UKBRA 100 Yards - 1st April 2017

[mole-e30]

UKBRA 100 Yard Benchrest Round 1 – 1^st April 2017

 

This weekend saw round 1 of the UKBRA 100 yard league at Diggle ranges.

 

Some people have clearly been raiding their piggy banks over the winter layoff, new guns today and some new shooters in both Sporter and Heavy Varmint, welcome to Steve Roberts and Oliver Monk…… But what is this, Darrel has Oliver nicked your rifle? No, you’ve got a new one…. So has Chris Maunder mmm could be in for some fun today!

 

We the Diggle weather didn’t disappoint us all…… Sun, cloud and wait for it RAIN!!!!! Yes, we had some soggy targets to measure again. However the wind wasn’t as bad as it has been previously, but the warm-up showed that that wind was going to move you on the target……. Your scribe tried to shoot through it to get a feel for it and I got bitten, better watch those flags boys and girls.

 

Oliver……. I know you’ve got a new gun, but everyone knows, don’t waste your best group on the warm up, but a well earned 0.144” group…. Must be in contention for small group.

Down to business now, Match 1….. That wind, or lack thereof is definitely catching people out plenty of 3’s and 4’s coming in as we score.

 

Rotating benches, people are getting a little more used to the wind and the rain, I hear the cries of a few that they’ve suffered a “Rain Strike” yes, these do happen and when you get one you get a big one and it will move you a lot…… But on the whole the group sizes are dropping a bit.

Steve Roberts in Sporter class sticks in a 0.251” group, will it hold out for Small Group, surely it will.

 

Break for lunch and get a spot of cleaning and chat in, we are a few down on normal today, Martin and Phil are off to Volmerange in France to show our European friends how to shoot….. and my word Martin wins 100HV, 200LV, HV Grand Agg and 2 Gun…… WELL DONE MARTIN!!!

 

OK, back from lunch, the rain has stopped….. Thank Goodness!

 

Match 3 sees plenty of 2’s, Tony Lenton doing nicely, Chris Maunder is back on form now and the Sporters of Roberts, Benson, Heywood, Woolley and Marsden are all having a good tussle.

 

Match 4 and we are back at it, groups are getting smaller, we must be all getting back to our normal ways…… Watch out Ian Dixon is creeping up on the outside rail…. A 0.169”, but what’s this Vince Bottomley with a 0.115” stunner upsets Oliver’s chances of the small group patch! Darrel is trying hard too, 0.161”

 

Into match 5 and it’s going to be fun…… Lenton, Dixon, Bottomley, Lenton (Snr) and Evans, how will it all end up……… Well a solid 0.172” from Ian Dixon and a 0.252” from Tony Lenton, how will this all pan out…… need to wait for all to finish and the computer to work it’s magic….

 

Bruce has 8 rounds left in his ammo box and in the spirit of the sport lends Steve Roberts his rifle to have a go with a “Proper Bench Gun”……….. Steve looks very happy, maybe we will have another convert to Heavy Varmint soon if he can find a rifle for sale! No Steve this one ain’t for sale!

 

Stuart Benson finishes the day on a very nice 0.298” group in Sporter…. Well done Shooting God!

 

I think to sum up…… A “Testing” day, with some high’s and low’s for all, but as we all know it’s a game of consistency is this benchrest and I think the top 5/6 shooters showed that is where you win or lose it on a day like this.

 

We managed to get everything put away in the sunshine and finished for about 3:45pm, thanks to everyone for all your help in setting up, target changing and putting away, it sure helps.

 

Here are the results……….

 

Heavy Varmint

 

1. – Bruce Lenton – 0.2340” (average of 5 x 5 shot groups)

2. – Ian Dixon – 0.2498”

3. – Vince Bottomley – 0.2544”

 

Small Group – Vince Bottomley – 0.115”

 

Sporter

 

1. – Steve Roberts – 0.3616” (average of 5 x 5 shot groups)

2. – Stuart Benson – 0.3828”

3. – Steve Heywood – 0.4844”

 

Small Group – Steve Roberts – 0.251”

 

Full results can be seen by clicking the link below

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8zriwqq8owlmj7p/UKBRA%20100BR%201st%20April%202017.pdf?dl=0

 

Our next outing at Diggle is the weekend of 29th and 30th April, so please as always come along and have fun, we may even get some sun, it is heading towards summer after all.