Thread: Te Puke Rifle Club Shoot for Hunting rifles

Te Puke Rifle Club will be holding their 2nd Hunter Class shoot for Sporting rifles which is open to the public, on Sunday the 25th of February 2018. We will try to get a flyer out in as many shops around the BoP, but just in case you don't see one, consider this post your personal invitation to attend.





HUNTER CLASS SHOOT, SUNDAY 25TH OF FEBRUARY 2018.

TE PUKE RIFLE CLUB IS HONOURED TO HOST THE BAY OF PLENTY’S SECOND OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP FOR FACTORY STANDARD SPORTING RIFLES.
THIS IS TO INTRODUCE KEEN HUNTERS TO OUR NEW HUNTER CLASS COMPETITION FOR SPORTING RIFLES TO INCREASE THEIR SKILLS AND HAVE SOME FUN AT LONGER RANGES.
THE COMPETITION WILL BE HELD OVER 300, 500 AND 600 YARDS TO BE SHOT ON SILVER MOUNTAIN ELECTRONIC TARGETS, COURSE OF FIRE – 2 CONVERTIBLE SIGHTERS PLUS FIVE ROUNDS FOR SCORE AT 300 YARDS ONCE, 500 YARDS ONCE AND 600 YARDS TWICE, ON NRANZ TARGETS. ROUND COUNT REQUIRED 7 ROUNDS PER RANGE SO 28 ROUNDS FOR THE DAY.
ALL SHOTS WILL BE FIRED PRONE, WITH RIFLES SUPPORTED BY BIPOD/BACKPACK OR SIMILAR.
ENTRY FEE IS $40.00
SCRUTINEERING STARTS AT 8.30AM AND SHOOTING WILL START AT 9.30AM
THERE WILL BE A BBQ AND REFRESHMENTS AFTER THE SHOOT

Our webpage is at Sporty Te Puke Rifle Club - Home
or find us on Facebook Te Puke Fullbore Bore Rifle Club
Range is open every Saturday during the season visitor’s welcome
Range is located on 823 Maniatutu Road, Pongakawa
THIS SHOOT IS LIMITED TO 50 PLACES, ON A FIRST IN, FIRST SERVED BASIS.
TO GIVE ALL SHOOTERS A FAIR CHANCE TO COMPETE WITH EACH OTHER WE WILL SCRUTINEER ALL RIFLES ON ARRIVAL TO SIMILAR RIFLE CATEGORIES (HUNTER/VARMINT ETC).
SPONSORED PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED

We have been told that there is a misconception among shooters that our Hunter/Sporting rifle shoot had already been held on the 28/29th of October 2017, which was the date of our prize shoot.

Our annual prize shoot is only open to our club members and members of other clubs affiliated to the NRANZ. It caters for the four classes of NRANZ target shooting, TR, FTR, F Open, and Hunter class. So while there was a Hunter class contested, it was not open to the public.

Next month on Sunday, the 25th February is when our competition for Hunting rifles will be held, and it is open to the Public.

To ensure your entry, you may book your entry with our Secretary. Details of how to contact Alan are on our webpage.

I'll try get along to this mate. What's the deal with the "factory rifle? My hunting rifle is all tikka but rechambered in 284 win. Would this be legal?

@Nick-D, I think they made provision in the rules for re-barreling if similar profile and length as "factory" barrel.

If it is a match barrel or different profile, you will be in "Hunter Open" class.

The major issue IMHO is scope magnification. Anything over 10 power magnification puts you into Open class, which does not match the vast majority of scopes on medium range rifles out there today - 4-12, 4-16, 3-18, 5-20 etc.

Also be aware that at some clubs you can shoot hunter class with a small rear beanbag, at others it has to be shoulder only, no rear support...

