Match safety briefing:

1. Always point your rifle in a safe direction. Never point a rifle at anything you don’t intend to kill or destroy. Only ground your rifle where you are instructed to by a Range Officer. If you point your rifle at anyone else you shall be disqualified.
2. Always keep your rifle unloaded until ready to use. Only load the rifle when instructed to by a Range Officer. With the exception of when it is your turn to shoot, rifles are always cold at NRL22X events. This means the magazine is out and bolt back with chamber flag inserted.  Consequences for breaking this rule will be a warning on the first offense. A second violation will be a stage disqualification. A third violation will be a match disqualification.
3. Keep your finger out of the trigger guard until you are ready to fire. If you have a negligent discharge, you will be disqualified. If you have an accidental discharge / mechanical failure, you will receive a zero for that stage and all follow up stages until the rifle is repaired.
4. In the event of an emergency, the Range Officer shall immediately declare a ceasefire which will be echoed down the firing line. The Range Officer shall then size up the situation and relay the situation to the Match Director. The Match Director will activate the 911 system and the primary medical responder. The primary medical responder will obtain the NRL trauma kit and treat the patient.
5. The 911 system is: YOUR MEDEVAC PLAN
6. The primary medical responder is: YOUR PRIMARY MEDICAL RESPONDER
7. Identify any other medical personnel.
8. Are there any questions?

2024 NRL22X RULES AND REGULATIONS

Official 2024 Rules and Regulations as written by the NRL22 commission.

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MISSION

To give athletes, aspiring athletes, and the community the most compelling competitive shooting experience possible.

NRL22X is the premier precision rifle advocacy & support organization.

We are a non-profit engine of impacts that empowers organizations and athletes in precision rifle by providing education and opportunities for growth.

These activities are designed to develop marksmanship skills for those participating in this discipline, and to educate the public about firearm safety.

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The goal of this document is to provide maximum safety to all participants, while providing standard rules to follow without limiting the creativity of the individual Match and its Match Director.

DIRECTORY

Section 1: NRL22X Organization and Responsibilities

A. Executive Staff
B. Support Staff

Section 2: Safety

A. General Rifle Safety
B. Rifle Safety While at an NRL22X Match
C. Rifle Safety During Your Stage
D. Safety Violations and Penalties
E. Match Safety Briefing

Section 3: NRL22X Match Format

A. NRL22X’s Responsibilities
B. Competitor’s Responsibilities
C. Match Director’s Responsibilities
D. Range Officer’s Responsibilities
E. Specific Competition Rules

Section 4: Divisions, Classifications, Equipment, Scoring, and Championship Qualification

A. Divisions
B. Classifications
C. Equipment
D. Scoring
E. Championship Qualification
F. Championship Match and Scoring

Section 5: Sportsmanship

A. Good Sportsmanship
B. Unsportsmanlike Conduct
C. Cheating
D. Penalties for Unsportsmanlike Conduct and Cheating
E. Reports to the Board of Directors

SECTION 1: NRL22X ORGANIZATION AND RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Executive Staff.

The NRL22X has an Executive staff whose responsibilities include day to day operations, media, match operations, logistics, marketing and finances. The Executive staff shall not override the board of directors unless safety or legal concerns arise. The President appoints the Executive staff. For the 2024 season, the Executive staff is as follows:

1. President / Founder  –  Travis Ishida
2. Executive Director / Co-Founder  –  Tyler Frehner
3. Marketing Director / Co-Founder  –  Brittney Weldon
4. Coordinator – Dominic Thompson

B. Support Staff

The NRL22X has a support staff whose responsibilities include all things match related. Rules, course of fire, equipment, and Match Director support. The Director of Match Operations appoints the Support staff. For the 2024 season, the Support staff is as follows:

1. Janae Frehner
2. Levi Sanderson
3. Lynn Bigelow
4. Paul Dallin

SECTION 2: SAFETY

A. General Rifle Safety

1. Always point your rifle in a safe direction. Never point a rifle at anything you don’t intend to kill or destroy.
2. Always keep your rifle unloaded until ready to use. Treat all rifles as though they are loaded even if you believe otherwise.
3. Keep your finger out of the trigger guard until you are ready to fire.
4. Know your target and what is beyond.
5. It is always recommended to wear proper eye and ear protection and ensure others have the same before firing.
6. Never use alcohol or drugs while shooting.
7. Individual Range safety rules always supersede NRL22X rules.

B. Rifle Safety While at an NRL22X Match

1. NRL22X competitions are always cold ranges. All rifles are to be unloaded, with magazines out and bolts to the rearward position. Chamber flags are to be utilized at all times so that anyone can identify an unloaded rifle. Chamber flag may only be removed, and the rifle loaded, when instructed to “load and make ready” by the Range Officer. Once the stage is complete, the magazine shall be removed, bolt in the rearward position and chamber flag inserted before the rifle is removed from the firing line.
2. Only ground rifles in a proper rifle rack, or wherever the Match Director designates as a safe location and direction.
3. When moving to another shooting location, always ensure the rifle is pointed in a safe direction. Make sure rifles are either pointed upward towards the sky or downward towards the ground. If carts are used then the rifle must point downward and not flag anyone.

