Palma USA

A. GOVERNANCE

1. The governance and rule-making authority for the World Long Range Shooting Championships, Individual and Palma Team Matches shall be vested in a Palma Council, which shall consist of one representative appointed by each National Association or Federation that has participated in three (3) Palma Trophy Team Matches since and including the 1967 Palma Match.  All actions by the Council are subject to ratification by a majority of the National Associations or Federations represented on the Council.  As of April 25, 1999 the Palma Council consists of representatives of the NRAs of America, Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand, the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association, the Channel Islands Rifle Association, South African National Rifle Association, Germany, the Kenya Rifle Association and the National Rifle Association of Zimbabwe.
2. The Council shall meet at the time and place of the World Long Range Shooting Championships and may meet at other times as required with the agreement of a majority of National Associations or Federations represented on the Council.
3. At each Council meeting, the host Association or Federation shall appoint a Chairman or Moderator who shall convene and chair the meeting, but who shall have no vote.
4. Palma Secretariat – in 1988 the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association agreed to provide the Secretariat to the Palma Council until such time as it chooses to relinquish the position or Council decides to appoint another Council member to perform the Secretariat function.  The duties of the Secretariat shall be as outlined below:
a. The Secretariat will be the focal point for co-ordination of passage of information between member nations;
b. Rules will not normally be amended between meetings.  In the event that an urgent requirement exists to amend the rules for the next Championships, the Secretariat will conduct a postal vote among member nations and advise members of the result.  However, no permanent change of rules will be permitted until full discussion has taken place and been agreed at a full meeting of the Palma Council.  All rule changes will be conducted in accordance with J.4. and any changes that will affect the rules or match conditions, other than safety, must be completed and agreed upon within one year of the conclusion of the last World Championships.
c. Ensure, in consultation with the host nation, that information and specifications which may be peculiar to that nation’s rules or laws are passed to member nations in accordance with the rules;
d. The Secretariat will deal with Council Members’ Governing bodies.  In the event that Team Captains are authorized by a Member Nation to communicate, on their behalf, with the Secretariat, the Secretariat must be so advised;
e. Each Member Nation will contribute to the Secretariat, on a yearly basis, a sum to be determined at each Council Meeting to offset the cost of postal and FAX services, trophy insurance costs, staff time and as a fund to cover the Secretariat travel expenses to the next World Championships.  These contributions are to be paid to the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association (Palma Secretariat), in Canadian Funds, by October 31st of each year, and,
f. The Secretariat will record and produce for approval of Council Members, the Minutes and Proceedings of all Council Meetings, and maintain an accurate record of the rules.

B. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

1. To sustain in its finest traditions, this superb competition in long range rifle marksmanship, which since 1876 has engendered mutual understanding and friendship, warm goodwill, and above all, good sportsmanship among marksmen of the world.
2. To provide for meeting on a basis mutually agreed as herein set forth, for the purpose of conducting an individual and team contest wherein arms and ammunition are closely limited by the same rules for all participants, in order to emphasize marksmanship skill.
3. To stimulate interest in the arts and skills of long-range rifle marksmanship, and the interchange of marksmanship ideas; to publicize long-range rifle shooting as a healthy competitive sport; and to encourage additional Marksmanship Federations which regulate this form of shooting.
4. In recognition of these Aims and Objectives, it was passed at a Meeting of the Palma Council in Raton, New Mexico, on the 26th Day of August 1992, that the Palma Matches would henceforth be known as “THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS OF INTERNATIONAL LONG RANGE RIFLE SHOOTING”.  With the incorporation of the Individual Matches into the Championships, it was decided in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on 09 April 1999, that the matches would be know as “THE WORLD LONG RANGE SHOOTING CHAMPIONSHIPS, INDIVIDUAL AND PALMA TEAM MATCHES”.

