Rules

Mission:

Absolute Zero Sniper matches are designed to be a fun and challenging shooting sport series. We welcome all levels of experience. Whether a new or a seasoned shooter, our events will test all levels of the shooting sports. Our goal is to focus on precision marksmanship using minimal equipment, focusing on the fundamentals. Competitions can vary from individual to team events. No membership fee to join this inaugural season. Points will be accumulated to lead to the season finale in the fall of 2025.

 

General:

Course of fire will be generalized not only in relation to size of target to distance, but on the position the shots will be taken from. Bipod compared to using a backpack, target sizes will be in accordance with difficulty. As mentioned earlier, the focus is on precision marksmanship.

Any rule changes for the next season will be voted on by other participating ranges (match directors). Then any changes will be posted for voting on by participating shooters only.

 

Rules:

Shooters are responsible for knowing the rules ahead of the match. All shooters will shoot the same course of fire.

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1.1.     Any rule changes for the next season will be voted on by other participating ranges (match directors). Then any changes will be posted for voting on by participating shooters from the previous season series only. If there is a tie on a decision, the Series Director will make the tie breaking ruling.

1.2.     At any time, a rule can be changed for the betterment of the sport, if it does not change or influence the current point standings in that current season.

1.3.     In case of something that needs to be addressed immediately outside of a vote, the owner of the series, (Paul Smith) can make that decision.

   

 

Conduct:

All shooters, staff, Match Directors, RO’s and spectators will conduct themselves in a professional manner. Any discretions that arrive at a match should be brought to the Match Director immediately. If parties involved are not satisfied with the outcome, the Absolute Zero Sniper Match Series will intervene if need be. Cheating will not be tolerated at any level and will be an immediate lifetime ban from the series. If you have a grievance or issues with the series or a situation, please notify the Series MD, Paul Smith by email, info@frontlinedefenseusa.com or phone call 919-605-8350. Going to social media to rant solves nothing.

 

Safety:

All shooters will conduct themselves in a safe manner whether during the engagement of the course of fire, or after. Chamber flags must be used while in transit from your vehicle to the stage area or anywhere else on the range property. Post match, you must have a chamber flag in your firearm while in transit back to your vehicle. Chamber flags can be made available at the match, but you are ultimately responsible upon arrival to the event, not the range.

 

1. When coming off the course of fire or advancing to the course of fire, shooters need to be aware of the direction of where their muzzle is pointed. This applies on stage rotation as well.

2. While engaging the course of fire, muzzles should not break the 180 rule. First offense is a verbal warning. Second offense is an automatic Match DQ and forfeit of points earned at that match.

3. When moving from prop/position to prop/position, gas guns must be put on safe, and the shooter verbalizes that their firearm is on safe. Failure to do this is a verbal warning. Second offense is a stage DQ. 3rd offense in the match is an automatic Match DQ and forfeit of points earned at that match.

4. Fingers must be out of the trigger guard while moving positions, dialing scopes or chambering a round. First offense is a verbal warning. Second offense is an automatic Match DQ and forfeit of points earned at that match.

5. Be mindful of your muzzle direction when you are handling a firearm at any time Everyone is a safety officer.

 

 

 

 

 

Divisions:

No bullet weight restrictions in any division. Maximum velocity is 3,200 fps in all divisions. Suppressors are allowed in all divisions.

 

1. Open-Any caliber, 300-win mag and below.

2. Tactical-.308/.223/5.56. The .223 Ackley Improved or other variants do not qualify.

3. Gas gun-Any caliber, 300-win mag and below.

 

 

Classes:

Currently the Senior Class is the only class that is recognized. Shooters are to be 60 years old and older. A Shooter can be 59 if they turn 60 in that same calendar year of the series and before the finale date.

 

 

 

Course of fire:

Course of fire is left up to the Range/Match Director discretion. There are no mandatory tie breaker stages. Stage design, number of stages and round count is totally up to the range.

Anyone involved in the physical set up of targets or props can still shoot the match, but the score will not count.

 

 

 

Equipment:            

There are some equipment restrictions. The intention of this series is for the real-world shooting experience, using minimal equipment.

 

1. Bags. Only 1 bag allowed per stage, and it cannot be bigger than the Armageddon Game Changer Bag.

2. Tripods. Tripods must be deployed on the clock. Prior to deployment, they must be completely collapsed and folded.

3. Bipods. No restrictions.

4. Accessories. It must be attached to rifle prior to the start of the course of fire. Example the Gray Ops Plate.

 

Stage Procedures:

Below are some guidelines that will help match flow and consistency among other matches in the Absolute Zero Series.

 

1. Wind Calls. Once the course of fire has been given, there is no coaching or assisting other shooters unless the shooter has less than 3 matches. These shooters will be signified by a red wrist band. The “coaching “is limited to telling the shooter where they were missing. Ideally this should be done only on true prone stages, but the allowance is allowed for positional stages. There is to be no discussion of “What were you holding for wind out there”? After the stage is completed by the last shooter, you may discuss. First offense is a verbal warning, second offense is a Match DQ. This is a competition.

2. RO’s. It is recommended that glass RO’s should shoot first in their squad. Totally up to the MD/squad in how this is conducted. While the glass RO is shooting, someone with experience please help with the RO duties while they are preparing to shoot.

3. If you are not shooting you should be loading your magazines for the next stage and gathering your data.

4. When you are ready to start the stage, hand your chamber flag to the RO or store it on your person. Do not load and make ready till you are told to do. You will be asked if you understand the COF. Once you have acknowledged you understand, you will be instructed to stand by. Upon timer you will begin the COF. When the stage is complete, you will drop your magazine, open your bolt to the rear or lock the action open, then wait to be cleared by the stage RO.

5. When you police the brass is up to the MD. Leave the stage cleaner than when you got there.

 

Scoring:

Points will be awarded based on impacts. Difficulty on stage or size of targets will have no bearing on points. It is the MD’s discretion on how a tie breaker stage is handled in determining the winner for trophy placement.

 

 

Leader Board:

The Monday following the weekend match, scores will be posted on the leader board on the Absolute Zero Sniper Matches Facebook Page by 12pm EST.

Any scoring discrepancies contact the Series MD, Paul Smith at 919-605-8350. Percentage points will be pulled from Practiscore. Any scoring concerns needs to be handled at the match before you leave.

1. You will have 3 scores posted on the leader board. They will be your 3 best scores. Two of your scores must be from the same facility. The third score must come from another participating range in the series.

2. If your third worse score is away from your home range where you have two scores, you can try to improve that third score, but it must be at the range away from home.  Example, you get 100 and 80 and Range A. Range B you get a 70. To improve that 70 score, you must shoot another match at Range B. If you do not shoot again at range B and end up getting a 90 at range A, your score of 80 will drop from range A and the 90 will replace that. You cannot shoot a third match at range A and drop the 70 from range B.

3. The goal is to keep someone dominating at one range and sandbag their way into the Finale. This also gives exposure to other facilities in the series.

4. For the 2025 season there are only two ranges participating. As the series grows, this option can change.

 

 

 

Finale:

To make it into the finale, shooters will have to have at least shot one match at any of the participating ranges.

1. The top 10 in each division will squad together.

2. Season accumulated points will count towards the finale. A total of the Shooters season Series points (top three for a max of 300) + Finale Score x 2 (a max of 200) = Total Series Points for the season (a max of 500).