Something Needs to be Done

[AlanF]

Within the NRAA rulebook is Field class (and LRBR and others). Those clubs that have opened up to field class (esp northern NSW clubs) have seen club numbers bloom (e.g. 20->150). A lot of these shoot accurate 223's and 308s (although factory) and some migrate over to TR or f class.

I truly believe this is the place you are more likely to draw new members from - the general shooting community and those that enjoy the accuracy and competition component.

I agree Dave. This would be a good direction to go in because apart from the expense of providing short range mounds where they don't exist already, there is little capital cost involved - just a willingness to accommodate them in the weekly schedule. This sort of thing could be implemented at club level, without being stifled by the need for agreement between S & Ts and NRAA. I'm going to canvas the possibilities at Rosedale on Saturday of adding 100 and 200 yard mounds with targets in the front of the mantelet. At these distances you don't need markers of course.

I haven't had a good look at the field class rules - perhaps they need tweaking to suit the current market.

Alan

[Gadget]

I have to go along with Dave, we picked up two new member's from a web site I was trolling.
Both have ( Tac style .308's ) cammo paint the best of NF scopes etc. etc.
They were keen to play with what they had, so we got them up and going, they know they can't compete with other gun's in the club ( hows that for political correctness ) but they are enjoying it, they even brought a mate along, yup a (.308 Tac again )

So this leaves me with a few guys that don't fit one of our profiles, FO,FS, TR.
So I made a new one just for us FTac/TR
Same rules as F/TR .223 or .308 any pill, any trigger, Bi pod, 8.25kg with the option of a basic pedestal front rest not counted in the weight.

The first thing my new boys figured out was there Bi pod's sucked, and so they are trying simple pedestal rest to better effect.

Will these guys be shooting the same guns in 12 months I don't think so, I hope they will have moved into one of our proper codes, in the mean time they have a range, club mates, and a discipline of there own to compete in, and they turn up every weekend, and they help set up and pull down the ET's

I also think the ET's have made a difference.

Graham P

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[johnk]

Anybody recall this plea?

http://ozfclass.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2154

John

[AlanF]

Anybody recall this plea?

http://ozfclass.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2154

John

No, I don't recall that.

Actually, I have been recalling it ever since the start of this thread. To be fair, I think things have changed a little since then. Although if Ken could foresee the current situation then he deserves some credit.

[bobeager]

Similar experience at Goulburn. The once 15 Target full bore range now has 8 Targets "full bore" ( 2 of them electronic), A SSAA 300 yard Range, a 3 layout shotgun range and a very classy pistol range.

The rifle club is almost 95% plus F Class. We go out of our way to greet all visitors, and introduce them to the club officials. If they have their own kit, we ask them to shoot ( keeping them at 500 yards or less). If they don't have kit and/or a licence, we fill in the necessary paperwork and give them the club .223 or a loaner.

We have put up a large "welcome" sign at the range boundary that can be seen by people driving to the tip, with meeting times and contact phone numbers. The shotgun club has followed suit with their own sign.

Result: the range is being well utilised. The rifle club is in good shape and we are attracting a trickle of new members. Shot gun club is strong and SSAA have built a new clubhouse.

The only indicator from this is that we have to "work at it" and go out of our way to cooperate with the other range users.

A couple of years back, we had to carry out mandated work on the butts area. The SSAA club not only provided much labour, they kicked in a substantial cash contribution.

For the overall benefit of all shooting sports, WE should not allow ANY range in Australia to CLOSE. If it is necessary for the SSAA to take over a range, better that than loose it, and they do have the $$$ for range development.

As for practice and load development, we open our range on nominated Fridays for this purpose, and we are allowed to utilise the SSAA covered benches.

(PS: I am a member of NSWRA and SSAA)

[Barry Davies]

The Grafton club run a very successful field class program every Saturday morning with some staying over for the TR/FC shoot in the afternoon.
Very large membership of all age groups.
All you need is someone keen enough to set it up and then run the Field class.
Field class is much more popular than TR/FC having the greater numbers.
Most every rifle out there other than TR, FC or MR is a field class rifle and there are thousands of them.
SSR's already cater for Field Class so there are no rules to write -- just needs some bodies who are seriously concerned about our dwindling membership and seriously keen enough to do something about together with the serious backing of our state association.
Barry

[Norm]

We have an Australian Target Rifle Magazine that reaches out to a lot of TR and F class shooters across Australia.
Maybe an article published in this magazine could stir up some interest to get things moving.
I was thinking that a positive story about a club that had gone through the exercise of integration with other forms of rifle shooting would show the benefits of such a move.
Just need to find someone from a club who has lived through the changes to type down a few words and take a few photo's.

