RobinC

My wife and I shoot 6 mmBR for ISSF 300 mt, we reload just for 300 mt, so not a heavy load, the calibre is supremely accurate, and the world 300mt record is held with it, my wife ha shot hers at 600 yds and its just the same, very tight groups. Barrel life for top accuracy goes of a cliff between 2500 and 3000. Have Fun Robin

Thanks Pete You've just saved me some money as well, I was also looking for a comp seater, saw this, and have just ordered one! Have Fun Robin

Yes .22rf is not a good calibre for wind it is very susceptible, a good wind shot is either waiting, or adjusting all the time, with out flags, or tree's, or grass to indicate, and a lot of wind experience, it is very difficult to be sure what is you, and what is wind. The other aspect is quality of aim. When we coach we always start with that, even with experienced shots who think they can aim, but do not take it to the precision they must to get consistent accurate shots. The biggest single fact is to look through the centre of the rear sight, in most of your cases the centre of the scope. Sound Simple? Oh no no, it takes a great degree of care, half a mm out with the head position and that is your flyer, and again most of you guys are using sporting type stocks, so its not easy to be accurate. With match rifles, we have a mass of adjusters to set the cheek piece, (pics of mine) not just OK, or good enough, but exactly to the Nth degree. Then the care in lowering the face to the sight is also critical, to ensure the eye is exactly centre in the rear sight, in your cases the scope. Some one as infuriatingly precise as my wife will lift and lower her head three or four times on every shot before she is satisfied her sight line is exactly correct. Have Fun Robin

Any one? I need the space in my ammo cabinet!!! It's cluttering up my storage! If some one takes the lot, all 289 rounds £120 Have Fun Robin

Sporting rifles? I'm not a game shooter, but how often do you need a second shot? Do you really need a magazine? If the first shot is accurate? And how long to hand feed one? Second hand match 54 Anschutz's are easy to buy, often in the £250 bracket, or even BSA 12/15's, very cheap, both very accurate, target level, put it in a sporting stock would make a nice .22 game gun, and more accurate than any sporting rifle. Have Fun

A good start for any one regardless of rifle or barrel is ammunition. We coach target shooting, and we always stress, use only the best ammo. .22rf is a very basic cheap calibre, compare it to modern full bore calibres, a perfectly sized 6mm BR case, as ours, fire formed to our chambers, primers top spec BR ones, powder weighed to 0.02 gr, bullets matched, seated to precision to match the rifling, then think .22rf! .22rf, crude cases, primers spun into the rim, small volume of powder (bigger variables), very crude light lead bullet, bullet seating? Its just jammed in the case. I'm surprised they are as accurate as they are!! Give your self a head start, if you want the best accuracy, use they best they make, and that is the top quality match stuff, RWS R50 is our choice, or Lapua. The Russians did hand make some .22rf in the communist years, we believe Sergei Martynov (allegedly) used the last of it, in another well known manufacturers box, to win the 2012 Olympics and set the then world record. Have Fun Robin

Thanks We never batch test, and never have, just use what we buy, but nothing other than RWS R50 recommended by Walther. The rifle is a bit special to suit me (plus the bling!) but the barrel and action is a standard Walther KK500. My wife has the same barrel and action in a Keppeler stock, but her system was from the batch made for the Olympics in 2016, she is the better shot of us both, ex GB squad, and been county champion for the last three years after returning in retirement after a lay off. Her .22 Walther KK500/Keppeler rifle is in the foreground, her Keppeler 6mmBR is behind it, her twins! We do mostly ISSF 50 mts, but do shoot Dewers, not so tight at 100 yds, but not far off, still shoots comfortable 100's so probably more the shooter. We visit Walther, and although they test their rifles with all ammo, their main testing and test target stuff is with R50. We shoot 10K a year between us and have never had a duff round, its expensive but you get what you pay for. Have Fun Robin

This 5 shot at 50 mt score was shot prone with a sling, (not rested) the Rifle is a match Walther KK500, the ammo is RWS R50. That combination is capable of holding the X ring all day, just as long as its pointed there! Have Fun Robin

All below is .223 Rem Factory match Ammo 150 rounds of PPU 75gn Match HPBT in boxes of 20. £60 per 100 (list is £80 something) 44 rounds of GGG 69 gn Match (with Sierra MK bullets) in boxes of 20 £60 per 100 (list is £80 something) 95 rounds of GGG 77 gn Match (with Sierra MK bullets) in boxes of 50 £60 per 100 (list is £80 something) All good stuff, but surplus, as I'm now hand loading instead. Also offered on Stirton forum. Obviously face to face, I'm in Norfolk, or, will be at Bisley , the 11th, and W/E of 12th/13th September. NOW SOLD Have Fun Robin