C. MATCH SCHEDULING AND INVITATIONS

1. The World Championships will be conducted on a schedule which permits no less than three years or more than five years between competitions.  Such schedule, to include the designation of the host nation, will be determined at each Palma Council meeting for the next two matches to follow.
2. Participation shall be by invitation issued by the host nation to whom application to participate must be made.  Invitations may be extended to National Associations or Federations in addition to the Associations currently constituting the Palma Council when agreed upon by the governing bodies of the Palma Council.  Before invitations are issued the host nation must notify the Palma Council of the maximum number of individuals and teams which it can accommodate, upon the designated range and, should a greater number of applications be received by the host nation than can be accommodated, the ultimate selection of those individuals and teams to participate will be made by the Palma Council.
3. Preliminary to the scheduling of each match, or to the Palma Council agreement that another national association may be host, the prospective host shall inform all associations concerned as to pertinent details proposed.  These include but are not limited to the date and place; the number of firing members (Section D, paragraph 4); targets (Section G, paragraph 1); additional awards, if any, (Section I); and any contemplated minor departure from the rules such as moderate differences in firing ranges.  As much as feasible of this information shall be provided at least 18 months in advance of the proposed match date.
4. The acceptance of the responsibility as ‘Host Nation’ carries with it the responsibility for organizing the Individual and Team Matches in accordance with the rules contained herein and any guidance which the Council may from time to time provide.  This responsibility includes the following:
                     a.  Organization and conduct of the World Long Range Shooting Championships, Individual
        and Palma Team Matches;
        b.  Provide one practice day and two match days for the conduct of the Palma Teach Match;
        c.  Organize and host an appropriate reception for all Team Members, and;
        d.  The cost of entry fees for the Palma Team Match and reception costs are to be borne by the
        Host Nation.  Each nation and competitor will provide their own ammunition.

D. THE TEAM MATCHES AND THE INDIVIDUAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

1. Teams and individuals shall be selected by the National Association or Federation which regulates this form of competition within that country.  Each nation is responsible for providing ratification and sanction to the Host Nation for all individual competitors who will compete in the World Individual Championships.  This is to ensure that all competitors are of a sufficiently high standard of marksmanship.  The Host Nation will not accept Individual entries without National sanction or ratification.
2. Team Members must be a citizen or permanent resident of the country represented by that team, and must not have shot against that country in the previous three years.
3. The official in charge of firing the match (Chief Range Officer) shall:
a. Before the match, become thoroughly acquainted with these match conditions and any modifications which have been agreed to by the Palma Council of the participating team captains;
b. At random during the match, or when requested by any Team Captain, check the equipment, accessories, ammunition, and procedures in use to ensure compliance with all applicable conditions and rules.

4. Teams shall normally consist of 16 firing members, 2 alternates, a Team Captain, an Adjutant, a main Coach, 4 Coaches and a non-firing armorer.  If agreed by the Palma Council for a particular year, the number of firing members may be reduced by decrements of 4, to 12 or 8.  Either or both the Team Captain and Coach may be alternate firing members; and any Team Captain who so desires may provide additional officials/alternates such that the total does not exceed one for each 4 firing members.  That is, Teams may consist of up to a maximum of 26 members, all of which are eligible for awards.
5. Designation, from the above totals, of the team members who will actually fire, arrangements of their squadding, and control of their sequence of fire, shall be by the Team Captain or Coach.
6. The list of team embers actually to fire shall be handed to the Match Director, Chief Range Officer, or Referee before the start of the match.   This list shall include the serial number of all the rifles which each shooter will use in the match.  No substitutions may be made after the first shot of the match is fired except for emergencies such as accident or illness, and then only if approved by the Match Director.  All shots fired by the replaced shooter count; the replacement fires only the uncompleted portion of the replaced shooter’s course of fire.  The replacement may use his/her own rifle.
7. Team Captains may have team embers, then not firing, on the firing line as assistant coaches, score book plotters, etc.  So long as they are bona fide team members, there is no limitation as to the number that may be on the line a one time, provided there is no interference with safe range operation or with any member of another team.
8. The course of fire for each shooter in the Individual and Team Matches consists of two convertible sighting shots and fifteen shots for record at each range 800, 900 and 1000 yards, slow fire, prone position.  For metric ranges, the course of fire shall be the same, at ranges of 700m, 800 and 900 meters.  For 2003 the following procedure will apply to the Individual Matches:  For the Individual World Championships, firing will be conducted either singly or in pairs, in relays, dependent on the number of targets available.  The individual squadding will be changed each day to reflect the individuals’ position in the standing at the end of the day.  This is to ensure that those competitors in the same scoring bracket are squadded together and compete under similar conditions.  The rotation of the details will be at the discretion of the Palma Council.
9. The Individual World Championships and the Palma Team Match shall be fired after all other National individual and team matches have been fired.  Prior to the firing of the Team Match, there shall be individual matches or a practice session available to all teams, to ensure that they have an opportunity to fire at all Palma distances on the Palma range.  The Team Match will normally be fired over a period of two days with the complete course of fire being conducted on each day.  In the event of adverse weather conditions resulting in the cancellation of one day’s firing, the Match may revert to one day, if so approved by the Palma Council.
10. Prior to the practice firing, at an appropriate time, the host Team Captain shall call a meeting of all Team Captains, to be attended also by the Chief Range Officer and the Official Referee, for the purpose of agreeing upon all interpretations, amendments or changes to the rules or program, which may be in question.  Each Team Captain may bring not more than two other members of the team with him who may speak, but teams may have only one vote.  The Chairman appointed shall not be empowered to make proposals, nor shall he have a vote.  Further meetings of the same group for the same purpose shall be called by the Chief Range Officer or Official Referee at any time; upon request by any Team Captain.
11. No electronic, telephone or sonic device, which contains a built in receiver for electronic transmissions, may be used n the firing line to aid communications between tam officials, coaches and shooters.  The prime concerns must be for the preservation of ones hearing on the one hand and safety on the other.  Shooters must be able to hear instructions form the range safety staff and coaches while at the same time being afforded ample hearing protection.
12. Individual World Championships.  The World Championships of Individual Long Range Rifle Shooting will be held in conjunction with the Team Matches and will follow the same course of fire.  Each national body is responsible for the selection and approval of all individuals to be entered in this match.  In the event of limited range space, members of the National Teams will be given priority in the Individual Matches.  Normally, each nation represented will be given, an allocation of spaces.  If there are any additional spaces, these will be spread equitably among the competing nations.  The provisions of paras D 2, 3, 8 and 9 apply to the Individual Matches.  In addition, all rules and conditions, including entry fees shall be determined by the Council.

