Unlimited Range Shooters Association (URSA)
Operations
Objective: Promote and provide an organized, documented mechanism for the development, demonstration, and recognition of shooter in the unlimited range (UR) shooting sport discipline.
Focus: Learning, sharing, demonstrating, recording, and recognizing
General Statement of Purpose:
URSA shall promote and assist in providing unlimited range (UR) shooters an opportunity to associate with other UR shooters, and in the process, provide a structured, documented mechanism to:
● develop, demonstrate, and recognize the competence of UR shooters,
● advance the UR sport shooting discipline, and
● enhance the UR system and UR system component ownership experience.
Definitions/Descriptions/”Rules” (alphabetical):
● “Achievement levels/progression/targets”
| Level | Target Count per Level/Total | Per Target Hits/Shots This Level | Distance(Yards) |
| Novice Shooter | 5 5 | 5 10 | 2000 |
| Shooter | 5 10 | 6 10 | 2500 |
| Master Shooter | 5 15 | 7 10 | 3000 |
| Grand Master Shooter | 5 20 | 8 10 | 3500 |
NOTE: Each shooter must document their rifle/system build (develop and maintain a “build sheet”) and provide it to the Match Director to identify each rifle/system. See “Liability Release, Build Sheet, & Results (form)”.
● “Activities/Events” – education/novice training/practice (non-record-target activities), demonstrations, matches, expositions, conferences, etc.
● “Accuracy and consistency – winner determined by hit count vs shot count for engaged targets (highest wins); ties settled by a Sudden Death shoot-off.
● “Associate” – interested parties that participate in or otherwise work to advance the Association
● “Capability” – the ability to do something (Merriam-Webster dictionary) [provided only for comparison with “competence”]
● “Competence” – the ability to do something well (Merriam-Webster dictionary). In the case of URSA shooting, competence in accurately and consistently hitting targets at UR distances.
● “Demonstrated Safe Hardware, Experimental Firearm” – ones having successfully completed a “Experimental Firearms Demonstration “.
● “Distance Determination” – average of distances “calculated” using three (3) devices (could be rangefinders, satellite spottings, or others that are deemed by the activity/event director to be reliable – line of sight, not “walked” distance) from the firing line to each target; preferred for all activities/events, required for match. Use what you have available BUT do not submit for “record” unless the activity/event director AND substantially more than half the shooters (half being a minimum of 3) agree that the distance stated is accurate to within +/- 20 yards. [NOTE:To help get an accurate rangefinder return consider using a 4-5’ wide x 6’ high section of sheet metal, positioned vertically, and supported by 2-3 1”x2”x6’ stakes – something reflective that can reasonable fit in a pick-up bed.]
● “Experimental Firearm” – any system deemed, by the activity/event Director or activity/event Safety Committee, as having such physical structure and/or firing “unknown cartridges” where safe function cannot be determined without functional testing; assessment done on a “best effort” basis. The system MUST be demonstrated safe! See also, “Experimental Firearms Demonstration”.
● “Experimental Firearms Demonstration ” – pre-event firing of experimental firearms without injury to the shooter or others or damage to the firearm/system (minimum of 5 shots within 10 minutes); the respective RD, or their official designee, MUST witness the demonstration.
● “Formal Record” – the activity/event director shall provide the associated RD with the ORIGINALS of ALL activity/event “Liability Release, Build Sheet, & Results (forms)” within five (5) business days of the end of the activity/event. The RD will review the forms and e-mail photos/images of same to the individual (if so noted as requested on the form) and to the Facilitator/Webmaster within an additional ten (10) business days. The Facilitator/Webmaster will compile and post results and build sheet data on the URSA website within an additional ten (10) business days.
● “Funding” – contributions (actual funds and/or products and services rendered) provided by the hosting individual or group. Funds are neither required to be “paid” by, nor will they be solicited from shooters.
● “Hit Determination” – every HIT must be definitive. Either the “object” is hit or it is not.
► “Steel” is preferred for all activities/events.
1. Steel to be 37″ in diameter x at least 3/8″ thick AR500, mounted vertically and suspended with at least 8″ of ground clearance.
2. Flashers are the ONLY acceptable hit determination devices/methods for use with steel.
3. Ricochets off the ground or other terrain feature that subsequently hit the target are NOT consider hits even if the hit indicator is activated. The activity/event director’s determination shall be definitive as to what was or was not a ricochet.
► If paper targets are used, either the target must be changed between shooters, and between “practice” and “record” shots, OR “electronics” must be used to spot each hit. Each hit must be recorded before proceeding to the next shot unless the “electronics” can play back the string.
