A traditional .22 rimfire Schuetzen rifle match, organized as closely as possible to the
Schuetzenfest competitions held in America during their heyday, 1890–1917. The aim is
to honor that legacy, reward the steady offhand shooter, and share good camaraderie.
Eligible Rifles
This is a single-shot rifle, Schuetzen-style match. Eligible single-shot
rifles are of .22 Short or .22 Long Rifle caliber, patented and manufactured
prior to 1917 or faithfully reproduced replicas. Any contestant may also shoot non-Schuetzen
single-shot rifles, provided the action and construction conform to the pre-1917 patent date
for sporting or military rifles.
The shooter uses the same rifle with the same sights for every segment of
the match — no changing rifle or sight configuration once the match begins.
Ammunition
Ammunition is limited to .22 Short and .22 Long Rifle, loaded with lead or
plated bullets, at a factory-stated velocity of not more than 1,250 feet per second.
Sights & Scopes
Rifles may be equipped with iron sights, scopes, or tube sights. Sights and
scopes must conform to the standard of the industry prior to 1917:
No larger than a ¾-inch tube with no more than a
1½-inch objective bell, and no internal reticle adjustments.
(Magnification depends on your competition class — see below.)
Tube sights conforming to the same restrictions are acceptable.
All Unertl, Fecker, Lyman, Winchester, Stevens, Malcolm and Litschert
scopes meeting these restrictions are acceptable regardless of patent or manufacturing date
— including faithful reproductions of them.
No micrometer target sights such as Olympic-style Lyman or Redfield models.
Competition Classes
Every shooter enters in one of the classes below. Prizes are pooled and paid
within each class, so you compete against like-equipped rifles.
◆ Vintage Iron Sight
Original or reproduction iron / aperture sights only — no optics of any kind.
◆ Vintage Scope
A qualifying period-style scope built to the construction rules above, at
10× magnification maximum.
The traditional 100-yard match is shot in these
two classes only. An Open Class (unlimited magnification) is currently offered at the
50-foot indoor/outdoor matches.
◆ Open Class
The same scope construction (¾″ tube, ≤ 1½″ bell,
no internal reticle adjustments), but with no magnification limit — bring any power.
Firing Position
All segments are shot offhand, with no support. No shooting coats, gloves, or
other clothing providing support to the shooter is allowed. Offhand stands (with or without
cartridge blocks) are permitted for safety in clearing and reloading, but must not assist the
shooter in making a shot.
There is no sight-in period before or during the match.
Sighting shots are permitted only on a match's designated sighter target
(such as the Schuetzen match's SS sighter bull); the other segments have no separate sight-in.
Handicapped shooters are welcome, and will shoot from an unsupported firing position in
conformance with the safety standards and rules of the match.
Conduct & Safety
All firearms on the premises are carried muzzle vertical with an empty-chamber
indicator installed. Rifles may be stored in the rack provided or a case of the
shooter's choice.
Every contestant is a guest and will conduct themselves accordingly. Rude or disrespectful
conduct, as determined by the Schuetzenmeister, will not be tolerated and may
result in ejection from the property and forfeiture of all paid entry fees.
Course of Fire — 100 Yards
All segments are shot at 100 yards, except the Schuetzen / Silhouette match,
which is fired at scaled distances:
Chickens
40 yards
Pigs
65 yards
Turkeys
76 yards
Rams
100 yards
Honor Match — 3 rounds
3 rounds for score on the 100-yard Wyoming Schuetzen Union German Ring target. 5 minutes to fire.
Schuetzen Match — 10 rounds
10 rounds for score on the 100-yard Wyoming Schuetzen Union German Ring target
(rings 10–25, 25 in the center) — 250 possible. 10 minutes to fire.
Man Match — 5 rounds
5 rounds for score on the 100-yard "Man" target. 5 minutes to fire.
Schuetzen / Silhouette — 20 rounds
5 rounds at each of four 3/8-scale NRA Pistol Silhouette targets (chicken, pig, turkey, ram),
20 rounds total, 5 minutes. Targets are reactive — a hit counts only if the silhouette
leaves the rail in full. The shooter paints and resets the targets shot.
