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Post by Voss on Feb 7, 2018 1:39:20 GMT
Hey everyone.
My name is Benjamin Voss. I have been conducting the Mid-Range Precision Rifle Classes at BRRC since June of 2017. With five classes in the books, I can see there is considerable interest in mid-range and long range precision rifle shooting at Bench Rest. To me there is nothing more rewarding than hitting targets at distance with a rifle on the first or second shot. I also enjoy teaching others the nuances of precision rifle shooting, so that is why I agreed to handle the instruction when Scott asked if I was interested.
I am very ably assisted in each class by several very knowledgeable assistant instructors: DJ, Craig and Bill. Together we have honed the class into a very focused and condensed one and a half day class. At the end of it, if your "system" is up to the task, you should be shooting comfortably at the 600 yard line. This class is not how to reload or squeeze a trigger, but rather the science of long range shooting and ballistics and how to apply it to your "system". However, in this class we do not qualify you to shoot to 600 yards at BRRC. We give you all the information you need in order to qualify. Its up to you to practice and arrange for your qualification by contacting Maureen or Scott at the office.
Like the proverb: If I give a man a fish, he will eat for a day. If I teach a man to fish, he can eat for for the rest of his life.
Scott has made great strides in working on the 1100 yard range. We hope to have that done very soon and a qualification test and course of fire soon. With the growing interest in the 1,100 and potentially 1,200 yard range, there is also a "long range class" in the works. Right now, these classes are not required to qualify for shooting to any distance. However, if you are not an experienced long range shooter, putting together all the pieces to easily qualify to 600 or 1,100 yards might be extremely challenging, if not frustrating and fruitless.
If you have questions about mid- or long range shooting at Bench Rest, please leave a comment here. I plan on checking back from time to time. If you have questions about the classes or qualification, feel free to ask here or contact Scott.
If you are enrolled in an upcoming mid or long range class and have questions about the class or your preparation for it, please ask.
More to follow.
Stay safe!
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Post by barrettguy on Apr 17, 2018 18:40:05 GMT
Ben, Just saw your post. Thanks for your efforts in teaching the class. Signed up and looking forward to taking the Mid-range class, again, under your instruction. Very interested in the long range opportunity as well. Hope you say "Hi" at the NRA Convention in Dallas. Then, heading to St. Lake City area for Brian Litz's Applied Ballistic Seminar in early June. Invited Litz to bring his seminar to BRRC/St. Louis area, but appears they enjoy more glitzy venues out West and East. Who knows....my Barretts may shake that "NIB" stigma this summer. Jim
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Post by Voss on Apr 18, 2018 13:35:58 GMT
Jim,
Thanks for the note. Glad to hear that you are looking forward to the class. With the competition schedule filling up the 60 Bench on weekends, it might be challenge to get the date set. Scott will try to find something as soon as the roster is filled.
The Brian Litz seminar should be very good. He is the guy pushing the edge of long range knowledge in the industry now. I have not found time to attend one of his seminars yet, but his books have taught me a lot.
Stop by the booth if you make it to NRA.
Stay safe.
Voss
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Post by Voss on Apr 21, 2018 12:54:54 GMT
For those interested:
A tentative date has been set for the next Mid-Range Class: June 16th and 17th. Maureen will begin reaching out to those on the waiting list to confirm attendance. If you are not on the list, please contact Maureen.
Ahead of that, here are some equipment requirements for the class:
- Rifle capable of 1" groups at 100 yards with scope mounted and zeroed. This rifle does not have to be a super magnum or .338 Lapua to get to 600 yards. PLEASE have your rifle ZEROED before you arrive! - Scope must have target turrets with numbered and audible adjustments, BDC turrets and hunting turrets are not recommended Bring the scope's owner's manual, if you have it Bring tools for loosening/zeroing the turrets - Ammunition, same as the rifle is zeroed for 40 rounds absolute minimum Recommend they bring no less than 60 rounds, but more is always better - Shooting support Tripod, Bipod, Sand bags, or Lead Sled or similar Rear stock support - Ballistic program on device or phone PC based ballistic program okay, but print outs will be needed - Calculator, tape measure and black marker will be needed at end of day 1 for "homework"
We will be shooting both days, so you will need your rifle and ammo on the first day. Lunch break will be only 45 minutes, so bringing your lunch is recommended as it is too far to get to a restaurant. Class start at 8:00 AM both days, please arrive a little early. Day 1 should end around 5:30 PM, Day 2 should be done by 12:00 noon.