► If paper targets are used, ONLY official IBS or NBRSA 1000 yard targets shall be used. A hit on such targets must be on or inside the 37″ (#5) ring.
► The number of shots taken MUST be managed – counted by the activity/event director. The shooter’s string shall be disqualified for more than the specified number of record shots for the activity/event – without right to re-shoot.
● “Liability Release and Build Sheet (form)” – see the top of the Activities/Event Schedule page. For each activity/event the shooter shall complete one form for each “rifle” fielded. ALL non-shooters shall complete the Liability Release portion of that form. “Complete” being defined as all the required data has been legibly entered. The form MUST be signed, dated, and given to the activity/event director or their designee.
● “Order of Fire” – the sequence in which shooters engage record targets (#1 is first, #2 is second, etc.); chosen by simple “drawing of numbers (“tickets”) from a hat”; drawing to be conducted by the activity/event director; includes choice of shooting location (spot, bench, pad, etc.). Shooters draw one “ticket” for each “rifle” fielded. If there are any shooters shooting multiple “rifles”, ALL other shooters shoot before those shooters. Second or subsequent tickets are for the second and subsequent series of shooters. For example, if there are three shooters with two rifles each, their second tickets will be used to set their sequence between themselves, AFTER all other shooters have shot.
● “Personal Safety, Minimum Requirements” – eye protection (ANSI Z87+ or better with side shields or of a wrap-around design); hearing protection (Noise Reduction Rating/NRR of 25 or higher, preferably double plugged); open chamber indicator in place at ALL times when the range is not Hot or, if still Hot, after the shooter has completed firing.
● “Record String” – 10 shots, fired in sequence, for the purpose of formal (formally recorded) URSA competence demonstration or match shooting; must be completed within ten (10) minutes. NOTE: If the match director determines that there are too many shooters to allow for a max of 10 minutes/shooter, the match director may reduce the maximum allowed time. The absolute minimum allowed time is five (5) minutes for 10 shots/shooter. Any reduced time allowance MUST be announced before timed shooting begins.
● “Restricted Bullets” – armor piercing and incendiary bullets are prohibited. Use of non-conventional (i.e., “Experimental”) projectiles, including sabots, require prior demonstration. See “Experimental Firearms” and “Experimental Firearm Demonstration.” All “assisted” projectiles require prior demonstration.
● “Rifle” – the bullet “firing” device; composed of a barrel, action or receiver, and chassis/stock/(mounting) structure. [Clarification in regards barrel swapping – each unique barrel plus the balance of the “rifle” is considered a unique “rifle”.]
● “Safe Field of Fire” – the activity/event director MUST post “Field-of-Fire Monitors” with flags, bull horns, or other immediately-noticeable signaling devices. Left side, right side, beyond targets, and between-firing-line- and-targets monitoring is REQUIRED. If “flagged” as unsafe, ALL shooting shall immediately stop and chambers will be immediately cleared. When safe, and AFTER the line has been noticed by Line Control as being HOT, shooting resumes as if there was no interruption. NOTE: If there are 10 or fewer shooters, all within close proximity, ALL shooters will act as field-of-fire monitors, using voice or other immediately recognizable means of alerting. For cause, anyone can call a non-routine “cease fire”.
● “Shooting Position/Set-Up” – the description of how the rifle/system is fielded (e.g., prone with front and rear bag; prone with bipod and rear bag, from a bench and front and rear bags, etc.).
● “Spotter” – each shooter MAY have one (1) spotter; if the shooter has a spotter, the spotter will be identified on the shooter’s “Liability Release, Build Sheet (form)”. And the spotter’s liability form will note for whom they are spotting.
● “Sudden Death” – the method used to settle ties. “Sudden Death” (process) is described as one shot from shooter #1, then one shot from shooter #2, etc., back and forth, one shot at a time, until one shooter is unable to match another shooter’s hit. Example 1: Shooter #1 (S1) shots and misses, Shooter #2 (S2) shoots and hits = settled, S2 wins. Example 2: S1 shoots and hits, S2 shoots and misses = settled, S1 wins. If a shooter runs out of ammo, or is otherwise unable to continue (equipment or shooter “malfunction”) when its his next turn to shoot, he loses. Example 1: S1 shoots and hits or misses and S2 is unable to shoot = settled, S1 wins. Example 2: S1 is unable to shoot and S2 shoots (regardless of hit or miss) = settled, S2 wins. Example 3: Both S1 and S2 are unable to shoot = event is continued at the next URSA event. If only one shooter is present at the next URSA event, and shoots (regardless of hit or miss) = settled, the shooter that is present, and shot, wins.
