Outdoor Programs
Rifle Silhouette League – Consists of 5 shots fired from the off hand positions at five each of the rifle silhouette targets consisting of chickens, pigs, turkeys, and rams, at the range of 200 meters. Two and a half minutes are allowed for each set of five targets. The league also includes smallbore silhouette, which is fired with .22 LR caliber rifles at ranges of at 40, 60, 77 and 100 meters for the chickens, pigs, turkeys and rams respectively. The league is fired from the 200 meter firing line on the Silhouette Range. The league matches are held on Monday nights starting in May and finish the end of July. Check calendar for dates and times, or click here for more information. The Sighting-in-Range facility is closed while the league is being fired.
Outdoor Handgun League – Consists of a 30 shot NRA conventional smallbore pistol course of fire and a 30 shot smallbore defensive pistol course fired on paper silhouette targets. Each are fired at the range of 25 yards. Individuals can choose to shoot in convention or defensive and in center fire or rimfire categories. The league is fired on the Sighting-in-Range facility. The matches are held on Tuesday nights starting in May and finish the end of July. Check calendar for dates and times, or click here for more information. The Sighting-in-Range facility is closed while the league is being fired.
High Power Rifle Postal League – Consists of the 200 yard stages of the national match course, which consists of 2 sighters followed by 20 shots slow fire from the offhand position and 2 sighters followed by two 10 shot rapid fire strings from the sitting position. NRA rules apply. Matches are fired on the home ranges of the clubs participating in the league. The league matches at the Forks Rifle Club are held on Wednesday nights starting in May and finishing in July. The league is fired from the 200 yard firing point on the High Power Range. Check calendar for dates and times.
Vintage Military Rifle League – Consists of the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) 35 shot match format fired at a range of 200 yards. Match consists of 5 sighters and 10 shots for record fired from the prone position in a time period of 15 minutes; 10 shots rapid fire prone from standing with a reload fired in a time period of 80 seconds; and 10 shots fired from the standing position in a time period of ten minutes. As issued bolt action US and foreign military rifles and M1 Garand rifles permitted by the CMP are allowed. The league is fired from the 200 yard firing point on the High Power Range. The league matches at the Forks Rifle Club are held on Thursday nights starting in May and finishing in July. Check calendar for dates and times, or click here for more information.
F-Class Practice Matches – Consists of 20 shots for record slow fire from a supported prone position at each of 300 and 600 yards. Practice matches are scheduled on specific Sunday afternoons throughout the summer. The practice matches are fired from the 300 and 600 yard firing points on the High Power Range. Check calendar for dates and times.
Junior Outdoor Practice – Consists of shooting 50 and 100 yard smallbore prone and position courses of fire through the first part of June. The practice is fired on Tuesdays from the 200 yard firing points on the High Power Range. Check calendar for dates and times.
Hunter Rifle League – Hunter Rifle League is fired as part of the summer practice match schedule at Forks Rifle Club. The shooter will be allowed 5 minutes for prep time and then 20 minutes for 5 sighters and 15 shots for record. Firing position is prone. The targets used are the F Class 300 and 600 yard targets. Lewis class scoring system will be used to determine league standing. The 300 and 600 yards leagues are separate events. Click here for more information or check calendar for times and dates.
Indoor Programs
Light Rifle League – Consists of unlimited sighters and 20 shots for record fired on the NRA A-32 light rifle target and 20 shots fired on a paper silhouette target at the range of 50 feet. Light rifle is fired with a .22 LR caliber rifle not weighing more than 8 ½ pounds with sights and having a trigger pull of not less than 2 pounds. The league starts in January and runs through March. Relays are fired on Sunday afternoons and on Mondays nights on the Indoor Range. Practice for the league starts on Monday nights in November. Check calendar for dates and times.
Junior Marksmanship Program – Provides junior shooters with the training and practice to develop the marksmanship skills needed to compete in 3-position and 4-position smallbore rifle and precision air rifle competitions. The training takes place on the Indoor Range on Sunday evenings, Tuesday nights and Thursday nights, starting in October and running into April. The club provides the firearms and basic equipment for the program. Check calendar for dates and times.
