The Walter Cline Feel, right from home.

The NMLRA Postal Matches allow members to compete with their friends and fellow members throughout the year by shooting targets at home and returning them by mail. Targets are scored in the NMLRA home office and scores are put online after targets have been received.

Registrations for the 28th Annual National Postal Matches are now open and will remain open until August 31st, 2024. The registration form appears below. A photocopy is acceptable, however all signatures must be original.

The top three winners from each of the nine NMLRA regions and internationally, for both rifle and pistol, will be announced in Muzzle Blasts. The top three winners overall for both rifle and pistol will each receive a national plaque.

The National Postal Matches are open to all current members in good standing. The competitions will consist of a four-target, 200- point offhand rifle aggregate and/or a three-target, 260- point pistol aggregate. Rifle competitors may use any safe muzzle loading rifle of either traditional or modern design. Pistol competition is open to any safe muzzle loading pistol or revolver, traditional, or modern in style. Projectiles may be round ball, bullet, or sabot. Sights for both will be any metallic sights which include peep sights, but not telescopic sights. All rifle matches are to be shot offhand and pistol matches shot with one hand, arm extended. Rifle targets consist of Crow at 25 yards, 5 shots; Deer at 50 yards, 5 shots; Fox at 50 yards, 5 shots; Bear at 100 yards, 5 shots. Pistol targets consist of P2-25 yards target at 25 yards, 10 shots; Bottle Target at 25 yards, 1 shot per bottle; 6 shots. P1-50 yard target at 50 yards. 10 shots. All competitors will score their own targets and complete their sheets. The scores will be checked by the Postal Match committee.

The NMLRA does not score using NRA Scoring (The ball/bullet touching the ring receive the higher score). NMLRA scoring is over half the ball/bullet has to be in to receive the higher score. The reason for this is that not every shooter is using the same size ball/bullet. A .54 or .62 cal ball/bullet has a better chance of touching the scoring ring than a .32 cal ball/bullet. We have members that shoot smaller calibers (.22 flintlock pistols) to large caliber rifles (.62 round ball). The NMLRA measures center point of impact. All the matches at the NMLRA National matched are scored the same way.

The results of the 2023 Postal Matches are in. This was a great opportunity to compete on a national level, and has become a way of competing with old friends and new, too distant to compete with locally. As with all shooting, the real competition is with yourself. To keep things as affordable as possible, we offer the matches with or without the overlay. The 2024 Aggregate fee will be $21.00 with the overlay, $20.00 without it.

Here is the 2023 finishing order from each of the nine NMLRA regions for rifle and pistol.

The National Pistol Winners:

1st Jacob Rader 209-6X

2nd Phillip Chambers200

3rd Paul Kindamo192-1X

Regional Winners

Pistol:

Region 1 – Bradford Marshall 151.

Region 2 – Earl Roberts 139.

Region 3 – Nick Brewbaker 150-1X.

Region 4 – Jacob Rader 209-6X.

Region 5 – Paul Kindamo 192-1X; John C. Freesmeyer 176-2X; Jim Jaskoviak 174-2X; Kam Miller 94; Larry Cihacek 88-1X.

Region 7 – Phillip Chambers 200.

Region 9 – Danny Ball 178-1X; Tom Wilder 127-1X.

Rifle:

Region 1 – Bradford Marshall 77; Kennetha F. Marshall 69; John S. Uccello, Jr. 54.

Region 2 – John Scanlon 123-1X; Joseph Gingrich 99-2X; Jim Budd 87-1X.

Region 3 – Debbie Nicholas 99-2X; Jim Burnett 99-1X; Ronald A. Turner 79.

Region 4 – Jacob Rader 176-3X; Richard Dittman 148; David Krier 67; Scott Ballentine 49.

Region 5 – Jim Jaskoviak 139-3X; Larry Cihacek 92; Kam Miller 72; Stephen Hobbs 53.

Region 7 – Michael D. McGuire 98.

Region 9 – Danny Ball 103-1X; Tom Wilder 73-1X.

The 2023 NMLRA Postal Matches had a total of 70 entries. Total Rifle entries 48, returned 21 (1 past deadline). Pistol entries 22, returned 12. Hopefully this program will grow more this year.

Thanks go to all of you who participated in the 2023 Postal Matches!