Looking at this from purely an outside point of view.
F-Class in America has been the bastard step child to the historical longrange prone shooters and longrange benchrest shooters. Most of the Longrange ranges formerly were longrange prone, palma and longrange benchrest ranges before F-Class was ever thought of.
F-Class started in Canada for the "older shooter who now had difficulty using iron sights and new shooters who wanted to get their feet wet into long range shooting on a limited budget. F-Class has turned into "belly benchrest and and an equipment race.
Shooting is a sport so I will classify shooters as being athletes. We all know athletes have strong opinions and to much testosterone.
F-Class in America has only been luke warmly accepted by the NRA who's management has strong ties to previously conventional shooting. The NRA being the US shooting sanctioning body has only minimally gotten envolved into the development and management of F-Class shooting.
F-Class in America has two subdivisions F-Open and FTR. Each has its place. Over the last years both the F-open and FTR divisions have worked largely independent of each other. And quite unfortunately there is an evident antimosity between the two groups.
We all must go back to the fundamentals, "target shooting is a priveledge not a right". The ones who work and organize generally get to make the rules. The hosting clubs also have a say in what format they will run their matches.
For the last few years countries have fielded both F-Open and FTR teams. The matches have been run simultaniously without conflict.
We are facing changes in 2012. We all know that change does happen. We also know that not everyone is going to be happy with change.
There are post on this subject on most of the shooting forums now. Some post have been positive and some negative. I would like to say what I have generally seen is not good for the sport of shooting.
I shoot both F-Open and FTR and see both sides to the issue.
I wish both the F-Open and FTR teams in conjunction with an elected group from each discipline would form a Rules Committee to democratically determine changes in the rules and formats to the shooting matches.
Clearly there is friction between the shooting disciplines and this is not good. We need to be working together.
Things to be considered are "tradition and a international standard", improvements in the quality of the sport, and keeping the sport open to all who wish to compete, having ranges available throughout the country so the maximum number of people can compete.
I compare F-Class shooting to IMSA car racing F-Open is like the GTP cars, and FTR is more like the GTU cars. But they all race on the same track under different rules.
Again, I feel there needs to be a governing body overseeing "F-Class" made up of all the different disciplines and competitor levels, with an equal voice or there will always be someone unhappy.
Just some observations, hopefully F-Class can improve for all and provide a satisfying forum for many different levels of shooters.
Nat Lambeth
F-Class in America has been the bastard step child to the historical longrange prone shooters and longrange benchrest shooters. Most of the Longrange ranges formerly were longrange prone, palma and longrange benchrest ranges before F-Class was ever thought of.
F-Class started in Canada for the "older shooter who now had difficulty using iron sights and new shooters who wanted to get their feet wet into long range shooting on a limited budget. F-Class has turned into "belly benchrest and and an equipment race.
Shooting is a sport so I will classify shooters as being athletes. We all know athletes have strong opinions and to much testosterone.
F-Class in America has only been luke warmly accepted by the NRA who's management has strong ties to previously conventional shooting. The NRA being the US shooting sanctioning body has only minimally gotten envolved into the development and management of F-Class shooting.
F-Class in America has two subdivisions F-Open and FTR. Each has its place. Over the last years both the F-open and FTR divisions have worked largely independent of each other. And quite unfortunately there is an evident antimosity between the two groups.
We all must go back to the fundamentals, "target shooting is a priveledge not a right". The ones who work and organize generally get to make the rules. The hosting clubs also have a say in what format they will run their matches.
For the last few years countries have fielded both F-Open and FTR teams. The matches have been run simultaniously without conflict.
We are facing changes in 2012. We all know that change does happen. We also know that not everyone is going to be happy with change.
There are post on this subject on most of the shooting forums now. Some post have been positive and some negative. I would like to say what I have generally seen is not good for the sport of shooting.
I shoot both F-Open and FTR and see both sides to the issue.
I wish both the F-Open and FTR teams in conjunction with an elected group from each discipline would form a Rules Committee to democratically determine changes in the rules and formats to the shooting matches.
Clearly there is friction between the shooting disciplines and this is not good. We need to be working together.
Things to be considered are "tradition and a international standard", improvements in the quality of the sport, and keeping the sport open to all who wish to compete, having ranges available throughout the country so the maximum number of people can compete.
I compare F-Class shooting to IMSA car racing F-Open is like the GTP cars, and FTR is more like the GTU cars. But they all race on the same track under different rules.
Again, I feel there needs to be a governing body overseeing "F-Class" made up of all the different disciplines and competitor levels, with an equal voice or there will always be someone unhappy.
Just some observations, hopefully F-Class can improve for all and provide a satisfying forum for many different levels of shooters.
Nat Lambeth
