Trooper Explanation

[Patrick Sweeney]

Can someone give me a quick rundown of just what Trooper is? I'm a bit low on caffiene this morning, so I don't need pages of background. (Maybe later.)

[Sterling White]

Hey Patrick,

I pulled the following info from the mgm website under rules for the ironman.

Trooper Class*

The goals of this class are to encourage shooters to use field practical equipment that is reliable in adverse conditions and add an element of physical endurance to the competition not found in other classes.

Rules:

The shooter must transport all firearms, ammunition, equipment, and cleaning supplies with them for the duration of the match from the moment they sign in the first day of shooting.

The amount of ammunition the shooter begins the match with, is all they are allowed to use for the duration of the match. The shooter may have as much ammunition in their pack, vest, or ammunition carriers as he/she wishes.

Any back up guns the shooter may wish to use should their primary firearm become inoperable during the course of the match must be carried with them for the duration of the match

The equipment must be carried via any man portable means and in a safe manner. No wagons, wheelbarrows, carts, sleds, etc allowed.

The shooter does not need to carry all this equipment during the course of fire, they may ground their rucksack and use only the equipment on their person if they wish.

Trooper class shooters must start with at least one liter of water on their person or in their rucksack. Additional Water will be provided at all stages. The shooter must carry any beverages other than water themselves.

Lunch will be provided for all Trooper Class shooters on the range. Any food a Trooper Class shooter wishes to eat must be carried on them other than the food served at lunchtime.

Any time a Trooper class shooter leaves the range, he/she must check his/her gear at the stat house where it will be secured to prevent tampering and/or adding or removing of equipment.

The only assistance allowed to a trooper class shooter during a course of fire, is verbal direction from the Range Officer only.

Failure to follow these rules or voluntarily choosing to drop out of Trooper Class will place the shooter in a class as determined by the firearms and accessories they are using.

Another individual can give medical assistance without bumping the shooter out of Trooper Class.

All trooper class shooters will be squaded together to ensure that participating shooters properly follow the rules.

Firearms:

Trooper Class shooters may use firearms from any of the other specified classes. A Trooper class shooter may use all iron-sighted guns, or open class guns, however they must be able to transport any firearms (and spares) without assistance from stage to stage by themselves.

There is no limit on magazine capacity, bipods, scopes, etc in Trooper Class.

If a shooter decides to carry more than one firearm, spare upper receiver, optics, etc they may elect to use them on a stage as they see fit. Rifle calibers may only be used on rifle targets, shotguns on shot targets, and pistols on pistol targets. Multiple firearms of the same category may only be used at the discretion of the range officer or as prescribed by the course of fire. For example; a shooter may not begin the stage with a bolt-action rifle and swap out to a semi auto carbine for the rifle targets unless authorized to do so by the range officer or switching guns prescribed by the course of fire. If a range officer assesses that it is reasonable and safe to allow a trooper class shooter to use multiple guns on a stage, they must do so for all Trooper class shooters.

Firearms are the only items the shooter may remove from the range at the end of the day.

*For the MGM Ironman match the shooter will have one ammo can in which they may store extra ammunition, spare parts, spare firearms, food, etc for re-supply during the match. Identical ammo cans will be provided for the shooters to use, which they may return to re-supply the ammo on their person at any time.

[JakeMartens]

That sounds way too much like work!!!!

Or week 1 in Boot Camp

[Wakal]

"Pack Mule Class"

If you have never shot with the CavArms guys, you have missed out on a lot of fun.

That said, we San Angelo guys (and girls) are Mechanized Troopers. We have a 10' trailer pulled by a ATV, complete with rifle rack and coolers, that our squad/team/bunch of weirdos uses at 3-Gun matches. We have not (as yet) added the BBQ grill or the Portacool...

Alex

[George]

I agree that Trooper is way too much work for me, I shoot to relax and recreate, not to lose weight. I get to haul gear and scale towers carrying 75lb road cases when I work, but I get paid big for it. At matches, I too believe in mechanized travel from stage to stage and in parking my iron horse right at the stage. Then I work out of it with the air-con running if neccesary ;-)

I think Trooper is a cool kids type of thing, but I'm a woos' and just a bit too lazy once I have finished doing the working that I have to do for my living!

I would even pay extra to go to any match where I didn't have to do the stage reset work and could just sit on my bum in my luxury air-conditioned deuce-and-a-half thinking about how I was gonna shoot the suckah'. I hear that's the way the San Angelo 3 gun match management treats Gentlefolk and Sportspersons like ourselves. That's my idea of where match fees need to go, let someone else earn my match entrance fee, not me, I just came to shoot.

--

Regards,

[kellyn]

Don't forget the rat meat and bamboo cage .........

