2023 SNIPER ADVENTURE CHALLENGE

Nov 2-4, 2023 at Benson, AZ

The Premier Tactical Adventure Race.


ALL NEW LOCATION FOR 2023!


The 2023 SAC will be held at a private ranch and training facility near BENSON ARIZONA. There may be a cheap public access permit needed for some land nav legs. Details TBD.

The 2023 SAC will be held at a private ranch and training Back to a roughly 36 hour format for 2023.

You and your partner will undergo tests involving: land navigation; practical shooting with long-range rifle, carbine, and pistols; fieldcraft; problem solving; and other related tasks.

Two-man teams will be required to navigate 30-60+ miles on foot to complete the course.

Along the way, there will be a series of tasks to accomplish to gain additional points. These tasks may include: shooting problems with long-range rifle, carbine, and pistols; problem-solving; physical challenges; fieldcraft; communication; target recognition; memory; and other tasks.

RATINGS
What do these ratings mean?
 
   Physical Difficulty: 10 (Extreme)
   Marksmanship Complexity: 5 (Moderate)
OBJECTIVE

The objective for a team is to acquire the most points while limiting the number of point penalties incurred. The team with the most points will win. Teams must carry all the gear they use to complete land navigation and all tasks, though it may be abandoned at any time. Teams must carry one long-range rifle, one carbine, and two pistols for the entire course. Refer to the Required Gear List for items required for all teams/competitors. All other gear is left to the discretion of the team based on the task briefing. This information will be posted to this web site far in advance of the match date.

MATCH OVERVIEW

  • Match duration: roughly 36 hours
  • 2-man teams
  • Rough high desert terrain
  • No support crew will be permitted.
  • Field shooting challenges include long-range shooting, precision shooting, assault stages, target identification and shoot/no-shoot decisions, and related problems
  • Approximate maximum target distances: rifle 1500 yards; carbine 500; pistol 100
  • Unknown, various, and non-standard target sizes
  • Challenges may include lock picking, escape and evasion, radio communications, basic codebreaking, problem solving, physical field tasks, basic climbing, signalling, surveillance, etc
  • Almost all targetry will be reactive armor steel plate
  • "Appriximate Minimum Round Count": Long-range rifle 80; carbine 120; pistol 80 each.
LOCATION

Private venue near BENSON AZ.

MATCH NEWS

2023 SAC RESULTS

Posted By: Zak Smith on November 6, 2023

Congrats to everyone for a very successful 2023 SAC! Just doing the preparation and showing up shows a level of dedication and drive that is sorely lacking in the modern world. Actually thriving at the SAC indicates an truly exceptional level of personal and team accomplishment. This year we had zero “rescues” and no significant medical issues– I think our medical staff taped some feet and made sure a few people drank enough water after they went dry on the way back from a mission. This marks a significant improvement in the ability for teams to “take care of themselves” during the race, compared to 5+ years ago. Well done! Thank you all for coming.

The SAC can’t happen without RO’s. Thanks to all the RO’s who came to help: Neil, Walt, Jonathan Thornton, Chris, Seth, Charlie, John Phillips, Mark, Chad, EJ, Aaron, Vinessa, Ben, Tony, and Rick. And of course, Stan. Special thanks to our medical staff: Doc Bruce, Stewart, Monique, and Cheryl. Hunter McWilliams, who had RO’d for us at SS and TS several years, volunteered to be an Assistant Match director at SAC this year. I put a lot of responsibility on his shoulders, with Jimmy being out due to an emergency, and he really stepped up and did a great job. Thanks to our landowners and hosts: Owen, Matt, and Carmen. Having prior year SAC competitors come back and RO in their “off years” is a great help since they “get” what the SAC is and how it works. Thanks again guys.