Hello Nick-D,
Rebarreling your rifle as EBF has said, is fine as long as it is a similar profile to the factory original. There are probably others out there, with similar questions as to what is allowed and what isn't. Short answer is that just about anything is welcome and we will group you with like gear.
Some background information;
.
The Hunter/ Sporter rules adopted by the NRANZ are,

Sporter/Hunter class
A competition for standard factory hunting rifles of any calibre that do not exceed the energy limits on NRANZ ranges.
Rifle weight will not exceed 4.1 kg (9.02 lb) and if a bipod or suppressor is fitted then they are included in the all-up weight of the rifle.
Any sights, open aperture, or optical up to 10x magnification may be used.
Ammunition can be handloads or factory ammunition using hunting or match bullets that will work in the standard factory twist rates for that calibre.
Rifles may be rebarreled if necessary, but the replacement must be the same twist rate and profile as the factory original.
Rifles may be bedded in their stocks for best performance, but any other modifications from standard, such as Bull-barrels, or barrel fluting to stay within weight, that are seen to be pursuing an unfair advantage are banned. In any competition The Match director/Range Officer has the final say on whether a rifle meets the intent of a practical, walk-around hunting rifle.
Matches are to be 2 convertible sighters and 5 shots for record on standard NRANZ targets. Scoring to be 5 & V. Normal time limits for ranges to apply.
Rifles may only be supported by a backpack or a hunting bipod (Harris, Caldwell, or similar) but no rear bag or other rear support can be used. Only the front of the rifle may be supported. The rifle must be held in the hands, clear of the ground.

To summarize; a factory hunting rifle, in any calibre up to 8mm that doesn’t exceed our energy limits. This covers most standard factory offerings, although a few magnum calibres would need research. .338 lapua and the likes are obviously out due to being over 8mm, and exceeding energy limits. The scope power is limited to 10x as this is the general maximum that the retailers include in their package deals. The idea is for hunters to be able to use the basic gear without feeling they have to purchase a high performance scope with dial-up capability, to play the game. To not restrict the gear will simply give us another F-class where performance is purchased, rather than a game of skill at arms where everyone is competing with similar gear. The same rational applies to the weight and barrel restrictions.



Moving on to our Hunter shoot, we wanted to run it so as to be open to the public, to make the public aware that there is a Range which will allow them to shoot greater distances than normally found on NZDA ranges and that our 600 yard range is well within the capabilities of any package deal from your local sports shop.
That said, we knew it would attract those shooters who were already modifying their factory rifles, with custom barrels, triggers, high-end dial-up scopes and the like. We didn’t want to turn anyone away, so the decision was to group the shooters into three classes.

Hunter; Those rifles that fitted the NRANZ recipe and that were shot with no rear support. Both hands on the rifle clear of the ground.

Hunter modified; Those rifles that exceeded the description in having an overpower scope or exceeded the weight limit with the weight of a suppressor and/or bi-pod fitted. Essentially factory rifles but out of spec due to add-ons,
Must be shot with no rear support. Both hands on the rifle clear of the ground.

Open; Those rifles that don’t fit either category through having custom barrels, triggers, stocks or target type scopes. Also those who don’t wish to abide by the rules for rifle support for the other two hunter classes. Those who may wish to use a front and rear sandbag setup for example, or those who choose to support the rear buttstock with their non-trigger hand go into open.

Originally Posted by JWB

Open; Those rifles that don’t fit either category through having custom barrels, triggers, stocks or target type scopes. Also those who don’t wish to abide by the rules for rifle support for the other two hunter classes. Those who may wish to use a front and rear sandbag setup for example, or those who choose to support the rear buttstock with their non-trigger hand go into open.

@JWB

What is a "target type scope" ? If it has graduated marking on a dial-able turret is that a target scope, even if 3-9 power ?
https://www.reloaders.co.nz/shop/Opt...x40+Scope.html
Does Leupold CDS put you into open class ?

How do the guys using non-target turrets handle elevation for 500 & 600 yds ?

What about all the 3-9 package scopes with no external markings and capped turrets... Are the competitors unscrewing the caps and making adjustments, counting clicks ? Or are they aiming off, possibly using a 300 or 500 yds zero ?

Cool thanks for the Info guys. Really wanting to get into some longer range practice so this sounds perfect. My setup is factory barrel that has just been rechambered but I have a 3-15 vx5 on there so would put me in the middle category anyway.

