Setting up HM1000x for benchrest

[dgeesaman]

Hello, I have an HM1000x .30 in the original design stock. No sling stud or front rail. It used to be for groundhog control, but I no longer have horse pastures to worry about so I'm thinking of reconfiguring this gun to be a benchrest toy. But I have no background with airgun benchrest aside from struggling to shoot this rifle well on the bench.

Q1) It's safe to say that resting the bottle on my front rest is not a consistent front support. I'm thinking of buying the LRT stock or some other more bench-suitable stock. Recommendations appreciated. Front rest is currently a SEB Mini-X.
Q2) I have an Atlas bipod mostly gathering dust. I see a lot of airgun benchrest guns running bipods - and I appreciate the versatility of a bipod - but will a bipod consistently compete with the accuracy of a flat-bottom forend in a stable front rest?
Q3) I bought some FX and NSA slugs. It's clear that my barrel loves JSB pellets much more than any of those slugs. And AZ has proven this barrel can shoot pellets very well. (Nothing against the slugs themselves, just the usual "the barrel wants what the barrel wants" situations). Ballistically, am I giving up too much shooting pellets vs slugs?

Opinions and ideas appreciated.

Thanks,

David

 

[nomojo65]

My stock choices would be the aluminum tactical stock because you have the option of all kinds of accessories such as bench plates, bipods, weights etc.
If that style of stock doesn’t work for you you pick a true Benchrest stock BM-1000x which is just like the BM-500 but for the larger action.
The SEB mini or Farley or Randolph plus any of the common CF Benchrest rests will work fine.
Personally I have shot off a front rest from my CF Benchrest days so it is natural, but when shooting 100yds most will use a bipod because they believe they can go from sighter to record faster? ( most don’t use flags either) But if you have a joystick rest I believe you can just as fast or faster with more accuracy! But it also takes much more time to set up, most travel and don’t want the hassle or extra time to set up.
As far as slugs vs. pellets I’m a pellet guy, I’ve messed with slugs a little but haven’t had the ambition to stay with them. I guess I’ll be forced to eventually, pellet cost and quality has significantly become a problem.

 

[ThomasT]

I vote for the

offers so many options for Benchrest shooting.

ThomasT

 

[rsfrid]

I vote for the View attachment 278757
offers so many options for Benchrest shooting.

ThomasT

But you MUST get rid of that hokey stock! It doesn't fit bags well and if you want a rear monopod it ends up being maxed out before the POA is reached. I opted for:

 

[Richieg]

Here's my HM1000X .22 and how I have it set up for Bench rest. Acutac front bipod and a rear bag.

 

[Martin3528]

Here's my HM1000X .22 and how I have it set up for Bench rest. Acutac front bipod and a rear bag.View attachment 278808

That's pretty much what mine looks like, except it's blue!

 

[dgeesaman]

I think I’ll order the LRT stock. I’ve never been a fan of tactical / chassis stuff and I can choose to mount a bipod or bag rider under the front rail.

 

[Richieg]

I think I’ll order the LRT stock. I’ve never been a fan of tactical / chassis stuff and I can choose to mount a bipod or bag rider under the front rail.

That my feelings also. That's just one reason I have never thought about a FX, just don't like the chassis set up. Delta wolf was the same way. To each his own..

 

[jps2486]

You can contact Martin Rutterford, the creator of RAW rifles at airguns-usa.com and he can modify your stock with an Anschutz style accessory rail. Then you can install bipods or 3 inch Sinclair steel plates to use on your front rest.

 

[corny]

You can contact Martin Rutterford, the creator of RAW rifles at airguns-usa.com and he can modify your stock with an Anschutz style accessory rail. Then you can install bipods or 3 inch Sinclair steel plates to use on your front rest.

Better yet, get one of his stocks he sells on his custom shop website.

Current lrt stock shipping with the guns aren’t made by Martin

 

[Richieg]

Here is Martin's website.

Home

Airgun Specialists

www.airguns-usa.com

 

[dgeesaman]

Ooh, yeah buying a stock from Martin seems like a winning answer. Thanks.

 

[nomojo65]

I wouldn’t be surprised if Martin tells you he doesn’t do laminated stocks anymore? The last gun I ordered had to have a Walnut stock.

 

[dgeesaman]

I wouldn’t be surprised if Martin tells you he doesn’t do laminated stocks anymore? The last gun I ordered had to have a Walnut stock.

I’m ordering the solid walnut target stock from Martin but he did say he can provide black laminate benchrest stocks.

 

[corny]

I think he does, if you click on new and used on his website, several stocks ready to ship. Last one is laminate.