E. RIFLES AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT

1. The competitors from each country will bring their own rifles with them.  Rifles shall be of 7.62 NATO caliber and, except for the specifications below, equipment which is legal in the parent Country’s National Association shall be legal for the World Championships and all accompanying matches held by that country.  However, where safety is a proven factor, equipment shall conform to the target rifle rules of the host country.
2. Each shooter must use the rifle with which he started the match throughout the match, unless there is a mechanical breakdown of the rifle or sights which makes it impossible to continue firing it in competition.  In that event, after having the rifle with which he/she started the match examined by the Official Referee, he/she may use his/her own spare rifle.  In the event that the shooter does not have a spare rifle he/she may use one being used by one of his/her team mates.  Scorers shall examine rifle serial numbers, as shooters come off the line, and shall list the rifle serial number on the shooters’ score card.
a. Consonant with the practice in the original Palma Match and the tradition that followed for more than one hundred years in later matches, it is intended, insofar as practicable, that any rifle used in the match may not be used by more than one shooter.  Exceptions may be made, at the request of a Team Captain, prior to the match, in the case where shooters have rifles which have demonstrated poor performance in team or individual matches fired prior to Palma.  In this event, shooters using the same rifle shall be clearly listed on the list of team members to fire, required by Section D, paragraph 6.  This dispensation will be limited to one rifle per eight firers.
3. All rifles shall conform to the following requirements and restrictions.
a. Rifle Weight shall not exceed 6.5kg (but see para E.1.);
b. The weight of the trigger pull shall conform to the requirements of the rules of the host country, so that they may be used in individual and team matches, prior to the Palma;
c. Metallic sights shall be used and are defined as any sighting system constructed of metal or equivalent, which provides a method of aiming by aligning separate but visible sights or reference points, mounted on the rifle.  There are no restrictions on the material of which the sights or inserts may be made, nor is there any restriction on the shape of the front sight insert.  Lenses may be used in either the front or rear sight but not in both.  The use of variable diopter sights shall comply with the rules of the host nation;
d. The rifle action shall be manually operated;
e. The sling, including the cuff, if any, shall be strap or straps made of leather or webbing, not over two inches wide or ¼ inch thick in any cross section, which may be attached to one or two points on the rifle.  Use of a sling is not mandatory.
f. Adjustable butt plates and cheekpieces are permitted.  The butt plate curvature may not exceed ½ inch (one half inch);
g. The following are not permitted:
1. Muzzle compensators or muzzle brakes
2. Release or set triggers.
3. Notwithstanding the above, in the event of a question of admissibility to the competition of a rifle or associated equipment, the Palma Council will rule on its acceptability.

