Georgia, Good Matches for Beginners

[Malum Prohibitum]

I live roughly an hour south of Atlanta. There are no long range shooting ranges around here.

I have not shot in over a year, and I wanted to start shooting again.

I looked at the match I had shot previously, back in 2023, the River Bend Gun Club Precision Rifle Match, which is normally once a month, and it is not being held in October. I went to the PRS web site and clicked on the southeast region, and, well, nothing for the remainder of 2024 and only one rimfire posted for 2025 (I do not yet have a rimfire precision rifle).

Are there so few matches, or am I not looking in the right places?

Feel free to point out that I am stupid - I admit that I may not be looking in the right places.

It does not have to be PRS sanctioned. In fact, the River Bend Gun Club Precision Rifle Match was not a PRS event.

I am terrible at this sport, but I still really enjoyed the four competitions in which I shot at River Bend. They were very welcoming to new shooters and tried to help me improve (and I did improve little by little each time). I want to get back at it.

 

[Jeff Karrels]

In all honesty, any one of them. I am not sure I have been at a match (NRL, PRS, local club, Snipers Unknown, Mammoth, TTG.Sniper Challenge) that wasn't extremely supportive of beginners. Feedback from your squad post stage, feedback from the RO, feedback from your teammate is feedback. There typically isnt a right or wrong (minus safety issues) there are different things that different do that may or may not work for your style. Shoot more and pickup more. Come in with the right mindset and you will have a good time.

Yes, there are people that are playing the game for top X prizes and to keep sponsors happy. They also tend to be great people and super helpful (until you become competition).

I guess the first question I had to get passed in my background... Are you willing to travel for the sport? South Carolina has competitions all over. North Carolina as well.

 

[Malum Prohibitum]

I guess the first question I had to get passed in my background... Are you willing to travel for the sport? South Carolina has competitions all over. North Carolina as well.

Yes. I selected southeast and came up empty from today moving forward. I see that southeast does not include the Carolinas. It is FL, GA, AL, TN, KY, MS.

I guess I just did not realize that there would be so few matches.

So it looks like the Carolinas are in Atlantic Coast.

Atlantic Coast region has only one event listed after today, and it is a "finale" Clinton House Oct 19, which is 18 days from today, but you have to qualify for a finale (I see this on the PRS web site).

So two regions and no matches currently scheduled?

I guess I will see if I can find some long distance ranges to drive to and practice until some regional matches show up again.

 

[lash]

It’s true that for many ranges, this season is slower. I offer PRS22 matches in October and December here in Central Florida, but I realize you’re currently looking for centerfire.

There are a number of good clubs within 4-5 hours of you and probably closer that will be starting their 2025 season in January/February. It’s generally predicated by the official PRS “season”. But I start my 2025 matches this October and December.

In the meantime, practicing stages yourself, while not nearly as fun as a match, will pay off for you once the matches start up again.

Oh, and buy a decent off the shelf precision/match .22 rifle and come visit us.

Swampland Precision

 

[lash]

I guess I will see if I can find some long distance ranges to drive to and practice until some regional matches show up again.

I’m not sure how much damage they sustained from what was likely a direct hit by Hurricane Helene, but once they get back online, the Arena facility in Blakely is a great facility that puts on good matches.

 

[sinister]

Blakely and Talladega are nice training venues. There's also Oak Ridge, Arnold Engineering Center, Dead Zero, and K&M training center to name just a few.

 

[Malum Prohibitum]

I’m not sure how much damage they sustained from what was likely a direct hit by Hurricane Helene, but once they get back online, the Arena facility in Blakely is a great facility that puts on good matches.

I have done a two day training class at The Arena - great facility.