine for precision shooting since I have concerns about the meplat of the bullet, or the bullet seating depth, being changed due to impact on the magazine surface under recoil.

 

[Phil3]

It is responses like those seen here, that remind me that most of the shooting going on here is waaaay beyond what I can do or will be doing. 100 - 200 yard range, shooting ordinary stuff like 223, and likely 6mmBR, in probably a factory action (perhaps tuned), in a non-competition setting..., is a far cry from the uber-accurate shooting many of you do. For me (the OP), I think the mag will probably be fine, unless the round is too long to fit.

Phil

 

[ridgeway]

Phil...just hand load one at a time, you'll be good.

 

[highmaster82]

phil try NRA XC highpower all the mag feed you want

 

[Uthink Uknow]

I shoot a lot of short range BR, a lot. I can't speak for the long range guys but there are several reasons that we shoot single feed and don't use a magazine.
In IBS Hunter Class you must have a magazine capable of holding two rounds of the caliber you are shooting. It doesn't say anything about feeding.
Time - You must start with a rifle devoid of ammo until they say "commence fire" and so while others are shooting you will be loading the magazine.
Time - You will shoot better than 10 rounds in order to shoot one target. There are five for record and a number of sighters, no limit. You will have to stop shooting in order to load at least twice. I can place all the ammo I want in a proper position on the bench next to the port side of the rifle.
Recoil - We use less neck tension and no crimp as you will see on hunting ammo and so the recoil may do strange things to the ammo in the magazine.
Time - I'm a runner and will shoot five rounds in 15 seconds. I'm not considered a fast runner and I don't use an ejector, just a RBLP action(s). I don't see a mag feed as being any faster.
Feed - While the barrel tenon is coned the ammo we use does not have the shoulder angle of most ammo. It is much more square and so the ability to feed is reduced. Most BR shooters, even the runners, pretty well get the bullet started into the chamber before moving the bolt forward.
Time - You say we have seven minutes - or ten - what's the hurry. That is true but we don't shoot until we have the same wind condition for each shot throughout each match (target).
Weight - Hunter Class rifles are limited at 10 pounds. I feel that a fully functioning magazine will not help me in that regard.

 

[Eddie Harren]

The Hunter class rules say the rifle has to have a magazine capable of holding 2 rounds. These rouinds must be of the cartridge that the rifle is chambered for. No one, that I know, loads rounds into the magazine on their Hunter class rifles. This rule was originally adopted to keep single shot actions out of the Hunter class, as the single shots were believed to be more rigid, hence more accurate. At one time custom actions, such as the Stolle Kodiak, were not allowed as the rules stated that the actions must be "commercially produced". The Hunter class rifles also used to be required to have safeties.

 

[Raythemanroe]

I would think If you was loading with minimum amount of neck tension you would be best to hand feed the bullets one at a time. Most people do everything they can to increase accuracy at the loading bench and to try to foul all this up when at the shooting bench or other venue would be counter productive! My question would be why mag feed unless needed?