Benchrest BillM’s Sept. 2026 X-Shot: competitor perspectives

[FL22]

This thread is for discussing your perspective and anything that was interesting, out of the ordinary or not.

Such as but not limited to
Airgun
Ammo
Environmental conditions

Also the premise of this thread has been okayed by @Billm

 

[Billm]

I’ll nip this one in the bud: it could be a little more intuitive. But, once you get the hang of how it all works, it is pretty cool for FREE.

 

[FL22]

I decided to use my S510 but I’ve been noticing some real nasty flyers so I decided to clean it thoroughly. I think it helped some also I decided to use my DFL Sumo as my ears couldn’t handle the bark anymore.

The winds were fairly calm 4-5, I decided a while back to no longer use wind flags as they are not something that is available typically when pesting and hunting so I need to use what’s available to me and that is the tree moss that hangs all around my property and most places where I would choose to hunt.

Don’t get me wrong the wind flags did help a lot, and I certainly don’t fault anyone for using them. I just need to do what helps me to be more immersed in a given environment.

I do not sort any ammo typically all I look for is a bent skirt, the M-lights seem to do fairly well for my particular S510.

Lucked out on one of my targets, I had a really bad flyer, it was during target number 13. The pellet tumbled down to the sighters and went through sideways.

 

[FL22]

I’ll nip this one in the bud: it could be a little more intuitive. But, once you get the hang of how it all works, it is pretty cool for FREE.

Sorry I forgot to mention no app bashing

 

[Billm]

My Panthera MkII with Bull barrel just got boxed up and is ready to ship back to me Monday. That creates a dilemma for me: do I stay with the marauder for the 50yd BR competition or try the Panthera. My gut says, stick with the Marauder G3.

 

[Solo1]

Your gonna shoot it anyway why not try a card

 

[Solo1]

Ive been doing a little experiment to see which of my guns shoots best @ 50 yds since we are into this match and its funny because they all are pretty close to each other. Though my highest score so far is with the drs, not by a lot but it is the highest. Its funny too cause the lightest of breezes affects them all about the same.

 

[Billm]

Ive been doing a little experiment to see which of my guns shoots best @ 50 yds since we are into this match and it’s funny because they all are pretty close to each other. Though my highest score so far is with the drs, not by a lot but it is the highest. It’s funny too cause the lightest of breezes affects them all about the same.

Personally I think 60 yards is where today’s rifles start to diverge. I’m not saying that some guns aren’t better than others at 50yds, just that the deviations aren’t that great. I’m not surprised that your DRS shoots the best. I’m really impressed with FX accuracy. I’m somewhat worried what the accuracy will be like with the bull barrel.

 

[Solo1]

Personally I think 60 yards is where today’s rifles start to diverge. I’m not saying that some guns aren’t better than others at 50yds, just that the deviations aren’t that great. I’m not surprised that your DRS shoots the best. I’m really impressed with FX accuracy. I’m somewhat worried what the accuracy will be like with the bull barrel.

i wouldn’t worry bill. Im convinced from my little experiment that its more luck of the wind or more luck on which pellet you pick up than anything else at least if you have a decent barrel. The bull barrel should be better with slugs as it will have better harmonics as for pellets i dont think it matters as much my drs with a sleeve and pellets has the highest score.

 

[Billm]

I thought I’d share one of my thoughts about these online/postal matches. This is not a rule or anything like that. This is just my thoughts on how I’m going to approach these matches. This is certainly a case of: “You do you and I’ll do me!” Scenario.

But, I’m curious of how others feel about it and are approaching it. I was going to shoot a card this morning and decided it was too windy and decided to just plink. I could have shot a card and if it turned out ok, I could’ve entered it. I’ve decided that I’m not going to shoot multiple cards and submit the best ones. Here’s my rationale: the ELEY system was designed to bring back postal matches with a modern online twist. Postal matches were popular in the 1950’s-1970s. They allowed a shooter that didn’t have access to a club to take part in regional or national shooting matches without traveling. You shot an official target for the event you were entering. Someone witnessed and signed your target. You then mailed your target to the organizers of the match. It relied upon the personal integrity of everyone involved. They required you to shoot one target in a given timeframe and submit it. ELEY eliminated the need to mail your targets somewhere. It’s instantaneous, but still relies upon everyone’s personal integrity.