● “System” – the rifle and its attached hardware (e.g., if the firearm is attached via a “post” to the bed of a truck, the system is understood to be the rifle, an “attachment post” and an “attached truck”; “system” to be described in sufficient detail (for purposes of documentation) to provide a basic understanding of what was used. Bags, rests, and other such NON-attached items are NOT part of a system. So, if the shooter is laying in the bed of a truck, without any attachment to the truck, the truck is not part of the system. Also see “Unlimited”.
● “Target”:
► Preferred for all purposes, required for matches and achievement-level activities/events – paper or the steel equivalent of the outermost ring of either the official IBS or NBRSA 1000 Yard benchrest target (37″ diameter, 5-ring, target area); miss assessed for all shots outside that area; touching the line is a hit for paper; if the agreed “hit indicator” is a flasher and it is not activated, it is a miss.
■ Target sources:
Steel – custom, contact URSA RD or URSA webmaster for detailed description of those used in the SW Region
Paper:
IBS – http://www.pistoleer.com/shooting-targets/benchrest/ (item ID IBS1000BR)
NBRSA – as of 2/14/2023, only available to NBRSA clubs (prior source deceased)
► Acceptable for non-match/non-achievement-level activities/events – paper target, metal target, or terrain feature (object) fully within a defined target area no larger than a 37″ diameter circle (an “acceptable-virtual-circular target”); miss if off target. The shot must be verifiable by a strike on the “object”.
● “Target maintenance” – swap paper targets between shooters and between practice and record strings. If hits are agreed to be verified by non-environmental movement (flasher) or “electronics”, no maintenance is required during an activity/event. If a flasher or electronic device fails during an activity/event, the balance of the event will be continued at a later date.
● “Unlimited” – unless otherwise noted, system shall only be limited to the extent that all hardware and the fired ammunition/bullet may be legally owned and discharged at the location where the activity/event is conducted. There shall be no limitation on the caliber, type of projectile (other than no AP on steel and no incendiary), type of firing system, or physical restraints within which the system is implemented. The intent being to provide – as much as legally and practically possible – an opportunity to safely demonstrate and enjoy the innovation and expertise of the shooters and builders/experimenters interested in this shooting discipline.
► Amplification of “unlimited”: the following are acceptable – return-to-battery mechanisms, single-piece/connected-front-and-rear rests, rail guns, extremely small and extremely large caliber projectiles (including sabots), guided munitions, and basically anything that is “locally legal”. Shooting may be from the ground, a bench, or a platform of the shooter’s choice (from which distance to target can be reliably determined).
● “Unlimited Range (UR)” – for all purposes, at least 2000 yards.
FAQs (frequently asked questions, unordered):
1. Q Why an Association?
A To formalize unlimited range shooting as a recognized shooting discipline.
2. Q Why define UR as a minimum of 2000 yards?
A Currently the generally used expressions of distance in rifle shooting are short range, mid-range, long range, and “ELR”. Respectively these are associated with (approximately) 100/200, 500, 1000, and “beyond” 1000 yards. While “unlimited” suggests no specific range, great distance is the focus. “Mile” has been done and is being done. Today (February 2014) a mile is not “extreme” with shooters regularly shooting beyond 3000 yards. But…some “floor” is needed to define entry into this level of shooting sport discipline. As twice 1000 yards, 2000 yards seems to be a reasonable floor.
3. Q Why not “cold bore”?
A Demonstration of “consistency” requires multiple shots. URSA is intended to demonstrate and document hits, not including whether the bore was cold or other than cold when the rounds are fired. Practice/getting on target before firing record rounds is both allowed and encouraged.
4. Q From a practical standpoint, how are we to manage the “logistics” of demonstrating success at UR distances, especially when more than one shooter is involved and placing and maintaining targets is frequently, at best, difficult, not to mention time consuming?
A Long answer since there are multiple and significant, real-world “opportunities” to be managed. This “answer” attempts to start to address some of them. Most are situation-dependent, primarily functions of location, available-equipment, available-person-power, and “available” time. ALL the proposed shooting activities are constrained by LOCAL venue and resources. The following need to be managed. As long as they are managed within the noted requirements, all is well.
a) Target placement – pre-positioning, preferred. Where that is not possible (e.g., land “owner” will not allow), multiple people and “vehicles” will be needed, applied early enough in the day to maximize shooting “window” without endangering those that place and retrieve equipment (enough visibility).
b) Distance determination – see definition/description.
c) Hit determination – see definition/description.
d) Target maintenance – see definition/description.
e) Safe field of fire – see definition/description.