RESULTS – TOP 5
1. AAL / SIMPKINS
2. WAX / STEPHENS
3. BARTON / HUGHES
4. HOM / HOM
5. FRANTZ / SCARBOROUGH

LINK TO FULL RESULTS: PDF OF FULL RESULTS

For anyone who wants to check out the SPOT tracks, here they are 2023 SPOT TRACKS. I will do some analysis of the leaders for mileage later this week when I catch up.

SPECIAL THANKS TO COMPETITORS

After the normal awards, the competitors and RO’s presented Jimmy (in absentia) and I an award of appreciation for running the SAC for 12 years, which then enabled the community to group up around it. At the first SAC, I don’t think any of us knew what we were getting into– as competitors or as staff. Many of us have made lifelong friends competing in or staffing the SAC. The group of people involved is just so solid. In any case, thank you to Murph, Travis Wills, the Dodds, and all the other competitors and staff who made the award possible. It means a lot to Jimmy and I. Thank you guys. It’s humbling to be a part of a group of such virtuous Americans.

 

SAC TEAMS - SEND SPOT IDSNOW

Posted By: Zak Smith on October 17, 2023

ACTION REQUIRED FOR SAC PARTICIPANTS – DUE BY THURSDAY OCT 26th

Like last year, we are going to use live SPOT tracking of competitors during the Sniper Adventure Challenge for safety, logistics, and spectators.

In order for this to work, we need a link to each team’s “Shared Page” from the SPOT site. Here are the instructions:

  1. One team member please complete and send us the following:
  2. Log into the “My Account” section on findmespot.com
  3. Click on the SETTINGS AND BILLINGS tab
  4. Scroll down to almost the bottom of the page; find the section named “XML FEED”, and then click “VIEW/EDIT”
  5. If you have more than one, select the specific SPOT device from the list
  6. Make sure the XML feed is ACTIVE by clicking “ACTIVATE”
  7. Click the “VIEW DETAILS” drop-down on the right-hand side — of the specific device you are using (if you have multiple SPOTs registered with them)
  8. Look for the text that appears, “Your XML Feed ID: 01Mxu7bdPjdMxqUkUDN93I6QuABFHfjAB”
  9. Save that highlighted part — you have to send that to us.
  10. Turn on your SPOT tracker, and put it somewhere where it has good GPS reception
  11. Press and hold the “Footprint” button until it blinks with the POWER button/light.
  12. Let the SPOT sit in a good-reception area for 1-2 hours.
  13. SEND US THE XML FEED ID from STEP #8, along with your Confirmation Code. Your confirmation code is the 4-digit code you got when you registered for the SAC.

    Note: only send us the email after the SPOT has been on and the footprint button/light flashing for 1-2 hours

    For example:

    TEAM: Smith / Sanchez
    CONFIRMATION CODE: 1324
    XML ID: Your XML Feed ID: 01Mxu7bdPjdMxqUkUDN93I6QuABFHfjAB

    SEND TO zak@competition-dynamics.com

These steps will allow us to get everyone’s SPOTs into our tracking system and tested prior to the event so we don’t have last minute technical difficulties.

SPOT II/Gen2 or SPOT III/Gen3 recommended. As far as we know Spot Gen4’s will work too. You need to be able to activate “TRACK MODE” via a button on the device (the “Footprint” icon). Other models may not work well or be compatible with our tracking system. A SPOT that requires another device (such as a phone for bluetooth) is NOT RECOMMENDED. NOT RECOMMENDED: SPOT Trace, SPOT Global Phone, SPOT Connect, SPOT HUG, SPOT X.

