I want a Distinguished badge. What do I have to do?

[PhillipM]

I've done some Garand clinics and the last one I did I won with a M1903 just to see what I could do because even though I have two excellent Garands, me and my Mark I are on the same page. I don't own an AR platform and although I'm dubious about it's combat efficiency, there is no doubt it has the best potential accuracy. I'll buy or build one if I knew what to get. As best I can tell, there are no highpower matches within several states of me in Mississippi other that Garand and vintage bolt gun matches.

Can someone please tell me what to do to get started in highpower?

[CMP Shooter]

The shortest answer I can give you, other than moving to an area where they hold EIC matches, is to go here: http://www.usrifleteams.com/
Register and go to the National Match forum on the website where you can read a subsection that tells newbies all they need to know about shooting high power.

[JohnnyM]

The Distinguished Marksmanship program is administered by the CMP or the Civilian Marksmanship Program. Go to the CMP website for information about equipment, matches, rules, times, dates, etc. Shoot as many matches as you can. Be prepared to spend ungodly amounts of time and money.

[da gimp]

Practice practice practice, there are 4 folks in our club , (Bucksnort Rifle & Pistol, Marshall, Mo.) that are rated DM's, and that's their advice.

da gimp

[PhillipM]

I've been doing that today! I've also been in contact with two DM's, Clyde Morgan and Doug Bowser. Thanks, guys

[Herschel]

Philip,

The Central Arkansas Gun Club is a very active club that holds monthly highpower matches. Their matches are held at Camp Robinson just outside North Little Rock, AR. To be competitive you will need an AR15 based rifle. That is what most match winners are shooting. Check your email for a point of contact for the CAGC.

Herschel S. Garner
Distinguished Rifleman, 1967

[dzelenka]

Phillip,

There are highpower matches (but no EIC matches) at Bogue Chitto, MS. These matches are run by Doug Bowser, but were not terribly well organized the last time I attended. There are also monthly matches at Palo Alto Rifle and Pistol Club in Donaldsonville, LA. They are on the 3rd Saturday of each month and are very well run. The match director is Jay Hunt - jdhunt3@louisianashooting.com . The LA state championship and EIC match are the 3rd weekend of October. I know at least 1 person who is coming from Jackson to that match.

Also, are you sure Doug is Distinguished? I didn't think he was.

Dan
DR1827

[dzelenka]

Oh, and the shortest way to a DR badge is with an AR.

[Hunter]

Oh, and the shortest way to a DR badge is with an AR.

What he said. In 1998 I looked down the line at Camp Perry and counted less than 7 non-AR's. None of the Nat'l Champions shoot M1 Rifles and haven't since forever. That's not to say I don't love 'em. I do. But to go distinguished? You're right: You need an AR. I'm nowhere near shooting Distinguished (I'm Expert and on occasion have shot Master scores) and I have enormous respect for those who have received the DR. You have to shoot like a machine in all weather conditions. I recommend you get a White Oak Armament NM AR. www.whiteoakarmament.com
Oh yeah, get a Dillon 550 and LOTS of match ammo components. You're going to need them. Good luck! H.

[PhillipM]

Thanks for the info on Donaldsonville, I drove through there last year. I guess was mistaken about Doug. Clyde is an NRA lifetime high master in highpower and a distiguished badge. He has a practical rifle course he's doing next month that I will attend.

I'll buy an AR, either the white oak or the RRA when I come up with some scratch, but just to get my feet wet and figure out what I'm doing I don't see a problem with the M1. It's amazing that an AR can shoot rings around an M1A for less than half the money.

dzelenka, Where are you located?

[dzelenka]

Phillip,

I am in Covington, LA. I am also the President of the Louisiana Shooting Association, the assistant Match Director at Palo Alto, and I run the junior service rifle program in LA.

The deal out there is the White Oak Armament Service Rifle upper with pinned sights for $750. Any decent lower with a RRA or Geisselle (whichever your wallet can bear) trigger completes the package. With this set-up you can go Distinguished. The rest is technique and practice.

The AR will allow you to progress faster than an M1 or M1A, even if they are super accurate service rifles. The AR is more forgiving of a less than perfect position. It is also more accurate, has better sights and is less fatiguing over the course of a day. Price of quality ammo is also much better so you will practice more. Get your AR as soon as reasonable.

