Beginners Guide To Bench Rest Shooting

jesim1 · Jan 31, 2022

I use this, it's not perfect, and thicker would be better, but this goes through my printer ok

Color Copy A4 Paper - 200gsm, 1 pack of 250 sheets : Amazon.co.uk: Stationery & Office Supplies

Details of how to print and the rules are on the first page of the comp thread for BR 2022

Tony.html · Jan 31, 2022

jesim1 said: ↑

I use this, it's not perfect, and thicker would be better, but this goes through my printer ok

Color Copy A4 Paper - 200gsm, 1 pack of 250 sheets : Amazon.co.uk: Stationery & Office Supplies

Details of how to print and the rules are on the first page of the comp thread for BR 2022
Click to expand...

Do you use an inkjet printer? Only reason I ask is that this paper is for laser printers and is uncoated.

jesim1 · Jan 31, 2022

Tony.T said: ↑

Do you use an inkjet printer? Only reason I ask is that this paper is for laser printers and is uncoated.
Click to expand...

It's fine for inkjets and goes through mine without jamming, and most importantly, it does not bleed, but you may get lower resolution on it if you use aftermarket cartridges, for my purpose it's the best I've found Vs value, if I could go to 300gsm I would, but my printer will not take that thick a paper

Tony.html · Jan 31, 2022

jesim1 said: ↑

It's fine for inkjets and goes through mine without jamming, and most importantly, it does not bleed, but you may get lower resolution on it if you use aftermarket cartridges, for my purpose it's the best I've found Vs value, if I could go to 300gsm I would, but my printer will not take that thick a paper
Click to expand...

Great- many thanks!

Kladg · Mar 10, 2022

jesim1 said: ↑

Quick guide to beginners bench Rest shooting.

This is in response to questions I see again and again on the forum about bench rest shooting, it’s designed to give people some basic info. in doing a bit of bench rest shooting either for fun or low level comps. I’ll do a short bit on several subjects below without getting too much into the really heavy stuff as this will put more people off than it will encourage. As you get better you can look for more detail if you wish to go further, but for a casual start this is a good starting place, and is made up from my own experience and what I’ve picked up during my years of shooting by trial and error.

What is Bench rest shooting?

BR shooting is just shooting rested from a bench with a rifle, although you could do it with a pistol for fun also. It’s about repeatable precision leading to better accuracy right down to the mm if your good enough. Many people talk of “pellet on pellet” accuracy, but in all honestly, they would be disappointed with the same target being shot 25 times and then looking at the score where a pellet width of 4.5mm can be considered a flyer as you get better. Doing a group of 3 or 5 pellets is all well and good, but 25 individual ones is much more difficult. The aim is to hit a paper target of typically 25 smaller targets and to get a score from it which is calculated by scoring “inwards”. The targets are scored with rings to a max of 10 points per target at a set distance of typically 25m, but it can be more or less (25 x 10 = 250 max score). If you totally obliterate the bull it’s still a 10, but is classified also as an X, so you can go way beyond just scoring 250 – the max score is 250 + 25 Xs, which is really difficult to do. There are a few different rules and regs. regarding styles/weight classes and equipment, but leaving all that aside if your just getting started, it’s a fun way to improve your shooting and can be done casually to as good a level as you want to progress to. Local club comps, postal comps, and national comps all exist, as do the international ones, but for now, let’s just look at it as fun shooting and not scare people by having to label it in any real competitive way.

Who can do it?

Pretty much anyone within reason is the answer. As its shot rested on a bench it opens itself up nicely to those who are fit/unfit/disabled/incapacitated or able bodied etc. in a much wider way than most other types of shooting, it’s probably the most inclusive version of shooting out there.

Where can I do it?

You can do BR shooting either indoors or outdoors, you just have to remember to compare like for like when talking about scores etc. Most clubs are suitable for BR shooting, and many people do it already without having put a label on it, using the correct targets and starting to focus a bit more on the accuracy and precision in BR is what actually separates it from just shooting off a bench at spinners or the like. You can also do it on private land or your garden given enough space and a suitable set up and safe area.

What equipment do I need?

Most guns are suitable for BR even though they may not be “the ideal gun”, this gives you the opportunity to try it without having to spend a small fortune on new kit, you can start with what you have and build your equipment as your interest or budget allows. It’s great to have the latest kit and best gun, but it’s good advice to get as good as you can with what you have before lusting after something “better”, as most of the time the biggest gains are to be made in your shooting ability, practice, trial and error, preparation, and understanding what makes it a good package that all works together. Small improvements in several areas will always beat a new top end gun at this level.