[Zak Smith]

Clarification of some Trooper rules...

http://www.cavalryarms.com/3gun/vids/trooperrules.wmv

[SinistralRifleman]

Trooper has only existed for one year thus far, so as we conduct more matches where we have this class, we are clarifying the wording.

The most recent version of Trooper Rules can be found here:

http://www.cavalryarms.com/3gun/trooperclass.html

The main thing I like about trooper is equipment is totally unlimited...you can use multiple guns, configurations, etc....you just have to carry it all.

If you are a "gamer", trooper lends itself to the most potential for gaming through equipment...again you just have to carry it all.

Planning how much ammo to take with you, what spare parts, and how much food you want to carry during the match is the hardest part...the worst is running out of snacks, and seeing everyone else chowing down (this can happen at a long match like Ironman).

For me, I don't think it's anymore physically demanding than shooting a match normally is...I was just as tired and sore after Ironman '05 as I was the previous years not shooting trooper.

Many of you know our company policy is to donate product to pretty much any match that asks for it (with reasonable notice). If you have Trooper Class as part of your match, we will sponsor prizes specifically for it...and I can try to get other companies we are friendly with to contribute product as well if it is a large enough match.

[scottmilk9]

i had fun doing trooper class at the Cav arms match this year, my pack weighed about 75lbs due to all the ammo, but you can take off your pack while you shoot, some ranges you have to carry all your equipment from stage to stage anyways, this was alot of fun and look forward doing it again next year.

[XAFSP]

MMMM seems like I am going back over 20 years to Airbase ground defense class. memories of Camp Bullis. Trooper maybe a class for weight loss, if nothing else. Bring on the adreniline drinks

Tim

[ShaunH]

Trooper sounds like fun. Although, I'm suprised they don't make you camp on the grounds in a tent too. Hey Zak would you mind if I PM'd you and asked you some questions about ITRC & Ironman? Never shot them before and having read your posts here and at Highground I was wondering if you could give me some pointers.

Thanks,

Shaun

[Zak Smith]

Sure thing, just send me email.

-z

[uscbigdawg]

I could use a clarification too as I primarily shoot Open.

From the way I read the rules, if I hump all the gear, I can use whatever I want in the way of firearms and equipment and just configure it when I get to the stage. Is it as simple as that?

Here's what I'm thinkin'. I have (for lack of better description) a tac-vest system that I use here for our FTX's. It's nice as I ditched the LBV and can carry more gear, more efficiently while still retaining my basic combat load and all my medical gear. It's a pretty nice arrangement. What I'd add for our purposes (i.e. 3-gun) is a different belt configuration with say dump pouches for mags and tube carriers for my Tec-Loaders all of them with the system (or something similar) from 3GunGear.com. I can disconnect the tubes if it's say a rifle/pistol, rifle only or pistol only stage. I can disconnect the dump pouches and thigh AR mag pouches if it's a shotgun/pistol, shotgun only, pistol only stage. I think y'all get the idea.

After that, it's a matter of humping ammo, other gear and the long guns. I have my own ruck sack that I've modified to hold my M-4 on one side (vertical) as it helps to counter-balance my entrenching tool. For 3-Gun, I'd do something similar on both sides so that I could hold a rifle on one side and shotgun on the other.

Inside the ruck would be ammo, knee/elbow pads, hydration system, cleaning equipment and anything else that I'd need.

Does this work within the rules?

Last question. What is the concensus on Open being able to add/subtract stuff on and off our rifles. Specifically, clamping on a flashlight, red dot sight (I run an ACOG most times but sometimes clamp on an Aimpoint or JPoint), bi-pod, etc. Some matches, we can put these on/off our rifles as we desire to conform to the stage. Some matches it's run what you brung. Any info is appreciated.

Thanks for the assistance. Just trying to get all my crap right before coming home.

Take care, Merry Christmas and I hope y'all have a blessed New Year!!!!

SPC Richard A. White, Senior Medic

249th MP Detachment (EACF)

Camp Humphreys, ROK

[Wakal]

2) There is no limit on magazine capacity, bipods, scopes, etc in

Trooper Class.

3) If a shooter decides to carry more than one firearm, spare upper

receiver, optics, etc they may elect to use them on a stage as

they see fit.

Looks fine to me; you are describing (almost exactly) the rig I've been working up for Trooper. Although I don't like swapping optics on a rifle...I'd rather just swap uppers. Which is why my rig has a 7" AR upper with an EOTECH and a 18" upper with a IOR CQB...

Alex

[SinistralRifleman]

I could use a clarification too as I primarily shoot Open.

From the way I read the rules, if I hump all the gear, I can use whatever I want in the way of firearms and equipment and just configure it when I get to the stage. Is it as simple as that?

