Yes, there is a sporter or Hunter class,a brief summary is -
Minimum caliber is 6mm, no magnums allowed,
rifle weight max with scope is 9 lbs!
trigger weight of pull minimum is 2 lbs
You will need a scope that tracks reliably - very important!
About the smallest cartridge you can get by with is a 243 Win and using it you will end up not knocking over some of the ram targets.
260 & 708 are more reliable as far knockdown reliability, there are still a few folks using 308's but they will wear on you over the course of a long match, anything larger will really wear on you.
You can use a hunter rifle to shoot in the Standard class also but not vice-versa, the Standard class rifle allows more weight, lighter triggers, etc.
A good shooter can be competitive with an off the shelf rifle in Hunter class, Rem 700 is by far the most popular rifle in use.
As mentioned in the above post you might want to google the rules for further reading.
It is the most fun competition that I have ever done and generally,most competitors are friendly and helpful. Give it a try if you have a chance.
drover
good post. I've shot smallbore and HP Both since I think 01. Good info and matches can be found at steel chickens.com