REMINDER – TEAMS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO DEPART THE RACE WITHOUT A TRACKING SPOT. “I.T.” PROBLEMS WILL BE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SOLVE ONCE ON SITE

 

Bounding Box SAC 2023

Posted By: Zak Smith on October 6, 2023

Hi, a few of you have asked about the “bounding box” for this year’s race. The race will be entirely within the rectangle defined by these two corners. That is, this box is larger than the race map that you will be issued:

top left corner:
31* 54′ 13″ N 110* 20′ 28″ W

bottom right corner:
31* 45′ 13″ N 110* 11′ 54″ W

 
SPONSORS
MATCH SCHEDULE
Check-in will be available THURSDAY ONLY, 5-6 PM.
Remember that no team will be allowed to start without a working/tracking SPOT tracker.
The race will start Friday morning. At check-in Thursday evening, you will get the details on where and when to meet Friday morning for race start.
AWARDS 10 AM Sunday.
MATCH RULES

SAFETY

This section is the 2017 Competition Dynamics Unified Safety Rules for Shooting

  1. USPSA safety rules are the baseline for safety at this match.
  2. Violation of any safety rule will result in match disqualification (DQ).
  3. The Match Director has the right to disqualify any competitor for Unsportsmanlike Conduct based on his judgement.
  4. Competitors shall practice good muzzle control and firearm safety at all times. Competitors that do not handle their weapons safely will be disqualified from competing further in the match with no refund of match fees.
    1. Do not ever allow the muzzle of your weapons to point at anyone.
    2. Do not load your weapons until directed to do so by a range officer.
    3. Do not put your finger on the trigger until your sights are aligned with your target.
    4. Obey all Range Officer commands immediately.
  5. In addition to the USPSA definition of an Accidental Discharge, the stage RO may call an A.D. using his own judgement, e.g.: if the competitor was clearly not engaging a target. Any round that does not impact within 10 yards of the target the competitor is engaging, or impacts in an unsafe area or direction, is declared to be an AD.
  6. The entire competition area is a "cold range."
    1. No firearms may be loaded at the match site except under the direct command of a RO.
    2. Long-guns shall be kept unloaded in cases or on a designated rack, and carried muzzle up or muzzle down and the action open.
    3. "Sweeping" any person with a weapon's muzzle will result in immediate D.Q.
  7. All firearms must have a functioning safety, subject to verification by an RO at any time. (A pistol that has not had any factory safety devices disabled will be considered to have a safety for the purpose of this rule.)
  8. Any firearm or ammunition deemed by any RO or match staff to be "unsafe" for any reason may not be used in the match until a determination is made by the match director that it may continue.
  9. All firearms must be able to be completely unloaded without firing a round.
  10. Any firearm that can be demonstrated by any RO or match staff to have a hammer/striker that will fall without the trigger being pressed shall be deemed unsafe and may not be used in the match until repaired.
  11. Any rifle slung must have an empty chamber, unless directed by the stage RO.
  12. No person shall consume or be under the influence of alcohol or non-prescription drugs at the match site. Any person found to be impaired and unsafe as a result of legitimate prescription drugs may be directed to stop shooting and requested to leave the range.
  13. Safety glasses and ear protection are required to be worn/used at all times by competitors and spectators when in the vicinity of any weapons being fired.
  14. No person shall place a rifle in such a position that it points at any other person. Find a safe direction if you need to set your rifle down! If you find out there are people passing or downrange, wait until they are clear and then relocate your rifle.
  15. This match may include dynamic shooting in natural terrain. Match staff will communicate what are safe directions to point firearms while shooting, or while waiting. This will typically be presented during a stage or match briefing. The competitor shall note and obey the safe muzzle direction guidelines.
  16. Ammunition must not cause unusual target damage or cause a fire or other safety risk.
    1. No steel jacket or core projectiles
    2. No armor piercing, incendiary, or tracer bullets
    3. Ammunition that must be "fired" to be unloaded once chambered is declared to be unsafe and may not be used in this match.

