Not sure if anything like this is posted here at SH. I hope it is helpful.
F-Class Rifle Match
The purpose of this post is to provide some insight to newcomers about how F Class matches are run. It is the sincere hope of the author that having this information will encourage new shooters to overcome their fear of "going to their first match", and enable them to function when they get there.
This description is not absolute for all ranges, but it has been this author's experience that this is a description of a very typical F Class match.
How are matches run?
Everyone who registers and shows up to shoot is divided into 4 "relays". Each target is assigned a shooter for relay 1, relay 2, relay 3, and relay 4. You have to know which relay and which target you are assigned to. Two relays will shoot while the other two relays go to the pits to pull and mark targets. Relays alternate shooting and scoring during the day as described below.
Here is a description of a recent match:
The match was a long range Palma match. This did not mean it was limited to those shooting Palma rifles. F Class and service rifle competitors also shot the course of fire using whatever equipment and on whatever targets were appropriate for them to use at the match distances, as described on the match bulletin. The match was:
Saturday: prone slow fire
Match 1: unlimited sighters and 15 for record at 800 yards (22 minutes)
Match 2: 2 sighters and 15 for record at 900 Yards (22 minutes)
Match 3: 2 sighters and 15 for record at 1,000 yards (22 minutes)
Match 4: unlimited sighters and 20 for record at 1,000 yards (30 minutes)
Sunday: prone slow fire
Match 1: unlimited sighters and 15 for record at 800 yards (22 minutes)
Match 2: 2 sighters and 15 for record at 900 Yards (22 minutes)
Match 3: 2 sighters and 15 for record at 1,000 yards (22 minutes)
Equipment allowed was whatever was appropriate for the rifle and category being used (see NRA rules for Palma, Service Rifle, F-Class). Google and see the NRA rules for these different rifles.
Day 1, Saturday:
0700 line up in the pits to register, pay entry fees, and get squadded (assigned a target and relay). Relays 1 and 2 shoot first, so once squadded relays 1 and 2 proceed to the 800 yard line. No rifles on the firing line until the range officer has given the instruction to move your equipment to the line. Park in the designated areas, carry your stuff to the back of the firing line, and wait for the range officer to give instructions.
What is your "stuff"?
• Rifle, in the case or on a cart
• Ammo
• Empty Chamber Indicator, in the rifle if it is out of a case
• A reliable zero for the rifle
• Ballistic data for the rifle / ammo / zero combination that will get you on the paper at the distances you are shooting
• A pen or pencil
• Shooting mat
• Spotting scope
• Chair (optional but really a good idea)
Other essentials
• Hearing protection
• Sunscreen
• Insect repellent
• Food and water - there is no lunch break, so people start eating whenever they want to. There is no food cart, so bring whatever you want (no alcohol of course). You will see people eating in the pits, eating in the parking lot, eating while scoring. I carry a small cooler with 3 or 4 bottles of water, some cookies, some canned meat of some kind, or a sandwich or two, some kind of salty snack, you get the idea. What I want you to understand is that the match moves forward continuously, and it is up to you to figure out when you're going to eat etc. It's a long day out in the sun, and you'll feel a lot better if you consider this.
• Hat; if the morning or afternoon sun is beside you, it can be in your sighting eye and will make life miserable. Big, broad brimmed floppy hats are popular. They also keep the sun off your neck. A ball cap will work if you cock it to one side when needed. More serious shooters wear shooting blinders.
Relays 3 and 4 will pull and mark targets first, so at the beginning of the day they will stay in the pits, go to the bunker and get the appropriate target and mount it on the frame of the target number they were assigned to. Re-face the target with a new repair center, paste any remaining holes, mount it on the numbered frame, and get other supplies need for target scoring (pasters, scoring disks, spotting disks).
Match 1: Relays 1 and 2 are at the 800 yard line. Relays 3 and 4 are in the pits. Targets are on the frames, have been checked for any errant holes, repaired / refaced, and have been run up to half mast. This makes them partially visible to the firing line and indicates to the match director on the firing line that the pits are ready. Radio communication is also established between the pits and the firing line. After safety briefings are conducted in the pits and on the line, the pits are sealed (no one in or out). The match director calls relay 1 to the firing line: "Relay one, move your equipment to the line. Empty chamber indicators are to remain in weapons until the preparation period begins. Your three minute preparation period will begin in approximately two minutes".
Relay 1 moves their stuff (see above) to the firing line at the appropriate numbered firing position. Now is the time to set up your rest (front rest / rear bag, sling, whatever), your rifle with ECI still in the chamber, get your ammo out of your bag, start checking your position and aiming point. Make sure you're aiming at the correct numbered target. No dry firing, no ammo in the rifle yet. You will be told when to do this. Targets are still at half mast. Use this time very wisely. No chatting or standing around. Be ready for this command. Know where your stuff is, have it all ready to go. In other words, when the command to move to the line is given, move to the line. The clock starts here, and if you are a new shooter you will need all of this time. It will seem hurried from here on out.