C. Rifle Safety During Your Stage

1. Always wait for the Range Officer’s command to “load and make ready” before you remove your chamber flag and insert magazine.
2. Stages always begin with magazine in and bolt to the rear unless specifically directed by the match book and the Range Officer.
3. Any movement or barricade transition must be done with the bolt to the rear and an empty chamber. The only exception to this rule will be with the use of semi-automatic rifles, but only with the approval of the Match Director. If the MD allows this, the competitor must engage the mechanical safety, and yell “safe” loud enough for the RO to hear with ear protection.
4. During movement, the 120 degree rule must always be adhered to. The 120 degree rule refers to only pointing the rifle within 60 degrees of straight forward. There may be stages when the Match Director reduces or exceeds the 120 degree rule based on unique range layouts but the muzzle must always be pointed within the 120 degree rule or no further than the area between the left-most engageable target and the right-most engageable target. Always follow directions and be aware of where you are pointing your rifle. When transitioning within the stage and the muzzle is pointed skyward, the competitor must ensure that he/she is not pointing the muzzle past 180 degrees vertically i.e. towards the rear of the competitor, or other competitors, or towards an unsafe impact area. 
5. Sky-bolting/loading is never allowed during a match. Sky-bolting/loading refers to when a competitor closes the bolt before they are looking through their scope and on target. The bolt must only be closed when the competitor is directly behind the scope and on the target. 
6. Competitors must have positive control of their rifle. Failure to maintain positive control while the bolt is closed will result in a match DQ. Failure to maintain positive control, while the bolt is open and rearward, resulting in the rifle making contact with the ground will result in a stage DQ. Incidents such as this will result in a stage DQ on the first offense and a match DQ for a second offense. If additional safety rules were broken such as breaking the 120 degree rule, flagging someone, or a negligent discharge, then that will result in an immediate match DQ regardless of the position of the bolt or condition of the rifle. 

D. Safety Violations and Penalties

1. Violation of the cold range rule: Any competitor who has violated the cold range rule shall be issued a warning. A second violation will result in a stage zero. Next violation will result in a match DQ and removal from competition. This includes magazine inserted, a closed bolt, or chamber flag not being used. Having a live round in the chamber while not shooting shall be a match DQ.
2. Muzzling and/or violating the 120 degree rule: Muzzling is pointing or sweeping another person’s body with the muzzle of a rifle. There will be no warnings for this unsafe act. If any competitor muzzles any other attendee, that action shall result in match DQ and removal from competition. It will be the duty of the RO to inform the MD of the infraction, and the MD’s call to issue the match DQ.
3. Unsafe transitioning: Transitioning on a barricade, movement without having the bolt to the rear, or sky-bolting will result in the Range Officer having the competitor correct the situation, then move back to the previous firing position before resuming the course of fire. A second violation will result in a zero for the stage. A third will result in the competitor getting a match DQ and removal from competition. If the match allows for Semi-Automatic rifles to move with a closed bolt with the safety engaged, the same rule applies if the competitor does not engage the safety and yell “safe”.
4. Negligent Discharge (ND). A Negligent Discharge is defined as any round unintentionally discharged from a firearm during a transition, movement, and/or weapons manipulation; or a round intentionally discharged during a ceasefire period. The competitor shall receive a match DQ and removal from competition.
5. Accidental Discharge/Mechanical Failure (AD). An Accidental Discharge is defined as any round unintentionally discharged from a firearm due to a mechanical failure. The participant will be removed from the event until he or she can repair the rifle to safe working order. The competitor will receive a zero for that stage, and all follow up stages will be forfeited during this down time.
6. False Starts: Firing before the start signal will result in a zero for the stage.
7. If a Match Director judges a competitor to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol during competition, the competitor will receive a match DQ and be removed from competition. The competitor will not be allowed to drive from the competition while still intoxicated.

E. Match Safety Briefing

The following shall be read prior to the start of the competition. This briefing will also be at the top of the rules for easy access.

Match safety briefing:

1. Always point your rifle in a safe direction. Never point a rifle at anything you don’t intend to kill or destroy. Only ground your rifle where you are instructed to by a Range Officer. If you point your rifle at anyone else you shall be disqualified.
2. Always keep your rifle unloaded until ready to use. Only load the rifle when instructed to by a Range Officer. With the exception of when it is your turn to shoot, rifles are always cold at NRL22X events. This means the magazine is out and bolt back with chamber flag inserted. Violation for breaking this rule will be a warning on the first offense. A second violation will be a stage disqualification. A third violation will be a match disqualification.
3. Keep your finger out of the trigger guard until you are ready to fire. If you have a negligent discharge, you will be disqualified. If you have an accidental discharge / mechanical failure, you will receive a zero for that stage and all follow up stages until the rifle is repaired.
4. In the event of an emergency, the Range Officer shall immediately declare a ceasefire which will be echoed down the firing line. The Range Officer shall then size up the situation and relay the situation to the Match Director. The Match Director will activate the 911 system and the primary medical responder. The primary medical responder will obtain the match trauma kit and treat the patient.
5. The 911 system is: YOUR MEDEVAC PLAN
6. The primary medical responder is: YOUR PRIMARY MEDICAL RESPONDER
7. Identify any other medical personnel.
8. Are there any questions?