The only difference between a Marksman and a High Master is the ability to execute the basics consistently. The basics of which I speak are natural point of aim, sight alignment, sight picture, focus on the front sight, trigger break and follow through. If you do nothing else, make sure your natural point of aim is PERFECT, your focus is on the front sight and your follow through is consistent. You should be able to see where the front sight is when the trigger breaks.

Dan

[dzelenka]

I also noticed in your pictures that you are shooting without a coat. Do yourself a favor. Buy a Creedmoor hardback heavy coat as soon as you can.

[PhillipM]

Thanks for the info, a jacket is on my list. What do you do in the summer to keep from overheating in the jackets? I work outside and am used to the heat and humidity but I'd be a sweaty mess in a jacket. Are the vests that Dan Shapiro is talking about in the jackets thread worthwhile for this climate?


Jeff, I might add that the guys in Arizona have a light weight vest they pull from their ice chest when it gets really hot.
Here's an example, and there are many out there.
http://www.arcticheatusa.com/
Once or twice during the year, I clean my coat with a spray 'dry cleaner'. The rest of the time, a splash of "Frabreeze" keeps me
from 'offending

[Maury Krupp]

What do you do in the summer to keep from overheating in the jackets?
At a properly run match you're not really in your coat all that much. The longest is (or should be) about 30min at a stretch.

When you are in your coat try a wet rag under your hat or one of those cooler bandanas. Have a good absorbent towel to wipe your face, hands, and stock.

The rest of the time do the same things you do any time you're out in the heat: Hydrate and stay hydrated, keep your electrolyte level up, dress appropriately including a hat that provides shade.

You get used to it.

Maury

[John Kepler]

Ditto what Maury said! Try to operate in the KISS Principal as much as you can. That DRB is about you, not the "gadgets" you buy. Read the "Dad" Farr story that Maj. Culver wrote every time you feel the need to scratch that "I need to biuy something to shoot better" itch! The longest you will EVER be locked up in that coat is at Camp Perry where "boat in the impact area" delays on the line are maddeningly frequent. In most cases, you in are and out of that coat in 30 min at worst, and nothiing you are going to buy is going to change that, or make you sweat any less. The best solution is to carry several bottles of Gatorage in place of any "cool-suit", and stay hydrated. Besides....you'll be amazed at how good you can feel when you doff that coat after a good string!

[dzelenka]

I use an underarmor T-shirt and either a long sleeve cotton T or a sweat shirt depending on the position (T-shirt for standing). When you take off the coat during the summer down here, if feels like air conditioning. :^) Seriously, you are only in the coat for short lengths of time. Staying hydrated is the most important. A wet rag on your head or the back of your neck feels good on those 100+ heat index days while you are shooting slow prone. A plus for shooting down here is that even hot days at Perry feel like welcome relief. Perry is a refreshing respite to July and August in South Louisiana.

[dzelenka]

I agree with John about another thing - going Distinguished is not about getting the right "gadget" or the "perfect load". You should buy the best quality you can afford in a coat, rifle and scope. A really good and reliable trigger is a plus. Beyond that, develop a good handload, load a lot of it and practice. When you find a load that will shoot under 3/4 MOA in your rifle. Stop worrying about your load and concentrate on your shooting. Finding a load that will shoot 3/4 in an AR is not hard and you may stumble on one even better, but don't waste a lot of time trying to get from 3/4 to 1/2 MOA. Other things are costing you more points than your ammo.

Dan

[Maury Krupp]

I'll piggyback on what John and Mr Zelenka say about loads and go as far as non-safety related load development for Service Rifle is pretty much a waste of time.

The AR has been in use long enough for the "industry standard" loads that work well enough in any rifle to be figured out. That's even more true for .30cal.

Pick one of these loads, test enough to be sure it won't blow up your gun, make a cubic-buttload of them, then go practice.

The 10-ring is 2MOA; it doesn't take much of a load for the ammo to hold that. If *YOU* can hold 2MOA (and read wind and don't make any stupid mistakes and don't clank-up in the knee-high breeze) you'll shoot a 500-with lots of Xs. That will leg *anywhere* :icon_wink:

Maury

[dzelenka]

There is that "YOU" factor to contend with. :>)

[Sharpsman]

Phillip,

There are highpower matches (but no EIC matches) at Bogue Chitto, MS. These matches are run by Doug Bowser, but were not terribly well organized the last time I attended. There are also monthly matches at Palo Alto Rifle and Pistol Club in Donaldsonville, LA. They are on the 3rd Saturday of each month and are very well run. The match director is Jay Hunt - jdhunt3@louisianashooting.com . The LA state championship and EIC match are the 3rd weekend of October. I know at least 1 person who is coming from Jackson to that match.



