A rifle match for hunters with "typical" hunting equipment?
- Thread starter MCMXI
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BullfrogKen
Moderator Emeritus
The NRA has rules for Sporting Rifle competition. Is that not what you have in mind?
http://www.nrahq.org/compete/RuleBooks/HPSR/hpsr-book.pdf
No shooting jackets, gloves, or other types of equipment normally seen in High Power competition is allowed.
Like Zak said, I'm opposed to mandating that shooters use what you describe as "traditional rifles". The shooting sports don't advance under constraints that dictate equipment. And in this case, it wouldn't even be for a good reason. At least service rifle competition has advanced rifle design for that rifle.
http://www.nrahq.org/compete/RuleBooks/HPSR/hpsr-book.pdf
No shooting jackets, gloves, or other types of equipment normally seen in High Power competition is allowed.
Like Zak said, I'm opposed to mandating that shooters use what you describe as "traditional rifles". The shooting sports don't advance under constraints that dictate equipment. And in this case, it wouldn't even be for a good reason. At least service rifle competition has advanced rifle design for that rifle.
litman252
Member
Zak's last post on previous page was dead on. I really want to do more rifle shooting but an actual competition based on hunting would suck. I love to hunt, pride my self on patience for 1 shot, 1 kill. I'll walk a couple miles a day and shoot no more than 3 shots most seasons. I'd rather run a competition that has 10-15 shots spread out for 5 minutes of competion with a longest shot of 325 yards. A mag fed hunting rifle would work fine but I'll never own one for hunting as I carry with one hand below the action quite a bit.
I would love to follow Zak around at just one shoot, I dream of a precision .260 with a can.
All the best,
Tony
I would love to follow Zak around at just one shoot, I dream of a precision .260 with a can.
All the best,
Tony
jmorris
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For most of the folks I talk to it would be pretty boring. Drive a truck, mule or 4 wheeler to a box in the dark, get in and wait for the sun to come up and feeder to go off. If the correct sex and size of deer walks up make a shot more or less from a bench at a distance inside 200 yds.
Sheepdog1968
Member
Yes I would find this interesting and I would likely compete. Personally, I would take my real world hunting rifles: 30-06 Rem 700 w 4x fixed scope, 30-30 Marlin lever action w 2.5x scope, or 45-70 Marlin lever action with iron sights. So what if I don't win. I'd learn from it and have fun. If folks want to bring a race rifle, let them. Better yet, post the winners and a photo of their hunting rigs so that individuals looking at it can decide who had a real vs fake rifle.
Lotta good ideas here and it's hard to create or maintain a level field just because of human nature.
I'm with sheepdog and do that at my club. Many matches are open to basic hunting rifles and though most bring match and/or service rifles, I've shot with a deer rifle several times. Last time an inherited, sporterized k-98 w/ 3x9 scope.
Re the escalation of equipment and competitiveness - IMO it's all about the shooter. In my case, I don't care. Match is an opportunity to shoot and I try to stay proficient with my hunting rifles.
I'm with sheepdog and do that at my club. Many matches are open to basic hunting rifles and though most bring match and/or service rifles, I've shot with a deer rifle several times. Last time an inherited, sporterized k-98 w/ 3x9 scope.
Re the escalation of equipment and competitiveness - IMO it's all about the shooter. In my case, I don't care. Match is an opportunity to shoot and I try to stay proficient with my hunting rifles.
srtolly
Member
This sounds like a lot of fun. I would love to do it. I can't shoot worth a crap but I practice a lot and have fun. Stress fun, I have seen some events that should have been fun for all get ruined by a few bad sportsmen that got pissy when they thought the were wronged by a RO. Can't blame themselves cuz the pull a shot. I just find them hilarious but ok kinda odd that way.
Everyone needs to have a belly laugh every day. Try it for a month and see how you feel.
Everyone needs to have a belly laugh every day. Try it for a month and see how you feel.
BullfrogKen
Moderator Emeritus
srtolly said:
Wow, I've never seen that happen in a local, regional or state match.
I saw something happen at Perry where a line official said something to a competitor that wasn't correct. Had to deal with resting his rifle on the cart and safe direction stuff. He elevated it, and it got resolved.
But local matches? Nope.
