Forgive my ignorance but I feel like I missed something somewhere. I have a 308 with a "Palma" barrel. Looks like any other barrel. I have both 155gr 308 bullets and identical ones marked "Palma". I understand that "Palma" is a form of competition, like BR, F-Class, XTC, and a handful of others as well. What specifically is "Palma" hardware that differs it from others? IE, are "Palma" barrels restricted to a specific twist? Freebore? I do know about the caliber restrictions.
The 'Palma' name is trademarked and owned by the US Palma teams. (Note, I use the plural as there are East and West coast teams, although the USA fields a joint team in the four-yearly 'Palma' competition.)
The 4-yearly 'Palma' international competition and the name itself are really, really something with huge prestige. The US teams jealously guard the name and you'll soon receive lawyers' letters if you launch an unauthorised 'Palma' range of rifles, bullets or whatever.
'Palma' competition is 1) a prone slowfire discipline for iron-sighted 223/308 cal rifles only, no rifle rests or supports allowed other than a rifle sling; 2) a course of fire - 15 shots at each of 800, 900, and 1,000 yards; 3) an ICFRA (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Confederation_of_Fullbore_Rifle_Associations ) regulated international team competition held every four years and limited to USA, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa with the match venue rotating around these countries, the 2019 matches held in New Zealand for instance.
In the US, the 'Palma' designation is widely applied to the slowfire, prone iron-sighted discipline run across the country and US or even local rules apply. In the British Commonwealth countries, the discipline is called 'Target Rifle' and 'Palma' is only used where the competition meets the 3-distance Palma course of fire and the international teams meetings.
Although 223 Rem is an eligible cartridge, the international match competitors have never used it AFAIK, so 308 Win only, and in the international match, bullets must weigh 'less than 156gn', ie 155 or 155.5gn commercial models. This rule was introduced in 1992 and IIRC, at that time the host nation supplied ammunition to all teams, the US supplying it loaded with the original Sierra 155gn MK #2155. In recognition of Sierra's efforts in designing the bullet, supplying it and assisting in the ammunition development, the company was granted the privilege of using the 'Palma' name and emblem (based on the Palma trophy which in turn is based on ancient Roman standards) on these bullets - since moved to the later #2156 upgraded design.
Some 12 or 15 years ago, the US Teams asked Lapua in Finland to develop a small primer / small flash-hole 308 Win case for trials in the US. After concluding this form offers ES/SD reductions compared to standard large primer brass, Lapua made the case available to all purchasers as well as supplying the US International Palma Team. As with Sierra and its 155s, Lapua was given the right to use the 'Palma' name on this model of 308 case only. (There are other makes of high-quality SP 308 brass from Peterson etc, but the makers can't use the 'Palma' name.)