Here's what I'm thinkin'. I have (for lack of better description) a tac-vest system that I use here for our FTX's. It's nice as I ditched the LBV and can carry more gear, more efficiently while still retaining my basic combat load and all my medical gear. It's a pretty nice arrangement. What I'd add for our purposes (i.e. 3-gun) is a different belt configuration with say dump pouches for mags and tube carriers for my Tec-Loaders all of them with the system (or something similar) from 3GunGear.com. I can disconnect the tubes if it's say a rifle/pistol, rifle only or pistol only stage. I can disconnect the dump pouches and thigh AR mag pouches if it's a shotgun/pistol, shotgun only, pistol only stage. I think y'all get the idea.

After that, it's a matter of humping ammo, other gear and the long guns. I have my own ruck sack that I've modified to hold my M-4 on one side (vertical) as it helps to counter-balance my entrenching tool. For 3-Gun, I'd do something similar on both sides so that I could hold a rifle on one side and shotgun on the other.

Inside the ruck would be ammo, knee/elbow pads, hydration system, cleaning equipment and anything else that I'd need.

Does this work within the rules?

As long as you're carrying it all with you, no problem!

The following matches in 2006 will have trooper class

Ironman*

DPMS

Cavalry Arms

*complete Ironman shooting Trooper Class and you get a free entry to the Cavalry Arms match.

[uscbigdawg]

Russell,

You guys rule!!!

Hopefully I can make some matches in the states this year. If I can only make one, it'll be yours!!!

SPC Richard A. White, Senior Medic

249th MP Detachment (EACF)

Camp Humphreys, ROK

[jbullgpd]

MMMM seems like I am going back over 20 years to Airbase ground defense class. memories of Camp Bullis. Trooper maybe a class for weight loss, if nothing else. Bring on the adreniline drinks

Ah a fellow SP, I feel ur pain, although it was 10 not 20 years ago for me it is still fresh in my mind.

Edited January 11, 2006 by jbullgpd

[uscbigdawg]

Hey! Not only SP's train at Camp Bullis. Remember, Fort Sam Houston is the Home of the Combat Medic, and I spent a little too much time up there. Just kidding, it was fun. Nothing like realizing that the Air Force has a WAAAAAAY bigger budget to spend than we do.

SPC Richard A. White, Senior Medic

249th MP Detachment (EACF)

Camp Humphreys, ROK

[SJ]

The most recent version of Trooper Rules can be found here:

http://www.cavalryarms.com/3gun/trooperclass.html

I'm glad you put in the second part of this section:

4) The equipment must be carried via any man portable means

and in a safe manner. No wagons, wheelbarrows, carts, sleds,

etc allowed. The shooter must transport all their equipment to

the next stage in one trip. If the shooter fails to do this, they will

be made to return to the previous stage and walk back again carrying

all their equipment in one trip.

The explicit bit about carrying all equipment in one trip kills all my gamer fantasies of lugging a couple range bags and a cooler, just making many small trips. Compare to the mgm rules above where carrying all at once is debatable, and the Tiger Valley rules where it is not mentioned at all.

I still think Trooper Class should have to carry all their equipment all the time (i.e., all day and when shooting as well). That could spur an interesting ultralight movement, similar to that in backpacking which has spurred alot of equipment advancements.

Edited March 1, 2006 by SJ

[SinistralRifleman]

The explicit bit about carrying all equipment in one trip kills all my gamer fantasies of lugging a couple range bags and a cooler, just making many small trips. Compare to the mgm rules above where carrying all at once is debatable, and the Tiger Valley rules where it is not mentioned at all.

I should be clear, the rules currently listed on our site are the rules for any "major" match we are sponsoring trooper class at, including MGM and our match hosted at TIGER valley. The rules on TIGER Valley's website apply to their local matches, not the one we put on at their facility. Local laws or range policies regarding NFA weapons are the only thing that should effect what you do from match to match.

I still think Trooper Class should have to carry all their equipment all the time (i.e., all day and when shooting as well). That could spur an interesting ultralight movement, similar to that in backpacking which has spurred alot of equipment advancements.

Current doctrine that I am aware of is dropping your ruck when you are "in the fight" to become more mobile or you simply leave it in your vehicle. I am sure this is dependent on circumstances, perhaps some of the service personnel on the forum can educate us more on the matter.

If the match only required the use of two firearms, rifle and pistol or shotgun and pistol I would agree with you as well. A shooter can reasonably carry enough ammo on them to shoot up to 300 rifle rounds, and 200 pistol rounds without much hassle.

I like the idea of requiring this on specific stages, and we may do that at our match this year.

Edited March 1, 2006 by SinistralRifleman