Rifles for match shooting

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2frogs posted this 27 February 2023

What rifles do they use at the matches? Are scopes allowed,front bipods,etc. I want to come to ones of the matches. I'm in north east pa. Can off the shelf rifles be used. Are they timed? Ok,I guess that's enough questions for now.. thanks john

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Pentz posted this 27 February 2023

go to the CBA website.

https://castbulletassoc.org/military-rules

https://castbulletassoc.org/benchrest-rules

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Bud Hyett posted this 28 February 2023

Welcome to the world of cast bullet competition. The shooters are friendly and helpful. I've enjoyed this style of competition more than any other and look forward to getting back to shooting.

What rifles do they use at the matches? - Military and Traditional have separate classes, you should be able to find a class to shoot in. 

Are scopes allowed, front bipods, etc. Military has a scope class and Traditional uses scopes in all classes. Traditional limits power only in Hunter class. 

Can off the shelf rifles be used. - Issue in Military and Production in Traditional.

Are they timed? - Yes. 

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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2frogs posted this 28 February 2023

Mine is a standard run of the mill savage axis in 243 cal. What distance do they shoot?? Thanks.

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John Carlson posted this 28 February 2023

You could shoot in either production class or hunter class.  Matches are 100 and 200 yards. 

John Carlson. CBA Director of Military Competition.

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John Alexander posted this 28 February 2023

You will be right at home in Hunting Rifle class where no modifications of the rifle is allowed. You would also be eligible to shoot in production class against varmint rifles. There is no limit on the scope power but HR class has been won with a six power scope and others have done well with low power scopes. However, if using low power a spotting scope will be needed to see the bullet holes. Bipods are allowed.  Reading the rules is a good idea.

Some of the national records for production class are held by a 243 Win in a Ruger varmint rifle.

Shooting is at 100 and 200 yards. It is timed, but slow fire with 1.5 to 2 minutes are allowed per shot.

If you are not a CBA member you can shoot in the unclassified category.

John

 

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Waleone posted this 28 February 2023

2frogs, I would like to welcome you (and anyone else interested) to one of our cast bullet benchrest matches at the Tamaqua Rifle and Pistol Club, located at 110 Municipal Rd., New Ringgold, PA 17960.

We have not finalized our 2023 match schedule yet, but typically they are held the first Sunday of the month beginning in May, matches start at 9:00am. We shoot score and group at 100 yds., score only at 200 yds.

As soon as I receive a 2023 schedule from our match director, I will Post it in this thread. It should also show up on the CBA Website in the 'Matches' tab.

CBA Benchrest Rules can be found at  https://castbulletassoc.org/benchrest-rules

Wayne

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2frogs posted this 28 February 2023

Interesting, guess I better get practicing. How many rounds are needed. Thanks

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Waleone posted this 28 February 2023

60 rounds for score and groups, plus more for sighters. I would bring at least 100. Some load at the range, but I don't like the extra pressure of having to do that before the shooting starts again. Time pressures and reloading are not a good combo in my book.

You can always just come and observe a match first before diving in as a competitor. Most everyone that shoots at Tamaqua (and all CBA members for that matter) are happy to help.

Wayne

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Bud Hyett posted this 28 February 2023

Interesting, guess I better get practicing. - Practice against a clock. You'll find the time is adequate. You'll also see how to use your time to judge the wind conditions. 
How many rounds are needed. - I take 100 rounds and usually shoot around seventy to eighty. You get a practice target at each range that I usually shoot ten to fifteen rounds to judge wind conditions. Bad wind conditions can mean I end up shooting the whole box.

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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.22-10-45 posted this 28 February 2023

I have brought this mater up before..the match rules state in order for a rifle to qualify for a production model..there must be at least 100 units produced.  Fine., but where does that leave a 100 year + custom German 7x57 on a Mauser 98' action.  Or a custom .22 Hornet on an original Sharps Borchardt panneled action from 1880?  If you want to compete with these, you will be shooting in unlimited class....where is the logic in that?  Sometimes it seems in our  zeal to promote a level playing field..we end up shooting ourselves in the foot.

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John Alexander posted this 01 March 2023

22-10-45,

You are correct neither of the rifles you mention are production rifles.

The logic is that if you want to encourage shooters with production guns to come to our matches and shoot, and have a fair chance, you cannot allow custom rifles in that class.

Think about it. Would you be willing to compete with an out of the box factory rifle against others with  $400 barrels and benchrest quality chamber jobs?

I'm sorry, but we don't know how to write rules that will satisfy everyone for every conceivable type of rifle.

John 

 

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RicinYakima posted this 01 March 2023

I always thought a "vintage" iron sight class would work well.

As far as I can tell, you could shoot those in the "plain base" class. 

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John Alexander posted this 01 March 2023

Ed Doonan advocated a "Mountain Rifle" class. Spend as much as you want on a custom rifle with a weight limit of 9 pounds with scope. 

Dave Federline is unrelenting in advocating classes for break opens, levers, pumps, and autos.

We now have nine classes and attract about 50 shooters on a good National Tournament year and maybe 20 max to a Regional. I think you can see the problem.

John

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 01 March 2023

nothing wrong with shooting a rifle in a " higher " class ...

after all ... we really are competing against ourselves ... improving our technique and perhaps equipment as we go along ...

shooting in a official match and having out targets scored keeps us from fibbing to ourselves as to our progress ...

**********************

i took a stock 10-22 and Federal bulk ammo to my first ever regional ARA match against Time Precision, Anshutz, 40X ... ...had a ball !! ...  entertained not only myself but all the other shooters ...made friends forever and got to look over some great equipment for future reference ...

ken, who after 60 years of competing .. can only advise 

.... " define Winning " ...

