I was wondering how come the only competetions with scoped high powered rifles are the sniper shoots such as sniper's paradise shootout, with exception to the few NRA shoots. There is a local gun club that has a 1000 yd range, and they are affiliates with every organization you can name but they still dont have any type of competetion that I could shoot my .308 in. I have searched for other shoots but have failed. If anyone could help me, or tell me howcome I cant find some competetions. Thanks for any info.
Rifle Competetion
- Thread starter _YoYo_
- Start date
Steve Smith
New member
_YO_YO_, I doubt that you would have a problem shooting your .308 at a match there, unless you plan on using your scope. Throw some good iron sights on your bolt action, and shoot NRA Highpower Match Rifle. For 1000 yards, you'll be shooting Palma. There are also Any Rifle/Any Sight competitions that occur at most big clubs throughout the summer.
Concerning "why" there aren't a lot more competitions for the use of scopes, I think that the answer is that most shooters have found that, under good light, good open sights can do anything a scope can do, but it's more of a challenge. No magnification, so your eyes must be in good condition, and your hold must be solid. Also, the "tactical" group is in a small niche. Folks who want to shoot MAO groups at long distances without aid of optics or a support of any type have a large established sport. Folks who want to shoot tiny sub-MOA groups at medium and long ranges with optics and a solid bench have a different sport (Benchrest). The "tactical" guys are trying to shoot sub-MOA at long distances with optics and a quasi solid support (bipod) are trying to get another sport started. It's only a few years old...Highpower, in one form or another, has been around for close to 100 years. Benchrest has been around for probably 70, I'd guess. "Tactical" has only been around for maybe 10 years. We may see that sport continue to grow, but these things take time.
Before you decide that not using a scope isn't fun, I'd like to urge you to at least try a Highpower match sometime. I think you'll find that it's a darn challenging disciplene. Besides, don't you want to be able to use irons really well for the day that TSHTF and you trip and damage your scope?
Concerning "why" there aren't a lot more competitions for the use of scopes, I think that the answer is that most shooters have found that, under good light, good open sights can do anything a scope can do, but it's more of a challenge. No magnification, so your eyes must be in good condition, and your hold must be solid. Also, the "tactical" group is in a small niche. Folks who want to shoot MAO groups at long distances without aid of optics or a support of any type have a large established sport. Folks who want to shoot tiny sub-MOA groups at medium and long ranges with optics and a solid bench have a different sport (Benchrest). The "tactical" guys are trying to shoot sub-MOA at long distances with optics and a quasi solid support (bipod) are trying to get another sport started. It's only a few years old...Highpower, in one form or another, has been around for close to 100 years. Benchrest has been around for probably 70, I'd guess. "Tactical" has only been around for maybe 10 years. We may see that sport continue to grow, but these things take time.
Before you decide that not using a scope isn't fun, I'd like to urge you to at least try a Highpower match sometime. I think you'll find that it's a darn challenging disciplene. Besides, don't you want to be able to use irons really well for the day that TSHTF and you trip and damage your scope?
I guess im interested in what you call "tactical" shooting. I guess it will take a while for the sport to get built up. And just to clarify, the sniper shoots are not just about making MOA hits at long ranges from feild firing positions with optics and a bipod. They are about unknown distance shooting, ranging, concealment, and shooting moving targets among other things. They also require shooters to make shots from positions other than prone. Shooters are required to make hits in a certain time while under pressure. I guess there are not enough people interested these types of competetions to make it a full blown sport.
I will look into the high power comps. They sound interesting.
I will look into the high power comps. They sound interesting.
Steve Smith
New member
Ahh, that stuff. For sure there isn't enough nationwide interest in it to get a competition going, and besides, there's a lot of subjectivity to that genre. How would you jugde who was better at concealment? Would you have a panel, or would just one guy decide? What if the gyt who "thought" he should win didn't, and called the judge colorblind? How do you vary the terrain in order to make the competition dificult ever time? The idea is nice, but the structure would be almost impossible. With the exception of concealment, I think you'll learn 85% of what you're after in Highpower...even without a scope.
When I said concealment I was talking about the stalks that Sniper's Paradise has had for the past couple years. They are not having it this year, but they have previously. Basically the shooter/spotter team was required to make a stalk and setup a FFP(final firing position) a set distance from a given target. Either a team was busted, or completed the exercise without detection.
