[Source: Pixabay] Competitive shooting can be a lot of fun and a great way to relieve some of the stress that comes from fast-paced, modern life. It is a sport that demands patience and discipline as it urges you to slow down, concentrate on breathing, and be in the moment. If reading this article is your first step toward becoming a competitive shooter, you chose the right starting point. We will list the four most common types of rifle matches along with detailed descriptions for each of them to help you decide what would be the best place to begin your competitive rifle shooting journey. 1. Smallbore rifle matches 2. High-power rifle matches 3. Silhouette rifle matches 4. Practical rifle matches Let’s hit that bull’s eye!

1. Smallbore rifle matches

Established at the beginning of the 20^th century, Smallbore rifle shooting is a sport that involves firing a .22 caliber single-shot rifle at a paper or a cupboard target from 20 to 100 yards distance. This type of competitive shooting is divided into two categories – field and target shooting. Here is the equipment you will need for field shooting:

• .22 caliber rimfire rifle that doesn’t exceed a weight of 7.5 pounds with a barrel diameter not bigger than ¾ of an inch at the muzzle. Your rifle must have a trigger pull of 2 pounds or more. .22 Magnum rifles are not allowed.
• Open or peep-style sight. Your front sight must be fixed and incapable of changing inserts or movements. Your rear sight can’t have a micrometer adjustment option.
• No telescope sights are allowed as well as slings, palm rests, or adjustable butt plates.
• You can only use .22 long rifle, .22 long, and .22 short rifle ammunition.
• You will need to bring your own shooting mat, kneeling roll, spotting scope, shooting jacket, pants, shoes, and gloves.

For target shooting, you will need the following equipment:

• You can use any .22 caliber rimfire target rifle except for the .22 Magnum rifle.
• Telescopic sights are not allowed.
• As to ammo types and the equipment you need to bring with you, the same rules for field shooting apply.

A simple Smallbore shooting match will require you to fire 30 rounds in total – 10 from the standing position, 10 from the kneeling position, and 10 from the prone position. Most organizations that host these events follow the National Rifle Association (NRA) rules, so it might be a good idea to study these regulations before you enter the world of Smallbore competitive rifle shooting.

2. High-power rifle matches

Competitive shooters simply love high-power matches, and it’s easy to see why. Shooting large-caliber bullets can be very satisfying and can make your heart beat like crazy. It is just an exciting activity all around. Just like with Smallbore rifle shooting, these types of competitions are also regulated by the NRA rules. Here are some of them in a nutshell:

• You’ll need a rifle with a 4 ½ pound trigger pull, that has a standard-type stock and standard-type leather or web sling.
• External alternations to your assembled arm are not allowed.
• You can have an optical sight with a maximum of 4.5x zooming ability and maximum lens width of 34mm.
• Rifle ammunition that can be used in these types of competitions includes .30M1, 7.62mmm, and 5.56mm x 45mm NATO.

The two most common types of high-power rifle matches are prone only and across-the-course (multi-position, multi-distance) competitions. If you think this sport is too expensive for you, remember that many shooting clubs offer to loan the appropriate equipment to their members.

3. Silhouette rifle matches

Silhouette rifle shooting involves firing at steel silhouettes instead of paper or cardboard targets. Participants have to shoot a total of 40 targets in a particular order – 10 chickens, 10 pigs, 10 turkeys, and 10 rams. Each shot counts as 1 point, but only if the silhouette falls down. According to the NRA rules, you can use the following rifle types:

• High-power silhouette rifle matches
• Cowboy lever action silhouette rifle
• High-power hunting silhouette rifle
• High-power semi-automatic military rifle
• Smallbore cowboy silhouette rifle
• Smallbore hunting silhouette rifle
• Scoped black powder cartridge rifle

When it comes to appropriate rifle ammunition for silhouette rifle matches, you can use centerfire rounds with 6mm or larger caliber bullets. Armor-piercing or tracer types of rounds are not allowed. For Smallbore rifles, you can use .22 caliber ammo (.22 short, .22 long, and .22 long rifle). “Stingers” are not allowed.

4. Practical rifle matches

Practical rifle matches offer a more challenging and dynamic shooting experience. A match is typically divided into three stages that aim to test participants’ accuracy, speed, and power. What is interesting about this type of shooting sport, is that shooters, in some cases, engage in finishing the courses without previously knowing what to expect so they get many surprises along the way and are obliged to improvise and act quickly. In practical shooting courses, you can expect all types of targets, from steel plates that fall or swing to frangible clay targets and wooden post targets. There are almost no rules when it comes to weapons you can use in this type of sport. All types of actions, rifle calibers, and bores are allowed. It is certainly a thrilling experience, and is no wonder that practical rifle matches gain more popularity by the hour.

Range commands every competitive shooter must know

When you enter a range for competitive shooting, you will find that there is a range officer in charge of all shooting activities and giving out commands, such as:

• “Load” – when you hear this command, you can load your weapon, but not before.
• “Commence firing” – this command gives you the green light to shoot whenever you are ready.
• “Cease firing” – when you hear these words, you need to stop shooting immediately, even if you are in the process of pulling the trigger. This command can also be issued by anyone at the range who detects an unsafe situation of any kind.

General NRA safety rules 

Whatever you do with any type of firearm, make sure you follow these general safety rules:

• Keep your gun pointed in a safe direction at all times.
• Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
• Always keep your gun unloaded until ready to use.
• Make sure your firearm is safe to operate.
• Know how to safely use your weapon.
• Use only the ammunition appropriate for your gun.
• Be aware of your target and know what lies beyond.
• Always wear eye and ear protection to prevent any accidents.
• Never use alcohol or drugs before or while shooting.
• Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons.

Following these rules is crucial for preventing any unwanted scenarios, so be sure to memorize them before you enter your shooting range.

Closing thoughts

If you are having trouble choosing a rifle shooting discipline to engage in, try to imagine yourself doing the actual activity and go with one that feels the most natural to you. We understand that the world of rifle shooting sport can be a very confusing place for a beginner with all the rules and regulations you need to follow, but we hope we managed to explain some of the basics and helped you get a general idea of what this game is all about.