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Rifle Competition Events NRL Hunter series

I shot the first hornady hunter match in colorado last august. Having shot, PRS/NRL/RTC and local matches, the hunter series format is by far the most fun in my opinion.

People keep forgetting to mention there is actual movenment on the clock before even looking for targets. Most stages had at least 50 yards, mostly up hills to get to the shooting location. If you wanted to complete in the time limit you had to move so the time glassing, you’re blood is pumping.

sure it’s not all the aspects of hunting but I feel confident dropping a deer at 800 depending on terrain and how much of a pain in the ass it will be to get out. Why would I stalk it to 300 when I can watch trace from 800?

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this was one of the shortest movement stages

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there are 4 targets in this photo. Jorge ROd this stage and something like 60% of shooters couldn’t find the targets. First target was 700ish if I remember.
 
Haters gonna hate. Covers the fact that they'll never test themselves. Any tips on getting into position and starting to glass; is it better to keep binos on tripod laced to pack while running up the hill? Are these the targets below?
 

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Had I shot this one, I think I would have pulled a big ol goose egg haha. Those are hard to see
 
I have 2 6.5 Creedmoor rifles that I wouldn't consider overly heavy, no weight was added, they both have Remington Varmint barrels, Grayboe Renegade stocks, and a Razor and T5Xi scopes. Both come in at just over 16lbs so I'm out as far as points. There really isn't any way for me to reduce weight in a cost effective way, and I would go hunting with either rifle.

I had heard that there was discussion of increasing the maximum weight to 18lbs, and dropping the light hunter to 10lb max. What were the reasons why those weights weren't adopted?
 
I have 2 6.5 Creedmoor rifles that I wouldn't consider overly heavy, no weight was added, they both have Remington Varmint barrels, Grayboe Renegade stocks, and a Razor and T5Xi scopes. Both come in at just over 16lbs so I'm out as far as points. There really isn't any way for me to reduce weight in a cost effective way, and I would go hunting with either rifle.

I had heard that there was discussion of increasing the maximum weight to 18lbs, and dropping the light hunter to 10lb max. What were the reasons why those weights weren't adopted?
The 16lbs was adopted based in Idaho state laws that hunting rifles can not weigh over 16lbs all up.
 
Work has NRL's site blocked. Can I get some details for the half price division? I've already paid but it might be enough to get some coworkers into it
 
Work has NRL's site blocked. Can I get some details for the half price division? I've already paid but it might be enough to get some coworkers into it
For $125 you can shoot the match with whatever you want. No points for the league, no prize table, no trophy. Just shoot the match. Nothing over 3275fps.
 
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They just opened a class to shoot the match for half price, with any rifle. Should open it up to those upset about the .243
I don't think guys are upset about the power rule. It's just that 6mm is what they have and everything else is mostly unobtainable for now.
 
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The Nebraska match just kicked up a post about having more stuff to raffle off than they have competitions. I wish I was closer.
 
i'm in Nebraska and the plan was to go, but u know the old adage about best laid plans. It had 37 enties from what was on FB. Had more prizes than entries i think. Had to enjoy shooting in about 15"+ of snow though. My brother lives in Lincoln which is just west of there and still has almost 20" on the ground. Weather was supposed to be in the 30's. It';s snowing in Lincoln this morning so could move into that area before the mornings over. wind is blowing also. Figure i'll try to hit NM next month, or Cheyenne is in April which is less than 200 miles away. Give the guys credit who are putting it on. He was out in the subzero weather last week arranging targets. They are going to make it a little easier for first time shooters. He said there was going to be a orange sign with an arrow pointing in the direction of the target to make it findable. I hope they change nothing about this series. It's supposed to be about hunting, and ur not killing no deer at 800 to 1000 yds with a 243. I've been shooting a 243 deer hunting for 30 years , i know it's limitations. Also like the base series which means just that, factory gun with absolutely no modifications and under 12lbs. Opens are for those that want that extra edge. Even though i like to shoot my dasher and 6 CM, i'm glad to see the pop guns taken out of it. Gonna have to shoot something with a little recoil.
 
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Sounds like a hardcore match. Hard to go prone in 2 feet of snow haha. Hopefully they get some good video like they do of some of the other NRL matches and post it on Youtube. I hope they announce the details for the Tennessee match soon. That's the one I'm trying to go to.
 
I just left the NRL hunter match in Nebraska.

Absolutely amazing time!
“Challenging” would be a understatement!
The most common thing said “wow, that stage wrecked me, it was awesome!”🤣

The match had a completely different feel than a PRS or standard NRL match. It really made a guy think through your equipment and your abilities from different positions.