5. Q Why “Unlimited”?
A To explicitly recognize that shooter skills and technologies will change over time and to accept and embrace improvements in both.
6. Q Why a circular target?
A For our purposes, accuracy is measured by considering only the dispersion of hits around a point. The most commonly accepted measurement is MOA (minute of angle), a measurement around a point. We have defined the URSA target (actually, target area) as a 37″ diameter circle. That accommodates steel, paper, and electronic targets.
7. Q Rule changes?
A Proposed changes may be submitted at any time up to each Jan 14th, to go into effect each year on February 14th (approximate). Change proposals shall be submitted to the submitter’s respective RD via e-mail, with copy to the URSA webmaster. The Association’s webmaster shall maintain a record of same. Submissions will be evaluated and the decision of URSA “management” (the folks that host, run, and manage URSA activities) will be e-mailed to the submitter.
8. Q What needs to be included on my “build sheet”?
A See “Liability Release and Build Sheet (form)”
NOTE: In keeping with the Association’s focus on education, sharing, and recognition, the build sheet data needs to be collected. If the shooter does not want that data attributed to them, they must note that on the form. However, they still need to provide the data requested on that form. While that data will appear in the activity’s “equipment list” that specific shooter will be identified AD for “attribution declined”, or an anonymous name will be applied. Aggregated data will be published only after enough is accumulated to insure that an individual shooter’s equipment is reasonably NOT identifiable, nor by extension the specific activity from which the data were compiled. That noted, and after a reasonable time, if the very low probability should occur and all shooters have used the same product or service, that data will be released – not by shooter name but in aggregate, e.g., component A, manufactures represented – manufacturer XYZ: 100 percent.
9. Q How will interested parties know when and where activities will be held, how they are doing in accumulating points for purpose of recognition, etc.
A An activity/event schedule is posted on URSA’s website. The website also includes News recaps of activities/events and stats for shooters as they progress towards and reach achievement levels.
10. Q Who is running this thing?
A UNCOMPENSATED volunteers.
11. Q Do shooters need to “re-qualify” at some interval?
A No. The date of level award will be included in the stats (the shooter’s public record of recognition) and that public record will also include the date on which the last target was shot at that accomplishment level. For example, a shooter’s initial date of level recognition might be Jun ’14 and the “last target at level” might be Feb ’16.
12. Q Is there any way a shooter can “lose” points?
A No and yes. In the normal course of activities, points will not be recorded in the first place IF there is a problem (e.g., gross unsportsmanlike conduct). In that case there are no points to lose. However, if there is an “irregularity” which is not documented until after the fact, points incorrectly recorded could be “lost.” As an example, a report for six named shooters is submitted, recorded, and published but there were only five shooters that completed the course of fire. In that case, points will be “lost” by the shooter not completing the course of fire.
13. Q What is the sequence of operations for an event, what is the Course of Fire (CoF)?
A The following sequence of steps is the “Standard Drill” (assumes steel gongs as targets and flashers as hit indicators).
1. Complete the Liability Release and Build Sheet form (link at the top of the Activities/Events Schedule page). The shooter completes the form online signs and dates the Liability Release and Build Sheet portions of the form at the activity/event. [See Operations: FAQ 8.] Non-shooters must complete and sign the Liability Release section of the form or they will not be allowed within 20 feet of the firing line at any time when the line is Hot. The activity/event Match Director (MD) collects the completed forms and, after confirming that they are all completed, signed and dated, proceeds to the next step. The MD, upon completion of the event, then mails them to the URSA Webmaster with the event score sheet – for analysis and, where appropriate, website News and Stats page update(s). [For liability reasons, the form is retained by the Webmaster indefinitely.]
2. Targets and hit indicator hardware are set up and the MD conducts a Shooter Safety Meeting (including randomly “drawing” for shooter firing sequence). Based on the MD’s assessment, one or two targets, or components of targets, will be set up at 20xx and 25xx yards, approximate (neither set up at less than those distances). Based on how well shooter then shoot, targets will be set up at further and further distances in approximate 500 yard increments (at nothing less that those nominal distances, i.e., 3000, 3500, 4000, etc).
3. Practice – for as long a period as the MD feels is appropriate, shoot up to 10 shots per shooter. Practice is done in two pieces, first 7 shots, one shooter after the other, and then 3 shots immediately prior to shooting for qualification, one shooter after the other. The shooter does NOT have to shoot all or any practice shots, their call.