I have used the 107 SMK in our 6 mmBR's for ISSF 300 mt for five years now, with superb results, and the new pointy ones are even better. Have Fun Robin

I'm an experienced reloader primarily with Match quality 6 mmBR, so I know how to case prep, but I'm now going to load .223 for the first time, again for match target, out of a match action, purely for accuracy, so a question for you guys with .223 experience, I'm going to start with new brass, is there any significant difference in the quality of the various makes of new brass? There is significant difference in the price of new brass, make to make, say PPU to Lapua which would have been my choice, is there any significant difference in the performance? Thanks Robin

Its going to be a challenge to get it rolling if it goes ahead, and the will is certainly there from the NRA. I have not done the Imperial for almost 40 years, but was tempted this year as generally nothing else is working yet, the 300 mt range has yet to open, and locally we have one date at Thetford this year in September that's not been cancelled (yet!), so an almost "only" chance to shoot full bore this year, but so many "against's" make it unlikely. 1. I don't do cold and wet, why I like 300 mt, and even Mercer can't guarantee the weather, even though its believed he has direct links to "other" worlds! 2. No guaranteed markers, just got my back OK, I'm not risking it hauling targets again! 3. Biggest problem, being in the risk age group, any hotel or dining will be a very significant risk. I think it will be well supported, but sadly primarily by those who live in travelling distance, or have private accommodation (caravans, etc) at Bisley, and by the younger generation. I wish it well. Have Fun Robin

Agree, why deal with the idiot when you can impose a restriction on all! Its even more stupid when you consider that one should only dry fire in a situation and direction where its safe to shoot! Our event, 300 m, an international event, for which there is an NRA championship, under ISSF rules has a 15 min set up and dry fire period in which you can aim and dry fire, our discipline rep has argued, but no, that's now the NRA rule! You can dry fire, just no snap caps! Genuine snap caps are brightly coloured and obvious, and home made ones I've seen with a seated bullet, have holes drilled across the case, so obvious. Well publicised (not!) as this decision was end of last year! Perhaps they should have an IQ test for the SCC with a requirement for IQ to exceed your shoe size. Have Fun Robin

Guys, Please note, that snap caps are PROHIBITED at Bisley, this following an incident when an idiot loaded a live round thinking it was a snap cap!! The decision was taken at an NRA shooting committee meeting. Have Fun Robin

Maybe things have changed now, BUT, When the original survey went out on the possibility of a September Imperial, it did say NO paid markers, shooters would have to mark. Maybe its changed, but that was the original statement at the end of May. Have Fun Robin

Martin Electronic targets are used at 300 metres for International matches, European, World Cups, and World Championships, and have been for the last 20 years, on well maintained units they are no problems. The UK NRA 300 mt championships is held on the Kongsbergs units in the 300 mt shed on range 10 at Bisley, and used by the gb300m club through out every year with no problems. Eectronics are valid for British, European and world records. Announcement this after noon from the NRA, looks like everything is planned to open up at Bisley on the expectation of a further government relaxation on July the 4th.

The full proposed dates, and the events were all defined, I did not make a note of them, other than being in September, and when I went back to the NRA survey it would not let me access it again to find the dates, as I'd a completed the survey! My survey request was for TR , I note there is a CSR one, and I suspect there would be an F class one. I replied in the survey as "unlikely" as my concern was accommodation and dining, I think those may still be a risk in September? Have Fun Robin

The NRA are running a Survey through Survey Monkey on the likely interest in a limited Imperial TR meeting to be run in September this year, if the government restrictions allow them to. Have Fun Robin

We'll have to wait until next Monday (18th) for the "procedures", its initially only the "outdoor" ranges on Century and Stickledown, and we shoot 300 metre ISSF which is an indoor point, so I doubt that will not open for a while, I have different sights this year so would have needed to visit the Zero, and I suspect that may be a risk and not open as well, but we'll have to see on Monday. But its a start, and good news, just not for the wife and I! I think the next two or three weeks will be crucial, the relaxations is a toe in the water, and will show where we stand with this, and it will either continue to diminish, or may even surge up again. Stay safe everyone, and lets hope you can have Fun. PS. More details now on the NRA site, and the Zero is going to be open. Robin