Gun – run what you brung, most people will prefer a sporter stock and .177 before getting anything dedicated to BR, but you can literally use any gun. Single shot is better as it reduces any inconsistency from a magazine, so ditch them and load one at a time.

Scope – big mags are better! Although you can shoot with anything, and some comps are geared towards under 12x for instance, having a higher magnification can give you better accuracy if your aiming to the mm, and also allow you to see where every pellet is landing. I’d suggest x24 is a good entry level for BR, and if your buying specifically for target shooting on the range with BR a key part of that then I’d try to get a 30x+ mag scope – but remember what we started with – try it with what you have as you may find for the level your at it’s fine.

Mounts – mounts connect the two most expensive bits of your kit together, so don’t skimp on them and use ones that fit correctly, something like Sportsmatch as a good starter, and BKL and more pricier options as you go up in the £s department, but £10 flee bay specials are not doing you any favors and are cheaply replaced.

Bubble level – get one if you don’t already own one, they will amaze you just how inconsistent your hold can be, and the scope mounted ones tend to be better than a rail mounted one as not all gun rails will be in line or level, so you can at least minimize one of these by mounting it on your scope.

Pellets – probably one of the biggest factors in any shooting, not just BR, but the difference is shown up far more in BR due to the scoring and accuracy which is required, so it’s crucial to test pellets to find the best one for your gun. After that, further gains can be made by getting the best “batch” of a particular pellet as not all batches are identical. And once at this stage you can decide if you want to go down the path of preparing pellets by washing/sorting/weighing and lubing them or any part of this process. Ultimately, these all add to the overall accuracy, but only by fractions, so when you first start you may not notice the difference and think it’s not a “real thing”.

Rests – a solid platform is all you need, the more supportive the better. Some people like bipods, some like bean bags or other such bags filled with cat litter or sand at the front, and either free holding the gun, or using a back rest to help support it at the rear. You can get rests from £1000+, but they will not transform your shooting, just start with a steady, stable platform and stick to it until you identify a good reason to upgrade.

Technique – There are whole books on this, so this is just a few pointers to get you going.

Gun fit - Make sure your gun fits you and your comfortable, being uncomfortable will make it difficult for you to concentrate and be consistent.

Breathing – we all need to breath, but in BR and using a high mag scope you can often see your heart beat or breathing to cause the cross hairs to move, this is part of the skill set and one to work on to be calm and collected – don’t have a coffee and a Mars bar before you shoot BR!

Comfort – warmth, loose fitting clothes, good position at the bench, correct height of bipod etc. - all play a part in BR.

Trigger – Squeeze it, don’t pull it, have it set as light as you can without it going off unexpectedly, and don’t pull hard as this will pull the whole gun, remember we are looking for mm accuracy, not cm. It’s also a common error for people to pull a trigger and move instantly, or even in anticipation of the shot – don’t! The way to avoid this is called “follow through”, and it’s basically squeezing the trigger and waiting for a second or two after the shot has been fired before doing anything else, and this way you won’t pull shots.

Cant – this is where your not looking directly through the centre of the scope or your scope and barrel alignment are just a tiny bit out and causing fractions of a mm inconsistencies shot to shot (poor alignment). These are then magnified several times over due to the distance the pellet travels, so just a 1mm movement at this end of the gun can be a 5mm difference by the time the pellet gets to the target. Just try looking through your scope with a steady gun, now move your head slightly side to side making sure the gun does not move, you will see the cross hairs moving over the center dot of the target even though the gun is not moving, but from your perspective your POI is – this is “cant”. This affects all shooters, and is probably one of the easiest to miss, but one of the easiest to address once you know it’s actually a problem.

Routine – to get better you need to get more consistent, try not to swap guns/scopes/pellets/clothes/locations blab-bla-bla as they all add to inconsistencies (I’m one of the worst for this TBH) So try to get some sort of routine, and only change things when you know why you are doing so rather than blindly chopping and changing and not being any of the wiser for it.

As a final thing, and since equipment is the main focus of a lot of people, here is a few examples of what a starter rig “could” look like:

Just having a go:

HW100 in .177/.22, single shot loader, with a decent 6-24x56 scope and a bipod, best pellets for the gun out the tin.

Getting a bit more interested:

AA HFT500 in .177, Hawke Sidewinder 8-32x56, Sportsmatch mounts, scope bubble level, shooting off front and rear leather bags, best pellets for the gun and also weighed.

