OK, My kind of thread.
I'm glad to see you took a clinic. Be careful though, High Power can be habit forming after shooting a match.
The platform you use is totally up to you. I know a couple of guys who made master and expert in the 1st year of shooting a AR. I learned on a M-14 and even though I use a AR myself, these 2 guys are in trouble when they pick up a wood gun.
Point is, the 30 teaches you to build solid positions. If you don't your shots end up in the trees.
The hardest thing outside of sight alinement, is making the fewest mistakes as possiable during the match. I use 4 mags for rapids. 2 have a white pasters stuck on each side. These are my 2 round mags. Make sure the ammo fits the mags and leave nothing to chance. I load my mags well before I'm called to the line.
Sights....record sight settings. Once you have them write them down. I have cut down clip board I keep my score book on. On the back of the clip board I have printed off my sight dope. I have sight dope for my M-1 in brown, My 308 m-1 has a fat green stock so the dope for it is green and for my AR I have it printed in black. Don't know what I'm going to do when my new upper comes in as I will have 2 black guns.
When setting dope adjustments, always start form the bottom. This way you won't stack 300 yard dope on top of 200 yard dope etc. (believe me, I've seen this trick more than once. I've also put another guns dope in too and that don't work)
Equipment. I know it's real easy to (for some) go out and get top of the line stools, scope stands and scopes. I would work on these items over time, see what works for everyone else and don't be afraid to buy used equipment. Most high Power Shooters worth their salt is always gong to help out the new guy the best they can.
The stool can be a bucket with a handle and lid. The shooting mat can be a piece of carpet. I would not cheap out too much on the scope as it is as important as the rifle in some cases. There are some good inexpesive scopes out there at Creadmoore and Champions Choice. There are a few other places as well. The scope stand should be a good one, as you don't want to be like me and have my then brand new scope take a dive while moved high for off hand.
Hearing protection. Some do fine with ear muffs. I find they get in the way for rifle and use ear plugs. I can't stand the foamy ones so I use the rubber ones on the string if I can't get the orange rubber GI plugs.
You will need some sort of sight black. I used the spary can stuff for many years but I do like the the black from the carbide flame. A small can of firm grip never hurt any one either if you're shooting a 30 cal.
Shooting mit. I like the cheap $18.00 ones the best. See what others are using and see if they will llet you try theirs out.
Sling. Buy the best you can afford. Turners are eay to get and are one of the better off the shelf ones out there. Get leather, not plastic. When you order the sling pick up a couple of spare keepers as well. This way you'll have then when you need them.
A couple of small repair parts for the rifle is good to have around. I carry a firing pin and cotter key, a spare extractor with pin and for an important match, a spare trigger assy. The extractor and pin are more likely to be used than any of the other parts. I did wreck a firing pin at a match once though, as I found out Federal match primers are not as tough as Remmington 7 1/2's using the same load.
Go to
www.highpowerforum.com and review the sticky on positions. This is in the forum section. Good sight, good info.
Last, The front sight is your friend.
