See you at the British Shooting Show in February

February 2011 Issue

Target Shooter 1
Sanders Joystick Review • Turbo Action build • New Products • and lots more…..
 THE SHOW THAT EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT...
3 rd Fantastic

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ammunition & reloading, accessories and much, much more... A real shooting MEGASTORE!

Special Even more to do, more to see and more to buy!

Look out for the stands which display the “Rifle Focus 2011” logo
and you’ll be sure not to miss anything of interest. ARMS HERITAGE SHOW
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& Tactical rifles Ammunition & reloading UK Target Shooting
info area Scopes & optics Clubs & associations etc etc... CLAY SHOOTING LINE

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SHOW TIME
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 Target Shooter 3
Welcome to the February Issue................Target Shooter
Sections
20 Tactical Rimfire by 6 Shooting Sport News
Martin Šlaichrt
12 Bling Bling - CRT

Reloading


15 Shooters Calendar
27 Turbo Rimfire uild
by Vince Bottomley 16 Shooting Black Powder
Pistol by Chris Risebrook

31 The Jewell Trigger by

Chris Parkin

35 Air Rifle Benchrest by Carl

39 Saunder Joystick Boswell
Rest by Vince
Bottomley 44 Rimfire Benchrest -
Australia Report by
Richard Lighfoot

75 This Smallbore Business
by Don Brook
47 Gallery Rifle and
94 Training Alone Verses
Pistol 2011 by Gwyn
Training with Others
Roberts by Hayley Platts

Association Pages
82 UKBRA
53 Building the
Ultimate F/TR Rifle 83 UKBR22
Part 2 by Vince
87 F- Class
Bottomley
89 Gallery Rifle

91 UKPSA
61 Handloading
Bench by Laurie
Holland

4 Target Shooter
 Editor(s). Main cover shot of the
Carl Boswell and Vince Bottomley Czech Competition by
Martin Šlaichrt
Advertising and Office Manager
email; admin@targetshooter.co.uk
Contributors
Vince Bottomley Tony Saunders Martin Šlaichrt
Laurie Holland Chris Risebrook Carl Boswell
Don Brook Alan Whittle Gwyn Roberts
Les Holgate Chris Parkin Hatley Platts
Richard Lighfoot
Webitorial - February 2011

It’s Show time! Yes, the Newark Show has finally arrived – or at least it will do on the weekend of
February 26th & 27th.
Target Shooter will of course be represented so please come along, have a chat, tell us what you
think about the magazine and how we can make it better. Hopefully we will have a few of the rifles
that have featured in the magazine and we’ll also have Laurie Holland on the stand, so it will be a
great opportunity to quiz Laurie about all your reloading and ballistics queries.
Please, try and make the effort to attend the Show. Last year was my first visit and I had a really
full day, not just looking round the stands but bumping into old friends and stocking up on all those
goodies you don’t normally find in your local gunshop. Let’s make this Show grow year on year –
British shooters deserve it!
On a more serious note, we are now beginning to pick up on just how the Cumbria shooting may
affect our sport. A long list of recommendations is before Parliament and some of them are sure
to become law. For certain, it will be an opportunity to ask shooters to pay more for our Firearm
Certificates and all shotguns may be re-classified as Section 1 firearms. Although this will not be
popular with shotgunners, if you are also an FAC holder it will surely simplify matters. The lower
age limit for holding a Certificate and owning a firearm are likely to be addressed but hopefully air
weapons will escape further un-necessary legislation. The suggestion of involving the medical
profession seems less likely to go ahead, which is a relief, considering the regularity with which the
NHS lose patients’ records.
But, let’s put aside the ‘doom and gloom’ for a while and enjoy the Show.

Vince, Carl & Yvonne

Carl Boswell - carl@targetshooter.co.uk and Vince Bottomley - vinceb@targetshooter.co.uk and

Yvonne - admin@targetshooter.co.uk
Copyright © Trinity Digital Publishing Ltd
Disclaimer
The website www.targetshooter.co.uk is part of Target Shooter magazine with all contents of both electronic media copyrighted. No reproduction is permitted unless
written authorisation is provided.
Information, prices and data is believed to be correct at the time of posting on the internet which is on or around the 1st of each month. Advertisements that are firearm
related are from companies or individuals that Target Shooter magazine believes are licensed to hold such firearms and accepts no responsibility if companies or
individuals are not so licensed.
Letters and photographs submitted by members of the public to Target Shooter magazine will be accepted on the basis that the writer has agreed to publication unless
otherwise stated. Target Shooter magazine has no control over the content or ownership of photographs submitted.
The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the publishers and relate to specific circumstances within each article. These are the opinions
and experiences of writers using specific equipment, firearms, components and data under controlled conditions. Information contained in the online magazine or on the
website is intended to be used as a guide only and in specific circumstances caution should be used. Target Shooter Magazine does not except any responsibility for
individuals attempting to recreate such testing using any information, data or other materials in its electronic pages.Publishers of Target Shooter magazine.

Target Shooter 5
 Shooting Sport News
R WS “come and have a go” day

Saturday 8th January RUAG held one of

their free “come and have a go” days, where
anyone can come and try RWS ammunition
completely free! It took place at the Targets
Sports Centre – a brand new shooting
complex at The Tunnel in Charmouth.
Dave Cooper and Mark Swift from RUAG
were there to answer any questions and
said that it was “a busy and successful day”.

Any further clubs wishing to hold a

FREE “come and have a go day” can
contact RUAG on: enquiries@ruag.co.uk

D YER HBC 155gn 308 Bullets from 155gn Lapua Scenar and just a smidgeon behind
Down-Under the class leading Berger 155.5gn Target BT (See
TargetShooter October and November 2009 issues
Shoot ‘Target Rifle’ or F/TR division F-Class available free from the Archive section for Bryan’s
down-under and there’s a good chance detailed review of this and other 155gn 0.308s.)
you’ll load locally produced BJD HBC With most Australian state TR and Palma
155s in your .308 Winchester cartridges. teams using ammunition loaded with these
BJD stands for Bob and Jan Dyer, proprietors of bullets, not to mention the national team which
R&J Sports Goods of Pinelands, near Darwin in came second to Great Britain in last year’s
Australia’s Northern Territory who manufacture ‘Imperial’ at Bisley, they obviously shoot well too.
them, while HBC is an abbreviation of High-BC. And This is more than academic to our UK based fullbore
high BC these bullets are with a long streamlined shooting readers as that well-known Northern
nose and optimal 7° angle boat-tail rear end. With an accuracy entrepreneur Brian Fox has a large
experimentally obtained G7 BC of 0.236 (G1: 0.462) shipment en-route to his Diggle base, which he
Bryan Litz ranked the design second equal with the expects to be with him by the time you read this.

6 Target Shooter
It’s always nice to have more choice in such have been promised to our handloading man, Laurie
products but, there is a nice icing-layer on top of Holland, and we’ll publish his findings later this year.
this particular gilding metal covered cake – price. Fox Firearms UK – telephone 0161 430 8278 for
Brian hasn’t been able to finalise prices at the further information and prices.
time of writing but can say that they will be “very
competitive” against the two 155gn Sierra Palma
MKs and “significantly cheaper” than Lapua Scenar
The HBC is third from the left
and Berger models. Samples for review and testing

K estrel 4500NV Weather Tracker with To enable in-depth analysis of data at a later time, the
integrated
Horus ATrag Ballistics Software
Kestrel withATrag ballistics can be set up to log data
automatically, or manually. The stored data can also
The much awaited Kestrel Pocket Weather Meter be uploaded wirelessly using integrated Bluetooth
with Horus Vision ATrag Ballistics Software is now technology, or via an additional PC interface.
finally available in the UK.
RTP: Standard unit £ 552.18
Developed specifically for precision shooting, it RTP: With Bluetooth £ 654.43
calculates precise aiming solutions based on real
time atmospheric conditions, ballistics and target For details email sales@r-p-r.co.uk, or call (01590)
data. It helps limit the amount of equipment needed 679755
in the field. www.r-p-r.co.uk
With all the qualities users have come to expect
from Kestrel, this instrument combines critical
environmental data with an integrated targeting
software solution using Horus ATrag advanced
proprietary algorithms.

Users can load and customise multiple guns

and rounds from the extensive Horus database.
Once these customised parameters are set,
the Kestrel takes over. It tracks the real time
environmental data and automatically updates
the firing solution. The outputs even take coriolis
and spin drift into account. With its built-in digital
compass the Kestrel is able to account for
the wind’s direction and speed, along with the
target’s bearing.

Simple, intuitive screens allow the user to monitor

up to six targets. Each target is customised for
location, distance, direction, declination and
winds. Individual functions can be displayed
in three different formats: current, minimum/
maximum/average and chart.

Target Shooter 7
 Fermoy Rifle Club
Ballyhooly, Co. Cork, Ireland
www.fermoyrifleclub.com

In association with the National Benchrest Association of Ireland – (NBAI)

(Affiliated to WRABF and ERABSF)

WORLD INTER-CLUB CHALLENGE 2011

Cyber Shoot
April 16th and 17th 2011

1. 50m Benchrest (outdoor range) in .22 rimfire LV (10.5 lb limit) and HV (15 lb limit)

2. Competitions may be completed at each participating team’s home club or some

clubs may wish to come together for the event

3. All matches to be completed on the same day. Teams must nominate in advance to
shoot on 16th or 17th

4. LV and HV events are separate competitions – i.e. no aggregate

5. Club team event only – teams of 3, with all team members from the same shooting
club

6. A Shooter may be on a LV team and also on a HV team if so selected by their club

7. Any number of teams may be entered by a club but each shooter can only be on one
team for each event (i.e. on 1 LV team and/or on 1 HV team)

8. Teams must be pre-entered with team name and members names

9. 2 consecutive cards to be completed by each shooter for each event

10. Results scored at the place of competition and emailed same day to the control
centre in Fermoy

11. Competition rules, including scoring, according to WRABF rules

12. No entry fee required. Fermoy Rifle Club will award medallions to the first 3 teams in
each event

13. Each participating shooting range must nominate a competition director in advance.
The director will be responsible for the emailing of results to Fermoy on the day of
competition.

8 Target Shooter
J ohn Rigby & Co (Gunmakers)Ltd, London,
the most famous name in big game rifles and
leader in rifle accuracy for more than 100 years;-
Introduce their new, Tactical, Target and Varmint
Bipod.
Designed in co-operation with some of the country’s
most dedicated target shooters and pest control
specialists the Rigby Bipod is far stronger and more
stable than anything available elsewhere in the
market. It features a low centre of gravity design with
the barrel centre line carried below the leg pivot. The
Rigby Bipod is suitable for any application including
.50 Cal Long Range Rifles.
Its universal design allows easy fitment on the
popular ranges of attachments. There are three
basic models these being:-
• #1 Male spigot (Tactical rifle, AI Type)
• #2 Picatinny Rail assembly
• #3 Sling swivel assembly
The Bipod has a modular design. Inexpensive gun •30 degree forward plate kits
adaptors kits for Sling Swivel, Picatinny, AI Type , & •KDR Swivel fitting, for quick detachable sling
Anschutz rails can be left on your favourite rifles.
When you wish to use a particular Rifle again, simply •Replacement Rubber feet
slip the adaptors into the Bipod Yoke tighten a single
knob and away you go.
This arrangement of simple conversion Kits allows
you a truly versatile unit. You no longer need The Bipod, like all John Rigby & Co (Gunmakers)
purchase a Bipod for each Rifle in your cabinet.
The Bipod is designed with lockable “Cant &
Traverse” and when you are happy with your sight
picture, you may lock the Bipod by turning the front
lever and bottom knob through less than ¼ turn,
or simply leave it free running for movable target
tactical matches or long range vermin control.
A full range of universal accessory kits includes:-
•claw feet for rougher terrain/slippery conditions
•Leg extensions
•Screw and Pin tool service kit
Utilising the accessory kits one may customise the
Rigby Bipod to suit your exact requirements.
Ltd., London products is as
good as it is possible to make.
The Bipod therefore carries our
normal lifetime warrantee for
“Fair usage”. If any component
of you Rigby Bipod (with the
exclusion of springs) fails for
any reason, including wear, in
normal usage, John Rigby &
Co (Gunmakers)Ltd., London
will replace that component
free of charge.
“John Rigby & Co (Gunmakers)
Ltd are pleased to announce
that our official UK distributor
will be RUAG Ammotec UK
Ltd”
Bipod SRP – £330
Accessories & spares SRP
start at – £25
Target Shooter 9
JUNIOR SHOOTS NATIONAL himself in the record books. He was within one
centre of shooting a perfect 250 with 25 centres
RECORD only gauged out by a hare’s breath.

What was he using? A trusty

Walther, with a reverse
tapered Lilja Farley stand
and Federal Gold Medal
Ultra Mach ammunition.
Great effort Hussey!

It is great to see young

shooters given a chance and
particularly if they can get
a loan of good equipment,
they are able to gain some
indication of their potential.
This being a stepping stone
to greater success.

Such junior competitions

should be encouraged as
these younger members
are the flag bearers of our future competitions.
During the recent Rimfire Benchrest Australia
Whenever benchrest competitions are held,
National held at Melbourne International
Clubs are encouraged to provide opportunities
Shooting Club (MISC) in Victoria, November
for juniors and encourage them in their shooting.
2010, Junior Hussein Ozaksoy shot a perfect
750 out of 750 with 67 centrals. Hughesy as he
is known to his mates, has only been shooting
off and on for a period of 12 months. He took
the opportunity to compete and in doing so listed

2 011 Shot Show

We can usually
Nightforce ‘high-speed’ turret – which doubles
the elevation per revolution – bringing these
scopes closer to the ‘two-turn’ Schmidt &
count on the Bender. In addition, new BDC reticles are also
Las Vegas Shot offered though I doubt that either are ‘retro’ fit.
Show to throw A couple of years ago, Hornady introduced a
up a few new new ‘case prep.’ centre. It was a mass of whirling
and exciting sharp tools which looked a little frightening.
products for the The device is now streamlined into a more
target shooter. user-friendly piece very similar to the one
Internet site, already offered by Sinclair.
6mmBR.com
do a great job keeping us updated but this year, Sightron scopes announced their new reticles
I’ve seen little to get my juices flowing. and turrets before the show and so did Sierra
Surgeon, Remington and GA Precision had with their new 7mm 180gn bullet but just when
new tactical rigs on display but perhaps the are Hornady and Lapua going to recognise the
most realistic one for UK shooters is the new popularity of the 7mm?
chassis-system from Accuracy International – a Maybe the German IWA Show in March will
non-thumbhole design with a ‘folding’ option. have something really exciting for us!
Perhaps most interesting offering is the new

10 Target Shooter
 Target Shooter 11
 Bling bling! CRT reloading
tools from America
Ever seen a top sportsman with scruffy kit?
No! Be it Formula One, golf, football or even
shooting, the top sportsmen are always well
turned out with immaculate kit.
When I showed the CRT (Custom Reloading
Tools) kit to shooters, their reaction was
12 Target Shooter
interesting – “Wow, I want one of those!” or “I’ll
stick with my plastic one, thanks.”
But, most of us like nice gear, even if that gear
doesn’t necessarily make us shoot better. Good
gear is a pleasure to use and makes the shooting
experience more enjoyable – and what’s wrong
with that?
CRT proprietor Brad www.customreloadingtools.
com makes a small selection of reloading tools:
Loading tray
If, like me, you love beautiful things machined
from billet aluminium, then you will love these
reloading trays. Thanks to the miracle of CNC,
these reloading trays look absolutely gorgeous.
True, they will not make you load more accurate
rounds than a plastic one but you will just love
gazing at this tray on your reloading bench.
When I passed it round the guys at the club, I
could have sold a dozen straight off. Another
thought – these would make great awards for a
shooting prize, with plenty of space to engrave a
name. Available in popular calibres.
Case-mouth chamfer tool
In complete contrast to the blingy loading-tray,
this tool is built for a purpose. An essential part of
case-preparation involves making a tiny chamfer
on the inside of the neck to ease the seating of
the bullet. If you don’t do this, the sharp case-
mouth could take a small shaving of copper off
the bullet – with disastrous results. Remember,
our bullets spin at around a quarter of a million
revolutions per minute and any dynamic
in-balance will upset the bullet’s flight.
Most of the reloading tool manufacturers offer a
chamfering tool (top) but trust me, none work as Well, here’s where CRT’s next tool comes
well as this spiral-fluted one. Brad says it works in. A pair of holders you can chuck-up in your
best in a power-tool and has a ‘VLD’ profile by
the way.
Powder funnel
Yes, I swear by my little red Lee ‘one size fits
all’ plastic powder funnel as well! They are dirt
cheap and last forever (unless you stand on it!)
so how can it be improved? It can’t be but you
can make it more blingy! This ‘turned from solid’
funnel is really beautiful and it works as well as
it looks. It comes with a calibre-specific end cap
and currently it is only available in .17, 20 or
.224 but the range will be extended soon so ask
for the size you need.
Annealing tool kit
Now I confess, I don’t anneal my brass, although
I do admit that it is a great way to extend the
life of your brass and with some cases running
at almost a £1.00 each, maybe I need to start.
Annealing is perhaps something we should
look at for a future article. The great problem
with annealing is applying the heat, controlling
the temperature, holding the case and finally
quenching it in water. I can apply the heat OK
but controlling the temperature, holding the case
– so you don’t get your fingers burned and then
releasing it, are yet to be mastered.
Target Shooter 13
cordless drill. They hold the case via the primer cases. Benchresters have used these for years
pocket and a shake will release them to drop but machined from plastic. The plastic ones work
into the quenching bath. Small and large primer just as well but the aluminium ones certainly
tools are contained in the kit. attract attention on the firing-point!
Custom Reloading Tools are imported into the
Billet Aluminium range trays UK by Fox Firearms (www.foxfirearmsuk.com)
These are similar to the reloading trays but If you like the look of any of these tools, give
instead of 50 holes, the tray is divided into two Brian Fox a ring on 0161 430 8278 or e-mail
sections – one half with 25 holes for your loaded irvingfox1234@aol.com as he is currently
rounds and the other half a tray for your spent putting together an order.

www.FoxFirearmsUK.com
Tel: 0161 430 8278 or 07941 958464
PUTTING SHOOTING FIRST

VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO SEE THE VERY BEST VALUE CUSTOM PRECISION RIFLES FOR TR, MATCH,
F-CLASS, AND BENCH-REST—WE ARE NOW SELLING A FULL RANGE OF HARRELL PRODUCTS
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WE ALSO STOCK PROFESSIONAL BORESCOPES (from £533) AND A RANGE OF HIGH-POWER SCOPES
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14 Shooter WE IMPORT IS BY FAR THE BEST VALUE IN THE UK
TargetEVERYTHING
 Calendar of events over the next few months
If your club or association has events you want to publicise here then email us.
13 Feb NRA Shooting Club Day (National
Shooting Centre (NSC), Bisley)
Multi-discipline NRA Shooting Club Day. Targets
have been booked on Melville and at 100, 200,
600 and 1000 yards. All disciplines welcome.
Open to all full members of the NRA who have
completed and returned the registration form
which is available by clicking on the link below.
Contact Charles Perry at the NRA
24 Feb NRA Shooting Club Day (National Shoot-
ing Centre (NSC), Bisley)
Multi-discipline NRA Shooting Club Day. Targets
have been booked on Melville and at 100, 200,
600 and 1000 yards. All disciplines welcome.
Open to all full members of the NRA who have
completed and returned the registration form.
If you would like to attend you must book
in at least a week in advance by contacting
Charles Perry.

