Here is a listing of weapons and other equipment used on our matches. Most of the equipment is desired but not required to compete on local matches, must clubs have very nice people that would share or allow you to use or try the equipment before purchasing or committing to the sport. To get started, you just need a weapon, ammunition and the will to try and improve. Don't feel overwhelmed, by all the guns and equipment listed on this page. take your time, keep coming to matches and slowly build your way up, of course, if you have a boat load of money to use, then spend away and have a good time!
Weapons
The M1 Garand is a .30 caliber semi-automatic rifle that was the standard U.S. service rifle during World War II and the Korean War and also saw limited service during the Vietnam War. Most M1 rifles were issued to U.S. forces, though many hundreds of thousands were also provided as foreign aid to American allies. The Garand is still used by drill teams and military honor guards. It is also widely used by civilians for hunting, target shooting, and as a military collectible.
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The Springfield Armory M1A is a civilian version of the M14 rifle designed and manufactured by Springfield Armory, Inc. in 1974. The term "M1A" is a proprietary title for Springfield Armory's M14-pattern rifle. Early M1A rifles were built with surplus G.I. parts until Springfield Armory, Inc. began manufacturing their own. The M14 was developed to take the place of four different weapons systems—the M1 rifle, the M1 Carbine, the M3 "Grease Gun" and the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR). The M14 could simplify the logistical requirements of the troops by limiting the types of ammunition and parts needed to be supplied.
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The M1903 A1, A2, A3 Springfield, is an American five round magazine fed, bolt-action servicerepeating rifle, used primarily during the first half of the 20th century. It was officially adopted as a United States military bolt-action rifle on June 19, 1903, and saw service in World War I. It was officially replaced as the standard infantry rifle by the faster-firing semi-automatic eight-round M1 Garand starting in 1937.
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The M1917 Enfield, the "American Enfield", formally named "United States Rifle, cal .30, Model of 1917" was an American modification and production of the British .303-inch (7.7 mm) P14 rifle (listed in British Service as Rifle No. 3) developed and manufactured during the period 1917–1918. Numerically, it was the main rifle used by the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe during World War I. The Danish Slædepatruljen Sirius still use the M1917 as their service weapon.
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The .30-40 Krag (also called .30 U.S., or .30 Army) was a cartridge developed in the early 1890s to provide the U.S. armed forces with a smokeless powder cartridge suited for use with modern small-bore repeating rifles to be selected in the 1892 small arm trials. Since the cartridge it was replacing was the .45-70 Government, the round was considered small-bore at the time. The design selected was ultimately the Krag–Jørgensen, formally adopted as the M1892 Springfield. It was also used in M1893 and later Gatling guns.
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The Karabiner Model 1931 (K31) is a magazine-fed, straight-pull bolt action rifle. It was the standard issue rifle of the Swiss armed forces from 1933 until 1958 though examples remained in service into the 1970s. It has a 6-round removable magazine, and is chambered for the 7.5×55mm SwissGewehrpatrone 1911 or GP 11, a cartridge with ballistic qualities similar to the 7.62×51mm NATO/.308 Winchester cartridge. Each rifle included a 6-round detachable box magazine with matching stamped serial number. A charger is used to load the magazine from the top of the receiver.
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The Mauser is a German arms manufacturer of a line of bolt-action rifles and semi-automatic pistols since the 1870s. Mauser designs were built for the German armed forces. Since the late 19th and early 20th centuries, military Mauser designs were also exported and licensed to a number of countries, as well as being a popular civilian firearm. Mauser continued to make sporting and hunting rifles in the late 20th century.
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The SKS is a Soviet semi-automatic carbine chambered for the 7.62×39mm round, designed in 1943 by Sergei Gavrilovich Simonov. Its complete designation, SKS-45, is an initialism for Samozaryadnyj Karabin sistemy Simonova, 1945 Self-loading Carbine of (the) Simonov system, 1945). The SKS-45 was manufactured at Tula Arsenal from 1949-1958 and at Izhevsk Arsenal in just 1953 and 1954, resulting in a total Soviet production of about 2.7 million carbines. In the early 1950s, the Soviets took the SKS carbine out of front-line service and replaced it with the AK-47; however, the SKS remained in second-line service for decades.
