Beginning high power shooter

I'm thinking of starting shooting in cmp service rifle matches. Does shooters of iron light rifles get scored with optic rifle shooters?

Irons sight and scope shooters are scored together. There is no separate irons class like there is in bullseye pistol. You might try USrifleteams.com for more service rifle info.

Yes, you will be lumped in with the optics shooters…

Even leg matches shoot optics….

The advice you are given is correct, you will want an optics ready AR, not that irons can't compete and win.  White Oak Precision is a good place for advice with scopes and uppers.  Rock River Arms is a go to brand and what I shoot.  White Oak has decent advice on scopes, the upper end is March, Nightforce and Leupold but don't feel cheated if you go with a less expensive Leupold.  I shoot a Mod 1 Leupold and the only grip is it is in MIL's (1/3 MOA) but it is not a show stopper.  I would also suggest finding a local club and contact them, you will get tons of advice and help to get started.

Best of luck to you!

Randy

Thanks everyone for the information. I was hoping to shoot my M1A with the iron sights, may still go that route. Shoot a 6mm ar-10 in precision matches and wasn't looking to shoot a ar here. Thanks again.

If you shoot an M1A that makes you Old School… but you’ll eventually switch to an AR in 223…. 

Recoil, reliability and ability to maintain higher levels of accuracy will drive you to an AR-15. 

But start with your M1-A since you have it. Look around, talk to others and see what's what. You can also go bolt rifle for non-eic matches

There are 2 basic classes/courses of fire in High power.  Service rifle and match rifle.  Your typical Service rifle is either an AR-15 style (with it variants) in 223/5.56 and then the M1A.  Both can compete with iron sights, but you can use optics with a limit of 4.5 power. There has been a change for the M1A rules allowing you to use optics on either.  The match rifle is more complicated on it's rules.  Match rifle is anything from 22 caliber up to 30 caliber.  These rifles can be bolt guns, unlimited optics and light triggers.  I am in the process of going down the rabbit hole into high power rifle shooting also.  There are several different courses of fire for rifle.  There is F Class, long range and Palma plus the above-mentioned service rifle and match rifle. Go to CMP's website and you can find the rule books for ALL of the rifle shooting including "vintage" rifles such as the M1 Grand and its little brother the M1 Carbine.

Yes you will be lumped in with the optics because rules allow x4.5 scopes. I competed with an m1a before the scope rules. Shooting an AR is your best bet to go distinguished. There is just too many advantages to the AR not to shoot one. Rapids is where the AR shines and also you have to learn the wind anyways so there is no disadvantage to the 223 vs 308 as far as wind drift. When I made the switch my scores increased dramatically.

An AR15 with nothing done to it, is about as accurate as an M1A or M1 that has had everything done to it.  An M1A requires lots of maintenance, and things like bedding go to hell regularly, but with an AR15 I rarely do more than oil them.  

Your biggest problem with the AR15 initially will be repeatably locating your head.  Until you figure this out, your groups will move around a little.  Being right handed, I put my right nostril on the left lobe of the cocking handle.  If you use irons on an AR15 the shorter distance between sights than an M1 will make the AR less forgiving in sighting errors, and if the sights look like a 9 when the shot broke, it will be an 8.  When you put glass on an AR15, if you uniformly locate your head, it will be just as it looked.  

Ammo is cheaper with the .223, and components are a lot cheaper.