The future of Service Rifle

How often do you shoot Service Rifle matches

  • Never have

    Votes: 174 58.0%

  • It has been years

    Votes: 34 11.3%

  • Once a year

    Votes: 19 6.3%

  • Twice a year

    Votes: 17 5.7%

  • More than 2 a year

    Votes: 56 18.7%
  • Total voters
    300
maliboy67 said:
I will be starting into service rifle in the new year. A spring clinic would be a great idea for new shooters as well as get everybody already involved fresh again.
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I'll second this. Running Service Rifle 101 seminars for us clueless n00bs, and advertising it heavily here, would probably result in a big influx of new shooters.
 
NavyShooter said:
A training program, perhaps based on firing with a .22 as opposed to .223 (reduced costs) using similar targetry has been proposed in the past, why not resurrect the idea, and train people before they start spending $40 on rounds for a morning of shooting, only to miss $30 worth of rounds?

Service Rifle clinics are do-able, and I've participated in them before, (and regularly with the Military team I help with) but teaching them to civilian shooters is a different game, and the training plan has to be fit into evenings, and weekends.

There is no perfect training solution, but the availability of AR-ish (think SR-22 and M&P-15) rifles in .22 rimfire has opened this idea WIDE open, compared to 10 years ago when all that existed was the Colt or Ceiner .22 drop-in conversion.
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Build it and I will come :). I've learned a heckuva lot just by reading up on technique and doing Appleseed shoots by myself (read 80+/250 improvement in scores, with irons). I'd be totally into something with a little actual coaching, regardless of caliber and I'd be quite happy to pay.
 
There is a complete reduced scale version of traditional matches 1-16 for .22, 100m in. It is a great training experience, that does not need a fullbore range. Unfortunately, the .22 equivalents of service rifles lack the degree of accuracy needed for accurately scaled targets. We have shot the complete course of fire with .22s alondside .223s, and the .22s are not competitive from the accuracy standpoint. This course of fire may be reworked to be shot from 50m in, to reduce the need for accuracy at ranges longer than 50m.
Close range matches, FIBUA, CQB, can be fired with .22 rifles on the regular targets.
Keep in mind that for competitive excellence, it is very important to work on effective shooting in the different positions. Once the marksmanship principles are well established, it is time to work on developing the skills in the different matches. Sound marksmanship principles are the foundation. Just learning the different courses of fire for the various matches is not sufficient.
There will be clinics held by OSA in the new year, early in the season.
 
Baal said:
Do they ever hold introductory seminars at the Homestead Range near Calgary?
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Absolutely. We generally have an intro to service rifle/range orientation the sat before each match. Email calgaryservicerifle@gmail.com for more info.

In any case, get 126 rnds ready for sunday the 14th.

Fenix.NZ said:
i shoot 6 service matches a year. in saying that.. i find them pretty boring and am losing interest quickly
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What format are the matches in NZ?
 
Baal said:
Do they ever hold introductory seminars at the Homestead Range near Calgary?
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We will be holding our last match of the year on the 14th of November. As Carbonrod mentioned, the Saturday before is generally regarded as practice/walkbacks/orientation - but we can tailor that to who we have come out. We can even run a pseudo match on that day for new competitors to get their feet wet and gives them an idea of what it is like.

our matches are FREE for members and first timers too!!!:D
 
The biggest impediments for me are time(busy father of two young kids). To dedicate a whole weekend plus travel time is a real problem. The other is of course money. I picked up an AR clone so the ammo will be cheaper than the 308 I was using previously but it will always be an issue. Perhaps shorter courses of fire so that they could be completed in a day would make it more appealing.
 
I'm really looking forward to the SR and CQB matches this year, but do agree with GT's sentiment. You need to start from square 1 and make sure everyone is on the same page in regards to accuracy and training.
 
imarco said:
The biggest impediments for me are time(busy father of two young kids). To dedicate a whole weekend plus travel time is a real problem. The other is of course money. I picked up an AR clone so the ammo will be cheaper than the 308 I was using previously but it will always be an issue. Perhaps shorter courses of fire so that they could be completed in a day would make it more appealing.
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Oddly enough, these are some of the reasons why I'm getting back in the game. If I'm going to travel, might just has well spend a whole lot of time on the range and shoot!

Someone could only shoot 1/2 match if they were so inclined... but it would screw up the relays for the next day.
 
The way we have run the Regionals and Provincials in BC is to shoot matches 1-12 on the Saturdays and the team matches on the Sundays. Many/some people only shoot on the Saturday. I spend 5 hours on the road and ferry each way to Vokes range so it makes sense for me to make a weekend trip of it.
 
Gunnerlove said:
The way we have run the Regionals and Provincials in BC is to shoot matches 1-12 on the Saturdays and the team matches on the Sundays. Many/some people only shoot on the Saturday. I spend 5 hours on the road and ferry each way to Vokes range so it makes sense for me to make a weekend trip of it.
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I'm one of those Saturday shooters. It's great for me. I'd like to make a weekend of it, but am time constrained in the spring/summer. Leave home at 4:40 am for Vokes, Breakfast at Tims in Chiliwack, bang away all day and home to tuck the kids in by dark. Much fun.

PS The 2010 BC provincial results are now online. You 50-v whatever shooters freak me out...
 
I haven't tried service rifle in 25 years and then only had a small taste of it. So shooting my carbine over those little bopeeps won't be very competitive. Looks like its driven by add-ons ,rig builds and not just basic service rifles. Then again, service rifles in use anywhere today, look alot different then they did 30 years ago. I guess if you still like the apertures you can shoot for the fun and compete with yourself.:)
 
BCRA Provicials
2010 I took 2nd shooting a stock Stag 4R with Elcan, Third was issued C7A1.
2009 1st was a factory 20" Armalite with Elcan, 2nd and 3rd (me) were taken with issued C7A1s

In service rifle you can buy a few points but it is still a shooters game.
 
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