Probably the most fun I’ve ever had shooting a rifle at a match.
I will definitely be shooting more of them!
 
Buddy and I just went to a local prs/nrl style match to prove out the new lightweight hunter rigs, all good to go. We'll be at the New Mexico match in a couple weeks, I'm gonna be like a kid before Christmas, can't wait
 
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I'm signed up for the new Mexico match in the light division. It should be a lot of fun shooting a 12lb rifle. 280AI or 7/08 AI... Choices...

But to those who shot the Nebraska match, what equipment recommendations would you have?
 
I just left the NRL hunter match in Nebraska.

Absolutely amazing time!
“Challenging” would be a understatement!
The most common thing said “wow, that stage wrecked me, it was awesome!”🤣

The match had a completely different feel than a PRS or standard NRL match. It really made a guy think through your equipment and your abilities from different positions.

Probably the most fun I’ve ever had shooting a rifle at a match.
I will definitely be shooting more of them!
glad to hear it went great :)
 
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I just left the NRL hunter match in Nebraska.

Absolutely amazing time!
“Challenging” would be a understatement!
The most common thing said “wow, that stage wrecked me, it was awesome!”🤣

The match had a completely different feel than a PRS or standard NRL match. It really made a guy think through your equipment and your abilities from different positions.

Probably the most fun I’ve ever had shooting a rifle at a match.
I will definitely be shooting more of them!
I have to agree with everything said above.

Chaz and his crew did a fabulous job setting up this match in the weather they had a couple weeks out.
This isn’t like a standard NRL or PRS match that you can set up a barricade or tank trap and practice. This match used natural terrain for shooting positions. In my opinion it will also highlight weaknesses in your ability to manage your kit and the clock.

Definitely he most fun I’ve had at a match in a long time.
 
SO pumped for pics and reports, can't wait to shoot one of these matches.
I didn't want to have a wall of text in the middle of this thread, so I put my AAR in a new thread.
 
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I just left the NRL hunter match in Nebraska.

Absolutely amazing time!
“Challenging” would be a understatement!
The most common thing said “wow, that stage wrecked me, it was awesome!”🤣

The match had a completely different feel than a PRS or standard NRL match. It really made a guy think through your equipment and your abilities from different positions.

Probably the most fun I’ve ever had shooting a rifle at a match.
I will definitely be shooting more of them!
Congratulations on your finish sir! It was fun chatting with you when I had the chance. If NRL does their usual video, they might have to edit out the audio of when your picture got taken at the podium :ROFLMAO:.
 
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I will make a plea to any sponsors out there who read this thread; it would be great to see some companies step up and donate a handful of nice tripods to the NRL they could bring to matches and let new shooters use. From talking to a lot of new shooters, this is one of the biggest hurdles for them to shoot a match. Most new guys have all the other minimum equipment required to shoot the match, but a tripod is a must, and it's not something that many new shooters are willing to invest in to get their feet wet.
 
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Below is an AAR with pictures that I wrote up for the NRLH match I just shot in Nebraska. The first one.

 
NM was a great time. Ended up with awesome weather. Day 1 was rough, was a few targets I never did find. That was a little frustrating, but part of the deal I signed up for. Day 2, we shot a totally different direction, more with the sun at our back so targets were easier to find. Just got back today from a local prs match, which confirmed even more deeply how much I appreciate the hunter league format. I'll be hitting as many of these matches as I can.
 
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I would like to try this. seems like a cool concept.
 
How was New Mexico?

New Mexico was TOUGH. Scores were really low day one. Target acquisition was hard. I think this is a learning curve for MDs that haven't done it.

Like someone else said, I walked off with zeros from some stages saying, that sucked, can I please have some more-- I just learned a valuable lesson.

Really good shooters have time in glass spotting steel, and from there its just another shooting match, really.

It was a lot of fun and blind stages are better IMO.

Don't take your magnum hunting rifle, a 6.5 mm creed is the new 6 mm. My ultralight 7 ss worked me over. Recoil management with a magnum is totally different than a 6mm comp gun. I can shoot my hunting rifle in the positions I practice, but alternative positions I broke shots clean but was stringing high and sometimes low. Totally me. It sucked but was great.

I am refocusing training with my glass and LRF and building a 6.5 to go back and redeem myself.
 
@hereinaz I guess I'm in trouble. I'm bringing 300WM for open light haha. Its what I could find in stock!

