F-Class Target Destruction at 300yds

[AlanF]

I was contacted today by the President of a club which runs a one day OPM at 3-5-600yds, and he passed on the concerns of his butts officer about the difficulties caused by target damage to the centre of the F-Open target. I assisted with marking at the OPM, and the super V was used, and I saw the problems for myself.

Agreed there are various ways of alleviating the problem such as using patches as spotters, or it can be solved entirely with electronic targets. However, there is a more radical solution that could be considered and that is for F-Open simply not to shoot 300yds at OPMs or major events - in fact I would like to see 500yds as the minimum distance. There are some F-Std who would like the same, because some of the .223s and better .308s can shoot very small groups at 300.

Here are a few points in support of this proposal:

• There would be no need for F-Open to shoot less shots (or even less ranges) because the F-Open format could be changed and still co-exist with the other categories e.g. in a 10 shot per range 3-5-600yd format, F-Open could shoot 2 ranges at 500, and 1 at 600, or could shoot 15 shots each at 500 and 600.
• Most other F-Class nations do not have short ranges at major shoots - many only shoot 800yds and beyond. Why should Australia be different?
• The main challenge in the F-Classes is wind-reading, (we get most other aspects pretty easy), so shouldn't we be shooting where the wind is most challenging i.e. the longer the better.

That's my opinion. Hopefully there are many others, and when a good number of shooters have had their say on this, I can return to the club president concerned with some ideas for changing (or not) their OPM format.

Alan

[John E]

The simple answer to the problem is to use balsa wood sticks in the spotters. If the stick is hit, it virtually vapourises, often leaving the rubber rings sitting over the hole, it doesn't damage the target as a hardwood stick does.
My club has been using them for quite some time, and we have found that they have given our targets a much longer life than was achieved when we were using hardwood sticks.
We use a 6mm round dowell, and that works in 6.5mm holes and 7.62mm holes.
We recently purchased 300 of them in 1 metre lengths, and if anyone is interested, we are selling them at $30.00 for 20 lengths ( $1.50 each )
plus postage. I haven't bothered to advertise them, as they have been selling simply by word of mouth. I think they can also be purchased in Bunnings for around $2.60 each.
I don't think it is a good idea to do away with the short ranges, as we shoot alongside FB, and if FB are shooting the shorts, then we would be unable to shoot, and I can't see the sense in that.
I think the President Alan is referring to, did in fact purchase balsa wood from us at his PM, but they didn't get used on the day.
The VRA used them in the Queens, and several Victorian clubs are also using them. I think Alan's club might have recently bought some, so it won't be too difficult to get some feedback on their performance.
Has Al got an ulterior motive,wanting to do away with the short ranges ?
Perhaps the opposition find it easier to keep up with his 284 there
John

[AlanF]

John,

Well actually I now have a 6 Dasher for the shorts, and after a slow start its going pretty good .

I think you're right that its not ideal for us to separate from the others at 300, but there is usually only one 300, and its usually the first range. We could just turn up a bit later - I'm sure you'll agree we need the extra beauty sleep !

Alan

[John E]

Alan,
you could always aim off a little more to miss the peg.

Seriously though, you have done a lot of work to get FO in the general mix, why go down a path that sets it aside from the mainstream, again?
John

[Daniel]

Lately, the go around these parts is to use fluoro orange/red stickers as spotters. Either on a roll (similar to patches) or by cutting off a square from a self adhesive sheet. Usually, the stickers will stand up to being shot a few times before becoming too tatty or they just blow away in the wind.
If a shot falls outside the ten ring, the shooter generally isn't at all interested in seeing wether the stick is out by 1/4" or 3/8", the object is to keep them all in the ten ring.

[johnk]

Up this way, we've used paper markers for years at 300 & 400 yards for all TR shooting, held to the target over the bullet hole with a black patch. As they're shot, theyre either replaceds or patched, usually the former. Once they were cut from stacked paper with a hole saw made from a tube of light walled sharpened steel in a drill press. These days we just cut squares & if there's time, knock the corners off.

We picked this up years ago from the 300 metre shooters who anticipated F class.

John

[AlanF]

Thanks for the suggestions about avoiding having the centre blown out.

But if anyone has marked super Vs at 300yd they will know that hitting the spotter peg is not the only problem. Patching out bullet holes can be quite slow, because of the narrowness of the rings (in particular the outer ring of the original centre bull which gets hit most shots in my experience). The marker seems to have a choice of doing a quick rough job or a slow thorough job. I tried custom patches with lines on them (very slow to apply), then tried replacing the whole super V or centre as required (soon caused the centre to bulge from all the paper). I think the super V is a great thing for encouraging small PMs to include F-Open, (now we see Tasmania is trialling it for their Queens), but experience with marking it at 300 suggests to me that maybe we should not be shooting as close as that with F-Open gear if we want shots spotted after every shot.

Alan

[Simon C]

We use the flexible micro poly pipe (6mm approx) as a stick at the short range targets. U still use the rubber rings and the spotter in the usual manner. Any strike simply slides along the poly and there is no destruction.

I have had a number of direct hits on them whilst marking and never seen a blowout.

[RDavies]

How about if electronic targets are used, then we shoot at 300.
If electronic targets are not used, we skip 300 if it is a fairly easy range as far as usual wind conditions.
As mentioned, we could shoot 15 shot matches at the longs to get our shots in. As F open shooters usualy shoot fairly quickly, we wouldnt be holding others up. I think it is best to integrate our selves as much as possible with full bore and F std, but if we are destroying their targets, then maybe a change could be considered.
Is there any reason why we dont often shoot at 1000 yds at ranges which are equiped for that distance??

As Alan is concerned about not shooting the center out of targets, I think it will be setting a good example if at the next Queens, he keeps all of his shots away from the 10 ring at 300. He would be showing supreme consideration and sportsmanship if he keeps his shots out of the 9 ring as well.

[AlanF]

As Alan is concerned about not shooting the center out of targets, I think it will be setting a good example if at the next Queens, he keeps all of his shots away from the 10 ring at 300. He would be showing supreme consideration and sportsmanship if he keeps his shots out of the 9 ring as well.

How about I meet you halfway Rod - and just try to keep them out of the 9 ring?

Alan

[bruce moulds]

alan
would using a grey superv with no white line help in any way?
smaller sticky patches have proven helpful in the 5 ring, as has having a thin white texta to renew the white line.
bruce.