Addition of airgun class to matches

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Last Post 01 January 2026

Match Director

linoww posted this 26 December 2025

Ive been toying on and off with cast bullets in PCP airguns a couple years.There have been large strides taken in accuracy with these things.Many mold makers are catering to these guys and thought maybe if we offered a class it might help keep the CBA matches going.

On the plus side there is no powder,primers or cases and once you get your air source set up its the cheapest shooting to be had.If you have a bullet trap its free!

Just a thought.

Shown is a new to me 257 Texan and the initial tests.

Note right group with too long of a bullet that was tipping. Twist is a 1-16.Bullets traveling in mid to high 900's

"if it was easy we'd let women do it" don't tell my wife I said that!

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CBA Member

Hornet posted this 26 December 2025

Those groups look like that 257 Texan might want something even shorter. the old Lyman 257420 (~ 72 grains) might do well. I ended up with an NOE 260-63-RF Plain Base that would probably be superb if you can find one. Still playing with it in a .256 Marlin 62 that keeps annoying me.

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Match Director

linoww posted this 26 December 2025

I tried the 257420 yesterday and it didn't group as well as the 257388,but it was pretty windy so it needs another chance. My 357 texan hates shorter blunt bullets but shoots the 200g RCBS and the SAECO 351 great.

"if it was easy we'd let women do it" don't tell my wife I said that!

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CBA Board

John Carlson posted this 26 December 2025

Well, it's a bit of a stretch, but, if you showed up at one of my matches I'd set you up as an unclassified entry:

2.2 Unclassified Entries - When firing points are readily available, Match Directors may permit members or non-members paying the required entry fee to fire at a registered shoot as unclassified entries. Ammunition conforming to Section 4 and equipment conforming to Section 5 are not required. Targets not conforming to Section 6 may be allowed at the option of the Match Director. Unclassified entries are not competitors or eligible for awards. Completion of a technical data form is required. Targets are scored and scores may be reported to the Director of Registered Competition for publication as unclassified entries. If the interest is out there it's a good way to get the "new class" process started. It does sound like something that might bring in new shooters rather than just a new toy for the same old bunch, After all, we are the Cast Bullet association.

John Carlson. CBA Director of Military Competition.

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CBA Member

rhbrink posted this 27 December 2025

If anyone does not know how big air rifle competition has become look at Utah Air Guns and Air Guns of Arizona. Both of these groups put on air gun matches that have to turn competitors away due to space. And they have some hefty prize money that they give away. Utah air guns is the biggest with their main even 100 yard benchrest event giving away $20,000 and that maybe overall too, I don't keep up with all the current events. Air Guns of Arizona is smaller but still handing out $10,000 in various events. And there are other matches scattered around the country.

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Match Director

linoww posted this 27 December 2025

It's definitely getting big and I wonder if that's the next phase of cast bullet shooting .They seem to be getting a lot of younger people interested , which we seem to have a problem doing in the CBA.

"if it was easy we'd let women do it" don't tell my wife I said that!

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CBA Member

RicinYakima posted this 27 December 2025

The money prizes may have something to do with participation. There are folks with egos enough to think they can win money.

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Ed Harris posted this 27 December 2025

Neighbor has a .45 cal air gun that he uses to cull deer. He pressurizes with a SCUBA tank. Ballistics are similar to a .455 revolver. He uses Lee 250 R.E.A.L. and gets complete pass-throughs.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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CBA Regional Director

Oquawka posted this 28 December 2025

This is interesting. It may be a foolish question but do you use lube on the bullets?

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Match Director

linoww posted this 28 December 2025

Initially no lube and results were fine.Recently I've been putting a light coat of Imperial Sizing Die Wax on them.Not sure if its necessary but it makes me feel better.

"if it was easy we'd let women do it" don't tell my wife I said that!

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RicinYakima posted this 28 December 2025

Feeling good, is good.

I do lots of reloading stuff that I can't prove helps groups, but I do it anyway.

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Standard Member

shootcast posted this 28 December 2025

This is what I’m talking about. We have to cater to the interest of the shooters. If air gun is the next big thing or if it isn’t but there is interest, then we need a spot for the shooters. Unclassified in my opinion is for the folks who shoot jacketed bullets in our matches. This is the Cast Bullet Association and we prefer cast bullets. We call these club events competitions. A lot of treasured firearms have no logical class to shoot in. I have been told we have to many classes now. This is true only for National Tournament events. Honestly with as many rule changes that take place there is little difference in several classes now. The amount of new to us firearms shot in a match only needs listed as that. No big deal. No NT and no prize money needed. The results can be published and seen on this website. As visitors see the type of firearms in use they might consider joining both a local club and the CBA. We chat about our experiences and encourage readers to attend a match or even start a local to them club. We need shooters and nothing in past years has worked. There must be people who would consider a more relaxed shooting experience. My proposal was simply shooting these miss fits on our military targets. As these accommodate both open sights and scoped firearms. Many firearms not seen in our present classes could be enjoyed here with no interruptions to our present program. Possibly ew shooters here may decide to move into one of the recognized classes and want to shoot in a more competitive environment.

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CBA Board

John Carlson posted this 29 December 2025

What you are suggesting is exactly what the "Unclassified " class was created to do. Nothing to do with jacketed bullets (though they would be welcome) but rather a place to shoot and report results achieved with equipment that doesn't fit our traditional classes. Some of us have used it to accommodate the AR folks. Each of us can put on matches using whatever criteria we desire. I believe the airgun folks are already shooting cast, they just prefer the term pellets. If we have some of these folks around, and there are no airgun competitions in the area, we may be able to offer them a venue to compete, The mechanism is in place.