It will be fun! But, dang if it didn't push me around. One other guy with a similar rifle did fine. But, it exploited me, lol. It was worth the education though.
 
You guys oughtta try the new gen3 fat bastard 5 port brake. It's a game changer on those magnums. I threw one on a 6.5 SAUM thats 11lbs, it definitely is NOT a 20lb 6brx, but it is not bad at all in the practice I've had the last couple weeks with it. Even some sketchy positions, with some real focus on recoil management, I can see impacts at 400-500yds easily. I did 100 rounds of practice yesterday and no sore shoulder or anything today, if I had done the same with just a can on there, you bet your a$$ I'd be feeling it today.
 
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Congratulations to member @car16smg for his first place finish at the Tennessee match. It was a shitshow the first day but today was much smoother. Met some really good guys and had lots of fun.

Thanks buddy! I had an awesome time shooting with you this weekend! It was a great experience for my first centerfire match! I’ve watched all the NRL matches on YouTube and wanted a match like that to be my first! I thought it was spectacular how Brittney and Travis jumped in to RO a stage on Day 2! I hope we eastern shooters have another opportunity to shoot an NRL centerfire match close to home! And a big shout out to my buddy @excope for ROing!
 
Just got back from Wyoming. These are alot of fun, and really help to show what your equipment can do. You definitely want a tripod to hunt in Wyoming. Precision rifle matches also help prepare for this very well.
 
I just got back from the Wyoming match as well. I shot the New Mexico hunter match as well. These matches are really fun - really love how it’s all on you to find, range, decide how to shoot and then shoot the targets. Definitely my favorite type of match to shoot now.
If you have been thinking about trying this you really owe it to yourself to try one!
 
It's been nice seeing the pics from around the country too. The NRLH Official FB page has some great shots from the first few matches, helps stoke the fire, looks like a lot of fun.
 
Congratulations to member @car16smg for his first place finish at the Tennessee match. It was a shitshow the first day but today was much smoother. Met some really good guys and had lots of fun.
What on earth happened Day 1? 3 Stages?


I shot the Arbuckle match and it was great fun.
 
I have 2 6.5 Creedmoor rifles that I wouldn't consider overly heavy, no weight was added, they both have Remington Varmint barrels, Grayboe Renegade stocks, and a Razor and T5Xi scopes. Both come in at just over 16lbs so I'm out as far as points. There really isn't any way for me to reduce weight in a cost effective way, and I would go hunting with either rifle.

I had heard that there was discussion of increasing the maximum weight to 18lbs, and dropping the light hunter to 10lb max. What were the reasons why those weights weren't adopted?

If you need to borrow a stock to make weight just send me a text. I just got the XLR magnesium stock. So hawt.


Anyway I shot the Cameo match last fall and last weekend I shot the Laramie WY Bufffalo Bills Revenge. What a blast these matches are.

NOTHING like a typical NRL or PRS match. NOTHING. Truly individual. No wind sharing. Blind stages. No seeing how others do a stage and getting their wind call (#cheating). No super squads. If caught looking for targets off the clock or sharing data its a match DQ instantly. Awesome.

Production Class shooters burnt it down with 3 of the top 6 scores being production.

I personally was shooting a Tikka UPR shooting factory Hornady 6.5 creed ammo with an XTR3 3-18 and Hawkins rings. It didnt shoot 1/4moa all day if i do my part but closer to 3/4 moa lol but when you have an American bandana it subtracts 1/2moa from all groups #littleknownfacts

I also used a tripod (Coloado Tripod Company just released a Made In USA tripod I got Wed before the match), Fehu Outdoors backpack and ammo holder, tripod leg chaps, and match book holder, RF binos. One puffy pillow and a Med Fortune Cookie as rear bags. and GOOD data card. oh and a single pull ckye-pod. My home scale said I was making weight with the double pull but on site with good scale it didnt happen. lame.

TIKKA UPR.jpg


2021 WY 7.jpg



big shout out to all the awesome RO’s that shot the match on Fri. I shot one stage where i couldnt range the targets due the snow (pic below just after I completed my stage). Thank you Jesus i was able to spot my shots and make corrections. shooting all day We had 3 snow storms, a 25 mph L-R and a 20 mph R-L wind. #dicey

2021 WY 11.JPG


the avg score on my stage 12 was a 3, the most common score was a 0 and the std dev was 2.4 out of 8 possible. brutal sun made the targets impossible to find...just like a real animal.

2021 WY 9.jpg


last but not least a shout out to the shooter using a factory Swiss K31 military rifle and ski poles as shooting sticks. It was beautiful haha. straight pull actions rock.