Wanting to improve already good scores:

Red Wolf in .177, single shot loaded, Leopold 45x45 comp scope, Tier one mounts, scope bubble level, dedicated BR rest, leather rear bag, weighed/sorted/lubed pellets

If your using equipment above this then you don’t need to be reading what I write, I’ll be reading your posts

I hope some people find this helpful if they want to start BR shooting or just get a bit better at shooting off a bench, it’s all good advice for most other types of shooting also, so take the bits you think are useful and forget the rest, it’s your hobby, and you should only do what gives you the most pleasure before it becomes a chore.

James
Click to expand...

Kladg · Mar 10, 2022

Our club want to set up a benchrest range, there is loads and loads of information about benchrest shooting from the shooters end but we want advice about the target end. What is used, if anything, behind the target? What height should the target be? Are multiple targets per shoot put out? Any hints or tips would be welcome.

jesim1 · Mar 10, 2022

Kladg said: ↑

Our club want to set up a benchrest range, there is loads and loads of information about benchrest shooting from the shooters end but we want advice about the target end. What is used, if anything, behind the target? What height should the target be? Are multiple targets per shoot put out? Any hints or tips would be welcome.
Click to expand...

Hi @Kladg

I'd put this question on your own post under target shooting, it will get more traffic and be seen by more people rather than get buried in this thread

You will also find some of what your looking for here: Benchrest UK – Promote, encourage, facilitate and develop the sport of air rifle and rimfire benchrest shooting both within the UK and worldwide

And of course, you can join in the forums very own informal comp: Agf Br20 - 2022 | AirGunForum

James

Lead9015 · Apr 25, 2022

Just joined, so just read it!
First class advice, thank you

mrg4ull · Apr 26, 2022

jesim1 said: ↑

Quick guide to beginners bench Rest shooting.

This is in response to questions I see again and again on the forum about bench rest shooting, it’s designed to give people some basic info. in doing a bit of bench rest shooting either for fun or low level comps. I’ll do a short bit on several subjects below without getting too much into the really heavy stuff as this will put more people off than it will encourage. As you get better you can look for more detail if you wish to go further, but for a casual start this is a good starting place, and is made up from my own experience and what I’ve picked up during my years of shooting by trial and error.

What is Bench rest shooting?

BR shooting is just shooting rested from a bench with a rifle, although you could do it with a pistol for fun also. It’s about repeatable precision leading to better accuracy right down to the mm if your good enough. Many people talk of “pellet on pellet” accuracy, but in all honestly, they would be disappointed with the same target being shot 25 times and then looking at the score where a pellet width of 4.5mm can be considered a flyer as you get better. Doing a group of 3 or 5 pellets is all well and good, but 25 individual ones is much more difficult. The aim is to hit a paper target of typically 25 smaller targets and to get a score from it which is calculated by scoring “inwards”. The targets are scored with rings to a max of 10 points per target at a set distance of typically 25m, but it can be more or less (25 x 10 = 250 max score). If you totally obliterate the bull it’s still a 10, but is classified also as an X, so you can go way beyond just scoring 250 – the max score is 250 + 25 Xs, which is really difficult to do. There are a few different rules and regs. regarding styles/weight classes and equipment, but leaving all that aside if your just getting started, it’s a fun way to improve your shooting and can be done casually to as good a level as you want to progress to. Local club comps, postal comps, and national comps all exist, as do the international ones, but for now, let’s just look at it as fun shooting and not scare people by having to label it in any real competitive way.

Who can do it?

Pretty much anyone within reason is the answer. As its shot rested on a bench it opens itself up nicely to those who are fit/unfit/disabled/incapacitated or able bodied etc. in a much wider way than most other types of shooting, it’s probably the most inclusive version of shooting out there.

Where can I do it?

You can do BR shooting either indoors or outdoors, you just have to remember to compare like for like when talking about scores etc. Most clubs are suitable for BR shooting, and many people do it already without having put a label on it, using the correct targets and starting to focus a bit more on the accuracy and precision in BR is what actually separates it from just shooting off a bench at spinners or the like. You can also do it on private land or your garden given enough space and a suitable set up and safe area.

What equipment do I need?

Most guns are suitable for BR even though they may not be “the ideal gun”, this gives you the opportunity to try it without having to spend a small fortune on new kit, you can start with what you have and build your equipment as your interest or budget allows. It’s great to have the latest kit and best gun, but it’s good advice to get as good as you can with what you have before lusting after something “better”, as most of the time the biggest gains are to be made in your shooting ability, practice, trial and error, preparation, and understanding what makes it a good package that all works together. Small improvements in several areas will always beat a new top end gun at this level.

