This is the first of four articles describing the sport of highpower rifle shooting. My purpose here is to offer enough detailed information to allow a novice to prepare for and compete in his or her first match with some degree of self-confidence. The following introductory section describes the course of fire and required equipment. Later articles will deal with proper ammunition selection, properly zeroing your sights, how to pull and mark targets in the pits, fundamental shooting techniques such as building the correct position and use of the sling, and finally how to shoot your first match stage by stage.

Interestingly, highpower rifle competition is growing; particularly the Service Rifle category. Witness the introduction of new Precision Shooting book titles dealing with the subject: Black Magic, the Ultra Accurate AR-15 by John Feamster; Precision Shooting with the M1 Garand, by Roy Baumgardner; Modern Highpower Competition – From Beginner to Master by Randolph Constantine; and The Complete Guide to AR-15 Accuracy, by Derrick Martin and Barrett Tillman.

This article by no means replaces these excellent tomes. However, if you’re new to highpower competition or if you’re just thinking about it, I believe this will give you not only a good overview, but enough information and instruction to shoot your first match with knowledge, competence and confidence.

First off, what is a highpower rifle bullseye match?

It is a four-stage, three-distance, three-position target rifle shooting competition. Rifles are strictly categorized as either a "match rifle" (a bolt-action target rifle, or other action target or military service rifle) or a "service rifle:" a semi-automatic military rifle that has been issued by the US military for service use; either the M1 Garand, the M14 or commercial equivalent (M1A), or the M16 or commercial equivalent (AR15). Rifles are equipped with iron sights. These can be complex precision instruments in the case of match rifles, or more primitive but still highly effective competition versions of the original military sights in the case of service rifles.

Positions and distances are: stage 1, standing slow-fire at 200 yards; stage 2, sitting or kneeling rapid-fire at 200 yards; stage 3, prone rapid-fire at 300 yards; and stage 4, prone slow-fire at 600 (yes six hundred) yards.

Competitors perform three distinct functions during each match: shooting, recording the score of another shooter, and pulling and marking targets in the target pits. Each firing point on the firing line will have three shooters assigned it (if possible). At any given time, one competitor will be shooting, one will be sitting behind him reading the target for score, and the third will be in the pits pulling and marking the target. There is no‘down’ time in the match.

Shooters are assigned a firing point number and a relay number. Relays are groups of shooters who will be in the same place at the same time, doing the same thing. In the above example, relay 1 might be firing, relay 2 will be recording relay 1's score, and relay 3 will be in the pit pulling targets. Relay duty changes are made at appropriate times to get everyone through everything they have to do. Relays usually are staffed by skill level; relay 1 generally has the highest skill and relay 3 has the lowest. Thus, each relay will have a similar level of skill amongst its members.

My experience is that relay 1 shoots first at 200, both standing slow-fire and sitting rapid-fire, with relay 2 scoring and relay 3 in the pits. Then relay 1 goes into the pits while relays 2 and 3 shoot stages 1 and 2. Relay 1 then changes out the 200-yard targets for 300 yard targets. Relay 2 shoots first at 300, then a pit change is done and relay 2 goes into the pits while relays 1 and 3 shoot at 300. Then relay 2 puts on the 600 yard targets and relays 3 and 1 move back to 600. Relay 3 shoots first, then goes to the pits while relay 2 goes to the 600 line, where they and relay 1 finish their 600 shooting, completing the match. This routine may vary from one club to the next.

As you can see, there is much gathering up of equipment and running back and forth. For this reason, as well as afternoon weather reasons, highpower matches tend to start around 7:30 or 8 a.m. so they can finish before 3 p.m.. There is no lunch break; you eat while you can when you are scoring or pulling targets.

Seasoned highpower competitors carry a bunch of gear around with them .

. Among this gear are: a heavy padded shooting jacket for body support in offhand and comfort in other positions; a padded glove or mitt to prevent painful pinching of the support hand by the sling; a spotting scope with a tall height-adjustable stand so you can observe your own hits and score the hits of another shooter; a shooting mat to keep you off of the dirt; a small folding stool with a built-in equipment bag that holds ammo, clips or magazines, hat, earmuffs, glasses, tools, spare parts, record book, and other sundries; lunch; water bottle; and sometimes a handcart or little red wagon with which to haul it all around. And let’s not forget the rifle. All these items are used somewhere along the line.

The beginner can get away with some form of foam pad or carpet scrap for a mat, binoculars of 8-10 power, a padded leather work glove or ski glove, some form of sweatshirt or padded jacket, eye and ear protection, and a backpack for various small items. A cloth for wiping the sweat from your eyes is especially useful. The critical key is to have it organized in such a way that you quickly can pack and unpack these items as you move from the line to the pit and back again, find what you need for each stage quickly and easily, and can carry all of it yourself.