We’ve taken it a step further and made it a little less formal and more relaxed about how and when you shoot your entries. I’m not trying to change that. I think we all have different things that we want to get out of this. For me I want to see how well I can compete if I do go somewhere to compete. In my case I’d have to travel hundreds of miles to the nearest club event. I also want to to talk smack with the friends that I’ve made here on HAM. In my case I’m going to shoot four cards and only four cards for the event. I am going to try and pick the best days to shoot my cards - the less wind the better. If it goes bad on a day that I choose, oh well. I won’t reshoot it, I’ll just submit it and enjoy being roasted.

Personally I don’t care how anyone else chooses to do it. The only limitation that I think I should have stated in the rules (but, I didn’t) is that all entries should be shot during the duration of the current event. In other words, I don’t think I should use a target that I shot before the event started and enter it. Hopefully that makes sense.

I posted this here, because it’s just my perspective.

 

[Solo1]

Well I don’t think being rigid and submitting every card shot is necessary. If you go to a big match your going to practice before you go so i see no difference here i mean you should give yourself the best chance of doing well right? I do feel the cards should be submitted from within the match dates. This is just for fun so I don’t see the need to over complicate things

 

[FL22]

I tried to treat it like an actual event. I grabbed four cards when it was time, the only caveat was that I did believe the wind was reasonably favorable and not raining.

To me, the integrity issue is a moot point. I don’t see it as I am competing against anyone else but myself with the best possible score of a 250/25X.

Because I’m not shooting in the conditions and environment you are and you’re not shooting in mine, true comparison imo are difficult.

Basically, the goals are simple, improve my skills, enjoy the camaraderie of the community and if possible have a laugh.

 

[pan60]

I must find some targets soon. : )
I told the wife to get some chance she has.

my only grumble is I hate having to buy targets I would much rather print my own but I can print anything this large, I suspect I am not alone : (

 

[Billm]

I tried to treat it like an actual event. I grabbed four cards when it was time, the only caveat was that I did believe the wind was reasonably favorable and not raining.

To me, the integrity issue is a moot point. I don’t see it as I am competing against anyone else but myself with the best possible score of a 250/25X.

Because I’m not shooting in the conditions and environment you are and you’re not shooting in mine, true comparison imo are difficult.

Basically, the goals are simple, improve my skills, enjoy the camaraderie of the community and if possible have a laugh.

Agreed. I see it as a fun way to improve my skills and create some interaction. There’s more people signing up, it should be fun.

 

[FL22]

I must find some targets soon. : )
I told the wife to get some chance she has.

my only grumble is I hate having to buy targets I would much rather print my own but I can print anything this large, I suspect I am not alone : (

I don’t know if it would be less expensive but is it possible for you to email the target file to a local print shop and have them make 100 or so on heavy card stock?

 

[pan60]

I don’t know if it would be less expensive but is it possible for you to email the target file to a local print shop and have them make 100 or so on heavy card stock?

I think I look into that just I will have to locate a print shop

 

[Billm]

I thought it was too windy to shoot anything. I hung a card in case it calmed down, I’d be ready. It was hot and sunny. I decided to cut the grass. I got 80% done an all of a sudden it started to pour down for an hour or more. I didn’t think to grab the target. When it stopped raining it was 98% humidity, but no wind. I rarely get no wind, so I decided to shoot the first card. I didn’t want to waste the target so I shot the wet one LOL. I’m going to wait until tomorrow to score it. It was so wet, I was afraid I might tear it. I’m not even going to guess how I did. I do know this, I can’t blame the wind. I used the JSB 18.3 pellets that I bought from Walmart. I had a couple of unexplained flyers, but the rest were all me, good or bad. Looking forward to the next three.