The group shoot rifle competition was hosted by the National Benchrest Shooters Association.

Each match consisted of five shots at a distance of 200 yards. Shooters had to complete their fire within 7 minutes.

Randy Robinett, of Madrid, said it’s all about precision.

“All you got to do is hit the paper,” he said. “We are measuring precision.”

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson A hand swaged bullet is shown here by Randy Robinett, of Madrid. Robinett makes his own bullets.

The smallest grouping of shots earns that shooter the top score, he said.

Mike Bigelow, of Madrid, said he’s been shooting for about 25 years.

The people are what bring him back year after year.

“I like the people,” he said. “It’s a pretty good bunch.”

Robinett said a lot of talented marksmen take part in the shoots.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Steve Rosendale, of Holmer, Wisconsin, zeroes in on his target during a group shoot hosted by the National Benchrest Shooters Association Sunday morning. The competition was held at Boone Valley Izaak Walton near Webster City.

“Mike is really good,” Robinett said. “He’s in the Score Shooter Hall of Fame. There’s a lot of guys out here better than me.”

Regardless, Robinett said he has a fascination with firearms and what makes them go.

He makes his own bullets.

“The biggest thing is uniformity of the jacket,” he said.

The bullets he makes are hand swaged.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Randy Robinett, of Madrid, readies for competition at a National Benchrest Shooters Association group shoot at Boone Valley Izaak Walton Sunday morning.

Robinett’s passion for bullet making earned him a nickname that would eventually became the name of his business.

“I was always talking about external ballistics and my friends called me a ballistic idiot,” he said. “And I thought that was a good name for a bullet company.”

The rifles used for the shoots are also custom made.

“Everyone is a little different,” Robinett said. “What works for me might not work for someone else.”

Doug Brooks, of Garfield, Arkansas, has been shooting for about six years.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Doug Brooks, of Garfield, Arkansas, peers through the scope of his rifle during a National Benchrest Shooters Association group shoot at Boone Valley Izaak Walton Sunday morning.

He appreciates the other guys in the group.

Brooks recalled a time when others offered to help him.

“We had been shooting 200 yards, and we moved to 100,” he said. “I adjusted my scope for the different range and the mechanisms that move your crosshairs broke in my scope.”

At that point, Brooks didn’t know where his bullets ended up.

“We couldn’t find where I was aiming,” he said. “The official told me to shoot again. I did, and the wiring behind the backing broke. I ended up shooting the back of the wire completely in two.”

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Randy Robinett, of Madrid, shows some of the top scores of the day during a group shoot at Boone Valley Izaak Walton Sunday morning.

Not having a working scope, Brooks thought he wouldn’t be able to continue.

“There were several guys who offered to lend me very expensive scopes, just so I could continue shooting,” he said. “I have never been in any competition in my life where everyone was so helpful and wanting me to be able to compete.”

Frank Radloff and Joe Blackwell made the trip from Duluth, Minnesota.

Blackwell said he just started shooting again earlier in the year because of Radloff’s persuasion.

“I got Frank into motorcycles and racing back in the day, so now it’s my turn,” Blackwell said.

Radloff agreed.

“It’s payback,” he said.