TEAM DEFINITIONS

This section is the 2023 Competition Dynamics Unified Team Firearms Rules

  1. Each team shall be comprised of two shooters.
  2. One shooter shall be designated the "rifle shooter," and one shooter shall be designated the "carbine shooter."
  3. Targets designated as rifle targets may only be engaged by the rifle shooter, with his rifle.
  4. Targets designated as carbine targets may only be engaged by the carbine shooter, with his carbine.
  5. Each shooter shall shoot the same firearms for the entire match.
  6. For the purposes the preceding rule, the "same firearm" shall be defined by a specific combination of caliber, receiver, barrel, stock, grips, sighting device.
  7. Unless otherwire directed by the stage RO, team members will stay within arms'-reach while shooting on all stages. Every shot fired without team members in this proximity will incur a procedural penalty. Team members may be separated by more distance while on transit legs. For Assault Stages, team members must be within a pace of each other unless otherwise specified. It is strongly recommended that they stay two abreast while engaging targets in the same direction for safety.

Equipment

  1. Rifle
    1. Minimum caliber: .243/6mm
    2. Maximum caliber: 300WM
    3. Maximum muzzle velocity: 3200fps
    4. Ammunition subject to verification by chronograph at any time
    5. Bolt-action is a typical choice, but not required
    6. (This section is the 2017 Competition Dynamics Unified Rifle Definition)
  2. Carbine
    1. Minimum caliber: .223/5.45
    2. Maximum caliber: 300WSM
    3. Loaded cartridge OAL not to exceed 2.90"
    4. Maximum muzzle velocity: 3200fps
    5. Ammunition subject to verification by chronograph at any time
    6. OPEN division carbines are permitted.
    7. Semi-automatic strongly recommended
  3. Pistols
    1. Minimum caliber: 9mm Luger
    2. Maximum muzzle velocity 1500 fps
    3. Maximum caliber .45"
    4. Must be carried in a holster that will retain the pistol during vigorous activity.
    5. Cross-draw holsters are prohibited.
    6. Each team member must carry his holstered pistol on designated stages.
    7. Pistol must be in safe operating condition
    8. 2023 CHANGE! "OPEN" Pistols allowed. This means your RDS and comps are OK. The only restriction is that the slide must be at least partially contained while holstered and the holster must retain the pistol safely under vigorous movement
  4. When selecting your rifle and carbine choices, keep in mind that the majority of targets will be reactive armor steel plates. If your load does not have enough momentum to cause a hit indication that is detectable by a spotter, your shot will be counted as a miss. For reference, .243 is known to have acceptible target indication for rifle, and .223 is known to have acceptible target indication for carbine targets.
  5. Any shooting accessories may be used provided they are carried by the team during every stage. Accessories include but are not limited to:
    1. bipods, bags, shooting sticks, slings, jackets, gloves, or other shooting support devices
    2. optics such as spotting scopes, binoculars, and range-finders
  6. Teams shall use only one carbine, and only one rifle throughout the match. The carbine shooter shall use only one carbine throughout the match. The rifle shooter shall use one rifle.
  7. Ammunition and magazines may be replenished at any time.
  8. Ammunition that must be "fired" to be unloaded once chambered is declared to be unsafe and may not be used in this match. All firearms must be able to be completely unloaded without firing a round.
  9. In the event a weapon breaks or becomes inoperable during the match, the shooter may substitute a weapon of substantially similar configuration for subsequent stages, subject to approval by the Match Director.
  10. Teams violating Equipment Rules will be subject to scoring and/or monetary penalties. Fines will be assessed if target damage occurs due to: forbidden bullet types (AP, steel, tracer, etc); disallowed calibers; or exceeding the muzzle velocity limits.
  11. In the interest of fairness to all competitors, active night vision devices (night vision optics) are not permitted for use in the night stages.

