The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Just a quick question, is anyone on here shooting Rimfire Benchrest at the minute? The idea appeals to me, but before I take on yet another discipline, is this branch of the sport as big an "arms race" as BR appears to be, or will you not be hampered by off the shelf kit?

I shoot off of a bench rest at targets 50 yds away and most of the time manage to put 22LR tenex subs in the same hole. This out of a wee sporting cz452 sil on a Harris swivel with podloc and Nikon scope.

But I don't shoot competitively.

Great fun.

Rob

Mmmm, I do like the idea. My initial thoughts are really to do it on a "budget" so to speak. I sa a bloke at the club with an old Martini heavy barrelled, that had scope mounts and glass fitted. A real surprise how this 60/70 year old rifle could punch tight groups.

I run Tennex through my VQ 10/22 and I've got a couple of high end Leupolds without purpose at the minute so not looking to drop anywhere near four figures for a try at it........

However, a couple of hundred quid has it's attractions....

I'm not a 22BR shooter but there are a few of them at my club, It seems that it depends on the class that you want to compete in. The open and unlimited boys have £1000s invested but quiete few shoot well in the sporting class with their unaltered sporters other than a new scope.

This link could be useful:

http://www.benchrest22.org/home.htm

I read an article a while ago about a budget build Rimfire BR rifle a while ago, the author used a modified Martini action BSA with a cheapy 25X 'scope and home made front rest and did very well first time out, I think his budget was sub GBP250 and he kept inside it.

Sim G,

You'll need these basics then... if only to p*** of the straight jacket mob... :)

Did you misspell tenex on purpose? Tut tut!

Rob

Yup.

I started with a Martini action, BSA Internateional Mk3 which is great with a big heavy barrel, already set up with scope dovetails and very, very capable. I then moved onto an Anschutz Match 54 due to the stock design.

Resist the temptation to get into the money orientated arms race and you'll have great fun.

Almost forgot, i use Lapua Afficienardo.

Scotsgun wrote:Yup.

I started with a Martini action, BSA Internateional Mk3 which is great with a big heavy barrel, already set up with scope dovetails and very, very capable. I then moved onto an Anschutz Match 54 due to the stock design.

Resist the temptation to get into the money orientated arms race and you'll have great fun.

I so agree with that last sentence. F/TR was supposed to be a low entry cost class but people have ended up throwing thousands of pounds at kit, in some ways I wish they could limit the expenditure and return it to a competition where it is down to how well you can shoot as opposed to how big your bank balance is.

I am curious about the 22LR BR side of things, do you have any pictures of your old and current setup?

Scotsgun wrote:Yup.

I started with a Martini action, BSA Internateional Mk3 which is great with a big heavy barrel, already set up with scope dovetails and very, very capable. I then moved onto an Anschutz Match 54 due to the stock design.

Resist the temptation to get into the money orientated arms race and you'll have great fun.

Almost forgot, i use Lapua Afficienardo.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

It was the BSA Int. that first fired the idea, but you know what blokes are like! Window shopping with the idea has currently generated an outlay that would a decent second hand car!

Back to BSA me thinks.......

The BSA and the Mk3 in particular is a great choice for BR. It's stable, capable of great accuracy and above all inexpensive. The only reason i swapped was because i disliked the martini lever when re-loading.

My father is currently using that same rifle and is every bit as competitive and accurate.

I'll add one other point about the BSA. It's not ammo fussy at all - Eley Tenex, Lapua Afficienado, Noble G, it's just as accurate with them all.

Almost forgot. I use a weaver fixed 36x scope.