River Bend's 2026 CF BR "Open" Matches — Schedule & Results

Hunter

Screamer Dreamin'
Unless nasty weather, high water, the virus, or some other calamity interferes, we're shooting centerfire benchrest "open” matches on the second Sat of each month (as shown below) at River Bend -- starting Jan 10th.

Schedule
Jan - Group — CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER
Feb - Score
Mar - Group
Apr - Score
May - Group
Jun - Score
Jul - Group
Aug - Score
Sep - Group
Oct - Score
Nov - Group
Dec - Score

Info for those who haven't shot one of these matches at River Bend:

1. Open matches are non-registered; thus, you don’t have to be a member of any club or organization to shoot.

2. Not much walking is required. Paved parking is close to the firing line (if moving your stuff is difficult someone will help); the covered and paved reloading area (with tables and seats) is between the parking area and the firing line; and the target crew will place and retrieve your targets. Targets are provided by the club, and included in the entry fee (see # 4 below). If it's cold or hot, the enclosed office area has a couple of heaters and an air conditioner to offer a bit of relief from the weather. Lunch is oftentimes included in the entry fee. If you'd like to bring your camper (or tent) and come a day or two early and/or stay a day later, and shoot and/or spend the night (on site), I suspect Jim Andress (the match director) can arrange for you to do so; just check with him ahead of time.

3. We will shoot ten, 5-shot targets (with unlimited sighters), with ample time to reload between targets. Five of those targets will be at 100 yards, then five at 200 yards; the overall winner will be based on the combined 100 and 200 yard aggregates. At most (maybe all) matches the top shooter(s) take home money -- so don't risk leaving money on the table by not being there. Custom, factory, and modified rifles are welcome (subject to the following two paragraphs).

4. Per Jim Andress, "RBGC monthly matches are open to the public. Matches typically begin at 9:00AM, so arrive early. Cost for non-registered matches is typically $20. Unlimited guns such as railguns, with no restrictions on weight, size, or configuration are not allowed, and front and rear rests must be separate. 'Heavy Bench' class rifles up to 24 pounds are allowed. Calibers up to .338 are allowed, but remember, no brakes of any kind. No 'super guns' (anything designed to deliver a jacketed bullet weighing over 300 grains with a muzzle velocity of 2900 FPS or greater). Ejections cannot reach adjacent benches. Subject to the foregoing, typical LV, HV, and Sporter rifles (as known in the benchrest community) and typical hunting-type rifles are allowed -- and typically represent all the guns at the matches. To be fair, purpose-built Benchrest rifles compete in the custom class, all others in the factory class."

5. For more information, see: https://rbgc.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=265856&module_id=471033. (Be aware that the 18-pound weight limit mentioned in the second paragraph in the last section in that link does not match the "Heavy Bench" sentence in the preceding paragraph above -- feel free to ask if something needs clarification.)

6. Also, you may enjoy watching the video at https://benchrest.com/forum/threads/river-bend-benchrest-match-video.73843/.

7. For directions, see: https://www.google.com/maps/dir///@34.0197376,-84.3317248,13z (put River Bend Gun Club Road, Dawsonville, GA in the “Destination” box).
 
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Jan Report - Six folks showed up today, including Steve Hill (from SC) and Bill Von Minden (from NC). It rained a fair amount overnight and it was raining fairly hard when I got there about 7:15 this morning; there was a lot of water on the ground. Jim Andress cancelled the match, but allowed whomever wanted to shoot to do so — at no charge.

Due to the continued rain and forecast for more rain, my enthusiasm for "wasting" bullets and powder went down the drain about as fast as did the water, and I left about 8:45. According to my makeshift rain gauge it had rained about two inches during that 1½ hour.

Hopefully, next month will be more pleasant weather.
 
Feb Report - Six folks showed up today; however two had gun/ammo issues and didn't get a record shot down range, and Zane Athey didn't shoot the 200-yd targets. The weather was nice — about 29° when I got there a little after 7:00 this morning, ~ 34° when we started shooting, and ~ 61° when we finished.

Partial results -- 100 yard aggs:
1. Zane Athey - 250-19x (1st place based on his X-count in match one)
2. Tony Rogers - 250-19x (6mm)
3. Scott Dittman - 250-18x

Partial results -- 200 yard aggs:
1. Scott Dittman - 250-10x
2. Roger Avery - 246-6x (6mm)
3. Tony Rogers - 246-5x (6mm)

Partial results -- Grand Aggs:
1. Scott Dittman - 500-28x
2. Tony Rogers - 496-24x (6mm)
3. Roger Avery - 496-15x (6mm)

Thanks to: Jim Andress for running the match and scoring, Jim and Bobby Rieber for providing lunch (burgers, dogs, buns, chips, and condiments) — and Dee for sweets; all those who helped move the target frames; and all the shooters for being there. Also, thanks to RBGC for providing this venue for us to shoot. It was a nice day; chilly, but nice.

