Benchrest Shooting
A new free on-line magazine for the Target Shooter - www.targetshooter.co.uk
Check out www.benchrestdirectory.forumup.co.uk for a new UK forum for centrefire & rimfire benchrest shooters
The 2010 Europeans will be held at the Holles Range in Austria 25-28th August
Martin Miles is co-ordinating the UK Team & individual shooters
e-mail Martin on martin@kingsarmshotel.fsnet.co.uk
What exactly is benchrest shooting?
Benchrest is all about shooting 'groups' rather than attempting to hit the centre of the target - accuracy rather than marksmanship. Having said that, when your target is the previous bullet-hole, you need to be a very competent marksman.
AS the name suggests, we shoot seated at a solid concrete bench rather than prone off the grass. Benches are under cover so protected from the weather.
5-shots 300 yards 5-shots 100 yards
5-shots 1000 yards
The first formal recorded benchrest match was held at Johnstown, New York State, USA in 1947. The discipline spread rapidly in the USA but it took a few years for the rest of the world to catch-on. Benchrest is now very popular in Australia, New Zealand and many European countries and the first World Championships were held in France in 1989. Championships for 100/200 yard benchrest are held every two years and governed by the World Benchrest Shooting Federation.
In this country, centrefire benchrest shooting at 100/200 yards is governed by the United Kingdom Benchrest Association (UKBRA). The United Kingdom Association of Rimfire Benchrest Shooting covers 22RF benchrest in the UK and this Association is also affliliated to the UKBRA.
Benchrest can be shot at any distance. In the UK, we shoot 50,(rimfire) 100, 200, 300, 600 and 1000 yards. Our centrefire shoots are centred around the fabulous Diggle Range complex in the north west of England and we have covered firing-points with concrete benches at all these distances. Shooting at 600 & 1000 yards is run by the Pennine Shooting Sports Association, managers of Diggle Ranges. The British Benchrest Club www.benchrest.co.uk organises shoots at 100 and 200 yards at Bisley Camp in Surrey and is affilated to the UKBRA.
The UKBRA is affiliated to the National Rifle Association of Great Britain and is a member of the World Benchrest Shooting Federation and the European Benchrest Shooting Federation.
Is the line ready? 145 competitors from 20 different countries prepare to shoot at the 2005 World Benchrest Championships at the fabulous Kelbly Range in North Lawrence, Ohio, USA.
Although we are always attempting to shoot small groups, benchrest is all about competing 'shoulder to shoulder' and like all shooting-sports, the real object is simply to beat the other guys!
The weather was fine, sunny and mild for the time of year. Full results under 'News Links & Competitions'.
Congratulations to the winners and to darrel Evans who set a new Factory Sporter UK record:
600 yards Light Gun winner: Luke Wadsworth with a 3.128 inch agg.
Small group winner: Brian Webb with a 2.035 incher
600 yards Factory Sporter winner: Darrel Evans with a 4.656 inch agg.
Small group winner: Darrel Evans with a 2.225 inch group (New UK record!)
Our 2009 Champions are:
100 yard Heavy Varmint 1st Ian Dixon
2nd Bruce Lenton
3rd Vince Bottomley
100 yard factory Sporter 1st Laurie Holland
2nd Darrel Evans
3rd A Wooley
600 yard Light Gun 1st Vince Bottomley
2nd Simon Rogers
3rd Ross Burrough
600 yard Factory Sporter 1st Phil Gibbon
2nd Darrel Evans
3rd Toni Young
1000 yard Light Gun 1st Steve Dunn
2nd Mal Roberts
3rd Vince Bottomley
1000 yd Factory Sporter 1st Ian Kellett
2nd Phil Gibbon
3rd Toni Young
Congratulations to our new Champions and to all of the 80 shooters who took part in benchrest in 2009
Congratulations to the winners and a big thanks to all competitors & helpers for supporting the 500 yard Diggle Fly Shoot on Sunday 16th August - it was an awesome turn-out and it didn't rain! Full results under 'News, Links & Competitions'
Open Class
1st Ross Burrough 6.5x47 SYSS Surgeon 157 points
2nd Vince Bottomley 308 TGP BAT 140
3rd Mike Weatherhead 284 Walker BAT 138
Small group: Mike Weatherhead 2.13 inches
Factory Class
1st Phil Gibbon 6.5-284 Savage 111 points
2nd Ian Kellett 6.5-284 Savage 108
=3rd Darrell Evans 308 Accuracy Intl. 95
Glenn Wilson 6.5x55 Unique Alpine 95
Small group Ian Kellett 2.73 inches
The Great Diggle Egg Shoot 25th May Bank Holiday
Thanks to all who turned out to support our annual Egg Shoot. For once it was absolutely beautiful but of course far from calm.