1911 guy
Member
I think half of the problem is the motivation of the shooters. While the hard-core "gotta win" people would take their match rifle and claim it's their hunting rifle, I also think there's enough people who really want to stretch out their actual hunting rifles that they'd be "honest" about it.
Personally, I'd love it. There are few places here in Ohio (my neck of the woods anyway) that will let me out past 200 yards.
Personally, I'd love it. There are few places here in Ohio (my neck of the woods anyway) that will let me out past 200 yards.
Zak Smith
Member
I find it kind of humorous that following published rules for a match might be considered dishonest! Of the photos I posted before, many of those double as the shooters' hunting rifles in various situations. Once you have the perspective of a tool that works really well for a variety of rifle problems, going to one that is less suited but more traditional does not compute for many people. In other words, using a "non hunting" rifle in competition may redefine what you think a hunting rifle is.
Hello. 1858. Several years ago, our sportsmens club held an informal "sporting rifle" match on Sat. mornings..geared to hunting rifles..military bolt actions were also allowed.
..even .22 rimfires..we didn't want to exclude anyone.
Offhand at 50yds..I used a .22 for this.
100yds..prone, sitting, and bench rest. I used an 1898 .30-40 Krag military rifle using cast bullets. Lots of fun..but sadly, people retired & moved away..and league just sort of died.
..even .22 rimfires..we didn't want to exclude anyone.
Offhand at 50yds..I used a .22 for this.
100yds..prone, sitting, and bench rest. I used an 1898 .30-40 Krag military rifle using cast bullets. Lots of fun..but sadly, people retired & moved away..and league just sort of died.
1911 guy
Member
That's why I put "honest" in quotes. If your so-called "match rifle" really IS your hunting rifle, you're doing what is intended by the hypothetical rules. If, however, you hunt with a peep sighted .30-30 and bring a bells and whistles rifle, then you're just cheating yourself.
The concept of the Beanfield rifle was built around this. Accurate rifles in flat shooting calibers driven at high velocity with premium glass (sounds like a "match" rifle, doesn't it?) to hunt whitetails in the Southeast and Midwest.
The concept of the Beanfield rifle was built around this. Accurate rifles in flat shooting calibers driven at high velocity with premium glass (sounds like a "match" rifle, doesn't it?) to hunt whitetails in the Southeast and Midwest.
Zak Smith said:
I haven't contributed to this thread after my initial post because I'm still trying to get my head around statements such as the one above. I'm not saying that Zak is wrong, quite the opposite, it's just that I find myself at a loss to define the ideal hunting rifle and I have to wonder if a definition comes out of practical matches. I have a hard time with the idea that what works on a goat hunt in Hawaii, or a pig hunt in Texas, or an Elk hunt in Montana or a deer hunt in Arkansas, or dangerous/plains game hunts in Africa would or could be one and the same.
Zak Smith
Member
By no means would I expect those to all be the same rifle.
But if you made a competition that modeled the challenges accurately and then let people evolve what rifle they shot in competition (without artificial constraint), I think you would end up with rifles that better solve the original hunting problems-- not just the matches.
But if you made a competition that modeled the challenges accurately and then let people evolve what rifle they shot in competition (without artificial constraint), I think you would end up with rifles that better solve the original hunting problems-- not just the matches.
Great and interesting thread,
Something I would definatly consider trying, but as Zak said, (or at least how I interpreted it) If I found that I could shoot a "non-traditional" customized .260 rem better than the trusty .270, why wouldnt I bring it on a hunt...
My Glock 34 for example was made to meet the exact requirements for IDPA, that doesnt mean it wouldnt make a great duty gun and I even know people who conceal it daily...
There would just have to be different classes in my opinion, I know people who only hunt with a 30-30 or sks, they probably wouldnt do so well past 200yrds but as long as theyre advancing their skill whats the issue? I know I wouldnt win but Id still play.
Something I would definatly consider trying, but as Zak said, (or at least how I interpreted it) If I found that I could shoot a "non-traditional" customized .260 rem better than the trusty .270, why wouldnt I bring it on a hunt...
My Glock 34 for example was made to meet the exact requirements for IDPA, that doesnt mean it wouldnt make a great duty gun and I even know people who conceal it daily...
There would just have to be different classes in my opinion, I know people who only hunt with a 30-30 or sks, they probably wouldnt do so well past 200yrds but as long as theyre advancing their skill whats the issue? I know I wouldnt win but Id still play.
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