F. AMMUNITION

1. “The ammunition to be used in the World Long Range Rifle Championships, both Individual and Team, will be .308 Win/7.62 NATO and will be furnished by each individual and by each team respectively.  The ammunition may be either handloads or may be purchased commercially.  The bullet must be the 155 grain Palma Bullet manufactured by SIERRA THE BULLETSMITHS.  The cartridge cases must be the .308 Win/7.62 NATO as specified by the dimensions set down by The Small Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (SAMMI) or (CIP).  The cartridge case, primer and powder may be of any manufacture.  The ammunition must be loaded in a manner that is consistent with the ammunition industry’s accepted standards of safety.  Any change in bullet type or weight must be approved by the Palma Council.
2. During the Individual and Team Championships a competitor or a competitor with a team may be required to provide at lest two rounds, and not more than five (at random) for technical checks by qualified experts provided by the Host Nation.  Therefore all competitors should ensure they have more than the required number of rounds for each match to allow for samples to be collected.
3. Failure of any competitor to comply with these standards will result in the following action:
a. For the Individual Championships:  On confirmation of a violation, immediate disqualification from the matches and notification of the details in writing to the Parent National Association by the Palma Secretariat.
b. For the Team Matches:
(i).  Disallowing all scores achieved by the individual up to that point in the matches;
(ii). Immediate disqualification from further participation and substitution of a reserve member of that team.

G. TARGETS

1. The standard target for all Palma Matches is established as the NRA of America Long Range Target which consists of a 44 inch LR Center on a 72 inch target.  The details are listed in NRA of America Rule 4.7.  In the event that local wind conditions dictate, the host nation may use a wider target frame with the additional ring scoring 5.
2. A target shall be provided for each 4 shooters.  The total firing time shall be established by a time allowance of 25 minutes per relay.  A team may use less than the allotted number of targets, at its discretion, at any time firing the match.  A shooter may fire on more than one target, if the scorer is informed prior to the firing of each shot.
3. When conventional targets are used, new targets (or target centers) shall be furnished for each range.
4. Team Captains shall draw for targets prior to commencement of each day’s firing.  Where there are three or more teams, no team shall shoot more than once on the same bank of targets.
5. Each Team area will be roped off on both sides and at the rear of the firing mound to prevent interference from adjacent teams and to prevent spectators form approaching within 5 meters of the rear of the mound.

H. SCORING; CHECKING SCORES

1. Electronic or other remote marking and scoring systems which have been approved by the host Association or Federation for use in National Championship competition may be used.  Otherwise, all shots will be scored from the butts of pits.  Each team may have a representative in the butts to verify the scoring of the targets and may accompany the butt officer during action on challenges, rectification of errors and the like.
2. The host country is to supply scorers for each target.  Team Captains may have a team member, not then firing, in position behind the firing line where he can verify scores recorded for his own or other teams.

I. AWARDS

1. Medals of the agreed Palma design based upon that used in 1985 approved by the Palma Council, to be provided by the host, shall be awarded to each member of the indicated teams as follows:  Winner, ‘gold’; second place, “silver’; and third place, “bronze’.  First and second place awards will be made even though only two teams compete; and the first, second and third place awards will be made even though only three teams compete.
2. A Commemorative Badge or Crest of the agreed PALMA design approved by the Palma Council, to be provided by the host, shall be awarded to each participant.
3. The host may provide additional awards under conditions to be made known to all Team Captains in advance of each match.

J. OTHER PROVISIONS

1. Regulations not specified herein shall be governed by the application rules of the host Association or Federation.  Circumstances or conditions requiring temporary departures from these rules shall be resolved by the Team Captains and the results made known to the Chief Range Officer and all competitors.
2. When the World Long Range Shooting Championships, Individual and Palma Team Matches are scheduled at or near the time and place of other shooting competitions sponsored by the host, the host may invite visiting members to enter those or other competitions, and may waive any requirements for membership in the host Association or Federation on the part of the visiting team members as a condition for entry.  In this connection it is understood that in some competitions there may be certain prizes or awards reserved for host country citizens or residents, for which the visitors would not be eligible.
3. The host country-elect will provide the National Associations or Federations of the countries planning on participating in the next match with a copy of their present Full Bore (Highpower) Rifle rules governing their national matches, two years before the match and shall notify of all changes made thereafter.  The host nation is to make no change to its rules during the 12 months preceding a World Championship Team Match which can effect the conditions of that match, nowithstanding its absolute authority over the rules governing its own competitions.
4. Any future change to the World Championship Palma Team Match that will affect the rules or match conditions must be completed and agreed upon within one year of the conclusion of the last Palma Match held.
5. Changes to these match conditions shall be agreed by representatives of the Palma Council, with consideration given to recommendations by other past or prospective participating Associations or Federations.