SECTION 3: NRL22X MATCH FORMAT

A. NRL22X’s Responsibilities

1. Provide promotional and media support through social media and web sites.
2. Provide optional logistical support to include: t-shirts, printing match books, trophies, and a sign up and match fee collection web site. These services are optional and designed to ease the burden of administering the match and to create buying power through volume. All service costs will be transparent.
3. Gather and publish match scores from all NRL22X events for a flat fee of $50 per match. The NRL22 will utilize the match scores to track who qualifies for the NRL22 National Championship Match. Scores will be tracked for every competitor that competes in a match, however only the scores of members with a current NRL22 membership will be published.
4. Publish and update a leaderboard throughout the season so members can see how they are performing within the national series. The leaderboard will be used for invites to the National Championship as written in Section E. The leaderboard will track each member’s top three scores in each division based on percentage of the overall match winner’s score. NRL22X matches must have a minimum of 15 competitors to be counted towards the leaderboard; however, all matches regardless of size are eligible to earn classification credits. RO matches for dedicated RO’s are scored and submitted separately from the main event. Competitors may choose to volunteer as a dedicated RO and compete in as many RO matches as they like; however, only the competitor’s single best RO match score can be used as one of the three scores for the NRL22X series.
5. NRL22X memberships will be valid for both NRL22 and NRL22X Leagues. Competitors will have a 7 day grace period following each match to purchase or renew their NRL22 membership for the current season. Due to the NRL22 National Championship occurring after the points race for the upcoming season has already begun, an extended grace period beginning with the first eligible match of the new season through 30 days following the previous season’s NRL22 National Championship will be honored. i.e. Approximately the first 60-90 days of each season depending on the season beginning/end dates and the date of the National Championship. Memberships for the upcoming season purchased prior to the deadline for the extended grace period will have all scores accumulated for the upcoming season retroactively applied to the upcoming season’s standings. NRL22X memberships shall be $60 for adults and $25 for Young Guns.

B. Competitor’s Responsibilities

1. Competitors will always treat Match Directors and Range Officers with respect. From time to time, disagreements arise between competitors and match officials. This is fine, so long as mutual respect and calm communication occurs. If a competitor, at any point, is disrespectful to any match official and/or the Match Director, then he/she may be subject to dismissal from the competition. The Match Director’s ruling is always final.
2. Competitors in the precision rifle discipline are regarded as the most professional and highly educated in any discipline. All participants in NRL22X matches are looked upon as Safety Officers. Any participant that witnesses an unsafe act is to call for a ceasefire and stop the unsafe act. The participant should then inform the closest Range Officer of the act.
3. It is the competitor’s responsibility to know the NRL22X Rules and Regulations prior to a competition.
4. Competitors should actively participate in any stage briefing to move the shoot along smoothly.
5. Competitors shall understand that at the beginning of the stage, when asked by the Range Officer “ Do you understand the course of fire?” If they give an affirmative answer, that will be their last opportunity to get clarification. Because of this, arguments that they did not understand anything about the stage or its targets are invalid.
6. Competitors should be good squad mates by helping police brass, helping Range Officers when directed, and providing coaching to other competitors after their stage is complete.
7. Sponsors are very important to the NRL22X. It is encouraged that the competitor writes emails or utilizes social media to thank the sponsors that supported the competition.
8. Competitors will only be allowed to take a position on a prop while on the clock and shooting the stage. This will ensure that they don’t gain an advantage and helps to move the match along; however, this rule is at the discretion of the Match Director. Shooting props cannot be moved nor positioned in a different manner unless the stage description clearly states to do so unless it must be repositioned to ensure it is safe for use. 
9. Competitors will not provide corrections to other competitors during a stage. If corrections are given on the clock, the competitor that provides the corrections will receive a zero for the stage. The only exception to this rule is outlined in Section 4.A.4.
10. Competitors are provided a match book either digitally, hard copy, or both prior to the match beginning. It is the competitor’s responsibility to fully understand all aspects of the stage outlined in the match book prior to beginning the stage.

C. Match Director’s Responsibilities

1. Match Directors are responsible for the overall direction of a match. He or she is the person in charge at that event. For these reasons and others, the Match Director is not allowed to compete, for score, in the NRL22X match that they are hosting.
2. If a Match Director needs to deviate from these rules, he or she must contact the NRL22 and request permission to do so prior to the match date.
3. Match Directors must be a NRL22 member and their club must be an official NRL22 club. 
4. Match Directors shall pay a $50 admin fee per NRL22X match that is hosted. This admin fee will be paid at the time when scores are submitted through the NRL22 website.
5. Match Directors shall provide a match book to all competitors. If the course of fire is made available to the competitors prior to checking in on the day of the match, the course of fire must be sent electronically to all registered competitors at or before the time it becomes available to the first competitor.
6. Match Directors must write clear and concise stage descriptions so as to not confuse a competitor. 
7. Stage design is challenging and takes creativity. Match Directors will design a comprehensive COF that tests a competitor’s shooting skill. Match Directors should not design stages based on luck, chance, or otherwise unfairly favoring one competitor over another.
8. Modification to the course of fire should not be allowed in order to prevent competitors from having an advantage over others. 
9. Match Directors shall provide enough Range Officers to ensure administration of the match is top quality. It is encouraged to have two Dedicated Range Officers per stage but alternatively no less than one Squad Range Officer per squad. Match Directors may use Dedicated Range Officers for their match, which is the preferred method, so that each stage is run the same way throughout the match. Dedicated Range Officers are defined as Range Officers who stay at the same stage throughout the match and do not travel throughout the match with the squads. Squad Range Officers are defined as Range Officers that travel with squads.
   