[flatlina]

fclass and tr are international disciplines, which also includes match rifle and palma.
the nraa rulebook defines our disciplines. these disciplines are competed internationally.
regarding it.
keep safe,
bruce.

I find it a bit funny how the rule book is used at times and the International stance comes out and we shoot F Standard that isn't shot overseas. FTR is tho.

Regards
jb

[IanP]

While we are all talking and thinking about the future of our sport and positive changes to progress our sport. Can anyone tell me if Appendix 1 of our current SSRs is going to be amended to allow Berger, etc, to be included in the approved list of projectiles?

This is just another example of an easy no-brainer step forward that has struggled to be included in an update to the SSRs. Lets get the ammo list updated and F T/R included for starters, before we make the really hard decisions like allow (insisting) that ECIs (empty chamber indicators) be used in NRAA events.

SSAA have been using the world standard ECI chamber safety flags and recognise their safety value! Before we can improve our competitions and expand them we first need to bring them up to world standard!

Berger Bullets are now being sold in SA by the SARA store, (importer) so maybe the NRAA can negotiate a good deal for the approved ammo once its updated and allowed.

Ian

[IanP]

fclass and tr are international disciplines, which also includes match rifle and palma.
the nraa rulebook defines our disciplines. these disciplines are competed internationally.
regarding it.
keep safe,
bruce.

I find it a bit funny how the rule book is used at times and the International stance comes out and we shoot F Standard that isn't shot overseas. FTR is tho.

Regards
jb

Both F-Standard and F-Open under the NRAA rules, (SSRs) are domestic only competitions. F-Open equipment more closely ties in with ICFRA rules. Lets leave F-Standard alone as a domestic only competition and look at what we can do as a national shooting association.

We can easily have the rule book changed to simply state that F-Open will be run as per ICFRA rules. We can easily add to the rule book, the new to Australia class of F T/R and again as per ICFRA rules. Pretty simple and easy to do as everything is available already to use!

I too have heard it said many times that its a long day to shoot only 20 shots for a club competition. F-Class, I think, should seriously consider increasing the round count to 15 shots per string. This would be shot in the same time allocation as now exists and would not disturb the changing of shooters on the mound. TR will still shoot 10 shots per string and F-Class 15 shots in the same time allocation.

The 15 shot strings are common in Europe and the USA and are used in international competitions as well as domestic. There is a lot we can do to make our sport, F-Class, more attractive to new members, (and existing members) by looking at how it is done internationally. I think 15 shot strings would make F-Class more demanding and exciting and we all know our sport could do with a makeover without losing its identity. The international shooters have been onto this for some time and its time we picked up on it and moved with the times.

Ian

[AlanF]

...F-Class, I think, should seriously consider increasing the round count to 15 shots per string...

I think that would appeal to most shooters. But the additional cost of ammo, and barrel heat issues need to be considered.

Alan

[johnk]

The risk is that you differentiate between TR & F shooters, to the benefit of the ratbag fringe of both. Why not just shoot a third string or more after the standard/traditional match is finished, as most do locally?

That way, it's up to the individual.

Of course, I'm considering it from a location with paid markers. It might be an issue with club markers.

[bsouthernau]

I'm going to canvas the possibilities at Rosedale on Saturday of adding 100 and 200 yard mounds with targets in the front of the mantelet. At these distances you don't need markers of course.

I haven't had a good look at the field class rules - perhaps they need tweaking to suit the current market.

Alan

Field class is shot standing at 100 and sitting at 200 so unless you're considering a local variant of the course of fire (and I'm not saying you shouldn't) we don't really even need the mounds - just a willingness to try something different.

The local SSAA branch has just received approal to reopen the Buchan range. Once they get used to it maybe we could throw down the gauntlet and challenge them to a social match on a saturday morning with an invitation to stay on for the afternoon shoot.

Barry

[Wakey7]

The risk is that you differentiate between TR & F shooters, to the benefit of the ratbag fringe of both. Why not just shoot a third string or more after the standard/traditional match is finished, as most do locally?

That way, it's up to the individual.

Good call johnk. Some people may not want or be able to afford to shoot and extra 10 shots per week.

[AlanF]

I see what you mean Barry. This is why we need some research into what these shooters with hunting and tactical rifles want to do. Maybe most will have bipods and want to use them from short out to medium ranges. We also need to decide whether the field class rules cover the sort of gear that is widely used.