Re: SHWW Group
Tri-County gun club in Sherwood, Oregon (about 20 minutes south of Portland) will be having a precision rifle (AKA civilian type sniper) match on February 11th. They won't require the normal "orientation" prior to this match. I have shot this match quite a few times, and will be happy to let people know the types of courses of fire that they often have. No one will know what the match consists of prior to the match.
I do know that they won't have use of the 600 yard range for this match, so it will be primarily held on the 200/300 yard match, in the practical pistol pits (only to about 75 yards), and in the big pit that goes out to around 495/515 yards.
They have had stages like the following:
1. Know your limits
2. Rooftop (slanted)
3. Find targets using compass and range finder
4. Identify and engage your target out of a number of similar faces
5. Golf balls at varying distances, worth varying points
6. Tennis balls at various distances, same as golf balls
7. Angle shots on various pieces of steel at varying ranges (5-15 targets)
8. Locate targets upon rising over a berm, and engage
Usually more points are awarded for first round hits, less for second, and least for third round. Often no more attempts to engage are allowed.
Sometimes you are allowed two shots, and if no hit by two rounds, you have to move to a different location.
Hits always trump speed. The scoring system is set up to reward hits more than anything. There are enough rounds fired (50-80 minimum) that I feel the person who has won the match really deserved it. Whenever I looked at the winner's score, the win always looks justified. It seems that everyone else has had one error somewhere, and the match's scoring system catches it.
The match is challenging, creatively run, and lots of fun. Safety is a big issue, so if your gun handling is "lax", expect problems. As long as people comply with the big 4 rules, don't break the 180 rule, and don't raise their muzzle over the top of the backstop, they shouldn't have any problems. When I shoot a bolt gun, I usually just leave the bolt open when changing positions, but that is just me.
Semi- autos are allowed. Caliber max is usually the 30-06 and equivalent. I'm pretty sure they would allow an 8mm mauser. Although technically, a larger cartridge than the 30-06, it isn't so much more powerful that plate damage is an issue.
No bullets with ferrous cores are allowed, and they check with a magnet. Possession of such ammo is a match DG. Hollow points, soft points, or FMJ that isn't picked up by a magnet is OK.
They usually have different classes for semi-auto, and bolt guns so you only shoot against people with the same firearm type. I don't recall them using major/minor scoring as most of the targets are steel plates, with the exception of some paper for know your limits and target differentiation.
PM or email me for more info if you are interested.
