Wow! A very interesting thread indeed. As a casual shooter, and lover of all things shooting sports, this thread was very informative. When I think benchrest, like some of the folks here, I pictured guys with rifles, and pods, going at it from a distance. Because well... That's what I'm used to seeing. After reading this thread i think I have a better understanding of what high level precision bench rest is. Unlimited, tech heavy, shooting at a distance for maximum precision. It almost sounds as though, if one could design a box type device, that could launch a pellet, and within this box, were computers that could read, and predict wind, aim with surgical precision, and communicate wirelessly... One could send this box to a PBR match, have someone set it on the bench, and tell the owner what time the match starts; then said owner of box simply sets a timer, for the box to begin punching it's holes. All being done remotely from say... a beach in Maui, while the match is in Idaho. Afterall, if you don't have to be touching the gun, what difference does proximity really make. Just hit enter, and wait for others to finish. Now if you built such a box, I'm sure some fellas from DARPA would be glad to hire you, and you could become very wealthy. And i dont doubt that if someone entered a PBR match, and had one of these high tech boxes; walked up, and set it on the bench, went and grabbed a hot dog, and sat in the bleachers watching his Box crush these previously highest level bench shooters... These guys would be pissed. At least some of them.
And if the only goal is accuracy, at any cost, with no limitations; this box would seem to be perfectly legit in this specific kind of shooting event. Why not?
On the other hand I can see some of the other folks point about the mastery of human form factor involved in the more traditional shooting events.Thats the kind of shooting I, and probably most people are most familiar with. And it definitely brings different variables to the table, and showcases shooters abilities to mitigate these variables at a physical level. While if I understand what I've read here PBR simply seeks to eliminate these variables, no holds barred. Just two very different things.
As an aside; someone earlier in the thread laid out a framework for a competitive shoot that while I think was meant for sarcasm; actually sounded like a well thought out fun time. One other thought from an outsider looking in. And this isn't me challenging anyone, or throwing down a gauntlet. I understand that many, if not all of you PBR shooters worked your way up through different shooting disciplines to arrive at PBR. However to say PBR shooters would beat most others even without the unlimited amount of tech help... I have my doubts. Generally speaking. For those with a winning history in this kind of shooting prior tho PBR "yes". Probably many of the times. But if a new shooter comes on the scene, and straight away is totally taken with PBR, invests in it, and gets pretty darn good at it, competitively speaking. I find it highly unlikely that that same shooter could step away from the gadgets and still put a spanking on the other guys who were calling the gear a crutch, or otherwise criticizing PBR; just because he can read wind better... There is just no way.
Any how those were just my observations freely given, and worth every penny if I do say so myself. It's been an educational thread, and kinda shows why there are so many different facets of the shooting sports. Different folks are just into different things...