Daily Bulletin » Practical

Upcoming NRL Matches In Colorado and South Dakota

Editor — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 15:52:41 +0000

Look carefully at this Colorado double rainbow. Note that the color spectra are reversed — sort of a mirror image. This is true of ALL double rainbows.

A great practical/tactical shooting match is happening this weekend in scenic Colorado. The High Country Precison Mile-High Shootout will be held July 12-14 at the Rio Ro Mo Ranch outside of Craig, Colorado. The match will include a mix of long-range and positional shooting on natural terrain. A 200- to 250-round course of fire can be expected for the competition.

The Mile-High Shootout starts on Friday, July 12 with check-in and open targets out to 1,300 yards. Saturday will be an all-day match. Sunday, the competition shooting will conclude mid-day, followed by an awards ceremony after lunch.

McMillan Fiberglass Stocks will co-sponsor the Mile-High Shootout, the 12th match of the 2019 National Rifle League series. McMillan supports the National Rifle League in the goal of expanding practical rifle competition. McMillan notes: “Events such as these are important to help bring new shooters into the long-range shooting sports and are activities that are enjoyed by the entire family.”

This 2018 Mile-High Shootout Teaser Is Really Worth Watching — Plenty of Action!

South Dakota Steel Classic, August 16-18

Another great NRL Match is set for mid-August in South Dakota. The 2-day South Dakota Steel Classic will take place August 16-18, 2019 in St. Orient, South Dakota. This is a very popular match, and all 110 competitor slots have sold out. But check with Match Director Michael Kane for last-minute openings.

The South Dakota Steel Classic features multi-position precision shooting with targets from 25-1300 yards. Nearly all of the shots are practical in nature having a hunting or military-type application. CLICK HERE to learn more about this major NRL match in August.

New Rimfire Series Modeled on PRS Debuts in March

Editor — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 16:29:38 +0000

A new .22 LR rimfire shooting discipline has been developed, copying the PRS series. Call it “PRS Lite” — a practical-style match shot with .22 LR bolt-action and self-loading rimfire rifles. This series will be called the Practical Rimfire Challenge (PRC) with ELEY as Title Sponsor. The first three matches will be held at the Peacemaker National Training Center in Glengary, West Virginia. Match Dates are March 25, May 13, and September 30, 2017.

CLICK HERE for Rules & Registration | CLICK HERE for ELEY Practical Rimfire Challenge Facebook Page

PRC Matches Will Feature Multiple Positions and Movement
ELEY Practical Rimfire Challenge series matches are positional shooting events in field conditions out to 300 yards. You can use either a bolt-action or semi-auto .22 LR rimfire rifle. Much like PRS (Precision Rifle Series), competitors will shoot from a variety of positions: prone, strong/weak shoulders, standing, sitting, and kneeling. There will be shots from barricades, and movement from position to position during stages.

PRC rules will, to a large degree, mirror PRS rules. However, shooters will see some different type of stages than what is normally seen at a PRS match. For example, there may be unsupported standing or unsupported kneeling shots in some stages. Peacemaker’s goal, along with ELEY, is not to replicate PRS in Rimfire, but rather to create the ultimate challenge for shooters on the rimfire rifle platform.

Cole McCulloch, owner of Peacemaker, says that the PRC should appeal to a wide variety of shooters: “We expect to see recreational, action, Olympic, NRA and PRS shooters all competing and having fun”. McCulloch also expects rapid evolution in the equipment: “I fully anticipate a Space Race for this sport. Meaning, we already know that the ammunition coming out from ELEY is fully capable of hitting small targets out to 300 yards. What will be fun to watch is the different types of rifles and optics the shooters choose to use. Some examples of this will be: Bolt or semi, heavy or ultra-light weight, MILS or MOA, 10 power or 30 power. The debate will rage and the rifle platform approaches will vary greatly.”

