FAST Matches Debuts Auto-Rifle Division for FRT and NFA Full-Autos
If you’re lucky enough to own a belt-fed that’s a full-auto, or even an FRT, you can finally take it to a match. Firearms Action Shooting Trials(FAST) is adding an Auto-Rifle division to its match roster, opening a completely new division for guns that most 2-gun series won't touch. Entrants need either a registered NFA machine gun or an FRT-equipped rifle, paired with a heavy barrel or belt-fed upper capable of soaking up the round count, and a bipod has to stay mounted for the entire stage.
This new division is, of course, in response to the widespread adoption of forced reset triggers since they cleared federal court in 2025. Now, sustained-fire uppers, belt-fed conversions, and the whole "civilian SAW" niche that companies like Red Right Hand have started to market finally have a place where you can test out that concept in a dynamic environment. FAST founder Russell Phagan is always trying to push the boundaries, as he, probably more than anyone else, has seen just about everything there is to see at these two gun matches, and adding machine guns and FRT-style devices just seems like a logical next step.
More from Russel and FAST Matches @ TFB:
FAST Matches Debuts Auto-Rifle Division for FRT and NFA Full-Autos
Firearms Action Shooting Trials Announces Auto-Rifle Division
Forced Reset Triggers continue to gain popularity as American gun owners starved for true machine guns for decades adopt FRTs as an alternative. End users and some companies such as Red Right Hand have been building “civilian SAWs” incorporating FRTs
Shooting competitions have a long history of being the test bed for new firearms technology and giving citizen-marksmen a place to hone their skill at arms.
In consideration of these factors, Firearms Action Shooting Trials is announcing an Auto-Rifle division for our match series. Auto-Rifle division requires that the rifle either be a registered machine gun or equipped with an FRT. The auto-rifle must have either a heavy barrel or a belt-fed upper. A bipod must remain mounted to the Auto-Rifle throughout the match.
The first event to feature an Auto-Rifle division will be FAST-ID Presented by X-Tech Tactical at the Parma Rod and Gun Club October 9-11th 2026. Register online here: https://practiscore.com/fast-idaho/register
Red Right Hand will be sponsoring a stage at FAST-ID, where all competitors regardless of their equipment division will get to use an Auto-Rifle.
What Makes FAST Different from most other matches?
Par times of up to 6 minutes per stage
Skilled shooters may use 80% or more of that time to complete the stage
Average round counts of 50-80 rounds minimum per stage
Coaching is allowed; we don’t expect people to remember stages this long
Physical challenges thematic to the stage; not exercise for its own sake.
Rifle targets at rifle distances when the facility allows for it. Mandatory rifle shots to 600 yards, most shots being at 100-400 yards.
Pushing the limits with pistols; shots at 25-50 yards are common.
Prizes by random draw to maintain an atmosphere of good sportsmanship, camaraderie, and self-improvement.
Find more information about FAST and Media from past events at [www.fast-matches.org]( https://www.fast-matches.org)
The Auto-Rifle division debuts at FAST-ID, October 9-11 at the Parma Rod and Gun Club in Idaho, presented by X-Tech Tactical. Red Right Hand is sponsoring a stage that puts every shooter on a belt-fed gun regardless of division, a rare chance to run sustained fire on demand rather than at a static bench. FAST's broader format leans into what a lot of us have been asking for in terms of “improvements” to future matches: longer par times, coaching/heckling instead of a memorization contest, and more physical stages that mirror actual scenarios rather than gamer-optimized courses. Whether or not you show up with an FRT or a transferable machine gun, it's worth a look at how the division shapes up. Registration is open on PractiScore. Hopefully I’ll see you guys there!
Reloader SCSA Competitor Certified Pilot Currently able to pass himself off as the second cousin twice removed of Joe Flanigan. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ballisticaviation/
More by Luke C.
![[SHOT 2026] Stoeger STR9 Thinline+ & STR-45 Combat - Practical Upgrade](https://cdn-fastly.thefirearmblog.com/media/2026/02/05/00571/post.jpg?size=350x220)
Comments
Join the conversation
Nah.
I think this is cool. Civilian programs like this influence military shooters and small arms. Think how civilian competition shooters have influenced pistol red dots, rifle optics (LVPO), ammo, and end up influencing military small arms over the past few decades. We can start to see the IAR vs. the Light Machine gun speed difference and if it's really that big of a deal like the USMC thinks it is. Civilian competitors will naturally gravitate to the optics, weapons and barrel lengths that give them the best advantage.