   1. Dedicated Range Officer Companion Match – This method is intended to incentivize experienced competitors to volunteer as high quality, dedicated Range Officers. Dedicated Range Officers would be responsible for ensuring safety and ensuring each squad is run through the stage in the same manner. RO’s would also be responsible for spotting and calling impacts. It is preferred to have two RO’s per stage and in this scenario, the RO’s would also be responsible for running the scoring tablet. This option allows the Match Director to run all of the Range Officer’s through the course of fire on the day prior to the event. The Match Director will submit the Range Officer Companion Match scores separate from the competitor scores. The Range Officer score submission will be included free of charge with the paid NRL22X match score submission fee. Due to the RO match being separate but still counting towards the NRL22X points race, multiple criteria must be adhered to in order to ensure as fair of a scenario as possible.
      
      1. This method must be announced no less than 3 weeks prior to the match.
      2. The Match Director must open Range Officer slots to the public; however, the Match Director will retain the ability to select Range Officers from the applicants.
      3. Range officers must be selected and solidified no less than 2 weeks in advance and should be posted publicly. Any remaining applicants can be held on an RO wait-list to be utilized in the event of a selected Range Officer being unable to attend the event. The 2 week timeline and RO waitlist is to prevent competitors from gaming the weather and other circumstances to gain a competitive advantage. RO’s cannot swap over to competitor status within the 2 week window and similarly, competitors cannot swap over to RO status within the 2 week window unless they are being pulled from the RO waitlist to fill a vacancy. NRL22X recommends selecting 10-20% more RO’s than you think you need. i.e. If you want 20 RO’s for 10 stages, line up 22-24 RO’s. Extra help is nice to have and things always happen where RO’s end up with scheduling conflicts.
      4. The RO match should have a minimum of 15 competitors to count towards the RO points race. For a 10 stage X match, it is recommended to have 22 – 24 range officers. Situations where the minimum attendance is not met will be handled on a case by case basis. Regardless of final attendance, the match can be submitted for Classification credits. Reach out to matches@nrl22.org if questions arise.
      5. Range Officer’s that compete on the day prior but do not fulfill their responsibilities as a Range Officer during the event will receive a match DQ and their score will not count. Additionally, as stated above, the competitor is not allowed to shoot the X match.
         
         Note: This method is not available for squad range officers. It is only available for dedicated range officers as defined in Section 3.C.9. For any questions or clarifications, reach out to matches@nrl22.org
   2. Squad Range Officer – The Match Director will select one person per squad, whom he or she trusts and designate them to provide stage consistency and delegate Range Officer duties to the squad. This individual will be known as the Squad Range Officer. If the Match Director chooses to use Squad Range Officers, the course of fire may be published publicly prior to the match or on match day but Squad Range Officers cannot receive the course of fire earlier than the other competitors. Everyone, including the Squad Range Officers, must receive the course of fire at the same time. After the course of fire has been distributed, the Match Director must perform a stage walk through with all Squad Range Officers to ensure that the course of fire is consistent across all squads.
10. Match Directors are responsible for utilizing enough spotters, reactive targets and/or electronic flashers when putting targets at longer ranges. Match Directors may utilize other competitors in the squad to assist in spotting hits. 
11. Match Directors must have a scoring system that allows for quick tabulation of points and must allow competitors to see their scores after the stage. Using a system that makes the competitor sign or acknowledge their score is encouraged. If utilizing paper scoring, rain should be accounted for. If using electronic scoring, failure of equipment and battery life should be accounted for and paper backup should be available. The use of tablets is highly encouraged. It allows for accurate and timely tabulation of scores, without manually calculating scores. The use of tablets not only allows competitors to quickly see their raw scores, they also allow the Match Director to verify any alterations to scores and to quickly submit final match scores to NRL22.
12. At the conclusion of the match, Match Directors shall provide a 10-minute arbitration period for competitors to review scores and issue grievances if necessary. Once the arbitration period is complete, scores are then final. At no time and for no reason will scores or results be altered after this period. If individuals come forward any time after the arbitration period has ended, the reasons will be noted and followed up with the Match Director, but scores, placements, and prizes will not be recalled. During the arbitration period, competitors must provide proof in order for a score to be changed in their favor.
13. Match Directors must provide match scores to the NRL22X within 3 days of the completion of their match. Included in the scores will be names of any poor sportsmen, and any individual found to have cheated.
14. Sponsors are very important to NRL22X. Match Directors are encouraged to send an email to all competitors after the competition with the email address for every sponsor.
15. Match Directors must be experienced in hosting matches to ensure a smooth and efficient match.
16. Match Directors will only submit scores of competitors who attended and competed in their match. If a competitor leaves for any reason after they have started any stage of the match, then any points earned will be submitted as the competitors final score
17. If a Match Director chooses to use Practiscore to calculate scores, then he/she should not mark a competitor as DQ within Practiscore if the competitor did not attend the match. It is recommended that the Match Director delete all no-show competitors from the Practiscore app prior to publishing scores. If a competitor checks into a match but does not show up to a stage then the Range Officer shall mark them as  “DNF” aka Did Not Finish.

