Highpower Rifle covers several different styles of matches that generally follow the NRA High Power Rifle Rules or CMP High Power Rifle Rules. Almost any rifle can be used, generally up to .35 caliber. While the 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 classification. Use the NRA Competitor Classification Lookup or CMP Competitor Number Lookup to check your current classification. If you want to borrow a rifle for a match, match directors may be able to arrange that. Please don’t be intimidated that you need a lot of specialized expensive equipment. You can even use your hunting rifle, shooting as many rounds as you feel comfortable, and have a fun time while improving your skills. Check out this video to see how little gear you actually need, which other participants are happy to share with you:
Table of Contents
- F-Class Precision Rifle
- Prone Rifle Mid and Long Range
- NRA Highpower Rifle
- Service Rifle and CMP EIC
- CMP Vintage and Military Rifle
- Highpower Shooting Positions
- Pulling Targets in the Pits (historical reference)
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”.
The club tries to schedule a few “Long-Range” matches at 800, 900 and 1000 yards at Colorado Range South range at Ft. Greely, Delta Junction, or 1000 yard matches at Upper Susitna Shooters Assoc near Talkeetna.
We’ll be using the Shotmarker electronic target scoring systems for our full distance matches. No more pit duty (except at Ft. Greely in Delta Junction)! Please review this manual (especially pages 2, 7-10,13,15-17) to get an idea how the system is setup and how the app works in a web browser. Club provides electronic tablets for shooters and scorers: Shotmarker Manual April 2020
If you are a new shooter, review this document, but keep in mind the information about scoring and pit duty will not be the same with our use of electronic targets. We are only shooting at 600 yards this year so relay switches will be less complicated as well: 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 2022 Match Programs:
Match Program BRSP Precision Tactical 300 Yard Fun
Match Program Mid-Range Prone 20rd FUN Evening
Match Program Mid-Range Prone 20rd NRA Evening
Match Program Mid-Range Prone 40rd NRA Evening
Match Program Mid-Range Prone 60rd NRA Weekend
Match Program USSA NRA Long Range
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 TopNRA 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. Also see the video at the top of this page for an example of shooting most of the stages with minimal gear and a basic AR platform carbine.
Here are the 2022 Match Programs:
Match Program HP BRSP 200 Yard Reduced FUN
Match Program NRA HP Full Distance
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. Non-compliant rifles are welcome to join, but the will not qualify for points. 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 several full distance Highpower match at JBER Pedneau range in the weeks prior, so everyone can practice and record zeros for the following days’ EIC competition.
Here is the 2022 Match Program:
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 2022 Match Program:
CMP Vintage and Modern Military Rifle Match
Back to TopHighpower Shooting Positions
Below are a couple of recommended YouTube videos describing the Prone, Sitting and Standing Highpower shooting positions.
Pulling Targets in the Pits
Note: Now that we have Shotmarker Electronic Target Systems, pulling targets in pits would only be needed if we had unexpected failure of the target system or at Delta Junction Colorado Range. Below information is for historical reference:
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.