19 Feb Target Shotgun Festival (National 26 to 27 Feb - British Shooting Show

Shooting Centre (NSC), Bisley)
The Target Shotgun Festival has unique
and challenging competition stages that are
engaged with solid slug, SG/buckshot and birdshot
ammunition. These targets are arranged to test
any competitor skills in a friendly and safe manner.
Contact Brian Thomas
19 Feb to 20 Feb GB F Class Training Weekend
(National Shooting Centre (NSC), Bisley)
Contact Mik Maksimovic
Organised by Vantage Events Management
Limited.
Telephone +44 (0) 1472 241439
Facsimlie +44 (0) 1472 251399
Email - info@shownews.co.uk
If you would like to exhibit at The British Shooting
show either telephone the above or visit the
website here www.shootingshow.co.uk/ for
further information.
30 July to 7th August 2011 - The World
Rimfire & Air Rifle Benchrest Federation - 2nd
World Championships in Palmetto USA.

Welcome to GT Shooting.
The premier shooting sports shop in Surrey

Fullbore & .22LR Optics

Black Power Ammunition
Air Rifles and Pistols Reloading equipment
Used rifles and Pistols and more...

Our premises are located at

53 Chipstead Valley Road, Coulsdon, Surrey, CR5 2RB
www.gtshooting.co.uk

Tel: 020 8660 6843

Fax: 020 8660 6843
We are conveniently situated near the M23 & M25.Shooter
Target 15
Opening times: Tuesday to Saturday 10.00am - 5.30pm
 Shooting the Black Powder Pistol
by Chris Risebrook
The trouble with researching old guns is that
just when you think you have a handle on it,
along comes some new information which
lters your entire perspective but then, that is
the fascination.
Back in Article 14, I described a .41
Forehand & Wadsworth (Photo1 - just to jog the
memory). I was too embarrassed at the time
to mention the legend on the top strap which
reads ‘Swamp Angel’.
I had assumed this was a ‘Saturday night special’
on steroids but where those guns just bore their
lurid names - such as Gut Buster, Tramps
Terror, Pug Ugly and Bang Up (yes, really!), this
one shows the makers name and address and its
patent dates, so this is clearly a different animal
altogether.
The legend on the barrel reads Forehand &
Wadsworth Worcester Mass U.S. patented Sept
24 Oct 22/61-Jan27-71 Very few manufacturers
of Saturday night specials owned up to making
them. Indeed, it now transpires that the Swamp
Angel was of superior quality and presumably was
intended to compete with the up-market Colt
New Line .41 revolver.
I had assumed - wrongly - that it was chambered
for .41 short, the cartridge used in derringers but it
16 Target Shooter
transpires, that, like the Colt New Line, it also
fired .41 Long, which is a completely different
animal. .41 Short propels a 130 grain bullet at 425
fps for a muzzle energy of 52. .41 Long moves a
163gr bullet along at 700 fps for an m/e of 180
- about .38 Special ballistics. Guaranteed to
get your undivided attention! Firing it must
have been an experience; like most of these
revolvers, the tiny birds-head grips leave your
pinky grasping thin air, so hanging on to it
with just two fingers must have been quite a job.
It is often stated that Saturday night specials
or Suicide Specials were unsafe but, in view
of the plethora of names and the numbers in
which they were made, I wonder if this is so. I
cannot imagine the public continuing to buy
a product which was inherently unsafe and,
despite the myriad names under which
they were marketed, their basic form and
construction was the same - namely five or
six-shot single-action with a sheath trigger and
just a removeable ejector pin, if any at all.
Mostly, they were chambered for .32 rimfire
using a small charge of black powder.
Obviously unsafe with todayʼs nitro powders,
they were probably quite safe firing their original
cartridges, if indeed they were ever fired at all.
Photo 2 shows the Swamp Angel in
company with a contemporary Remington derrin-
ger, and Photo 3 with a Colt derringer. All three
are .41 rimfire.
The name Swamp Angel is not pure fancy; it
is actually named after a Civil War cannon!
Robert Parker Parrott , after graduating from
West Point left the army and became the
superintendent of West Point Foundry in New
York where he patented his rifle in 1861.
His guns were made from a mixture of cast
and wrought iron. This was not a new idea,
nor was it a good one - they usually blew up -
but his invention of effectively sweating the
wrought iron band over the breach meant
they still blew up - but a bit later! Not really a
better mousetrap but, of course a raspberry blown by the citizens of Charleston
cheaper one and both sides used these guns in
the Civil War.
Fast forward to 1863 and Fort Sumpter is still
protecting Charleston from the Union army.
Union General Quincy Gillmore, having built
a battery on Morris Island, sends a message
to General Beauregarde demanding he
vacate Fort Sumpter to enable him to bombard
Charleston. Beauregarde must have been a
gentleman, because he somehow managed
to resist the temptation of sending a reply -
and presumably a raised single digit would not
have been see at that range!
In the absence of a reply, Gillmore then installed
a single gun at the Morris Island battery and it
was promptly christened Swamp Angel. Most of
the Parrott rifles were 2.9 or 3inch calibre, but
this monster had an 8inch bore, an eleven foot
barrel and fired a 200 pound charge 7900 yards
using 17 pounds of powder - per shot!
It fired 36 rounds in all, hit nothing of
consequence - and blew up!. The collective
was probably clearly audible. Apparently, by
using incendiary shells, it did start some fires.
The gun was sold for scrap to the citizens of
Trenton New Jersey who for some reason
mounted it in a city park. ‘Scrap’ sounds like
a better idea in view of its history; who wants
to be proud of a failure? Herman Melville even
wrote a poem about it but it still does not explain
why the Parrott rifle was called Swamp Angel in
Target Shooter 17
the first place.
Perhaps because of the swampy ground round
Morris Island? On the other hand, it appears
that the Swamp Angels were one of the most
successful (?) waterfront gangs in New York
in the mid nineteenth century, raiding the East
River dockyards and using the sewers as
thoroughfares - hence presumably how they got
their name. Eventually they merged with the White
Hand Gang at the end of the century.
But, itʼs a long way from Charleston to the
gangs of New York. Were some of the Union
troops from New York, and familiar with the
notorious gang? Probably not, but then again,
you never know. Trouble is, it is very easy to
‘red-herring’ yourself and you can easily lose
track of what you were looking for in the first
place.
For example, there was a highly successful
battalion - later a regiment - of Southern
infantry called the Swamp Angels because
of their ability to fight and survive in the
marshes along the coast of the Gulf of
Mexico. However, it seems unlikely that a
18 Target Shooter
Massachussetts company would name their
product after a regiment of Confederate
marksmen.
In Noble County, Indiana there is a complex
of uplands, wetlands and bogs called Swamp
Angel, and in the Everglades of Florida,
swamp angel used to be the local name for a
particularly voracious mosquito. There is also
a town on Pottawatomie County, Kansas
called Swamp Angel. Nowadays, there is
even a pop group called the Swamp Angels for
heavenʼs sake!
So now I am up to my ears in swamp
angels. Did you ever wish you hadnʼt started
something? In the meantime, my ‘posher than I
thought it was’ Swamp Angel is worming its way into
my affections, particularly when I discover they
are fetching anything up to $1000 dollars in
the States!
 Portsmouth Gun Centre Ltd
295 London Road
North End
Portsmouth
PO2 9HF
Opening Times Tel 02392 660574
Mon 9.30 - 5.30 Fax 02392 644666
Tues Closed
Wed Closed E-mail sales@portsmouthguncentre.com
Thur 9.30 - 5.30 Website www.portsmouthguncentre.com
Fri 9.30 - 5.30
Sat 9.30 - 5.30
We stock a full range of Rifles, Pistols, Air Guns, Shotguns, Ammunition,
Reloading Equipment and Accessories. All major brands stocked including BSA,
CZ, Air Arms, Marlin, Ruger, Umarex, Uberti, Cometa, Pedersoli, Berreta, Lincoln,
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Target Shooter 19
Tactical Rimfire
... a new direction for rimfire shooting in Czech Republic
by Martin Šlaichrt
Today, there are only a few club rimfire
competitions in the Czech Republic. It means
that many club shooters are excluded from
having fun with their rimfires. Benchrest is not
always their ‘cup of tea’ - they need more ‘action’
- not only the youngsters, there are many
experienced shooters who were involved in
serious rimfire competition but now, they would
like to shoot again. Rimfire shooting is by far the
cheapest way to shoot a scoped rifle.
A typical example of rimfire competition in
Czech is a 50m shooting range with competitors
shooting only at this distance. Sometimes
the range regulations do not permit shooting
20 Target Shooter
at shorter distances, usually owing to range
construction but mostly, the organisers are just
not prepared to organise a proper competition.
There are longer ranges available, up to 300m
but too expensive to rent - rimfire shooters are
not willing to spend so much money!
These competitions are presented as ‘sniper
simulation shooting’ but really it has nothing
in common with sniping - except the name.
Competitions are held at only one distance (50m)
and the targets are defined at the beginning of
shooting season and they are not changed until
next year.
These targets require benchrest accuracy and
often, they are so small that it really challenges only similarity with a sniper is a rifle that looks
rifle accuracy. Matches tend to vary due to like sniper rifle. Matches lack scenarios with
the range and organisers specifics but the physical and psychological stress, solving

Target Shooter 21
logical problems etc. and we could call these
competitions a corruption of benchrest/ F-class
competition, due to the predominance of heavy-
barrel, single-shot target rifles – the exceptions
are a few Anschutz 1907 reps.
The targets and time limits are adjusted to these
rifles and shooters using repeater rifles made
22 Target Shooter
in Czech or other countries with lower accuracy
have no chance. Unfortunately matches are
without challenges that could possibly level
these accuracy disadvantages i.e stress or
shooting in different positions, quick changing
positions etc.
However, a big change came in form of a new
series of matches organized by Guncenter
Otrokovice (GC) called the Rimfire Sniper
Competition. Their range is indoor and 150m
long and the organizers successfully built a
competition that pretty well replicates a centerfire
tactical sniper competition. No wonder - they
used their experiences from sniper centrefire
competitions and modified them for rimfire use.
The match itself is very fast and there are many
different scenarios and shooters have to shoot
from different positions at targets from 10 to
150m and often they include some physical
exercises. These matches are intended for
shooters who enjoy moving around and shooting
more realistic situations from not necessarily
comfortable positions.
Unfortunately, the GC Otrokovice range is a
long way to travel for many shooters, so mostly
only local shooters attend these competitions.
Another problem is the lack of 150m ranges
to be able to practice. Actually, there would
be enough ranges but rimfire shooters are not
willing to pay the cost of hiring these ranges -
rimfire is still regarded as a ‘low cost’ shooting
sport. Nonetheless, these competitions are the
best of this format that are available.
This got me thinking and I finally decided to start
a new competition in Czech republic: Tactical
Rimfire. The plan was to devise a competition
that would test a shooter’s logical, mental and
physical ability to manage various competition
scenarios within a given time limit and with the
best possible accuracy, that would show their
ability as versatile shooters.
Co-operation with the GC Otrokovice organisers
and other tactical shooters was very beneficial
and the result is a new competition that demands
a rifle system capable of 1 1/3 MOA accuracy
any time and under any condition. Competitors
are exposed to time constraints, physical
stress, changing shooting positions and solving
logical problems. We did our best to ensure
that there wouldn’t be any special demands or
requirements for competitors to practice. All
situations are shot from 10 to 50m and are well
described.
A big ‘thanks’ must go to Mr. Ladislav Ninger,
the Chairman of Czech Benchrest Association,
for his advice and recommendations based on
his experiences of organizing competitions at
international level and from his tactical shooting
background.
Each course of fire is put together in such a
way that shooters have to show their ability
to ‘resolve’ the situation. The abilities are
endurance, resistance to stress, adaptability to
a new and unknown situations and to apply their
knowledge and experience of weapons and
shooting.
A match is designed to contain three elements
Target Shooter 23
 situation to be solved.
For example - a hostage
situation. Knowing your
shooting limits should
be in the precision part,
selecting and changing
shooting position should
be at the tactical part
and similarly with target
recognition.
We have scheduled
a series of eight
competitions for 2011.
The winner will be
determined from his five
best scores. Scores in
each competition will be
measured and calculated
by a percentage ratio
based on the winner’s
score. Therefore it’s
very important to shoot
your best in each course
of fire to minimise the
difference between
yourself and the winner.
During the match, targets
from each course of fire
are sealed and scored
during the match. Partial
scores are not revealed
until match is over.
Competitors have to do
their best all of the time.
In addition to these
competitions, we
to try and achieve a fair and level playing- decided to hold the
field. One third will favour repeaters and ‘Tactical Rimfire Challenge Cup’ This competition
semi-auto rifles; one third is in favour will be stretch over a weekend (two days and
single-shot, heavy target rifles and the remaining one night). The regular courses of fire will be
third is based on solving logical problems complemented with extra physical activities
including communication between a shooter and (squatting, exercising in a ballistic jacket etc.)
his spotter and their resultant shooting. This part together with the results of solving a logical
is probably the most inventive element. Shooters problem within the period of the competition.
can have two-man teams and practice together, We also plan to hold some survival classes and
simulating the sniper’s work or, they can just other tactical skills.
pick up a partner for that particularly match. This Our first ‘test’ competition revealed a few errors
brings another aspect to the match - how these and incorrect assumptions which proved a
teams would cope in a stress situation and how valuable learning aid and more accurately
they communicate under these conditions. indicated the time needed for actual shooting as
The idea is that each competition should against what we assumed would be appropriate.
maintain the aforementioned three elements However, the shooters really liked it and were
and each part should contain the same type of very enthusiastic with the innovative scenarios
24 Target Shooter
we used so it was deemed to be a great success. limited range space. If any UK shooters like the
We know that this kind of competition will not idea, why not give it a go? It sounds a bit like
suit everyone – the requirement for physical and mini-rifle but with a great accuracy requirement
mental strain and stress can be difficult for older
and would be perfect for a bolt-action, mag.fed
shooters to handle but, for the time being, we dorimfire rifle. If any club decides to put on a rimfire
not intend to make any allowance based on the sniper shoot, please let us know. Meanwhile, I
age of competitors. invite Martin to send us a few photographs of
one of his comps. so that clubs can get a better
Thank you Martin for a very interesting article. idea of courses of fire etc. Vince.
This sounds a great idea for those clubs with

Target Shooter 25
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26 Target Shooter e-mail: GBREngland@hotmail.co.uk
Turbo – Building a 22RF Benchrest rifle by Vince Bottomley
“When you get a Flash Ebert Turbo action you get
a little piece of his soul with each build.............”
I read that quote on a shooting forum a couple of
years ago. I’d never heard of a Turbo action or
indeed Flash Ebert, the designer/manufacturer
of this little rimfire action - now, I actually have
one on my workbench!
There are very few custom actions available
to the rimfire benchrest shooter. In addition to
the Turbo, we have the legendary Hall and two
others, by Stiller and Baity, have just come on
the market.
I’ve handled just one example of the Hall and
very nice it was too - as is the Turbo. From
researching the internet rimfire forums, there is
little to choose between the two – some shooters
are Turbo men, others prefer the Hall.
The Turbo is very much a hand-built action –
you won’t see any of the tell-tale CNC machining
marks here but you will see examples of a
craftsman’s skill and no two of these actions will
ever be exactly alike – you will always be able to
recognise your own and that’s quite nice in this
world of CNC and mass production.
The Turbo bolt is a beautiful piece of work
I can tell you very little about the eponymous Mr
Flash Ebert, except that he is reputedly in his
twilight years and his output of actions is very,
very limited. My action is one of two imported by
Brian Fox of Fox Firearms and I offered to build
one of the two into a rimfire benchrest rifle – just
for the hell of it - and of course, I hope it may be
of some interest to Target Shooter readers.
Unfortunately, the Turbo already has a barrel
fitted. It is brand-new and installed by Kelbly -
who used to make their own rimfire action, the
Swindlehurst - so we can be sure that it is as good
as it gets. Kelbly’s gunsmith has an enviable
reputation amongst American benchrest
shooters. So why do I say ‘unfortunately’? Well,
I’ve never installed a rimfire barrel and I would
love to do one - but preferably on a proper action
like the Turbo rather than the pressed, pinned or
glued type as used on many rimfire actions.
Brian gave me a choice of two benchrest stocks
and I picked a Kelbly SPG over the other – a Tom
Merideth. My own 6PPC benchgun is built on an
identical SPG and bedding my BAT centrefire
action was a breeze but I soon realised I had
made the wrong choice for the Turbo. The SPG
stock is made from two fibreglass ‘shells’ which
Target Shooter 27
 The Turbo came with Davidson scope-bases
which take the ultra-light Kelbly rings

are bonded together and filled with a light foam. the stock could be scrap! Not too bad with a
This forms a very stiff, light structure and a fibreglass stock like this one as we can always
round-bottom benchrest action – like my BAT - fill it and paint it but, with a nice wood-laminate,
can be simply glued in place without breaking there is no room for error – you just can’t put that
through the fibreglass shell into the soft foam wood back!
filler. So, after a bit of head-scratching, measuring
Not so with the Turbo. The rear tang has a and an afternoon on the miller covering myself
strange ‘swoopy’ profile and, to get it looking in pink fibreglass dust, I had the barrelled-action
anything like decent, meant cutting through the sitting nicely on the springing line. I then made
fibreglass shell and exposing the foam core. two light pillars from brass tube and Devcon’d
This meant that I would have to install pillars them in place. Twenty-four hours later, when the
and replace the soft foam beneath the action Devcon had set, these were machined to ensure
with Devcon. I hate to see rifle-builds where the that they would be well below the bottom of the
action sits above its centre-line – it looks awfulaction, so that the action rests on a full Devcon
and it’s just a lazy way to turn out a custom rifle.
bed rather than bearing directly on the pillars.
I would normally cut out for a Devcon bed of
Stocks rarely seem compatible with the around 6 or 7mm thick which would provide a
action-tang without some soul-searching, solid bed for the Turbo but I had to scoop out the
machining, filling and sanding but the first soft foam core exposed when machining away
decision we have to make is where to drill the SPG’s inner fibreglass skin, so there will be
the rear action-screw hole. Although drilling a a lot more Devcon. Steel-filled Devcon is heavy
quarter-inch diameter hole might not seem too and this could create a weight-problem - if we
daunting a task, it can be. Once drilled, it will were working to a 10.5lb LV limit.
set the pattern for the whole of the project – Many centrefire benchguns use a ‘glued-in’
including the trigger, trigger-guard, bolt handle rather than a ‘screwed-in’ action as theory says
cut-out, ejection-port etc. Get it wrong and that this is the ultimate bedding-job but it can

