Sporting Rifle precision field match at the Whittington Center

[Zak Smith]

http://www.demigod.org/~zak/firearms/precision/

NRA Whittington Center Sporting Rifle Match


OVERVIEW

The "Sporting Rifle Match" at the NRA Whittington Center is designed to test a rifleman's skills shooting small targets from approximately 175 to 700 yards in the natural terrain, with what he can carry throughout the course.

Typical equipment used includes: a rifle capable of 1 MOA accuracy; rifle optics allowing precise hold-over for small targets from 175 - 700 yards; binoculars to spot for other shooters; and a backpack to carry water, ammunition, and a couple power bars.

The typical format is 10 stages over a 2 mile distance. Each stage typically has 6 targets to be engaged with only one shot each. Score for the match is total number of hits.
SCHEDULE
The shooters' meeting is at 7:30AM. Do not be late.
2004 SCHEDULE

* 5-16-2004
* 6-6-2004
* 7-11-2004
* 8-8-2004 (cancelled due to flooding)
* 9-5-2004

2005 SCHEDULE
TBD.

More details here:
http://www.demigod.org/~zak/firearms/precision/

This monthly match is an excellent opportunity to test your precision/sniper rig, or prepare for the ITRC.

-z

 

[atek3]

Hey Zak, why do you get to have all the fun?

I sure would like to come down and compete in matches like that. How far a drive is that from fort collins?

atek3

 

[Zak Smith]

It's about 270 miles, or about 4 hours when you take Denver and ColoSprings into account.

As soon as I have a new schedule, I'll post it.

 

[atek3]

jeez what a hike. I guess you gotta do what you gotta do if you want to win the 2005 ITRC.

atek3

 

[Zak Smith]

4 hours there and 4 back, two days of shooting (one sight-in, one for match) and one night of gun BSing sounds like a good weekend to me.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

Zak,

That looks like fun, and the Whittington Center is a top-notch facility. My 25-06 should be a good pick, or maybe the .270 Ackley I just finished. Do keep us posted on the new schedule.

Do you stay in the competitors housing?

 

[Zak Smith]

Yeah, either of those two could be great caliber choices for this match.

To get up out of the 308 class, it seems like one needs a BC of nearly 0.6 or greater, and a MV of 2900 or greater. The heavy 6.5's (140gr) and 7mm's (160gr) are popular. That reduces the problems caused by range mis-estimation and wind error.

It's important to be able to precisely hold-over the correct amount for targets at arbitrary distances. Scopes with field-usable elevation knobs are real useful for this match. In addition, knowing how much hold-off to use in your reticle at various distances / wind speeds is useful.

-z

 

[atek3]

would you say a reticular BDC like the ACOG's is too imprecise for such work? What about the horus vision reticle?

atek3

 

[Zak Smith]

Even though they are not allowed any more, I shot a previous match with my JP CTR02 with a TA11. Another guy shooting his AR15 with a M/RT scored about the same - mid 20's. The main problem with a BDC and small targets is that load/rifle changes and environmental changes compared to its calibrated load will kill you. On the TA11, small targets beyond 200 yards are difficult because the bottom of the donut obscures them, and there are relatively few aiming points below 300yards compared to the bullet drop rate out there. The TA11 gets hard to use when targets are 300y or further and 8" or smaller. The TA11 reticle does not have useful horiztonal marks for windage holdoff, either.

If you had a JP TA01 with the simplified reticle, calibrated for 75-77gr from a 20", from the flat-top, at 3000', with 10mph horizontal holdoffs at each vertical range marker, you'd be better off.

If you know how to work it, a Horus scope would be fine. Likewise, any scope set up similar to a Leupold with M1 target knobs ought to work well.

-z

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

Swift Scirocco 130 gr., BC-.450. Zeroed at 300, drop at 700 yds. - 72.9 inches, assuming a 3300 mv.

Wow, I guess I need a better bullet than that. Also, my Burris Fullfield 3-9 probably wouldn't be a very good choice.

 

[Zak Smith]

If you could use those Stoney Point knobs for field-adjustment of elevation, it'd probably work.

 

[Zak Smith]

2005 SCHEDULE POSTED

First Sunday of each month JAN - SEPT, except July which is TBD due to a conflict with another event.

Dates on the web page.

Hope to see you there.

 

[Zak Smith]

REMINDER: The first match is Sunday JAN 2ND.

Hope to see you there. If you are driving from far away, check with me Friday before heading out. We will need to have a mechanism to "call" the match if weather is prohibitive.

