Thread: F-Class

Yup, and the funny/ sad thing is that whenever it is raised, they turn around and say "well, you need to sort yourselves out, f class is like herding cats"...

The fundamental problem is not having any councillors or exec members that are f-class shooters. Having a non voting delegate is a waste, as had been demonstrated quite clearly.

Unfortunately I think the reality is that NRA style target shooting in NZ is in its death throes. The numbers simply have gone beyond where it is sustainable. Younger guys today want to do service rifle or IPSC pistol, fullbore has no "cool" factor. There is a huge pool of potential shooters amongst the deerstalkers, but because of NRA attitudes, those guys are much more likely to find a home in a prescision rifle series or something like what Gillie is running.

Originally Posted by ebf

Yup, and the funny/ sad thing is that whenever it is raised, they turn around and say "well, you need to sort yourselves out, f class is like herding cats"...

It’s actually much like this forum environment. Whenever I went to the shooters for their opinion to take back to the NRA we would all end up talking in circles? It was hellishly frustrating. I remember well at the end of the F-Class Nationals drawing equal with ??? (I was going to say Kevin but that was a Ballenger) There was no official ruling as to how to work out the winner. As the delegate at the time I wanted to put in place an agreement as how we would sort it out. All I got was 20 odd guys looking at their feet. In the end Graeme made the call on count back. Anyway a few weeks later I get rumors of bitching. As far as I was concerned they had there opportunity and missed it. Back then a number of shooters wanted their own target and I was for that as well. I wanted to avoid any more draws. But there was no way in hell we were going to get that. The move to the targets you have now I assume is for the better?

Gimp as I see it the real advantage of a practical match is that there is no real fixed infrastructure. NRA shooting will most likely disappear with time. If regions cannot acquire the land or the infrastructure to shoot they fail as has happened here in Taranaki. As the regions dry up this has a flow on effect in Trentham. I see the club fees are $265.00?? Or some rather large number like that. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to work out what is happening there. That fee will drive even more away and so on.

Your practical matches are a better model and more sustainable. The only down side I see is that I assume a great deal of the setup cost and energy to keep it going most likely sits with just 1 or maybe a very small number of guys. With that in mind the matches are dependent on their interest in keeping it going. Anybody who shoots at these matches would be wise to pass on their appreciation to those individuals and where possible make every effort to help.

Originally Posted by Bugger That

The move to the targets you have now I assume is for the better?

yup, very good move imho, we (informally) shot 1/2 moa super-V at last year's hamilton F event, and it showed a massive difference between those that had some overseas competition experience and the rest. most guys have adapted pretty quickly, and it is funny watching the TR guys trying harder to up their X count as well at least now we are shooting at the same size targets as the rest of the world, so better for top-level, but harder for the weekend warrior, so bit of a double-edged sword.

we have also started making some F inroads into 300m. FTR was allowed last year, and at the start of May this year we had the first 2 FO guys competing. competitor numbers were pretty much evenly split between F (FO & FTR), ISSF and Open.

Originally Posted by Bugger That

I see the club fees are $265.00?? Or some rather large number like that. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to work out what is happening there. That fee will drive even more away and so on.

And rising, already quite a bit more than IPSC for example once you add match fees etc...