28 Target Shooter
be off-putting to shooters not familiar with this
method. Most shooters feel that they will need
to take the action out of the stock at some time
or other and a glue-in prevents this. If you do
go for a glue-in, you must of course ensure that
the trigger is accessible/removable, for this will
be one component that will likely need attention
from time to time. Re-barrelling is not a problem
with a glue-in as your gunsmith can measure off
the old barrel-tenon.
The other job was to move the position of the
ejection-port cut-out in the stock. It was the right
size but about 20mm too far forward. The bolt-
handle cut-out was in the right place but a bit
large for my liking. The final cut-out we need to
make is for the bolt-release catch.
Final job was the actual bedding of the action.
If you’ve never done this, I will offer two tips –
always mix twice as much Devcon as you will
think you will need and mask off everything
– including the outside of the stock and first
four-inches of the barrel - that Devcon gets
everywhere!
Once set – after 24 hours or so – we can pop the
barrelled-action out of the bedding – hopefully!
It can get quite a grip and, even though we have
applied release-agent to the action, it can take
some force to break it free but this time it came
out quite easily - with a loud ‘crack’ which always
sounds as if the stock has broken in two!
A gunsmith will typically charge around £150-
250 for a Devcon bedding job depending on
the amount of work. Up to now, I’ve got about
three days work in this one. OK, I’m not working
flat-out the whole day but with Devcon setting
time and thinking time I haven’t done much
else. Don’t complain about what your gunsmith
charges - if he does a good job!
The stock actually came with quite a nice red
‘glitter’ fibreglass gel-coat and could have been
used ‘as is’ but my ‘adjustments’ mean that an
expensive paint-job will now be needed to get it
looking right. Mr Fox will not be pleased! Also,
ounces are important when building a rifle to
a weight-limit and a paint-job can easily add
a couple - LV benchrest stocks are often left
un-painted but with our heavy-profile Lilja barrel,
this will clearly be a Heavy Varmint class rifle
weighing up to 13.5 lbs. so we can stand a coat
of paint.
Well, I left the choice of colour to Foxy and
he has chosen well – a beautiful metallic blue
similar to that Subaru WRX blue. With the
polished stainless action and barrel, it looks a
treat. I was about to mount a black Weaver T36
on it but it just wouldn’t look right so I’ve used my
36BR silver Leupold for the pics. The super-light
Kelbly rings fit snugly on the Davidson bases
which came with the Turbo.
One last job – the trigger – it has to be a 2oz
Jewell or Kelbly. At one time, the Jewell was the
undisputed king but now benchrest shooters are
beginning to accept the Kelbly as an alternative.
I’ve used one on my benchgun for the last four
years without problem. For the unskilled, they
are easier to adjust than the Jewell.
The rifle is for sale – contact Fox Firearms -
www.foxfirearmsuk.com
Of course, it’s not cheap but if you are serious
about your rimfire benchrest, it could be a good
investment. Why buy an Anschutz, throw away
everything but the action, have it re-barrelled
and re-stocked? Yes, it will shoot, but when
you come to sell it, it’s just another Anschutz!
The turbo action will stay with you as long as
you shoot rimfire benchrest. If you want it
configured as an LV, then you can always have a
switch-barrel. The stock is super-light, it will
easily make weight.
Target Shooter 29
 To introduce our selves we are the United Kingdom Association of
Rimfire and Air Rifle Benchrest Shooting. By that we mean "True
Benchrest Shooting". The Association is recognised by rimfire
shooters across in the UK, with partners across Europe and the rest of
the world, as the presentative body that promotes rimfire and air rifle
benchrest across this country and with other partners in European and
World events.
Visit our website for news about national and international
competitions that all can ‘have a go at’. From novice to champion
shooter, everyone is welcome
www.benchrest22.org

☆ 2007 Pan American Games

3x20 Gold Medalist
☆ 2007 WC Milan 3x20 Silver Medalist
☆ 2008 Olympian 3x20 Fifth Place
☆ 5-Time NRA Camp Perry
3x20 Junior National Champion
☆ Multiple Women’s NRA Camp Perry
National Champion
If you want to shoot like
a champion, choose Lilja!
www.riflebarrels.com
Lilja Precision Rifle Barrels, Inc
PO Box 372 • Plains, MT 59859
Tel: 406-826-3084 • Fax: 406-826-3083

30 Jamie Beyerle
Target Shooter
The Jewell Trigger - by Chris Parkin
Above - Jewell installed on my Remington showing bolt-release mechanism
Egotistical maybe, but I think I’m pretty good The Jewell trigger is one of those quiet little
at squeezing a trigger and waiting for that nice items that stays hidden in your stock and never
clean break - I don’t flinch and don’t anticipate gets a mention – it’s one of those rare products
recoil. It’s a patient game I learned to play as that have no peer and no quarrel. No one seems
an archer with mechanical release aids and to have any criticism of the Jewell for either their
I’m happy - up to press – that I’m not a trigger build-quality or their performance in use. They
‘puncher’. are a fairly expensive item, certainly at the top of
the ‘trigger tree’, so what makes them special?
At a recent McQueen shoot, I started to wonder
whether, on the rapid-fire type of events such What sets the Jewell apart from the other
as these, if a lighter (read faster) trigger would replacement Remington-style triggers, certainly
improve things. I think I would be dishonest for use in `tactical` or hunting rifles? Apart from
to say that I never ‘snatch’ the trigger when the build standards - using the highest quality
shooting quickly. materials like 440c stainless steel hardened to
58 Rockwell for the sears, 300 series for the
So, I researched triggers and although I had a side-plates- is that dual sear design, covered by
nice, clean 2lb break on my factory Remington US patents. But what exactly does this mean?
trigger, I knew that with a single-sear unit,
minimal travel, the pull-weight of the trigger In layman’s terms - instead of the trigger (lever)
is always at odds with the sear-engagement you squeeze with your finger, running directly
and therefore SAFETY - or at least consistent, onto the sear holding back the firing pin in
reliable performance. You really don’t want an the bolt, it holds back an intermediate sear, of
un-cocked firing-pin or worse still, a slam fire much lower spring tension/weight. This works
when racking the bolt, never mind when working like a ‘miniature hammer’ to operate the main
at the required McQueen reload speed. sear under the firing-pin. This intermediate step

Target Shooter 31
 Top – the Kelbly trigger, the
Jewell’s only real competitor.

allows two things to happen that do not occur along the Remington silhouette (Shilen, Timney,
in other Remington-style units. The firing-pin Jard or Rifle Basix) has ever fully challenged the
is held by a more ‘strongly engaged’ sear and Swiss watch precision build offered by the Jewell.
the trigger itself by a much finer one. Thus the The newly designed Kelbly trigger (the makers
very low pull-weights available from the Jewell of the Stolle action) has taken full advantage of
do not compromise the safety of the firing-pin the most modern manufacturing techniques that
engagement. When you want to play with 2oz were not even imagined by Arnold Jewell at the
rapid-fire benchrest triggers with no risk of a time of his trigger’s appearance. The body of
slam fire, here is the answer. the Kelbly trigger is wire-cut from a single solid
piece of steel to obviate the need for side-plates
That is not to say that the Jewell is purely a to be screwed and riveted together and it does
benchrest item (it now has serious competition in have a uniquely simple adjustment method. It
that field, more of which in a moment). Although has certainly become a popular choice among
it is a Remington-style trigger replacement, there the dedicated benchrest crowd.
are two main types available. The standard item,
supplied with 3 springs, a bolt-release slider I ordered my Jewell trigger through Dave Wylde
and a safety-catch that replaces any standard of Valkrie Rifles in South Yorkshire. It came via
Remington trigger and the competition model Jackson Rifles, the importer (Fox Firearms also
with no safety or bolt-release. The latter runs import Jewell and Kelbly triggers) who wasted
with a pull-weight between 1.5 and 3oz, the no time in getting it to Dave by the following day.
standard model is supplied with 3 springs for Although I could have probably fitted it myself,
the trigger blade itself, allowing weights to be I let Dave get on with it as he told me that
set from 1.5 to 56oz (3.5lbs). occasionally the trigger-well in the stock needs
a tiny amount of material removing to fit it in. In
Up until recently, no other trigger designed the case of my rifle, it was not required.
32 Target Shooter
 All adjustments can be made
from below without removing
the barrelled action

After testing the trigger - which was fitted to
the gun in around five minutes straight out of
the packet - we drank tea! There was literally
nothing more to do, adjust or discuss. I love
things that just WORK. Any adjustments that are
desired can be done from underneath, without
taking the gun out of the stock; very handy and
essential for a glue-in benchrest action. The
safety-catch itself is superior to the sometimes
criticised Remington item as it locks the sear far
more securely into the underside of the firing
pin.
The 1lb pre-set pull-weight was absolute magic
and although I had never used a Jewell before,
it did impress me where I thought I might have
been a little under-whelmed. The knowledge that
I could drop an extra pound off my pull-weight
with absolutely no discernible trigger movement
and be able to forget the bolt not re-cocking at
speed was very reassuring.
Before I tried the gun again for real, in the
field, I did wonder how well I would like the
trigger, especially in the upcoming cold, windy,
winter weather with frozen fingers. One word –
excellent! You begin to realise how inconsistent
some of your other triggers are as even at
a pound, the feel of the ‘glass’ break is ultra
consistent and reassuring.
My main fear in buying the Jewell was - would
it make all my other rifles and their triggers
seem inadequate? Well, the hunting rifles -
no but let’s just say I have ordered another
one for my long-range target rifle. I am now in
the club, I know why no one questions Jewell
triggers - there are no questions.
WARNING – ALTHOUGH THE INSTALLATION
OF A TRIGGER CAN APPEAR SIMPLE,
FAULTY ADJUSTMENT CAN CAUSE SLAM-
FIRES OR MISFIRES. IT IS A JOB BEST
LEFT TO THE PROFESSIONAL GUNSMITH.
Vorsprung durch technik? This German
bi-pod is adjusted with a joystick

Target Shooter 33
 Knowing your conditions
Helps to keep your aim true
Weather Meters

Easy to use

Accurate

Wind speeds

Cross Winds

Air Pressure

Humidity

Temperature

Dew Point

Wind Chill

Altitude

Time and Date

Graphical Display

Data Logging


ORDER ONLINE FROM

www.r-p-r.co.uk
Tel: 01590 679755
34 Target Shooter
 Air Rifle Benchrest - The
This article is an update on the Steyr LG series of
air rifles as they are products I have written about
before. However, a few things have happened at the
latter part of 2010. I personally have used both the
LG100 and the LG110, the latter being a borrowed
A full refit of the stock
Steyr LG Series
By Carl Boswell
rifle, at a number of competitions. I was put onto
these rifles by a shooting colleague and fellow medal
winner Colin Renwick.
Colin has used these rifles for HFT and continued
Target Shooter 35
 A partial refit of the stock
to do so for Air Rifle Benchrest - thus getting me
into this side of the sport. (I had used a few other
rifles beforehand, but because of their limitations on
accuracy/ consistency I was not inspired and did not
take up competitive air rifle benchrest shooting until
2008).
The LG110 Highpower rifle that Colin introduced to
me back in 2007 was used to help us achieve silver
and bronze medals at the World Championship in
2008. I then purchased the LG100 I currently own
from Colin - this is the predecessor of the LG110 FT
model currently available.
In 2009 at the UK championship I took the heavily
modified LG100, as I had adapted it specifically for
Benchrest. At that point the rifle was just not ready
and not fully tested, so I asked Colin to fall back on
the LG110 - which won us a match each. Colin came
away with the LV Gold and I came away with the HV
Gold. (Colin actually got overall championship title
as well).
As you know from the articles about both the World
Cup and European Championship, I used the LG100
again, but by this time it was the way I wanted it to
be. The rifle had a new barrel, completely serviced
action, tuner, air splitter, et al. Good job, as it
helped me win several gold medals and the overall
championship titles for both competitions.
The LG series of air rifles are used extensively in a
variety of shooting sports. One of my fellow writers,
Tim Finley, uses two LG 110’s - one set up for FT
and one set up for HFT. He wrote about these
previously in Target Shooter Magazine. I know he
does well with both rifles!! Benchrest Air Rifle may
36 Target Shooter
be in its infancy, but people have quickly adapted
to the nature of shooting the sport. The days of
inconsistent accuracy are almost gone, as shooters
have seen what is happening in other shooting
sports and have adapted appropriately. I mentioned
some of these developments last month. I suppose
that each shooter has their own like and dislikes,
depending on what they have found works for them.
The one thing that seems to be common amongst all
shooters is the adaption of the stock system in some
way to enable benchrest style shooting.
Going to international events is a real eye opener,
as you see all sorts of adaption’s and developments,
from scopes to pellets and everything in-between.
Even since the World Championship in 2008, things
have moved on. I would even say this about myself
as I am always looking for the next thing to improve
accuracy. Aren’t we all as it is a competitive business
and we all like to win. I have seen most things,
even an electronic level system that was originally
developed for cameras. It’s in the rules, so why not!?
Back to the Steyr series of rifles! Although I use the
older LG 100, the LG 110 is the one that seems
to be most common Steyr in benchrest circles. At
the European Championship in 2010 the Russian
team all had the LG 110 model. This team took the
place by storm, thrashing all of us on the day of the
second match. Even on the third day they came in
top as a three man team. As with my own rifle, they
had modified their own a great deal to make them
appropriate for the sport - as can be seen by the
pictures in this article. Much like the stocks you will
find on rimfire and centerfire benchrest rifles, but
usually developed by the shooter as there is nothing
else on the market! This is the one thing you will
 will provide about 60 to 70 good shots. Taking into
Another full refit of the stock
account that the first ten to fifteen shots are in the
sand, it’s not leaving much room for error. This new
cylinder, I am told by Harry Preston of Steyr UK, will
provide and extra forty shots or so in comparison
to the standard air cylinder. Mighty impressive and
something seriously to think about....... and I am!!
I say I am as I have been told the new cylinder
will also fit older rifles, so will fit perfectly onto my
LG100. The fact that it will stick out a good four
inches in front of the barrel is neither here nor there!!
Aesthetics are wonderful, but it is the functionality
that I am looking for!! That functionality is increased
opportunities during a live match, where this simple
have to get used to - developing your own stock.
development will be a massive boon. I am sure that
Some brands with traditional designed wooden
other manufacturers will be considering this in the
stocks already incorporated into the rifle design,
future, if they are developing an air rifle BR gun??!!
have an instant advantage to developing their
rifle for benchrest. However, they all need a bit of
I suppose that part of the fascination for this area
modification to track properly in the bags.
of the Benchrest sport is that some of it is of a DIY
nature - this statement is specifically refers to the
In the latter part of 2010 Steyr Sportswaffen brought
stock design and is aimed at all manufacturers. I
out their new benchrest model. (As well as this all
personally like to experiment and you can see the
LG110 models can now be requested with a left hand
odd bits of stuff on my rifle that I believe works and
cocking handle at no extra charge). Still based on the
it does for me!! However, it would be nice to go and
same stock system as their FT and HFT, the thing
pick up an off the shelf rifle, fit for the majority of
lacking from this is a discreet benchrest stock. If you
competitions out there. It would certainly create
can get over this and think about the possibilities,
interest in the sport, as it would be more accessible.
they are endless. The major development for this
At this time we are left to our own devices, but this
model is the extended chassis, incorporating a longer
can be good thing if it breeds innovation?!
air cylinder with increased capacity. This extra ‘air’ is
going to be a godsend in competitions. I say this as
The Steyr LG series are excellent air rifles that
the one downfall of Air Rifle Benchrest is the issue
have a great deal of potential as benchrest guns.
to do with limited sighters, because of the issue of
They have a proven track record over a number of
running out of air.
national and international competitions, since this
sport started. With some of these new innovations
I have been in the position where I needed to take
I am personally positive we are moving in the right
lots of sighters, because of the weather conditions on
direction. So watch this space!!!
a specific day. It actually got to the point where I just
As the new benchrest model is available in the UK
had to shoot or face the consequence of not having
from a number of suppliers, it would be good to see
enough air to finish the match - a standard air cylinder
it on test in the future. We will see. Until next month.

