A Postal Match is a match in which competitors fire on their home ranges using targets which have been marked for identification.
The targets are then scored and scores are reported to NRA for ranking and awards. The NRA conducts various postal matches, many of which are in cooperation with national and fraternal organizations. Others fill the need for specialized matches among groups that are unable to support their own separate competition. Listed below are brief descriptions of the current NRA sponsored or sanctioned postal series. A complete program and entry information (PDF format) is available for most of these matches and may be printed and mailed to NRA.
4-H Programs
Conducted annually between January 1 and June 1. Open to all 4-H members. Courses of fire are available for Air Pistol, Air Rifle, 3-Position Smallbore Rifle and Trapshooting.
Conducted annually for up to 8 weeks during the summer camp session. Individuals from local council scout camps may compete. The matches are fired on a weekly basis. Courses of fire are available for Smallbore Rifle and Air Rifle.
Conducted annually, January 1 through June 1. Open to all BSA Venturing crews. Competitions include .22 Pistol, Center Fire Pistol, 3-Position Air Rifle, 3-Position Smallbore Rifle, Muzzle Loading Rifle, Trapshooting, Sporting Clays and Skeet.
Conducted annually, January through December. This competition is open to any individual who enters and fires the required course of fire between January and December. Individuals may enter this postal only once per calendar year. The postal winner will receive an award and special categories and classification awards will be based on participation.
Conducted annually, January through December. This competition is open to any individual who enters and fires the required course of fire between January and December. Individuals may enter this postal only once per calendar year. The postal winner will receive an award and special categories and classification awards will be based on participation.
Conventional & Center Fire Pistol Aggregate - The combined scores from both the Center Fire and Conventional Pistol postals will determine an aggregate pistol winner who will receive an award plaque.
Conducted annually, September through May 5th. Open to all air pistol shooters. This is an individual event. Courses of fire are 60 shots for men or 40 shots for women, 40 or 60 shots for junior men and junior women.
Conducted annually, November through March. Open to all smallbore rifle shooters. Competition is for 3-Position and 4-Position Smallbore Rifle. The team match is an unfired match generated by the fired scores of four participating individuals. This match is open to Adult as well as Junior competitors.
NRA Junior Club 4-Month Team and Individual Series
Conducted annually December through March. Open to NRA affiliated Junior Rifle Clubs. A match is fired each month starting in December and running through March. The combined total score for the four months decides the winning team. A team is comprised of 4 shooters. Awards are based on participation. Individual awards will be awarded to the highest scoring shooter in each series.
Conducted annually, January through December. These matches are sponsored by the NRA to assist State Associations in developing interest in State Championship Tournaments. Information on this postal match is sent to all sponsors of NRA State Championships.
Forms are sent to all State Championship sponsors.
NRA Junior Air Rifle 3-Position Indoor Postal Match
Conducted annually, September through April. Open to all junior shooters. The option of Sporter or Precision Air Rifle is offered in this match. This is an individual and team event. Each competitor must enter as an individual and the team match is an unfired match generated by the fired scores of four participating individuals.
Conducted annually, January through May. Open to youngsters at least 8 years of age at the time of the competition. They may compete through the calendar year in which their 15th birthday occurs. Each competitor should have successfully completed an education and gun safety program prior to competing.
NRA National JROTC Sporter and Precision Air Rifle Postal Matches
Conducted annually, August through February. This match is open to all members of a JROTC club team. Courses of fire are available for Sporter Air Rifle Position and Precision Air Rifle Position. Schools may enter both matches, but the teams must be made up of different shooters.
Conducted annually, January 1 through December 27. This match is open to all Females, but only once per calendar year. Membership in the NRA is not required but is encouraged. There are no age minimums or maximums.
Conducted annually, December through March (Team) and October through December (Individual). The team match is a series of four monthly matches for teams sponsored by VFW Posts. Scores from the four monthly matches are combined into an aggregate match. The individual VFW match is fired in the Fall with a December closing date.
Conducted annually, January 1st through October 31st. All competitors must be a member of a current chartered Outpost. Competitions include; BB Gun, Smallbore Light Rifle 3-Position, Sporter Air Rifle Position, Black Powder Rifle, and Trap.
The Competitive Shooting Division of the NRA offers a wide range of activities in all types of shooting, sanctions over 11,000 shooting tournaments and sponsors over 50 national championships each year.