Some basic advice please

[lenteped]

A basic question--I shoot benchrest targets with .22 and .17 at 50 and 100 yards. I use a wheelchair. I'm about to go to full-bore. Most shooting will still be at the same range, ie. 100 yd. although I'd very much like to find other ranges that I can use at greater distances.

Any thoughts on which calibre/rifle I should look at please. Thanks, Jon.

[Tiff]

Hi Jon,

A few points that would help are:

Where are you roughly based?

Budget with/without a scope?

Do you plan on reloading?

Are there any range restrictions on velocity etc where you shoot?

 

To start with something in 22 PPC would probably do well or 6PPC or even 6BR if planning on stretching things in the future...

[simonl]

223 would be my choice

[terryh]

Hi Jon,

 

First off 'welcome'

 

As Tiff said, it is really down to your budget and how competitive you want to be?

 

A good 'do all' cartridge is the 6BR, others can advise on a pure benchrest cartridge, but the 6PPC comes to mind.

 

You really have to decide what you want from the rifle up front, sometimes trying to be multi purpose can end up multi useless!

 

Terry

[gbal]

Hi Jon,

 

First off 'welcome'

 

As Tiff said, it is really down to your budget and how competitive you want to be?

 

A good 'do all' cartridge is the 6BR, others can advise on a pure benchrest cartridge, but the 6PPC comes to mind.

 

You really have to decide what you want from the rifle up front, sometimes trying to be multi purpose can end up multi useless!

 

Terry

+1on Terry's advice.

6PPC is the cartridge if you reload: 6BR if you might want to shoot longer (a lot longer,almost as acccurate).

You might find a Sako 6ppc secondhand-good,but not of course competitive with custom rigs,like stolle etc.(much cheaper though).

A good old 222 can shoot very well,for little cost,but check it first.

Try to go for a fixed 36 scope with target reticule-Leupold,Weaver are fairly common used.Get good dies-Wilson,redding,forster.

Have a look on Accurate Shooter site,for cartridge options,etc.And Sinclair Intenational for all accessories-eg dies!

Gbal

[lenteped]

Thanks everyone. I'm on the lincs./Northants border. I shoot at a great range near Oundle, which is very friendly and disabled pro-active.

Budget for a rifle would be up to £1k to start with, or nearby. I knew very little about 6mm but now, having read a bit, I can see why it's popular. What about 6.5 in one of its many versions? Several people have spoken highly of the calibre.

I'm dithering about loading. By the time you've got all the kit, it seems an expensive--but fun--way of doing things.

I'm having a lot of enjoyment learning lots from some very helpful people.

Salut. Jon

[jcampbellsmith]

Jon. This site and it's forums have a wealth of information - http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/ Regards JCS

[5R-Twist]

Thanks everyone. I'm on the lincs./Northants border. I shoot at a great range near Oundle, which is very friendly and disabled pro-active.

Budget for a rifle would be up to £1k to start with, or nearby. I knew very little about 6mm but now, having read a bit, I can see why it's popular. What about 6.5 in one of its many versions? Several people have spoken highly of the calibre.

I'm dithering about loading. By the time you've got all the kit, it seems an expensive--but fun--way of doing things.

I'm having a lot of enjoyment learning lots from some very helpful people.

Salut. Jon

Hi and welcome

Reloading does seem expensive but you gain over time as you can use the same cases many times over ( if cared for) and you can tune your load to your rifle.

Most factory loads although good wont be any good for long range.

6mm or 6.5mm are all good calibres if you get a chance to go to a long range meet at some time talk to the people shooting about there calibres and how they act at the distance you want to shoot at.

Also if you are not wanting to spend silly money maybe a 6mm .222 .223 they are cheaper on powder than the big humpy 7mm and such like.

I shoot a 7mm with guys who shoot 6mm Br .223 6.5-284 and I find I have no advantage over them at all.

There are people on this site with a fountain of knowledge on so many aspects of shooting and rifle building.

Good luck

Hope it goes well

Rgds

V

[gbal]

Jon, it's helpful to think in terns of specific cartridges,rather than calibres-eg for 100/200 yards accuracy,the 6PPC is just THE cartridge,and no-one would shoot 6mm rem -but for medium size deer the opposite is true! 6BR is a close second,gains a distance increases,and can go to 1000 in very good conditions.As can some of the 6.5s (6.5x284 eg is still the benchmark for shootable 1000 yard caretridges),but it's not a 100y cartridge,for most rifles/shooters.Almost all these are of necccesity reload cartridges-though you can get very very good 6BR ammo-£1+ a shot.Good reloaded ammo is almost always more accurate-you tune it to your rifle-there is an initial outlay for dies etc,and that can be several hundred pounds,but then factoru ammo ,if available,of that quality,will be close on twice the reoloading costs....

Consider shooter comfort too-the 6PPC in a heavy bench rest gun ha svery little,6.5x55 swedish hunting rifle has a fair bit more.As you may know from your shooting,short range targetshooting is best done with a minimum of recoil-because recoil disturbes your aim etc-it's not a macho thing.BUt above all,the 6ppc/6BR are just more accurate,period.Check out Accurate shooter site,or any bench rest competitions-it's 6ppc.You won't get a new one for £1k,except as a factory rifle Sako varmint second hand-not a bad choice,much in demand.But unless you are sure you want distance(and remember 6BR will do it,with light recoil),don't start with a heavier cartridge/ calibre/recoil.Kick for accuracy is a very bad trade for 100/200+ shooting.Look at what the experts do,see if you can compromise with used gear.But focus on your chosen application,and the right tool for that. Don't believe every claim made-check out the long term competition results-or similar-not the one offs.And read as much as you can-308 eg is a decent jack of many trades,but master of none-I have several-but it is not a 100 y accuracy proposition compared to 6PPC/BR,nor a 1000y number compared to say 6.5x284,or even6BR,despite what some club shooters will tell you.And very little factory loaded ammo willbe as good as properly loaded home loads-and even the moderate factory stuff will cost more.Just the way it is,but you have choices. If you want a budget short range rifle,and someone says '223 is great',ask them why they prefer it to '222'- I doubt that they will have an accuracy valid reason.Not many 223 bench rest record rifles! It's fun to find out,don't rush,unless you get a chance to try a Sako PPC.

Gbal

[Gun Pimp]

A basic question--I shoot benchrest targets with .22 and .17 at 50 and 100 yards. I use a wheelchair. I'm about to go to full-bore. Most shooting will still be at the same range, ie. 100 yd. although I'd very much like to find other ranges that I can use at greater distances.

Any thoughts on which calibre/rifle I should look at please. Thanks, Jon.

Jon, benchrest is made for you. We shoot 100, 600, 1000 yds BR at Diggle Ranges just NE of Manchester. All firing points are covered and 100 and 1000 are accessible to wheelchair users.

[lenteped]

Wow, thanks. Lots to think on but I am really grateful for your advice.