Red River Postal League – Consists weekly, 40 shot 4-position smallbore matches fired on the home ranges of competing teams. Matches consist of 10 shots prone, 10 shots sitting, 10 shots kneeling and 10 shot standing fired on the NRA A-17 target at the range of 50 feet. NRA rules apply. This is a handicapped match. Teams from each club comprised of the shooters with the highest weekly handicapped scores compete against other clubs each week. League runs from January through March. Matches at the Forks rifle Club are fired on Wednesdays nights on the Indoor Range. Practice for the league starts in November. Check calendar for dates and times.
Indoor Handgun League – Consists of a 30 shot NRA conventional smallbore pistol course of fire, and a 30 shot smallbore defensive pistol course fired at 50 feet. Individuals can shoot either or both courses of fire, which consist of 10 shots slow fire, 10 shots timed fire and 10 shots rapid fire. NRA rule apply for the conventional pistol course. The League starts in January and runs through March with relays on Friday afternoons and nights. Practice for the league starts in November on Friday nights. Check calendar for dates and times.
Fees
Fees in addition to the basic membership dues are charged for participation in the leagues to defray the cost related to the individual programs. Junior members may participate in any of the leagues at no additional cost. Members can participate one time at no cost to see if they are interested. Daily rates are available for members joining partway through the league season and for non-members. See current membership application form for fee schedule.
Heated Shooting House
A heated shooting house which is part of the Sighting-in-Range building is available for members to use through out the year at an additional charge. The house has three shooting benches, tables for cleaning firearms, and benches with loading presses for load development. One can also access an illuminate target frame at 100 yards from the shooting house. The additional fee covers the cost of heating and maintaining the facility. See the current membership application form for the fee schedule.
Winter Indoor Pistol League
Program.
The Forks Rifle Club is sponsoring an indoor pistol league which starts after the first of the year and runs for ten weeks. The league is held on Fridays. Relays are an hour long and start at 10:00 am, 11:00 am, 6:30 pm, 7:30 and 8:30 pm. An additional relay may be added at if required. The location is the Forks Rifle Club indoor range located at 2051 12th Ave NE, Emerado, Grand Forks County, North Dakota, 58228. To sign up for the league contact Tom Reiten at 701-739-1988. League fees for Forks Rifle Club members is $50.00 for the season. However, members who are going to be able to participate in some of the weekly matches may pay a per time fee of $5.00. Non-members may participate in the league by paying a $10.00 per time fee.
The league consists of both conventional smallbore pistol (CSP) and smallbore defensive pistol (SDP) categories. Members can shoot in either or both categories.
Course of Fire.
The (CSP) will consist of ten shots slow fire in a time period of ten minutes on the 50 foot B-2 target; two five-shot timed fire strings each fired in a separate time period of twenty seconds on the 50 foot B-3 target; and two five-shot rapid fire strings each fired in a separate time period of ten seconds on the 50 foot B-3 target. NRA One or Two Hand Probationary Precision Pistol Match Rules will apply. Shooter may use a one or two hand hold, but may not use any artificially support.
The smallbore defensive pistol (SDP) will consist of ten shots slow fire in a time period of ten minutes on the 50 foot B-27 target; two five-shot timed fire strings each fired in a separate time period of twenty seconds on the 50 foot B-27 target; and two five-shot rapid fire strings each fired in a separate time period of ten seconds on the 50 foot B-27 target. Shooter may use a one or two hand hold, but may not use any artificially support.
The shooters will score their own targets and record the scores from each stage on a score card. Score cards are turned into the range officer at the end of each relay.
The NRA rules for the conventional smallbore pistol apply for personnel firing in that category.
