Almost a quarter-century ago - Rimfire Benchrest in Maine

[Picher]

Over 20 years ago, I started the Rimfire Benchrest Program at Capitol City R&P in Augusta, Maine. We were un-sanctioned for a while, but had a lot of fun shooting some fairly-accurate target rifles and modified sporters. I just ran across these old photos of the first year we ran matches.

The funny photo of the Model 52C with a tuna "can" barrel tuner on it actually had lead inside and worked to some extent, but was really just for fun.

The range now has a new roof, wide concrete floor, concrete benches and can accommodate both 50 yard and 50 meter matches, as well as 3-position rimfire. Ya gotta start somewhere, so we made-do with movable benches that we made ourselves, so we could share space with the NRA, 3-P folks.

It's not the same game anymore. Some rests cost way more than our recycled/adapted 3-P rifles. I stopped running matches about 5 years ago and don't shoot in matches anymore.

John P.

 

[LoonWulf]

That looks like fun to me!

 

[Picher]

It was a lot of fun when it was a club sport. It's still going, but very expensive and there's too much money involved in equipment for the average club member to enjoy a fun day like we did back then.

We even had a separate handgun class.

 

[LoonWulf]

That's too bad.
From the looks of it, I think I'd like shooting in the older matches your describing.

 

[22250Rem]

Looks like a good time was had by all..... Now that its become more expensive and specialized couldn't they establish some different classes for unmodified regular production rifles, and such, so more folks could participate and have fun.

 

[chicharrones]

I sure do like coming across old photos. Nice tuna can tuner.

 

[Picher]

I worked on a lot of cheap .22LRs to make them shoot better for the guys. Bedded most, lightened triggers and a few other tricks helped. Then the "upgrading" began. Before the summer was over, several guys had Anschutz and other target rifles, including CMP Mossbergs, which didn't prove wonderful. It took several years, but eventually, we brought the program into the national competition and were somewhat competitive, but then the argumentative guys with the money came and things weren't the same, IMHO.

 

[mdauben]

I sure do like coming across old photos. Nice tuna can tuner.

You can tuna rifle, but you can't tuna fish?

 

[LoonWulf]

You can tuna rifle, but you can't tuna fish?

You have no idea how hard it is for me to not take a picture of one of my guns with a little aku or ahi stuck on the end of it.....

 

[Picher]

One club had a dollar limit on the guns shot in a match back then. I think it was $200. It got folks started in the game and was a lot of fun. I think scope power was also limited. Our non-sanctioned Plinker matches had scope power limit of 8X, but I don't remember any other limits we placed on it. We held on to the Plinker match for many years, which catered to 10-22s and other non-match rifles. I didn't compete at that point, since my 10-22 was very hard to beat.

 

[fpgt72]

There is something to be said about having it just be fun.

At our club we had 22 games...and they really just games...fun, some worked some did not. The guys that ran it at this time left, and a new group took over....now it is way too over the top...I don't go anymore..

There was one game we had where you "drew" a smiley face on a circle....think lethal weapon....and it was "judged" as to who had the best face....it was just fun.