One conversation can start an idea that grows exponentially when “you know a guy.” During late winter this year, I was talking with my uncle about shooting. He explained the concept of a Benchrest rifle centered on a 6BR necked up to a .30-caliber bullet: the 30BR. While this is not a new concept and has been around for years, I was unfamiliar with the cartridge and started digging. He also mentioned a local shooter in my neck of the woods who was knowledgeable from years of experience in Benchrest shooting. Based on the last name, I said, “I know a guy,” and sent him a message to see if it was a relative of his. A short time later, we had exchanged a couple of messages, and he said, without prompting, “I have a rifle you should see.”
The pursuit of the concept had started, and the rabbit hole was a warm, welcoming chasm that enveloped me like an old friend. I began to dig up all the information I could on the cartridge and the sport. Numerous people have written on the topic, and I will not rehash their excellent explanations. Rather, at the end of this article, I will include links to their resources that developed my understanding through their extensive knowledge base.
A Rifle Built by Stan Ware
Moving forward, the conversation developed, and I stopped to see the rifle that was residing with my “I know a guy.” We had a long talk, and I saw the rifle in person. The rifle was built by the late Stan Ware of S.G.R. Custom Rifles in Westbrook, MN. Stan was a master machinist who would turn on his lathe early in the day when he opened the shop doors and let it run for several hours to warm up before use. When asked why, he explained that the dial would shift several thousandths from cold to warm. Stan’s attention to detail would not allow even the slightest inconsistency.
A New Pursuit to Share With My Daughter
The concept of a Benchrest gun was completely outside my normal pursuits of long-range hunting rifles and precision shooting. Typically, my accuracy pursuits have been prone in the dirt. I’ll admit I have scoffed at people shooting from a bench and using all sorts of mechanical aids to stabilize the rifle. I had a bias, and I had judged those shooters in my ignorance.
I couldn’t shake the idea of shooting small groups into the same hole. My daughter also enjoys shooting with me, and the precision side of rifle work has always been right up her alley. She inherited a Remington 700 ADL .243 that was my dad’s hunting rifle, and I shot my first deer with it. Typically, the gun would shoot sub-MOA, but my daughter has shot several three-shot groups into cloverleaf groups. So, a shared pursuit of shooting small groups with my daughter broadened the rabbit hole.
My guy offered a turnkey solution, with the rifle sold as a package deal with all the 30BR accouterments included. The deal was brokered after my daughter saw the rifle and the barrel break-in targets. During break-in, over 15 years ago, he shot several three-shot groups into the same hole during optimal powder-charge testing.
Rifle Build Specifications
- 30BR
- McMillan BR Heavy Varmint stock
- Pac-Nor barrel, 1:18" twist, 3-groove
- Kelbly Kodiak action, solid base, left extract
- Jewell trigger, 1.5 oz.
- Nightforce BR 12-42x
- Lapua 6BR brass, necked up to .30 caliber and neck-turned
- 118-grain BIBs bullets
- H4198 powder
- Federal 205M primers
The First Range Session
September rolled around, and I took possession of the rifle a week before a local fun match was scheduled. Loaded ammunition from over a decade ago was included. Virgin brass that had been neck-turned, along with an Arbor press and Wilson dies, had me loading the last-used recipe. With this ammunition, I took the rifle to the range for the first time and got to know the rifle. It was a perfect day at 58 degrees, with our usual 10–12 mph wind and 74% humidity.
Cold-bore shot (CB) was 1" low, and the subsequent three-shot group had all rounds touching. Velocity was 2,999, 3,021, and 3,003 fps. I let the gun cool down and shot another three-round group that measured .472" outside-to-outside.
After 23 rounds, I went home to load the rest of the virgin brass and reload the previously fired brass. I sacrificed one case to the AMP annealer and was loading on the Inline Arbor press. Conceptually, it was simple, but I learned there are nuances compared to a traditional cam-over press.
Getting Ready for the Match
The weather turned over the afternoon, and the next day didn’t look promising for load testing to confirm the load before the upcoming weekend match. My daughter also hadn’t shot the rifle, and I knew we needed to discuss the “table manners” many Benchrest shooters use. The concepts of free recoil, linear tracking through recoil based on bag/rest setup, and chin weld versus cheek weld were only in rudimentary, conceptual stages.