Make scope adjustments for the distance to be fired.
If the flags have been telling a consistent story, make a wind call and dial in some starting windage. East coast shooters: this step is N/A.
If you are Relay 1, give your Match 1 score sheet to the other shooter on your firing position, the person who is squadded in Relay 2. He will be sitting just behind and next to you, sitting on a chair (brought by one of you) and looking through a spotting scope (brought by one of you) looking at your target when it is marked by the guys in the pits. He will be recording your shots' scores on your score sheet. You will do the same for him / her when it is their turn. His turn will come after yours.
The next command will be "Shooters, your three minute preparation period will begin when your targets appear." The targets will come all the way up and be fully exposed. During this three minute prep period you may remove your ECI and dry-fire your weapon. Look at the mirage and flags, finalize your position, make sure your ammo is within easy reach, and dry fire a few times if you wish. Do not load any live rounds in your weapon. After this three minute period ends, the targets will go back down to half mast.
The match director: "Shooters, this will be Match 1, unlimited sighters and 15 shots for record in 22 minutes. The time will begin, and you may begin firing, when your targets appear. On the line, load." Load one round, and one round only, into your rifle. When the targets come up, start your timer or check your watch, and fire one round.
The people in the pits (the people in Relays 3 and 4 assigned to your firing position) will be watching the berm behind the target you are assigned to, looking for bullet impact. When they see impact, they will pull the target down and look for a hole. They will place a pin with a 3" white or black disk on it into the hole (so that you and your scorer can see where the impact was on the target), and then place a scoring disk on the outer area of the target according to a scoring scheme. They will then run the target back up. You and your scorer will agree on the score, he will record it, and you will fire again. Repeat the process, one round at a time, until the designated number of rounds have been fired. Make adjustments to windage and elevation as needed.
NRA changed the scoring disk position... again!
When your time has expired, the targets will go all the way down and the match director will say: "Shooters, time has expired. Place empty chamber indicators in your weapon and remove your equipment from the line." Put your ECI in your rifle, get your stuff off the line. Get your score card from your scorer, make sure they have signed it as scorer, check their math, sign the score card and turn it in. After a brief pause to allow relay 1 to get their stuff off the line, the match director will say: "Relay 2, your three minute preparation period will begin in approximately two minutes". The relay 2 shooter will start moving his stuff into position. Ask him / her for their score card. Make sure you have a pen or pencil. Sit in the chair, look through the spotting scope and be ready to score. No smoking on the firing line.
This transition time is very busy; don't waste time during it. The match director wants to keep things moving, that's his job.
Casual conversations on the firing line, laughing and joking around etc, are considered distracting, extremely rude, inconsiderate, downright boorish. Everyone is wearing hearing protection so people tend to speak very loudly. If you aren't shooting or scoring and want to talk about anything, leave the firing line area (to the rear, obviously). Sometimes paid target pullers are available, and the shooters neither shooting nor scoring are not needed in the pits. They have nothing they need to be doing while the shooting / scoring relays are on the line, so they stand around and bullshit. If others are being grossly inconsiderate while you are firing, turn from your rifle and say loudly "Please take your casual conversation behind the firing line. Thank you." If they carry on, ask the match director to smack them. He will.
At the same time, you are a new shooter and will have billions of questions. Ask them before shooting begins, and if necessary ask them during the match. No one will mind if you ask questions related to the match (except, perhaps, at large national matches. There is another thread here that discusses this, and new shooters are normally squadded with other non nationally-ranked shooters so that they do not disturb people with championships on their minds). So ask questions when you need to. But if you're standing right behind the line loudly yucking it up, or talking about another match, people will mind. See?
Pit change: in order to allow all shooters to shoot in somewhat similar conditions throughout the day, after this first match there will be a pit change. Relays 1 and 2 go to the pits, and relays 3 and 4 go to the 800 yard line. Relays 3 and 4 shoot 800 yards Match 1, then go to 900 yards and shoot Match 2. There is then another pit change, and relays 1 and 2 shoot 900 yards Match 2 and then go to 1,000 yards and shoot Match 3. Another pit change, relays 3 and 4 shoot 1,000 yard Match 3 and then 1,000 yard Match 4. One final pit change, and relays 1 and 2 shoot 1,000 yard Match 4.
Pit changes are formal and structured, for obvious reasons. Do NOT leave the pits, nor leave the firing line and drive forward towards the pits, until the match director has made an announcement that the pits are unsealed.
Day 2, Sunday: Relays 3 and 4 shoot first, relays 1 and 2 go to the pits. Same things happen.
