Service Rifle rules question

[XTR]

I've been planning to start shooting a few service rifle competitions for a while now. There has been a lonely White Oak upper in my safe for a few yrs waiting for a lower and I've finally put it together and I bought myself a sling. So, short of ammo and a single feed follower, and an loading block for standing I'm pretty well set (picked up a used jacket about a yr ago)

So now I'm reading the rules to try to understand how this works and I've hit something that confuses me.

From the NRA rules:

3.3.2 NRA Any Sight Match Rifle/Tactical Rifle - Same as NRA Match Rifle Rule 3.3 except there is no
restriction as to sights. The following restrictions will apply:
(a) No person firing an any sight rifle under 3.3.2 will be allowed to compete with any other group of shooters
who are also firing. A competitor using an any sight rifle under Rule 3.3.2 will only be eligible for awards in
their own division.
(b) Bipods may be attached but not utilized. Ammunition will be restricted to no larger than .35 caliber.
(c) Competitors may use a service rifle equipped with optic sights to compete under this rule. Competitors
using service rifles described in Rules 3.1(c) and 3.1(d) may remove the carry handle to allow mounting of
the optic sight.

What confuses me here is that I didn't think that rifles used under rule 3.1(c) you were allowed to compete in service rifle with a removable carry handle. Is this a change? or was I mistaken? I know I read something at some point in the last few yrs that said that a removable carry handle moved you out of service rifle and into something else ("any" maybe?)

I guess it really doesn't matter now because my White Oak is an A2 style upper.

 

[rminut]

the CMP changed the rules several years ago to allow removeable carry handle uppers.

 

[hoverp]

True, my NM has a removable handle.

Good to go.

 

[navyrad8r]

XTR,
A few years ago the service rifle rules changed to allow the A4 configuration but you must use the carrying handle iron sights. you may take the handle off and put a scope on but you will go to match rifle class. then even more recently i am pretty sure that the M4 is allowed with optics but again not in the service rifle class. check that last part. i learned on the mighty M14 and transitioned to the mouse gun. tha other thing to mention is that the M110 (ar 10 service rifle) is also allowed and has a detatchable carrying handle as well. same rules go for those guys too. If you are working on your distingished badge, best of luck to you on your journey. IMHO skip the off hand loading block and get the ammo holder that goes on your coat pocket. you can find them at creedmoore sports, champion shooters supply, and champions choice to name a few. most are caliber specific to either .308 or the 5.56. put an ad here and you might find one as well. i hope this helps.
cheers,
doc

 

[rminut]

sometimes it's not good to mention the M110 as a service rifle in the same paragraph as CMP (i.e. distinguished badge). The CMP does not allow the M110 or optics. NRA SR rules usually follow the CMP but in these two cases they don't.

 

[XTR]

Thanks guys. I had a feeling that the rules may have changed to accommodate the fact that the M4 is now and has been an issue weapon for a while, but it was just a guess.

If I had known a while back I probably wouldn't have bought an A2 upper. A match rifle with a scope on it would make a heck of a coyote gun, oh well.

Oh, when I said "loading block" I meant one of the pocket blocks from Creedmoor with holes for your record shots + 2 sighters. With out ever using one they look like the way to go.

navyrad8r, at this point my goals are just to participate in some of the matches at Oak Ridge. I'm competing in F-TR these days and we shoot a full schedule of long range matches between March and October, add in maybe doing a match or two at ADEC and the state championship there, Camp Perry if they let F class come back, (and I don't see why they wouldn't, they have the firing points and I think participation will grow if they let it), and the Nationals at Raton and I have about 30 or more match days in the 8 months of the shooting season. It's pretty much 2 weekends a month w/o travel and I travel a ton for work. My wife and sons need to see me once in a while, and I need to mow the lawn from time to time.

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

My Service Rifle is also an A2. I believe the problem with the A4 design with the removable handle is that the incorported rear sight does not have enough travel to get to 600 yards. I heard that someone had a a special handle for that, but that was some years back.

I do agree that an A4 design would be more desirable so as to mount optics "in the off-season."

 

[Jonathan Zimmerman]

As bayou shooter mentioned, I too was worried that the A4 would not make it to 600 yards. When I was trying to decide which upper to go with, I contacted multiple manufactures about that issue. None had experienced that trouble. I can also tell you for a fact that the Rock River NM A4 will make 600 easily. I would imagine they all will, especially if they are marked as a national match version. I hope that information helps someone. Jonathan