TargetTalk

what i can gather from the rule book...

what's supposed to be the difference in rule 3.1 "the rifle" with a trigger requirement and 3.2 "any rifle"?
are there individual match rules that require this difference? and then on 3.3 the light rifle has a less trigger at 2lbs. are these simply for classification purposes and all matches held have each availability?

what's an F-class intended for? at 18lbs, bipod, rear rest, and any scope. you guys could nail that all day long.

Are the "light rifle" rules meant to support sporter type rifle shooters? is this a classification at all meets?
(i'm trying to get my nephew to start going with me this year and he would use this class)

a gun with aperture sights, no trigger limit, heavy weight limit falls into "any rifle"..? do you guys do this more because it fits ISSF or another org's rules? I would think you guys could shoot clean scores all the time with a scope if everyone were in the same "any rifle" class.

forgive the rookie questions........

fieldsj66 wrote:what i can gather from the rule book...

what's supposed to be the difference in rule 3.1 "the rifle" with a trigger requirement and 3.2 "any rifle"?
are there individual match rules that require this difference? and then on 3.3 the light rifle has a less trigger at 2lbs. are these simply for classification purposes and all matches held have each availability?

what's an F-class intended for? at 18lbs, bipod, rear rest, and any scope. you guys could nail that all day long.

Are the "light rifle" rules meant to support sporter type rifle shooters? is this a classification at all meets?
(i'm trying to get my nephew to start going with me this year and he would use this class)

a gun with aperture sights, no trigger limit, heavy weight limit falls into "any rifle"..? do you guys do this more because it fits ISSF or another org's rules? I would think you guys could shoot clean scores all the time with a scope if everyone were in the same "any rifle" class.

forgive the rookie questions........

The tournament program should give sufficient detail for you to know if it's Rule 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, or F Class. The Rule 3.3 Light Rifle trigger is "not less than" 2 lbs, vice "less than."

The issue of different trigger weight for smallbore prone is really a throwback to the first generation of target rifles. Compared to modern rifles, these had quite crude triggers (in the UK some were converted 19th C military rifles), so a heavy minimum weight was seen as a safety feature. By the mid 20th C more sophisticated triggers were available that could be set safely well under 3lb, and which shooters wanted. In the UK the minimum weight was progressively lowered, but in the US an alternative "any" rule was introduced. I'd take a guess that early on competition organisers could could one rule depending on what rifles were being used locally.

F Class has its origins in fullbore shooting (specifically in Canada). It was created to allow older shooters to continue competing even when eyesight and physique weren't up to iron sights and a sling. The F stood for Farqhuarson, the chap who came up with the idea. That was twenty odd years ago, and it has since developed into a distinct discipline in its own right, rather than being a subset within Prone. I think smallbore F-Class is relatively recent.

As for shooting cleans with "any" rifles prone I understand this is common on US targets, but getting a good score still requires a lot of practise building a solid position, good wind-doping skills, and maintaining your concentration to fire 120 or 160 good shots over the day. Also the 10-ring has a inner X-ring. A high X count is essential. Cleans are less common on ISSF targets, at least over a match, as the 10-ring is roughly the same size as the US X-ring .

If you look carefully rule 3.1 "The Rifle" stipulates a 3 pound trigger while 3.2 "Any Rifle" does not. (These are NRA "Smallbore Rifle Rules" which are commonly used for American 1600, 3200 prone matches.)

Rule 3.2 is the most common by an overwhelming margin.

Light rifle is a way to have another category and keep the cost down for newer shooters. You could run a match with competitors firing a light rifle and they would be eligible for light rifle and any rifle awards. At the same time competitors shooting Any Rifle would not be eligible for light rifle awards.

Tim S is correct, in the Master classification, clean targets and matches are the norm, it is high X count that brings home the medals.

'Dude

The rule book can be quite confusing, as there seems to be conflicting rules. Different rules, such as trigger wt. and sights are there so the match sponsor can stipulate which rules will apply for the specific match being held. Then these rules are specified in the program so everyone knows what equipment is legal for the match.
While F class smallbore seems at first glance to be extremely easy, you need to know that the NRA is in the experimental stage in terms of targets and the ones in use now for F class are very difficult -- to the extent they are discouraging those shooting on them. In highpower F class, they started out using the same targets as prone shooters and soon had so many ties that a new target had to be revised for them. It seems the NRA has started out in the opposite direction this time and I would expect if it becomes a regular category, that they will devise a proper target.
While it might seem that one could always clean the targets in a smallbore prone match with a scope, it is more difficult than it looks. True, at the big matches where the country's top shooters attend, it does happen frequently, but at the club level (even among Master shooters), most will drop at point or two, normally at the metric or 100 yd. On ranges that see quite a bit of wind and the 100 yd. portion is shot last, clean scores are difficult. Try it yourself for a first hand experience.
Light rifle is something rarely encountered at usual smallbore prone matches in my experience. I have seen them as separate matches, usually with the younger starting juniors. Best to get a copy of the program you are thinking of attending and look it over.

F class is for geezers like me who are too old and infirm to shoot off the shoulder and too stubborn and stupid to quit.