ADDITIONAL SAC EQUIPMENT RULES

  1. All equipment on the Required Gear List must be carried at all times.
  2. Holster may be "mounted" to your person or to your pack only. If it is mounted to the pack, it may only be mounted on a waist belt in such a manner that it can be drawn by the competitor without removing his pack. Any holster connected to the pack waist-belt must be a closed retention-style flap holster*. (* For the purposes of this rule, a holster is a flap holster if it has a movable part that covers the rear of the pistol and physically prevents the pistol from leaving the holster, and is held in position by some mechanism such as a hook, latch, button, etc. A retention holster without a rear flap does not qualify.)
  3. Cross-draw configurations are not allowed regardless of where the holster is mounted.
  4. A chest-mounted holster is permitted as long as the firearm does not break the 180 during a draw and the pistol is completely contained in a separate compartment while carried-- For application of the chest-mounted rule, please contact staff for systems OTHER THAN the Hill People Gear chest rig.
  5. Pistol-mounted lights are allowed.
  6. In the interest of fairness to all competitors, active night vision devices (night vision optics) are not permitted.
  7. GPS devices not permitted for land nav.
  8. Electronic maps are not permitted.
  9. All two-way communications devices are prohibited, other than SPOT trackers and radio gear provided by the match. This means cell phones are prohibited. One-way PLB's are permitted.
  10. Each team must bring a GPS to be used for emergencies only. It will be sealed pursuant to the following rule:
  11. GPS, cell phones, and other communications devices may be brought and used for emergencies only, or to coordinate extraction if a team quits. All such devices shall be powered off and sealed in a container by match staff prior to the event. Use of any such device during the match shall incur an extreme scoring penalty. If the sealed container is opened, that is considered proof of use. The Match Director has sole discretion to waive this penalty for any team that uses these devices to render emergency aid to any person during the match.
  12. Note: there is nothing that prohibits "PDA" style ballistic computers, provided that they have no two-way communications capability, no GPS capability, and no stored maps. (For the purpose of this rule, hardware support for a capability means the device has the capability even if it can be disabled in software.)

SCORING

The objective is to obtain the most points while completing the course or within the time limit. The match packet that you get during check-in will detail the point values for completing different parts of the course and what conditions must be "met" in order to receive points. Likewise, it will detail the penalties for skipping or otherwise failing to follow the briefing and meet the objectives. In general, the way to obtain the most points will be to achieve the mandartory checkpoints in order without skipping any; to do well at the shooting stages and challenges; and to achieve as many of the bonus checkpoints as you can.


Note: rules are subject to change up until the match date.
REQUIRED GEAR

This list is correct for 2021.

These items are mandatory. There are no optional items on this list. Failure to comply will result in disqualification and removal from the course. Inspections can occur at anytime during the race. You may bring any additional items that are not prohibited by the rules. This list is not intended to name everything that will ensure success.

You may bring anything additional allowed by the rules to be placed in your military duffel bag to be cached at a predetermined resupply point along the course; however, the items in the mandatory gear list must be on your person or personal gear at all times. It would be a good idea to plan to pack additional water, food, and additional personal care items in the resupply duffel.

There are inherent risks in adventure racing and any shooting activity. It is ultimately each team's and individual's responsibility to provide for their own safety. It is your responsibility to come prepared both mentally and physically, and with the right gear, to survive.

Team Gear - One Set Required per Team

  1. at least 100 feet of some type of rope capable of hauling at least 100 pounds
  2. 2x military style duffel bag (will contain items you wanted preplaced at a resupply cache location).
  3. 1x shovel
  4. NO FLARES REQUIRED FOR 2022 -- FIRE DANGER IS TOO HIGH    1x pen type flare launcher with 6 flares. tru-flare recommended. NOTE: we will accept aerial marine or other style flare system as long it will achieve an altitude of at least 200 feet and have a burn time of at least 4 seconds.
  5. 1x GPS with batteries (will be sealed by staff along with cell phones - for emergency use only)
  6. You may be issued additional items by staff prior to or during the challenge, for example: radio, 24HSAC "passport"
  7. At least 6 high-energy "AA" batteries
  8. $100 for the radio deposit
  9. SPOT personal tracker with tracking enabled. These can be rented for approximately $35/week from a variety of vendors. We will need your SPOT shared URL code 3 weeks before the SAC. SPOT II/Gen2 or SPOT III/Gen3 recommended. Other models may not work well or be compatible with our tracking system. A SPOT that requires another device (such as a phone for bluetooth) is NOT RECOMMENDED.