The following day, there was a break in the conditions that allowed my daughter and me to race out to the range and shoot. She settled in behind the gun rapidly and printed several three-shot groups with rounds touching. Velocity climbed from an average of 3,015 fps during the initial range session to an average of 3,045 fps over 44 rounds during range session two. The barrel came to me with approximately 100 rounds fired during load development, bringing the total to just over 160 rounds. The speed increase could have been barrel break-in, as I loaded the exact same powder charge using his same jar of H4198.
I loaded the rest of the brass with the exact recipe and prepared for the rifle match the following weekend.
Our First Match With the 30BR
The weather was balmy, misting, and 62 degrees. The wind was finicky and primarily a switching, quartering tailwind averaging 6–9 mph. The rifle shot very consistently, and over the 96 total rounds fired, velocity averaged 3,037 fps. We did not clean the rifle at all, and it continued grouping really well. My daughter shot this five-shot group on a sighter target to confirm zero at 100 yards.
The match went well, except for my underestimated round count. We ended up short 10 rounds, and I could not shoot the final two targets. I let my daughter shoot the final 10 shots with no sighters at 200 yards. The wind was still changing, and she had to hold as it switched for a couple of shots. I watched through the spotting scope as she shot 10 shots into the 10-ring, with four Xs. Incredible for her second time behind the gun and in difficult wind conditions.
The 30BR proved to be match-capable, accurate over an extended round count, and consistent in velocity over the 96 rounds fired. SD was approximately 12 fps, and ES was 35 fps. With 30 rounds loaded with virgin brass, we were fire-forming nearly one-third of the brass, so I was pleased with the consistency.
Cleaning and Bullet Selection
After the match, I cleaned the barrel. It took some light brushing, nine patches with Shooter’s Choice, one alcohol patch, and one dry patch to come clean. I have been very pleased with the limited barrel fouling.
The loading has been with Randy Robinett BIBs bullets. These are a flat-base, short-range bullet weighing 118 grains with a BC of .32.
Items of Note
Adjusting to a Benchrest Trigger
Benchrest triggers are very light! A trigger pull measured in ounces is very foreign to me and took some adjustment. Instead of resting my trigger finger pad on the trigger with pressure, which I typically do with my other rifles, I instead had to very slowly move my finger into extremely light contact and then apply a small amount of pressure to initiate the firing sequence.
Stock Contact and Sight Alignment
Chin weld and parallax become very important for consistent sight alignment. Regularly, I had to stop and correct my contact with the stock to get a lower weld on my jawbone instead of the typical higher cheekbone contact point.
Learning From Experienced Shooters
Flat-base bullets are designed for short range, where velocity matters, and consistent loading methods are crucial. I will be taking the bullet to farther distances as I develop the rifle’s final load, but in speaking with the experts at the match, it was apparent there are other “signs” of an accurate load. Oblong groups, horizontal growth, small velocity increases, and others were discussed at the range.
Reported Brass and Barrel Life
Brass life is excellent, and numerous shooters said they could wear a barrel out with 50 pieces of brass. That’s approximately 100 firings on the same piece of brass! For a cartridge to shoot a 118-grain bullet over 3,000 fps with 5,000 rounds of barrel life while using 34 grains of powder, that is incredible!
The Pursuit of Accuracy Continues
The 30BR rabbit hole has been deepening my understanding of precision rifle work, even though it’s not typical long-range shooting. I believe this rifle can shoot beyond 300 yards, which isn’t long range at all, but the current load with flat-base bullets has a very low ballistic coefficient.
Looking at the case fill and seating depth, I’m sure the base of the bullet meets the powder column right at the juncture of the shoulder and neck.
Virgin Brass – COL: 1.510"
Loaded COL: 2.260"
OGIV: 1.689"
Breathing, Heartbeat, and Rifle Contact
Breathing and heartbeat matter when magnification is over 30x. One of the shooters was talking about how he holds the rifle while shooting. If he can see his heartbeat moving the reticle, he will loosen his “input” just a little bit to take the pressure off the rifle.
Learning to Read the Wind
Wind matters a lot. Wind flags are a great visual teaching aid for studying conditions. Typical wind calls are made using a Kestrel, grass, trees, or other environmental elements. But when there are numerous wind flags on the range, they visually confirm conditions and help align POI with POA when shooting a bullet that isn’t designed with a high BC.
The pursuit of accuracy continues. I’m thankful for the numerous resources, mentors, and those who have gone before me and documented their data for those who follow. See the list of resources below for additional technical information.
