Hunter class barrel taper

[DavidABQ]

I've heard some complaints that Standard and hunter are to much alike and that Standard rifle should just be an "open" class where anything goes. If you ask me, I like the way things are.

While I am not complaining I do feel that there should be more done to differentiate the two classes equipment wise. I have always advocated keeping the existing rules for Hunter rifle alone and relaxing the rules for the Standard class.


Of course we could just do away with the Standard class and just shoot a 40 shot Hunter rifle round in both the morning and afternoon.

[DrGunner]

Doodaddy- if you don't mind my asking, what rifle?

I've seen the CZ 455 Varmint barrels with minimal taper on the order of .05" shot in Hunter class, and although the taper is measurable with a caliper, it looks for all intents and purposes like a bull barrel.
It was that change in the CZ 455 that steered me towards a 452 Varmint and later a 452 SIL as a silhouette starter rifle.

DrGunner

[Doodaddy]

Doodaddy- if you don't mind my asking, what rifle?

I've seen the CZ 455 Varmint barrels with minimal taper on the order of .05" shot in Hunter class, and although the taper is measurable with a caliper, it looks for all intents and purposes like a bull barrel.
It was that change in the CZ 455 that steered me towards a 452 Varmint and later a 452 SIL as a silhouette starter rifle.

DrGunner

Remington 547 Custom Target edition. They come with a 18 1/4" barrel and a very, very slight taper.

While we haven't ruled out using it for both hunter and standard, my father has just about decided to pull the trigger down as low as it will function properly (14oz) and use it only for standard class and continue using his 541S for hunter. Given he has silhouette reliable scopes for both.

[Varn]

Doodaddy,
As far as checking your barrel for taper at a match it is very simple. Find or make a ring that will slide down your barrel and come to a stop short of the chamber. Take it with you to the match. If there is any questions, stand the unloaded rifle on its butt, put the ring over the muzzle and slide it down the barrel. It stopping on the barrel before it meets the chamber proves that there is taper and no caliper required. Mark

[Trent]

Doodaddy,
As far as checking your barrel for taper at a match it is very simple. Find or make a ring that will slide down your barrel and come to a stop short of the chamber. Take it with you to the match. If there is any questions, stand the unloaded rifle on its butt, put the ring over the muzzle and slide it down the barrel. It stopping on the barrel before it meets the chamber proves that there is taper and no caliper required. Mark

Good call.

[Doodaddy]

Carrying a set of calipers to show measurement of the barrel would be much easier than finding or making a ring that would be the exact size needed though I do see the simplicity of the idea.

[thauglor]

Not to stir the pot, but if as little as 0.02" of taper is accepted, why is that rule even there then? I did see one rifle recently (a Rem 40x) that the barrel starts as wide as the receiver (around 1.3'') and then tapered down to an inch or so. Although it does taper, that is a bull barrel compared to many centerfire rifle barrels on store shelves. Although I don't compete with the guy (I am a B shooter) it is annoying that I have to shoot in standard class with a stock Savage 0.8'' cylindrical barrel while that rifle is classified as hunter.

It seems like the tapered barrel requirement is outdated with the current market of 22 cal rifles, many of which have cylindrical barrels.

[OldRanger]

They could always update the rule to specify a maximum diameter at muzzle along with a taper. But then people would make bull barrels with the last 1 inch smaller. The good news is even if you gave me a bull barrel, a 1/4 ounce trigger and a tripod I still couldn't compete with the master class folks. Ok, well maybe with the tripod. But within our rules the guns that everyone would agree are legal (like a stock 1712 for instance) aren't enough to make a bad shooter good, or visa versa. Still gotta shoot it.