Got it? Now go do it.
F-Class Rifle Match
The purpose of this post is to provide some insight to newcomers about how F Class matches are run. It is the sincere hope of the author that having this information will encourage new shooters to overcome their fear of "going to their first match", and enable them to function when they get there.
This description is not absolute for all ranges, but it has been this author's experience that this is a description of a very typical F Class match.
How are matches run?
Everyone who registers and shows up to shoot is divided into 4 "relays". Each target is assigned a shooter for relay 1, relay 2, relay 3, and relay 4. You have to know which relay and which target you are assigned to. Two relays will shoot while the other two relays go to the pits to pull and mark targets. Relays alternate shooting and scoring during the day as described below.
Here is a description of a recent match:
The match was a long range Palma match. This did not mean it was limited to those shooting Palma rifles. F Class and service rifle competitors also shot the course of fire using whatever equipment and on whatever targets were appropriate for them to use at the match distances, as described on the match bulletin. The match was:
Saturday: prone slow fire
Match 1: unlimited sighters and 15 for record at 800 yards (22 minutes)
Match 2: 2 sighters and 15 for record at 900 Yards (22 minutes)
Match 3: 2 sighters and 15 for record at 1,000 yards (22 minutes)
Match 4: unlimited sighters and 20 for record at 1,000 yards (30 minutes)
Sunday: prone slow fire
Match 1: unlimited sighters and 15 for record at 800 yards (22 minutes)
Match 2: 2 sighters and 15 for record at 900 Yards (22 minutes)
Match 3: 2 sighters and 15 for record at 1,000 yards (22 minutes)
Equipment allowed was whatever was appropriate for the rifle and category being used (see NRA rules for Palma, Service Rifle, F-Class). Google and see the NRA rules for these different rifles.
Day 1, Saturday:
0700 line up in the pits to register, pay entry fees, and get squadded (assigned a target and relay). Relays 1 and 2 shoot first, so once squadded relays 1 and 2 proceed to the 800 yard line. No rifles on the firing line until the range officer has given the instruction to move your equipment to the line. Park in the designated areas, carry your stuff to the back of the firing line, and wait for the range officer to give instructions.
What is your "stuff"?
• Rifle, in the case or on a cart
• Ammo
• Empty Chamber Indicator, in the rifle if it is out of a case
• A reliable zero for the rifle
• Ballistic data for the rifle / ammo / zero combination that will get you on the paper at the distances you are shooting
• A pen or pencil
• Shooting mat
• Spotting scope
• Chair (optional but really a good idea)
Other essentials
• Hearing protection
• Sunscreen
• Insect repellent
• Food and water - there is no lunch break, so people start eating whenever they want to. There is no food cart, so bring whatever you want (no alcohol of course). You will see people eating in the pits, eating in the parking lot, eating while scoring. I carry a small cooler with 3 or 4 bottles of water, some cookies, some canned meat of some kind, or a sandwich or two, some kind of salty snack, you get the idea. What I want you to understand is that the match moves forward continuously, and it is up to you to figure out when you're going to eat etc. It's a long day out in the sun, and you'll feel a lot better if you consider this.
• Hat; if the morning or afternoon sun is beside you, it can be in your sighting eye and will make life miserable. Big, broad brimmed floppy hats are popular. They also keep the sun off your neck. A ball cap will work if you cock it to one side when needed. More serious shooters wear shooting blinders.
Relays 3 and 4 will pull and mark targets first, so at the beginning of the day they will stay in the pits, go to the bunker and get the appropriate target and mount it on the frame of the target number they were assigned to. Re-face the target with a new repair center, paste any remaining holes, mount it on the numbered frame, and get other supplies need for target scoring (pasters, scoring disks, spotting disks).
Match 1: Relays 1 and 2 are at the 800 yard line. Relays 3 and 4 are in the pits. Targets are on the frames, have been checked for any errant holes, repaired / refaced, and have been run up to half mast. This makes them partially visible to the firing line and indicates to the match director on the firing line that the pits are ready. Radio communication is also established between the pits and the firing line. After safety briefings are conducted in the pits and on the line, the pits are sealed (no one in or out). The match director calls relay 1 to the firing line: "Relay one, move your equipment to the line. Empty chamber indicators are to remain in weapons until the preparation period begins. Your three minute preparation period will begin in approximately two minutes".
Relay 1 moves their stuff (see above) to the firing line at the appropriate numbered firing position. Now is the time to set up your rest (front rest / rear bag, sling, whatever), your rifle with ECI still in the chamber, get your ammo out of your bag, start checking your position and aiming point. Make sure you're aiming at the correct numbered target. No dry firing, no ammo in the rifle yet. You will be told when to do this. Targets are still at half mast. Use this time very wisely. No chatting or standing around. Be ready for this command. Know where your stuff is, have it all ready to go. In other words, when the command to move to the line is given, move to the line. The clock starts here, and if you are a new shooter you will need all of this time. It will seem hurried from here on out.
