Extreme Benchrest 75 vs 100 yards

What is the impact on moving the 75 yard targets back to 100 yards?

The extreme benchrest match is held over three days. On the first two days each shooter fires 
25 shots at 75 yards. On the third day the top 10 from each day shoots 25 more shots at 100 yards, but on the same target that was used at 75. Those targets look small at 75, but they really look little at 100! The "difference" is the best score at 75 less the 100 yard score.

Scores dropt 10 to 15 % for a range increase of 33%. 

Final standing	1st 75 Yard	2nd 75 Yard	100 Yards	difference	%
1	233	236	217	19	8%
2	235	237	211	26	11%
3	231	222	208	23	10%
4	227	225	202	25	11%
5	227	230	198	32	14%
6	224	228	197	31	14%
7	221	217	194	27	12%
8	214	223	193	30	13%
9	228	226	192	36	16%
10	220	233	188	35	15%

Extreme Benchrest,Cast Bullet Match

A hit with a .45 cal air rifle

Introduced in 2015 as a paper target match, the cast bullet match was expanded into a two format competition by adding a second contest called the Steel Challenge fired on reactive targets at distances announced just before the shooters came to the firing line. This doubled the shooting but it also more than doubled the challenge and for the onlookers, more than doubled the fun.

Range Officer explains the SR-1 targets

The Benchrest portion, fired on Saturday, was 2 sighting shots and 20 record shots at 200 yards. The target was the NRA SR-1, and the time limit was 35 minutes. In 2015 I saw hits just barely score at 3:00 blown on winds that might have moved a .30 caliber 169 boat tail

bullet from a ten to an eight.

Last year’s Benchrest portion was retained for 2016. The Steel Challenge was added. This match was shot at reactive flash targets at 82 yards and at 190 yards. These targets consist of a round steel target underneath two large rectangles one white and one red. The two rectangles are set so the white rectangle obscures the red. When the target is hit the assembly rocks back and the red is visible. Each shooter has a scorekeeper assigned. Red flash equals a hit. Targets looked to be 4 inches at 82 yards and 8 inches at 190.

Targets at 82 and 190 yards

Competitors shoot 24 shots with two sighting shots in 35 minutes. Hits on the close targets count 5 points. Hits of the far targets count 10. However, you must score 12 hits on the close before going to the far. Add in that the distances were not announced until just before the

match, and this becomes a unique challenge in what is an already unique shooting match.

A hit at 190 yards

The winner was determined by the combined score for the two days. Kip Perow’s score of 309 was broken down into 169 for the Benchrest and 140 for the Steel Challenge. He had to score 60 (12X5) to go one to the long range targets. So he had eight hits (140-60=80) at 190 yards. He had to have an accurate rifle and the skill to hit at that range. He also had to know its trajectory to get his point of aim. A truly outstanding feat of air arms.

Ron Blueflax Airguns

Extreme Benchreat winner

Ted Bier
Winner 100 yard Extreme Benchrest final

Extreme Benchrest, final match

Thunder heads in the afternoon during the 75 yard match
Extreme Benchrest in Mesa, Arizona

Over the years the biggest change is in the signature 75 yard Extreme Benchrest match. It has to be “Extreme”. Phrases like almost pretty good just don’t cut it. This match started as a 25 shot match at 10 meter pistol targets. Relays were scheduled for the near freezing morning into the windy afternoon. The right relay meant a good score. At Green Valley the wind blew out of 7 and 8 o'clock, and as the day wnet on your hits wandered off toward 1 and 2 o'clock, and your score went with them.

The solution at Mesa is to shoot two 75 yard matches over two days. One day the relays are in the morning and the other in the afternoon. Shooters with top aggregate scores in both the Sportsman and Pro Classes then shoot a final 100 yard match on the same size targets that were used at 75. Not only is this more fair, it puts the extreme back into Extreme Benchrest. It provides an exciting conclusion to four days of shooting.

Today is that day.

Ron, Blueflax Airguns

Extreme Benchrest Friday

Ol' Gator and a Coyote, Dave too

Dave AKA I Like Irons

Last turkey down, and 4 rams to go

Extreme Benchrest, American Field Target

At EBR this Thursday we shot American FT, Targets were over twice the size of conventional field targets and made form 1/4 inch steel. Air rifles were over 28 fpe. ranges were 15 to 100 yards. Distances to each target were posted at the firin point. op scores were in the rge of 24-25 hits. scores have not been posted yet.

This target was about 18 inches tall

These were the target distances for one lane.
Arimo Dave dropt the 87 yard target with a shot from a 48 FPE Daystate.

Ol' Gator gonna get ya!

Ron, Blueflax Airguns

Extreme Breakfast

Early morning breakfast in Mesa Arizona.

Arimo Dave and I drove down to Arizona, ad today is the first day of Extreme Benchrest. I am an early riser and we sacked out at 8 PM. Soooo I am up and waiting for the sunrise at 5:00 AM.

The sun comes up over the Superstition Mountains and lights up the sky before the smog sets in. Best time of the day in the Phoenix area.  

I’ll shoot the Career 707 in the American FT event. The .22 Armada just barely made 27 FPE and 28 was the recommended minimum to trip the heavy targets. The Career came in at 47 FPE and shot well from cross sticks. It is the gun to use.

We looked at some of the heavy field targets at Airguns of Arizona yesterday. They are made from ¼ inch plate and are good for powerful airguns and .22 long rifle. We will shot them with Air rifles out to 100 yards, and the kill zones I saw looked kinda small. No doubt they will look kinda smaller through the scope. It is a 40 shot match (5 lanes with 4 targets and 2 shots per target). That’s just enough to humble the shooters.

Field target in the United States uses ⅛ inch steel for the faces and is limited to a maximum energy of 20 FPE. Today there will be two classes. .22 caliber and up to 50 FPE, and an unlimited class. Also, the range is increased from 55 yards to 100.

There will be a cast bullet match and it too will push the limits of airgunning. 20 shots at paper targets at 200 yards today, and 24 shots at steel at ranges out to beyond 200.

It ought to be a great day

Ron, Blueflax Airguns

Flagstaff, Arizona

Sunrise in Flagstaff just before the sun broke the horizon the sky was the color of golden brown biscuits.

Welcome to AZ.

Spent a lot of atime preparing for the AFT at the expense of the speed shoot. Specifically working the bolt and reloading. But no matter. “Beeing there” is the most important thing. Today we get to Phoenix and go to AOA for pellets. Yes, some of us are a little short.

We spent a lot of time talking about cast bullet shooting, and what kind of gun and bullet would the best. Best for whom is a good question. I have shot cast bullets since I was 14. The most airgun like was Sa 148 gr .30 cal and 1000. That’s over 300 foot pounds and sounds like a stretch for an air rifle. We shall see

Things to look at at Extreme are the cast bullet match and American Feld Target.

Ron, Blueflax Airguns