Thoughts on reforming RF

[JamesH]

My big point is that the current RF target set makes it impossible for a competitor to own his personal, portable RF bay. Something he can stuff into the trunk of his car, take to the range, practice, and take home. Shooting a match? Everybody brings their bays, and you can have four, six, or even ten competitors shooting at once. Hit/Miss scoring, just like the current RF Final, so it's easy to score.

It wouldn't actually be too hard to make 5x target holders which can be spaced out manually, with red and green lights and a shot timer to determine if the last shot made it.

It wouldn't be too hard to make 5x electronic targets which can connect to a laptop.

Too be honest the sensible thing would be to ditch RF and have everyone shoot sport pistol.
There I said it.

RF bears little relation to any other match, entry barrier is finding a range and one which will let you hog five targets, its an unforgiving match which puts people off.
Its fun and historical but I'd rather people carry on with sport pistol than switch over to RF air.

[Ziperix]

I wish they would just scrap RF and have both genders shoot sport pistol (or maybe standard pistol?)

[merlin32]

Men shoot sport pistol at comps over here - you can choose between centre fire and sport pistol, as they're both the same comp.

I enjoy the challenge with rapid fire. You do burn through the ammo in training though, I guess rapid air would make it cheaper and more accessible.

I shot some rapid at the club the other day (pics for attention)

[renzo]

For what it's worth, last weekend we shot the national qualifying (not me, I was at it as a judge) in air pistol and rifle.

One of the coaches, who was at the recent cup in Rio, brought the news that the gossip at the ISSF is that after Paris, there will be an overhaul in <olympic events.

I can't vouch for what I heard, but it sounds sensible and according with the latest trends in the IOC.

1) Prone would be restored to the OG, as a mixed event, possibly as a 60 or 30 qualy shot event. (I don't think it likely as such, for the IOC want equal medals by gender, not equal opportunities) .News were rumor, time will tell

2) RF would go the way of the dodo, being replaced by sport pistol, both separate for men and women.

3) Mixed team events would dissapear (shooting would lose three medals)

4) OF would be shortened (that'd be the 10th. change since London 2012) as it is considered too long, specially 3P.

I leave it here as it is, and I'd like to hear opinions froma my felllow shooters, even as a exercise in theory.

[JamesH]

Moving everything to sport is probably the sensible solution.
It would be nice to keep rapid but sport makes more sense for a lot of reasons.

Ditching mixed teams also, does any other sport have that?

Hit/Miss scoring in OF - for the rapid part of sport - makes little sense, is tedious to run, throws oddball results like four 9.8s and a complete miss being 'better' than three 10.9s and 2 9.6s (maybe I'm out of date on the exact decimals)

[Mike M.]

I would love to see RF kept...but it doesn't surprise me that it would be a high-profile target for replacement.

[deadeyedick]

I set up our timers for 10 seconds, eight seconds and six seconds rather than 8,6 and 4.
It transformed the event for non olympic shooters in a very positive way.
It suddenly became very enjoyable and lost its soul destroying trait.

[Mike M.]

Ah, but it's the 4-second string that is fun. Frustrating, but fun. You really have to be shooting as much by feel as by sights.

[K38]

Moving everything to sport is probably the sensible solution.
It would be nice to keep rapid but sport makes more sense for a lot of reasons.

Ditching mixed teams also, does any other sport have that?

Hit/Miss scoring in OF - for the rapid part of sport - makes little sense, is tedious to run, throws oddball results like four 9.8s and a complete miss being 'better' than three 10.9s and 2 9.6s (maybe I'm out of date on the exact decimals)

Track and field had mixed relays that have proved popular. Swimming, Race Walking, and Archery. The whole male/female thing may become problematic. I’m not sure it would be as big a problem in shooting but truly I don’t know and I’m not interested in a global political gender discussion so let’s not do that.

How about Free pistol. They already have a 50 meter range for rifle. Some sports have so many medals it boggles the mind. Swimming must have hundreds. Men/women, four strokes, multiple distances, relays, mixed relays, medley relays ad infinite!

Archery can’t even include Compound.

They have added all sorts of crazy playground sports with no Olympic history. What next free stile slip and slide???

