PRS / NRL / outlaw rimfire Match Set-up

[accurate obsession]

For those of you that shoot and perhaps are MD's of these type matches what are the general parameters for your target selection, meaning distance vs target size balanced by the difficulty of the stage, (prone vs some odd position)? Where would or would you even have a distance cut off? It seems to me that after distance "X" we may have lost all practical considerations. I'm perfectly aware of the "I wonder if I can hit that" urge, that's fine, but in building a match when you want to balance the Vudoo and Anschutz boys and the RPR, 10-22, CZ crowd which way do you lean to. Trying to have a match that will have enough challenge for the experienced shooters but not crush the newer ones so they will be wanting to have another go at it.

 

[billmeek]

I'm not a match director, but the cut-off point in NRL22 seems to be 1 MOA. On very rare occasions will you ever see below 1 MOA on monthly courses of fire. Within the limits of the current NRL22 rules (25 to 100 yards) there needs to be a balance between keeping the COF interesting for the better shooters and easy enough for the average shooters to be able to play. If the COFs become so difficult to where newer shooters are barely able to hit, then you will loose a lot of potential new competitors. My feeling is that in order to keep the COFs interesting, the league will eventually start stretching out ranges a bit beyond 100 yards.

 

[Dthomas3523]

A 14” square at 330yds was used at nrl22 nationals. Without much wind, it’s fairly easy. When wind picks up, it can get a bit less forgiving. So, that needs to be kept in consideration as well. If the wind can possibly pick up at the range, your target size needs to be large enough to make sure it’s still enjoyable. 14” was a good middle ground I think.

Another consideration with .22 which needs to be kept in consideration is the backstop/berm and/or lack therof. If there is a good berm that will show .22 splash well, you can go with smaller targets. If there is no berm or it doesn’t show splash well, you’ll need to make targets a little bigger.

If shooters can’t reasonably see their miss, it turns into a crapshoot and people won’t have as much fun.

 

[hlee]

Our match (I guess it's "outlaw" as it's neither PRS nor nrl) shoots out to 150. It's essentially an 8 stage PRS style match shot with 22lr. 1/2 prone. 1/2 various barricades/tires/pipes/fence posts/etc. There's a kyl at 50 (I think this is the min distance we shoot), where the smallest target is 1/4" in diameter. There's a larger kyl on the 150y berm, though I'm unsure of the size. Other targets tend to be 1 or 2 inches (a few may be 3) in diameter. There are squares, circles, triangles, diamonds. Some look impossibly small until you hit them.

 

[steve123]

First off I strongly suggest two divisions, a beginner one (call it stock division) with a price cap on equipment and a (open division) for the experienced guys with higher end gear. I see too many beginners show up with their cheap ammo, cheap scope and rifle, only to get discouraged, never to come back. Once they start fixing up their 22's and gain experience they can go to Open division.

I feel bad that people with the lower end gear have to compete with guys like me that love 22's and compete with expensive top of the line gear!!!

The secret to success is making the size of the targets cleanable in perfect conditions. Nobody likes missing and everybody likes hitting so a high hit percentage match is much more fun overall. You can always put in a few smaller steel out at farther distances to increase challenge. There is almost always wind which toughens up the course.

 

[greaseywater]

Just finished our unofficial prs match about 30 minutes ago. Our COF has morphed over time, becoming more difficult, then slightly less difficult. Our MD is very cognizant of new shooters and everyone having fun.

Today's COF
15 rounds, from 3 positions on a ladder, 100 yards, 5 in circle
15, from 3 positions on a tank trap, 65 yrds, 4 in circle
15 from a sawhorse, and two tire positions, 3, 2.5, 2 in
10 prone, 100 yrds, 5 in circle
15 from a 3 positions on a double cross, 90 yrds, 4 in circle
10 from two barrels, 60 yrds, 3,2.5, and 2in

Brand new people with starter equipment hit 20 to 30, the top guys miss 3 to 5. No one cleans all the stages. Everyone has fun and is helpful.

 

[accurate obsession]

Thanks for the responses, I've got to shoot 4 or 5 rimfire matches and three more as MD. Trying to learn from the other matches and taking some cues from PRS where most targets seem to be 2 to 3 MOA. A few things I have learned that definitely work for me are, using T post hangers for steel and putting the match into practiscore for sign up and scoring.