D. Range Officer’s Responsibilities

1. Range Officers are any person assisting in running a competition, not including the Match Director. They can be the person running a stage, a spotter, the sign in person, or anyone that the Match Director acknowledged, as working the match.
2. Range Officers should understand all Rules and Regulations prior to the start of the competition to ensure the safety of all participants. Any Range Officer witnessing unsafe acts shall call ceasefire and correct the unsafe act as soon as possible.
3. Range Officers that are running a stage shall have complete knowledge of the stage that they are responsible for. They shall conduct a stage briefing for all competitors prior to each stage and assist in target location on stages that allow for prior target knowledge. After the stage briefing, the squad will have 5 minutes to prep before the first competitor is called. Once the stage begins, the Range Officer shall run every competitor though that stage as close to the same as humanly possible. Match Directors shall ensure that Range Officers utilize standard commands at their competition. (Encouraged standard commands are as follows: “competitor, do you understand the course of fire?” If no questions are asked, then “competitor clear to load and make ready”. Once the competitor makes his or her rifle ready, “competitor Ready?” Once an affirmative is obtained, “Stand by,” then the start tone should follow.
4. Range Officers will ask the Match Director for any clarifications during the stage walkthrough. Range Officers will make any adjustments to the match book as per the Match Directors instructions. Range Officers will not run stages different than what is written in the match book or per the instructions of the Match Director during the stage walkthrough. 
5. Range Officers that are serving as spotters are responsible for calling hits or misses. Utilization of standard calls is encouraged. Standard calls are “impact” or “reengage”. Spotters should use loud clear voices when calling stages. Calling corrections during the stage is not allowed but encouraged after the stage is complete.
6. Anytime a Range Officer is not able to settle a grievance presented by a competitor, he or she shall request the Match Director to make the final judgment.
7. Range Officers will ensure that the competitor’s chamber is cleared, magazine removed, and chamber flag/block inserted prior to them moving their rifle off the firing line/prop.
8. It is highly recommended that Range Officers read off the competitor’s score after the stage has been completed and then read off all competitor scores prior to leaving the stage. This will limit the arbitration time and resolve any score discrepancies prior to the next stage.
9. It is highly recommended to have separate people spotting impacts and running the tablet. Ideally the spotter will have a mechanical, thumb operated, clicker counter to tally impacts while the other individual is recording the result of each shot on the tablet. Upon completion of the competitor’s allotted time, the spotter should confirm the number of impacts with the person operating the tablet. This process minimizes errors and ensures the spotter can watch for safety and concentrate on accurate impact calls.

E. Specific Competition Rules

1. A NRL22X competition shall consist of at least 8 individual stages. There is no limit to maximum yardage so long as the Match Director has target flashers and spotters to ensure the identification of hits or misses. Having a minimum 30 minute sight in period is mandatory and having at least a few targets out at distance is encouraged due to environmental factors. If weather or acts of God alter the competition, the competition scores will be valid if the intention of the competition meets the previous guidelines.
2. No single stage should be worth 1.5 times over the amount of another stage. Additionally, stages in which a single shot removes all points without the opportunity to earn any back are discouraged.
3. Shots taken up to 0.30 seconds after the clock are still eligible for points. The competitor is granted a buffer time of 0.30 seconds, this means that if the last shot registers as 120.30 then the competitor will be granted that point. The buffer of 0.30 seconds applies to all stages if a shot timer is used. 
4. It is understood that many ranges operate for profit and shutting a range down is not possible. Also that train ups assist in profits for the range. Therefore shooting at the range prior to a competition is allowed. Shooting on the range’s props is also allowed; however, shooting specific stages that are part of the COF before the competition will not be allowed for any reason. For these reasons, it is important that the Match Director be involved or at least has knowledge of events taking place at the range prior to his or her competition so having common stages and /or course of fire does not occur.
5. No competitor may be allowed to assist in designing the stages for the course of fire.
6. Reshoots shall only be permitted in the event of an interruption of the stage that was outside the control of the competitor. This includes target failure, called ceasefires for any reason not caused by the competitor, a broken prop, or any other reason outside of the competitors control deemed reasonable by the Match Director. Target failure is defined as a target falling off the stand or stuck to such a degree that the competitor does not have the same advantage as they did at the beginning of the stage. Reshoots will not be permitted for equipment malfunctions unless the firearm was provided as a loaner rifle by the club/Match Director. Reshoots will not be permitted for competitors who claim to have not understood the stage description/target engagements after the stage begins (stage begins when time has been started), nor permitted due to variations or irregularities in the Range Officer’s commands. Competitors who are granted a reshoot must reshoot the stage in the same manner with the exact same equipment. With Match Director approval, the Range Officer can give a competitor the option for a reshoot without having been asked by the competitor if the Range Officer observes an incident which hindered the competitor. The competitor can request a reshoot if he/she believes one is warranted but only under the aforementioned circumstances. The competitor will have a period of two minutes to explain their grievance to the Range Officer. The Range Officer will then contact the Match Director to determine if a reshoot will be granted. The score on the reshoot will be the only score used. There are two types of reshoots available to the competitor: 
   1. A Full Reshoot – which means the competitor will run the entire stage over from start to finish. 
   2. A Partial Reshoot – which means the competitor is placed in the exact same position they were in at the time of the stoppage and will have the exact amount of time placed back on the clock which was remaining at the time of the stoppage. The remaining time will start within 10 seconds of the competitor getting into position. If either the position or the time remaining cannot be determined, the competitor must take a full reshoot.
7. The Match Director may choose to have mulligans for their match at an additional cost. A mulligan is defined as an opportunity for the competitor to replace their score for a single stage and shoot that stage again. A competitor will not be allowed to have more than one mulligan for the entire match. If the competitor decides to use a mulligan then he/she will need to announce that to the Range Officer immediately after shooting the stage and prior to the next competitor starting. During the match brief, the Match Director will announce when the competitor will reshoot the stage after they have chosen to use their mulligan i.e. immediately after the competitor announces the use of a mulligan or after all squad members have completed the stage.  If a competitor decides to not use their mulligan throughout the match, then no additional points may be awarded for not using it. When mulligans are offered at a match, the Match Director should advertise this in the match announcement so competitors can factor this optional upsell into their potential overall cost of the match.
8. All regular target impacts shall be worth 10 points per hit. The Match Director can choose to utilize special targets worth different values so long as they are designated as such in the match book. Impacts on a target only count when the actual steel target is hit. Depending on the manufacturer, a target may have a small piece of steel where the target stand goes through, that part is still considered the target. In addition, the stem of a KYL is considered part of the target but impacts near the hinge or the crossbar are not allowed. Impacts on target hangers, stands, and/or straps will not count as an impact. If a target moves after a shot has been fired, then that shot will be recorded as an impact, unless the Range Officer is able to clearly determine that the impact was not made on the steel target but rather the target hanger/stand/strap. If a Range Officer determines that a competitor is intentionally shooting the hinge or crossbar of a KYL rack, this activity can be deemed as cheating and is grounds for match DQ.
9. There will be a timed stage at every NRL22X event. This stage is intended to break up ties. It is encouraged that the Match Director uses a stage that most competitors will be able to fire all rounds. The timed stage will be designated as such in the match book. In the event that scores are the same for the top 3 competitors of any division, the Match Director shall have the competitors repeat the timed stage until the tie is broken. Here is how the timed stage shall be administered:
   1. The Range Officer must use a simple timer that can record down to the tenth of a second (like a phone or stopwatch capable of going to a tenth of a second). If a Match Director has a shot timer that allows for shots to be recorded, then this method may be used as it is more accurate.
   2. The time will start when the Range Officer tells the competitor to start the course of fire.
   3. If using a stopwatch, the Range Officer will stop the timer when the last shot is taken. If using a shot timer, at a minimum, the Range Officer will ensure the shot timer is close enough to the muzzle to properly record the last shot fired.  The competitor is granted a buffer time of 0.30 seconds, this means that if the last shot registers as 120.30 then the competitor will be granted that point. The buffer of 0.30 seconds applies to all stages if a shot timer is used.
   4. The Range Officer will stop the time and record the time to the tenth of a second. There will be no rounding up or rounding down. If the stopwatch or shot timer shows numbers beyond the tenth of a second, those digits will be ignored.
   5. The competitor shall be awarded 0.1 point for every second remaining in the course of fire.
      