The New LG110 benchrest model -

exciting times

Target Shooter 37
 Custom Rißes - built on Savages, GBR, Stolle, Bat etc

Factory F Class, Benchrest & Palma Rißes from Savage Arms

Bipods from Fito Force & Sinclair

Tel : 0161 408 3555

Mob: 07861 399066

e-mail: stuart@ospreyrißes.com

URL : www.ospreyrißes.com

38 Target Shooter
 The Sanders Joystick Rest
I spotted this rest at the European F Class
Championships at Bisley back in November –
the Polish F Class Team were using them and I
was soon in conversation with Michal Harenza,
whose English incidentally, is better than mine!
Michal was able to show me a few other
‘accuracy’ products that the Sanders company
will market – including a very nice concentricity
gauge and a portable arbour press. One or two
other goodies are also in the pipeline so please
check out www.sanders-shooting.com At the
end of the competition, Michal kindly offered to
loan me a rest for evaluation, so here goes.
First off, let me say that I am the owner of a
Mk 1 SEB rest and I’ve also shot extensively
with the new SEB Neo rest. Both SEB rests are
excellent but in my opinion, the Neo is certainly
an improvement on the Mk 1 – though maybe
not enough of an improvement for me to buy
one – yet!
So what features are we looking for in a joystick
rest? To some extent, it depends on its use –
benchrest or F Class. In fact, what are the
advantages of a joystick rest over a conventional
‘tri-pod’ rest – like for example, the Sinclair or
Cicognani.
For me, the big advantage for F Class shooting
is being able to reach the controls from the
prone position – something not possible with a
By Vince Bottomley
conventional tripod rest – without coming out
of position, stretching forward and make an
adjustment. Something you may well have to do
for every shot.
With a joystick rest it’s oh so simple – just toggle
the joystick, the end of which will be close to your
trigger and your ‘free’ hand, so no stretching
required. If the wind changes at the last minute,
it’s easy to move the joystick and slightly adjust
your aim accordingly. With a tripod rest, you
strain forward to adjust and then return to your
scope to check, adjust again then probably start
shuffling and squeezing the back-bag to get
exactly on aim. And shuffling that back bag is
exactly what you do not want to do – it should
remain as a totally stable, solid support for your
rifle-butt – if you expect to find that half MOA V
bull with any sort of regularity.
Ideally, the rest should be as heavy as you can
stand – remember, you may have to carry it a
few hundred yards to the firing point and I’ve
noticed some shooters replacing the heavy
base on their Farley joystick rest with a lighter
version. But, if you have a 4WD or a little
range-cart, keep that heavy base.
The joystick rest has of course come from
benchrest where it is used exclusively
on a concrete bench, so most have short
Target Shooter 39
 The Sanders ‘footprint’ is slightly
bigger than the Mk1 SEB but overall
weight is about the same

adjusting-screws with hardened steel points ‘foot-pads’ and extended adjusting-screws, to

so they can be hammered into the benchtop. cope with soft undulating firing-points. With the
On the F Classer’s soft grass firing-point, this Sanders, these items come as standard and the
won’t do and Sinclair now offer a set of steel base is – heavy. But not ridiculously so.

The feet are excellent and can be used on a bench-top

or a soft firing-point. The screws are a good length too
with two locking collars on each

40 Target Shooter
The basic design of the rest is similar to the SEB
Neo – a rack and pinion twin-column design
which offers plenty of vertical adjustment – 3.5
inches to be precise. The top is adjusted by
means of a knob on the left-hand column and a
matching knob on the opposite column locks it
in place. The action isn’t quite as smooth as the
SEB but, it works well enough. Also, the SEB
Neo has a very clever ‘clutch’ mechanism that
will hold the weight of your rifle meaning that
you can use just one hand to raise and then
apply the lock. You need to hold the Sanders
with one hand whilst you lock it with the other –
not a big problem but just one of the niceties that
Seb Lambang has incorporated into the Neo.
Again, like the SEB Neo, the Sanders employs
a three-piece front bag but unlike the SEB, the
bag is adjustable - by turning another knob -
which closes up the sides of the bag against
your fore-end. (Note – don’t grip the fore-end too
tight, just enough to remove any side-play). This
is a useful improvement over the SEB, which
must be adjusted with an Allen key – though
admittedly there is provision for fine adjustment
with thumb-screws and you will only need the
Allen key if you are using another rifle. This is
one feature where the sanders scores above
the SEB.
These two thumb-screws adjust
the tension. Note also, two bubble-
levels
Now, there is one area where shooters disagree
– how tight to set the joystick operating tension.
I like mine set up with very little tension so that
the joystick feels like a spoon stirring cream!
This is essential for benchrest, where we try
to discharge five aimed shots in around 15
seconds. This rate of fire is just not possible by
adjusting the rest between shots as we would
have to do with a tripod rest – the only way with
a tripod is to bag-squeeze (the back bag) to
make rapid fine adjustment to the crosshairs.
Bag-squeezing is very quick and very effective
but it does need practise as you must of course
hold the bag absolutely steady as the shot is
taken. Similarly, with my loose-tension, I must
hold the joystick absolutely still but I would argue
that this is easier to master than bag-squeezing.
The alternative is to set the tension firmly, so
that it will hold the weight of the rifle under firing
so no need to hold the stick. However, if you
do this you will find it difficult to ‘sweep’ the
crosshairs onto your aim-point. The action of the
joystick will be jerky – it will take a few seconds
to get on aim. Not acceptable in benchrest but
permissible in F Class where you may have half
a minute or more to get on aim. But, what do you
do with your left hand? You may as well hold the
joystick.
Target Shooter 41
 This knob adjusts the width/grip of the front-bag –
an improvement on the SEB. Fore-end stop is also
easily adjustable

If the Mk 1 SEB has an issue, it was rimfire and air-rifle benchrest shooter, who must
adjustment of the joystick tension. Four fiddly traverse a target card which measures 15 inches
socket-screws with lock-nuts, which were in width at just 25 metres. The SEB Neo is fine at
difficult to get at and impossible during a shoot. 50 yards but it won’t do it at 25m – which means
The SEB Neo addressed this problem (as does shuffling the back-bag – even more of a ‘no-no’
the Farley) and we are now looking at two easily in benchrest shooting than F Class. I tried it with
accessible thumb-screws. The Neo also has a the Sanders and at 25 yards – no chance - only
bit of built-in ‘up-lift’ so that the rifle is supported
five inches of movement. It won’t even span the
even though the tension is light – well done Seb card at 50m, so that effectively rules out rimfire/
- we like this! I’ve done almost the same thing air-rifle use.
with my Mk.1 SEB by using a counter-balance Any other comments? The joystick does have a
weight on the front of the joystick spindle. Seb bit of ‘play’ which needs resolving but in practise,
now offers these weights as an accessory. I didn’t find it a problem and I was able to shoot
nice tight groups just as easily as I can with the
Although our Sanders rest does not have any SEB.
built-in uplift, the tension can be set in the same The SEB Neo comes in at around £600 or
way as the SEB Neo – with just a couple of £425 for the Mk1 SEB (see Fox Firearms www.
thumb-screws. You can set it loose or tighter foxfirearmsUK.com ) I do not have an official
depending on your preference and tension can price on the Sanders at the time of going to
easily be adjusted mid-shoot . You could also press but Michal is aware of the competition
use a counterbalance weight as described in the and when I left him at Bisley, he was confident
previous paragraph. that he could hold the price around £500. At the
One of the drawbacks of the joystick rest is its moment, there is no UK importer but if he gets
range of adjustment. If you shoot long-range enough enquiries, I’m sure there will be.
F Class, then it will easily traverse the width
(and height) of your target but what about the

42 Target Shooter
This knob locks the vertical adjustment rack. The identical
one on the opposite side lowers and raises the top. There is
3.5 inches of vertical adjustment

Target Shooter 43
 Rimfire Benchrest - Australian Special Report
By Richard Lightfoot 25 metre rimfire targets and gauged
Rimfire Benchrest shooting in Australia had to .22. With these competitions in
taken another step forward with the first RBA mind MISC hosted the Nationals and
National event held in Victoria at the Melbourne approximately 25 shooters competed.
International Shooting Club (MISC) from the 29th
October to 1st November, 2010. The 25 metre air competition was the first time
that this competition has been shot in Australia
In the past Rimfire Benchrest has been shot at and recorded scores were
50 metres, however, in the world competitions
there is a 25 metre and 50 metre competition. At
the 25 metre there are four classes of shooting. Conditions were difficult with rain and swirling
(1) The Sporter class, which is a winds and from the scores it can be seen that
conventional rifle, no tuner, telescopic the rifles used Air Arm EV2 Mark IV and Steyr
sight limited to six power, a weight LG 100, 110 very competitive and accurate.
of 3.86 kilograms and conventional For people when contemplating a new and less
stock. expensive form of benchrest shooting, 25 metre
(2) Light Varmit with an unlimited powered air is a real prospect. It must be appreciated
scope, tuner but with a weight limit of that with pellets costing $20.00 for 500 and
10.5 pounds or 4.76 kilograms. supplies of 200 bar air are somewhat cheaper
(3) The Heavy Varmit weighing over 10.5 than paying $200.00 a brick for competitive .22
pounds and less than 15 pounds. ammunition.
(4) An increase in the diversity of
shooting is provided by a 25 metre air The 25 metre rimfire competition shot on the
competition. This is shot on the same same range as the air competition, the conditions
had moderated resulting in six shooters getting
750 out of 750 and the leading
score by Glenn Seaman from
New South Wales was 750
with 68 centre. This was
followed by Hussein Ozaksoy,
a Junior hitting a 750 with 67
centre. Hussein is 14 years old
and using Richard Lightfoot’s
Walther reversed tapered
Lilja with Gold Medal Federal
Ammunition his top score was
750/24 with the central missed
only just gauged out. It was a
spectacular effort by a Junior!

As Murpphy’s law would have

it, Richard Lightfoot used his
rifle and he shot a 750 with

44 Target Shooter

63 central – there must be a lesson there! The
other results are listed.
The premium event was shot at 50 metres, the
Heavy Varmit class. Shot at the MISC dedicated
benchrest paper range. On this range there
are 12 concrete topped brick supported bench
units, 3 left hand units and 9 right hand units.
This allows a progressive rotation of targets
of four and therefore no shooter gained any
specific advantage in location as each detail is
shot one after the other, shooting being spread
across the morning and no specific advantage
was obtained by being the first shooter in the
morning. The rimfire results were as follows
with Annette Rowe winning with a 747 and 50
centres. She was followed by Bret Wilson 747
with 45 centres and John Peet 742 with 38 centre
others followed with scores set out below.
The dual range rimfire 25/50 metres resulted
in Annette Rowe starring with 1495, 112X, Bret
Wilson 1495, 99X, John Peet 1491, 94X. The
remainder of the field achieving credible scores.
The range at MISC is fully lit and shooters can
shoot 24/7 at this range. It provides a distinct
advantage to members so that they can elect
when to shoot and are not restricted by club
nights only.
Special thanks goes to members of the Stawell
Smallbore Rifle Club, they poured the bench tops
for MISC and also to Reg and Val McCreddie,
Ernie and Ruth Mulcahy, Patrick Wolfe and
Martin Lee who provided assistance in both
building the range and running the competition.
Based on the success of the Air and 25 metre
Rimfire it is envisaged that another two day
event with air and rimfire be conducted on the
2nd, 3rd and 4th December, 2011. Watch the
MISC website for details as we grow this sport.
Target Shooter 45
46 Target Shooter

Whether you intend to take part in the exciting sport
of Gallery Rifle for the first time in 2011, or you and
a friend have simply decided that it’s time to venture
outside of your own club and enter one of the many
GR competitions that will be available throughout the
year, now is the time to start preparing for the new
season ahead of us! It’s important that you give a
lot of thought to the equipment you are going to use
(or need to purchase) to either practice or compete
with as getting it right the first time will save you both
money and make life a lot easier for you in the long
run, and most of these details have been covered in
previous editions of Target Shooter.
by Gwyn Roberts
finish” as you can always re-lacquer it afterwards to
make it look like new again. If you haven’t got one
for your 10/22 yet then make sure you either hold,
or try out as many different types as you can out on
the range to see which type suits you best, and don’t
just buy one just because it looks nice or funky in a
magazine.
Make sure that the scope you intend to use will allow
you to pick up your target at the closer distances, as
well as enable you to see the point of impact at the
furthest distance you will be shooting at. For many

The first thing you need to do regardless of which

type of rifle you are going to shoot with, is ensure
that the stock/cheek piece fits you perfectly either as
standard, or after your own modifications. It’s pretty
simple to do and it will be paramount to your overall
performance further down the line, so don’t be scared
off by doing any reshaping work that may “spoil the

Make everything fit you properly............and try out any new ideas you may have

Target Shooter 47
 It doesn’t matter whether your equipment
is bought or home made, as long as it does
the job
of the people out there shooting good scores, this
would be a scope that adjusts from around 4-5x
up to 16 -20x at the high end. These lower power
settings will be manageable for most people when
shooting down to 10 or 15m (providing you have
worked on your target acquisition practices that is)
and although many new shooters won’t use the
ability improves. Just like the stock, a proper fit is very
important so make sure that you mount your scope at
the right height, and also in a position that gives you
exactly the right eye relief when you bring the rifle
up into the aiming position. If you intend to compete
in some of the higher rounds count matches like the
1500 or Bianchi, it would be a good idea to have at

Making good ammunition will

help you perform at your best!

maximum magnification to start with, it will always least five 10 rounds magazines, along with a belt that
be available in the future when your confidence and is complete with the appropriate ammo/ magazine

Whether you are just starting off in our sport, or you

compete at an International standard, Gallery Rifle will
certainly provide you with a challenge, as well as a lot of
fun and enjoyment! - also see next page

48 Target Shooter

holders attached. A simple timer is also a valuable
item to keep inside your shooting box, and if you
have had your rifle for a couple of years and haven’t
paid much attention to it then now would probably be
a good time to change the hammer spring and firing
pin to help avoid any light strikes or the possibility of
any breakages during the new season. Checking the
condition and fit of your extractor at the same time
would also be a good idea, for obvious reasons.
Once your rifle is set up, the next thing to look at is
the ammunition you are going to use, and I would
suggest testing your group sizes at 50m, using a good
shooting bag or vice set up. On the rim fire side of
things, functional reliability (ejection/extraction) must
be your main priority as without it you will have little
chance of performing well if you’re not able to shoot
all of your rounds off during a match. Over the years I
See this and the next five pictures - Gallery Rifle offers a
huge variety of competitions ranging from ten shots in 10
minutes, to five shots in just over 2 seconds.
have experienced many jams in some of my 10/22’s
using Eley ammunition (including the much more
expensive Match & Tenex EPS/semi auto varieties)
yet when I tried using some of the cheaper .22lr
ammunition such as CCI Standard and Geco in the
same rifle, the reliability turned out to be excellent
so make sure you try as many different types and
see what works in your rifle/barrel combination. I
think in most cases (but certainly not all) you will
get much more consistent and tighter groups (along
with good reliability) using what I term as the mid
range stuff such as SK Standard/Rifle Match or
RWS etc. It is of course more expensive but you get
what you pay for, but you may well end up having
to settle on a compromise between overall cost and
performance, but that’s for you (or your missus) to
decide on at the end of the day.
For your centre fire ammunition, reloading your own
target load is definitely the way to go if you want to
save money and produce ammo that will certainly
group better than the typical (and expensive)
Cowboy Action loads that are available. If you are
new to reloading then I would strongly suggest
getting someone who knows what they’re doing to
help you set up your press, as well as helping you
along safely through the early stages of making
your ammunition and load development. Safety is
paramount within our sport, both yours and ours so
make sure you treat this topic with the respect that
it deserves, otherwise your time within the Gallery
Rifle community may well end up being a short one,
if you know what I mean! Probably the quickest and
easiest way to make good ammo is to replicate
someone else’s load that has already proven to be
both safe and accurate at 50m, and an experienced
friend will be able to set up your own press for you
in order to do this. All you’ll have to do then is bolt
it onto a workmate and take it down to your nearest
Target Shooter 49
50m range to fine tune things a little. I’ve tested my
own .44 load in lots of other peoples rifles and they
have all grouped exactly the same compared to my
own results, so why not save yourself a lot of time,
effort, expense and heartache to start with?
The only way you are going to get better and
improve your scores is by putting in the time and
effort on the range and sticking to a good practice
regime, and doing so with other like minded or more
experienced shooters will obviously allow you to
progress both quicker and easier (as well as making
it more enjoyable) compared to trying to do it on
your own. This is easier said than done though as
I’m sure there are many shooters out there who find
themselves in a position where they are the only one
interested in shooting GR at their club. I’m sure there
are also small groups of shooters out there who are
all very keen, but may be lacking some experience
or someone to help guide them along with some
good help and advice. If you find yourself in one of
these situations, we should be able to help you out in
some way or another should you need it. Everything
from trigger control to how to shoot the “shorts” and
1500 matches has been covered in previous issues
of TS to help get you started off. Coaching/training
days for shooters of all abilities can also be arranged
for up to 10-12 people at either your own range, or
50 Target Shooter
at one of the leading GR clubs based around the
country. If you are totally on your own, we should be
able to put you in touch with the nearest active GR
club in your area, or even an individual/small group
of shooters who would be happy for you to tag along
and practice with them. Help is also available to any
clubs out there on anything from how to start up your
own Gallery Rifle section, to training range officers
and holding your own GR competitions. All you have
to do is ask and this can be done via e-mail through
info@galleryrifle.com. If there is sufficient interest, a
coaching/training day will be held around the middle
of April in the Bristol area and more information will
be posted on the Galleryrifle.com website calendar
during the next week or so.
On the competition side of things, it would certainly
be nice to see some new faces (whatever your ability)
attending some of this years’ open shoots, and they
start off with the Spring Action weekend at Bisley
on March 26th/27th where you will be able to shoot
everything from the slow fire precision matches, to
the action events like 1500 & Bianchi. Don’t be put
off thinking that you are not good enough to shoot at
Bisley because your scores will only count against
other shooters of the same ability, and everyone from
total beginners to experts are welcome to attend.
You are bound to have a good time and make some

new friends along the way, and many of us will be
sharing a beer or two together in the bar afterwards
so why not come along and give it a try? Other well
run and very popular events throughout the year
include Bristol’s Western Winner 1500 on May 14th,
The Phoenix International at Bisley on May 26/30th,
Derby’s 1500 & shorts on June 25/26th, the National
GR Championships on 27/28th August at Bisley
along with the excellent Mattersey Steel and Bianchi
Action matches the dates of which will be confirmed
in the near future.
The increased cost of fuel and travelling has prompted
some of our friends in Fermoy, in the South of Ireland
to organise a new 1500 Gallery Rifle & T&P1 (plus
Benchrest) competition which is open to GR
shooters from any country and the best part
about it is there is no entry fee, and it can also be
shot in the comfort of your own range. The event
is scheduled to take place over the weekend
16/17th of April and is open to both individuals
and teams of 3 in both calibres, so check out
their website at www.fermoyrifleclub.com or
contact them on Gallerycybershoot2011@gmail.
com for more details.
We are currently in the process of finalising the
reduced 1500 and Bianchi targets so that these
popular matches can be shot on any 25m range
providing us all with even more opportunities
(especially during the winter months) to shoot
these exciting matches. This could greatly reduce
the travelling distance and costs for many people and
could potentially double the number of open events
that are available to GR shooters at the present time,
so if you would be interested in hosting an event at
your own club, please let us know. All in all 2011 looks
like it will be another very successful year for Gallery
Rifle and there are also a few European matches
that are going to be held so make sure you get out
there and have a go. Everyone will be happy to help
you out both on and off the range and once you’ve
tried it, I think you’ll be with us for a very long time!
Target Shooter 51
 Browning Buckmark Long Pistol