Gun – run what you brung, most people will prefer a sporter stock and .177 before getting anything dedicated to BR, but you can literally use any gun. Single shot is better as it reduces any inconsistency from a magazine, so ditch them and load one at a time.

Scope – big mags are better! Although you can shoot with anything, and some comps are geared towards under 12x for instance, having a higher magnification can give you better accuracy if your aiming to the mm, and also allow you to see where every pellet is landing. I’d suggest x24 is a good entry level for BR, and if your buying specifically for target shooting on the range with BR a key part of that then I’d try to get a 30x+ mag scope – but remember what we started with – try it with what you have as you may find for the level your at it’s fine.

Mounts – mounts connect the two most expensive bits of your kit together, so don’t skimp on them and use ones that fit correctly, something like Sportsmatch as a good starter, and BKL and more pricier options as you go up in the £s department, but £10 flee bay specials are not doing you any favors and are cheaply replaced.

Bubble level – get one if you don’t already own one, they will amaze you just how inconsistent your hold can be, and the scope mounted ones tend to be better than a rail mounted one as not all gun rails will be in line or level, so you can at least minimize one of these by mounting it on your scope.

Pellets – probably one of the biggest factors in any shooting, not just BR, but the difference is shown up far more in BR due to the scoring and accuracy which is required, so it’s crucial to test pellets to find the best one for your gun. After that, further gains can be made by getting the best “batch” of a particular pellet as not all batches are identical. And once at this stage you can decide if you want to go down the path of preparing pellets by washing/sorting/weighing and lubing them or any part of this process. Ultimately, these all add to the overall accuracy, but only by fractions, so when you first start you may not notice the difference and think it’s not a “real thing”.

Rests – a solid platform is all you need, the more supportive the better. Some people like bipods, some like bean bags or other such bags filled with cat litter or sand at the front, and either free holding the gun, or using a back rest to help support it at the rear. You can get rests from £1000+, but they will not transform your shooting, just start with a steady, stable platform and stick to it until you identify a good reason to upgrade.

Technique – There are whole books on this, so this is just a few pointers to get you going.

Gun fit - Make sure your gun fits you and your comfortable, being uncomfortable will make it difficult for you to concentrate and be consistent.

Breathing – we all need to breath, but in BR and using a high mag scope you can often see your heart beat or breathing to cause the cross hairs to move, this is part of the skill set and one to work on to be calm and collected – don’t have a coffee and a Mars bar before you shoot BR!

Comfort – warmth, loose fitting clothes, good position at the bench, correct height of bipod etc. - all play a part in BR.

Trigger – Squeeze it, don’t pull it, have it set as light as you can without it going off unexpectedly, and don’t pull hard as this will pull the whole gun, remember we are looking for mm accuracy, not cm. It’s also a common error for people to pull a trigger and move instantly, or even in anticipation of the shot – don’t! The way to avoid this is called “follow through”, and it’s basically squeezing the trigger and waiting for a second or two after the shot has been fired before doing anything else, and this way you won’t pull shots.

Cant – this is where your not looking directly through the centre of the scope or your scope and barrel alignment are just a tiny bit out and causing fractions of a mm inconsistencies shot to shot (poor alignment). These are then magnified several times over due to the distance the pellet travels, so just a 1mm movement at this end of the gun can be a 5mm difference by the time the pellet gets to the target. Just try looking through your scope with a steady gun, now move your head slightly side to side making sure the gun does not move, you will see the cross hairs moving over the center dot of the target even though the gun is not moving, but from your perspective your POI is – this is “cant”. This affects all shooters, and is probably one of the easiest to miss, but one of the easiest to address once you know it’s actually a problem.

Routine – to get better you need to get more consistent, try not to swap guns/scopes/pellets/clothes/locations blab-bla-bla as they all add to inconsistencies (I’m one of the worst for this TBH) So try to get some sort of routine, and only change things when you know why you are doing so rather than blindly chopping and changing and not being any of the wiser for it.

As a final thing, and since equipment is the main focus of a lot of people, here is a few examples of what a starter rig “could” look like:

Just having a go:

HW100 in .177/.22, single shot loader, with a decent 6-24x56 scope and a bipod, best pellets for the gun out the tin.

Getting a bit more interested:

AA HFT500 in .177, Hawke Sidewinder 8-32x56, Sportsmatch mounts, scope bubble level, shooting off front and rear leather bags, best pellets for the gun and also weighed.

