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, built on an action design patented before 1917 — whether an original of any production year or a faithful reproduction. A later model or redesign patented after 1917 does not qualify, even from the same maker. Any contestant may also shoot non-Schuetzen single-shot rifles, provided the action and construction conform to a pre-1917 patent for sporting or military rifles.
Approved modification — Sharps with a .22 liner. A Sharps Model 1874, 1875 or 1877 — an original, or a C. Sharps Arms, Shiloh Sharps or Pedersoli reproduction — fitted with a .22 Long Rifle bore liner is an approved rifle. These are offset-chamber liners (the Crossno style) set down the centerfire barrel so the rifle's own firing pin strikes the rim; no change to the action is needed. The action is a pre-1917 design; the liner simply brings it to the match caliber.
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 three classes below. Prizes are pooled and paid within each class, so you compete against like-equipped rifles.
At the 100-yard match all shooters compete in one field. When you register you note which sights you intend to use (iron or vintage scope) so the Schuetzenmeister can check your rifle against the sight rules above, but scores are not ranked or paid out separately by sight type — everyone is scored and paid together.
Watch the classes fill on registration day. A class pays out only when it has two or more shooters. If you end up alone in a class, there is no class pool: you pay only the club fee and the King Match ante, your prize entry is not collected, and you still shoot for score and for the King. If your rifle can run either sights or a scope, or a scope of 10× or less, you may want to pick the class with more shooters in it — a bigger pool means more to win.
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 will be no sight-in period or sighter shots during the match. No segment has a sighter target. Arrive with your rifle already zeroed for the prescribed distance (100 yards50 feet).
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 |
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.
| 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 |
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 $40 — $10 for range use, targets & expenses plus a $30 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.All shooters are paid from one pool regardless of sight type.
Not shooting for money? Any shooter may enter admin only for a $10 fee (range, targets & expenses). Scores are recorded and posted like everyone else's, but admin-only shooters are not in the prize pool, the King pot or the side bets, and are not eligible for payouts.
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 × $30 = a $300 pot ÷ 6 sub-matches = $50 each.
The Schuetzenmeister may set the fees for a given match.