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Tel. 01722 782432 ags.westlake@virgin.net

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52 Tel: Shooter
Target +44(0)1271 865865 Fax: +44(0)1271 865830
 Building the Ultimate F/TR Rifle – part 2
By Vince Bottomley

My Stolle Panda has a left port/right bolt configuration – the ‘norm’ for a right-handed
shooter – plus a recoil-lug
Vince Bottomley is serialising the build of his need a good solid action to support it, properly
‘ultimate’ F/TR rifle for Target Shooter readers bedded in a rigid stock.
and, although Vince is the first to concede I’m using a Stolle all-aluminium action, as it
that his idea of ‘ultimate’ may not be yours, weighs only two pounds as against 3lb. for
we nonetheless hope that it will give those say a Barnard P or BAT M. The Stolle has a
contemplating a similar build a few ideas. massive flat bedding-area, 8.5 inches by 1.5
inches and although developed as a benchrest
Last month, (January issue) I outlined the main action, Kelbly’s have adapted the action for F
components chosen for my F/TR rifle and why Class competition by incorporating a recoil-lug
they were chosen. As with any rifle built to a (not used on a benchrest rifle as the action is
stringent weight-limit (18lb. 2oz.), the weight normally glued into the stock) and a built-in
must be used in the right places to maximise scope-rail with 20 MOA taper. My scope-rail
accuracy. A long (30-32 inches) heavy barrel is a is a Davidson but if you prefer a Picatinny, it’s
‘must’ and so this is the starting point. Then, we offered as an option.

Massive flat bedding area and three screws

Target Shooter 53
 You can see how much I’ve milled-off the sides and top of the butt – saving 12
ounces. Now I know why they call this stock ‘Purple haze’ – a purple haze is
covering most of my workshop!
Why did I choose the Davidson? It’s light and significant amount.
the Matching Kelbly rings are also very light,
strong and true. The rail and rings are one place In addition, the Stolle has three bedding screws
where you could easily save 8oz – equivalent – you don’t need to use all three but at least
to another two inches on your barrel-length – a use the front and rear ones. The Barnard
separate Picatinny rail and rings can weigh a P action has only two screws and for some
reason, neither of these is at
From the left – the 155 Sierra Matchking, the rear of the action. With
the new Sierra and the Lapua Scenar a long heavy barrel, I prefer
to have a screw at the rear
of the action, in the tang, for
full support. For the record, I
will be using all three bedding
screws – why not?

The super-light aluminium

Stolle will give us a whole
extra pound to play with but
my Precision Rifle www.
p r e c i s i o n r i f l e s a l e s . c o m
wood-laminate stock blank
weighs a whopping 6lb.! The
barrel will be around eight
pounds, so if we add the
weight of the action, scope
and bi-pod – not forgetting
trigger, trigger-guard, scope-
rings, screws etc. we are
already well over the 18lb. 2
oz. limit. Clearly, we need to
remove some wood from that

54 Target Shooter
 Left, the Stolle tenon, right, a Remington

stock and get it down to around four and a half seven millimetres for the bedding-compound.
pounds. The wood-laminate stocks are very dense and
Simply in-letting the stock to take the action strong – unlike a fibreglass one – so pillars aren’t
and barrel will save a bunch but not enough, so really needed but I like to glue a slim aluminium
I’m attacking the butt which is massively bulky. pillar in the bedding-screw holes just to neaten
With a rifle rested both ends I do not need a things up.
cheek-piece to lean on - clattering against my
ear-muffs, so that will go and I reckon I can But, before I can do any of this work, we need to
easily carve a quarter-inch slab off each side of fit the barrel to the action. My barrel is a Bartlein
the butt and it will still be over an inch thick. with 1 in 13.5 twist to stabilise the 155 grain
bullet - Lapua Scenars to be precise - though I
I need to get the barrelled-action sitting on the would like to eventually try the Berger 155.5s –
‘springing’ line and then hack out another six or if I can get hold of some. However, supplies of

Reaming the chamber – the muzzle-flush gets rid of swarf

and helps prevent scoring of the chamber

Target Shooter 55
 I use a cheap router bolted to my miller for inletting – it’s much quicker and leaves a
superior finish and cutting tools are only a few pounds each.
Bergers seem to have dried-up for the moment.
The Bartlein barrel is a straight taper from 1.25
in. at the breech to an inch at the muzzle and will
be finished at 30 inches. Some F/TR shooters
like to go 32 inches for that extra 50 or 60fps of
velocity and I would – if I could stand another 8
ounces of weight but, if that means sacrificing
the profile, I’ll stick at 30 inches. This length
gives me an honest 3000 fps with the 155gn.
Scenar over Vit540 powder and works well
enough for me.
My Pacific Tool & Gauge reamer is ground to
suit the Scenar bullet, which is significantly
longer than the 155 Sierra, so needs a bit more
freebore - if it is not to be pushed too deep into
the case - thus compromising powder capacity.
The Stolle barrel-tenon is a healthy 1.115 inches
long and 1.0625 inches in diameter, using an 18
tpi thread. This configuration is quite common
amongst custom actions and contrasts with the
rather short tenon used on say the Remington
action which is only 0.7 inches long but the
same diameter. If you are using a long heavy
barrel, you need a good action to support it and
get the best out of it. Although many a good rifle
56 Target Shooter
has been built on the Remmy 700 action, it is
rather flimsy with its massive ejection-port and
magazine cut-out.
Bartlein barrels always cut really nicely and are
a pleasure to work with and the action was soon
mated to the new barrel. My crown will be a
simple 90 degree recessed – some prefer the
11 degree crown but performance-wise there
is no difference. I find the 90 degree is easier
to keep an eye on – run your thumb across it
and you’ll feel if the sharpness has disappeared.
Remember, the condition of the crown is critical
to accuracy and with the constant cleaning of a
competition rifle, the crown can suffer. It pays to
get your gunsmith to ‘tickle-up’ the crown every
year.
Now that the barrel is finished, I’ll weight it and
try and calculate exactly how much wood we still
need to carve off that stock. See Table.
Our bare wood stock will actually need to weigh
a few ounces less than five pounds for we need
to include the weight of some sort of butt-pad,
which could simply be a piece of aluminium or
rubber dependant on my weight ‘allowance’.
 Action              2lb         2oz 
Barrel (30 inch tapering 1.25 – 1.0 inch at muzzle)             8lb   
Scope and rings (Leupold 36BR with Kelbly rings)  1lb  3oz 
Trigger, Screws & trigger‐guard                      4oz 
Bi‐pod (Censhot)          1lb  3oz 
Lacquer & bedding compound (estimate)      6oz 
              __________                                  
Total              13lb  2oz 
 
Allowable F/TR weight          18lb   2oz 
              __________ 
Remaining for stock          5lb   
  you can see from the pic, the barrel-channel The next job is to bed the action. Even though
As
and bedding area are now inletted and the this is a long, heavy barrel, I will not be bedding
resulting blank weighs 4lb. 6oz. This will be fine. it under any part of the barrel. The barrel will
If needed I could get it even lighter but I would remain fully free-floating. I’ve seen gunsmiths
have to knock another half-pound off to make bed under the first few inches of the barrel
it worth-while – allowing me to use a variable but I’ve never seen a benchgun bedded in
scope like the 8-32 Sightron but this might that way – have you? It’s not necessary and
compromise the rigidity of the stock so I’ll leave could even be detrimental. The breech area
it at 4lb. 6oz. of the barrel gets very hot – especially on the
underside where it would be in contact with your

Inletting for the aluminium trigger-guard – this

one is British made – from Rhino Rifles

Target Shooter 57
 barrel-bedding. What effect will this have? Will With the action now bedded, our build is virtually
it affect harmonics? If you are using a switch complete – save for a few coats of some clear
barrel gun (I intend having a 1in 13.5 and a 1 in automotive lacquer which shooting buddy Ian
12 twist for different bullet-weights) – no point Dixon will kindly apply for me. Then, it’s just a
anyway as you will never get a perfect bed under matter of installing the trigger and trigger-guard,
two different barrels. scope, butt-pad and bi-pod and dumping the
whole lot on the scales and see how we are
The flat-bottom Stolle is a great action to bed. I’ll doing for weight.
be using a new bedding-compound, rather than
my usual Loctite Hysol or Devcon, for the actual Next month, we will be dangerously near to
bedding. Epoxy compounds like Devcon are way the start of the season with the first GBFCA
over spec. for rifle-bedding; it’s really intended F Class League shoot only one month away.
for repairing heavy metal castings and can be We still need to develop a load and make sure
machined, drilled and tapped if required. What everything works as it should and hopefully get
makes it attractive to us is it’s guaranteed not some scope-settings logged. More next month.
to shrink but I’ve located (thanks to Dave Wylde
of Valkyrie Rifles) another compound – Quick
Steel Epoxy Paste from Delta Adhesives and it
looks to have all the qualities of Devcon but for
around half the cost. Like Devcon, it contains
metal and is a two-part mix. It’s more viscous
than Devcon, so easier to mix and spread. It has
a working time of about an hour and becomes
quite firm after four hours but I will leave it
over-night before attempting to pop out the
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60 Target Shooter
HANDLOADING BENCH - BULLET POINTING and POWDER
HANDLING / WEIGHING
Above - A small block that fits a .308W shellholder is provided with the die for the bullet to
sit on
I’ll look at pointing bullets this month, also provide
the promised report on the Acculab Vicon
VIC123 laboratory grade electronic scales. Then,
capitalising on the Acculab’s precision, make a start
on trying to see what sort of consistency a clutch
of mechanical powder measures plus an electronic
powder dispenser provide in terms of the charge
weights that they throw.
But first, thanks to the wonders of email I received
some very welcome, detailed feedback on my report
of loading 90s in the .223 Rem for long-range
shooting that were published in the last couple of
issues. My correspondent is Eric Skennard, a retired
police officer who lives in Florida, and has used 90s
in the cartridge for six years. His smokepole is an
AR-15 based ‘space gun’ with a 28” 1-6.5” twist
Krieger barrel and John Holliger’s chamber
design, initially used out to 600yd as his ‘sling gun’,
now shooting F/TR at up to 1,000yd. Eric started out
with the 90gn JLK VLD which grouped well when
it reached the target, but suffered regular failures
in flight. The 90gn Sierra MK was no solution, Eric
describing it as totally unsatisfactory in the
long-range role, but in his own words: “Then Berger
came out with the 90gn VLD and I was saved.”
by Laurie Holland
Eric and I have reached similar conclusions about
loading the cartridge in this form from opposite sides
of the world agreeing on the need to keep powder
charge weight variations very small (he uses an
electronic Lyman DPS 1200 dispensing machine)
and that the two Berger 90-grainers produce very
different pressures, therefore need markedly
different charge weights. On powders, he says
that despite Alliant ATK’s claims, Reloder 15 IS
temperature sensitive, so much so that it is a
non-runner for him in the Florida climate that can
produce a 50-degree temperature increase during
the course of a match. He notes: “I have used H4895
but with the 90gn bullets it seems a little fast. Varget
is the answer for this cartridge! The burn rate seems
just perfect. It does not seem temperature sensitive
at all. There have been reports of different lots
burning a little faster or slower, but I have not seen
that. ..... Yes, 24.2 to 25 grains has several nodes
that will work depending on the particular barrel.”
I had suspected that Varget was the way forward
after I’d finally managed to find some, and here
is the confirmation. It’s not that I’m unhappy with
Re15’s performance, far from it, it’s just the nagging
worry about temperature. I had noticed that primer
extrusion apparently got worse in warmer days last
Target Shooter 61
 Left - Forster Co-Ax press with the Whidden
die installed and a .22-cal 90gn Berger VLD
in position
British standards. So, my existing very accurate
combination may become the cooler weather spring
and autumn load with VarGet substituted for the
summer months. Another very welcome bit of news
from Eric was about barrel life, his 1-6.5” twist
Krieger now exceeding 3,000 rounds and still
performing well. Many thanks, Eric – and it is
great to hear from another .223/90 enthusiast, or
‘eccentric’ as most long-range shooters still see us.

Pointy Heads
Eric is also a fan of ‘bullet-pointing’ with the
Whidden Gunworks die in his long-range .223R F-Class
ammunition, saying: “....... if you aren’t doing this
with 1,000yd bullets you are missing out. This greatly
reduces vertical strings. The bullet pointer has
proven itself in my 6mm as well. The learning curve
with the bullet point was learning how much to point
them.”

Pointing is a technique that can be applied to any

year, but I haven’t shot a match so far in what could calibre / cartridge used in long-range shooting. For
be remotely described as a ‘heat wave’ even by those unfamiliar with the concept, it involves using

The die disassembled. The working end of

the insert is up front with the bullet-sleeve
(upside down) on the right

62 Target Shooter
90gn .22-cal Berger VLD tips. Out of the box on the left and pointed with a ‘Type 0’ insert on
the right for around 5% BC improvement
the loading press to push the bullet into a special
die that reduces the diameter of the hollow-point,
‘meplat’ to use its proper name, although complete
closure is unattainable. Two companies produce
pointing (sometimes called ‘tipping’) dies – Whidden
Gunworks (www.whiddengunworks.net) and Hoover
(www.bullettipping.com), both also producing
meplat trimmers, a practice linked to pointing.
Anyway, back to the dies and I’ll look at the Whidden
model as that’s the one I’m familiar with. The bit that
does the work is an inch long steel cylinder, or ‘insert’
as John Whidden calls it, with a conical depression
machined into one end, the bullet tip pushed inside
that and reshaped. The insert is a close sliding fit
inside a spring-tensioned calibre-specific aluminium
alloy bullet guide or ‘sleeve’ that in turn closely fits
inside the die body. The bullet must be guided to
ensure the tip fits into that depression and needs to
be supported and kept concentric while being put
through this particular form of torture, and that’s the
other role of the sleeve. Whidden uses a Forster
‘Ultra’ micrometer-top seater die as his starting point,
replacing the Forster cartridge guide-sleeve with his
bullet sleeve and pointing insert. The die’s seater
stem bears onto the top of the latter and the amount
of pressure applied to the bullet tip is therefore
finely adjustable, the die set up as in its original
role through a mixture of its body’s position in the
press frame and through adjusting the position of the
seater stem / pointing insert within the die. A
possible problem is variable degrees of force applied
to the tip if there is much variation in bullet lengths
as you find in some makes and models. If this
applies, the answer is to cut the tip back a little using a
meplat trimmer so that all bullets are the same length
and have identical nose / tip forms. If you batch
bullets by bearing surface length or ogive to base
measurement, do it before pointing.
Why?
The ‘how?’ is all very interesting, or maybe not so
for some, but I haven’t asked ‘why?’ yet. Well, the
bigger the hole up front, the more air-resistance or
drag. Moreover, there are often variations in meplat
sizes between bullets producing minor variations in
the drag they generate – putting that another way,
pointing both increases the bullets’ BC and makes
it more consistent. They’ll travel a greater distance
Target Shooter 63
 Table 1  bullets loaded into
hot cartridges are
likely to give optimum
benefits, examples
Theoretical Effect of ‘Pointing’ Berger 90gn 0.224” VLD at 1,000yd  being .243AI and
6-284.

