Benchrest Rifle
Benchrest Rifle involves shooting at a fixed target from a seated position with the rifle resting on a bench.
This is one of the best shooting disciplines for the beginner. It is also one of the most challenging shooting disciplines for the seasoned target shooter.
How can it be both?
There are a number of categories within the sport, each of which caters for a different type of rifle, to ensure that the beginner with a standard rifle is not at a disadvantage when competing against someone who has spent thousands on equipment specifically for this sport.
Don’t let that fool you, however, as there have been some amazing scores achieved with the traditional .22 sporting rifle. At the end of the day it comes down to how good you are and that comes down to practice.
The NASRPC runs Rimfire Benchrest Rifle competitions for rifles chambered in .22LR ammunition only.
Competitions are shot at a distance of 50m and require a total of 50 shots – 25 shots on each of two targets.
You have a maximum time of 20 minutes per target in which time you must take 25 scoring shots, and an unlimited number of sighting shots.
The different categories of Benchrest competition are:
Factory Sporter
- Max. Rifle weight 8.5Lbs
- Max. Scope Magnification 12x
International Sporter
- Max. Rifle weight 8.5lbs
- Max. Scope Magnification 6.5x
Light Varmint
- Max. Rifle weight 10.5lbs
- No Max. Scope Magnification
Heavy Varmint
- Max. Rifle weight 15lbs
- No Max. Scope Magnification
Semi Auto
- Max. Rifle weight 8.5lbs
- Max. Scope Magnification 12x
