OzFclass

We've managed to attract a baker's dozen shooters to the 2011 championship.

At the end of a damp day one, with generally mild conditions with occasional malevolence from the waterlogged flags, the big interest is in the Long Range F class division. Hungry but unexpected visitor, Bill Siegloff is leading with 278, followed by Jenny Hausler with the family 7 mm one point behind & John Tracey a further point off the pace.

THE shooter of the day, though, has to be Rob Halloran who leads the MR class with 247.29 from Viv Hunt one point & a gazillion V bulls down. Convert Rob's score to 6 point scoring & it reads 276 by my maths - not too foul at all from a shooter resting his rifle on his hand & shoulder.

are you shooting MR , John. and is F/TR going to be on the list for next years QLD MR Champs , and what do you think of f/tr in match rifle. as there are very few who shoot MR f class this could be the end of f open in MR ,but on the other hand i can see the merits of F/TR. Cheers Paul.

PS thanks for the report.

We shoot three divisions here: Open, Reserve & Long Range F class.

Our average roll up at Belmont is 12 shooters, though this year we have 13. We cannot operate with that attendance without substantial cash support from members, so taking up another division on speculation would be out of the question.

I shoot Match Rifle myself.

The rain predicted for Sunday didn't happen & nor did any assertive conditions. The contest became one of belief & self & equipment with a bit of bumpy track that an enclosed range like the International can occasionally offer.

Strangely, the big 30 match rifles seemed to handle 1200 better than the rested 7 mils did, to the extent that Rod Prale won the F class range with 81/90 & him using his 12 twist TR gun with 155 Lapuas. by comparison, Viv Hunt shot 73.10 (83 in F speak). In the end, Bill Stegloff took the championship with 521, a single point ahead of John Tracey in what he conceded at the presentation was the closest Long Range F class match for a while. Rob Halloran kept his lead to win the match rifle division with 466.52 from John Kielly 5 points adrift.

Hello Ratshot.

It may be that I have missed your point that " this could be the end of f open in MR."

Open shooters are the prime supporters of Long Range F Class at MR Events.

MR shooters enjoy comparing their CONVERTED scores to the "big boys".

John Kielly points out that MR's Rob Halloran's converted score of 518 would have placed 3rd in F Class, 3 points behind Bill Siegloff.

F OPEN is, and will remain, the benchmark in Australia and internationally.

MR will welcome F/TR but forget special treatment, you will be F Class.

John T.
18-07-11

Well hello John Tracy and congrats on getting 2nd , your last post almost sounds like a personal attack . for someone who has shot 2 MR events i dont think you qualify to make statements like ( MR will welcom F TR but forget special treatment, you will be Fclass. ) i m sorry old bud but you have not much say in that matter. Like Kielly said so few turn up at MR shoots having 4 grades of shooters is economicly not viable . as the push for F TR is coming from the ranks of MR shooters we have to listen and as some of the members are starting struggle with sling and elbow etc, they can slip a bipod on and shoot away. this is the area i can see merit . hence something has to give and F open could be put to the sword if open numbers dont increase.

ratshot wrote:Well hello John Tracy and congrats on getting 2nd , your last post almost sounds like a personal attack . for someone who has shot 2 MR events i dont think you qualify to make statements like ( MR will welcom F TR but forget special treatment, you will be Fclass. ) i m sorry old bud but you have not much say in that matter. Like Kielly said so few turn up at MR shoots having 4 grades of shooters is economicly not viable . as the push for F TR is coming from the ranks of MR shooters we have to listen and as some of the members are starting struggle with sling and elbow etc, they can slip a bipod on and shoot away. this is the area i can see merit . hence something has to give and F open could be put to the sword if open numbers dont increase.

For as long as I have been shooting Match Rifle, long range F/class has been shooting alongside. They (the long range F/class shooters) have supported the competitions well and provided further interest at the meetings. It is unfortunate that they are being labelled as the problem.
At this stage F/TR is the answer to a demand that doesn`t exist in long range shooting.
Mike.