The smallbore defensive pistol is any safe handgun chambered .22 short, long or long rifle ammunition capable of holding a minimum of five rounds in the magazine or cylinder. Optical sights, laser sights or light emitting sights may be used as well as the conventional factory installed sights. These handguns should be capable of being carried in a holster. Holsters will not be used on the line. The intent of this category is to use defensive or sporting type handguns, not match style handguns or “race guns.”
Eye and ear protection is required for individuals under eighteen years of age, but is strongly recommended for everyone in the range. Side shields are recommended to protect from expended cartridge cases, lead fragments and hot gasses from handguns being fired on the line.
As soon as a handgun is uncased or removed from the holster it shall be opened and an empty chamber indicator inserted in the chamber or cylinder and placed on the table or in shooting stand. Handguns may be handled when directed by the range officer. Handguns will not be holstered while on the line. They will be placed on the tables or in shooting stand between stages. Firearms will not be touched while anyone is ahead of the firing line. Muzzles will be pointed in a safe direction at all time. While on the line, muzzles will be kept pointed down range. Handguns will not be loaded until the range officer gives the command to do so. Handguns will be unloaded and empty chamber indicator will be inserted in the chambers or cylinders when each stage of fire is completed. Any handgun with rounds in the chamber, magazine or cylinder is considered loaded.
Violation of the safety rules, failing to follow range commands or any unsafe act will result in the individual being removed from the firing line, and may result in the individual being expelled from the league.
Individuals shooting either conventional or defensive pistol can be on the line at the same time since the courses of fire except for the targets are identical. The lights above the back stop will be used to signal the start and finish of the timed and rapid fire strings. Shots fired after the lights are shut off will result in the loss of the value of the highest shot on the target.
The relay on the line will complete two 30 shot courses of fire before the next relay shoots. If a relay is not full a shooter not on the relay can shoot for practice. Shooters who have not shot will have preference over shooters waiting to shoot a second time. Shooter competing in both categories will have preference over someone shooting for practice. Time permitting a third course of fire shall be fired on each relay.
One league score may be shot for record in each category each week. At the end of the season the high five scores will be used to determine league standing.
Range Commands.
When ready to start the relay the Range Officer will direct:
“SHOOTERS MOVE YOUR EQUIPMENT TO YOUR POSITION ON THE FIRING LINE” Shooters place their firearms and equipment on the table at their firing point.
“SHOOTERS MAKE THE LINE SAFE” Range officer checks all firearms to ensure that they are unloaded, magazines are removed, slides or cylinders are open, and empty chamber indicators are inserted.
“THE LINE IS SAFE, YOU MAY POST YOUR FIRST TARGET” Shooters put up their first target and return to their position on the firing line.
When all shooters are behind the firing line the Range Officer will announce:
"THE LINE IS SECURE. YOU MAY HANDLE YOUR FIREARMS AND LOAD MAGAZINES BUT DO NOT LOAD YOUR FIREARMS UNTIL DIRECTED TO DO SO" Range Officers check the location of each competitor as to correct firing point and allows up to three minutes of preparation time.
"SHOOTERS TO THE FIRING LINE." The competitors in that relay immediately take their assigned places at their firing points and prepare to fire but do not load.
The overhead target lights are turned off. The Range Officer makes sure that the range is clear and that all shooters are in position and then he announces:
SLOW FIRE: "THIS IS SLOW FIRE - 10 SHOTS FIRED IN A TIME PERIOD OF 10 MINUTES - LOAD." The number of rounds to be loaded by the competitor in slow fire stages will be five in each magazine or cylinder. The competitor will reload another five rounds during the 10 minute firing period.
or
TIMED FIRE: "THIS IS TIMED FIRE – TWO FIVE SHOT STRINGS – EACH STRING FIRED IN A TIME PERIOD OF 20 SECONDS - WITH 5 ROUNDS LOAD."
or
RAPID FIRE: "THIS IS RAPID FIRE – TWO FIVE SHOT STRINGS – EACH STRING FIRED IN A TIME PERIOD OF 10 SECONDS - WITH 5 ROUNDS LOAD."
