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The Twin Cities Schuetzen Verein is an ad hoc group of rifle shooters, most of whom are members of the Minneapolis Rifle Club who wish to keep alive the Schuetzen tradition which was quite active in the upper Midwest area a century ago. This tradition, which emphasizes sport shooting, was wellspring from which many of the contemporary NRA and Olympic shooting sports stem. It also has strong American roots based on the importance of the rifle in our frontier days. Some of the things that characterize such shooting is the use of single shot rifles and the use of a 25 ring target. The shooting positions are traditionally from the bench and standing. One gives a good measure of the equipment and the other of the skill of the shooter. Both iron sights and telescopic sights are allowed as each was used traditionally albeit in separate categories. Equipment can be varied. So as to compete on an even playing field, we shall recognize different classes of equipment and allow participants to use and shoot what they bring and differentiate by separating the results by type of equipment used. This tactic would allow shooters to compare older style equipment with contemporary equipment, the shooter being the constant, and also compare the results of the older shooters with our current results, using the same type of equipment. We need to be prepared to be humbled by the performance of some of our predecessors. We also need to be prepared to be impressed by the performance of some of the older styles of equipment. The records established by the likes of Pope, Hudson, and Hayes are to this day very impressive. Using the same targets with a variety of equipment will enable us to use them as easily referenced benchmarks for evaluating our performance. Some of the hundred year old American and European Schuetzen rifles are impressive expressions of carefully fitted free rifles which are appreciated to this day. As the older shooters did not use shooting jackets, they will not be allowed. Courses of fire. We have available to us 100 and 200 yard ranges with commensurate 25 ring targets. The 100 yard range is the most common and most matches will be centered around that distance. The usual match will be shoot with a bench and offhand component with either iron or any sights. Each component will be tracked separately and the sum of them will also be tracked. Hence a shooter may elect to shoot only bench or offhand, with either iron or any sight or may choose to shoot a full course shooting all possibilities. The type of equipment will be noted so as to be able to compare apples with apples, or likes with likes. That means that if one prefers, one can compete with contemporary equipment . The scores will be segregated according to equipment used. Periodically, 100 shot offhand matches will be held, perhaps quarterly. Timing of courses of fire. This is meant to be a leisure time activity hence no timing is necessary save that the course be shot in one day and be witnessed. This will enable us to then shoot as to our own schedules and compare with others who shoot in similar fashion. This is to be done for some of the courses of fire in a quasi postal fashion. Maintenance of Scores. To facilitate comparison, a data base will be maintained and be accessible to all participants and interested others. For futher details, contact Michael Marzitelli
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Twin Cities Schuetzen Verein
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