Highpower Rifle

Highpower Rifle covers several different styles of matches that generally follow the NRA High Power Rifle Rules. Almost any rifle can be used, generally up to .35 caliber. While the NRA rules don’t allow suppressors or muzzle brakes, the club does allow those to shoot in a club/tactical class and scores don’t count for NRA classification. Use the NRA Competitor Classification Lookup to check your current classification. If you want to borrow a National Match grade AR-15 or M1 Garand from the club to shoot a match, we offer that for free and have factory ammo for sale

Table of Contents

F-Class Precision Rifle

There are few better ways to dial in the precision of your shooting system and fundamentals than competing against others to see who can rack up the most points in a 1/2 MOA X-Ring. Any errors in your technique and wind reading become obvious. Does your point of impact shift as your barrel heats up? You’ll know after shooting 20 rounds in 20 minutes! Some matches are 20 rounds at 600 yards on weekday evenings and others are longer 60 round matches that may have stages at 300, 500 and 600 yards. F-Class matches are held at the JBER Pendeau range in the Small Arms Complex east of the Glenn Highway. 300-600 yards is considered “Mid-Range”. When the range at Ft. Greeley is open, the club may host “Long-Range” matches at 800, 900 and 1000 yards. 

New participants should check out the videos on Pulling Targets in the Pits and read this document What to Expect at your First F-Class Match. Use the Contact Us form if you have any questions or suggestions to improve the information on this site. My goal is that there are no surprises when you come to your first match. 

We try strive to run matches efficiently. Each match we learn things we can do a little better and then update the: Mid Range F-Class Match Playbook

Below are the 2021 Match Programs: 

Match Program Mid-Range Prone 2021 20rd FUN Evening

Match Program Mid-Range Prone 2021 40rd NRA Evening

Match Program Mid-Range Prone 2021 60rd NRA Weekend

coming soon: July 18 1000 yard match program

JBER F Class match. Craig Parker scoring for Marc Taylor with Robert Delong
Back to Top

Prone Rifle

Prone Rifle shooters compete along side the F-class shooters at Mid-range or Long-range. The main difference is the prone rifle shooters use a sling (note exception below) instead of a front rest or bipod and rear bag. Consequently they have a more generous 1 MOA X-Ring and 2 MOA 10-Ring on their targets. The position and equipment is generally the same as that used in the prone position of NRA Highpower Rifle XTC match.

Starting in 2018 the NRA added a new class of rifle that competes in the Prone Rifle category: NRA Mid Range (Prone) Tactical Rifle (AR) (Rule 3.3.3). This can be thought of as “prone service rifle with a bipod and scope (up to 15x)”. Below are some selected rules from section 23 of the NRA High Power Rifle Rules:

Conceptually, this new NRA Mid-Range (Prone) Tactical Rifle (AR) program will be designed to provide civilian, military, and police shooters with an opportunity to shoot NRA Mid-Range Prone competition along-side of other Mid-Range Prone shooters in matches using semi-automatic rifles built on an “AR-Platform” and equipment generally thought of as being “tactical” in design and use. These rifles will be configured so as to replicate as closely as possible the tactical rifles (semi-automatic) and equipment used by the United States Military and America’s Law Enforcement Community in “mid-range” tactical applications. These semi-automatic rifles will be more “off the rack” or “stock” than “competition” in nature. They will be more of a “tactical design” than “match design” and therefore less expensive than the vast majority of mid-range prone rifles currently in use.

These rifles will be of the “AR-Platform” variety, semi-automatic, chambered in two classes, (1) those in caliber from 223/5.56mm and (2) those chambered larger than .223/5.56mm up to and including .308 cal./7.62mm…. Because this is prone competition, shooters may use tactical front rests such as Harris-type bipods and limited rear rests of the type one might find used in military or police tactical situations….. Any semi-automatic rifle constructed on an “AR-Style Platform” chambered in any caliber from .233/5.56mm caliber up to and including .308 caliber/7.62mm similar in outward appearance to the “Service Rifle” described in 3.1(c) above, equipped with the standard 10-, 20-, or 30- round box magazine, having not less than 4 1/2 pound trigger pull, with standard type “tactical” stock (Military or Police); barrel length not to exceed 20 inches; total weight of the rifle including one empty magazine, bipod and/or sling, if any, and sighting system (scope) may not exceed 14 pounds… Tactical adjustable stocks fitted with rear monopods are permitted but the rear monopod may not be used for support….Sights- Telescopic sights, either fixed or variable, not to exceed 15x magnification.

Back to Top

NRA Highpower Rifle

Often called “Across the Course” (XTC or OTC), the classic NRA or CMP sanctioned Highpower match consists of 4 stages: Standing slow fire at 200 yards, Sitting rapid fire at 200 yards, Prone rapid fire at 300 yards, and Prone slow fire at 600 yards. The course may also be shot at reduced distances. Here is an excellent introduction to the basics of highpower shooting: Highpower-Basics

Here is the 2021 Match Program:

Match Program Highpower 80rd NRA 2021

coming soon: CMP Cup Match program – 4 matches planned this year

Service Rifle and CMP EIC

This is a subset of highpower rifle where the equipment is strictly defined as a Service Rifle per the NRA or CMP High Power Rules. In the case of the Civilian Marksmanship Program Excellence-In-Competition (EIC) matches, there are some additional equipment rules as noted in the CMP Highpower rifle rule book. The only place to earn points toward Distinguished Rifleman is the EIC match. The EIC match also has to be shot at the full distance of 200, 300 & 600 yards, without sighting shots AND have a minimum score of 91%. The club usually hosts a Service Rifle State Championship at JBER Pedneau range on a Saturday so everyone can practice and get zeros for the following days’ EIC competition. 

Here is the 2021 Match Program:

coming soon: EIC match program – 1 planned for 2021

Like most of our matches, if your equipment doesn’t match the rules, you should be able to participate, but your scores wouldn’t count for awards. 

CMP Vintage and Military Rifle

These are fun matches shot at reduced ranges at Birchwood Shooting Park or JBER. The type of rifles used and match program generally follow the CMP Games Rifle and Pistol Competition Rules.

Here is the 2021 Match Program:

Craig-Parker-Vintage-Rifle-Match-Program

Back to Top

Highpower Shooting Positions

Below are a couple of recommended YouTube videos describing the Prone, Sitting and Standing Highpower shooting positions.

Back to Top

Pulling Targets in the Pits

Highpower matches (other than reduced size targets at 100 or 200 yards) require pulling targets and marking shot values in the pits. Below are a few YouTube videos that do a good job of explaining the process. Our range is slightly different. The main exceptions are:

  • You can’t see the impact of your shot in a target berm.
  • You have to face the center of your target to hear the bullet travel overhead, then you pull the target down.
  • We usually run 3 relays instead of 4, so you are working alone pulling the target, pasting the old shot hole, moving spotter to new shot hole and moving the scoring disk.
  • Some guys have brought Pam cooking spray for the target carriers and that does make them go up and down easier.
Back to Top