It is important to practice practical precision in the field, something you won’t be able to do while benchrest shooting at a range.
A movement is underway in the precision rifle world: a return to “the combat rifleman”, for lack of a better word. The general consensus is that we have moved away from the practical and are now more interested in the engineering side. This is called “benchrest firing” and it is the most popular spot for precision rifle training. It was a model of the military in many aspects. The emphasis was on finding targets, determining the range, and then engaging the target with a limited number shots. Jacob Bynum was considered prone the rare shot so the idea was to teach people how to adapt to the situation. From 2003 to 2011, I was three-weeks on and one week off. Running and gunning were a way of living. We used the knowledge gained from those classes to create stages for competitions such as my Sniper’s Hide Cup or, back then, The Shooter’s Brawl. The needs of tactical rifle competition changed as a result. We need to not only test shooters’ skills but also accommodate more shooters. This meant that we had to reduce the number of stages. They are very popular and have grown from just four to five matches per year to over 50. There is an event almost every weekend. It’s a great thing that competition is so popular. Instead of running and gunning, competitors now take three steps to a platform and place a rifle on it. This is called “barricade benchrest”. These rifles weigh in at 20 pounds and use flat-bottom stocks and triggers. These setups are designed to eliminate as much of the shooter as possible. Weight equals stability, and accuracy is stability. It’s not always easy to balance these truths. Instead, we have rifles that can balance on the bags. The bag’s design, new tripods and mounting options, as well as accessories, are all positives. My question is about balance. How can we balance the engineering and the practical? Rifle training should include a touch of practical precision.Shifting Tides
That’s what’s happening. There’s a growing movement for field-style events to be resumed. We recognize that the community is looking for more so a core group is engaging with the old guard. They want to get back to the roots, which is a practical application that is tied to the competitive nature and man’s competitive nature. This stuff is simple to remember. Match booklets identify the ranges, the targets are marked and painted, and the competition has usually mapped their route before they even see the stage. To make the shooters move more efficiently, we removed target detection. Protests are common if you change one question on the test. Practical must return to what it is: hunting. Hunter Series are a new line of rifles that allow for hunting-style rifles at a lower weight. In hunting situations, it is crucial to be able find the targets. Next, you need to create the position based upon the terrain. This is where you can use the adaption aspects of competition to your advantage. This is where the bag filling experimentation was helpful. Instead of carrying a 6-pound Game Changer bag you can use the Go Light fill to reduce the weight. It will be carried by the sheepmen.
Two things can exist simultaneously, series style and field events. We are not suggesting that we change all aspects of the existing styles. Many people want a balance between the two, a combination that can be tested. You can see the Accuracy International ATX sniper rifle (left) and the competition model (right). Accuracy International rifles is an example of this. They started a competition team despite being well-known for their sniper rifles which are used in more than 160 countries. The existing barreled action was used by the team to create a rifle that was more suited to modern tools. It can still benefit from all the weight systems and accessories that we see today, but it is only 12-pounds. They created a balance between military and civilian competition.
How can we move forward? The 3-Gun AR competition is like the Assaulter in military. The precision rifle should be likened to the Assaulter in the military. Target grids and bullseye sizes can be downloaded in MOA. Get Free Targets