An email from the NRA a short while ago, Bisley will have limited opening on week ends only and electronics only from 23/24 May. Details on the NRA website, Bookings taken from Tuesday the 19th, and the procedures will be published on Mon the 18th. Not for us, we would not risk a Hotel yet, and a 400 mile around trip is a bit too far for a day trip, but those of you who are local I suspect will be "breaking the fast"! Have Fun

I'm with Brown Dog and Gandy, I (we, as the wife also shoots, and helps), because we shoot ISSF 300 metre prone, we shoot two 60 shot matches plus sighters, each, over a shooting week end, so that's pushing 300 rounds of 6 mmBR match ammo in that week end, and factory is £2 a pop! I'd have our years supply loaded now, but I've run out of primers! But probably going to be a thin year any way! Our sport is shooting, not reloading, and in an average season that's £4K if we bought factory, which as retired folks on fixed pensions we simply could not afford to do. By reloading and developing our load, we have got it as good as the factory ammo, which is world record level, at about 70p a pop. OK its satisfying knowing our ammo is capable of world level scores, but I'd rather not have the hassle, we also shoot TR 7.62 and I really can't be bothered to reload that, to work, to try and equal, what is first class match ammo (GGG, when they got it right!, not 2019!) at a reasonable price, and I've also dabbled with .223, and at short range (300 mt) the factory GGG 77gn is in the same class, so I won't be reloading either of those! Take care every one, and have fun. Robin

We always use snap caps on Centre fires, and they are so easy to obtain mail order, so you can dry fire during this isolation. Small bores if doing home training we either use a snap cap or an empty, it also helps to practice process, but I have to admit to not bothering for the few pre shoot dry's we do on the range. Just for info, are you all aware the NRA has now banned snap caps at Bisley, after some moron could not tell the difference and accidentally discharged a live round! I believe it was a home made snap cap that looked much like a live round! Our club is currently contesting this ruling, we only allow red or other coloured snap caps. Have Fun Robin

I'm looking to replace my 50 year old Kowa TS-1, its a 20 X eyepiece, Its a bit heavy, and I would like something with more magnification, and lighter. I'm thinking of trying the new model from Kowa, the TSN 501, it is very compact, light, and priced at £270, if it has any of the Kowa quality it should be reasonable optics, and on paper looks a good buy. I want it for small bore at 50 mt and 100 yds, and able to see shot holes in average light, and for full bore up to 600 yrds TR which I'm sure it will serve well, but I'm interested if any one has one or used one, I'm interested in its optical qualities, and ability to see mirage at 300 to 600? Thanks Robin

For any foreign folk coming here nothing will change, but with no deal It will be very difficult for us travelling to the EU. And travelling through several countries by car is exactly what we do! It was difficult pre EU and pre EFP's, I remember several instances of being held at a border for hours, the problem was it was so infrequent a situation for the border officer that they did not even understand their own countries documents, so you wait while they check everything, but now with more terrorism risk, many of the EU countries are now much more restrictive. Some already require security in the car, i.e. a system such that the gun case must be secure, and can not just be lifted out. Its not just business's who export who can't plan, we are in the same boat, we did one event in Holland this year, but cancelled one in Austria as the time we would have been in the EU crossed an "exit" date, and we did not know if it would be with or with out a deal, or with or with out an EFP! And now, here we go again! What do we plan for next year? I'm also hearing that some forces are reluctant to issue new EFP's.

It will make absolutely no difference to them, the European Firearms Pass (EFP) although issued to us by UK firearms Depts, to have free access to take our forearms to the EU, is not recognised here at all. For a foreign shooter to bring their home registered guns here they must obtain a visitors permit from Police FA dept in which they will shoot, and would normally need a UK sponsor, this is done all the time at Bisley and as long as the reason is genuine no real issue and I believe takes about 8 weeks. This situation will not change after Brexit, deal or not. The big change will be for us, those of us who have EFP's and travel abroad for competitions with no more restriction than a gun owning citizen in the EU, i.e. we just travel and present our EFP's as we would our passport, BUT if we leave with out a deal, the EFP's will be cancelled immediately! In that situation we will then have to conform to the specific countries Visitor's firearms regulations. which are different country to county. When we did it pre EU and EFP's it meant getting the organiser of the event we were travelling to, to issue an official invite, and gain our personal, and gun details, and apply on our behalf for temporary visitor permits, this usually took at least 8 weeks so we had to enter early. As I remember that was the norm, but some were more restrictive, but some just accepted a UK FAC, but that was some time ago pre EU. If we leave with a deal, nothing will change, certainly May's deal it was the same, not so sure on Johnson's as its not been fully published, but I believe it is the same on EFP's. So for them no change what ever, for us depends if its no deal or deal! Have Fun Robin