Benchrest Competition
If you've ever shot your rifle resting on a sandbag on top of a bench, then you've shot benchrest! But maybe not competitive benchrest......................
Yes, we often resort to shooting from the bench when load-testing, zeroing, setting up a scope etc. The solid bench set-up permits the shooter to get the very best out of his equipment but benchrest is not just an equipment contest. Like all forms of rifle-shooting, reading the wind is the most important element. Remember the benchrest shooter's adage - any wind moves any bullet at any range!
So how do we read the wind?
Setting-up the windflags prior to the start of a 100/200 yard benchrest shoot is an essential ritual. Most serious competitors will have their own set of windflags - five is ideal.
The 'sea' of windflags can be a little daunting to the new shooter but here we can see the value of a good set of flags positioned down the line of sight.
A typical short-range benchrest competition will consist of five separate 'Matches' plus a Warm-up Match. A time of seven minutes is allowed for each Match. In this seven minute period, the competitor will form as small a 5-shot group as possible on the top half of the target. The lower half of the target is used for sighting shots. There is no limit to the number of sighters that can be fired. If the wind changes before the shooter finishes his group, he may return to the sighter target to check the wind change.
A benchrest range will have at least five benches and usually more. The famous Kelbly Range in Ohio USA has 60 benches. You may be required to shoot each Match from a different bench, as often the wind will 'favour' a particular part of the range.
It's a great atmosphere at any benchrest shoot.
You will be squadded to a 'relay'. There may be five or six relays and each relay will shoot the 'Warm-up' Match, followed by Match one, Match two etc. It usually takes around an hour for all the relays to shoot each Match, so there is plenty of time to clean your rifle and reload - if you are loading on the point as many shooters do.
You will be busy shooting, cleaning and reloading the whole of the day. Come prepared, bring something to eat and drink! The average shooter will typically get through 50 or 60 rounds in the day.
Following each Match, the targets will be collected and displayed on the 'wailing' wall so that competitors may follow their progress. At the end of the shoot, group sizes (measured to an accuracy of one-thousandth of an inch) will be averaged out. The competitor with the smallest average - or agg. - is the winner.Awards are normally given to the winners in each class and to the shooters of the smallest groups.
There may be classes for Light and Heavy Guns or they may be lumped together depending on numbers.
600/1000 yard benchrest is very similar but techniques vary as shot-holes can't be seen at 600/1000 yards. A five-minute sighting-in period is allowed and then it's five-shot groups in seven minutes. We normally shoot four groups, so 30 -35 rounds will be required. Groups are measured by the butts crew and relayed by radio to the firing-point.
Safety
Shooting in general has an excellent safety record and benchrest is no exception. Our range procedures do however vary from the normally accepted practices and it is important that all competitors are fully aware of what is expected of them.
Under normal circumstances, competitors would not be allowed to handle firearms if anyone was forward of the firing-line but in 100 yard benchrest competition, the next relay will set-up whilst the target crew are forward changing targets. To make this procedure completely safe, we operate a strict BOLTS OUT routine - no exception.
As soon as the seven minute relay is complete, the range officer will have all competitors remove bolts prior to the benches being cleared and the target crew going forward. The next relay will set-up their rests and rifles on the benches but will not place bolts in rifles until told to do so by the range officer. This command will not be given until the range officer is satisfied that the target crew have returned to a safe position.
The following commands are used world-wide in benchrest and any infringment will result in immediate disqualification by the range officer.
"Ready on the right? Ready on the left? Ready on the firing line?"
"PLACE YOUR BOLT IN YOUR RIFLE - commence fire" (Note: these are two seperate commands - do not fire until the 'commence fire' command is given)
Time warnings will be given - the first after three and a half minutes:
"Half time"
"Two minutes"
"One minute"
"Thirty seconds"
"Ten seconds - cease fire!"
"REMOVE BOLTS - clear the benches"
Your bolt must NEVER be placed in your rifle except when instructed to do so by the range officer. Breech-flags and the like are not acceptable in benchrest competition.
Diggle Ranges
All UKBRA benchrest shoots are held at Diggle Ranges in the north west of England, approximately ten miles to the north-east of Manchester. The Diggle range complex is probably the finest privately owned shooting facility in the country and is managed by the Pennine Shooting Sports Association. Covered firing-points with concrete benches are available at 100, 300 and 1000 yards.
Put the Diggle post code - OL3 5LB - into Multimap or Streetmap and you can print off a location map for the ranges.
The tiny village of Diggle is situated in the foothills of the Pennines and is a popular tourist area so there is plenty of accommodation of all standards in the area. The nearest guest-house to the Ranges is Sunfield (tel:01457 87 4030) and is run by one of the Diggle Club members. Close by is the famous Diggle Hotel, (tel: 01457 87 2741)offering excellent food, ale and accommodation.
For more information check out the Saddleworth Tourist Information Centre in Uppermill (tel:01457 87 4093). It is advisable to book well in advance as there are many popular festivals and events in the area.