"IS THE LINE READY" Any competitor who is not ready or whose target is not in order will immediately raise the non-shooting arm and call, "Not ready on target _.”
The Range Officer will immediately state, "THE LINE IS NOT READY," and the Range Officer will immediately investigate the difficulty and assist in correcting it. When the difficulty has been corrected or if there are no problems, the Range Officer calls,
"THE LINE IS READY."
"READY ON THE RIGHT, READY ON THE LEFT" Competitors may point their guns toward the target after the command, "Ready on the right."
"READY ON THE FIRING LINE" In approximately 3 seconds “commence firing” command will be given or the overhead target lights will be turned on.
"COMMENCE FIRING” or Overhead Lights are Turned On" The over head targets lights will simultaneously be turned on which means to start firing without delay as timing of the string is started.
"CEASE FIRING" The command given by the Range Officer at the end of time limit for each string or at any other time all firing is to cease. FIRING MUST CEASE IMMEDIATELY. Even if a competitor is about to let off a carefully aimed shot the competitor must not fire and open the action of the gun. Failure to immediately obey command is one of the worst infractions of range discipline. On this command magazines will be removed, cylinders will be opened or slides locked back, empty chamber indicator inserted, and all guns placed on the shooting stand or on the table and not handled until the next command of the Range Officer. "Cease Firing" will be signaled verbally and/or by turning the overhead target lights off.
“Cease Firing” may called anytime an unsafe situation is observed on the range. When called during the slow fire stage, the clock will be stopped and firing will resume for the remaining time when the situation is resolved. When called during a timed or rapid fire string, both strings will be refired on a clean target, when the situation is resolved.
For slow fire: “IS FIRING COMPLETE?” If complete, “CEASE FIRE – UNLOAD-INSERT EMPTY CHAMBER INDICATORS” or if time has expired, “CEASE FIRE-TIME HAS EXPIRED– UNLOAD-INSERT EMPTY CHAMBER INDICATORS. Range officer verifies that every firearm one the line is unloaded and an empty chamber indicator is in place.
For timed and rapid fire: “CEASE FIRING – ARE THERE ANY REFIRES?” – “THERE ARE NO REFIRES” or “THERE IS A REFIRE” This is called when time has expired for a timed or rapid fire stage. Shooters experiencing a stoppage during the timed or rapid stages will keep the handgun pointed down range, raise their hand and NOT ATTEMPT TO CLEAR THE PISTOL until the Range Officer directs them to do so. Refires will be shot after of the second timed or rapid fire string.
“UNLOAD” The “Unload” command will be given at the end of the first string of timed or rapid fire.
“SHOOTERS THIS IS YOUR SECOND STRING OF TIMED / RAPID FIRE – WITH FIVE ROUNDS LOAD” This is announced before the second string of fire then the firing commands are repeated beginning with “Is the Line Ready”.
“UNLOAD - CYLINDERS OPEN - MAGAZINES OUT - SLIDES BACK - EMPTY CHAMBER INDICATORS IN PLACE - FIREARMS ON THE TABLE.” This command is given at the end of a stage of fire. Firearms are unloaded, magazines removed, cylinders opened or slides locked back, empty chamber indicators inserted, and all guns placed on the shooting stand or on the table and not handled until the next command of the Range Officer.
“IS THE LINE SAFE ON THE RIGHT? IS THE LINE SAFE ON THE LEFT?” On this command the Range Officer will check each competitor to insure that the range is safe.
“THE LINE IS SAFE, PUT UP YOUR NEXT SLOW FIRE / TIMED FIRE / RAPID FIRE TARGET.” Shooters will place the next target to be fired up and retrieve their fired target for scoring.
"THE LINE IS SECURE, YOU MAY HANDLE YOUR FIREARMS" This command is given when the Range Officer has ascertained that all personnel have are behind the firing line after changing targets. At this point the competitor will either prepare for the next stage of fire or if firing is complete, remove their equipment from the firing line.