VMSR in Canada

ArmedGinger

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Are there any Vintage Military Service Rifle competitions in Canada like in the US? Pre 1954 Military Service Rifles?
 
There seems to be little interest in this out west. The "custodians" of our world class fullbore range west of Calgary do everything they can to make sure vintage rifles are excluded. It's all front and rear rests, 20 power scopes, and they've even started installing benches at firing points. Complete and total waste of the facility. A disgrace that a range like that on public land isn't forced to accommodate use of historically important rifles in competition.

milsurpo
 
I would love to attend a milsurp-type shoot. I wouldn't win (by a long shot), but boy would I have fun. I read a few weeks ago and fully agree with that "Iron sights are the stick-shift of the gun world"
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy shooting my Tikka and hitting milkjugs at 500 yards with ease, but I feel more accomplished when I can hit that same milkjug at 150 yards with a 80+ year old iron sighted rifle
 
I think your best bet would be to find a club that does local club matches, and if there isn't a group of matches being organized within the club, throw your hat in the ring to host them.
Service Rifle as a competition has for the most part dried up, at least locally to me.

CDTSA used to host a form of club 'Service Rifle' geared toward the Shepard Range.
If there was strong interest in holding Service Rifle and Vintage Rifle matches at Milo I'd be willing to pitch in with the organizing it, approaching the executive, and AB. CFO and getting it going.
 
Well I started writing some condensed rules for this sort of thing taken heavily from the US with different classes depending on the era the rifles are from.
 
WORK IN PROGRESS! OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS!
CANADIAN VINTAGE SNIPER RIFLE COMPETITION


CVSR consists of shooters using Military service sniper rifles. There are multiple categories for this competition:

- 1903 - 1953
- 1954 - 1976
- 1977 - 1989

Guns must be originals from these eras, or reproductions that stick to the overall originality of those eras. Reproductions must be made using period correct parts, IE no modern match grade barrels. Optics used must also follow the same period correctness for what was used during that time. Case by case basis can be judged upon by staff and if need be, by competitors on if a gun should be allowed. For example, a competitor can compete with a Remington 700 PSS (Police) instead of the M24 due to the technology as long as it has the original PSS stock and hasn't been rebarreled with a more modern match grade barrel. This example also works for someone who wants to use a Remington 700 in an AICS Gen 1 stock instead of using a real L96A1.

Bipods are not to be used. Sandbags/shooting bags may be used under the front of the rifle only.

Factory and handloads are both allowed for Competition. Modern bullets are allowed.

There are two courses of fire, 300 and 600 yards. Each course of fire consists of 10 shots. Shots may be fired either kneeling, sitting, or prone.


Rifle Examples 1903 - 1953:
Springfield M1903A1 & M1903A4 (With no scope greater than 6x)
Springfield M1C & M1D Garands
SAFN/M1949
Ross Mark III
K98k
Gewehr 43
Lee Enfield No3 Mk1 (T)
Lee Enfield No 4 Mk1 (T)
Enfield P14
Type 38/97/99
M41
M1931/42 or 43
M1981/30 Mosin Nagant
Tokarev SVT-38 or 40
M1948

Rifle Examples 1954 - 1976:
Springfield M1903A1 or M1903A4 with (Unertl 8x Scope)
M70 Winchester
M40
SSG69
L42A1
MAS 49/56
C3 or C3A1
Parker Hale M85

Rifle Examples 1977 - 1989:
Remington M24
Remington M40A1
AI L96
AI AW
 
We used to do dedicated matches like " The Cold War" or a WWII themed match at Sherwood Park or Spruce Grove.
In the Edmonton area today, your best bet is CHAS for this sort of thing.
There is no formal organization pressing for this sort of thing that Im aware of. Strictly up to locals to run/organize. YMMV
 
You missed the OSA Historical Military Rifle Match held July 7th at the Milcun Training Center near Minden ON. Next match is August 4th. Incidentally, last year's winner shot an 1888 Commission Rifle.
w ww.osacanada.ca.
 
Do you have access to a range with 300 and 600 mounds and a markers' gallery?

An ongoing problem is that participants will arrive without adequate zeros. Without established zeros, 300 might be problematic, let alone 600. Without zeroing and practice opportunities, getting on target will be an issue. A lot of time will be wasted.
A lot of issue iron sights are rather primitive. Changing front sights to refine elevation settings is time consuming, even if a selection of sights is available.
 
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Something else to consider...
Suppose a shooter can make 4 minute of angle groups with his iron sighted rifle, firing prone with a sandbag at 100. (Might be optimistic). That means groups at 300 are going to exceed a foot in diameter; at 600, over a couple of feet. Targets will have to be appropriate for this level of performance. Our shooter might be able to keep most of his shots on a Figure 12 target at 300. At 600, staying on a Figure 11 isn't going to happen. Having correct sight settings - zeros - is critical, if there is going to be any hope of obtaining a decent score.
An original or reproduction sniper rifle should do better, because of the optical sight.
 
Something else to consider...
Suppose a shooter can make 4 minute of angle groups with his iron sighted rifle, firing prone with a sandbag at 100. (Might be optimistic). That means groups at 300 are going to exceed a foot in diameter; at 600, over a couple of feet. Targets will have to be appropriate for this level of performance. Our shooter might be able to keep most of his shots on a Figure 12 target at 300. At 600, staying on a Figure 11 isn't going to happen. Having correct sight settings - zeros - is critical, if there is going to be any hope of obtaining a decent score.
An original or reproduction sniper rifle should do better, because of the optical sight.

My rules were for rifles with optics. Not sure what the distances are for iron sighted rifles in the US.
 
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