      Example: The course of fire is 10 targets and has a time of 120 seconds. The competitor hits all 10 targets and completes the course of fire in 111.3. The score would be 100 (for 10 impacts) plus 0.87 (8.7 seconds remaining) for a total of 100.87 points.

SECTION 4: DIVISIONS, CLASSIFICATIONS, EQUIPMENT, SCORING, AND CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFICATION

A. Divisions

The NRL22X has six divisions – Open, Base, Young Guns, Ladies, Old Guns, and Air Rifle.

1. Competitors must pick one division to shoot at the beginning of a match. The competitor is only eligible for placement in the division in which they signed up. For example, if a female competitor signs up for Open division and wins the entire match, she will only be recognized for the placement in the division in which she signed up for. In this example, that would be the Open division.
2. Open is for any competitor that does not meet the criteria of Base, Young Guns,  Ladies division, Old Guns, or Air Rifle. 
3. Base division is intended to be budget oriented. Any rifle system that comes in under or at a combined MSRP of $1300, as listed on the manufacturer’s website, shall be eligible to compete in Base division.
   1. This combined MSRP price is for the rifle and scope only. It excludes scope rings and bases, bipods, suppressors, data card holders, magazines, spare magazine holders, auto bolt releases, aftermarket triggers, extended magazine releases, weight kits, hand grips, bolt knobs, and barrel tuners – these examples are considered accessories to the rifle.
   2. Factory barrels may be threaded to accept a suppressor.
   3. Base rifles must remain in their factory configured stock. If a barreled action is removed from the factory stock and placed in an aftermarket stock not available by the manufacturer and not available as an option to purchase as a complete rifle or chassis, then that rifle will be classified as an Open division rifle. The only authorized adjustments to the rifle stock/chassis itself are as follows: adjustments to the stock to get proper cheek weld and bedding of the stock. Any questions regarding what is considered an acceptable adjustment to the stock please email matches@nrl22.org.
   4. Rails of any type utilized to mount a bipod may be added.
   5. Base division competitors should be mindful that manufacturers may change the MSRP of their products from time to time. Neither price changes nor discontinuations of products are the fault of the NRL22. However, the production status and MSRP on the first day of the season will be considered valid for the entire season. Additionally, left handed models identical in configuration to right handed models but with a higher MSRP will be recognized at the MSRP of the right handed version. Rifles and scopes that are out of production are difficult to check the MSRP. The NRL22 will not maintain a list of authorized rifles or scopes due to the dynamics of the ever-changing cycle of revised models, new products, and upgrades being released by manufacturers. 
   6. At sign in, the Match Director shall inspect the rifle and ensure that the combined MSRP comes in under $1300. If it goes over, the competitor shall compete in the Open division. It is difficult for local match directors to keep up with every detail. Base division competitors are encouraged to assist local Match Directors with ensuring Base division rifles appropriately fall into Base division. Match Directors are responsible for enforcing the Base division regulation matters when they arise on a case-by-case basis. For the National Championship, these rules will be followed to the letter. There will be a gunsmith or a representative from NRL22 board of directors present at the NRL22 National Championship for Base division rifle inspections.
4. Young Guns will be any competitor 17 years old or younger. Young Guns must be less than 18 years old (still 17 years old) on the first day of the season. A parent or guardian must be present with the competitor, who will take responsibility for the actions of the Young Gun. Young Guns must be able to operate their firearm safely by themselves with no hands-on assistance from the parent or guardian. However, verbal coaching is absolutely acceptable and encouraged. Calling shot placement corrections will be reserved until after the stage is complete. Young Guns may choose to compete in any other division as long as they meet the requirements of that division.
5. Ladies division is for the female competitor. Ladies may choose to compete in any other division as long as they meet the requirements of that division. 
6. Old Guns (OG) division will be available to any competitor 60 years old or older. OGs may choose to compete in any other division as long as they meet the requirement of that division. OGs will shoot the same COF as all other competitors. 
7. Air Rifle division is for competitors using a rifle that operates with compressed air to fire a pellet or slug. Projectiles cannot exceed 85 grains and must be .35 caliber or lower. Projectiles must be mass produced. Tethered tanks are not allowed. 
8. The divisions listed above are the only official divisions for NRL22X. Match Directors will ensure that only the above six divisions are used when hosting a match.