Two shooters managed to splatter a hen's egg from 500 yards with just one shot - no sighters. So congratulations to Darrel Evans shooting a 308 Accuracy International off the bi-pod and to Les Holgate shooting a 6.5x47 Barnard '07 - again off the bi-pod.
Steve Dunn was overall winner of the Groundhog competition with his 22BR scoring 63 points
Stage winners:
100 yards Tim Finley 6.5x47 SYSS Surgeon 38 pts
300 yards Steve Dunn 22 BR 26
500 yards Vince Bottomley 243 TGP BAT 17
Small groups:
100 yards John Dean 0.206 inches 6BRDX Rhino RPA
300 yards John Dean 1.099 inches
500 yards Peter Wilson 0.714 inches 7WSM Walker BAT
Full results can be downloaded under 'News, Links & Competitions' and the new on-line magazine Target Shooter will carry a full write-up and pics in the July issue at www.targetshooter.co.uk
Membership of the UKBRA cost only £5.00 for the whole year.
Further details - e-mail me on vinceb@6ppc.fsnet.co.uk
You can find Diggle Ranges by putting the postcode OL3 5LB into your sat-nav or www.streetmap.co.uk
Read more on benchrest from Graeme Smith WBSF President
New Zealander, Graeme Smith is a long-time benchrest shooter and is President of the World Benchrest Shooting Federation. He has written three interesting articles on benchrest and kindly allowed the UKBRA to use them on this site. The articles are in pdf format and need Acrobat Reader to open them. Click here Article One Article Two Article Three
Visit the World Benchrest Shooting federation website at www.world-benchrest.com
Join the UKBRA
A years membership of the UKBRA costs just £5.00. But - we don't do newsletters, membership cards, badges, T shirts or social events.
We shoot benchrest - pure and simple.
We believe in putting our efforts into benchrest competition and keeping the costs as low as possible for members.
If you would like to join you will be very welcome - just turn up at any of our shoots. At Diggle Ranges, you can turn up at any time on the day of the shoot if you just want to have a look at benchrest shooting. If you would like to shoot with us, you need to be there by 10.00am for our 100 yard shoots (put the postcode OL3 5LB into www.streetmap.co.uk or www.multimap.co.uk and you can print off a location map).
The British Benchrest Club (www.benchrest.co.uk) hold 100/200 yard shoots at Bisley Ranges on Short Siberia and start at 9.00am
If your interest is benchrest shooting at longer ranges - 600 or 1000 yards - again you are welcome to come along to Diggle Ranges for a look but if you would like to shoot, you need to be there by 9.00am for 1000 yard shoots and 10.00am for 600 yard shoots.
Bring your rifle and about 50 rounds of ammunition. Bags and rests can usually be borrowed.
It's rare for shoots to be cancelled but any alterations will be posted on this site in the 'news' section.
Benchrest Essentials
Need Zircon sand for your back-bag? We have it! See Ian Dixon at Diggle - fill your bag and pay only for what you need!
UK accuracy nuts can keep up to date with all matters accuracy with the new free on-line shooting magazine devoted to accurate rifles.
Go to www.precisionrifle.co.uk
G & C CUSTOM BULLETS
Match-winning 6mm 66 & 68 grain flat-base bullets made exclusively in the UK with J4 jackets and manufactured with the finest Detsch carbide dies. Contact carl@fair-price.co.uk
MORE BULLETS!
If you are having problems obtaining benchrest bullets, try www.alpinbullets.com Flat-base bullets in 224, 6mm and 308.
FOWLER BENCHREST BULLETS
The famous Fowler bullets are back - in 6mm and 224 flat-base. E-mail Claudia Fowler with your requirements on cfowler003@carolina.rr.com