 

[dakotasin]

well, i read the thread, and i went to the site, but i still do not know what state or city the 'whittington center' is in.


i'll be in the denver area in january, march, and may - though i will be deer hunting on 2 jan, so i won't make that one...

 

[Hoser]

The Whittington Center is in Raton NM. About 4 hours south of Denver.

 

[Zak Smith]

From the web page:

The "Sporting Rifle Match" at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton NM is designed to test a rifleman's skills shooting small targets from approximately 175 to 700 yards in the natural terrain, with what he can carry throughout the course.

DIRECTIONS / LOCATION
The Sporting Rifle match is held on the North end of the NRA Whittington Center. You cannot use the primary W.C. entrance to get to the Sporting Rifle match.

From I25, exit in Raton NM and proceed West to HWY 87/64, the main N/S road through Raton. Proceed to the South end of town to Rd 555. (There is a SONIC drive-in at the 555 turn-off. If you hit I-25 again, you have missed 555.) Proceed West on 555 approximately 5 miles. The parking area for the Sporting Rifle match will be on the South (right) side of the road. Look for the sign.

 

[Zak Smith]

Match cancellations will be announced on the web page ASAP before the match, ideally by Friday morning, but it could be as late as Saturday afternoon for a last-minute emergency. So...

CHECK THE WEB PAGE FOR POSSIBLE CANCELLATION ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE LEAVING.

 

[Zak Smith]

The March 6th match is ON.
Email or call me if you need more info.

2005 SCHEDULE
First Sunday of every month, January - September, except July which is TBD.

* Sunday January 2nd
* Sunday February 6th CANCELED DUE TO 18" SNOW
* Sunday March 6th
* Sunday April 3rd
* Sunday May 1st
* Sunday June 5th
* JULY - TBD
* Sunday August 7th
* Sunday September 4th

 

[Zak Smith]

Some pictures from the March match follow. Weather was great, wind
was tricky as usual. We were done by 1:30PM.

Sight-in on Saturday
[ link to LARGER image ]

Now THAT'S a "Sporting Rifle"
[ link to LARGER image ]

Age and treachery.... (note the crutch)
[ link to LARGER image ]

Shooter's View
[ link to LARGER image ]

The hike back
[ link to LARGER image ]

 

[atek3]

I saw a little blurb in the rules about allowed ammo, but nothing in the rules about what kinds of rifles were legal.

atek3

 

[Zak Smith]

If it's not prohibited, then it's allowed. Here are the rules that relate to the configuration of the gun:

# 1.2 All rifles and other equipment used in competition must be serviceable and safe.
* 1.2.1 All rifles must have a properly functioning safety.
* 1.2.2 All rifles must be equipped with a sling suitable for safely carrying the rifle muzzle up or down. No other method of carrying the rifle is allowed.

# 2.1 Minimum caliber: .243 (6mm). Maximum caliber: .300 Mag. Maximum muzzle velocity 3200 fps.
* 2.5 The rifle may be equipped with a bipod but it must be remain attached for the entire match.

Basically, as long as it's "safe" and meets the caliber & "FPS" limits, it's fine.

-z

 

[sscoyote]

Looks like a nice match-- just the kind we're looking for. Last yr. Ernie (XPHunter) and i competed @ the ITRC with our XP-100 6.5-284 pistols. We use the 3-12X LER/Ballistic Plex reticle/target turret, and IT WORKS terrifically. I spotted for Ernie as he ran 10 in a row between 585-685 on 8" circular plates. I couldn't believe it (neither could he i don't think).

Hey Larry-- u ought to send that Burris back in and get the elevation turret installed-- i think it's only $40 (for 1 turret). Windage is not terribly difficult off the horizontal plex posts-- i just looked at the BUrris specs, and the horizxontal x-hair - post tip subtension is 3.4" (or MOA) @ 100 yds. on 9X. That should provide decent windage reference.

 

[Zak Smith]

Reminder: The next match is this coming Sunday Apr 3rd.

Check the web-page for last-minute details or cancellation news on Thursday or Friday.

 

[atek3]

pistols at a tactical rifle match, thats awsome. How did you all stabilize them to shoot 600 yd targets? Sandbags, bipods, rests?

atek3

 

[sscoyote]

Atek- we both used a short Harris bipod, with a small rear sandbag-- works pretty good actually. A lot of fun to hear that bullet hit long-range steel from a SP. Some of the IHMSA matches i guess go to 5 or 600 meters i hear-- Larry Ashcraft would know more about that-- i guess he's done it some.