New Mid-Range Prone Discipline for AR Shooters
Here’s an AR configuration suited to the new AR Mid-Range Prone Discipline: Moderate-length barrel, Harris Bipod, Leupold Mark AR MOD 1 4-12x40mm scope. Photobucket image by Ingo1978.
The NRA has created a new mid-range, target-shooting discipline for AR owners. The provisional rules for the new AR Mid-Range Prone Competition will allow calibers from .22 up to .308. Rifle weight will be limited to 14 pounds. Competitors may use Harris (or similar) compact, “tactical” bipods, and optics up to 12-power will be allowed (but iron sights can also be used). The goal of this new competition is to get the many AR owners to the range to compete.
The NRA’s Information Sheet for the new mid-range discipline explains: “These rifles are of the ‘AR-Platform’ variety, semi-automatic, chambered in any caliber from .223 cal./5.56mm. up to and including .308 cal./7.62mm. The courses of fire will be the same courses of fire currently used for other NRA Mid-Range (Prone) High Power Competition (300, 500, and 600 yards) and are designed to be fired concurrently with other forms of Mid-Range competition. The targets will be the same targets that are used for Service Rifle, Match Rifle, and Palma Rifle Mid-Range Prone competition. Mid-range telescopic sights will be allowed, but not required. Because this is prone competition, shooters may use tactical front rests such as Harris-type bipods and limited rear rests of the type one might find used in military or police tactical situations.”
A very prominent NRA member who works with the Competition Committee recently posted this explanation of the new AR discipline on our Forum:
NRA Mid-Range (Prone) Tactical Rifle (AR)
For those clubs and match directors who have members with ARs who want to shoot Mid-Range Prone but who don’t want (or can’t afford) to shoot traditional “sling” or F-Class, we have a new opportunity to get those ARs out of the closet and onto the range with very little in the way of additional costs:It’s called Mid-Range Tactical Rifle (AR). A copy of the description and the Rules (Provisional) are attached as a PDF file and should be published by the NRA very soon. CAUTION — these are NOT official — but I think they are accurate:
In brief, here’s how it works:
1. The event will be fired concurrently with any other Mid-Range event, alongside of F-Class and “sling” divisions.
2. The Event will be fired on the “sling targets”.
3. AR Rifle General Standards:Calibers: 223/5.56 up to and including .308/7.62mm
Weight: Overall weight not more than 14 pounds
Support: Harris-type “tactical bipod” (no large F-Class bipods).
Optics: Scope not more than 12X
Barrel: Not more than 20″
Trigger: Trigger pull not less than 4.5 pounds4. This is NOT F-Class — this is designed to be closer to “tactical”. F-Class competition gear is generally illegal; competition stocks are generally illegal. [The event] is designed to attract more law enforcement and/or military (maybe local National Guard?) and other “tactical shooters” out to the range shooting for precision. For more info, check out the attached PDF file.
CLICK HERE for AR Mid-Range Prone Competition Information Document..
You’ll find a discussion of this new AR Mid-Range discipline in our Shooters’ Forum, HERE: AR Mid-Range Match Forum Thread. Here are some interesting comments from that thread:
“Opening up mid-range matches for ARs is a great idea. I’m not an AR guy myself, but I have lots of shooting friends who are. They tend to have a lot of ideas what their guns are capable of out to 600 yards, but most don’t take many opportunities to shoot them at those ranges, and none of the existing High Power disciplines are very appealing. Until now. I hope it doesn’t become an equipment race. A 185/200 is a respectable score even with a 12″ 10 ring. I hope everyone is supportive — helping get these guys on the paper and providing positive feedback even for scores that seem modest by F-Class standards.” — Comment by Berger.Fan222
“It looks like the recommended targets will be the same as conventional shooters use (i.e. ~1 MOA X-ring). Given the specifications for rifles/bipods/scopes/etc., I think this would be an appropriate level of difficulty to start. It will be challenging, particularly at 600 yards, but by no means impossible. Of course, at 600 yards, anyone shooting an AR15 (.223/5.56) will be at a disadvantage to ballistically-superior calibers unless they come up with a good way to load 80+ grain bullets that will mag-feed. Personally, I’d like to see this limited strictly to .223 ARs. Almost everyone has one and the mag feed requirement would really keep things even across the board. The inclusion of other calibers will allow this to become a ‘caliber race’ in that .223 will have a very hard time keeping up with other, better calibers at 600 yards.” — Comment by gstaylorg
“Looks like a great new addition. The PDF document says rule 7.20 for course of fire which is mid-range slow fire. I believe all slow fire is currently ‘one round loads’. The PDF explicitly states 10-, 20- or 30-round magazines and no sleds. Does anyone know if this new discipline would be fired from magazine or one-round loads? Shooting from magazine would be keeping with the ‘tactical’ aspect and enforcing mag-length loads. But it does not seem to jive with the ‘one round load’ currently stipulated for slow fire?” — Comment by Highpower-FClass
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Tags: 12X Scope, 600 Yards, AR15, Bipod, Competition, high power, Mid-Range, NRA, Prone, Tactical
I think some of the commenters should look up the scores shot at 600 by AR service rifle sling shooters with iron sights .
