It used to be that your magazine or clip would have to be loaded to capacity. Alot of shooters were using the Rem 700 with the detachable box mags, after they were shot for awhile accuracy suffered because the bullet wasn't close to the lands so afew were just laying their round on top and feeding the round into the chamber after finding the right length for the bullet to be off the lands, and there were some that were playing with the BR case either 6 or 7 and those short fat little cases didn't feed well stacked up in a clip or mag, hence the rule change to what it is now.

Snake wrote:As an aside....a full blown sniper rig goes 12-17lbs and every bench hugger loves them. Off hand shooting apparently tests their girlie man arms Three gun matches are a hoot but still remind me of playing 'war' when I was 10

My girlie man rig weighs 16# empty.....

Jim Beckley wrote:It used to be that your magazine or clip would have to be loaded to capacity. Alot of shooters were using the Rem 700 with the detachable box mags, after they were shot for awhile accuracy suffered because the bullet wasn't close to the lands so afew were just laying their round on top and feeding the round into the chamber after finding the right length for the bullet to be off the lands, and there were some that were playing with the BR case either 6 or 7 and those short fat little cases didn't feed well stacked up in a clip or mag, hence the rule change to what it is now.

Jim,
I've heard this reference to loaded to capacity before. But yet I can't find a reference to it in any of the rule books that I have. unfortunately the furthest back i have rule books is 2003. The rule now reads that you may not load more than 5 rounds into a magazine and that all rounds must be loaded into the chamber from the magazine. It used to say that magazines not capable of holding 5 rounds may be reloaded as required or for removable magazines and clips, multiple magazines may be used. I was at the competitors meeting at Ridgway in 2008 when greg attempted to clarify this rule and said that if some one had 5 magazines and wanted to put one round in each of the magazines that would be acceptable as long as not more than 5 rounds were loaded during the string of fire. Someone said they had to be loaded to capacity and Greg replied they did not. I personally shoot a Tikka action Hunter Rifle that has detachable magazines that hold 3 rounds maximum. When the ready command is given I load three cartridges into one of the magazines and two into the other. This gives me my five rounds for that string of fire. It is and has always been impossible for me to load both magazines to capacity. That would require a 6th round which is clearly not allowed. And I agree completely with your reference to the 700 DBM mags. and the BR cases. All of this bringing us to the simplicity that we have now that all rounds must be loaded into the chamber from the magazine. And that loading one round into the magazine for each shot is allowed. Mark Varner