Came across some old history

[Bill Leeper]

So, I was going through some piles of stuff and came across an old Certificate Dad (James E. Leeper) got for establishing a new Canadian 200yd group record in Sporter class (for the younger members, Sporter class was like light Varmint, but you couldn't shoot a 22. It died out when it was realized hardly anyone shot a 22 anyway). The record was five shots into .844"! This would, of course, cause most competitors today to gnash their teeth and mumble obscenities. Dad's note says this was shot with a Remington 40XBR in 6mm Remington caliber. The scope was a 20X Remington with external adjustable mounts. The load was 4895 behind a Sierra 75HP. I have the action from the rifle, but nothing else. Plainly, accuracy has come a way since then. Regards, Bill

[Rundltrain]

Your note brings some old memories. In the late 70?s I owned 2 Shilen DGA rifles. They were both magazine rifles but with very nice walnut and a DGA action. The heavy varmint rifle was a 22-50 as I recall. So this class of Sporter Benchrest you write about, sounded interesting and my dad and I set about to make a very stiff action, stock setup. The DGA was already very stiff. Dad (a machinest), milled an aluminum block and a recess beneath the action in this highly figured stock. Into which we glued the block with appropriate holes for bolts already a part of the rifle. Ron Smith in 3 Hills, Alberta, had a reamer for what we called a 6X47. 222 magnum necked up to 6mm. I had a spare Hart barrel that Ron contoured so the rifle would make weight with scope. All of this was very soon after I moved out to Alberta. So many drawings, letters, and phone calls to dad in Ontario ensued. Wish I still had all this stuff.                                                                                         
   I believe the Sporter class still exists and is shot at the IBS Nationals as well as the NBRSA Nationals. Competitors shoot their light Varmint 6PPC. I may need to stand corrected as there may have been a limit on scope magnification back then. I'm only reaching into the memory banks 44-46 years.
   Just re reading this note. The bolt face I had would not have been appropriate for the cartridge I describe above. More likely it was a 22-250 necked up. Can't recall the finer details