Back to Cork's PlaceMILITARY BOLT ACTION BENCH REST COMPETITION
PREAMBLE:
The purpose of the competition is to bring the older military bolt action rifles out of the closets and gun safes and onto the ranges through competition and companionship at a minimal cost and to avoid having the competition become a dollar race as has occurred in many shooting sports.FIREARMS:
The competition is limited to bolt action, centerfire, "as issued", or "stock" rifles such as would have been issued to the average recruit of a recognized military organization. Special versions of these rifles such as "sniper" rifles or .22 caliber training rifles are not acceptable as they are special purpose weapons and cannot be considered "as issued". It is not our intent to provide a comprehensive list of such rifles but rather allowable modifications keeping in mind the spirit of the competition.MODIFICATIONS:
Allowable modifications shall include "free floating" the barrel, smoothing the trigger pull and action, exchanging the front sight for a taller and/or wider one and using "target paper" shims between the muzzle and barrel channel. Using these guidelines, "glass bedding" is not allowable.CALIBER:
Any "as issued" caliber is allowable, but not a rechambered rifle with a different caliber unless such action was a generally available modification. An example of such acceptable recahambering would be the British Short Magazine Lee Enfield. This rifle was normally issued in the .303 caliber, but when members of NATO attemped to standardize their ammunition to the 7.62 NATO round, several countries, such as India, simply rechambered or rebarreled their SMLE rifles to the NATO caliber then reissued them to their troops. This rifle, in the new caliber, then became their "standard issue" rifle.SIGHTS:
The sights allowable must be of the "as issued type". Optical, target or sniper type sights are not allowed. Receiver sights cannot be "bushed", nor can normally uncovered sights be "hooded". Manufacturers' modifications though are acceptable. An example would be the Marine Corps "flat top" front sight for the 1903 Springfield. Another would be the changes from nonadjustable, for windage, rear sight on the SMLE #1, Mk III, to windage adjustable sight that was retrofitted on the rifle.Having stated the above limitations on sights, we realize that most military rifles to be used in this competition were originally "sighted in" for a minimum of 250 yards. This means that with a six o'clock hold on the target at one hundred yards the point of the bullet's impact will be about a foot high. This, or course, will ruin your whole day. Consequently, we are allowing the front sight to be modified to the extent that a taller and/or wider sight may be installed to allow a proper sight picture on the target. A wider front sight may also be utilized on those rifles originally designed with no rear windage adjustment. But in neither case shall a front sight lose its "military configuration".
AMMUNITION:
Ammunition may be either military surplus ball, comercially available cartridges or hand loads using either jacketed or cast bullets. Since many of these rifles have barrels that are becoming scarce the use of low velocity hand loads is highly recommended. This tends to lessen wear on the barrel and also makes a proper six o'clock hold on the target easier to obtain with the sights available.COURSE OF FIRE:
The basic course of fire shall be five strings of ten rounds each for a total of fifty rounds. The first two strings are fired for group and the last three strings are fired for score. A winner shall be determined for each string and an overall high shooter shall be determined by the aggregate of the three scoring strings. Matches between clubs shall follow this same course of fire. The target utilized is the NRA's SR-21 simulated 300 yard target as used in the DCM [CMP] matches. Individual clubs may utilize other targets, but for interclub competition the SR-21 shall be the official target. [Each string is a timed ten minute event.] [A ten minute sighter string may be shot prior to beginning record strings, but the sighter may not be left hanging.]EQUIPMENT/ACCESSORIES:
Since all shooting will be done from a bench rest the use of slings is probably moot. Most any type of rifle stand is allowable but clamps, vises or other devices that act to fix the rifle to a stand or to the bench shall not be allowed. The use of spotting scopes, sight black, shooting jackets and other personal gear which tends to make a competitor's shooting more enjoyable is allowed.SAFETY:
Normal National Rifle Association range safety practices shall be enforced in conjunction with specific rules which may apply to a particular range. Any competitor found in violation of these rules shall be disqualified. All shooters will use eye and ear protection during the compettion. The match director shall advise competitors and spectators of any special rules concerning their particular range.If hand loaded ammunition is being utilized it shall be tested prior to shooting in a match. A match is not the place to try out new loads.
Newly acquired rifles must be function fired prior to a match to determine their safety and reliability with similar loads as will be utilized in the match.