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The Colt AR-15 is a lightweight, 5.56×45mm, magazine-fed, air-cooled semi-automatic, gas-operated rifle with a rotating bolt. It was designed to be manufactured with the extensive use of aluminum alloys and synthetic materials. Introduced in 1964, Colt has made many different types of AR-15 rifle and carbine models: including the AR-15, AR-15A2, AR-15A3, Sporter, HBAR, Government, Target, Match and many other models. It is based on the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle, a select-fire weapon intended for military sales.
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The M4 carbine is a shorter and lighter variant of the M16A2 assault rifle. The M4 is a 5.56×45mm NATO, air-cooled, direct impingement gas-operated, magazine-fed carbine. It has a 14.5 in (370 mm) barrel and a telescoping stock. The M4 carbine is heavily used by the United States Armed Forces and is replacing the M16 rifle in most United States Army and United States Marine Corps combat units as the primary infantry weapon
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The AK-47, or AK as it is officially known (also known as the Kalashnikov) is a selective-fire (semi-automatic and automatic), gas-operated 7.62×39 mmassault rifle, developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known in the Soviet documentation as Avtomat Kalashnikova. Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year of World War II (1945). In 1946, the AK-47 was presented for official military trials, and in 1948, the fixed-stock version was introduced into active service with selected units of the Soviet Army. An early development of the design was the AKS (S--Skladnoy or "folding"), which was equipped with an underfolding metal shoulder stock.
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The AKM "Kalashnikov modernized automatic rifle") is a 7.62mm assault rifle designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is a common modernized variant of the AK-47 rifle developed in the 1940s. Introduced into service with the Soviet Army in 1959, the AKM is the most ubiquitous variant of the entire AK series of firearms and it has found widespread use with most member states of the former Warsaw Pact and its many African and Asian allies as well as being widely exported and produced in many other countries.
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Other Equipment
The shooting mat should be resilient, flexible, and would last for years especially in the most extreme of outdoor conditions and demands. The overall construction and materials used to make the mat play a crucial role in its ability to withstand pressure and outdoor elements and stay in tip top shape for years. You can find well priced mats at Cabela's, Midway USA, Creedmoor Sports and many other online/retailers
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A range cart makes life much easier, particularly if the shooting area’s a long way from the parking lot. Creedmoor Sports makes a folding range cart that is very popular with the iron sights crowd. This unit features 14″ ball-bearing wheels and the frame is made from solid aluminum–not lightweight tubing that can bend or crack. Lift a simple locking lever and the cart folds. The cart can be completely dis-assembled, without tools, to fit in a suitcase (collapsed size 30″ x 17″ x 8″).
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The Shooting Coat or Jacket is specifically designed for either Smallbore or highpower rifle shooting. These jackets have features that will help improve your scores by maintaining posture, lowering "Pulse" noise with extra padding at sling fit, elbow protection for prone position and many other features. This is the one essential equipment you want to make sure you don't go cheap on. Prices range from low $100's to $500's. Creedmor Sports is a good source for this necessary piece of apparel.
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A spotting scope is a small telescope that has been modified for use by day. A spotting scope differs from an astronomical telescope in several important ways. First, a spotting scope always produces an upright image whereas a telescope used in astronomy may produce a reversed image or even an upside down image (not a problem for astronomy). You should get a spotting scope that fits your shooting needs based on match distance. You would want to get a scope that you can see targets up to 300 yds. Price would be determined by brand and scope power.
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The Shooting Glove is not for fashion statement. Non-slip material in the palm and on the back of the hand eliminates your hand from sliding on the stock or the sling eliminating movement during recoil. This glove has a cross slot at the back for better bending. But, you still get the support in the wrist to solidify your positions. The open finger option allows your fingers to breathe and not get as sweaty on those hot summer days. Meets ISSF and NRA rules. Creedmor Sports has a great selection and a wide range of prices.
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