2020 NRA F-Class National Championship MATCH DIRECTOR’S BULLETIN #1

[Matthew Schwartzkopf]

Matt, I’m very familiar with that situation. No, it’s not revised right even now. This is an example of the Rule drafters choosing the word “may” with respect to use of a “front rest [sand] bag”, when the Committee should have used the word “must” - as that is evidently what it meant.

To this day, the Rule still has not been corrected. It still begins by saying you “may” use a front rest bag. My friend at that time, did not use a front rest “bag.” The “plastic” as you describe, was not a bag, and neither did the rules say you must use a bag in a front rest.

And no, it’s not implied that you must shoot off sand in Open. If I were to bolt on a big Atlas, and put it on wood, I am not shooting off sand, yet that is most certainly legal.



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Where in anything that I said did I use the words "must" or "may"? However I did say "mechanically capture." Either way it was ruled against the spirit of the rules. nice try.

 

[dannyjbiggs]

Why not just let the bipod rest on the ground and there is no argument. Not trying to be smart, just wondering what's wrong with doing that.

I know of no F-Class rule that requires something be put under the bipod feet. Not to do so might make you a purist!!? Or foolish? Shooting a Harris, that might be the better idea? Whether it's prudent or not for bipods in general is the question...because of flotation. Whatever type of feet you might be using might dig into some soils to your detriment? The degree could be good...it could be bad, you would need to experience it to know. You could find yourself fighting elevation in string as feet sink in. Then again, some soils might limit the penetration of skate-type feet, allow you to track, and make you subject to a tracking violation, as silly as that sounds...depends on how your fellow competitors feel about it? Again, and except for the Harris, you most likely would best be served by putting something under the feet no matter what. Give it a try on the ground. I have never seen anyone shooting a bipod directly on the soil except for a Harris. My first F-TR bipod was the Harris. In some soils, the tiny round feet that came on mine tended to dig in, yet I found it better than shooting on a mat, where it was prone to occasionally jump. While some shooters desired the Harris sinking into soil, I did not, it did not accommodate my holding style...I did not like to "load" the Harris, most shooter do. So, I added some "load spreaders" to the feet, by purchasing some 1.5 " diameter rubber stool stops from Wal-mart, wrapping the Harris feet with repetitive wraps of friction tape to the point they would just force-fit into the stops. This worked well, until the opportunity arose for me to acquire the Sinclair bipod. This was a great bipod for me, the only one that I ever shot in competition. I always shot it off a mat. Although, its feet would allow it to be easily shot off heavy grass turf. I just did not want to get the bottom of my feet scratched up and dirty from contacting the soil. I wanted them to be smooth and slide freely on my matt surface. I used my left over HP shooting jacket so that I could achieve far out shoulder touch without violating free recoil rules and obtain up to 2.5"-3" of recoil travel before meeting my shoulder and bouncing back into battery, sometimes on the target line--most times slightly off.

Dan

 

[davidjoe]

Not sure what to make of that reply, Matt. “Soft plastic instead of sand.” Lack of a sand bag was the understanding at the time.

** Yes, you also referred to the other language, but it is new to the rules since then, which would explain how it wasn’t the understanding of the action taken at the time. As you know then, he was held to language that did not exist, after he already travelled to and shot the National match. **

 

[Ray Gross]

…

9) A silencer that would save our hearing is not allowed;

off topic, but unless it has been recinded, suppressors were authorized for all NRA competitions in 2018

*Note -the HP committee approved it in 2018. It was killed by the next committee up the chain, the Competition Rules Committee. I didn't realize that when I posted

 

[Medic505]

 

[Monte F]

off topic, but unless it has been recinded, suppressors were authorized for all NRA competitions in 2018.

See NRA Highpower rule 3.16.1 (a),
Sound suppressors are not authorized for use in high power competition.

 

[Ray Gross]

See NRA Highpower rule 3.16.1 (a),
Sound suppressors are not authorized for use in high power competition.

It was approved by the HP Committee at the request of NRA-ILA. I don't know if it was rescinded or just never got past that point.

 

[Warren Dean]

off topic, but unless it has been recinded, suppressors were authorized for all NRA competitions in 2018.

Please provide proof.....

 

[XTR]

Warren, I doubt Ray has any reason to BS you.

 

[DE-F-Open]

It was approved by the HP Committee at the request of NRA-ILA. I don't know if it was rescinded or just never got past that point.

Sorry..... That's not true. Suppressors were never approved for competition. There have been several attempts to do so but all have failed. Suppressors are currently illegal in some states and it is highly unlikely that they will be approved for competition until legal in all states.

Remember, there is a three step process for adding, deleting or amending a rule: (1) approval by the discipline committee (High Power in this case); (2) approval by the Competitions Rules and Programs Committee; (3) approval by majority vote of the whole Board of Directors.

The Rule currently stands as currently written.

John

 

[Jdne5b]

Suppressors provide a reduction in recoil. That is an advantage.

 

[rardoin]

Suppressors provide a reduction in recoil. That is an advantage.

....and are not easily obtained by every shooter and illegal for some shooters to possess. Tuners, on the other hand, are relatively inexpensive and freely available to anyone who wants to run one.

 

[XTR]

....aaaand how did we get here?

 

[Medic505]

This just keeps getting better.

 

[Crow]

...are mirage shields specifically mentioned in the rules somewhere?

 

[CharlieNC]

....and are not easily obtained by every shooter and illegal for some shooters to possess. Tuners, on the other hand, are relatively inexpensive and freely available to anyone who wants to run one.

So is a thick piece of carpet!

 

[D-4297]

I actually thought of that over the weekend and laughed to myself. Then continued on my golf trip in Wisconsin where we violated about every rule of golf invented....but we knew what rules we were breaking when we did it.

Bob's reply is hysterical , in the sense that Golf is the only sport on the planet where competitors can , and do , call penalties on themselves for rules violations . Good one , Bob . Not holdin my breathe to see that happen over this issue anytime soon .

 

[Rope2horns]

There will be a rock throwing competition September 31. There will be two divisions, FTR (free thrown rocks) will be limited to rocks less than 3lbs....The open division will be limited to 5lbs or less...anyone found using rocks other than the ones found in Arkansas will be disqualified...Throwing attire will be encouraged but limited to 11/2' on coonskin tails.....anyone mentioning black powder will be asked to leave the property, this is a old school shoot.

 

[rardoin]

So is a thick piece of carpet!

One distinct difference...there is no ambiguity in the rules as there is with carpet.

 

[Ned Ludd]

There will be a rock throwing competition September 31. There will be two divisions, FTR (free thrown rocks) will be limited to rocks less than 3lbs....The open division will be limited to 5lbs or less...anyone found using rocks other than the ones found in Arkansas will be disqualified...Throwing attire will be encouraged but limited to 11/2' on coonskin tails.....anyone mentioning black powder will be asked to leave the property, this is a old school shoot.

Are there any specific rules coving the shape of the rocks, Norm? I find the smooth round ones are more accurate and go farther, but I am willing to use square/rectangular rocks if required to do so.

Now that we've got shape out of the way, let's move on to the allowed colors of the rocks...