Individual Gear - To be carried by each team member

  1. eye and ear protection
  2. 1 poncho/tarp (must be sturdy enough to carry casualty)
  3. 1 hydration system, at least 3 liters total
  4. 1 (at least) head lamp, tactical light or utility light with extra batteries
  5. 1 military-style emergency strobe light - white (emergency use only) - SDU-5/E or MS-2000 or equivalent (the white strobe must have 250,000 peak lumens and a rate of between 40 and 60 flashes per minute.)
  6. 1 red flashing strobe bike-type light (to worn in the hours of darkness)
  7. 1 reflective belt to be worn on around the rucksack
  8. 1 emergency space blanket
  9. 1 compass (not digital or a wrist compass)
  10. 1 firesteel type fire starter or magnesium block
  11. 1 survival mirror
  12. 1 pack of water purification tablets or filter
  13. 1 whistle (always with you - not tucked in pack)
  14. 1 watch set accurately to local time
  15. 1 trauma kit, to include at minimum:
    1. 1 pack of Halo chest seals (2 in a pack)
    2. 1 nasophargyl airway
    3. 1 H compression bandage
    4. 1 combat gauze
    5. 1 roll of kerlex
    6. 1 CAT tourniquet
    7. 1 pair medical gloves
    If you don't already have an trauma kit assembled to bring up to spec, we recommend buying one from Dark Angel Medical
  16. 1 first aid kit, to include at minimum
    1. anti-diarrhea tablets (6)
    2. electrolyte replacement tabs or rehydration salts (10)
    3. painkiller - Ibuprofen, Advil, etc. (6)
    4. benadryl or antihistamine (6)
    5. antacid tablets (8)
    6. decongestant tablets (8)
    7. 4x4 gauze pads (4)
    8. 1-inch bandages (8)
    9. 1-inch waterproof adhesive tape - 3 feet (1)
    10. moleskin or blister treatment (5)
    11. needle (1)
    12. tweezers (1)
    13. 2 oz betadine, antibiotic ointment packets or tube (1)
    14. scissors (1)
    15. epinephrine - If known ANAPHYLACTIC team member
    If you don't have a first-ait kit already assembled for the basis of your 24HSAC kit, we recommend starting with one of the Adventure Medical Kits (Ultralite) and adding the extra items to bring it up to our spec.
  17. 1 ID packet including your full contact info, your partner's info and any other trip companions, and at least two emergency contacts, and any relevant personal medical information
REQUIRED FIREARMS
  1. 1x long-range rifle, to be carried by the designated long-range rifle shooter.
  2. 1x carbine, to be carried by the designated carbine shooter.
  3. 2x pistols, one to be carried by each team member in a secure holster. See holster rules for acceptable carry setups.
  4. For the carbine and pistols, each of these weapons must have at least 3 magazines loaded at all times (unless depleted of the rest of your ammo at the end of the event). all carbine and pistol cartridges must be carried loaded in magazines. At least one loaded magazine for each must be accessible without digging into the rucksack.
  5. both long guns must be equipped with slings appropriate for safe carry.
  6. note: all firearms will be carried unloaded until directed by a range officer to load
RECOMMENDED GEAR
The following items are not mandated by rules but are strongly recommended.
  1. 1 pair of long pants (can be worn)
  2. 1 shirt, long or short sleeved (can be worn)
  3. 1 pair of close-toed shoes or boots (can be worn)
  4. 1 rain/water proof jacket
  5. 1 long sleeve polypro or fleece
  6. 1 wool or polypro beanie
  7. 2 pairs of hiking socks (1 can be worn)
  8. 1 pair of sturdy gloves (flight gloves, mechanix etc.)

PROCEED TO REGISTRATION AREA