One important accessory is a good adjustable shooting sling – as opposed to a carrying strap – on your rifle. The easiest to use is the standard US military leather shooting sling. The green cotton web sling issued with M1 rifles also is usable if you install it correctly. If you're uncertain as to how to install and use either of these types, get someone to help you, preferably before you attend your first match. Go watch a match and after it's all done, ask someone to explain and demonstrate for you. Trying to shoot highpower without a proper shooting sling will be a the source of intense frustration and poor results. Further detail on proper use of the sling is in a later section of this article. I also suggest getting the book Leather Sling and Shooting Positions by MSgt. James R. Owens, USMC. It and other excellent references are available from several sources, including Sinclair International, a Precision Shooting advertiser.

The course of fire is either 58 shots (50 for record plus two sighters per stage, otherwise known as the National Match course) or 88 shots (80 for record plus the same 2 sighters per stage, known as the regional course). The only difference between the 50 and 80 record shot matches are that 10 more shots are fired on stages 1, 2 and 3 in the 80-shot match; the courses of fire are otherwise identical.

Before each stage, the proper relay will be called to the line by the match director or line officer: "Relay one, you may move your equipment to the line for Stage One. Your prep time begins in two minutes." This gives you a chance to lay out and set up your gear. Then, "Prep time" is announced.

You now have three minutes to finish setting up your mat, stool, spotting scope and ammo, put on your jacket, adjust your sling, try to get in some dry fire snaps and do anything else you need to get ready to shoot the stage. You will be informed that the prep period is over and (sometimes) asked if anyone needs more time. If no extra time is required, the stage description is announced and the ready commands are given. "Ready on the right? Ready on the left? All ready on the firing line." Then the command to commence the stage is given, depending upon the stage. For slow-fire stages, the line officer generally announces "You may load and commence firing. Your time begins now." For rapid-fire, the usual instruction is "You may fire when your targets appear." (If no instruction is provided, the targets will appear within five seconds after "All ready on the firing line" is given, signaling you to get moving.)

The aiming black of the 200 yard target is about 12.5 inches in diameter. This comprises the 9, 10, and X rings. The 10 ring is 7 inches in diameter. In the white outside the bull are 3-inch wide scoring rings extending from values of 8 to 5, with the latter being the lowest scoring ring and the largest, at 36 inches diameter. A hit outside this ring constitutes a miss. Once the command to commence fire is given, the time limit begins. The shooter loads one round and fires; the target puller in the pit pulls and marks the shot value and position; and the scorer records the shot value on the shooter's score card. The first two shots are sighters and the rest count for record. Due to the inherent instability of this position, this is perhaps the most difficult stage.

Stage 2 is kneeling or sitting rapid-fire at 200 yards. No one uses kneeling due to its inherent instability, unless personal physical limitations render sitting impossible. This stage is begun with two slow-fire sighters in two minutes, marked individually as per the standing stage, fired from the position the shooter will use for the rapid-fire string. When the sighters are finished, the targets will be pulled to half-mast, the shooters will be ordered to stand, then load. Service rifle shooters normally load with two rounds and reload with eight (a holdover from the days of the 8-shot M1 Garand clip) while match rifle shooters will load with five and reload with five. Sling use is allowed.

When the line is pronounced ready by the line officer, the pit boss will order the targets fully raised. The target pullers then stand back from the target and allow all shots to be fired without the target being pulled for marking. From the time the last target reaches the full-up position, shooters will have 60 seconds to go from standing to the position of their choice and fire ten rounds, including a reload of the rifle. At the end of 60 seconds, the targets will be pulled down. Any shots not fired by the competitor count as misses (they're "eaten"). The target pullers first will check all targets for 10 holes. If the correct number is found, they put hole markers in the target, mark the score on a chalkboard that hangs on the target, and run up the target for the scorer and shooter to see. In a 50-shot match you fire only one string; in an 80-shot match you repeat the 10-shot string after the first one has been scored and recorded. This target is the same as that used for Stage 1.