Right on Byron! It’s not too difficult with a sling and Mag Length 77s to shoot well at Mid Range.
I’m not expecting this to stay on the conventional target long.
Why should they look at service rifle sling shooter with iron sight scores? There are a lot of people who simply have zero interest in service rifle, and would rather be shooting something that either resembles a modern service rifle(like the CMP rule changes allow), or their own rifle that they prefer for whatever reason. Whatever score the top percentile in a competition one doesn’t care to compete in just isn’t relevant.
Now you could say “but look at what they accomplish with iron sights and a sling?” that’s nice and all, but still not relevant. It’s the equivalent of bringing up F-1 in a discussion about WRC.
Why would they prohibit suppressors? They claim they want tactical shooters to participate, then eliminate a large number for no rational reason. You would think the NRA would be behind legal suppressor usage and support their use rather than imply they are undesirable.
Heck I might give this a try – a fun use for a “tactical” AR build. But I have to agree … where is the love for suppressors? They are becoming more and more popular AND save hearing. Whats not to love?
Can match directors/clubs determine if suppressors can be used? I know it would make it for score only but I think a lot of folks are past the score issue and just want to have some fun. I would considers shooting some of these matches if they would could modify it to what the shooters want.
Why my comment on sling shooters? was bcause a 185 at 600 with irons will get you what the little boy shot at . takes a bit more than that to win.
Earned my HM card shooting a AR match rifle with irones this year at Perry during mid-range prone. Not much room for error as High Master mid-range is 98.5%. AR in .223 worked nicely.
Everybody keeps complaining that the AR in 223/5.56 can’t do this or that. Years ago I was pulling a target at 600yd at an across the course match for an A.M.U. shooter and he cleaned it at 600yds with iron sights using 80gr.
Ditto on the suppressor usage..
On things screwed onto the nose of a “crossover” rifle, at the club level, those all look like flash hiders to me. More important to welcome anyone that wants to try. If they get serious and start to win, they’ll adjust to the rulebook soon enough. Just saying.
The initial recommendation (12.14.2014) was for .223 ONLY and it was because there are infinitely more 223’s laying around than other calibers (all which have higher BC bullets to smoke a 223). But, at least somebody on the HP Committee gave this a fair shot and made it happen (that would be HJ Walt Walter).
A lot of folks here seem to think the larger caliberslike .308 with higher BC bullets will smoke the .223 at 500-600 yards. In this platform a 308 with a 168 has no real advantage over a .223 with a 75-77 gr. loaded to mag length. AS far as supressors goes the rules are the rules.
Anyone that has been around much recognizes that a hot-stepping 6mm or 6.5mm or 7mm cartridge in an AR10 platform will smoke a 223/556 at any distance. Those calibers are allowed per the current rules.
The issue is that allowing these calibers gives a distinct ballistic disadvantage against the FAR larger group that NRA really needs to target, the 223/556 AR15 shooters. Their numbers are infinitely greater and getting them to the range was the point of the exercise.
I’ve smoked many a 6mm AR ‘space gun’ with my ‘little’ .223 service rifle. At these ranges, and on the sling targets, it’s not that crazy of an advantage. It’ll still be the person who can read the wind and not move while pressing the trigger.
The AR10 guys will be working on recoil management so much that they probably won’t notice that they’re not even in the competition. (Kinda like a guy I saw in a palma match shooting a 300 RUM….. )
I think this new Mid-Range Match will bring a lot of guns out of the closets.. Not sure there will be a big difference between calibers at mid-range. Applying fundamentals, able to read the wind and dealing with the elements will determine who can and cannot use there shooting equipment. I have not shot high-power rifle competition since going rifle and pistol distinguished in the mid-90s and I’m thinking this will get my bad eyes back onto the range for some fun. Excited!
After reading the provisional rules one more time, I don’t think this event is ready for prime time unless they narrow the playing field. To begin with, they allow all cartridges between .223 Rem and .308 Win, giving a big advantage to anybody using bullets with a BC better than what .223 offers. Also, while they require that a magazine be installed, they do appear to follow Service Rifle rules that allow a ramp for single shot loading.
Overall, I’m not impressed with their attempt to generate a new format. They should have restricted the event to magazine-fed .223 AR-s to level the playing field.
I think I like this idea. I think it needs a lot more planning but I like the idea. An example is I think there needs a tighter caliber restriction. Instead of all calibers from 223 to 308, I think it needs to be restricted to only 223 and 308. I also think that ammo that does not fit in the magazine should not be allowed. I think muzzle brakes should be banned. I also think and overt effort to welcome suppressors should be made. Its a work in progress but I like the idea.
Olin, that is exactly why the class is dying before it ever had a chance to start.
This should have been for 223/556 with MAG LENGTH AMMO…to make to a wind-reading game instead of a high-buck equipment race. With mag length ammo, anyone can buy a few boxes of Black Hills, Hornady or Fed ammo and win matches.
It will never change however because that isn’t how NRA does things and it will die. Have presented it to the CMP through a couple of their state officers. Unless they pick it up, the class has maybe another year left at best because of dismal participation.