John Carlson. CBA Director of Military Competition.

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CBA Regional Director

Oquawka posted this 29 December 2025

I haven't checked the Rules of Competition but might these air guns go in Plain Base Class?

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Match Director

linoww posted this 29 December 2025

It would be great if PB would work ,but im not sure how airgun equipment would qualify to the rules?

"if it was easy we'd let women do it" don't tell my wife I said that!

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CBA Board

John Carlson posted this 30 December 2025

Section 5 of the Benchrest Rules:

Rifles - Rifles authorized for use in CBA competitions must be chambered for a center- fire cartridge. If we can establish enough interest perhaps we could make a new category like we did with the military.

John Carlson. CBA Director of Military Competition.

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Standard Member

shootcast posted this 30 December 2025

The reason air gun would have to be listed separately and not fit in any present class goes to a basic rule. Any center fire cartridge. Air gun is neither. It’s true any firearm can be shot in unclassified. But why would anyone want to attend regular club matches/ shoots and compete in unclassified. After all it has already been stated there is no winner of unclassified. Kinda defeating the purpose. Competing against what and for what reason. By listing the type of firearm used, lever, pump, auto, break open etc. This designates the type of firearms used. People who visit this site can see by category a firearm used that they also own. Firearms I’m talking about aren’t seen or rarely seen in a shoulder to shoulder cast bullet match. Since the board doesn’t want additional classes As we have now this would pose no problems with our normal program. The question remains what targets to use. The red conventional or the military or something new. To keep it as simple as possible I suggest the military. Simply because the conventional targets are geared to scoped rifles& pistols. Using the military opens categories for those interested in shooting open sights. We have a new shooter at our club who has a reproduction sharps rifle. It doesn’t even fit into a military class because it’s a reproduction. Would you recommend that he shoot it in say hunter or production class ? Fairfax club has a shooter who neither cast or reloads. He enjoys shooting what we call hunter class but with jacketed ammo. This is unclassified as he can shoot the conventional targets as well as most shooters regardless of class. We need shooters so yes we need to accommodate. There has to be a way to attract new shooters to our sport. If this was done right even though there wouldn’t be NT recognition these shooters could be recognized at the end of each year. As an example a fairly new jacketed program called Ultimate Bench Rest simply awards there shooters with what they call SSOY. SCORE Shooter Of Year. Posted on there website you find how many people who participated and how well they did. Top gun award is SSOY. Bragging rights only.
a

As far as I know military has nothing to do with the conventional NT. The above listed firearms and others have been shot for years in postal competition. Our rule states that for class this must happen first. But military isn’t shot at the NT only the military NT. Let’s start a new branch.

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Match Director

linoww posted this 30 December 2025

We run a casual rimfire match at 100 yards on the nra 100 yard rimfire target .no prizes and rifles are from full BR,10/22 and guys shooting prone with irons.its the busiest match my club runs.No rifle turned away

"if it was easy we'd let women do it" don't tell my wife I said that!

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shootcast posted this 31 December 2025

I believe something new is needed to attract shooters. I doubt that it would happen overnight. The UBR System is working well for them. Appears to be growing each year. Our club has no problem finding shooters. Completely opposite with cast. We shouldn’t discourage shooters from coming to a match because we don’t have a class for them to shoot in. It’s to hard to find anyone willing to shoot. I don’t know how the black gun category is working for John. But again it shows interest. I still believe there are people who will come when the competition category is shooting the same firearm against like firearms. I also believe that these shooters won’t be concerned about a National Tounament. I also believe that the CBA is overlooking potentially many shooters . It is true or probably true that the accuracy of these firearms won’t be as good. There are many TC’s out there and our website shows interest. TC is back in business though production may still be iffy. SSK industries manufacturing the original Generation 1 frames with said improvements. Not to mention various barrels. I personally don’t think the ship has sunk yet. But we deed to change direction.

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CBA Member

Lucky1 posted this 31 December 2025

A couple of thoughts on this topic. First one is whatever you create, remember that iron sights and the 5 bull orange targets are definitely not compatible. Which is why you'll never see an iron sighted rifle at the NT except for offhand on the black bull TQ4. Plus the iron sighted Sharps just about has to do Unclassified to avoid this issue too. Secondly: ARs can compete (and have) in Bench rest (Hunter and Production) but not in Military since they are not common surplus. This is why I appreciate John creating a MSR match at Dakota Bench rest so we can use Irons like an A1 through A4 on black bulls. Ok. I thought of a 3rd. There are a dedicated group of airgun shooters at Pioneer that show up at the NT very early in the morning to avoid the wind. It took awhile to realize that was why all the traffic going by my tent. I don't know if that would be an issue with the larger airgun calibers but DBR always has wind. 10 to 15 is considered calm.

Scott Ingle

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CBA Board

John Carlson posted this 01 January 2026

Again, we can all create whatever local classes we want to. Create your own equipment requirements, choose a target, establish a course of fire, etc. The prize prohibition only means they cannot win Hunter/Production/etc. You could still hand out prizes within your local class.

Then include them as unclassified entries in your match report along with a description of what you're doing so other shooters can see it. Starting a discussion on the forum to describe what you're doing could get the word out to other match directors who may decide to give it a try (need to take that bit of advice myself).

Get a few folks participating and we could include it as a fun match at the Nats/Mil Nats.

If the interest is out there, it can happen.

John Carlson. CBA Director of Military Competition.

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