Stage 3 is prone rapid-fire at 300 yards and is very similar to Stage 2. First, two slow-fire sighters are fired in a two minute time limit. Then, shooters stand and load, just as in Stage 2. Sling use is allowed. When the line is declared ready, the targets will appear and shooters will have 70 seconds to assume prone, fire their first load of two or five rounds, reload, and fire the balance of their ten shots. At the end of the 70 seconds, the targets are pulled down and scored as described for Stage 2. For an 80-shot match, the string is fired again. This target is identical to the one used at 200 yards in Stages 1 and 2 except that the 3-inch-wide white 8 ring is blackened to increase the diameter of the aiming black to about 18 inches. This appears to the eye to be the same size as the 200 yard target is at 200 yards. As you can see, you now have to hit that same 7-inch 10-ring but at 300 instead of 200 yards. A key component of both Stages 2 and 3 is being able to exactly replicate the position used for the sighting shots when assuming position for the rapid strings. You will have to raise your rear sight about three minutes of angle when going from 200 to 300 yards when shooting the .30-06 or .308 cartridge.

Stage 4 is prone, slow-fire, 22 shots in 22 minutes .... at 600 yards. That is slightly over a third of a mile, using iron sights. This is a very challenging stage that requires the shooter to perform to his or her limits of skill. Due to the distance involved, even the slightest error on the part of the shooter regarding position, trigger technique, sight alignment, or failure to compensate for changing light and wind conditions is translated into off-center impacts on the target. The shooter must tolerate the uncomfortable prone position and broiling sun (or rain) while keeping a sharp eye on the ever-changing wind conditions and cloud shadows. A moderate wind can blow the bullet as much as three feet or more sideways over the 600 yards, while shifts of light from sun to shadow on the target can make the bullseye appear larger (sun) or smaller (shadow), and cause a vertical aim error of as much as a foot at the target.

The 600 yard target uses a 36-inch diameter black, comprising a very wide (6-inch) 7-ring, a 3-inch wide 8-ring, a 3-inch wide 9-ring, a 3-inch wide 10-ring, and a 6-inch diameter X-ring (just under one minute of angle). The 10-ring has a diameter of 12 inches. Outside the black, there are a 6-inch wide white 6-ring and a 6-inch wide white 5-ring, the latter being 60 inches in diameter. Once again, any shot outside the 5-ring is a miss. Use of the sling is allowed; in fact it would be almost impossible to shoot the stage without one, since it does all the work of holding up the heavy rifle for 22 minutes. Your rear sight must be adjusted about 11 to 12 minutes of angle higher than the setting for the 300-yard stage, if you’re using the .30-06 or .308.

Trying to put your rounds into a one-foot circle at over a third of a mile, using iron sights, while the sweat runs into your eyes, your glasses fog up, your arms ache, the sun roasts you, the wind is rising, dropping, gusting, and switching directions at random, and both the target and your front sight go randomly into sunlight and shadow, is more fun than you can possibly imagine. Matches often are shot at reduced ranges (using reduced targets) all the way down to 100 yards, but the challenge of the 600 yard slow-fire stage is lost completely even if shot at 300 yards. In my very first match, using a bedded and tightened M1 with the original GI barrel, I shot a master class score (189 out of 200) on this stage fired at the reduced distance of 300 yards. At the time I thought I was shooting across the Grand Canyon and was happy with the result (as I should have been). The next season I started shooting at the full distance, and my first 600 yard score was down around 160. It took three full seasons of 600 yard shooting, with a better match-accurized M1 in .308, before I was able to equal that first 300-yard reduced score.

The articles following will deal with how and why to maintain the proper sight settings for your rifle, what ammunition to use for matches, how to properly use the shooting sling, how to properly assume and refine the various shooting positions, how to properly apply correct fundamental shooting techniques regarding breathing, sight picture, and trigger control, how to score targets in the pit, and lastly, a step-by-step guide to shooting each stage of the highpower match.

As you enter into this fascinating sport, remember that as a general rule, accuracy comes from consistency. Once you figure out the right way of doing something, make sure you do it the same way every time! Learn to recognize when you are unintentionally varying from your chosen methods. This goes for every single thing you do, from attaining your position to trigger pull to sight picture to how you organize your gear. From practice sessions you derive the right thing to do, and at matches you must remember how to do it exactly the same way the first try.

Strive for an X for every shot. Jim Starr, the coach of the Colorado state junior team says he teaches this to his juniors: "An X is what you want. A ten is okay, but a nine indicates you've got a problem." He says they take it quite seriously and it works for them. I know, because a lot of those young kids outshoot me. 110-pound, 16-year-old girls shooting a full-size M14 rifle. Ouch! This is the true meaning of the phrase "Aim small, miss small."

The coach also said that a great shooter once told him, "Good shooting is good execution of the fundamentals. Great shooting is great execution of the fundamentals." Apply your attention to details and don't get ahead of yourself. Keep working on perfecting the fundamentals, and your shooting skill will rise steadily.

Proceed to Part 2