High Power Rifle Matches
BERPC holds monthly High Power Rifle matches each year from April to September. Participants fire from multiple positions at 100 yards using centerfire rifles. Matches follow the NRA Official Rules for High Power Rifle Matches.
High Power Rifle matches are open to non-BERPC members. Match fees are $12.00 for BERPC members and $18.00 for non-members.
Course of Fire
Courses of fire include slow and rapid fire from the standing, sitting and prone positions. Each match requires 50 rounds (not including rounds fired during the sighting in period) fired at 100 yards as follows:
- Offhand (prep: 3 minutes, shoot: 10 minutes)
- 10 rounds; manual, single load
- SR-1 target
- Sitting - Rapid Fire (prep: 3 minutes, shoot: 60 seconds)
- 10 rounds with magazine change (service rifle: 2 & 8; bolt-action: 5 & 5)
- SR-1 target
- Prone - Rapid Fire (prep: 3 minutes, shoot: 70 seconds)
- 10 rounds with magazine change (service rifle: 2 & 8; bolt-action: 5 & 5)
- SR-21 target
- Prone - Slow Fire (prep: 3 minutes, shoot: 20 minutes)
- 20 rounds; manual, single load
- MR-31 target
For Missouri Department of Conservation ranges, where prone positions are not feasible and shooters are required to fire from within the booths, the following modifications will be made to the listed courses of fire:
- Offhand
- standing without any external means of support
- Rapid Fire
- a minimum of 3 seconds between shots
- violating this rule can result in a permanent loss of range privileges for the club
- Sitting
- a seated position with no part of the upper body in contact with the shooting table
- use of a sling is permitted
- Prone
- sitting on the bench seat
- upper body (e.g. elbows, chest) may be in contact with the shooting table
- use of a sling is permitted
- Equipment Modification
- Because these matches no longer meet NRA requirements for High-Power matches, exceptions that do not result in a scoring advantage, such as the use of a suppressor, are permitted. Contact the Match Director to request/approve exceptions.
Required & Recommended Equipment
Required Equipment
To accomodate more shooters, BERPC adheres to the "any rifle" designation as defined in paragraph 3.2 of the rule book. There are no restrictions on sights or accessories, but caliber is limited to .35 or smaller.
- A minimum of 2 clips or magazines appropriate for loading the rifle per the match rules
- Eye and ear protection
- Minimum of 50 rounds (sighting-in period will require additional rounds)
Recommended Equipment
A lot of equipment is available to help improve comfort and performance, but much of it is based on personal preferences. BERPC recommends giving the match a try and talking to experienced shooters before investing; however, the equipment listed below will be helpful.
- A shooting mat for firing from the prone position is highly recommended (a blanket or foam pad may be substituted, but inflatable mattresses will not provide a stable platform for shooting).
- Shooters will want to invest in a quality spotting scope, but it isn’t necessary in order to get started.
When and Where
When: Once a month on Saturday or Sunday morning from April thru September (see the match calendar for exact dates). Matches begin at 8:00 AM and last for just under two hours; setup begins at 7:30 AM. Shooters should show up at 7:30 to give themselves enough time to get prepared for first shots at 8:00. Shooting cannot start until 8:00. It is imperative that shooters arrive promptly for setup at 7:30.
Where: High Power Rifle matches are held at the August A Busch Memorial Conservation Area Shooting Range.