I'll get a whooping no doubt but I'm not fussed, I'm come along and send a few rounds in the general direction of the target

Originally Posted by ebf

@JWB

What is a "target type scope" ? If it has graduated marking on a dial-able turret is that a target scope, even if 3-9 power ?

Yes!
The concept is not to produce a target rig disguised as a hunting rifle, but to use an actual hunting rifle as supplied as a complete package by most sporting retailers. We wish people to bring what they have, as what they have is usually more than capable.
It is an attempt to shift the focus from specialized gear to occupying the remaining ranges with shooters. To have a game of skill that most hunters/shooter can join in, where the only added expense will be more ammunition.

So is the basic hunter class allowed to use a day pack for assisted front support?

Originally Posted by Woody

So is the basic hunter class allowed to use a day pack for assisted front support?

Yes!

Sporter/Hunter class
A competition for standard factory hunting rifles of any calibre that do not exceed the energy limits on NRANZ ranges.
Rifle weight will not exceed 4.1 kg (9.02 lb) and if a bipod or suppressor is fitted then they are included in the all-up weight of the rifle.
Any sights, open aperture, or optical up to 10x magnification may be used.
Ammunition can be handloads or factory ammunition using hunting or match bullets that will work in the standard factory twist rates for that calibre.
Rifles may be rebarreled if necessary, but the replacement must be the same twist rate and profile as the factory original.
Rifles may be bedded in their stocks for best performance, but any other modifications from standard, such as Bull-barrels, or barrel fluting to stay within weight, that are seen to be pursuing an unfair advantage are banned. In any competition The Match director/Range Officer has the final say on whether a rifle meets the intent of a practical, walk-around hunting rifle.
Matches are to be 2 convertible sighters and 5 shots for record on standard NRANZ targets. Scoring to be 5 & V. Normal time limits for ranges to apply.
Rifles may only be supported by a backpack or a hunting bipod (Harris, Caldwell, or similar) but no rear bag or other rear support can be used. Only the front of the rifle may be supported. The rifle must be held in the hands, clear of the ground.

Ok cool, so I take it a Leupold CDS scope will then put you into Hunter Modified, providing the reasr of hte gear qualified for hunter std

My question remains : What about all the 3-9 package scopes with no external markings and capped turrets... Are the competitors unscrewing the caps and making adjustments, counting clicks ? Or are they aiming off, possibly using a 300 or 500 yds zero ?

Originally Posted by ebf

My question remains : What about all the 3-9 package scopes with no external markings and capped turrets... Are the competitors unscrewing the caps and making adjustments, counting clicks ? Or are they aiming off, possibly using a 300 or 500 yds zero ?

I don't know what competitors are doing to cope with the elevation and wind changes while using a scope designed to be set to achieve the maximum point blank range of a rifle/cartridge combination.
I can tell you what I do though. I sight the rifle to have a 100 yard zero. At 300 yards I put 5 mins elevation on (replace the caps) and then hold off for any wind or elevation changes. At 500, 12 mins up from my 100yd zero, put the average wind I can see on the scope (replace the caps) and then hold off for any wind or elevation changes. At 600, same thing except that I will now be 17 mins up from my 100yd zero.
What others do will be up to them. Some may have wind and elevation marks on their reticle and use those, others may wish to wind their scope for each shot, while taking detailed notes of wind and changes in impact. To each their own, there is plenty of time as the time limit is the same as would be allowed for a 10 shot string even though you are only shooting five to count.

CDS is just a dial without a cap and pretty standard on hunting scopes. No different really on a 2-10x hunting scope, and the clicks are still 1/4 moa or .1 mls anyway.

Will be trying to get along to the event and others. I went along to this the other weekend ( the range not the event ) Great, friendly group of people. I sighted my rifle at 75 M on the practice range ( as I had just fitted a 10 x scope ) Then with some good spotting and advice from members I was on paper at 500 and then 600 YDS with just a bog standard wee Model 7.

Just a reminder that we are now only two weeks out from this shoot. Shooting has been rained off today, but have consulted the tea leaves, and examined the chicken livers and the omens seem favourable for good weather on the day.