4. Qualification – each shooter shoots 10 shots in succession in a maximum of 10 minutes*. If they score at least 3 hits in those 10 shots, they qualify for the record round at 2xxx. Once a shooter has qualified, they are done shooting until record round begins.
5. Record Round(s), initial distance – those that qualified shoot the record round at 2xxx. Each shooter shoots 10 rounds in succession in a maximum of 10 minutes*. If they score at least 4 hits in those 10 record shots, they go on to (“qualify” to shoot) the next distance. There must be at least two (2) shooters, each with at least 4 hits in 10 record shots, to move to the next distance.
…..6. Record Round(s), further distance(s) (post initial distance) – each shooter shoots up to 3 rounds for practice and then immediately shoots up to 10 rounds in succession for record. If they score at least 4 hits in those 10 record shots, they go on to (“qualify” to shoot) the next distance. There must be at least two (2) shooters, each with at least 4 hits in 10 record shots, to move to the next distance. The activity/event continues on from here at further and further distance, same move-forward criteria.
NOTE 5/6a: If at least two (2) shooters do NOT get at least 4 hits during a record round, the shooter with the highest number of hits in that record round is the Winner. The next highest scoring shooter is the event Runner-Up. If there is a tie between highest-hit-count shooters, there will be a “sudden death” shoot off among those shooters (even a tie at zero hits). If required, shooters tied for Runner-Up will also shoot a sudden death.
NOTE 5/6b: The objective of URSA competition is to move the competition down range, further and further. So, even if one shooter gets 4 hits and another gets 10, they both move on to the next distance to decide the event. Think of the 4 hits as “qualification” to shoot the next distance.
NOTE 5/6c: At each distance the shooter MUST notify the Match Director (MD) if they do not want to use all their allocated shots. Yes, the shooter can determine that at any point during their shooting time – at the beginning or all but one shot to go. The MD then verbally responds back that the shooter is done shooting…and the shooter is done shooting for that part of the match.
* The MD can reduce the maximum period within which the Qualification and/or Record shots are to be fired to a minimum of 5 minutes, each. This to accommodate additional shooters. NOTE: Just a word to the wise. It may take 10-12 seconds for the gong to stop vibrating and the flasher to reset. If the light does not go on, the shot is a miss.
Examples of possible scenarios:
a. Shooter 7 wins with 3 hits; Shooter 1, with 1 hit, is Runner-UP (no ties for Runner-Up)
b. Shooter 2 and Shooter 9 each have 4 or more hits – proceed to 25xx where S9 gets one hit and S2 none; S9 wins and S2 is Runner-Up
c. Shooters 1, 4, and 8 tie with 1 hit each – proceed to sudden death for Winner and a second sudden death for Runner-UP
NOTE: If MDs do not execute the CoF the same way, there will be less comparability between activities/events and venues. Variations just make things more likely to be problematic and add confusion moving between venues and events. Hosting CoFs will be applied to special events or an event-specific course of fire will be defined – those CoFs will be defined and widely communicated in advance. ANY deviation from the standard will preclude inclusion of results from achievement point calculations.
14: Q: Can I enter more than one rifle?
A: Yes, given the following requirements and constraints – and see Rifle definition, above:
1. A maximum of three (3) rifles may be entered by each shooter. However, only two (2) rifles may be used during record round.
2. Each entry requires a separate Build Sheet – identify the shooter on each form, complete the Build Sheet section of each form, and attach the additional form(s) to the one that has the Liability section and first-rifle Build Sheet section completed.
3. Shooters entering multiple rifles will shoot in their drawn sequence for the first rifle and after all other shooters with their additional rifle(s). If more than one shooter enters multiple rifles, they will draw between themselves for shooting sequence using that/those additional rifle(s).
4. During record rounds, each rifle must be used to score at least a 4 in 10 to advance to the next distance.
5. The shooter may stop shooting a rifle at any time (“abandon” that rifle), thus ending their competition with that rifle for the balance of the event.
6. Other than noted in this FAQ, practice, qualification, and record shooting will all be conducted as if there is a separate shooter for each rifle.
7. Since swapping a barrel results in a different “rifle”, shooters wishing to enter multiple “rifles”, based on doing a barrel swap, need to make their barrel swap on the line between and/or during their drawn shooting sequences. They may NOT be assisted in doing the barrel swap (confusion and disruption factor with more than one person engaged in doing a swap while other shooters are trying to shoot). If the shooting sequences turn out to be such that one follows immediately after the other (i.e., the shooter is the last of X shooters and then the first, or only, shooter shooting an additional rifle), that shooter is still constrained by the maximum time limit to shoot each rifle, to a maximum of (typically) 10 minutes per “rifle”.