       Ex Carton (BC: 0.281)   ‘Pointed’ (BC +7%: 0.301)  Improvement is always

V0      2,900 fps    2,900 fps  ment on the original
V1,000      1,454 fps    1,535 fps  original 0.308” 155gn
Wind‐Drift (10mph)  75”      68”
Drop (100yd zero)  ‐297” (28.4‐MOA)  ‐285” (27.2‐MOA)  d e v e l o p m e n t
before dropping into transonic speeds at any given
MV, will be less wind-affected, and should see
smaller ‘elevations’ on the target. But let’s be
realistic – it’s only worth doing if you shoot at long
ranges. You simply won’t see any difference at
300, little if any at 600yd, but should see an effect
at 1,000yd, the most noticeable pointer to improved
external ballistics performance being the need to
reduce your previous elevation setting slightly.
When we try to quantify the amount of
improvement, things become tricky as there is no
single formula – basically, the larger the original
meplat diameter and the smaller the bullet calibre,
the greater the benefit. Most match type bullets
have meplat diameters between 0.060” and 0.065”,
although the 0.224” Berger 90gn VLDs that I use
in my .223 are unusually small at 0.050”. Even so,
that’s 22% of bullet diameter, and for the majority of
models on the market with 0.060” meplat diameters,
it is 27% of this calibre. In comparison, a 0.060
diameter meplat represents 25% of a 6mm bullet’s
OD, 22% for 6.5mm and 19% for 0.308”. Also,
long sharply pointed VLD bullets with thin jackets
can be given a sharper tip and obtain a greater BC
improvement than blunt 7-calibre radius tangent
ogive types. So, bullet pointing looks a valuable tool
for the long-range .223R and 6mm VLD shooter, but
provides less benefit to the .308W user who loads
traditional Sierra MatchKings. (Nevertheless, Sierra
has thought it worthwhile to ‘point’ its new long-nose
higher-BC 155gn 0.308” Palma MatchKing #2156
as part of the production process, a first in factory
bullets.) Another factor influencing the amount of
drag reduction is velocity – nose produced drag
increases dramatically with velocity, and much of that is
meplat-derived. So, pointed small calibre
produced in terms of a
percentage improve-
BC and may run as
small as 1-2% for the
SMK (#2155) up to
5% for my 0.224” 90gn
VLDs and heavy 6mm
 
equivalents using
the original Whidden
die – but there is a
that I’ll describe
in a minute that could improve VLD
BCs by another couple of percentage
points, maybe even up to 8% in .224/90 and .243/105.
Let’s be conservative and say I can improve the
90gn VLD’s BC by 7% taking it from an average G7
BC of 0.281 to 0.301. Keeping the MV at the 2,900
fps I get from my Re15 load, Table 1 shows what
effect that should have at 1,000yd: an extra 81 fps
terminal velocity and seven inches less drift in the
classic 10mph 90-degree crosswind. If I’m up against
my mate Fred who shoots a 105gn Berger VLD at a
slightly higher MV of 2,950 fps from his 6BR, I’ll shoot
‘inside him’ in any wind condition if we have applied
the same amount of sight correction. Now that’s a
staggering thought, the .223 outperforming 6BR but
if he ‘pointed’ his bullets, the status quo ante would
be restored giving him slightly better ballistic
performance.
Range-Test
I can imagine many of you are thinking this is
nothing but theoretical BS that won’t stand up
when put to the test in real-life shooting, so Vince
Bottomley and I did a little test at the end of a PSSA
900yd F-Class competition last October to see how
it works out in practice. I loaded a few extra .223
rounds with 90gn VLDs out of the box, and four
examples that had been pointed using a Whidden die in
original form.This has a non-optimum ‘insert’fitted and is
expected to produce four or five percent BC
improvement to these bullets. After we’d taken our
competition shots, I fired three rounds of non-pointed
ammo followed by four with treated bullets with
Vince plotting them. The shots were taken as fast
as the target was marked to minimise the effect of
wind changes, and no wind allowance was made, a

64 Target Shooter
 three-quarters MOA higher on the
target. It’s more difficult to see what
effect there was on windage. Shots
1 and 3 with the unmodified bullets
are to the left of the centreline as
expected, but shot number 2 is
nearly half-MOA to the right
suggesting a wind drop when that
shot was taken. It is also higher than
the other two, possibly due to there
being a vertical wind-component,
as is often encountered at Diggle.
Shot number 4 is in line with the
unmodified bullets and is the lowest
of the pointed bullets, so there may
have been a gust here that also blew
the bullet down a bit. The other three
are grouped closely in wind terms
and are a quarter to third-MOA to the
right of the target centreline. Short
of having somebody do a wind call
throughout the shoot, we really can’t
say how much of this movement
is down to wind changes and how
Figure 1 - Vince’s plot of my seven 900yd .223R/90 VLD
much due to BC improvement
shots. Shots 1 to 3 use out of the box bullets; Shots 4
from the pointing, but it looks like some
to 7 (ringed) were loaded with ‘pointed’ bullets. (One- benefit has been obtained in line
MOA grid used on the plotting sheet.) with the prediction, maybe even a
central aim used throughout. bit more. A good result then .... or is
it? While pleased by the obvious external ballistics
Bryan Litz calculates the Berger 0.224” 90gn VLD improvement, I was much less happy by the elevation
has an average G7 BC of 0.281, that becoming 0.295 spread of the pointed quartet, and this ties in with some
if a full 5% improvement were obtained through experiences I’ve had pointing 155gn Lapua Scenars
pointing. Looking at my plot for the competition, the in my .308W F/TR ammunition. Researching
corrected scope windage needed for the last five comments on bullet pointing in various accuracy
shots had varied from 2¾ to 3¼-MOA, this rising shooting Internet forums and elsewhere, most
over the sequence. The scope setting for the last people get a reduction in vertical spreads which is
shot which was retained for the pointed bullet test after all a promised benefit from the practice, but the
was 3-MOA right windage applied. Using the Berger odd person sees increased group size or verticals.
Bullets’ ballistics program, 3¼-MOA with this bullet This has made me review my pointing technique,
at 2,900 fps MV and at 900yd equates to a and I’m 99% convinced I’ve been ‘overdoing’ it by
5.4mph 90° angle wind, and if this stayed constant applying too much pressure to bullets and distorting
throughout the test (unlikely given Diggle’s varying their fragile jackets. Use of a little case-lube on the
conditions), we could expect shots 1 to 3 with the tip is recommended too, and I’ll try that in future, with
unmodified bullets to strike a bit left. Running the a future report on progress to be provided.
program for the bullet at its ‘standard BC’ of 0.281
and then with the estimated improved value of 0.295, I mentioned that there have been recent
the four pointed bullets should group almost exactly improvements to the Whidden die. This applies
six inches (0.64-MOA) higher than the first three, to the reshaping cavity in the die ‘insert’ with two
and two inches (0.21-MOA) to the right of them. new forms added. The original which I have is now
classed as ‘Type 0’ and is recommended for use
Vince’s plot is shown as Figure 1 with the on fairly long-nosed tangent ogive bullet shapes
pointed-bullet shots circled. To my surprise, all four including the Berger 0.308” 185gn Target BT
struck higher than their unpointed brethren, two of Long-Range model, the 155gn Lapua Scenar, and
them markedly so, up a full MOA. (I had expected 0.224” 80gn Sierra MK. A new ‘Type 1’ version is for
a degree of overlap between the two groups.) VLDs and exceptionally long tangent ogive models
The group centre for the quartet is around and covers both of the 90gn Bergers I use in .223.
New ‘Type 2’ is for blunt six and seven-calibre

Target Shooter 65

The Acculab Vicon
VIC-123 with a
battery powered
Salter-Brecknell scale
alongside
radius tangent ogive bullets including most of the older
Sierra MK models. These revised inserts arise
from a collaboration with top ballistician Bryan Litz
and are designed to produce tip shapes that give a
better transition from the manufacturers’ nose
shapes into the reformed and more sharply angled
tip section. Full details of the dies and a bullet– insert
number chart are found on the Whidden Gunworks
A large acrylic draught-excluding collar is supplied to help keep draughts
off the platen
66 Target Shooter
website – http://whiddengun-
works.net – but I’ll warn you now,
they’re not cheap, especially if you
need more than the one bullet-
sleeve and pointing ‘insert’ that is
included in the die-kit’s price.
Laboratory Quality
Let’s move onwards and upwards
...... to powder dispensing and
weighing. This was prompted by my
growing paranoia over the consistency
of my .223/90 long-range match
ammunition charges as recounted in
last month’s issue. I had read very good
American reviews one of the US
manufactured Acculab laboratory
electronic scales, the base-model
Vicon VIC123. Sinclair International
has recently added these scales to its
product range reflecting the number
of US competitors who are going
upmarket, the other side of the coin from the
growing use of very cheap electronic mini-
scales made in China. I looked around for UK
suppliers and found Acculab’s sole importer and
retailer, DJB Labcare Ltd. in Newport Pagnall,
Buckinghamshire (www.djblabcare.co.uk). Let’s
look at these large and expensive scales (£280
 Above - Levelling bubble. (Yes, I know the scale isn’t set-up level – it was moved to
facilitate photography.)
exclusive of VAT and carriage / insurance). They
are mains powered (a battery operation conversion
unit is available), read up to 120 grams (1,850gn)
and are sensitive to ±0.02gn, or two-hundredths of
a grain (not two-tenths as I wrote last month while
suffering some sort of mathematical brainstorm).
It’s a big solid machine that sits on four height
adjustable feet with a little bubble level as getting it
completely level is important for accurate readings.
It gives a considerable choice of measurement units
and there are many inbuilt software facilities I’ll
never use having set it to give readings in grains
and simply weighing individual powder charges.
There are lots of issues about using electronic
scales and getting reliable results, but the more
sensitive the device, the more things have to be right.
As well as needing to be level, they hate: draughts,
temperature changes (including being positioned
where sunlight falls on them), movement and
vibration, power supply variations, electronic or
magnetic interference (fluorescent lighting, mobile or
DECT phone emissions, power cables, unshielded
electric or electronic machines etc). So you switch
the device on well beforehand it to get it warmed up,
turn the heating on in the room if needed well before
using the scales to get a steady ambient
temperature and keep doors and windows closed
throughout the session. After calibration with the
supplied weight, you’ll find you need to re-zero
these scales regularly as the zero wanders unless
you can provide an absolutely stable platform and
environment. I zero them for every powder charge
being weighed, simply pressing the ‘Zero button’
with my little finger as I lower the scale pan onto
the platen. (As these are not dedicated handloading
scales, you don’t get a scale pan incidentally.) This
sounds terrible, but these limitations and issues
apply to any electronic scale, but most people are
unaware of them with their cheap and relatively
insensitive models!
Consistency
A really useful, some would say essential,
handloading accessory is a set of scale
check-weights to ensure your scale readings are
accurate. The cheapest model available is Lyman’s
basic set that allows any weight between 1 and
60gn to be checked and costs £25.35 at Hannams.
It’s a really good idea to check any reloading scale
accuracy regularly to ensure it hasn’t ‘gone off’,
but I regard them as essential for electronic
models, especially the often inaccurate cheap micro
types. Anyway, I’ve checked the Acculab at intervals
during lengthy loading sessions and 25.0 or 50.0gn
of check weights still read exactly that every time I
try it. In comparison, I found the RCBS 10-10 beam
scales also read very accurately indeed (if you
keep your head and eye level constant in relation
to the beam) and portable Salter-Bracknell battery
powered electronic scales read 0.1gn high with
50.0gn of check-weights, within their claimed ±0.1gn
tolerance, but are more prone to ‘wandering’ a little
over time needing occasional recalibration.
So we’re set up, Acculab scale levelled and warmed
up, and ready to go. One problem we immediately
run into is the size and height of these scales – you
Target Shooter 67
 A sturdy hinged lid protects the scale’s platen and delicate measuring cell when
not in use
cannot sit the pan on the scale platen and dribble
powder grains in from a trickler. That’s one reason
why I continued to use the RCBS beam scales
to get the charge close to what I wanted with my
long-range .223R ammo before transferring the pan
to the Acculab. However, I’ve since seen a nice little
American battery powered two-speed trickler on a
stand that allows the trickler tube to be set anywhere
between 1” and 5½” above the bench and has a
6” reach, the Omega Powder Trickler from Dandy
Products (www.omegapowdertrickler.com) in Mesa,
Arizona. Once you’ve got the pan and powder on
the scales, the trick is to give the scale a second or
two to let the reading settle and then use the first
value that stays briefly constant. Delaying beyond
that point will see readings fluctuate again.
With these very accurate scales, I can finally do a
serious test of powder measures. I weigh all of my
charges individually using the measure to throw
a charge as close as possible to that desired, but
many handloaders regard individual weighing as far
too time consuming, and it’s not essential anyway
68 Target Shooter
for short-range ammunition. Tests done in the USA
many years ago using the .30-06 cartridge showed
that ≤1% charge weight variation had no measurable
effect on chamber pressure and MV spreads,
other factors such as case and bullet variances being
more important – that’s 0.2-0.3gn total variation in a
cartridge like .223R, 0.4-0.5gn in .308W and similar.
For short-range shooting, you can even get away
with a little bit more if it’s a load combination that
the rifle and barrel particularly like. Long-range work
especially with cartridges with marginal ballistics for
the job like .223R and .308W at 900 and 1,000yd is
a very different matter and we need real precision in
every aspect of the handloading process.
Anyway, I’ve collected six mechanical measures
together for a test, in approximate price order
(low to high): Lee ‘Perfect’ measure; Forster BR
measure; RCBS Uniflow; Hornady L-N-L Bench Rest;
Redding BR-30; Harrell’s Precision Premium
Benchrest measure. The RCBS was borrowed
from Vince Bottomley and the Forster model from
Hannam’s Reloading Limited, my thanks to both
 Lyman scale check weight set. A pair of tweezers is included to handle the tiny weights
parties. The Hornady, Lee, RCBS, and Redding
models use bored through cylindrical rotors and
pencil type metering chambers plugged into one side
of the rotor. The Harrell has a Culver-type two-piece
cylindrical form chamber with one of the two
sections movable laterally to vary the gap (or metering
chamber) between them. The Forster has a unique
set-up with the metering chamber in the operating
handle – all will be shown next month. Prices range
from £25.82 for the Lee to $250 US for the Harrell
likely to translate to a similar price in pounds. I’ll also
test an original electronic Lyman 1200DPS Mk 1
dispenser that measures out and weighs the
powder, RRP: £297.05 for the latest Mk 3 version.
To kick these tests off, I did a reprise of my
long-range .223R/90 and .308W/185 powder
weighing methods, pre and post Acculab purchase.
I weighed out 25 charges each of 25.2gn Alliant
Reloder 15 and 46.3gn Vihtavuori N550 by throwing
them from the Harrell measure into the RCBS
scale pan and then weighing / adjusting charges as
carefully as if I had been loading ammunition for
a GBFCA league round. The difference was that
instead of pouring the charges into cases and
seating bullets, I returned them to the powder bottle
(not the measure reservoir as that can affect its
consistency). I then reran the Re15 25-round test,
but weighed charges as they came out of the
measure. Oh ....errr! That’s a large spread to put it
mildly! I then repeated the test again, but gave the
measure body two light taps with a wooden kitchen
spoon after returning the operating
handle to the upright position which charges the
metering-cavity with powder. This saw a near 0.2gn
increase in the average weight thrown at that
measure setting, but reduced the weight spread
considerably – definitely the way to go. The test was
then run twice for my .308W F/TR charge of 46.3gn
Vihtavuori N550, the first time with every charge
weighed on the RCBS 10-10 scales and adjusted
as needed; the second straight from the measure
Target Shooter 69
but using the wooden spoon ‘knocker’. To ensure
consistency of the measure’s performance across
the tests, each test started with the reservoir filled
and 10 charges thrown and discarded to allow
powder grains to settle.
The results are set out in Table 2. The method
outlined last month (weighing on the Acculab then
adjusting charge weights) need not be repeated
of course as I know that gives me charge weight
consistency of ±0.02gn, but is very time consuming.
My conclusions are:

(1) that using the Acculab scale to make

ultra-fine adjustments does give more consistent

..... and the most expensive – the Harrell’s

Precision Premium Benchrest model at $250
without stand.
charge weights for the .223 Rem loads than the
measure plus RCBS 10-10 / adjustment procedure
(ES reduced from 0.2gn to 0.04gn on 25.2gn).

(2) that using the measure plus RCBS 10-10/

adjustment gives sufficient consistency for the
larger .308W load as it retains a 0.2gn ES, but now
on 46.3gn.

(3) that even with a consistent ‘knocking’ regime,

charges used as thrown from the Harrell without
individual weighing and adjustment are just
adequate for short-range loads in small
cartridges like .223R, but nowhere near
consistent enough for mid and long-range target
ammunition.....

.... and (4) that charges so thrown are only marginally

The cheapest powder measure tested – consistent enough for .308W long-range ammunition
the Lee ‘Perfect Measure’ at £25 including as they come from the measure and that weighing /
flimsy stamped steel stand adjusting them is likely to see smaller ‘elevations’ on

70 Target Shooter
 Most measures use
a drilled through
cylindrical rotor
with a thimble type
metering insert
plugged into one
side.
(Hornady LNL Bench
Rest Grade measure.)

the target. methods outlined above with three powders:

Next month, I’ll describe the measures and the Hodgdon VarGet, IMR-4064, and Vihtavuori N140.
DPS 1200 and see how well they perform using the
Table 2 

Reloder 15 and Vihtavuori N550 Charge weight Consistency   

25.2gn Re15 

Harrell + weighed on RCBS 10‐10 / adjusted:  Average: 25.23gn  Spread: 0.2gn (25.1‐25.3gn)    SD: 0.05gn 

Harrell, no subsequent adjustment:    Average: 25.28gn  Spread: 1.3gn (24.2‐25.5gn)    SD: 0.17gn 

Harrell (‘knocked’), no subsequent adjustment:  Average: 25.50gn  Spread: 0.46gn (25.3‐25.76gn)    SD: 0.1gn  

46.3gn Viht N550 

Harrell + weighed on RCBS 10‐10 / adjusted:  Average: 46.3gn  Spread: 0.2gn (46.18‐46.38gn)    SD: 0.076gn 

Harrell (‘knocked’), no subsequent adjustment:  Average:46.14gn  Spread: 0.54gn (45.86‐46.4gn)    SD: 0.15gn  

Target Shooter 71
 
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72 Target Shooter
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Target Shooter
 This Smallbore Business

By Don Brook
Trigger release…Totally Mental! trigger bar relative to the direction of the trigger
finger is extremely important. I think it is crucial
Well, I could write for hours on this subject, as to have the trigger finger address parallel to the
there are so many things that can go wrong. barrel in both planes.
From the totally physical release to the optimum This is extremely critical when shooting standing
mental release, from the quite conscious decision with all three rifles applicable. The Air rifle, free
to the optimum sub conscious release…. The rifle smallbore, and the 300m or full bore rifle.
problems associated are immense! Even high level prone shooting (is there any
other?) are susceptible to problems with the
In terms of the physical, even the address on the extremely steady positions adopted, as really

This photograph shows a common fault with a free rifle. Where the hand grip is so low
the trigger is pulled downwards. See text

