Claudio Flores Wins 100 Yard Extreme Benchrest 2024

The big news from Extreme Benchrest 2024 is that Claudio Flores wins the 100 Yard Benchrest Pro Class finals! He was shooting an American Air Arms EVOL HPS in .30 caliber.

Above, Claudio looked cautious after finishing his card.

Of course, winning the signature Pro Class 100 Yard Benchrest event at EBR is always a momentous achievement for any shooter. But Claudio’s win is the most significant in the 13 year history of the event.

This is because it makes Claudio the first person ever to win the event TWICE!!!

Below. But he looked much happier after the results were officially announced!

Claudio won previously in 2018 shooting a Brocock Bantam Sniper XR. This time it’s clear that he can shoot an EVOL just as well.

Further confirmation of Claudio’s status as one of the all-time great benchrest shooters is his score of 235 7x. That means he hit the bull no less than seven times and dropped only 15 points from the maximum possible score of 250.

Claudio was 4 points ahead of Jeffrey Hernandez – another previous Extreme Benchrest winner. Jeffrey scored 233, also with 7x using a .30 caliber Thomas. Again, fantastic shooting!

Third place was taken by Jayson Barnes with a score of 233 6x shooting a 30 caliber FX Dynamic… The same score as Jeffrey, they were differentiated by just that single pesky “x”. Congratulations to Jayson and Jeffrey, too.

These three 100 Yard Benchrest Pro Class winners emphasized the international nature of the whole competition. With competitors attending from as far away as Australia and South Africa, Claudio comes from Chile, Jeffrey from Panama and Jayson from the USA – Utah, actually.

So Extreme Benchrest 2024 really was an international event in every sense!

And the prizes? In addition to the kudos of winning, Claudio Flores wins a check for $7,000.00 from Airguns of Arizona as his winner’s prize. Jeffrey receives $3,000.00 and Jayson $2,000.00.

Below, here’s all ten 100 Yard Extreme Benchrest Pro Class winners.

The other 100 Yard Benchrest winners were as follows:

Fourth – Holden Ivey 230 6x, Daystate Red Wolf, .30 caliber

Fifth – Todd Hatfield 227 5x, FX Impact, .30 caliber

Sixth – Val Simmons 226 8x, Karma Red Panda, .30 caliber

Seventh – Hisham Abou Hamdan 226 6x, Daystate Red Wolf, .22 caliber

Eighth – Thayne Simmons 226 5x, Karma Red Panda, .30 caliber

Ninth – Dusty Powers 225 5x, Karma Red Panda, .30 caliber

Tenth – Fadi Kiwan 224 7x, BRK Ghost, .22 caliber

Its interesting to see that .30 caliber guns were used by nine out of the 10 Pro class winners. (Correction, that should be eight out of ten, of course).

Congratulations too all for some outstanding shooting!!!


The post Claudio Flores Wins 100 Yard Extreme Benchrest 2024 appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.

 

[American Air Arms]

A fantastic EBR! The competition gets more intense and the scores creep higher each year. The one constant - the range at Rio Salado is always unforgiving and unpredictable!

Congratulations to all that made the podium; no small feat!

 

[AtlasAirguns]

Thanks Stephen for the write up!

 

[igolfat8]

Congratulations to Claudio and AAA. Is this the first time that AAA had a 1st place finish in a major?

Thanks for the write up Stephen.

Can anyone tell me what is mounted on the rear of Claudio’s scope?

 

[hameditor]

Congratulations to Claudio and AAA. Is this the first time that AAA had a 1st place finish in a major?

Thanks for the write up Stephen.

Can anyone tell me what is mounted on the rear of Claudio’s scope?

It's this TriggerCam 2.1 Overview And First Look - Hard Air Magazine

 

[Danman]

Its interesting to see that .30 caliber guns were used by nine out of the 10 Pro class winners.

Actually, it appears there are 2 .22 calibers (#7 and #10) and 8 that shot .30cal? Or am I missing something...? What I find more interesting is the lack of .25 caliber?! .177 would just be a bad choice!

 

[igolfat8]

It also bears mentioning that it’s nice to see so many different manufacturers represented in the top ten whereas only a couple years ago it was dominated by primarily just one EU brand.

 

[hameditor]

It also bears mentioning that it’s nice to see so many different manufacturers represented in the top ten whereas only a couple years ago it was dominated by primarily just one EU brand.

Agreed! I think that makes for a much healthier airgun market for everyone.

 

[Solo1]

I think the key here is not so much the rifle but the ammo! Im willing to bet all those shooting 30 cal were also shooting aea 50 grers

 

[Danman]

I think the key here is not so much the rifle but the ammo! Im willing to bet all those shooting 30 cal were also shooting aea 50 grers

I concur but let's be real, 5 years ago most of these companies cound not fling a .30cal pellet out of the guns they currently had at the required speeds. I was blown away by how many GOOD big bore manufacturers there are now, 5 yrs ago only a handful could claim that. Definitely good for everyone with all the competition out there. Ammo is definitely half the battle for sure, I have some BEAUTIFUL NSA, JSB,and H&N .22 slugs in my collection and 2 lovely pellet flinging pcps... Neither can shoot them worth a crap.

