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First Highpower Match


Alaskan454

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The title says it all, I got a loaner CMP Bushmaster with a nice trigger and good sights to try my hand at Highpower. Got the windage and elevation dialed in this morning and was a bit nervous since I had never shot a rifle past 100 yards before. The AR is quite heavy which helped to keep it steady at the 300yd line. I managed one decent five shot group of 4" at 300 yards shooting prone, the others were scattered up to a foot for the same. I warmed up at 100 yards and everything seemed all too easy until I sat down at the 300yd line, I think I've got a ways to go before I start hitting that x-ring on purpose. Any advice from the iron sight shooters out there? It was the first time I used a sling and shot prone, I think my technique could greatly improve consistency. I didn't get real comfortable with the shooting position until I ran out of ammo. Also, I was using the point of aim sighting method at 100yds but I think a 6 o'clock hold would be more consistent for me at longer distances. I didn't have official NRA targets handy, but the ones I brought were pretty large and I had trouble getting a nice sight picture at 300yds. All in all it was a humbling experience and I'm looking forward to the challenge, luckily the first match is only prone so I don't have to worry about the other shooting positions just yet.

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I took a break from handgunnin' last year to shoot HP. I made Master after a few matches, so here are some thoughts I think are worth mentioning. In no particular order...

- Practice with the appropriate target and appropriate distance (i.e the MR63 at 300y), and get your sight adjustment dialed in so you're comfortable it'll be damned close on match day. When shooting your sighters on match day, you should only need to fine-tune your sights with a click or 2. This is important because it gives you confidence that you're sighted in correctly. Without that confidence, you're just going to take pot shots. Trust me on this.

- Dry fire in the prone position as much as you can, and practice establishing your Natural Point of Aim (NPA). Through dry fire, you'll get more comfortable in the position, but importantly, more consistent, too. Tiny little inconsistencies lead to big errors on the target. If it's slow fire, practice single loading during your dry fire, since you'll need to get behind the rear sight the same way every time.

- Consciously center the front post in the rear aperture. You'll likely read on the interweb that your eye naturally centers the post; it does, but really only well enough to hit a man-sized target. To put your rounds in the black, that post needs to be centered. Really centered.

- 6 o'clock hold.

- Keep your support elbow directly under the rifle. Keep your shooting elbow in close as well. Once you're set, and you've got your NPA, don't move that support elbow, or your hips. Reloading during slow fire should involve as little movement as possible - really just your upper shooting arm if you've set your gear and ammo up well. Staying put for the entire string can get mighty uncomfortable, especially with a tight sling (see next point), but do your best to ignore the discomfort. Dry fire helps getting you more used to the position. If you don't have a shooting glove, use a ski glove instead. Without a glove, that sling will really bite the back of your wrist.

- Get that sling as tight as possible (while still being able to get your support elbow under the rifle).

- If you have a spotting scope, use it. After each shot if you're shooting slow fire. Set it up during your dry fire practice so you can easily see through it without straining or breaking your position. If you don't set it up correctly at the line, and don't use it while you're shooting, you risk putting a bunch of rounds where they don't need to be when they could've been where they should've been. You'll be kicking yourself afterward.

- Get all your gear and ammo set up ahead of time. Rushing around when everyone else is preparing to shoot their sighters almost guarantees a bad outcome. If it's gonna be warm, place a small towel next to your ammo to wipe your brow. Again, your ammo should be placed where you can single load by moving just your upper shooting arm.

- Finally, if it's shot slow-fire, don't rush. Even when I've really taken my time, I've had plenty of time left. If something doesn't feel right when you're ready to take a shot, stop and try again. You don't have to shoot all perfect shots - just don't shoot bad ones. You've got enough time where you shouldn't need to accept a bad shot.

Good luck!

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they usually will put new shooters in the relay with the master class shooters. After you get several match shot, they will stick you down on the right side of the shooting line. this is your best time to ask them questions on techniques. The biggest thing you will want to learn is how to read wind, especially if you are in a normally windy area. Get any and all of the books by James Owen and read them. his book on slings and shooting positions is kind of veag on how to set up the sling, so this would be a perfect time to ask the NRA master shooters.

if you are on the 200 sitting stage and 300 yard rapid prone, don't be looking down the spotting scope when your are the scorer. the range master will ream you a new one. your job during a rapid fire portion of the match is to make sure that 10 shots are fired, not be looking down the scope ask me how I know.

when you get a couple years under your belt, you will make fun of all the 3 gun shooters that have to use a bipod or brace up against something to hit something 50 yards away.

