Resources for High Power Competition

[BullfrogKen]

Many, many moons ago I participated in a base-wide rifle competition when I was stationed in Cuba. I’m just now getting back into the sport. Lately I’ve seen a few discussions about High Power here and thought I’d share some resources I’m using to get myself “back into the game.” Some are going to be extremely basic, but just like all-stars who go to spring training and focus on the basics, we can all benefit from a review of the basics from time to time.

I ordered a DVD set from the CMP’s website featuring the Army Marksmanship Unit. The set covers every aspect of High Power shooting, from marking your sights even before you go out to the range to zero the rifle, to how to score a target in the pits at a match. They cover two methods for using the sling, and spend time at each stage of a match, on the range, discussing how to shoot it. A member of the AMU will shoot and walk the viewer through what he’s doing. I find them quite well done.

https://estore.odcmp.com/store/cata...pmax=&note1=&note2=&note3=&note4=&note5=&max=

I also ordered the Service Rifle guide, done by the same AMU. There are items in here that aren’t in the videos, such as nice wind charts for the popular 69gr and 80 gr .223 rounds.

https://estore.odcmp.com/store/cata...pmax=&note1=&note2=&note3=&note4=&note5=&max=

Again, much of the subject matter is basics. Much of it I’ve heard before at Parris Island, or been exposed to though organized competition afterwards. But there was still a good bit that I hadn’t seen yet, or was explained better, more thoroughly, or from a different approach in the DVDs. I highly recommend them.

Often it’s tough for me to appreciate how difficult it is for someone who hasn’t been formally instructed in the principles of rifle marksmanship to come into the sport and learn how to perform well, especially without inadvertently learning some bad habits along the way. Or someone new has 20 questions on how the sport works and all its nuances, and we wish we had a succinct resource to hand them and answer those questions. I’d say these materials do that job nicely.


I’ve not been very happy with some of the record books on the market. Either they were too busy, or they weren’t complete enough. I found a nice set of PDFs that are compatible for either NRA High Power or CMP matches.

I took these files on a thumb drive to Staples, had a quantity printed on card-stock, a different color for each PDF, and made into a spiral-bound book of my own. I also added some things I wanted inside my book for reference, such as Section 4 out of the NRA rulebook discussing target sizes. Makes referencing a target size for an adjustment easy, especially if I’m on a range using one of the reduced targets that I haven’t seen before.

http://www.cobs.com/lprgc/gif/cmpl.pdf
http://www.cobs.com/lprgc/gif/cmpl2.pdf
http://www.cobs.com/lprgc/gif/cmpl3.pdf


If you think this is a nice approach I’d suggest making this one of your pages –

Highpower Rifle Rapid Fire Scoring Guide, by SGM Joseph Considine, U.S. Army (Ret.).
http://www.nyhighpower.com/pdf/slow_rapidscore.pdf


If you’ve got something that works for you and want to share it, post it here.

 

[Howard Roark]

A great free source of info is the USAMU tips on the CMP pages:
http://www.odcmp.com/Competitions/USAMU/ShootingTips.htm

The very best book ever written on long range prone shooting was written by Nancy Tompkins and is out of print:
http://rifleshootingbynancy.com/about_the_author.htm

Jim Owens has some pretty good information for sale on his site:
http://www.jarheadtop.com/

David Tubb's books are a bit dated now but still have some good information. These are geared for match rifles not service rifles.

The very best information source is the DVDs that Ken mentioned above.

 

[BullfrogKen]

Yes, the USAMU tips - really a collection of short articles - are another great resource on the all the various nuances of service rifle matches.


Keep in mind with anything like a book or a DVD that some material can quickly become dated. For instance, the section on the DVDs that discusses scoring is now dated. I think the NRA has changed how to disk shot values twice now since I've gotten back into organized rifle competition.

The process remains the same. But the way values are disked on the target for the competitor and scorer are different.



As always, the only thing constant is change. But the principles are timeless.

 

[Jon Coppenbarger]

I have not read all of the amu stuff but they know what they are talking about.
just read emil's wind one's and he says it like it is but you will need to get plenty of practice in knowing what you are looking at to understand it fully and it is a skill you need to keep up on.

 

[P-32]

One of things I like about High Power shooters is they will help the new guy. Most of the older guys enjoy watching a new shooter come up through the points. Depending on what a guy can afford will detirmine which rifle I would recommend. (Still all good.

These guys will loan you equipment if you are not able to afford everything yet.

Every match you shoot you will learn new things with plenty of advice along the way.

I bet if you asked someone would be more than willing to show you the positions for each stage. Included would be tips for rapid and timed fire stages with mag. management.

You can record all sorts of info but you still only get 22 minutes for offhand and prone slow fire. I have seen new shooters run out of time because they were more interested in recording data than watching wind conditions for the next shot. That said, recording sight settings (dope) are important for light and wind conditions. I record where I called the shot and then where the shot hit. Then if I'm seeing a trend which shots are not centered, I can make a sight adjustment to put my shots in the center. Some times the rifle will break the shot some place other than center. I would assume you are shooting a load you found to work for you. I would record load information in a seperate reloading log.

I would think you would have a great time with like thinking people.

 

[Jon Coppenbarger]

good advice. I am one of the ones who does not really use a score book/ data book.
In off hand I know what my last shot was and where I know the shot should of been on the target so why wright it down. I will gladly take the extra time and apply it to the shots that need the time as they all do not come easy.

The rapids now that you start in position in nra matches I would rather work on staying in the correct position and resting my eyes and just relaxing while keeping a eye on what the wind is doing.

600 is the important one and I will always make a note on something what my 1st shot zero is so I always have a reference on a know condition to fall back on if things get wild or I get behind the wind. if things are quirky I will make a note of where I am at all times and thats it.