How many of you (us) have ever shot a highpowr match?  I'm considering it, just for grins; but I'm kind of worried I'll be way outclassed.  What was your first match like?

It was fun. I did just fine. It wasn't scary.

Buy these books and get a catalog from the company (Creedmoor Sports) that sells them on their website. The author of this first book is a bit old fashioned (he doesn't like AR's) but this is the best book for letting you know how matches work, what to expect, what to do, etc.

I always recommend people buy these two books and read them thoroughly before they buy all the expensive equipment. You can get these books at a lot of places, but Creedmoor Sports is a good outfit and they all sell some very nice "Basic" packages for beginners so they can save some money.

[b]Modern Highpower Competition[/b]
[url]www.creedmoorsports.com/C1276.html[/url]

For a good AR-15 specific book, try this one:

[b]Competitive AR-15[/b]
[url]www.creedmoorsports.com/C1250.html[/url]

Thanks Morpheus-

I'm a long way from buying any high-$ gear.  I figure I'll take my mil-spec Armalite A-2 and some South African surplus ammo.  Well, maybe break out some Win. white-box for a match.

Now I need to find a club.  Where do you shoot?  I'm in SoCal, ~50 mi. east of LA.

I have been brushing up on some (general rifle) reading.

The best thing to do is buy 2 boxes of black hills 68 or 75 grain ammo, it will make the experiance a whole lot better than shooting any mil surp type ammo esp at 300 and 600 yds, ball works ok at 200 for offhand and rapid. Don't worry to much about gear the first time just bring rifle/ammo/military sling/eye & hearing protx and some sort of jacket. The Armalite A2 w/obnoxiously noisy muzzle brake isn't legal as a service rifle and they will class u as a unclassified in the match rifle category... But overall the matches are fun and it's nice too actually shoot long range and rapid fire with the AR and you will learn some good shooting skills, something alot of the ninjas around this site never get a chance to do.

I shoot mostly at Lytle Creek, which is near Fontana. The club name is the Armory of Orange Sportsman's Association. They have special "new Shooter's Clinics" twice a year. I think the next clinic is in August. Most matches are on a Saturday or Sunday near the end of the month. For more info call the Armory of Orange at (714) 532-4233. They are located at 368 S Tustin St. in Orange. Ken Fladridge (sp?) is the owner of the store and could tell you all about the matches. These are official 100-yard "reduced" matches. Your scores count for NRA qualification if you want them to. the whole idea of this club is to cater to new shooters. It is a greatr place to start.

For an unofficial 600-yard match, check out these guys in Ojai and click on "National Match." I have shot there before. A good group, plus 600 yards is really fun.

[url]www.dock.net/ovgc/[/url]

or for official 600-yard matches at Camp Pendleton, check out this club:

[url]members.cox.net/smgc/[/url]

There are also 2 clubs that hold matches at Angeles Ranges:

[url]www.angelesranges.com/[/url]

That should be enough to get you started. I think your initial plan sounds good, and you may want to plan on attending the new shooters clinic at Lytle Creek in August. You will learn a lot!

Forgot to add - I went from beginner to Expert classification in less than one year, and had a great time doing it. Your first match you are a mess, then you start to really figure things out and have lots of extra time. Service rifle shooters tend to be really helpful with beginners and WANT new people in their sport. By the time you get to your 3rd or 4th match, you will definitely have the hang of it.

I agree with tangeant on the ammo. Heavier match ammo will help you, and it is not really all that expensive in .223 (as opposed to .308 or .30-06).

Eventually you will want to get a true Service Rifle competition upper so you can shoot the 80-grain loads. A good one for you might be the Armalite upper for $675. Sure, there are more expensive, possibly better uppers out there, but the Armalite is a very viable choice. It got me up to Expert so far, so I can't complain.

