Thread: Hawkes Bay Rifle Club

Not that i can afford monolithic bullets (yet) but i'm curious as to why the NRA has an issue with them.

Doubt it's the NRA, prob the Army worried about ricochets.
They largely set the agenda..

Last shoot of the season tomorrow @ 1pm

Originally Posted by Dead is better

Not that i can afford monolithic bullets (yet) but i'm curious as to why the NRA has an issue with them.

You've answered your own question. Part of the reason is cost. TR shooting is about skill at arms. Putting shooters on a range using the same gear, calibre, and ammunition, then letting them get on with doing their best in the conditions that confront them. Because there is no longer a service rifle in use and also ammunition is no longer issued for most matches, the way that an attempt is made to make competition fair and affordable, is to specify a maximum bullet weight for the allowed calibres. Currently there are 3 projectiles with near identical BC. The NRANZ sells one of them for $44.50/100 to its members. In such a competition, projectile brand is unimportant. Everyone will be using a bullet that behaves in the same fashion with no obvious advantage.
These bullets are all conventional construction. Whenever a manufacturer comes out with a bullet with a higher BC than their competitors you can be assured that competitors will switch to the bullet that performs best in the wind. There are two monolithic .30 calibre bullets that I am aware of that have a huge advantage over the conventional swaged projectiles of 155gn.The advantage is around 2.5 moa. less wind drift at 1000 yards in a 10mph. wind. I don't have a NZ retail price but converting Warner's price gives a NZ equivalent of $110/100 without the traditional scalping that NZ retailers indulge in. When you consider that most club shooters get though 2000 or more rounds a season, such a cost increase just to stay competitive, would definitely put a dampener on proceedings. Add to that the need to rebarrel to shoot the longer bullet and you have Trademe full of used target rifles. The route to becoming a better shooter is time spent on a range, taking all the weather can throw at you, putting rounds down range. Cost is a component in how much people shoot. I suspect that this is one of the reasons why ICFRA, which sets the rules for international competition, has banned monolithic bullets. The NRANZ has adopted the ICFRA rules with only minor changes.
Another limitation is as 6X47 points out, is the certification of the range. Most big ranges in the Commonwealth as well as NZ are/were Defence ranges and are currently certified by reference to JSP.403 which bans AP or tracer from civilian use on these ranges, or any projectile that may have different ricochet characteristics than a lead bullet, or a jacketed lead bullet.
For sporting rifle or FTR and F class the bullet weight restrictions don't apply but the bullet construction restrictions still do.
Hope this is of help.

Originally Posted by BRADS

30 minutes from there is a range with all you could possibly need, 99% of the time you'll be on your own another bonus


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What is this range you speak of @BRADS ?

Originally Posted by Paddy79

What is this range you speak of @BRADS ?

Hi Paddy,

There is a non-official range (safer place to shoot) set up behind the Higgin's Gravel yards on SH50.
There are 2 ranges, one 100yard requires booking and a fee (Paid at Rivers to Ranges), the other is a first in first served but is out to 400 yards.
It's good to book the 100 yard range, that way you know you can get straight into shooting rather than waiting. Also all money collected for the range hire goes back into the range. Hopefully we will see the venue improved if there is enough funds.
We need guys to start cleaning up the crap they are leaving down there, it's only going to take one muppet to ruin it for all.

We're kicking off the new season on the 2nd September. PM me if you're wanting to come out for a go

First shoot is this Saturday! Be at the range by 12:45 for a 1pm start.

Further to Kurt's offer of having a go, the Club has a scoped F-TR rifle and cheap ammo available for those wanting to try it out. The electronic targets alone are worth experiencing.

Best to contact Les and give him advance warning of your pending attendance if you want to use the Club rifle.

The new season has started. Head to the link in my sig to see the programme