Also, are you sure Doug is Distinguished? I didn't think he was.

Dan
DR1827

Bowser?? Distinguished??

Dang...if that's the case....I think I'll turn the one I earned years ago in!!

[dzelenka]

Bowser?? Distinguished??

Dang...if that's the case....I think I'll turn the one I earned years ago in!!

I checked around and I am certain he is not. So, who are you, hiding behind the alias. Do you shoot in MS or LA?

[Sharpsman]

I've won the La. and Miss. HP Championship twice. Last registered match I fired was in Texas; won the Texas State HP Long Range Championship that year!

When the 'Rat Gun' came into being....I quit! I hate that damn thing with a dying passion!!

[PhillipM]

Sharpsman, I was mistaken about Doug, my apologies. It would be fun to shoot with you informally one day if you are around.

Anyway back to topic I have a former Marine friend with an AR that has been hitting me up to shoot so I took him and his son to the range yesterday to play/practice. While inspecting his AR, a Colt post ban HB, he said he always wanted to get into shooting matches and that's why he bought it. He's originally from Bourg, Louisiana so shooting in the canefields will be like a homecoming to him.

[dzelenka]

I've won the La. and Miss. HP Championship twice. Last registered match I fired was in Texas; won the Texas State HP Long Range Championship that year!

When the 'Rat Gun' came into being....I quit! I hate that damn thing with a dying passion!!

Like it or not, the "Rat Gun' will shoot rings around the big .30s. If you quit before the AR became popular, you probably haven't competed since the late 90s. That is before my time.

[Maury Krupp]

Like it or not, the "Rat Gun' will shoot rings around the big .30s.,,
Ahem,

That should be "The ratgun will often alllow the shooter to shoot rings around another shooter with a .30"

A ten is still a ten and an X is still an X. Both a ratgun and a .30 can put holes in the middle if the shooter points it there.

It's just normally easier and always cheaper with a ratgun.

And usually not as much fun either :icon_jokercolor:

Maury

[dzelenka]

Maury,

Because I have accomplished pretty much what I set out to do with a Service Rifle, I no longer feel compelled to bring my AR to every match. Regular monthly matches see me with a variety of "antiques". Last month, an M1A was calling to me so I shot it for the first time in quite a while. Even without zeros I managed a 481-12X with it, including a 193-7X slow prone (I just couldn't see the target well enough with the big rear aperture to get a score that the rifle is capable of). It was good for 2nd overall out of 31 shooters. The winner shot a 198-8X slow prone with an AR SR to knock me out.

Once, I went to the local 200 yd match with a stock K-31 just to show that it could be done. I managed a solid EX score with it. That was a lot of fun. :D

Oh, I think that the average rat gun is more accurate than all but the very very best .30s. The best of the ARs are really difficult to beat in the accuracy dept.

[Collector497]

And usually not as much fun either :icon_jokercolor:


Winning is always fun. And in service rifle, there's a better chance to do that with an AR than the .30 cal guns we started shooting with. It all depends on your personal reasons for shooting.

[John Kepler]

Lik If you quit before the AR became popular, you probably haven't competed since the late 90s. That is before my time.

More like mid-90's...which is one hell of a long time ago as far as Highpower is concerned. By 1996 80% of all Service Rifles at the Nationals were AR's, by 1998, it was over 95%. How can anyone go so far as to say they "hate" (with a "passion") an inanimate object???? It's in the same logical universe as "hating" a hoe or a Crescent wrench...a non sequitur.

[Bill D]

Having used them both, I don't have any trouble hateing either a hoe or a crescent wrench.

Not real wild about the "plastic fantastic" either.

[John Kepler]

.

Not real wild about the "plastic fantastic" either.

In over 45 years of shooting, most of it in some flavor of competition, I have YET to see a target that was the least bit impressed by the appearance or pedigree of the firearm shooting at it....what shoots best, IS best. AR's shoot better than any of the other alternatives. BTW, "hating" inanimate objects is a pathology that can be treated.