Rapis Fire after the Olympics.

[LesJ]

If we are talking about "real" guns, how about .50 cal in Derringer. Would that satisfied your "real" gun quest?
If we use that mentality we still would be driving model T.
There are still some guys that think that real car is tuna boat with big v-8.
This is not going to happened over night so we still can enjoy firearms, but when technology will permit to develop superior gun why not. We or should I say our kids still will shoot firearms as antique guns along with muzzle loaders and such.
Imagine highly precision laser gun with all kinds of accessories to convert from free to semi-auto pistol and rifle, wireless connected to computer for training purpose to analyze your shooting via internet by coach or computer software. Automatically detecting distance between shooter and the target and adjusting target for proper size (that would make shooting postal matches interesting).
Gun's weight and ergonomics properly match with the shooter to avoid injuries (back problems, tendonitis).
In short- sky is the limit.

[TomW]

Sounds fabulous, LesJ. Boring, but truly fab.
I hope you enjoy it.
I still believe my laser pointer idea is far simpler and cheaper.

[LesJ]

I guess, whatever turns you on. I rather enjoy shooting than be bitter about it.

[Fortitudo Dei]

Has anyone seen any pictures of the Athens Shooting range? I have not heard a mention of it.

Go to www.athens2004.com

Copy and paste "Markopoulo Olympic Shooting Centre" into the search box and click on search.
One of the results should be "Markopoulo Olympic Shooting Centre. Works in progress "

Clicking on that will take you to a series of photographs of the centre. The latest shots were taken in January this year when it was still looking very much like a construction site. Hope they finish it in time!

[sparky]

From the various posts here which support the change to .22LR Standard Pistol for this event and the lack of empathy towards those in British Commonwealth countries who are going to have their .22 short pistols confiscated by the police following this change, I get the impression that the majority of shooters world wide will support any change brought on by the ISSF in future regardless of the effect it has on the shooters?

I feel sorry for the shooters in rabidly anti-gun countries. However, I believe a judgment call has to be made as to what is good for the sport overall. In this case, the decision has been made (correctly, IMHO) that more people will benefit now (and in the future) if gun requirements are changed.

For example, if in the not too distant future the ISSF decides to replace all .22 pistols with air pistols for all events, I gather everyone will enthusiastically dispose of their expensive .22 LR pistols with a cheer and get on with it? How about if the ISSF abolishes all forms of projectile firearms and permits only electronic firearms which project nothing but laser beams onto an electronic target? Still happy with that?

You're straying into extreme hyperbole here. The shift to all air or no projectile would be a fundamental shift that is FAR different from basically shifting from .22 short to .22lr.

You think this will never happen? Put the proposition to the ISSF and see what sort of answer you get - and then start worrying. Perhaps then the "I'm alright, Jack" brigade might start to understand that letting the ISSF ride roughshod over the wishes of shooters isn't such a good idea after all.

At that point, I'm sure everyone would be in an uproar, but that's NOT what happened here.

It won't worry me. I saw the writing on the wall after the recent law changes and the compensated compensation for newly banned pistols in Australia and got out of the sport before it gets banned here altogether. Are all of you so happy with the situation in your countries that you think it will never happen there? What's the view like, under the sand?

If you're out of the sport, what do you care? It would seem you would be happy that you would be able to get back IN to the sport by using a Sport Pistol to compete in Rapid Fire. And as far as the view, probably better than darkness of your inner colon.

...sorry about the last bit, but one good insult deserves another.

[TomW]

For Sparky

I'm sorry that you fail to understand what has happened here. I'll try to explain it simply for you. The ISSF, without consultation of its shooting membership, changed the rules for Rapid Fire in a most extraordiinary fashion. This has caused a lot of people a great deal of concern, primarily because they are likely to lose a lot of money as a consequence.

Now, if you aren't affected by this, then of course those shooters who are, can expect no understanding from people like you. You and people like LesJ seem to think this sort of thing is good for the sport. Well, it may be and then again it may not be. Time will tell. What if it is the latter? What is your solution to the problem then?

The idea of projectileless "firearms" was mooted some years ago in an ISSF (then UIT) forum, but has not been resumed since. However with the pressures being placed on the shooting sports world wide by gun phobic groups, and politicians, there is more than a little likelihood that such a thing will occur in the foreseeable future. This isn't hyperbole, (which means "exaggerating for effect", by the way) but a definite possibility that has and might even now, be receiving consideration from the ISSF. No one would know for sure what the ISSF feels about this because they don't tell anyone about contentious decisions until they have effectively made up their minds.

You may like this sort of decision making process, but if so, you will be surprised to learn that there are a lot of people world-wide that don't, for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that such decisions are undemocratic and invariably expensive for the shooters affected.

Although the issue no longer affects me, I still care strongly for a sport which I practised for the best part of 37 years and gave up only because I was no longer willing to jump through the increasingly complex hoops that our government were strewiing along our path. I don't argue with those that stayed in the sport and I don't expect them to argue with me. We all have our limits of tolerance and I guess this last effort by our government exceeded mine.

I made my posting initially to support Alex and also to give some warning to thoughtful people, of what could be in store for shooters world wide ,if the ISSF is allowed to continue in its current dictatorial manner. The satisfaction that you are feeling at present may change to something else if the changes I mooted actually happen. Then and only then will people like you understand what the rest of us are getting at - but it will be a tad late then, won't it? Still, enjoy it while you can. I doubt if you will lose a moment's sleep over the issue. You know how it is...... "There are none so blind etc"

[Alex L]

Thank you, Tom, for your support. Obviously, some folks have plenty of money to throw away! The ISSF recommendation committee needs looking into, and a more democratic way of doing things shown them!
They seem to think that because they have been elected to the position, they should do the job without getting any feedback from the shooters. They seem to think we are just a number to be pushed around at their will. They are happy - on thier big fat salaries, but do not give a thought to us Pensioners, to whom a $2000 pistol is a lot of money to throw away.

I am still puzzled why the manufacturers and gun dealers have kept quiet.
I would like to hear their views - when they can't sell their stocks.