Future of Competition Shooting
Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2012 4:32 pm
Title of the debate
The NRA Imperial Meeting is in decline and the format has to change.
(I have left Match Rifle out of this discussion deliberately.)
This is a personal observation, I would be interested in your views. Target Rifle shooters are, in the main, scornful of 'F' class shooting. Many believe that old George's ideal, of simply putting a scope on you target rifle has been abandoned. It certainly has for F Open but with FTR, which came first, innovations and improvements in 'target' rifles and the ammunition or the technology race fueled by the 'F' class 'arms race?
The improvements and changes in F Open certainly require deep pockets and hours of preparation. I would point you to the time when we, as TR shooters, all had Mauser and No.4 for short and long range, if we could afford them. The technical improvements in barrels and actions saw the introduction of Shillen, Ferlach, Black Mountain barrels. Wichita, and Shillen actions were the acquisitions of the more wealthy of TR shooters and they, because they could afford it, pushed the envelope forward with better barrels and actions whilst we 'ordinary' mortals were left behind. This is the way of the world.
Put Jack Brabham's world beating formula one car on the grid now and see how it does.
The vast improvement in the quality of todays RWS ammunition over RG is exponential and it is only natural that those who can afford it will have their Target Rifle built specifically for it.
This is exactly what, only a couple of years ago, FTR shooters did.
I am not advocating hand-loads because, as it has done in other countries, it will push young shooters, cadets etc., off the ranges.
Good quality commercial ammunition will never be as relatively cheap as it was five years ago, again. Even at todays prices, the NRA is selling it's RWS 'cheap'
If you have the money, you can have a rifle built, take it to someone like John Carmichael at HPS and he will manufacture match ammunition for your rifle. You can't use that ammo in the Imperial unless you shoot FTR, but most club opens allow any 'commercial' ammo. So if you can afford to get John to make you enough, and he offers it to others, it becomes commercial. Next thing you know, someone takes a box to his gunsmith and says 'Build me a gun around this ammo.' That's unfair, some will say. It's not unfair, it's progress.
So, the point I am trying to make is, how long can the Imperial Meeting continue in it's present form? and:
Is it time to make more space for 'F' class stand alone and/or 'any ammo' competitions at the Imperial main meeting?
The NRA Imperial Meeting is in decline and the format has to change.
(I have left Match Rifle out of this discussion deliberately.)
This is a personal observation, I would be interested in your views. Target Rifle shooters are, in the main, scornful of 'F' class shooting. Many believe that old George's ideal, of simply putting a scope on you target rifle has been abandoned. It certainly has for F Open but with FTR, which came first, innovations and improvements in 'target' rifles and the ammunition or the technology race fueled by the 'F' class 'arms race?
The improvements and changes in F Open certainly require deep pockets and hours of preparation. I would point you to the time when we, as TR shooters, all had Mauser and No.4 for short and long range, if we could afford them. The technical improvements in barrels and actions saw the introduction of Shillen, Ferlach, Black Mountain barrels. Wichita, and Shillen actions were the acquisitions of the more wealthy of TR shooters and they, because they could afford it, pushed the envelope forward with better barrels and actions whilst we 'ordinary' mortals were left behind. This is the way of the world.
Put Jack Brabham's world beating formula one car on the grid now and see how it does.
The vast improvement in the quality of todays RWS ammunition over RG is exponential and it is only natural that those who can afford it will have their Target Rifle built specifically for it.
This is exactly what, only a couple of years ago, FTR shooters did.
I am not advocating hand-loads because, as it has done in other countries, it will push young shooters, cadets etc., off the ranges.
Good quality commercial ammunition will never be as relatively cheap as it was five years ago, again. Even at todays prices, the NRA is selling it's RWS 'cheap'
If you have the money, you can have a rifle built, take it to someone like John Carmichael at HPS and he will manufacture match ammunition for your rifle. You can't use that ammo in the Imperial unless you shoot FTR, but most club opens allow any 'commercial' ammo. So if you can afford to get John to make you enough, and he offers it to others, it becomes commercial. Next thing you know, someone takes a box to his gunsmith and says 'Build me a gun around this ammo.' That's unfair, some will say. It's not unfair, it's progress.
So, the point I am trying to make is, how long can the Imperial Meeting continue in it's present form? and:
Is it time to make more space for 'F' class stand alone and/or 'any ammo' competitions at the Imperial main meeting?