2021 WY 8.jpg





There were also a ton of shooters using minute of inch 300wm rifles (and larger) that got off the couch unlike 90% of commenters here and had an awesome time. Getting so sick of the interweb commandos saying they cant go shoot a match because they have no chance of winning, or no ammo, or its another PRS match or etc etc etc. Ridiculous. get out and shoot. its fun if ur winning or last.

Oh and the prize table was raffled off. So whining about no prize or the same top shooters getting all the prizes (more excuses) is now moot.


rant over haha
GL
DT
 

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If you need to borrow a stock to make weight just send me a text. I just got the XLR magnesium stock. So hawt.


Anyway I shot the Cameo match last fall and last weekend I shot the Laramie WY Bufffalo Bills Revenge. What a blast these matches are.

NOTHING like a typical NRL or PRS match. NOTHING. Truly individual. No wind sharing. Blind stages. No seeing how others do a stage and getting their wind call (#cheating). No super squads. If caught looking for targets off the clock or sharing data its a match DQ instantly. Awesome.

Production Class shooters burnt it down with 3 of the top 6 scores being production.

I personally was shooting a Tikka UPR shooting factory Hornady 6.5 creed ammo with an XTR3 3-18 and Hawkins rings. It didnt shoot 1/4moa all day if i do my part but closer to 3/4 moa lol but when you have an American bandana it subtracts 1/2moa from all groups #littleknownfacts

I also used a tripod (Coloado Tripod Company just released a Made In USA tripod I got Wed before the match), Fehu Outdoors backpack and ammo holder, tripod leg chaps, and match book holder, RF binos. One puffy pillow and a Med Fortune Cookie as rear bags. and GOOD data card. oh and a single pull ckye-pod. My home scale said I was making weight with the double pull but on site with good scale it didnt happen. lame.

View attachment 7614121

View attachment 7614116


big shout out to all the awesome RO’s that shot the match on Fri. I shot one stage where i couldnt range the targets due the snow (pic below just after I completed my stage). Thank you Jesus i was able to spot my shots and make corrections. shooting all day We had 3 snow storms, a 25 mph L-R and a 20 mph R-L wind. #dicey

View attachment 7614120

the avg score on my stage 12 was a 3, the most common score was a 0 and the std dev was 2.4 out of 8 possible. brutal sun made the targets impossible to find...just like a real animal.

View attachment 7614118

last but not least a shout out to the shooter using a factory Swiss K31 military rifle and ski poles as shooting sticks. It was beautiful haha. straight pull actions rock.

View attachment 7614117




There were also a ton of shooters using minute of inch 300wm rifles (and larger) that got off the couch unlike 90% of commenters here and had an awesome time. Getting so sick of the interweb commandos saying they cant go shoot a match because they have no chance of winning, or no ammo, or its another PRS match or etc etc etc. Ridiculous. get out and shoot. its fun if ur winning or last.

Oh and the prize table was raffled off. So whining about no prize or the same top shooters getting all the prizes (more excuses) is now moot.


rant over haha
GL
DT
The thunder and snow on Friday was wild, Probably the most fun I’ve had at a match. Wyoming is awesome had all the season's in 6 hours.
 
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last but not least a shout out to the shooter using a factory Swiss K31 military rifle and ski poles as shooting sticks. It was beautiful haha. straight pull actions rock.
This guy was in group 12 I think, I was in group 13 so he caught up to us once or twice. Not only was he shooting a factory swiss straight pull, he was also doing the whole deal without a range finder or so I heard anyways.

What an awesome match. I shot a .308 and paid for it a little bit on the second day (that's my excuse anyways) but I still had a blast.
 
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So I just stumbled onto this and I love the idea. Who do I talk to any getting my Steyr Scout approved in the factory class? I realize a change like this takes time but it looks like it would be a year before there is one in the mid Atlantic area anyway. If I can shoot that rifle, I'll start getting ready now.
 
Honestly, if you just show up and say you are competing in factory division and tell them its a Steyr, they'll put you in Factory. If you wanted to petition to have it put in the official rules, you could hit them up through their website.
 
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So I sent them an e-mail and they will get back to me. I don't know why they wouldn't add Steyr to the list. They have several rifles that would be great in this category.

I'm kinda excited about this. I'm a practical rifle kind of guy and the idea of a 16 pound specialty rifle doesn't excite me. The idea of putting my Scout to a test like this gets me fired up. I hope they add more matches to the East coast but I'll wait until next year if I have to.
 
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