DLB

[JamesH]

Number of Available Gold Medals in 2021
48 Athletics
37 Swimming
15 Judo, Shooting
14 Artistic Gymnastics, Rowing, Weightlifting
13 Boxing
12 Fencing, Track cycling, Canoe Sprint, Freestyle Wrestling
10 Sailing
8 Diving, Karate, Taekwondo
6 Equestrian, Greco-Roman Wrestling
5 Archery, Badminton, Table tennis, Tennis
4 BMX cycling, Road cycling, Skateboarding, Canoe Slalom, Basketball
3 Triathlon
2 Indoor Volleyball, Beach volleyball, Water polo, Artistic (synchronized) swimming, Field hockey, Football (Soccer), Golf, Handball, Modern pentathlon, Mountain biking, Rugby sevens, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Sport climbing, Surfing, Trampoline
1 Baseball, Softball

https://www.topendsports.com/events/sum ... medals.htm

Shooting is not doing too badly, I suppose the thing to do is find out the criteria the IOC uses to select or ditch sports and adapt accordingly.

[PirateJohn]

Number of Available Gold Medals in 2021
48 Athletics
37 Swimming
15 Judo, Shooting
14 Artistic Gymnastics, Rowing, Weightlifting
13 Boxing
12 Fencing, Track cycling, Canoe Sprint, Freestyle Wrestling
10 Sailing
8 Diving, Karate, Taekwondo
6 Equestrian, Greco-Roman Wrestling
5 Archery, Badminton, Table tennis, Tennis
4 BMX cycling, Road cycling, Skateboarding, Canoe Slalom, Basketball
3 Triathlon
2 Indoor Volleyball, Beach volleyball, Water polo, Artistic (synchronized) swimming, Field hockey, Football (Soccer), Golf, Handball, Modern pentathlon, Mountain biking, Rugby sevens, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Sport climbing, Surfing, Trampoline
1 Baseball, Softball

And a partridge in a pear tree

[renzo]

Shooting is not doing too badly, I suppose the thing to do is find out the criteria the IOC uses to select or ditch sports and adapt accordingly.

It's already known: TV audiences.

Next time you attend a WC, or CAT, or PAG, or better, notice that not even us shooters watch the full event, except if a team member or friend is shooting.

When FP and PR were ditched after London 2012, it was said at ISSF level that the IOC had found that into the six LESSER VIEWED events, two of them were of a shooting discipline.

[K38]

As a classically trained musician I’m glad the IOC isn’t in charge of deciding between Bach and Easy Listening…….

DLB

[renzo]

As a classically trained musician I’m glad the IOC isn’t in charge of deciding between Bach and Easy Listening…….

DLB

Well, start by listening the ISSF selected music for playing at events and you'll get a taste of what would it be...........................

[PirateJohn]

Well, start by listening the ISSF selected music for playing at events and you'll get a taste of what would it be...........................

***siren blast***

[ghostrip]

I really wish Free pistol would come back to Olympics.
As for the finals 10 shots are plenty enough (and eliminate half athletes after the fifth shot just to add extra pressure).

[Peter Lovett]

I am a new member to this forum so please excuse me if what I have to say has been said before. When I set out to obtain my firearm licence it was my always my intention to shoot RF. Why, because it is difficult, demands a concerted approach and discipline and would hate to see it disappear.

I find that some of the criticisms of RF and desire to see it replaced by SP expressed here somewhat disappointing. From a historical perspective RF has an unbroken history of being shot at every Olympics since the birth of the modern games in 1896, albeit with some variation in rules and calibres. Yes, the targets for RF used at Olympic and world championship events are expensive but they can be used for other disciplines and according to the manufacturers that I have spoken with, they are very robust and can withstand hits from centre-fire rounds. However, turning targets can be used and are the standard at the two pistol clubs where I shoot. At both clubs the targets are linked to an air compressor and electronic timer that regulates the time the targets are presented. The electronic timer can be adjusted for a variety of times making it suitable for a number of disciplines. Yes, I would love to see electronic targets which I have used in target rifle shooting as the instant feedback is both an audience pleaser and makes the shoot much quicker.

At one club, scoring and patching is done at the completion of each round of 30 shots, at the other which runs it's shoots far more strictly (to the ISSF rules), scoring and patching is done after each 5 shot series (and sighting series). This takes time, in fact it takes longer than the actual shooting and is a pain in the proverbial. Arguments that there should be an amateur category of 10, 8 and 6 seconds I believe is misplaced. I am 73 and only took up the sport a few years ago and my scores are not going to set any champions trembling. However, my scores are gradually improving and by watching the ISSF channel on the internet and searching the web for information I have been able to improve my shooting and I feel that by relaxing the times required for the 5 shots would reduce the discipline required.