US tactical comps

[terryh]

Having this new section here a UKV I felt that an overview of tactical competitions would be of possible interest. There are no tactical comps that I have found here in the UK and the European comps have been covered already. My principle experience is in the US version which is what I’ll cover.

 

I have been to several matches in the States and although different in ‘style’ dependant on who’s running them the basic expectations are the same, so I will take a typical match run by Rifles Only ( (http://www.riflesonly.com/ ). Matches are run over 3 days. The morning of day one is sign up and zero check at 100 yards.

 

You might also have your scope checked for tracking as, at some ranges, the targets only have a simple berm behind them so skipping a bullet off the ground or shooting high is not permissible – if your scope does not track then you either fix it or go home!

 

There is also a train up over the 3-4 days directly prior to the comp which is shot on the range but not using any of the competition stages. The train up has class work and a lot of range time. It is basically samples of RO’s PR1 & PR2 courses. Good training plus a practice in the conditions you’re going to compete. About 2-300 rounds of rifle and 50+ of pistol required. Personally, if I’m travelling this far its worth doing.

 

Expect around 60 competitors, you will be given a shooter number during sign up – write it on your hand as everything pivots round being ready and knowing your group. The competitors are split into 2 groups which allows 2 stages to be run at the same time. You carry all your kit for that day with water being available around the range and lunch being provided. I will cover kit elsewhere.

 

The stages are not advertised, you are just told maximum round count for rifle and pistol normally in the range of 120+ & 50 respectively. Regarding pistols, they take pity on us Brits and will provide a pistol, something like a Glock 17 or 19.

 

Distances encountered will be from straight down off a tower out to 1000 yards, all positions, paper targets, steels, movers, UKD pretty much anything you can think off will be included. If the shots are ‘simple’ say 5 8” discs at 600 yards then pressure will be applied by time of 20 seconds. Remember there are no sighters.

Each day starts with a single cold barrel shot at a hostage target somewhere between 200 & 300 yards, then onto the rest of the day’s stages. You will also shoot into the night.

 

Rather than give a blow by blow here are a couple of sample stages:

 

Moving chaos

 

Shot from the tower you start in the prone position.

 

 

On the buzzer you engage a mover travelling right to left off to your right at 400 yards with 2 rounds. You then successively progress thru 4 targets starting at 200 odd yards and increasing in distance out to 500+ yards, you are allowed 2 rounds to hit each target, first round hit allows you to move on, then engage the mover again this time left to right with 2 rounds, stand up and shoot straight down thru railings into a small dot target, approx 10m down.

 

 

'Gosh they look close' - straigh down dots at 10 yards

 

All this is against the clock. The targets are dispersed so you have to hold windage. There is not enough time to dial elevation so you need to know your hold overs and unders as most mortal dial in for the 400 yard movers – trying to hold elevation and windage on a moving in 2 different directions target is beyond most folks  .

 

Helicopter Stage.

 

This is a real grin factor. The stage is sponsored by POF ( http://www.pof-usa.com/main.htm ) who not only pay for the helicopter but supply a tricked out 308 semi auto, Eotech, bi pod etc. for use in the stage. You start strapped into the door of the helicopter which then completes a circuit where you engage several targets while moving and on the hover (hover = loosely stationary).

 

 

Start of stage - about to be handed the POF 308 semi - grin factor 11

 

On completion of the circuit the helo lands and you exit to pick up your staged rifle, your rifle time starts from when your foot touches the ground. You complete the stage by moving round a parked flat bed engaging targets from different positions e.g. from the cab window all within a fixed par time.

 

 

End of stage, final positional shots from truck bed.

 

Your final score bring the combined helicopter run and your rifle total. The stage score goes towards your total but the winner of this stage gets to keep the POF rifle. In the 2010 SH Cup there was a second helicopter stage sponsored by Barrett, the winner of this walked away with a Hensoldt scoped 338 Barrett.

 

O course.

 

The final stage is normally an O course of some description. Using an open firing field you traverse one edge which is dotted with various items to climb through or over. Shots are taken from the obstacles; the specific target is ‘out in the field’ somewhere designated by the colours on that particular obstacle. Distances range from 50 to 700+ yards. Also between rifle shots there will be pistol targets thrown in for good measure. You need to load and unload (magazine management if you like) on the obstacle. All this against the clock.

 

 

'Thank God that bits over' - end of last day, grins and tired (gent on my right is Tony Burkes of TAB gear, nice guy)

 

Normally you can expect 30 plus stages in a competition. There is plenty of time between stages to BS with folks and even though it is a competition you will receive spotting help from other competitors. It is all run very smoothly and with great emphasis on safety, ND – you go home, sweep the crowd with and ‘empty’ rifle – you go home. It is set up to be difficult, the winners not normally clearing more than 50-60% of possible points but you come away with a grin and knowing what you need to go practice. It is also a graveyard for rifles and kit. I attended a 25 hour shoot (should have been 24 hour but the clocks changed in the middle ) which resulted in extremes of temperature, dust and dew –resulting in all the Jewell triggers present packing up – including mine which was an expensive lesson ;.

 

The prize table and sponsorship for these events is very high. There are typically several custom rifles on the prize table, the top shot receiving the best but the others going by draw of your shooter number. Scopes, stocks, barrels are all then picked in result order.

 

When you consider the entry is around $200 for the comp then this is a bargain. OK you’ve got to get there and stay but as a once a year thing it is hard to beat – if you can get a place, the last Cup filled up in 7 minutes after the entry went online.

 

I will detail how to get your rifle into the states on a separate post as this might be of interest for anyone wanting to shoot in the US, Varmint, target or tactical. I’ll also put up a post on my personal rifle build for these comps and how I arrived at it and my associated gear, hopefully saving folks some money from my mistakes also for suggestions if folks have some good ideas – it’s still a WIP.

 

Hope this sheds some light, if you’ve any question please shout.

 

Brgds Terry

[nemasis243]

Enjoyed that Terry

All the best Andy,

[Seamus]

Great Post -very informative to hear about it all through a Brit lens. Thanks

[.243happymeal]

top post that mate, thanks

[jma]

Extremely well written and informative post, many thanks.

 

 

regards

 

 

jma

[Boz]

Good write up Terry, I will have to try and get the helicopter shoot into our training as well!

 

ATB Craig