 

[Solo1]

Aea makes slugs now too you’ll have to add some to your collection! Lol

 

[igolfat8]

The 50 grain AEA pellets seem to be unobtanium unless you are a factory sponsored shooter.

 

[Solo1]

The 50 grain AEA pellets seem to be unobtanium unless you are a factory sponsored shooter.

Pellet shop has them i think

AEA Center Punch Pellets | .30 Cal | 50.5 gr | 150 Ct – The Pellet Shop

AEA Center Punch Airgun Pellets Features .30 cal 50.5 grains Head: 7.62 mm diameter Domed Quantity: 150 ct

www.thepelletshop.com

 

[AtlasAirguns]

I think the key here is not so much the rifle but the ammo! Im willing to bet all those shooting 30 cal were also shooting aea 50 grers

The majority were shooting 44gr JSB from what I could see, and I do notice those things reviewing film. I would say only a couple were JSB 50gr and a couple AEAs. As for myself I recently tested some AEA and truth be told found it dirtying the barrel too fast for use without a cleaning protocol of 50-80 pellets and then clean. JSB lead seemed to have lessened during Covid (coincidence or supply chain issues?) but is still much better than the alternatives.

If you know anyone that was using AEA pellets at EBR please let us know. I’d like to ask those who did what cleaning schedule they are on.

 

[AtlasAirguns]

I think the key here is not so much the rifle but the ammo! Im willing to bet all those shooting 30 cal were also shooting aea 50 grers

Also one more thing. That barrel was brand new! I believe he and Tom produced it a few days earlier (pretty sure Claudio mentioned that right after I did an interview with him but if not Claudio or Tom will specify here. Either way, Sub-MOA is something to be feared. A new bar has been set and they deserve some high accolades…it was much more than a tin of pellets.

 

[Dogowski]

View attachment 9024

The big news from Extreme Benchrest 2024 is that Claudio Flores wins the 100 Yard Benchrest Pro Class finals! He was shooting an American Air Arms EVOL HPS in .30 caliber.

Above, Claudio looked cautious after finishing his card.

Of course, winning the signature Pro Class 100 Yard Benchrest event at EBR is always a momentous achievement for any shooter. But Claudio’s win is the most significant in the 13 year history of the event.

This is because it makes Claudio the first person ever to win the event TWICE!!!

Below. But he looked much happier after the results were officially announced!

Claudio won previously in 2018 shooting a Brocock Bantam Sniper XR. This time it’s clear that he can shoot an EVOL just as well.

Further confirmation of Claudio’s status as one of the all-time great benchrest shooters is his score of 235 7x. That means he hit the bull no less than seven times and dropped only 15 points from the maximum possible score of 250.

Claudio was 4 points ahead of Jeffrey Hernandez – another previous Extreme Benchrest winner. Jeffrey scored 233, also with 7x using a .30 caliber Thomas. Again, fantastic shooting!

Third place was taken by Jayson Barnes with a score of 233 6x shooting a 30 caliber FX Dynamic… The same score as Jeffrey, they were differentiated by just that single pesky “x”. Congratulations to Jayson and Jeffrey, too.

These three 100 Yard Benchrest Pro Class winners emphasized the international nature of the whole competition. With competitors attending from as far away as Australia and South Africa, Claudio comes from Chile, Jeffrey from Panama and Jayson from the USA – Utah, actually.

So Extreme Benchrest 2024 really was an international event in every sense!

And the prizes? In addition to the kudos of winning, Claudio Flores wins a check for $7,000.00 from Airguns of Arizona as his winner’s prize. Jeffrey receives $3,000.00 and Jayson $2,000.00.

Below, here’s all ten 100 Yard Extreme Benchrest Pro Class winners.

The other 100 Yard Benchrest winners were as follows:

Fourth – Holden Ivey 230 6x, Daystate Red Wolf, .30 caliber

Fifth – Todd Hatfield 227 5x, FX Impact, .30 caliber

Sixth – Val Simmons 226 8x, Karma Red Panda, .30 caliber

Seventh – Hisham Abou Hamdan 226 6x, Daystate Red Wolf, .22 caliber

Eighth – Thayne Simmons 226 5x, Karma Red Panda, .30 caliber

Ninth – Dusty Powers 225 5x, Karma Red Panda, .30 caliber

Tenth – Fadi Kiwan 224 7x, BRK Ghost, .22 caliber

Its interesting to see that .30 caliber guns were used by nine out of the 10 Pro class winners. (Correction, that should be eight out of ten, of course).

Congratulations too all for some outstanding shooting!!!


The post Claudio Flores Wins 100 Yard Extreme Benchrest 2024 appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.

Very nice. Congrats to all the winners!

 

[Solo1]

Also one more thing. That barrel was brand new! I believe he and Tom produced it a few days earlier (pretty sure Claudio mentioned that right after I did an interview with him but if not Claudio or Tom will specify here. Either way, Sub-MOA is something to be feared. A new bar has been set and they deserve some high accolades…it was much more than a tin of pellets.

