Ok new member here . If I were to want to shoot a rifle match and thought of buying a gun to shoot it what is the most popular caliber and are there different classes for different calibers?
bartman, in case you are thinking of shooting one of our .22 matches, let me give you the run down. I have seen folks rush out and buy a rifle and then find out that it is not suited for or even eligible for the very match that they find they like the most.
I will list the title of the match, the date it is shot on, the coarse of fire, and the match's rules pertaining to the appropriate firearm type and equipment.
Fifty Fifty Sporter
First Saturday - 10 pm for November through February and 9 pm for March through October.
From 50 yards the shooter engages 50 metallic silhouettes with 50 rounds of .22 short, long, or long rifle ammo in two 25 shot strings of 10 minutes each. The winner leaves the fewest metallic animals standing. Fired offhand and unsupported with the use of a sling prohibited. Classes - optic sight, open sight, and Prairie Doggin for shooters 12 and under or 70 and over.
These matches have gotten quite popular and we average between 10 and 20 shooters. The match has been featured in the Times Daily sports section. We have added extra racks as of late to enable us to move more shooters through at a faster rate. We have run up to five racks with five shooters in each string (of course).
The rifle must be a .22 "sporter" with the match coordinator holding the right to reject questionable rifles. No palm rests or thumb-hole stocks are allowed. We have scales on hand and the rifle's weight with its scope and/or peep or open sights must not exceed 8.5 lbs. Triggers must simply be "safe". The rifles detachable box magazine must be removed before weigh in. Tube repeaters are cleared and then weighed. Peep/receiver sighted rifles must compete in the optic sighted class.
;D Twenty-five Fifty Pistol
Second Saturday - same start times
Same as the 50/50 rifle match save for the fact that it is fired from 25 instead of 50 yards and pistols and revolvers are used instead of long guns. Any safe .22 pistol or revolver is eligible and we offer the same classes as above.
This match is dominated by open sighted .22 semi automatic handguns with scopes offering little advantage other than to those with vision problems. It moves quicker than the rifle match(just because most shooters are taking only 3 or 4 minutes of the allocated 10 minute time frame) and we have experienced growth similar to the sporter match. We used three racks last Saturday.
USBR Rimfire Benchrest
Third Saturday - same start times
This is a 50 yard bench rest match for .22 rifles. It is an extreme accuracy sport with equipment playing as much of as a part as marksmanship. We go by USBR rules and shoot their sporter and unlimited classes. The target is a 28 bull paper target of very high quality paper. The shooter has twenty minutes to fire unlimited sighters at the top three bulls and 25 shots for score on the lower 25 bulls (one each). We have thrown in semi-auto and two buck a box classes (cheap ammo) for fun. The results are highly dependent each month on the wind, humidity, light, and temperature. But, at least everybody is usually in the same boat.
Please refer to the USBR's official website for the specific rules. However, I will go ahead and point out that the USBR Factory Sporter Class restricts the rifle's weight with scope to 8.5 lbs and the rules basically require that the rifle must be a mass produced sporter with limited trigger work and stock bedding allowed. The trigger mod's are limited to filing and polishing and spring replacement. For example, the tube that sleeves the trigger pivot pin in a CZ Brookes trigger kit is not allowed. Of course, a replacement trigger like the Timney, Rifle Basix, etc is out as well. The Unlimited Class is well, unlimited. Interestingly enough both classes allow any power of scope. I would advise at least a 24 to 36 power scope for either class. The target's ten ring is only a tenth of an inch in diameter!
CMP Sporter
Fourth Saturday - same start times.
This one will make you a true rifleman (or riflewoman, riflechild, whatever). The coarse of fire includes 60 scored rounds (a full morning of shooting). It is an official match of the Civilian Marksmanship Program and Dwight has registered us as a CMP club now. We hope to hold a sanctioned match in the spring and we are taking a team to the National Sporter Match at Camp Perry, Ohio this year.
The match starts with a 10 minute sighter period for unlimited sighters to be fired from offhand, sitting/kneeling, or prone (even a modest rest may be used in this period).
Now the fun begins.
20 rounds from 50 yards fired from the prone position (with the use of a sling encouraged) subdivided into 10 slow fire and two five shot rapid fire mini strings (the shooter has 30 seconds and goes standing to prone to fire five shots - 25 seconds for autos).
Another 20 rounds in similar order save for the requirement to fire from the sitting or kneeling position (whichever the shooter prefers).
Finally, the shooters move up to 25 yards and shoot in similar order save for the requirement to fire from the offhand position without the use of a sling.
A reliable semi auto that can handle sling pressure can win this one for you. But, most opt for the accurate bolt guns.
The CMPs weight, trigger, and scope power rules are tough for this match. The overall weight including scope and/or iron sights cannot exceed 7.5 lbs. The trigger pull must lift a three pound weight.
If one uses a fixed power scope, the scope cannot have a power of over six and if one uses a variable scope, then he/she must tape it at no more than six power. The rules specify .22 long rifle ammo.
One is shooting for a 600-60X possible and our best shooters turn in 575 to 592 point totals with X counts ranging between the high teens and the low thirties. We award Bronze, Silver, and Gold medals based on the official CMP numerical ranges.
To sum things up, one could go buy a CZ American. Lower the trigger tension nut to a 3 lb 1 oz setting. Purchase a good military style leather or synthetic sling. Mount a clear and reliable 6 to 18 or 6 to 24 variable scope on it. Find an ammo it likes. Practice enough to get the action slick (about a thousand rounds would do). And, then compete in all but the pistol match. Add a Browning Buckmark or Ruger Mk I, II, or III and take on all four Saturdays.
Or, if you prefer open sighted twenty-twos, then get a CZ Special or Lux and an inexpensive spotting scope and shoot all but the BR match. One of the new Savage bolt action sporters with Savage's Accu-trigger should be a good candidate. And, one of Thompson Center's semi-auto sporters could compete in all of the rifle matches and even win the semi-auto fun class of the bench rest match for you.
Dwight and I have witnessed improved marksmanship and gun handling skills across the board in the past couple of years as these matches continue to attract followers.