Make scope adjustments for the distance to be fired.
If the flags have been telling a consistent story, make a wind call and dial in some starting windage. East coast shooters: this step is N/A.
If you are Relay 1, give your Match 1 score sheet to the other shooter on your firing position, the person who is squadded in Relay 2. He will be sitting just behind and next to you, sitting on a chair (brought by one of you) and looking through a spotting scope (brought by one of you) looking at your target when it is marked by the guys in the pits. He will be recording your shots' scores on your score sheet. You will do the same for him / her when it is their turn. His turn will come after yours.
The next command will be "Shooters, your three minute preparation period will begin when your targets appear." The targets will come all the way up and be fully exposed. During this three minute prep period you may remove your ECI and dry-fire your weapon. Look at the mirage and flags, finalize your position, make sure your ammo is within easy reach, and dry fire a few times if you wish. Do not load any live rounds in your weapon. After this three minute period ends, the targets will go back down to half mast.
The match director: "Shooters, this will be Match 1, unlimited sighters and 15 shots for record in 22 minutes. The time will begin, and you may begin firing, when your targets appear. On the line, load." Load one round, and one round only, into your rifle. When the targets come up, start your timer or check your watch, and fire one round.
The people in the pits (the people in Relays 3 and 4 assigned to your firing position) will be watching the berm behind the target you are assigned to, looking for bullet impact. When they see impact, they will pull the target down and look for a hole. They will place a pin with a 3" white or black disk on it into the hole (so that you and your scorer can see where the impact was on the target), and then place a scoring disk on the outer area of the target according to a scoring scheme. They will then run the target back up. You and your scorer will agree on the score, he will record it, and you will fire again. Repeat the process, one round at a time, until the designated number of rounds have been fired. Make adjustments to windage and elevation as needed.
NRA changed the scoring disk position... again!
When your time has expired, the targets will go all the way down and the match director will say: "Shooters, time has expired. Place empty chamber indicators in your weapon and remove your equipment from the line." Put your ECI in your rifle, get your stuff off the line. Get your score card from your scorer, make sure they have signed it as scorer, check their math, sign the score card and turn it in. After a brief pause to allow relay 1 to get their stuff off the line, the match director will say: "Relay 2, your three minute preparation period will begin in approximately two minutes". The relay 2 shooter will start moving his stuff into position. Ask him / her for their score card. Make sure you have a pen or pencil. Sit in the chair, look through the spotting scope and be ready to score. No smoking on the firing line.
This transition time is very busy; don't waste time during it. The match director wants to keep things moving, that's his job.
Casual conversations on the firing line, laughing and joking around etc, are considered distracting, extremely rude, inconsiderate, downright boorish. Everyone is wearing hearing protection so people tend to speak very loudly. If you aren't shooting or scoring and want to talk about anything, leave the firing line area (to the rear, obviously). Sometimes paid target pullers are available, and the shooters neither shooting nor scoring are not needed in the pits. They have nothing they need to be doing while the shooting / scoring relays are on the line, so they stand around and bullshit. If others are being grossly inconsiderate while you are firing, turn from your rifle and say loudly "Please take your casual conversation behind the firing line. Thank you." If they carry on, ask the match director to smack them. He will.
At the same time, you are a new shooter and will have billions of questions. Ask them before shooting begins, and if necessary ask them during the match. No one will mind if you ask questions related to the match (except, perhaps, at large national matches. There is another thread here that discusses this, and new shooters are normally squadded with other non nationally-ranked shooters so that they do not disturb people with championships on their minds). So ask questions when you need to. But if you're standing right behind the line loudly yucking it up, or talking about another match, people will mind. See?
Pit change: in order to allow all shooters to shoot in somewhat similar conditions throughout the day, after this first match there will be a pit change. Relays 1 and 2 go to the pits, and relays 3 and 4 go to the 800 yard line. Relays 3 and 4 shoot 800 yards Match 1, then go to 900 yards and shoot Match 2. There is then another pit change, and relays 1 and 2 shoot 900 yards Match 2 and then go to 1,000 yards and shoot Match 3. Another pit change, relays 3 and 4 shoot 1,000 yard Match 3 and then 1,000 yard Match 4. One final pit change, and relays 1 and 2 shoot 1,000 yard Match 4.
Pit changes are formal and structured, for obvious reasons. Do NOT leave the pits, nor leave the firing line and drive forward towards the pits, until the match director has made an announcement that the pits are unsealed.
Day 2, Sunday: Relays 3 and 4 shoot first, relays 1 and 2 go to the pits. Same things happen.
Got it? Now go do it.
