Benchrest Heavy Class and Tapered barrels (information required)

[Michael Huebner]

We are having a debate in Australia about the use of parallel barrels within the Benchrest Group Heavy Class, primarily should they be allowed for use for qualification for World Championships. The parallel barrels have slowly appeared here over the last 7 yrs or so, as we do not have a rule like the NBRSA barrel taper rule. Infact the only barrel rule we have is minimum length 18”.

Why did the NBRSA only allow tapered barrels what was the reasoning behind this decision?

Do competitors believe their is an advantage when using a parallel barrel against a tapered barrel in Short Range group shooting in Heavy Class?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. If you wish you can email me direct on mhuebner@y7mail.com and let me know any information you may want to share.

Regards

Michael Huebner (AUSTRALIA)

[Wayne Shaw]

Both NBRSA and IBS Heavy Varmint class requires a tapered barrel. If you want to shoot a straight barrel, go unlimited class.

[Dave Coots]

This was the question.

Why did the NBRSA only allow tapered barrels what was the reasoning behind this decision?

Do competitors believe their is an advantage when using a parallel barrel against a tapered barrel in Short Range group shooting in Heavy Class?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. If you wish you can email me direct on mhuebner@y7mail.com and let me know any information you may want to share.

Regards

Michael Huebner (AUSTRALIA)

[Wayne Shaw]

This was the question.

I read the question.

[Dave Coots]

I read the question.

Ok. Your reply didn't indicate that.

[John VM]

The varmint classes were set up to resemble actual varmint rifles and not heavy return to battery rifles. Barrel taper also follows this theory to keep the class as true as can be by definition.

[Wayne Shaw]

Ok. Your reply didn't indicate that.

I don't know the rules of World Championships, evidently they don't care about barrel taper. But anyone from this country with a HV gun will have a tapered barrel.

[Steve Kostanich]

Remember in our Sporter class there is no barrel dimension rule, so a cylinder barrel is legal.

I have a Sporter the can handle a straight 1.2" barrel at 19" long.

With a light carbon fiber stock, light weight action and scope it can be done to make 10.5 lb. limit.

BUT, I saw no great gain over a tapered barrel, at least with that particular barrel.

It was a Lilja 22PPC that I had from another rifle, and tried it as an experiment.

Maybe a new Krieger or Bartlein might be a different result.

FWIW
Steve Kostanich

[adamsgt]

I don't know the rules of World Championships, evidently they don't care about barrel taper. But anyone from this country with a HV gun will have a tapered barrel.

The question was WHY? What is the reason or rationale to require a tapered barrel?

[Mike Bryant]

Just my opinion, you'll find very few who traveling by air to the WBC who will be shooting anything other than a 10.5 pound rifle. Most people bring one rifle and maybe an extra barrel, but that's about it as far as what they bring rifle wise to the the WBC. A weight limit of 50 pounds was the big thing when we flew to NZ in 2017. Put the rifle in a Pelican box and you are half the weight with just the box by itself. WBC can have whatever rules they want as it's a separate organization from the NBRSA. They generally have gone with the NBRSA rules. I've only been on one of these so I'm no expurt on it by any means.

[Ian_Owen]

WBC rules require a tapered barrel in HV & LV.
The rule is
Barrel May be 1.25” in diameter up to 5”ahead of bold face.- From this point it must taper to 0.900” at 29"

Given the WBC rules were developed from the NBRSA rules I am assuming no one has proposed any changes to these rules.

The Australians have wanted to use their HV straight taper barrels in International competition, ie the Pacific Regional Shooting Champs but since we use WBSF rules in these events the use of the straight taper barrels has been excluded.

Michael are the Australians proposing to change the WBSF rules to allow straight taper barrels?

Ian Owen
New Zealand

[Michael Huebner]

WBC rules require a tapered barrel in HV & LV.
The rule is
Barrel May be 1.25” in diameter up to 5”ahead of bold face.- From this point it must taper to 0.900” at 29"

Given the WBC rules were developed from the NBRSA rules I am assuming no one has proposed any changes to these rules.

The Australians have wanted to use their HV straight taper barrels in International competition, ie the Pacific Regional Shooting Champs but since we use WBSF rules in these events the use of the straight taper barrels has been excluded.

Michael are the Australians proposing to change the WBSF rules to allow straight taper barrels?

Ian Owen
New Zealand

Ian,
Potentially it maybe brought up, but not why I was asking initially.
It would provide a clear difference between light and heavy.
My opinion is they shoot more consistent (not smaller) but it would appear more people seem to do better with one. Now what is that due to is the question?
Cheers
Michael

[Ian_Owen]

Ian,
Potentially it maybe brought up, but not why I was asking initially.
It would provide a clear difference between light and heavy.
My opinion is they shoot more consistent (not smaller) but it would appear more people seem to do better with one. Now what is that due to is the question?
Cheers
Michael

I have no idea if a parallel barrel shoots any better than a tapered barrel, I'm assuming most countries that participate in Benchrest have adopted the NBRSA rules and therefore use tapered barrels, if that is the case then Australia might be the only country in the world that actually allows parallel barrels in HV.

What is the percentage of Australians that use a heavy gun? and of those how many are just screwing on a straight parallel barrel?
When I was shooting in Aussie on a regular basis 10 years ago there were a few using parallel barrels but I can't recall how many.
Cheers
Ian

[B J Atkinson]

Just my opinion, you'll find very few who traveling by air to the WBC who will be shooting anything other than a 10.5 pound rifle. Most people bring one rifle and maybe an extra barrel, but that's about it as far as what they bring rifle wise to the the WBC. A weight limit of 50 pounds was the big thing when we flew to NZ in 2017. Put the rifle in a Pelican box and you are half the weight with just the box by itself. WBC can have whatever rules they want as it's a separate organization from the NBRSA. They generally have gone with the NBRSA rules. I've only been on one of these so I'm no expurt on it by any means.

Mike, I have been to seven WBC's on the Australian Team and I have never taken a heavy barrel to the event - even for the two in Australia.
The main reason is the weight concern when flying, and having been hit up by Qantas on the way back from NZ in 2017, it's a real problem. My Pelican box weighs 8 pounds empty, but it is baggage handler proof.
I do have a couple of straight taper barrels for HV that are real tack drivers, but I am quite happy to shoot a good LV barrel in any competition.

Brendan Atkinson
In South Australia!