B. Classifications

1. Any match hosted within the NRL22’s umbrella of events has four classifications – Novice, Marksman, Sharpshooter, and Expert. Classifications are based on experience, participation, and skill. Classifications are intended to allow competitors to grow and track their progress through the sport. All competitors will be classified and classed up based on participation and performance at any match within the NRL22 umbrella of events that is submitted for score. NRL22 will display classification levels for all members.
2. Classifications will carry over from one season to the next. Throughout the season, competitors will continue to earn credits towards classing up to the next classification level. All competitors and their historical performance at NRL22 events will be assessed to properly classify new members as well as properly award current members for credits earned against non-member competitors. From time to time, skilled competitors with a lack of historical precedence in NRL22 events will be classed lower than expected however, the system is designed to allow these competitors to quickly ascend up into their proper classification.
3. Competitors will class up once they have reached the maximum number of credits allowed for that class. Credits earned will always start at zero for each class achieved. If a competitor earns more than the credits allowed within a class, they will still enter the new class with zero credits. Maximum credits are based on 2 years worth of accumulated credits. Credits older than 2 years will expire and will no longer count towards your class credits.
   
   Maximum credits allowed in each class are as follows:
   1. Expert – Unlimited
   2. Sharpshooter – 12 credits
   3. Marksman – 8 credits
   4. Novice – 6 credits
4. Earning Credits for Classing Up: Competitors will earn credits to class up by earning the high score or tying for the high score in their class, or by outscoring higher classed competitors. Credits will be distributed as follows:
   1. National Championship: The top 5 scores in each class will receive 4 credits; the 6th and 7th place scores in each class will receive 3 credits; the 8th and 9th place scores in each class will receive 2 credits; the 10th place score in each class will receive 1 credit.
   2. All other sanctioned events will award credits based on the number of competitors in each respective class at that event combined with any higher classed competitors that a competitor outscored.*
      1. Outscoring Higher Classed Competitors: Each competitor who outscores a higher classed competitor will receive 0.1 credits per higher classed competitor that they outscored.
      2. High Overall Credit: The competitor with the highest overall score for the entire event will earn 1 credit if the event has a minimum of 20 shooters, and there are less than 3 competitors in the high overall competitor’s class (or higher*). A competitor will only receive a credit for high overall score or a credit from a class win but not both.
      3. 0 – 2 competitors in class (or higher*): 0 credits
      4. 3 – 9 competitors in class (or higher*): 1 credit for class winner.
      5. 10 – 14 competitors in class (or higher*): 2 credits for class winner, and 1 credit for second place.
      6. 15 – 29 competitors in class (or higher*): 4 credits for class winner, 2 credits for second, and 1 credit for third place.
      7. 30 – 44 competitors in class (or higher*): 4 credits for class winner, 4 credits for second, 2 credits for third, and 1 credit for fourth place.
      8. 45+ competitors in class (or higher*): 4 credits for class winner, 4 credits for second and third, 3 credits for fourth, 2 credits for fifth, and 1 credit for sixth place.

C. Equipment

1. Rifles must be chambered in .22 Long Rifle. This cartridge is the most common and available rimfire cartridge. At these ranges it also most closely mimics centerfire cartridges at Precision Rifle. 17 HMR, 22 Magnum and like rimfire cartridges are not allowed.
2. Rifles with removable magazines must be used. Rifles with fixed tubular magazines are not allowed as they are more difficult to make safe.
3. Any scope, iron sights, or electronic sights may be used. However, magnified rifle scopes with externally adjustable turrets and reticles designed to assist in holdover and measurement are highly recommended.
4. Any shooting equipment may be utilized in NRL22X. The only exception is when a course of fire prohibits specific equipment or requires use of only certain equipment.
5. The competitor will only use one rifle for the competition. If the competitor’s rifle has a malfunction, the competitor shall be able to use a backup or loaner rifle with the approval of the Match Director. The Match Director must be notified when a rifle malfunction occurs. The competitor shall demonstrate the failure to the match director and obtain permission to utilize the backup rifle. A rifle malfunction is defined as a rifle that is no longer able to safely be utilized during a match.

