Practise for Big Bore Nationals

[Safarigent]

Hi,
A member here asked me to start a thread on training for the big bore matches held in India.
Here is a basic write up which is bound to be incomplete and lacking in a lot of details as i am a novice. Some background:
There are a couple of varieties of matches held:
Civilians and service players.
National rules and ISSF rules.

To qualify as a renowned shot one needs to shoot various scores as laid out in the NRAI matchbook. Here i will talk about the easiest, the 300m prone. The MQS for which is 475/600.
Matches are for a duration of 75 minutes. 60 match shots preceeded by any number of sighters you may need.
There are rings numbered from 1-10. Whichever ring your bullet hits is the score for that shot.
Hence we can see that on average, a score of 475 implies an average score of 7.9 per shot. Basically which means that if you are able to put the majority of your shots in the 8 and higher rings, with the odd flier, you should qualify easily. Iirc, the 8 ring is 6 odd inches across, meaning you need a 2MoA rifle and shoot properly with it.
The best part about the 300m discipline is that the sight picture when you look through the peep sights is exactly the same as that on the 50m range! So practise on the 50m range and save money.
You will need at a minimum, a shooting jacket with an adjustable sling and a glove. These things can be brough on the net or from various vendors. Your trousers should not have pockets. If they do, sew them up.
An important consideration in your training is the need to pace yourself. Shoot too fast and you will heat up the barrel, possibly throwing your shots awry, shoot too slow and you will be forced to rush at the end. Focus and concentration has to be maintained throughout. Your heart rate has to kept as low as possible for the duration of shooting.
More to follow

[sa_ali]

This is really required. , Some how it got missed by me.

I am surprised how come there are not questions on this thread,

Here are some of my questions

Some information about Equipment required, Can we use bare basic IOF 3006 ?
Where can we practice it, Do we have a range for it in KS tughlakabad ?

[Safarigent]

You can use an IOF .30-06 and people have indeed shot 500+ scores using it. You do need to make a few adjustments. You need peep sights installed. A handstop under the fore end to which you can attach your sling to. A butt hook might help too. A certain gent from hyderabad makes competition stocks for the IOF .30-06.
The KSSR doesnt have a 300m range. But you dont need that. A sight picture at the 50m range with 50m targets is the same as the sight picture through peep sights at 300m with 300m targets. So practise there, save money.

Thats what everyone does.

[jatindra Singh Deo]

Thanks for this thread as apart for the air rifle events ,there is not much understanding of the big bore events .What are the other calibers that qualify for the 300 m event and which is best suited contender ? Rifles used ,winning scores?

[Safarigent]

Tanner, kepler are amongst the more popular match rifles.
Calibres would be the 6mm BR, .308, 7.5 swiss.
There are other rifles like blaser, mauser etc which are also used.
Calibres popular in india are the .22-250, .222, .308, 6mm BR Etc

[Vikram]

This thread is made into a "Sticky." Request all who are interested in this subject to contribute frequently so that this will function as a resource for all those interested in this discipline. Thank you.


Best-
Vikram

[sa_ali]

any recommendation from where the sight modification can be done.

Also do we have any members on this forum or you know whom we can reach out for rent the ready to use gun

[Safarigent]

The peep sights etc can be brought from capapie sports.( i have no relationship with the firm) they can also be ordered online(not tried this yet) or gotten back as personal baggage
As far as replacing the sights on an IOF with these, any competent gun smith should be able to do the same. If you try PM'ing some of the more senior members here, i am sure they can shed more light on the topic.
As far as borrowing someones rifle and ammo to use at the range, i guess, you will have to try your luck at the ranges.


P.S. a proper jacket and a micrometer sling is an essential piece of kit, both of which you can order from Capapie sports.

I am sure there are others, but i am telling you what i know.

[sa_ali]

thanks for all the information.

I am sure we shall have more questions

[mundaire]

I am no expert, neither have I ever shot MQS in the event. However, based on my limited interaction with persons who qualify on both counts I'd suggest that you go to the range and rent out a match .22 for practice at 50m from your association. You will of course need your own jacket, sling and glove.

Once you have practised for some time at 50m, save the money needed for modifying the IOF .30-06 and in stead rent out a match rifle for the actual event. I am not sure of the prevailing prices, but I'd guess something in the range of 30-50K (including ammo for one match) would be about right. Going in with the modified IOF .30-06 would put you at a disadvantage of at least 30 points.... could be more/ less.

Big bore events are as follows:

3 position standard rifle - 60 shot match - standard rifle has certain restrictions w.r.t to minimum trigger pull weight, no butt hook etc.

prone free rifle - 60 shot match

3 position free rifle - 120 shot match. I believe there is a provision for the first 40 shots of your free rifle prone match to be counted against the total 120 shots, so long as you shoot the other two positions in continuation.

Please see NRAI/ ISSF match book for details

Cheers!
Abhijeet

[Safarigent]

+1 to above.
Just an update, The current rates are in the region of 70,000 per event, not 30,000-50,000.
Accurate though the IOF may be, it cant match a purpose made match rifle.

[mundaire]

Just an update, The current rates are in the region of 70,000 per event, not 30,000-50,000.

[Vikram]

+1 to above.
Just an update, The current rates are in the region of 70,000 per event, not 30,000-50,000.
Accurate though the IOF may be, it cant match a purpose made match rifle.

Rs.70,000 for renting the rifle and using the ammunition for ONE match? That is almost the price of an IOF rifle. Almost sounds criminal to me.


Best-
Vikram

[AgentDoubleS]

+1 to above.
Just an update, The current rates are in the region of 70,000 per event, not 30,000-50,000.
Accurate though the IOF may be, it cant match a purpose made match rifle.

Rs.70,000 for renting the rifle and using the ammunition for ONE match? That is almost the price of an IOF rifle. Almost sounds criminal to me.


Best-
Vikram

That price took the wind out of my sails. Not only is it nearly the price of the iof rifle I am sure it is 1/4 or 1/5 the price of the match rifle itself!

And here we are blaming real estate rentals and prices for inflation!

P.S I remember reading a few years back(2007 maybe?) a post by Mack The Knife that the rental for a big bore match rifle and ammo was Rs 15000!

[Safarigent]

A winchester super grade will cost you a thousand odd dollars. So to say that 70000 is a fraction of the price of a match rifle would be stretching things.
And we havent included ammunition yet.
Like all things in india, this too is a sellers market.
2012 rates were 50000. This year they went up higher. Lets see what happens in 2014.