Next month we're shooting groups at 100 and 200 yards; factory and modified rifles are welcome (subject to the parenthetical phrase at the end of paragraph # 3 in post # 1 above).
 
Mar Report - We had 13 shooters today (the most we've had at a club match in eight years), including: (a) Bob Duda (shooting a factory gun in his first match at River Bend); (b) Larry Elliott (shooting his second match at River Bend); (c) long-absent Michael Harris; (d) looooong-absent Scotty Grimes (from AL); and (e) one other factory-class shooter; however, Bob, Larry, and Michael didn't shoot the 200-yard targets. It was about 38° when I got there about 7:15 this morning, ~ 43° when we started shooting, and ~ 74° when we finished.

Partial results -- 100 yard aggs:
1. Bill Von Minden - .2142
2. Scott Dittman - .2180
3. Roger Avery - .2730
Scott had the smallest group, a .097 screamer.

Partial results -- 200 yard aggs:
1. Greg Ellis - .2800
2. Jim Andress - .2982
3. Zane Athey - .3138
Greg gad the smallest group: .353.

Partial results -- Grand Aggs:
1. Jim Andress - .2897
2. Joe Bougard - .2938
3. Zane Athey - .3040

Thanks to: Jim Andress for running the match and scoring, Jim and Bobby Rieber for providing lunch (chicken burgers, buns, chips, and condiments) — and Dee for sweets; all those who helped move the target frames; and all the shooters for being there. Also, thanks to RBGC for providing this venue for us to shoot. It was a nice day!

Next month we're shooting score at 100 and 200 yards; factory and modified rifles are welcome (subject to the parenthetical phrase at the end of paragraph # 3 in post # 1 above). Come shoot with us!
 
Apr Report - We had 15 shooters today (the most we've had at a club match in eight years), including: (a) Nicole and Brent Cook (shooting their first and second, respectively, benchrest matches at River Bend); (b) long-absent Jenna Scott; and (c) Scotty Grimes from AL (back for the second consecutive month). It was ~ 45° when I got there about 7:15 this morning, ~ 50° when we started shooting, and ~ 79° when we finished.

Partial results -- 100 yard aggs:
1. Scott Dittman - 250-22x (1st place based on his X-count in match one)
2. Tony Rogers - 250-22x
3. Jenna Scott - 250-20x (3rd place based on her X-count in match two)
4. Zane Athey - 250-20x (4th place based on his X-count in match one)
5. Brent Cook - 250-20x

Partial results -- 200 yard aggs:
1. Scott Dittman - 250-10x
2. Roger Avery - 248-6x (6mm)
3. Joe Bougard - 248-4x

Partial results -- Grand Aggs:
1. Scott Dittman - 500-32x
2. Tony Rogers - 498-24x
3. Brent Cook - 498-23

Thanks to: Jim Andress for running the match and scoring; Scott Dittman for helping Jim run the computer; Jim and Bobby Rieber for providing lunch (burgers, buns, chips, and condiments) — and Dee for sweets; all those who helped move the target frames; and all the shooters for being there. Also, thanks to RBGC for providing this venue for us to shoot. It was a nice day.

Next month we're shooting groups at 100 and 200 yards; factory and modified rifles are welcome (subject to the parenthetical phrase at the end of paragraph # 3 in post # 1 above).
 
May Report - We had 13 guys show today (however, Zane Athey didn't shoot); the shooters included Jim Jackson from AL (shooting his first CF BR match), Scott Haywood from TX (shooting his first club match at River Bend), and Scott Dittman (who spent his birthday shooting with us). It was about 58° when we started shooting, and ~ 72° when we finished.

Partial results -- 100 yard aggs:
1. Jim Andress - .1808
2. Roger Avery - .2192
3. Scott Haywood - .2294
Jim had the smallest group, a .098 screamer.

Partial results -- 200 yard aggs:
1. Scott Dittman - .2308
2. Roger Avery - .2568
3. Scotty Grimes - .2895
Scott had the smallest group: .353.

Partial results -- Grand Aggs:
1. Roger Avery - .2380
2. Scott Dittman - .2386
3. Scott Haywood - .2786

Thanks to: Jim Andress for running the match and scoring, Larry Randall for helping run the computer, Jim and Bobby Rieber for providing lunch (smoked pork, buns, chips, and condiments) — and Dee for sweets; all those who helped move the target frames; and all the shooters for being there. Also, thanks to RBGC for providing this venue for us to shoot. It was a nice day!

Next month we're shooting score at 100 and 200 yards; factory and modified rifles are welcome (subject to the parenthetical phrase at the end of paragraph # 3 in post # 1 above). Come shoot with us!
 
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