If you questions, please answer them here. It is likely other participants have the same question.
Looking forward to a full class and great weather.
Stay safe!
Voss
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Post by tmoone on Apr 25, 2018 18:34:19 GMT
Ben, I and another member Clay are wanting to take your course. Before knowing better I did tell Clay he could borrow my spare 308 I have in my gun safe that I almost never use. It is a Savage 24" full bull 308, 36 power target scope, etc. I have about 100 rouunds setup for it. I then found in the doc emailed to me that there is no sharing or borrowing of rifles. I wanted to make sure this was OK. If not, I will fully understand. I am already 600 yard qualified but figured I would take the course any as I will most likely pick up quite a bit of information. I can hold off on taking this course until my friend has his own rifle, if necessary and you will see us both later. If this is allowed, my plans were to get him to the range a couple times to get used to the rifle, make sure it is zeroed at 100 yards, get the cheek comb to the correct height for him, etc. All other requirements are met. Please let me know if this is will be allowed. Thank you.
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Post by Voss on Apr 27, 2018 18:49:59 GMT
TMOONE,
We would prefer that Clay shoot his own rifle during the course, but I will not require it. Scott generally frowns upon it, but we have allowed it before. It is always better if you shoot your own rifle as you have experience with it and will only gain more during the shooting we do. It also allows the cadre to evaluate the rifle for suitability to qualify with. The focus of the class is to arm you with the information to shoot safely to 600 yards with whatever rifle you bring to the range on any given day. It should also inform you as to which rifles may not suitable for safely and reliably shooting at distance. In the qualification, it is you, the shooter who gets qualified, not the rifle.
However, if Clay does not have a rifle, it should not dissuade him from attending the class. We do not qualify during the class, so not having his own rifle will not hurt him there. It will also give him an opportunity to try different things out before spending money on something he may not have experience with.
I always have back-up rifles on-hand to lend to participants whose rifle or scope go down during the class. It happens regularly or someone's scope is not quite up to the task. I'd rather the participant continue with the course than go home without getting all the information simply because of a mechanical failure.
I hope this was helpful. I look forward to seeing you both in class.
Regards,
Voss
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Post by tmoone on Apr 28, 2018 0:06:20 GMT
Thank you for your response. I will talk with Clay and see if he can set himself up with a good 600 yard + rifle prior to the class. I will help him with this and the scope selection, and setup. If he can't, I will let him use my spare 308, though I will have him go out and confirm the rifle is zeroed at 100 yards and let him get comfortable with it. Clay will get his own rifle and practice with me no matter what before he goes after 300 or 600 yard qualification. Clay will be fine with that as he is wanting the knowledge and ability to practice what he learns more than getting the 600 yard qualification. I am wanting to go after the 1200 yard qual, but a couple years of practice at 600 yards first wont hurt me either. Thank you. See you at the class.
Todd
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Post by Jeff on May 8, 2018 14:24:05 GMT
Hi Benjamin, thanks for taking time to teach this class for our members! To me these training sessions are one of the best benefits of joining the club. My purpose in taking the class is to learn how to become more effective at ranges out to 600 yards with hunting rifles as I hunt out West each year and most shots are 300-600 yards. With that said, I would like to use a non-bull barreled rifle if possible...is this okay?? If not, no problem, just want to be sure I bring the right rifle.
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Post by Voss on May 9, 2018 13:13:35 GMT
Jeff,
The rifle you choose to use in the class is less important than the type of scope you choose. The rifle does not need to have a heavy barrel, but it does need to be accurate enough to consistently deliver less than 1MOA groups. The purpose of tight groups for this class is to allow for results to be monitored in the exercises, not simply for shooting tight groups. However, your hunting rifle is probably fairly light and in a heavy-recoiling cartridge. This is not the best choice for this type of class. The work will be off the bench or in the prone and heavy recoil will generally hinder precision work if you are trying to learn the techniques at the same time. Also, lighter barrels may heat during the course of fire and cause some shift in impacts. All things to consider when choosing a rifle for the class versus hunting with.
As I mentioned, the scope design is more important. The turrets must be of target type for the class. The techniques and concepts taught in the class are best experienced with a target turret than a hunting-style scope. The information taught can be applied to a hunting situation and will certainly increase your ability to take shots at distance, but learning the concepts is best done with a target-style or tactical scope.