Bracket Match — predicted score
Before the match, each shooter estimates their final total score on a signed equipment card.
The three contestants finishing closest to their estimate win 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the Bracket.
King Match — 1 shot, winner takes all
One shot for score on a 1908 German Schuetzen target. Only one shooter is on the line at a time;
other contestants spot from behind the line. On a center hit, the time-honored cry of
"Fünf und Zwanzig!" rings out from the gallery. Contestants sign the target beside their shots.
Course of Fire — 50 Feet (Indoor / Outdoor)
The same disciplines, adapted to a 50-foot range with reduced targets, and with
the Know Your Limits match added. Exact target scaling and any silhouette distances
are set by the Schuetzenmeister for the range in use.
Honor Match — 3 rounds
3 rounds for score on the reduced German Ring target. 5 minutes to fire.
Schuetzen Match — 10 rounds · 5 min
Fired on the Wyoming Schuetzen Union 50-foot gallery target. First take
unlimited sighting shots on the upper sighter (SS) bull, then fire
2 shots for score on each of the five numbered targets, in order (1–5)
— 10 record shots. Rings score 17–25 (25 in the center), 250 possible.
5 minutes to fire the match.
Man Match — 5 rounds
5 rounds for score on the reduced "Man" target. 5 minutes to fire.
Schuetzen / Silhouette — 20 rounds
5 rounds at each animal (chicken, pig, turkey, ram) for a 20-round total, on the
50-foot paper silhouette target. Shots on the edge are scored with the paper
silhouette scoring overlay: place an unfired target beneath the one being scored,
center the overlay's rings over the shot hole, and if the center dot touches the
reconstructed silhouette, score the shot as a hit.
Know Your Limits — 5 rounds · bank or bust
Five targets of decreasing size are printed on a single sheet. Fire them in
order, largest to smallest — each hit is worth 2 points.
After any hit you may STOP and bank the points earned so far. But a
miss busts the string and forfeits all points for the match (score 0).
Maximum 10 points; final scores are always 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10. Nerve and honesty decide this one.
The five targets, largest to smallest:
2¼″ — largest
same as the full Schuetzen target
1½″
equivalent to the 20 ring
1″
equivalent to the 22 ring
¾″
equivalent to the 23 ring
⅝″ — smallest
equivalent to the 24 ring
Bracket Match — predicted score
Before the match, each shooter estimates their final total. The three closest to their estimate
win 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the Bracket.
King Match — 1 shot, winner takes all
One shot for score on the German Schuetzen King target, one shooter on the line, spotters behind.
A center hit earns the cry of "Fünf und Zwanzig!"
Scoring & Alibis
Scoring of paper targets is to the nearest "leaded edge."
Each shooter posts their own target for their position; the following relay's shooter
retrieves it and presents it to the Schuetzenmeister. A shooter may not handle their
own target after firing for score.
The only acceptable alibi is faulty ammunition; one minute is allowed to
fire the alibi shot.
Crossfire: the fouled contestant deducts their lowest scoring shot; the
contestant who committed the crossfire is scored a miss. (On silhouettes, the fouled shooter
counts the shot as a hit; the crossfiring shooter scores a miss.)
Entry Fees & Prizes
Standard entry is $40 — a $10 range, target
& expense fee plus a $30 prize entry that is returned to the shooters as winnings.
Standard entry is $20 — $5 to the club (range,
targets & expenses) plus a $15 prize entry that is returned to the shooters as winnings.
Prize funds are divided equally across the sub-matches (each scored target plus the
Bracket). In each money match, payouts go 50% / 30% / 20% to 1st / 2nd / 3rd; the
King Match is winner-take-all. Prizes are pooled and paid within each class.
Side Bets (optional). A $5 side bet per target, winner takes all —
enter any targets you like at registration. Side bets are separate from the main prize pool.
Example: 10 shooters × $30 = a $300 pot ÷ 6 sub-matches = $50 each.
Example: 10 shooters × $15 = a $150 pot ÷ 6 sub-matches = $25 each.
The Schuetzenmeister may set the fees for a given match.