Rimfire Tactical Matches Aren’t Really New

We’re pleased to see this new PRC shooting discipline — it sounds like fun. However, the concept of a rimfire tactical/practical match is not new — at least on the West Coast. California shooting clubs have been running “Rimfire Tactical” matches for a nearly a decade already. CLICK HERE to read our comprehensive Rimfire Tactical report from way back in 2008. This article includes free targets, ballistics charts, and a complete run-down on suitable rimfire rifles.

The Concept Behind the Rimfire Tactical Match by Bill Erwin
Many guys who shoot long-range tactical matches practice with .22 LR rifles of similar configuration. Rimfire ammo is way more affordable than centerfire, you do not need a big range facility, and shooting rimfire saves wear and tear on your centerfire rifle. Further, for learning how to read the wind, there really is no better training tool than a 22 LR, even as close as 50 yards. Check out this table showing how a .22 LR ballistics compare to .308 Win:

22 LR vs. .308, Distances for Equal 10 MPH Wind Drift
This table shows the corresponding distances at which a 10 mph full-value crosswind pushes a .22 LR bullet and .308 projectile the same amount. Values are based on 0.130 BC for a 40gr .22 LR bullet, and 0.496 BC for 175gr .308 bullet.
22 LR 40gr 1050 fps	50 yd Wind 1.0″	75 yd Wind 2.2″	100 yd Wind 3.8″	125 yd Wind 5.8″	150 yd Wind 8.2″	175 yd Wind 11.0″	200 yd Wind 14.3″
.308 Win 175gr 2650 fps	130 yd Wind 1.07″	180 yd Wind 2.15″	230 yd Wind 3.68″	280 yd Wind 5.63″	330 yd Wind 7.98″	380 yd Wind 10.71″	440 yd Wind 14.56″

This table shows how the .22 LR can be an effective substitute for a .308 Win during training. Because the smaller bullet drifts more in the wind, a 22 rimfire shooter will experience roughly the same crosswind effects as if he was shooting a 175gr .308 twice as far out. So, rimfire work can teach you to dope the wind like a .308, but at less than half the distance. Shooting a .22 LR at 100 yards is like shooting a .308 (with 175 SMK) at 230 yards.

Shooting Peacemaker NTC Plate Rack at 100 Yards with Suppressed Rimfire

SPECIAL BONUS–Rimfire Tactical Precision Targets

These FREE targets by DesertFrog are offered in Adobe Acrobat format for easy printing.
CLICK HERE to download all six targets as a .ZIP archive.

Short-Range Action — New America’s Rifle Challenge Discipline

Editor — Fri, 05 Jun 2015 16:24:18 +0000

The NRA America’s Rifle Challenge (ARC) is a new short-range rifle discipline designed to develop practical shooting skills using modern sporting rifles such the AR-15. NRA-ARC is designed for shooters of all skill levels. With all targets positioned at 100 yards or less, almost any outdoor centerfire range is capable of hosting ARC matches. No pits or swinging target holders are required.

The ARC is a close-range, action-oriented discipline. The course of fire features targets placed from seven yards to 100 yards. Some stages also incorporate magazine changes and the use of barricades. ARC matches involve movement, as competitors transition into multiple shooting positions: standing, kneeling/sitting, and prone.

NRA-ARC is NOT limited to AR-15s. Any semi-automatic detachable magazine-fed rifle can be used. There will be three classes of firearms: Iron Sights, Optics Limited (with one non-magnified optical sight), and Optics Open (maximum two optical sights, one of which may be magnified).

The first-ever ARC match will be held June 6, 2015 at the Sangre Shooting Sports Club in Westcliffe, Colorado. Other ARC events will be held later this summer in Michigan, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Virginia. CLICK HERE for ARC match schedule.

To learn more about this new rifle discipline, check out the NRA’s free, 28-page America’s Rifle Challenge Guidebook. This covers the rifle classes, the course of fire, the rules, target standards, scoring procedures and more.

CLICK HERE for 28-Page America’s Rifle Challenge (ARC) Guidebook (PDF)