As mentioned in an earlier post, in order to qualify to shoot at distance at BRRC, you will need a scope that has target or tactical turrets because the qualification requires you to demonstrate ballistic knowledge by dialing your scope. Afterward, you can shoot non-target scopes to 300 or 600 yards, but only if you understand what the drop at those distances are. Any projectile that leaves the property is still your responsibility. In the class, we hope that you are armed with the knowledge of how to accurately determine bullet drop, but also how to properly apply that to your system.
Hope this helps.
Voss
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Post by Voss on May 17, 2018 11:34:22 GMT
El Prez (Scott) tells me he is planning on starting long range qualifications this week (May 17th). Long Range Qualification is a written exam as well as a shooting qualification and signing the Long Range use agreement. There is also an additional one-time buy-in fee to use the long range facility. If you are seriously interested in shooting to 1,100+ yards, it will be worth it. Ranges with this capability are few and far between. We are excited to add this capability to BRRC. The range initially has steel and paper target stands. As more shooters sign-up for it, additions will be made.
The exam is comprehensive. It includes multiple choice, True/False and "essay" questions. You must have knowledge of ballistics and shooting at distance to pass it. The shooting portion is also challenging if you are new to this or have a system that is not up to the task. The rigorous nature of the qualification is to ensure that shooters allowed to shoot on the long range can do so safely and successfully. BRRC simply cannot have projectiles leaving the property. Please contact Scott or Maureen to arrange for your qualification. Material covered in the Mid-Range Class would provide all the necessary information to pass the test.
After the June Mid-Range Class, we will focus on completing the Long Range Class and scheduling the first one. It will review mid-range information and then focus on shooting in wind, transonic ballistics, and other nuances of shooting at the maximum effect range of your system. We will be doing more shooting in this class. Half of a day will be done on the long range. As the class comes along, I will post updates. If you have suggestions for topics for the LR Class, let me know. The goal is to conduct the first LR Class this fall.
Shoot safe.
Voss
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Post by dB on Jun 10, 2018 17:27:38 GMT
What are the specific qualification criteria for the 600-1200 range?
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Post by Voss on Jun 11, 2018 2:13:44 GMT
That is a question best answered by Scott since he conducts that quals for the long range. However, I can ask him this week and maybe post the requirements.
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Post by Voss on Jun 15, 2018 12:55:14 GMT
FYI: Scott has been offering Long Range Qualifications for couple of weeks now. Here is a rough idea of the requirements to qualify for the Long Range:
- Demonstrate two MOA precision and accuracy at the 600 yard line on the 60 Bench. - If successful, take the written exam. - If successful, demonstrate two MOA precision and accuracy on the Long Range at the following distances: - 600 yards - 815 yards - 1015 yards - 1115 yards (the 1200 firing line is not done yet)
- You must dial your scope at each distance. - Qualification procedures are very similar to the Mid-Range Qualification.
Right now, there are no benches yet on the Long Range, only a prone firing line. If you need specifics on the process, contact Scott. To arrange for a qualification appointment, contact Scott or Maureen.
We are conducting a Mid-Range Class this weekend. If you are confirmed a seat, we'll see you tomorrow. Bring plenty of water, it's going to be a hot one. We will only be shooting for an hour or so in the afternoon.
If you want seat for the Mid-Range Class, contact Maureen to get on the list. No date is set for the next class. As the list fills, we set a date.
Shot safe.
Voss
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Post by barrettguy on Jun 18, 2018 20:07:09 GMT
Ben, thanks for the Mid-Range Class this past weekend....6/16-17/18. WELL DONE!!! You do a great job of explaining and assisting the participants in learning and applying the material. Thanks for devoting your time from your personal life to do this. DJ also is a great asset in assisting the participants. He is also very knowledgeable and helpful.
Highly recommend this class to any member wanting to qualify to shoot beyond 200yds.
Jim
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Post by John B on Aug 29, 2018 2:17:54 GMT
Ben - thanks for the great instruction this past summer at the mid-range class. It put me on the right path and confirmed a lot practices learned. My question may be one of preference but I'm looking at a new build and want want to ask your preference of a 6.5 creedmoor versus a 260 remington. I had the 260 Rem on my wish list for a long time but the popularity of the 6.5 cdm has me 2nd guessing this. Thank you, John
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