D. Scoring

1. Match points may only be obtained by NRL22X members. If a competitor is not a member, they have a 7 day grace period after the event to obtain a membership for the match points to be counted.
2. Match points will be earned by shooting any of the sanctioned NRL22X competitions with a minimum of 15 competitors; however, all matches regardless of size are eligible to earn classification credits.
3. Scores shall be awarded by percentage of the winning score. Percentage is described as follows: The match’s winner will be awarded 100 points. Other match points will be based off of the percentage of the winning competitor. (For example, if the winning competitor scores 175 points, and the second place competitor scores 163 you would divide 163 by 175 to end up with 93.14 points.
4. Once a competitor has begun the COF, all points acquired will be maintained regardless of competitor status at the conclusion of the match. The only exception to this is if the competitor is disqualified. In the event of a match disqualification, regardless of points already earned on previous stages, the competitor will earn zero points for the entire match.

E. Championship Qualification

1. Competitors are encouraged to shoot as many competitions as they like. The competitor’s three best match scores will count toward the season points race and NRL22 Championship qualification. Competitors may choose to volunteer as a dedicated RO and compete in as many RO matches as they like; however, only the competitor’s single best RO match score can be used as one of the three scores for the NRL22X series.
2. Season points will be tallied by NRL22X and displayed on the NRL22X website. Rankings will be determined by the best score.
3. The NRL22 Championship will have 2 separate ways to qualify. Half of the competitors will come from NRL22 (see NRL22 rules for details on qualification). The other half will come from NRL22X by ranking.
4. The NRL22X season will begin on June 1, 2023 and end on April 30, 2024.
5. NRL22X will be awarded approximately 45% of the total number of slots available at the NRL22 National Championship.  NRL22X will allocate the predetermined number of invites to the top ranked competitors. With the exception of Open Division, this allocation will include at a minimum no less than a proportional number of invites per division based on overall participation. 
6. Invites will be distributed based on season participation and season performance in each division. Therefore competitors must compete in the division for which they accepted the invite.
7. The NRL22 will allocate approximately 10% of the available invites to International NRL22 competitors so that they can attend the National Championship. International NRL22 clubs will be responsible to determine which competitors will attend from their Country. 

F. Championship Match and Scoring

1. The NRL22 will be responsible for conducting a Championship match at the end of the season. The National Championship match is to be held on June 21-23, 2023 in Frederic, WI hosted by Ruth Soucie & Justin Carbone. Further specific details will be disclosed closer to the match date.
2. Each season there will be a NRL22X Champion for each division and will be announced during the NRL22 National Championship. The winner of each division will be determined by their season score (highest three percentages of overall finish from NRL22X matches) combined with their percentage of overall finish in the NRL22 National Championship. The NRL22 National Championship will be worth double points; the percentage of overall finish will be multiplied by two before adding it to the season score.For example, if a competitor has a total of 294.34 points from their highest three NRL22X matches and earns 98.43 points at the NRL22 National Championship, then the competitor will have a combined total of 491.20 (294.34 + 98.43 + 98.43) points.
3. The NRL22 championship will be conducted according to the rules laid out in Section 4 of the NRL22 rules.

SECTION 5: SPORTSMANSHIP

A. Good Sportsmanship.

1. Good Sportsmanship is one of the founding principles of the NRL22X and is highly regarded by the NRL as a whole. Good sportsmanship helps grow the sport, creates positive role models, and is impressive to the sponsors. It is not something that can be quantified, but is easy to recognize by all participants.

B. Unsportsmanlike Conduct.

1. Unsportsmanlike conduct is taken very seriously by the NRL22X.
2. Examples of bad sportsmanship include treating participants or range staff with disrespect, unwarranted complaining, throwing tantrums, or being unpleasant.

C. Cheating

The NRL22X defines cheating as acting dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage in competition. Examples of cheating are:

1. Sabotaging another competitor’s equipment.
2. Assisting in writing any course of fire or obtaining the course of fire prior to any other competitor.
3. Using unauthorized modifications in the Base division
4. Altering or destruction of score sheets.
5. Any other act as deemed unfair/cheating by a Range Officer or Match Director.

D. Penalties for Unsportsmanlike Conduct and Cheating

1. Any competitor who is deemed as acting in an unsportsmanlike fashion will be subject to any penalty that the Match Director deems appropriate including warnings; stage zeros and/or match DQ and being removed from competition.
2. The only penalty appropriate for cheating shall be the Match Director issuing a match DQ and being removed from competition.
3. In the event of a competitor being removed from a competition for cheating or unsportsmanlike conduct no match points will be awarded.
4. Depending on the severity of unsportsmanlike conduct and/or cheating may result in the competitor being suspended from the NRL22 for a minimum of a year

E. Reports to the Board of Directors.

1. Upon completion of an NRL22X competition, the Match Director shall issue a report to his or her fellow Board of Directors which will include scores, who was the standout sportsman, and who if any competitors showed unsportsmanlike conduct or cheated along with any other pertinent information.
2. If any competitor was deemed as displaying unsportsmanlike conduct, the fellow Match Directors will be informed and can choose if they will allow that competitor into their shoots. The Executive Director of Match Operations will inform these competitors of the report by a phone call.
3. If any competitor was deemed to be cheating, the Match Directors will conduct a vote to determine the disciplinary action for the competitor. Regardless of the decision, the Executive Director of Match Operations will inform that competitor of the Board’s decision by phone call.

End of Document