Wanting to improve already good scores:

Red Wolf in .177, single shot loaded, Leopold 45x45 comp scope, Tier one mounts, scope bubble level, dedicated BR rest, leather rear bag, weighed/sorted/lubed pellets

If your using equipment above this then you don’t need to be reading what I write, I’ll be reading your posts

I hope some people find this helpful if they want to start BR shooting or just get a bit better at shooting off a bench, it’s all good advice for most other types of shooting also, so take the bits you think are useful and forget the rest, it’s your hobby, and you should only do what gives you the most pleasure before it becomes a chore.

James
Click to expand...

Hi James
Nice description, needs a little updating for Benchrest competition shooting, the rules have been changed as to no longer allow rear bags the butt end of the rifle must now be freehand, also the front rest can not hold the front of the rifle from moving side to side, so basically flat at the front and hand held at the rear, as I said in competition's...

jesim1 · Apr 26, 2022

mrg4ull said: ↑

Hi James
Nice description, needs a little updating for Benchrest competition shooting, the rules have been changed as to no longer allow rear bags the butt end of the rifle must now be freehand, also the front rest can not hold the front of the rifle from moving side to side, so basically flat at the front and hand held at the rear, as I said in competition's...
Click to expand...

Thanks, but at no point do I state any of this is in line with any particular BR rules - there are several sets in circulation depending which ones you shoot to, and even more clubs run their own versions to make access easier, so please take this as it's intended - as casual information to help people get started, and not 5 pages of terms and conditions on BR rules in the UK which may or may not apply to them depending where they shoot

James

Popgun · May 8, 2022

Autodidact said: ↑

Thanks for those fella -I'm off to buy a printer (the one I have is dying a slow and miserable death and I have a good reason to replace it now)
Click to expand...

I have an hp and signed up to their knstT ink deal. I have new ink set lit I have never run out of ink.. I lways have fresh ink to for £1.99 a monfh

Rob_g · Jun 28, 2022

Might I suggest getting your targets professionally printed. I have had letter size (8-1/2"x11") targets printed at my local print shop, on 67lb card stock, for about $99 per 1000. I had a selection of paper colors to choose from. I've had targets printed on pale pink, pale yellow and beige with black ink. At the price of ink cartridges today I find this much more economical, especially if a couple people split the cost. I just instructed the print shop I wanted the target printed at 100%. She made me a sample to scale, I double checked the dimensions, with the scale I had in my pocket, and I had them in a few days.

Tim_B · Jun 28, 2022

Rob_g said: ↑

Might I suggest getting your targets professionally printed. I have had letter size (8-1/2"x11") targets printed at my local print shop, on 67lb card stock, for about $99 per 1000. I had a selection of paper colors to choose from. I've had targets printed on pale pink, pale yellow and beige with black ink. At the price of ink cartridges today I find this much more economical, especially if a couple people split the cost. I just instructed the print shop I wanted the target printed at 100%. She made me a sample to scale, I double checked the dimensions, with the scale I had in my pocket, and I had them in a few days.
Click to expand...

I have been using 250gsm card and they are good enough for the competitions we run. Having just changed my printer, it no longer likes the 250gsm, however 180gsm, 200gsm and 220 gsm all print fine. I think we have settled on 200gsm recycled card - although we have a shedload of the others to use up first Whilst a professional printers would no doubt be a superior finish, there are really no complaints from my little HP Envy

jesim1 · Jun 28, 2022

Tim_B said: ↑

I have been using 250gsm card and they are good enough for the competitions we run. Having just changed my printer, it no longer likes the 250gsm, however 180gsm, 200gsm and 220 gsm all print fine. I think we have settled on 200gsm recycled card - although we have a shedload of the others to use up first Whilst a professional printers would no doubt be a superior finish, there are really no complaints from my little HP Envy
Click to expand...

Mine too, and it's flexible in what I print and how many, I normally just do a couple of dozen of a few different ones as I go along as I sue different targets for different disciplines and pellet testing

Tim_B · Jun 28, 2022

jesim1 said: ↑

Mine too, and it's flexible in what I print and how many, I normally just do a couple of dozen of a few different ones as I go along as I sue different targets for different disciplines and pellet testing
Click to expand...

Yes, I have different designs as we use them more, we know what we want to change. We also have pellet testing ones etc.

The one thing was that when I first got the printer I had 4 months free ink, so I printed 2 reams off of the targets at the time.....now I get x many sheets per month and never run out of ink......so towards the end of the month, whatever I didn't use in my allowance gets printed as targets.

working well so far.

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Beginners Guide To Bench Rest Shooting

jesim1 Kit bitch to the Stars

Tony.T Busy Member

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Kladg Newbie

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jesim1 Kit bitch to the Stars

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