Target Shooter 75
 This hand position and trigger finger is correct. The rifle is a model 1807
Anschutz without a thumb hole grip thus the thumb is upwardly positioned

the only way you can disturb the hold, and aiming His trigger finger does not contact the trigger
accuracy is with the trigger finger function. guard, or stock of the rifle in any manner,
so leaving the trigger to operate freely, and
This article really is devoted to a number of the correctly. The rifle is an older model Anschutz
problems associated with the position of the standard rifle, without a thumb hole stock, which
right (trigger) hand on the rifle. contributes to the “thumb up” on the grip. The
First of all, if you examine picture one, which shooter has also been taught to locate the thumb
indicates a totally correct trigger hand position on in the same place relative to the trigger finger.
the rifle, it is paramount for small bore shooters
that the trigger finger address is correct. In this In photo two, you will see a stock that was custom
photograph of a young shooter in Australia that made for the individual, so note the grip design
has been coached carefully, you will see that for the right hand, and the adjusted position of
the finger aligns with the bore of the barrel in the trigger lever. This design, being custom made
a horizontal plane. In this case the shooter is for the shooter, allows an incredibly consistent
shooting an “F” class rig, and even with this form right hand position, and correct placement of the
of stability the trigger finger operation is critical. trigger finger itself. This allows the trigger to be
This technique resulted in a flawless 100 on the operated from the first joint of the finger, not the
target. compressible pad of the index finger. There is
The trigger finger operates the trigger parallel to absolutely no contact with the grip forward of the
the bore in both planes, and as such has very index finger knuckle of the hand so there is no
little chance of disturbing the rifle in the shot possible way the rifle can be disturbed from the
release sequence. aim. The trigger finger is parallel to the barrel
The position of the trigger hand on the grip is in both planes, and believe me this was not an
monitored carefully, and the trigger finger only accident in stock design. The trigger is operated
contacts the trigger bar itself in the exact same into the exact centre of the hand, operating the
position due to “feeling” the grip and trigger on release sequence consistently because the grip
the contact surfaces of the trigger hand and has been designed for the right hand of the
finger. This shooter has a completely consistent shooter.
shot release pattern, and is improving rapidly. If you want go somewhere in this fascinating
76 Target Shooter
 This shows a custom stock where the grip is made to fit the shooter

sport, it is crucial to have a custom grip, or adjust
the grip on your rifle so it fits!
In photograph three, you will see an example
of a trigger on an Anschutz 1413 free rifle, also
in “F” class rig, being operated in a distinct
downwards plane due to the right hand not
being positioned correctly. This is a thumb hole
stock, in the authors opinion on of the best
designed commercial stocks on the market.
All this shooter needs to do is raise the trigger

This is a new shooter showing how the grip is strangled with intense force. The trigger
is being pulled upward toward the face with a lot of hand contact with the grip. This is
highly undesirable. See text

Target Shooter 77
 hand up towards the barrel 2cm, so allowing the spite of the strength of the shooters trigger hand,
trigger to operate directly backwards, parallel the mere operation of the trigger finger itself will
to the barrel. The mere fact that the stock has move the rifle due to the trigger finger tendon
a thumb hole will allow correct positioning moving in the upper palm of the hand.
following some thought devoted to doing this! It Try this yourself as you read this… make a fist
must be noted that once again it is detrimental of the opposite hand, and encase the closed fist
to a performance if the trigger finger contacts with your trigger hand. Then move the trigger
the timber, or trigger guard in any way during thefinger in and out as if pulling a trigger. You will
trigger release sequence. feel the tendon moving. This in turn moves the
rifle off that very good aim at shot release. This
In the fourth photo, this shows a brand new often causes the thought…. “Why the heck is
shooter, with a strangle hold on the rifle with that shot out there?”
the trigger hand. His grip pressure is extreme
(I am wondering if sap will drip from the bottom You see, in small bore shooting, with the
of the grip!) This is a common grip among full positions so well established, the only thing
bore shooters that have a stock that does not that moves at shot release is the trigger finger!
fit, and even though the grip displayed is not Even when shooting rimfire bench rest, the rifle
common among small bore shooters, it will be is often moved with the trigger finger. Learn to
attended to in the first coaching session this release a shot without moving ANYTHING!
guy attends. Apart from the obvious pressures
exerted, there is maximum contact on the grip A lot of fun this game eh?
towards the trigger finger, and the trigger is Brooksie.
being operated from the upper most surface of
the trigger bar upwards into the face. Because
of the inconsistencies of the positioning, and in

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78 Target Shooter info@intershoot.co.uk
 TRAINING ALONE versus TRAINING
WITH OTHERS
I don’t know if it stems from me being an only
child but I have always been more than happy
with my own company, this was no different
when I was training for hours with my air rifle
on assorted ranges. I have to say though, what
you are happy with is not always the best for
your advancement in the sport. In the end I
tended to go for a good balance of time to myself
alone on the range with no distractions (this
can be achieved if you are lucky enough to be
a key holder to your local range) albeit having
By Hayley Platts
to keep some very strange shooting hours.
Personally I think you can only get so far if you
train alone, there is a need to be pitting yourself
against another shooter on a regular basis, not
only for that competitive instinct but to keep
training fresh and enjoyable. It’s not always
easy to match yourself with another shooter
of comparable ability and this can be difficult
although not impossible if you are both willing
to travel to be able to train together. When you
have a great rapport with your training partner
you will form a trusting bond which enables
you to honestly evaluate their technique and
help them improve, it’s mutually beneficial
and you will find that scores for both will go
up. Whereas it can be easy on your own to
not fully concentrate (because who is going to
be looking at your cards anyway) there is no
get out clause when you are firing shoulder
to shoulder, particularly in such training
exercises as firing shot for shot.
Training can at times be a hard and boring
grind and it can be much more fun when you
are with other shooters. I’m not sure I can
ever say on club night my full concentration
is there, even if I am busy shooting postal
competition cards, but often the feedback and
general ideas that bounce around provoke
thought and sometimes a change of direction
with technique or equipment. It is certainly
beneficial if you don’t have a specific coach,
to go to your club when you have either a
new rifle or corrective glasses for example.
Club member’s input can be so helpful, and
if nothing else it is an extra pair of hands to
assist with alterations, as well as knowledge
Target Shooter 79
which you may not be familiar with. I don’t think
there is anything like the camaraderie at the club
when everyone is enthusiastic for a member
who has brought in their new gun. Everyone The Place to
buzzes around offering to help set it up, see the
new innovations first hand on maybe what they Shop at Bisley
have read about, and help get it set up for the
new owner. With fewer chances at open shoots
to see new guns and equipment it does cause
The NSRA,
something of a stir when new technology arrives
at your club range.
Lord Roberts Centre
Now in stock ~ the popular
Morini CM84E ISSF ‘Longarm’ Free Pistol
With a training partner you get very used to
trying to beat them every time you are shoulder
to shoulder with them and this breeds a very
competitive spirit. Even when you are in
Price: ~ £1236.00
competition and nowhere near on the range, it will FAC Required
almost be second nature to be competitive and
confident in your abilities under pressure. Areas
you are not so happy with during a match can be
fine tuned once you return to the training range
with your training partner. The other great bonus
with the partnership is the fact that you have
a ready made pairs grouping for competition,
which is another competition to strive for and
another chance of being successful.

There will always be a place for solo training,

this is the hours of aiming and dry firing away
from the range and those times when you need
to tinker with little alterations and adjustments
to test whether or not improvements can be
made. I would also say never underestimate the
importance of club night, even if it is noisy and
loud and the range time isn’t as much as you’d
like. It’s good to network and enjoy the company
of other shooters, and also to pass on some of
your tips and advice to the next generation.
A RANT FROM THE WRITER
Sometimes you really think you’re up against
it. Either everything you do goes wrong or
however hard you try, events conspire to make
you look an idiot. I am currently in the latter
camp, and feeling more than a little cheesed off
with things. My first moan would be in relation
to some of the more petty rules and regulations
with regard to postal shooting. In the first
instance, it does seem a little picky to disqualify
someone for using the non-official card, which
in my case was a genuine error. Two rounds of
cards had to be made up and shot, the second
batch were on the permitted targets, and my first
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come browse and ask if you don’t see what you
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Further information from out website
www.nsra.co.uk
Shop Tel: 01483 485510
Shop Fax: 01483 488817
E-mail: sales@nsra.co.uk

80 Target Shooter
unfortunately were not. An honest mistake, the
usual thing, rushing and trying to do too many
things and the wrong cards got the stickers
slapped on them. The difference in the ‘official
and permitted’ card and the non official card is,
aside from cost, is that is a little thicker. There
is certainly no benefit to be gained by the rings
of the targets or any benefit to rein in a few
more points. Anyway yours truly was not given
a warning or a slap on the wrist, no 3 strikes
and you’re out, simply disqualified, and on this
occasion other seasoned shooters received the
same treatment. How demoralising it is to shoot
your heart out on the range and have no score
recorded through a petty regulation such as the
type of card. When the scorer has known you as
an honest shooter for about 20 years, I did feel
that the jobsworth award had come into play.
With not only hard times financially for people,
less time to spend on hobbies and interests, and
ours being a sport which doesn’t naturally attract
hundreds of members at a time through media
coverage etc, some of these picky rules such as
forgetting to get a witness date on one of your
cards, or forgetting to sign your name or putting
your sticker or writing on the wrong side of
the card does nothing to encourage people to
compete. Don’t get me wrong I am in favour
of being orderly and rules and regulations
needing to be in place particularly for safety,
but when rulings get in the way of genuine
shooters who haven’t perhaps been given the
full information from team mates organising
competitions, or have not sat and fully
studied the mutinae of the regulations for the
competition entry and ending up shooting for
nothing effectively this is a real shame. Rules
also should be more geared at those who
turn in these astounding world record beating
scores year after year in postal competitions
but never appear in open shoots, and more
often than not deny a genuine shooter of a
place in a live final at the end of the postal
series. Either that or these superb shooting Target Shooter Magazine can offer your
talents should be coaxed out of their shyness company
copy magazine cannot offer. Our readers can,
of competing nationally so they can get out on with
your website.
the international stage and bring Britain some An advert with a hard copy magazines can
world class silverware back. only say so much about your product. With
cost and limited space, most have to keep it
My last gripe considering two recent postal
competition disqualifications for minor
infringements (especially galling as I had
shot extremely well - for me anyway) was the
score that was posted to every man and his
dog by way of the results of an Open Shoot I
attended last year. I had done the best I could to
overcome injury over the two 60 shot courses,
only to find when I saw the results that my score
had been somehow transposed with someone
else’s score, and let me tell you someone else
really hadn’t had a good day and was pleased
to have my score against their name, whilst I
lucked out and seemingly had had a hapless day
on the range to score 475/600!!! As a footnote
to all this I completed my NSRA/ELEY round
one postal at the club last week (correct cards
and signatures I hope) and it went through my
mind having just seen my latest ‘misdemeanour’
on the score board that this batch of cards to
be shot could go one of two ways in my fury.
I am very pleased to say I shot pretty much a
personal best. Maybe at last I have turned the
corner on the bad run of luck and whilst I really
must do better with the admin, I really do want to
enjoy my shooting without the aggro. Maybe a
punch bag could be incorporated into my fitness
schedule……
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Target Shooter Magazine is a publication of Trinity Digital Publishing Ltd
Target Shooter 81
 From The Bench
VINCE’S REGULAR COLUMN
WHEREBY ACCURACY NUTS
CAN KEEP UP TO DATE WITH
THE ACTIVITIES OF THE UKBRA

Competitions yards we shoot for group, for this is what benchrest

Our second shoot of the UKBRA 600 yard winter
series was held on January 22nd . After an
expected below par turn-out on Boxing Day, we
were back to full relays though again, the weather
threatened us with a dense mist delaying the start
for an hour or so.
shooting is – accuracy rather than marksmanship
if you like.
However, ‘score’ shooting is popular with the 22
rimfire guys and also some of the centrefire shoots
in America have a score element.

The Boxing day shoot was something of a disaster So, in March – Saturday the 12th to be precise -
for me so I was pleased to get back in the winner’s we will hold our first centrefire score shoot at 100
circle and I was joined by the irrepressible Toni yards. The rules for rifles are exactly the same as
Young who once again scooped the Factory for centrefire but the targets will be the ‘25 bull’
Sporter award. Steve Dunn’s sub. two-inch group variety as used by the 22 rimfire guys at 50 yards.
with his 22BR was a stunner – the best for some It won’t be easy but it will be different and hopefully,
time. it will give those who have invested heavily in a
benchrest rifle, a few more competions.
Results: Light Gun
1st Vince Bottomley 22Dasher TGP Stiller Venue (Diggle) and start time (10.00am) will be
2.958in. (av. of four, 5-shot groups) the same as for all our 100 yard shoots. Being our
2nd Steve Dunn 22BR Dunn Stolle first effort, it will be something of a ‘shakedown’
3.295 shoot but further score comps. – as well as our
3rd Steve Barrett 6XC Wadsworth group shoots - are planned throughout the year.
3.453
STOP THE PRESS - always wanted to say that
Small group Steve Dunn 1.975 inches - Carl

Factory Sporter The Greatest Ever Egg Shoot – Diggle

1st Toni Young 308 Remington Ranges Bank Holiday Monday 30th May 2011
4.781 (all-day practice Sunday 29th May)
2nd Phil Gibbon 6.5-284 Savage
5.131 One hen’s egg – one thousand yards – one
3rd Stuart Benson 308 Remington shot – one thousand pounds!
8.25
Limited to first 100 shooters – e-mail
Small group Phil Gibbon 3.275 inches vinceb@6ppc.fsnet.co.uk
Score Shooting
All our UKBRA benchrest shoots are currently
‘group’ shoots. Whether it’s 100, 600 or 1000

82 Target Shooter
The Benchmark - Rimfire & Air Rifle Benchrest News
AN AUSTRALIAN FIRST metre air or indeed if their facilities do not lend to
The recent Rimfire Benchrest Australian National that at least try shooting 20 metre Bench Air so
held at Melbourne International Shooting Club that they can compete in the 25 metre outdoor
(MISC) in Melbourne heralded a new start in competitions when they are being conducted.
Benchrest shooting by providing opportunities
to shooters to compete in a 25 metre Air Bench What’s required? The World Benchrest Air and
competition. This is a competition that is shot Rimfire Rules, check them from the internet,
in both Europe and particularly in South Africa. there are various subdivisions within the air rifle
The use of both the Air Arms EV2 Mark IV and competition. Similar to rimfire, there are 8 joule,
a Steyr LG 100 and LG110 gave shooters the 16 and 24 up to a maximum of 27.1 joules. You
opportunity to check the accuracy of these rifles might ask what is a joule? A joule is measure
and in particular give consideration to a less of energy that is converted from kinetic energy
expensive form of shooting. These rifles are imparted to the pellet, 16 joule models on a
extremely competitive and accurate and are .51 gram pellet have exit velocities of 822 feet
considerably cheaper to use than the rimfire per second and on a .547 pellet 793 feet per
equivalent. second. In the case of the Steyr 24 joule model
the lighter .51 gram pellets an exit velocity of
Clubs should encourage members to shoot 25 approximately 1006 feet per second and on the
heavier .547 gram pellets of 976 feet per second.

Target Shooter 83
It can be seen although the velocities are not as 25 metres for the pellet to maintain accuracy.
high as classic rimfire they are sufficient that at As you maybe aware the Rimfire Benchrest

84 Target Shooter
 The winning team

Australia as of 1st January, 2011 is being

taken over by NSWSARAI and a program
of shooting in New South Wales is being
developed. The 2011 RBA Nationals are
going to be held at Greystane Range from
19th to 20th November, 2011. Also note
various other Clubs in New South Wales
will be running with RBA targets, plenty of
shooting experience will be gained shooting
targets that are shot internationally, readers
wishing to try out for an International team
will have ample opportunity to use these
targets and then seek selection for World
Cup matches and pistol competitions.

It is also anticipated that a Victorian RBA

style of competition will be run on the 21st
May, 2011 at the MISC Anniversary Shoot
and also 2nd – 4th December, 2011. There will
be an opportunity to shoot 25 metre air and
50 metre rimfire.

If you are thinking of a new form of competition

check out the air rifles that people are
achieving success with, ask questions of the
author and others shooting in this competition.

Target Shooter 85
..... and finally, for this
month, we have a
regional competition
on offer from John at
Paul Lane. Equiries via
the information below.
Paul Lane are well versed
in Rimifre and Air Rifle
benchrest, with many of
the UK team coming from
their ranks. See picture for
2010 team members Carl,
John, Graham and Jake

Paul Lane Open 28th & 29th May 2011

Entry Form

Name: .
Address: .
Post Code: .
Telephone: Email: .
Club: .

Competitions
Rimfire
50 metre Heavy Varmint (outdoors) YES/NO*
50 metre Light Varmint (outdoors) YES/NO*
25 metre Heavy Varmint (indoors) YES/NO*
25 metre Light Varmint (indoors) YES/NO*
Air
25 metre Unlimited (outdoors) YES/NO*
* Delete as necessary
Entry Fees:
The entry fee for ONE competition is £20. For each additional competition entered the
fee is a further £10. Juniors (under 18 on 1st April 2011) entry fees will be £10 and £5
respectively.

Total entry fee enclosed: £

Signed: Date: .

The closing date for entries is 31/03/2011

Should entries be oversubscribed they will be accepted on a first come first served basis.
Cheques should be made payable to Paul Lane Rifle and Pistol Club and returned with
completed entry form to:
Paul Lane Open,
c/o 11, Gernhill Avenue,
HUDDERSFIELD
W.Yorks
HD2 2HR

86 Target Shooter
 The Long View
News from the GB
F-Class Association
by Les Holgate
Traditionally, we always interview the GBFCA
League winners as most competitors are interested
in what the top shooters are using in terms of
equipment and ammunition. Grant Taylor has again
won the Open Class so many congratulations to
Grant. We interviewed him last year and as far as
I know, Grant is still using his 284 BAT so we will
leave him in peace and have a word instead with
our new F/TR League winner, Adam Bagnall. If you
missed Grant’s interview, you’ll find it on the GBFCA
website at www.f-class.org.uk
Adam, congratulations on winning the League by
the narrowest of margins and coming second in
the Europeans – by just one point!  We always like
to start off with a bit of background. Tell us about
your working background and what got you into
shooting?  LH – Who built your current rifle?
AB - My dad got me into shooting, he bought me
my first BB gun, when I was five years old (it was
a Diana). I grew up with shooting and had various
relatives who shot, we even had a Whitworth rifle
propped up in the coal bunker!  In more recent
years, around the time of the handgun ban, I started
shooting at the City of Salford Shooting Club and
entered competitions in the Phoenix leagues in
small bore and pistol-calibre carbine, where I had
quite a lot of success.  Not long after this I joined the
101 Rifle Club at Altcar (who are now known as the
Scouse Mafia in the League!) and started fullbore
rifle shooting.
I have worked in the motorcycle trade for the last
30 years and am now semi-retired, latterly building
race engines and prepping machines for Aprilia.  development with the 308 cartridge and more of
LH - Am I correct in saying that this is only your
second year shooting in the GB F Class League?
Was it the F/TR Class that attracted you?  AB – My favourite bullet is the Berger 155.5 grain
AB  - Yes, I decided to have a go in F/TR last year,
just to see how I would fair on a national basis.  This
was prompted by Steve Donaldson getting on to
the GB Team in 2009 for the World Championships. 
It became apparent very quickly that Russell
Simmonds was the guy to beat and taking victory
off Russell after his three years as Champion was
no easy feat.  Russell is a real nice guy and I told
him earlier this year that I wanted to push him but
I didn’t really believe that I would win the League
until the season was nearly over.   
LH – Tell us about your rifle – obviously it’s a 308
but what action, stock, scope etc. are you using?  
AB  - It is a 10 year old RPA Quadlock, with a
Broughton barrel, fitted with RPA’s gold trigger and
a Nightforce NF benchrest scope and a light-weight
Robertson stock. 
 