 

 

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RicinYakima posted this 01 March 2023

We now have nine classes and attract about 50 shooters on a good National Tournament year and maybe 20 max to a Regional. I think you can see the problem.

I understand the problem. Also there are many of us who would like to shoot more but simple can not afford to do so. WA has just raised gasoline prices with a "carbon tax" not a "gas tax" that now makes regular $409.9 a gallon. A Motel 6 is now $99 a night. The three ranges in my state are 180, 220 and 265 miles from my house each way, and no close Motel 6's. I simply no longer afford to travel to matches to shoot. 

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Bud Hyett posted this 01 March 2023

There are many of us who would like to shoot (compete) more, but simply can not afford to do so. - The cost of travel, lodging, meals, reloading components, equipment, etc. is skyrocketing and I do not see any relief for 2023. Going to Clark Rifles from the Seattle area for a Saturday match is almost $100.00 for the gasoline plus entry fees and meals.  Even with a major change in office holders in 2024, the prices will not go back to the 2020 level.

WA has just raised gasoline prices with a "carbon tax" not a "gas tax" that now makes regular $409.9 a gallon. - The Indian tribes are selling gasoline the cheapest, I fill up my pickup there. It fortunately has a 36 gallon tank which covers the round trip to Clark Rifles. This once a month trip has become a major budget cost factor.

A Motel 6 is now $99 a night. - Signing up for the free nights stay every seventh stop is no longer feasible.  I can no longer afford the first six nights to get the freebie.

The three ranges in my state are 180, 220 and 265 miles from my house each way, and no close Motel 6's. - Yes, the Seattle area is jumping motel, hotel, restaurant and gas prices twenty to fifty percent. A match in Spokane or Hamilton, MT is now a major budget item. I'd offer my spare bedroom for anyone traveling to a Paul Bunyan match, however this offer includes a drive to a range that is 82 miles away and also a major cost for time and gas just to drive. 

I simply no longer afford to travel to matches to shoot. - I understand the feeling. My thought when I retired was to travel to see the country and shoot matches. Cancer interrupted these plans, but the cancer is now on the wane. My home range in Illinois, Windhill, is now a major investment to get there and shoot. 

We are all feeling the pain. 

I am thinking of going back to work part-time once the cancer is fully in remission. 

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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.22-10-45 posted this 02 March 2023

I guess I should have been more clear when I said "custom" rifle.  The Borchardt Hornet definately is of course as Sharps never chambered this caliber.  The Mauser 7x57 however has the usual generous chamber with very long throat for the 175gr. military round. It does have double set triggers, however the thin forend and Zeiss Zielvier 4x with pointed vertical post and the two heavy side bars shouldn't be a cause for concern as far as bench rest acuracy.  It was built by Henrich Scherping and so engraved on full length barrel rib.  I have no idea of how many such rifles were made.  Given this new information, does this change rifles status?  Thanks!

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John Alexander posted this 02 March 2023

I understand the type of rifle I have seen several similar rifles and some are works of art. You are lucky to have it.

If you and I were having a casual rifle match I would agree that it is comparable to rifles in our hunting rifle class and would be happy to compete with you and feel you had no equipment advantage.

However, if you were shooting a Ruger #1 with a 5 pound trigger would you be OK to shoot against double set triggers?  Not everybody would.

I just don't know how to write a set of fair rules of reasonable complexity so that our 25 Match Directors could evaluate your rifle, and all the other that might show, and maybe say the 4X scope compensated for the trigger etc. etc.

Ken is right if you would like to come and shoot. Why not just do it and have a good time.  You can't get rich at it anyway.

John

 

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Tom Acheson posted this 02 March 2023

Competition? Not really. I hosted our first CBA match in 1999 and have had 3-4 matches per season ever since. You see lots of different guns, loads, mindsets, etc. There is an entertainment factor there that is difficult to quantify.

If there is a constant to these gatherings, it is the following…

There is as much time spent discussing guns, loads, bullet casting, gun categories, wind reading, etc. as actually shooting. This is as much a social experience as a shooting experience.

I would estimate that the average shooter uses 60-70 rounds. There is only 100-yards being used at our range. We shoot (20) rounds for score and (20) rounds for either (2) 10-round groups or (4) 5-round groups. Quite a few rounds are used during the warm-up before the match starts and during the match, you can shoot as many sighters as you like on a separate target, next to the record target.

This year we might be having an informal ,22 rifle 100-yard match before the start of the CBA match. Just want to expand the total experience a bit, injecting another piece of “fun” for the guys.

And as John noted….there isn’t a pink Cadillac in the parking lot for the winner. With several gun categories being involved, there is not a literal overall winner. You might “win” your gun category but that’s just for “bragging rights”. (For our Annual Regional we do have a way to identify a “winner” of the traveling trophy.)

Tom

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shootcast posted this 05 March 2023

The mountain rifle as Ed proposed years back I also agree with. Many cast shooters build a rifle off factory actions. There basically production rifles with aftermarket barrels , triggers and stocks. Not what I would call a heavy class rifle. Looking at the results from the past 40+ years of National Tournament shooting might put some perspective to it. This mountain class that Ed wanted is short of heavy class. No one to my knowledge has ever won heavy class with such a rifle. Yet many shooters try. Our classes aren’t the fairest for competition. As you say just shoot the match and have fun. But what chance do you have to actually compete. Shooters especially new shooters want to feel they have a chance of doing well. No there isn’t a pink Caddy waiting for you. Last place pays the same as first.  It if we insist on calling it a competition then we should strive for better firearm placement. We need a way to put more firearms into use. Then we might get more shooters. Especially new shooters.

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