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you will make fun of all the 3 gun shooters that have to use a bipod or brace up against something to hit something 50 yards away.

Please, oh, please don't become one of those ignorant grumpy pants that looks down on other sports!! The shooting sports have too many of them already. They serve no purpose other than to prop up their own insecurity. Every sport's got them, some more than others, but they're all a real PITA. Unfortunately, they're contagious as well. Shootin's shootin'. Enjoy your sport. Respect the others. If you can't do the latter, say nothing at all.

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if you are on the 200 sitting stage and 300 yard rapid prone, don't be looking down the spotting scope when your are the scorer. the range master will ream you a new one. your job during a rapid fire portion of the match is to make sure that 10 shots are fired, not be looking down the scope ask me how I know.

you will make fun of all the 3 gun shooters that have to use a bipod or brace up against something to hit something 50 yards away.

Please, oh, please don't become one of those ignorant grumpy pants that looks down on other sports!! The shooting sports have too many of them already. They serve no purpose other than to prop up their own insecurity. Every sport's got them, some more than others, but they're all a real PITA. Unfortunately, they're contagious as well. Shootin's shootin'. Enjoy your sport. Respect the others. If you can't do the latter, say nothing at all.

Two of the many reasons I quit shooting Service Rifle

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High power will also make you a better hunter, since you can make the offhand shots with out running around to find a branch or walking stick to make a shot. the few 3 gun matches that I have shot locally, I cleaned house on the rifle stages since I can shoot offhand with out a aide. the local 3 gunners do freak out on a 14LB iron sight service rifle that did the kicking.

I started in HP many years ago and had to give it up, since my eye's would strain at the 600 about 8 shots in. couldn't see the target or front sight. I took up USPSA and ICORE to continue shooting. I will still on occasion coach or give a little help to a couple of the local HP shooters what I learned at the Ben Avery range.

Ass chewing aren't a problem If you deserve them. I've owned up to any of the ones I got. The problems for me start when they try it a second chew for the same thing.

Don't know if Federal brass is still the same as when I shot, but stay away from it. Primer pockets would swell and I could only get about 3 reloads out of it. I went to Winchester brass and never had a problem with it again till it would case separate. if the brass suddenly needs a trimming, discard it (all of it) as it will start to case separate and its not fun on the firing line. you will learn how to use the forward assist to get a separated case out of the chamber real quick.

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Thanks for the advice, I ended up with a 446-2x today on a 60 shot course of fire. Only had one miss and at least it was a sighter. I think a shooting jacket and glove would have greatly improved my scores. I'll try to make another one in the future.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 5 weeks later...
  • 2 years later...
  • 1 year later...

Definitely a huge fan of service rifle, but as others have mentioned its a different beast. My service rifle weighs almost 18lbs with all the weight in it, and being a big guy, a sweatshirt and shooting jacket in the middle of the summer is NOT comfortable, but it definitely serves other purposes in shooting sports. Trigger control, sight picture, sight alignment gets better across all disciplines

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  • 4 weeks later...

In developing your positions, there are two critical issues. The first is RELAX. Relax every muscle you can without falling on your face. Skeletal support alone is what you're striving for. Second is NPA. Natural Point of Aim is where the sights are looking once you've built your perfect, relaxed position. Develop your position with your eyes closed so you won't compromise it by trying to move your sights to the bull. Move your feet (offhand), backside (sitting), or your hips in Prone to orient your built position to the center of the target.

 

A coat will aid your Offhand tremendously and keep the sling from cutting into your bicep. A glove or mitt is all but mandatory.

 

Shooting Service Rifle with a post, the only thing your eye should see is the square top and edges of the post. If necessary, find glasses (readers) that allow your relaxed (there's that word again) focus to be exactly on the post. The target doesn't matter as much as you might think. It should be slightly blurry. That said, learn both a six o'clock hold and a center hold since weather and light conditions sometimes dictate which works better. BTW, the difference in elevation is about 3 MOA, regardless of yardline.

 

Practice Prone at reduced ranges until you're shooting near-cleans BEFORE moving back and introducing the meteorological calculations.

 

Here are some printable, reduced course targets - http://gamecalls.net/free_stuff/52_free_targets.html

 

Best "textbook" on Position Rifle Shooter evah - 2009 Ways of the Rifle from MEC in Germany.

 

Good luck! Keep at it - Highpower, Smallbore, and Bullseye Pistol are HARD. Because they are hard, they're very rewarding.

 

And .... relax. 😉

 

Mark

Distinguished Rifle #1228

Distinguished Pistol #1500

NRA High Master

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