My point was the bc of the pellet was largly responsible for high scores overall. Wasn’t trying to take anything away from AAA or sub moa. Before ebr i heard many were practicing with them because of the bc and im assuming many 25 cal shooters switched to 30 because of that.
Perhaps @American Air Arms can tell us what pellet he was using

 

[American Air Arms]

Also one more thing. That barrel was brand new! I believe he and Tom produced it a few days earlier (pretty sure Claudio mentioned that right after I did an interview with him but if not Claudio or Tom will specify here. Either way, Sub-MOA is something to be feared. A new bar has been set and they deserve some high accolades…it was much more than a tin of pellets.

Yes, that barrel came off the line on Tuesday and was installed on wednesday. While we are still learning about the behavior and finish of the Sub-MOA barrels but I can make a few statements.

1) Very little seasoning is required; maybe 10-15 shots.

2) They seem to shoot a lot of pellets with no cleaning required. I have not cleaned the barrel I was shooting and it show no sign of fouling yet.

AeA and fouling. - Both Claudio and I started with JSB 44 grain. Dawid Dysrom convinced us to try the AeA 45 grain and I must say they are superior to the JSB in terms of accuracy and BC. AeA pellets are extremely clean and accurately formed without any sign of oxidation. Absolutely to fouling of any king at this point.

I spoke with Travis Whitney who has some involvement with the AeA company and he described a very modern and technical process of manufacture for these pellets. I have no doubts that this factory has raised the bar for both quality and design; completely unexpected but welcomed.

While I have not had any 50s to test I have heard amazing things about them.

 

[Centercut]

My point was the bc of the pellet was largly responsible for high scores overall. Wasn’t trying to take anything away from AAA or sub moa. Before ebr i heard many were practicing with them because of the bc and im assuming many 25 cal shooters switched to 30 because of that.
Perhaps @American Air Arms can tell us what pellet he was using

I'm not so sure (at this EBR) that the 50.5 AEA BC was a major factor responsible for overall high scores. Both 3rd - Jayson Barnes - (tied for 2nd, one less "x") and 4th - Holden Ivey - were shooting 44.75 JSB pellets. The wind all three days (75 yards in qualification and 100 yards in finals) was light, but somewhat swirly. So, I can't definitely say that the AEA 50.5 were responsible for the high scores. Some shooters with AEA were shooting the 45-grain version since the 50.5 were generally unobtanium.

One thing I've discovered shooting the AEAs is that the alloy used is NOT pure lead like the JSB, and they foul a barrel much faster than the JSBs. I disagree with Tom's statements above regarding fouling. He’s the only one that has said they fouled little and/or less than JSB. Everyone else I’ve talked to feel that this is a problem with the AEAs. At least 10 shooters probably more, and NONE have this less fouling experience.

I don’t know the condition of the SubMOA he’s talking about, perhaps lead lapped and polished to a mirror finish? Pretty much like slugs as far as shots between scrubbings. And just running a few patches through doesn't do the trick, a brass brush in needed to get all the deposits from the grooves... I've been shooting them for about a year, well over 5K pellets in both the FX Superior 1:40 twist .30 caliber (45 and 50.5) and the .30 SubMOA 1:26 twist (45 grain).

I agree about the BC, but accuracy is about the same as the 44.75 JSB. BCs are JSB 44.75 about 0.044 GA, AEA 45s about 0.055 GA and AEA 50.5 about 0.074 GA.
The AEA are cleaner and more consistent in weight and shape. Remember, these are the first large batch with new die and machinery. The next batch or so that come to the USA will tell the real truth about them...

 

[Centercut]

The majority were shooting 44gr JSB from what I could see, and I do notice those things reviewing film. I would say only a couple were JSB 50gr and a couple AEAs. As for myself I recently tested some AEA and truth be told found it dirtying the barrel too fast for use without a cleaning protocol of 50-80 pellets and then clean. JSB lead seemed to have lessened during Covid (coincidence or supply chain issues?) but is still much better than the alternatives.

If you know anyone that was using AEA pellets at EBR please let us know. I’d like to ask those who did what cleaning schedule they are on.

Hi Tristan, as I mentioned in my recent post, the AEAs need barrel cleaning much more frequently than the JSB, probably due to the harder lead composition. I have been shooting the 45s all year in competition (won 100Y BR in Oregon EFT GP and 100Y BR, made finals at RMAC, was 5th 100Y BR at the Utah EFT GP and 100Y BR, mostly from a .30 FX Superior 700mm liner in my Skout Epoch. For EBR, I dug out the ten tins I had saved of the 50.5 AEA and practiced with them a week prior (3 tins) and then at EBR I used them. I did OK in the 75-yard qualification relays, finished 2nd in my group (483) right behind Thayne. In the finals, I only lightly cleaned my barrel Saturday evening, and paid the price, which resulted in a flyer 6 and 7 on my card, score 223. I think had I properly cleaned the barrel, and they were 9's I would have finished 5th (228). Yesterday after I got home, I looked closer, and the lead was impacted in the grooves near the muzzle... Totally my fault. This is from a barrel that RARELY needs cleaning when shooting JSB pellets... With the AEA its required every 200 to 250 rounds.