Service v. Match grade?

[mshiermd]

The high power bug has only recently bitten me. I acquired an AR-15 (RRA) carbine and found the fun of longer distance shooting. In speaking with a few of the shooters at my club, I am convinced that I will need to expand my equipment. I have a few elementary questions about the rifles.

1) What are the requirements for competition in the service rifle category?
2) What are the requirements for competition in the match grade category?
3) Caliber?
4) Barrel?
5) Trigger?
6) Sights?
7) Sling?
8) Jacket?

Thanks for your patience.

[30Cal]

Here's the NRA rules on-line
http://www.nrahq.org/compete/RuleBooks/HPR/hpr-index.pdf

Section 3 Equipment and Ammunition will answer your questions.

The standard service rifle setup that most everyone uses is an A2 upper with a 1:7" twist heavy barrel, float tube and 1/4 or 1/2 MoA sights. The basic rule is that you cannot alter the external profile (float tube sling swivel and rear sight hood are two specific exceptions) or the GI A2 or A4 rifles. The smallest adjustment you should ever make is 1/2MoA. The 1/4 MoA sight is nice when you want to hedge your bet between a half and full minute. There are different flavors of rear aperature sizes. The Turner or Tam sling are the two most popular. Trigger must lift a 4.5lb weight. I would go with RRA or Geiselle if you have the money.

[Scorch]

In addition to the NRA rulebook, you should look at the DCM Rulebook. Endorsed matches use or OR the other rulebook. Many of the rules are the same, but some critical ones are different.
http://www.odcmp.com/Competitions/Rulebook.pdf

For scopes, scorebooks, jackets, carts, try Creedmor Sports
http://www.creedmoorsports.com/store/home.php?cat=355

[mshiermd]

Thank you for the help. Will Look the sites up post haste.

[Tim R]

Service rifle can be a M-1 Garand, M1-A or AR-15, or even a 03. The Service rifle can use National Match sights which are finer than battle sights. The M-1 Garand can be in '06 or 308. The M-1A shoots 308 and the AR shoots 223. The M-1 Garand and M-1A can use oversized stocks for added weight but the contours must approximate service rifle stocks. The AR can be a flat top with a detactable carry handle but most use the A-2 style. Most use lead in the butt stock and under the hand guards for added weight.

For an AR, I would use 1/4 X 1/4 moa sights. About the best a wood gun, (M-1/M-1A) can do is 1/2 X 1/2 which works well in most cases. I like the the 1/4 X 1/4 sights on my AR because I can adjust it a little finer at all ranges.

223 is also the cheapest to shoot, reloader or not.

For the 30's, a 10 to 1 twist seems to be popular but some use a 11 to 1 or 12 to 1 twist without problem. For 223 I would recommend a 7 to 1 twist. The 7 to 1 twist will shoot pretty much anything you feed it from 52 to 90 gr. bullets. Most use 77 gr SMK's for 2 and 300 yards with the 80 gr SMK used at 600.

Since you have a RRA receiver for the AR, this is what I would do. Get an A-2Butt stock. These are easy to install.

Get a RRA 2 stage trigger. Send the trigger to White Oak Precession and order a service rifle upper. When you get these in the mail you will have a top shelf service rifle! A WOP tuned RRA 2 stage is one of the better AR triggers as John does a good job of tuning them. John's uppers are also tack drivers. You can change the uppers with the push of a couple of pins. The trigger is not all that hard to change. The butt stock will take you a few more minutes to change out but you can use the same receiver for both the service rifle and the carbine. You won't want to change out the trigger once you change though....this is because you will like it.

Sling....Turner leather at least 56 inches long.

Coat....Creedmore canvas hard back.

Scope..Champions Choice has some good low cost scopes which seem to do well. If you want the best in a KOWA check out OK Weber.

Scope Stand...I would check OK Weber and see if they have any Ewing stands in stock.

Stool....Creedmore has some nice stools but so does RAY VIN. Expensive isn't all ways the best way to go how ever. About the only place you really need wheels is Perry.

Shooters mat...Creedmore or Champions Choice are good places to look too.

Glove...There are a lot of choices to pick from. Basic works well.

Match rifle is about anything a service rifle is not. Back in the day Match rifles were bolt guns with Globe sights. Today they can be that or most use a AR based space gun. WOP builds those too. If you have young eyes I would go with a service rifle and save the match rifle for when you are old. Match rifles do come in about any caliber you want, the question is how much recoil do you want to deal with?

Good luck. The nice thing is once you bought all of your equipment it lasts for a long time. Sometimes you can find used which is also a good way to go.

[MythBuster]

Just buy a Rock River NM A2. It is ready to go out of the box. It will shoot a high master score if you can.

[30Cal]

Just for clarification, the 1903 is not a Service Rifle under CMP or NRA rules.

Ty

[mshiermd]

Thanks Tim,

That certainly is a plethora of good information!

[Tim R]

Just buy a Rock River NM A2. It is ready to go out of the box. It will shoot a high master score if you can.


Granted, the RRA NM is the best out of the box ready to go win rifle there is. However, since he already has the receiver, he would be within a few dollars of the price of the RRA NM and have an absolutley awesome service rifle.

My second WOP upper should be here in the next week or so. I'll have just enough time to check load development, and get zero's before it's off to Perry we go.