You will have fun, become a much better shooter, and feel a real sense of accomplishment in competing against yourself and improving. Can't beat that!

dogcaller - I started highpower last year and my only regret is that I didn't start sooner.  Definitely take what you got.  I believe that the most important thing is to get out there and try it - and don't worry about having all of the equipment to start with.  My first match I did fair, and due to a lack of time and practice, really haven't improved a huge amount.  I started out in the 430s to 440s range and am now in the 450s to 460s range.  Scorewise, I am probably in the lower third of the people I shoot with, but I am having fun and am really competing against myself.  Don't even worry about your score - worry about getting out there.  Don't know much about your area but check out [url]www.angelesranges.com[/url] for their competition schedule.  Also check out [url]www.hipowerbears.com[/url] and [url]http://lascweb.8k.com/laschtml/larcidx.htm[/url]

Thanks for the good info.


Tangeant, I think my AR will be OK since it's a pre-ban A2.  "...something alot of the ninjas around this site never get a chance to do."  LOL!  I'll be able to say, "At least I KNOW how poorly I shoot!"

Morpheus, Fontucky is just down the road from here, so that's great; and with it being a 100 yd. match, I maybe don't need the heavier bullets?

As far as match ammo goes, I'm figuring the standard deviation caused by shooter error (at this point as a tyro) will be greater than the reduction in std. dev. that would result from shooting match vs. regular ammo.

I hadn't considered a jacket.  I don't have one of those shooting jackets.  Hmmm...

Don't worry.  We like fresh meat.

Just kidding.

Most people will be glad to help.  Just make sure when you're squaded they know your new.  The Range Master will put you with someone who has some patience and close to the center so they can moderate the pace as required.

Edited to add:  By all means bring your shooting jacket, a heavey glove for your left hand (assuming your right handed) and a pair of binoculars or spotting scope if you have one.  You will be keeping someone elses score.

Anything else someone will share with you.

Actually as unclassifed you'll have to compete against the Masters and High Masters.  If you do bad you will drop down to Marksman and then you'll be able to make some money.  Once you get to Expert things get pretty tough.  Lots of people make it to expert and then kind of stagnate there (like me).  My first match I wasn't the worst but I wasn't the best either.  I made money for a couple of matches after that.  Once you get the basics down, breathing, site picture, trigger control, you will probaly jump right over Sharp Shooter to Expert.  I did.

Dog...I am a new shooter to HP and the best thing I did was go to a clinic.  It will give you the basics to compete and is a little slower in pace in order to help new shooters. But by all means get out there and shoot. I have only shot in 2 matches for record and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I would attend more but my work schedule interferes. The only things I would sya to bring is rifle(duh) and 20rnd mags 3 or 5(5 is better)binos or scope,stool, mat or carpet piece. I used Win white box in all my matches so far and it does fine but I will be loading my own for further use.  I,too, wished I had started sooner!

OK, more good info.  Is the jacket mainly for the elbow pads?  I don't have a jacket, so should I bring pads, or should I definitely get a jacket first?

Clinic sounds like a good idea.  Wonder if I can find one around here.  Well, LA isn't too far.  Probably one there.

Now the embarrasing part:  Someone else is going to see my score?!?!  

The good news is I only have to competer with the Master's, right?  :-0

Also try "San Gabriel Valley Gun Club" in fish canyon City of Duarte. Matches are 3rd Saturday of the month and a bunch of friendly shooter. I think it's 200 or 300 yards.

The matches at Lytle Creek are a lot less "official" and designed for beginners. They have a new shooter's clinic on August 23rd at 8:00 am at Lytle Creek Range. The cost is $65.00 but that includes their M1 rifle and their ammo. Or you could bring your own.

As I said before, I think the Armory of Orange Club matches at Lytle Creek would be perfect for you. They are [b]specifically designed for beginner shooters[/b] - 100 yards, you DO NOT need to score for other people, there is no target pulling, etc. Just a very basic match. Call Ken at his store at the number I listed above.

Morpheus-

I'll plan to make that match. Many thanks, and feel free to keep the thread going guys; I'm all ears!

I shot in one.

Used a club supplied AR. That only made me want to buy one more