Where are the matches held?
All matches are held at the Santa Clara Field Sports Park, on the 200 yard range.

When are the matches held?
Our club has a practice match each month on the first Saturday and an official match each month on the third Saturday. The first Saturday is our New Shooter Clinic where shooters are taught safe firearms handling, the range rules and are coached thru the highpower course of fire. Click here for details on our New Shooters program. You must attend a New Shooter/first Saturday match, and join the club as a member at that time. After you've attended a first Saturday, completed your safety training and shot your first match under the supervision of our coaches, you're welcome to join us again for any first/third Saturday and special match from then forward so long as you keep your membership current and stay in good standing with the club.

When does the match start?
The county facility opens at 7am.
For Match Shooters: Please try to arrive by 8:00 to get signed in, pay the range fee and to help set up. We try to start our morning meeting and safety brief at 8:15am and do our best to start the match at 8:30. Relay spots are currently done on a sign-up basis through email (events.sjzouaves@gmail.com).
For the New Shooters Clinic: Please refer to the informational email you receive when signing up.

When does the match end?
We do our best to commence fire at 8:30am. If we get started on time, we typically wrap up by 2pm. After you are done shooting, though, please hang around and help with cleanup!

Do I have to shoot the set course of fires? Is there open range time after the normal relays complete?
No, and yes. If one of the in-competition course of fires available are not to your liking, you are welcome to shoot any out-of-compeititon course of fire you choose (sighting in, practice, etc) while the line is hot. After the relay(s) complete, the range is open for members to utilize as they like. However, a club officer must be present during these open fire sessions and there is a two-or-more-person-present requirement imposed by the county (good idea for safety anyway). If no club officer is able to stay after on that particular day and/or an officer finds themselves alone, there will be no open range time.

What if it's raining?
We have a covered firing line so you and your gear wont get soaked. The only limit is the targets; they're paper and if they get too wet to stay stuck to the backers, we will have to quit for the day. No need to ask if we're hosting a match when the forecast looks bad; we always try regardless of weather.

Parking?
Regular members are asked to park in the lot above the 200 yard firing line. If you arrive early enough, you're welcome to drive your vehicle down to the firing line to unload equipment; please don't abuse this. Drive down, unload your gear then promptly drive up to the upper lot to park. Parking on the line is reserved for members with limited mobility, and club officers. There are two spots by the porta potty as well (half way between the upper lot and firing line) that are available to members. The road down to the line from the main road must be clear at all times, to enable any emergency vehicles that may need access.

When is my renewal due?
Membership renewals are due at the start of the year.

How much does membership/range/etc cost?
Club membership costs are listed here.

Beyond the costs of membership, its important to remember Highpower/Across the Course is a competitive sport. Like many sports, you can spend as little or as much as you want and budget allows. It all depends what you are trying to get out of it.

We can provide you with a loaner rifle when you first start out at no cost, but eventually you will want to get your own. Many of our members do well with off the shelf CMP rifles or other similar "as issued" and/or military surplus rifles. Some members are involved in the sport at a very high level and subsequently own specialty rifles that can cost several thousand dollars. Other members are more interested in collecting, and enjoy shooting their beauties in matches. And everything in between. It really just depends on what your goals and budget are.

Beyond the rifle, other cost considerations include store bought ammunition, or handloading components to "roll your own", specific shooting clothing, spotting scopes and stands, shooting stools, timers, tools, and other miscellaneous stuffs that make for a more enjoyable shooting experience. These articles are best collected over a period of time though, rather than all at once.

The best advice is to start slow and buy equipment piece by piece. That way, you will have a chance to see what people are using at the match, how it performs and what works or not for you. There is no "one size fits all" in this game.

Can I buy a rifle from your club?
The club does not sell M1 Garands. By being a member in good standing, you can order M1 Garands from the CMP (Civilian Marksmanship Program). See their website: http://www.odcmp.com for more information on requirements, pricing and grading.

The results bulletins from our matches are considered proof of participation in an organized shooting activity, which is one of the requirements for purchasing rifles from the CMP.

If you would like to shoot a match with us, please refer here for more information on how to get started.

Do I need an expensive rifle to shoot?
If you'd like to shoot "in competition", all that is needed is a center fire rifle capable of accepting a minimum of 5 rounds from a clip, stripper clip or magazine. Some of the cheaper foreign military rifles are very good options for shooting our particular flavor of Highpower/Across the Course competition, such as the Swiss K-31, Mauser K-98, Mosin Nagant, Arisaka, British Enfield, and many others. They do have their limits however; your progress in the sport and up the classification ladder will tell you when you've hit them. We do schedule some matches just for vintage military bolt action rifles, and these are some of the rifles that have won.

These rifles may be inexpensive, but are in most cases of high quality and perfectly fine to get started in the club. They are available in many places, including your local sporting goods store.

Why should I join a club, when I can just go to the Rifle Range and shoot without anyone else?
By joining a club, you get to be around other like minded folks who enjoy the same sport in the spirit of cooperation. Basically, you'll have access to all the help and advice you can absorb; you're just as likely to talk with another new member who started shooting yesterday as you are to talk with someone who's won multiple titles and trophies at national or international events. Everyone has something to offer if you're willing to listen and participate yourself. It sounds funny to say, but its quite true that through the coming together for mutual sharing, learning and competing, club members often end up developing friendships that last lifetimes.

And beyond all that, you also get to see how you really stack up; unless you've shot in competition, you just don't know what you're truly capable of. Some come away thrilled with their performance, some others walk away completely humbled. But in most all cases, everyone comes back for more :)

Isn't Zouaves Just an M1 Club?
No. Members shoot all kinds of rifles suitable for highpower competition. Most Zouaves have a match rifle or a match-prepped AR-15 or M1A along with their collection of CMP Garands.

How do I Join your Club?
Please refer to our membership page for instructions

Do I need to be a member to shoot at Zouaves Matches?
Yes, only members can shoot at our matches.