AB - My rifle was originally built by RPA but the barrel
has been replaced (which I had fitted through Brian
Fox of Fox Firearms), Brian Fox also provided the
stock that Stuart Anselm of Osprey Rifles bedded
and fitted.  I would like you to mention my special
thanks to Brian for all his help.
LH – That stock is a bit of a strange choice if you
don’t mind me saying – what made you go for that
one? 
AB - Not so strange; the rifle was overweight with
the original Robertson stock and rather than go for
a lighter scope to make weight, I went for a lighter
stock. 
LH – Again, this year, there has been a lot of
the guys are moving to heavy bullets – what’s your
choice? What kind of velocities are you getting? 
which I feel has the edge but I also use the Berger
185 long-range boat-tail and latterly I was using
the Berger 210 LRBT.  I am getting 3100 fps from
Target Shooter 87
the 155’s, 2900 from the 185 and 2700 from the pipeline? 
210. Now I’ve got to say the ‘jury is out’ on whether
the heavier bullet gives you an advantage over the AB –  I will carry on with the same kit, the only
155.5 grainer.  reason I would change is if a new bullet came on
the market, that was obviously better. 
LH – Tell us about your preferred powder, brass and
primers Adam.   LH –  Like most of us, you have done your share of
travelling this year to shoot in the GBFCA League
AB -  I am using Lapua’s Palma brass, Federal Gold but what is your favourite UK range? 
Medal Match primers and latterly magnum primers. I
use Hodgdon’s Varget powder for the 155.5 grainer AB -  Difficult one, I don’t really have a favourite
and Vihtavuori N550 for the heavier bullets.  range although I do like Blair Athol as a beautiful
place to visit, although I did have my worst
LH – What twist-rate are you using?  performance there. 

AB - I actually use a 1 in 10 twist, which some say is LH – Is there anything you would like to see changed
not suitable for 155 grain bullet but, the proof is in the in F Class in general or F/TR in particular? 
pudding! The 1 in 10 True-flite barrel gives excellent
results, however when I have tried cheaper bullets, AB - I wish that we never had back bags for F/
then the 1 in 10 performs very poorly.  TR but that is probably too late to change now. I
believe F/TR should be a .308 or .223 rifle shot
LH – Obviously, you weigh all your powder charges off an ‘off the shelf’ bi-pod with no back bag – that
– what scales are you using and for that matter, would make it even more interesting! But, I think it
whose dies do you use?   is a great sport and if you haven’t got the financial
resources that some of the Open Class guys have,
AB – I weigh all my powder using an RCBS Charge I would recommend it to anybody to have a go. 
Master 1500 and I use RCBS competition dies.
LH – Finally, although it’s a long way off the F Class
LH – That’s interesting, I’ve always wondered if the World Championships at Raton, New Mexico in
Charge Master is really good enough for competition 2013, you must be one of the favourites for the GB
loading but clearly it is! F/TR Team. Are you looking forward to it - provided
you make the team?  
Let’s talk about bi-pods now. F/TR bi-pod
development is interesting at the moment with AB -  Nothing would give me greater pleasure
everyone trying to go a light as possible. What than representing Great Britain and if we can
bi-pod are you currently using? What does it weigh?   keep the very high standard of the Great Britain
Team together over the next couple of years, then
AB - My bi-pod was hand-made for me by a couple
I am confident that we will come away as World
of engineers called Mark Gray and shooting buddy
Champions in 2013. 
Paul Harkins (Paul’s design) and it weights 400
grams (about 14 ounces!). My rifle is in-weight by a LH – Adam, thanks taking the trouble to do this
mere 60 grams (a couple of ounces).  interview for Target Shooter readers and for sharing
your information with us all. Good luck for 2011.
LH – Obviously the rifle has worked well for you this
year but is there any room for improvement?  GBFCA Training Weekend
The second GBFCA Bisley Training Weekend is
AB - I think when most shooters don’t shoot well on only a few weeks away (19/20th Feb) and there
a particular day, they have a bad habit of blaming are only a few places left. The course is designed
their equipment! I have been using the same rifle to prepare you for shooting F Class with the GB
and scope for the last 10 years and all I’ve done League and our first competition will be a short
is develop the load so that it’s capable of quarter- range comp. (500/600 yds) at Diggle Ranges on
minute group at 100 yards and holds a good group 16/17th April.
all the way out to 1200 yards. Other than putting on
a fresh barrel when it needs it, the improvements The Course proved hugely popular last year so
need to be in myself in wind-reading and trying to get in touch with organiser Mik Maksimovic as
stay calm - especially at the start of the competition soon as possible if you would like to attend mik@
when the pressure is on for me. mikdolphin.demon.co.uk Target Shooter will be
there, so expect a full write-up in the March issue.
LH – Does that mean you will continue with the
same kit next year? Have you anything new in the

88 Target Shooter
Gallery Rifle & Pistol News
Load and Make Ready
The 2010 GR season is but a distant memory and
one could be forgiven for some relaxation over the
festive season but a quick check of the calendar
shows that there is little time left to prepare for 2011
and there is a lot to do! Here is a three point plan to
ensure a trouble free season.
Equipment
When it’s busy I sometime adopt an abbreviated
cleaning regime, which effectively means sending a
couple of jacketed rounds down to clean the barrel
and a quick squirt of WD40 in the action. Satisfactory
as this might be in the short term it is now time for a
thorough strip down, clean and service.
Things to check are the extractor claw, ejector and
firing pin (see plate 1), which are quite straight
forward on both 10/22s and Marlins and despite all
the hard work my Marlins have seen they are still on
their original extractors but I always keep a spare
ejectors in my shooting box. Another point to watch
with Marlins is the cartridge lifter, called the “carrier
assembly” on the parts exploded diagram. It has a
Plate 1 - Marlin Parts
spring loaded cross bolt which, if not kept lubricated
can break, making the rifle unusable and with repair
impractical the only option is expensive replacement.
The photograph at plate 2 shows a worn 44 and new
357 carrier assembly side by side, it is difficult to see
that the cross bolt on the worn carrier is just about to
break. The truth of the matter is that these firearms
were designed for “frequent carry, seldom used” and
we are putting thousands of rounds through them
every year.
Next make any modifications, e.g. changing
scopes, new firing pin, and new springs etc. early
and thoroughly check them to make sure they are
durable. Now with a fully functional nice clean gun
you can set your mind to your programme for the
season.
Events
The NRA GR Sub-Committee has included two
additional courses of fire in this year’s GR Handbook,
which is at the printers and will be available for the
Spring Action Weekend. It is not planned to include
the two new events in the programme at the Bisley
Meetings but are intended to provide ideas for variety
Target Shooter 89
 Plate 2 - Marlin carrier assembly
at club shoots.
The first new event is the 1020 (“Ten Twenty”),
which is based on the 1500 course of fire for clubs
who want a longer course of fire but do not have
access to a 50 meter range. The second event is
the Multi-target 3 which is based on a Service Pistol
Match from the Imperial Meeting, which combines
the features of the current Multi-target match and the
Phoenix A, but including a 50 meter stage to provide
an extra challenge. My home club intends to trial
these match and report the outcome soon.
In additional to new course of fire there are sufficient
existing ones to provide a variety of challenges; so
are you inclined to play it safe and stick to what you
know or have a go at something different? I have
never shot the 100/200/300 yard GR Match, held
only at the Phoenix Meeting despite having enjoyed
shooting it with my home club, so this year I have
planned enough time for load development and trials
for both standard and classic entries, which brings
me onto the next point.
Load Development
Try to set some time aside for refining your loads,
whether testing a new powder or just improving an
existing powder and bullet combination. Once I have
determined the best combination I stick to it for the
whole season, so identifying a consistent supply of
components for the envisaged practice sessions and
match entries is vital.
Next job is to check your zero; I am astounded at
the number of shooters at my club that turn up for
competitions and then blame poor performance on
90 Target Shooter
an un-zeroed rifle! Zero at all the distances you
intend to shoot at and record the scope settings or
better still mark the turrets to aid ease of adjustment
during matches.
Right all set to go, so what is on offer.
2011 Programme
The domestic season starts when the clocks go
forward in March and ends when they go back in
October. The international season extends until
mid-November for the Leitmar Open GR Competition
and International. So here are the dates declared
thus far: -
If you have not tried them before my recommendation
is to enter one of the competitions away from Bisley,
they all have their own individual atmosphere but
they are universally friendly and well run. If I have
missed any please let know.
In addition there are three International Matches at
Bisley on Monday 30th May, at Fermoy in Ireland
9th/10th July and at Leitmar in Germany 12th/13th
November. The Home International Match is also
contested at the National Championships in August.
So plenty to keep you busy and plenty of competitions
to choose from, I don’t expect to be able to get to
them all but I shall do my best to bring you reports
from as many as I can.
Good luck and good shooting!
Association Pages – UKPSA : exceptionally well received. Much stamping of feet
Target Shooter magazine February 2011 Edition and complaints of cold fingers out on the range, and
UKPSA AGM Coverage as with most winter shoots, it was hard to know who
was actually there, thanks to layers of hats, coats
By Tony Saunders and gloves. A sea of goggled eyes on the two 25m
ranges as the competitors darted about in the mud.
Sunday 23rd January 2011 was the date for this years’
annual UKPSAAnnual General Meeting. Traditionally, The AGM this year was likely to be lively, and there
it’s been held at Bisley, the home of British shooting. were numerous prospective candidates putting names
This year though, it was held more centrally, at the forward for the five main council roles. Last year’s
excellent facilities of Wedgnock Rifle and Pistol Club AGM saw the election of a new Regional Director –
on the outskirts of Warwick. On behalf of the UKPSA, Mr George Granycome, who is a very familiar face
I would like to thank both Pete Starley and the at IPSC shotgun matches both as a shooter and
Wedgnock club for hosting the event that saw almost also as either RO (Range Officer) or part of the build
a fifth of the membership turn up to shoot and vote. crew. George was elected after a very close race
for the RD position over former RD Mr Graham Gill.
It was a cold day, with a biting wind and the ever
present threat of rain as over 30 shooters arrived for There has been a swell of interest in IPSC practical
a traditional pre-AGM shoot. This is usually arranged shooting in the UK over the last few years. There
by the Met Police “Blue Team” , but they had a has been a very active Shotgun scene, but 2010
well-earned rest this time as the baton was handed saw a series of successful and well-attended
to Wedgnock to host. Neil Smith, Jon Holloway Long Barrelled Revolver / Long Barrelled Pistol
and team arranged three stages of practical (LBR/LBP) matches. Handgun shooting, denied
shotgun, and three stages of mini-rifle, which were to us all since the ban, has always had a small

Practical Shotgun Stage : Competitor

under watchful eye of Dan Boswell

Target Shooter 91
 Jason Woolley with his GSG-5 shooting
a mini-rifle stage

but determined force attending shoots in both mind that the economy is at its worst period for decades
Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and mainland and shooters have an expensive hobby. Belts may be
Europe, and this too has seen renewed vigour. tight, but a good match always draws a good crowd.
Both gallery rifle and mini-rifle are popular in various
guises across the country at a grass-roots level, and
The UKPSA has been very busy this last year. Aside
are seeing increased attendance at sanctioned IPSC
from the sanctioning and running of matches, there
matches too. It all has a very positive feel bearing in
were attendances at both the World handgun Shoot
in Serbia, as well as the Pan-Am Level
IV match in the United States. There
were more Basic Safety Courses
than ever before, and the highest
attendance at the last one in November
which saw 28 shooters attend the
two-day course at Harlow in Essex.
Several new RO’s and CRO’s were
capped this last year too, a laudable
achievement that means we start to
see new blood coming through the
ranks to help run matches in the future.

A successful Match Director’s seminar
was planned and took place on Saturday
22nd January. Vanessa Duffy organised
the day that was aimed at providing
support and guidance to clubs who wish
Vanessa Duffy receives trophy for Standard to host UKPSA sanctioned matches.
Auto IPSC Shotgun (Ladies) from president Bob Thanks to Vanessa for organising that.
Chittleborough

92 Target Shooter
 Martin Davies receives trophy for Standard Manual IPSC Shotgun from president
Bob Chittleborough
A lot of activity is planned for the next 12 months.
• A full calendar of matches for LBR /
LBP / Gallery Rifle / Mini-rifle / Shot-
gun and Handgun. Watch this space
for dates as soon as they are released. Central European Shotgun Open (Hungary)
• There are plans to purchase a trailer
and a set of steel targets to be used to
Dan Boswell receives Ideagen trophy for
Best Newcomer IPSC Shotgun from Tony
Saunders
help clubs who put on IPSC matches.
• Attendance at the SK Bayern Cup (Germany),
• Training for selected members good
enough to be considered as part of the
British teams chosen to represent the
United Kingdom in the first World IPSC
Shotgun shoot in Hungary in 2012.
• More Basic Safety Courses held
at ranges around the country.
A new website is due to be launched this
year to replace the existing one. This will be
supplemented by new literature and guides.
Division and Trophy Winners
As is usual, the AGM is an opportunity to announce
and award trophies to the winners of the past year,
as a recognition of their achievements and also to
present any long-service awards or special prizes.
Target Shooter 93
Election of Officers
This year, there was a bubble of excitement
in the air as the council members gave their
speeches before stepping down before the voting.
George Granycome, Regional Director explained
to the membership how he felt that the year
had progressed well, with lively debate, and
covered his meetings with the IPSC council . He
presented a précis of the activity that has been
happening since the Cumbrian shooting incident,
which he has been closely involved before
passing on to Vanessa Duffy as current Chair.
Vanessa covered how much the UKPSA had grown
in recent years through the sustained effort of the
council and the membership, and paid tribute to
her fellow council members as she announced her
intention to step down as chairperson after four years.
Both Vanessa and Andy have worked very hard on

Category  Winner 
Mini‐Rifle (Standard)  Vanessa Duffy  
Gallery Rifle (Standard)  Andy Duffy 
LBR (Open)  Pete Starley 
LBR (Standard)  Bob Dunckley 
IPSC Shotgun Best Newcomer (IdeaGen Sponsored)  Dan Boswell 
IPSC Shotgun Standard‐Auto   Mike Darby 
IPSC Shotgun Standard‐Auto (Ladies)  Vanessa Duffy 
IPSC Shotgun Standard Auto (Junior)  Josie Adam 
IPSC Shotgun Standard Auto (Senior)  Barry Sullivan 
IPSC Shotgun Modified   James Harris 
IPSC Shotgun Modified Champion (Senior)  Pete Starley 
IPSC Shotgun Standard Manual  Martin Davies 
IPSC Shotgun Standard Manual (Senior)   Graham Hill 
IPSC Shotgun Open  Nicholas Hockley 
 

94 Target Shooter
 Colin Alden shooting minirifle RO’d by
Jon Holloway

behalf of the association, and are well known across After the dissolution of the council, Bob
many shooting disciplines, particularly at Bisley Chittleborough, current UKPSA president, took the
where she has fought long and hard to introduce chair to announce the election of the new council.
IPSC shotgun as a regular, accepted discipline. There were two nominees for Regional Director this
year, and it was decided to vote on the election of
Adrian Wander gave a summary of the UKPSA this role first. To a packed room, with more than
financial situation, which was very healthy and half the people present having to stand at the back
allowed the UKPSA to keep membership costs and line the walls, these two nominees; George
very low. There being no intention either to Granycome and Vanessa Duffy and had opportunity
increase the costs of membership for the next year. to make their case as a worthy candidate for the role
of Regional Director to the assembled members.
Alan Phillips has been secretary for 12 years. He
gave a passionate speech about the previous year, Voting was by secret ballot for this crucial role
and his involvement. Alan wears many hats and and the tension in the room was palpable as the
explained for the benefit of the membership how announcement was made... Vanessa Duffy was
much unseen work goes on behind the scenes. convincingly elected the new Regional Director.
Special thanks were paid to Ken Trail, who stepped Following this, the other offices were elected as
 down as Public Relations Officer (PRO) this year. follows:

Role  Previous Council Member  Newly Elected Member 

UKPSA Regional Director  George Granycome  Vanessa Duffy 
Chair  Vanessa Duffy Rob Adam 
Secretary  Alan Phillips  Alan Phillips 
Treasurer  Adrian Wander  Adrian Wander 
Public Relations Officer  Ken Trail  Mike Darby 
  
 Ken has given years of diligent service to the UKPSA Moving forward, the council is determined to listen to
and brought his wealth of knowledge to bear. Ken’s the membership and drive the Association forward in
club is Harlow Town RPC, home of many of the past the best interest of the membership in particular, and
level III IPSC Shotgun matches. Regular readers will shooting in general.
be aware already of this serene and unassuming
range tucked into a small copse not far from Harlow.

Target Shooter 95
 Next time in.....

The March 2011 issue will be out on the at the beginning of the month. Lots of follow up articles, new
reviews, news and as ever packed with the articles you want to read.
All the latest information at your fingertips

March 2011 Issue

On Test Reviews
Regular
Columns

Features ...and lots more

96 See you then.......................................
Target Shooter