2007-2008 3-PARC Rules .... comments?

[jhmartin]

Anybody have comments on the new changes to Sporter Air Rifle?

1) New Rifles ... the 887, the 853CM, and the T200?

2) Requiring that adjustable butt-plates be fixed in only the center position?

3) Weight must now only be added to the barrel and not the accessory rail?

4) Anyone try out the new approved sling?

[Guest Rant]

I have been critical of the 3PARC in the past because of the basicly Daisy only selections. This closed system has allowed less than acceptable quality equipment be sold to clubs and kids. Nothing and I repeat, NOTHING kills the interest of a begining shooter than to have repeated equipment problems. I give them credit in trying to keep the costs low in the sporter class but have they succeded? All you have to do is look at the extras that are allowed. Get a Daisy and you need to replace the sights w/Gammo, pay for a trigger job and rework the stock, etc. You can only spend $400 approx. on the gun but spend another $400 on extra. Oh can anyone tell me the limit on the cost of pellets?

I say all the above to give context to my main answer. What you have are rules that reflect the dance with trying to bow to the whims of Daisy. Finally they get to the point of hypocracy that they allow the Air Arms gun. I would imagine it is Daisy's wish to have the Vailiant decertified. Why would the fixed stock and butt plate rules be made. It is time for the "selection" process to be scrapped and to classify guns as they meet a set of specifications. And the comittee needs to be in touch with what is being done in the sport so the "extras" modifications are included or ruled on so as to keep the cost requirements in line with reality.

As for specific models: the Daisy CO2 guns are the best they make. In the 887 they have the gun they should have started with in the first place. Could use adjustable cheeck and butt plate to better fit young shooters. To bad the sights and trigger make it less than it could be. The pneumatics are old tech and give the competitor a disadvantge. As for the Air Arms entry, about time! As for the Crossman, gentlemen go back to the drawing board.

[glewis4252]

It would be great if Council explained reason for rules. eg if weight can be added, why only to barrel and internally ? Why grandfather XS40 then require centered buttplate ? If our organizations are really represented on the Council, why does no one talk to coaches before voting on changes. My guess is CMP is in control and their changes are being rubber stamped.

[Pat McCoy]

Sporter rifles do not have external weights, whereas many match or open rifles do. Same reasoning on the buttplate. In the past the buttplate could be left in any position during the match, giving the XS40 shooters an avantage over the 888 shooters if the XS40 buttplate was left in the "lowered" position. Easier to shoot both standing and kneeling with the lowered buttplate, and not that much of a disadvantage for prone.

Keeping the buttplate centered puts the guns on an even basis.

If you want to make use of the XS40 adjustments, you may do so by entering the precision class.

[Guest Rant]

As for centering the buttplate, well why did they allow the XS-40 in the first place? Other than to bow to what Daisy wanted when they should have been true to the sporter class rules. It's like 3 parc is writing the rule book on an etch-a-sketch. Just shake to make the rules and the write the rules so as to fit what one manufacture wants. I thought this was about what was best for the youth.

3 parc needs to define what a sporter class is and then stick to it. We belong to 4H and the way they have made this list it basically goes against the National 4H council stipulations on promoting any specific company. That is why I have urged the 4H Shooting Sports council to withdraw from the 3parc (CMP) rules and go with the NRA air rifle rules which are more in line with 4H guide lines. Doubt it will happen because of the politics but who knows.

[Pat McCoy]

Why was the XS40 allowed ??? Probably because there was demand from the shooting community for a compressed air rifle for sporter class, and nothing else was offered at a low enough cost.

I agree they should just set a rule, without regard to manufacturer, and review it for maximum cost on a bienniel basis. That would be no more problem that what they have created now.

Has anyone heard anymore on the possible merger of the 3P council and NRA 3P?

[jhmartin]

Why was the XS40 allowed ???

I'm sure there are a few folks that are/were on the 3PARC that wish they had not done so. I think they are now really trying hard to rectify past "mistakes" (???) and going with the fixed buttplate. They are thinking of maybe allowing you to grind off the rubber points on the XS-40 puttpad to make it flat ... DON'T DO IT YET.... IT'S JUST a THOUGHT THAT IS BEING CONSIDERED

Also Rule 4.2.6 has been clarified/(modified?):

4.2.6 Prohibited Modifications
Any alteration or modification of the external or internal dimensions of factory-manufactured parts of approved Sporter air rifles, or the substitution of factory-manufactured parts from other air rifles or the substitution of parts that were not manufactured by the original manufacturer, that are not specifically authorized by these rules is prohibited.

For example if you have machined a heavier sling rail to act as a weight to bring the gun up to a weight of 7.5 lbs, you must now go back to the original rail and add weight as specified by Rule 4.2.2

I agree they should just set a rule, without regard to manufacturer, and review it for maximum cost on a bienniel basis.

I can see it both ways here ... We allow the other guns here in VC4H. I welcome the kids to bring in their "Walmart" guns and shoot some targets. I then have them shoot with a stock 888. Any guess which gun they choose to shoot with after that? If you did not have a defined set of guns there might be some kids who show up (as they do in the NM District 4-H matches (unsanctioned of course) and get their clocks cleaned to the extent we never see them again. Having a competition quality gun in a match is a plus I think.

Has anyone heard anymore on the possible merger of the 3P council and NRA 3P?

Kinda like two mothers-in-law in the same house. They each want to control their rules. I must say that the rules were moving together and looking more similar, but I think we've had a slight movement apart this year (The Air Arms MPR sporter that the NRA allows, and the new sling that 3PARC allows). 6 of one and half-a-dz of the other to me. I now know I have to be real careful of what I allow the kids to take to different matches and I do have current rulebooks. If, however I look back only a few years to when I was a new coach .... this situation would be very frustrating.

Specifically to the question ... merger of the 3-P Air Rules and sanctioning bodies (NRA and 3PARC) ... not likely anytime soon