Steve Smith
New member
Gotcha. I hope you didn't think I was being snide, I just don't know anything about that competition.
naah.. I hope you don't think I was either.. I figured you weren't familiar with them, that was my reason for clarification. I am more of a layed back type of person.. if I thought that you were talking in that tone I would be more likely to ignore it rather than respond. But I did take your comment about the high power into consideration, maybe when I get some extra money together I can get started in it. I've seen them shoot before and they look fun, but they don't get me pumped up like the 'tactical' competetions do. Hopefully someone with some money will get some more ranges up nationwide and get some type of standard for sniper competetions going.
dwesson445
New member
Seems to me that if you were going to hold a Sniper competition you'd have to make the competitors lay in one spot for three days straight on top of a nest of ground wasps with nothing to eat but MRE's and one canteen of water and then score them on one shot. 
Not me, thanks...
Not me, thanks...
Last weekend I shot in an "action rifle" event.......3 stages.....
stage1---had you takeing 8 or 9 shots at metal plates at varying distances from a prone position, up to 200yds, leaving the prone position and going down between 4 carboard silhouette targets, and past that for appx 25 more yds and engaging the plates again...for the end of that stage, there was a magazine change upon leaving the prone position.
stage 2---you sat before a table with the rifle unloaded and the magazine in your hand.....facing a facade of storefronts. When the buzzer sounded you had to load, go to the first window and engage 5 or 6 stakes with two paper plates on each pole..total distance was probably no more than 50 feet........after the first window there was a mandatory reload, go the first doorway and repeat....go to the next building and shoot left handed at the targets.
stage 3---I found this one the most enjoyable.......your rifle is against a wooden shed, and your back is to the shed. at the buzzer you go to a table alongside of the shed and pull a picture out of one of the four folders---I got alex baldwin. the same 4 or 5 pictures are in each of the appx six rooms, your goal is to shoot everyone but your guy. I have to tell ya that I smoked baldwin right out of the gate.....lol....once you've picked up you photo grab your rifle and go into the shed and shoot in the first room through windows in the shed, then come out of the room and clear the other 5 or 6 rooms......the targets also were different some had the silhouette target and some had the double pie plates...on the silhouette you hits had to add up to 8 or two azone hits in a minor caliber.....distance was less than 20 feet.
Its the most fun Ive had in an organized shoot in quite a while.....cost was minimal a $10 entry fee, and cost of ammo, I started with 140 rds of 223....still had a bit left over...
People were shooting everything from ar's to fn's...of which there were quite a few........m1a's and a ak or two.....I acutually saw an ak jam.......surprised me..........lot of fun...
the club that held the event is called the Hernando Sportsmen club and the event is either action rifle or a three gun shoot held the 2nd saturday every month.......oh yeah I was piss poor and ended up at the bottom of the group...lol.....fubsy.
stage1---had you takeing 8 or 9 shots at metal plates at varying distances from a prone position, up to 200yds, leaving the prone position and going down between 4 carboard silhouette targets, and past that for appx 25 more yds and engaging the plates again...for the end of that stage, there was a magazine change upon leaving the prone position.
stage 2---you sat before a table with the rifle unloaded and the magazine in your hand.....facing a facade of storefronts. When the buzzer sounded you had to load, go to the first window and engage 5 or 6 stakes with two paper plates on each pole..total distance was probably no more than 50 feet........after the first window there was a mandatory reload, go the first doorway and repeat....go to the next building and shoot left handed at the targets.
stage 3---I found this one the most enjoyable.......your rifle is against a wooden shed, and your back is to the shed. at the buzzer you go to a table alongside of the shed and pull a picture out of one of the four folders---I got alex baldwin. the same 4 or 5 pictures are in each of the appx six rooms, your goal is to shoot everyone but your guy. I have to tell ya that I smoked baldwin right out of the gate.....lol....once you've picked up you photo grab your rifle and go into the shed and shoot in the first room through windows in the shed, then come out of the room and clear the other 5 or 6 rooms......the targets also were different some had the silhouette target and some had the double pie plates...on the silhouette you hits had to add up to 8 or two azone hits in a minor caliber.....distance was less than 20 feet.
Its the most fun Ive had in an organized shoot in quite a while.....cost was minimal a $10 entry fee, and cost of ammo, I started with 140 rds of 223....still had a bit left over...
People were shooting everything from ar's to fn's...of which there were quite a few........m1a's and a ak or two.....I acutually saw an ak jam.......surprised me..........lot of fun...
the club that held the event is called the Hernando Sportsmen club and the event is either action rifle or a three gun shoot held the 2nd saturday every month.......oh yeah I was piss poor and ended up at the bottom of the group...lol.....fubsy.
Check out www.benchrest.com... Tell 'em you're more interested in silhouette competition tho... Someone may be able to steer you...