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F-Class now has it's own Rules Book (2024)

A few points that stand out on first look:

As far as electronics, this is the only mention in the book that I found

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Other newly added items I found as well
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Well Thanks John, Guess in my quest to learn how to handle the F TR I am trying to play with I need to be hanging onto it. Have been trying to figure out just what process I should use. Been trying to put as little influence into the rifle as possible but I have so much to learn.
 
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Upon reading the new 2024 rules I was curious about how the new rules committee addressed the "spirit of the rules" philosophy.

Page 6 of the new 2024 NRA rules governing F-Class:

SPIRIT OF F-CLASS Modern F-Class competition was born in Canada and evolved from and remains a form of High Power Rifle competition. The spirit of these Rules demand that F-Class competition remain true to its parent (High Power Fullbore) and demands that F-Class refrain from becoming a form of “prone benchrest”. While it is both inevitable and desirable that the American competitive spirit generate improvements in technology and equipment, it is also imperative that F-Class High Power Rifle Competition not devolve into an “arms race” based upon technological advances such that F-Class no longer resembles its parent or remains true to the spirit of its origin. When interpreting these Rules pertaining to equipment, the question should be asked “Is this consistent with what was envisioned when F-Class began?”

And here is the original and still current (2018) wording from the International Confederation of Fullbore Rifle Associations rules and regulations for F-Class Rifle shooting.

F1.11. The spirit of the F-Class Rules is to encourage innovation, and Match Referees and Committees will bear this philosophy in mind in ruling on issues not covered by these rules.

So here are my thoughts:
Should innovation be encouraged or restricted?
As a manufacturer of F-Class equipment I have always had the philosophy that innovation and new technology, within the boundaries of existing rules, and did not conflict with a standing rule (making it illegal) should therefore be allowed.
It would seem after reading the new NRA interpretation regarding "spirit of the rules" that this is not the current philosophy and is in fact reflected by the new 2024 rules. So with this interpretation of "spirit of the Rule" what is next??

I'm about done preaching now but here are my final thoughts:
The "Spirit of the Rule" meaning, and intent, has been bastardized by the new NRA rules and no longer encourages innovation. Why should I spend time, energy, or cash to design new gear for F-Class shooters only to have it restricted by the next meeting of the rules committee?

Furthermore, I would argue for changing what we call this class, like maybe from "F-Open" to F-Restricted or F-Limited because that's the direction it's headed.

BTW, when has it not been a race? That's kind of the point of competition.

These are just my opinions, and I do feel better now!
Rod
 
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Upon reading the new 2024 rules I was curious about how the new rules committee addressed the "spirit of the rules" philosophy.

Page 6 of the new 2024 NRA rules governing F-Class:

SPIRIT OF F-CLASSModern F-Class competition was born in Canada and evolved from and remains a form of High Power Rifle competition. The spirit of these Rules demand that F-Class competition remain true to its parent (High Power Fullbore) and demands that F-Class refrain from becoming a form of “prone benchrest”. While it is both inevitable and desirable that the American competitive spirit generate improvements in technology and equipment, it is also imperative that F-Class High Power Rifle Competition not devolve into an “arms race” based upon technological advances such that F-Class no longer resembles its parent or remains true to the spirit of its origin. When interpreting these Rules pertaining to equipment, the question should be asked “Is this consistent with what was envisioned when F-Class began?”

And here is the original and still current (2018) wording from the International Confederation of Fullbore Rifle Associations rules and regulations for F-Class Rifle shooting.

F1.11. The spirit of the F-Class Rules is to encourage innovation, and Match Referees and Committees will bear this philosophy in mind in ruling on issues not covered by these rules.

So here are my thoughts:
Should innovation be encouraged or restricted? As a manufacturer of F-Class equipment I was of the opinion that innovation was within the boundaries of existing rules so long as it did not conflict with a standing rule. It would seem after reading the new NRA interpretation of "spirit of the rules" that this is not the current philosophy and is in fact reflected by the current rules.

I'm about done preaching now but here are my final thoughts:
The "Spirit of the Rule" meaning, and intent, has been bastardized by the new NRA rules and no longer encourages innovation. Why should I spend time, energy, or cash to design new gear for F-Class shooters only to have it restricted by the next meeting of the rules committee? And furthermore, I would argue for a change in name from F-Open to F-Restricted or F-Limited perhaps.

Rod

Agree. I don’t see how fully rest-supported rifles aimed without even directly touching the rifle, have ever been truly similar to using only your body to hold the rifle off of the ground, which is the defining rule of high power.

Whether it’s Service, Palma, Match, or Any Any, iron or scoped, the rifle must be held up by the shooter, and those guns’ variations from each other are minuscule relative to their all being actually held up by the shooter’s hands, while disallowed from touching the ground.

That an F-Class rule has to now state that it is not OK to only make bodily contact with the trigger, proves the commonality in bechrest and F-Open gear and mechanical operation.

I have never understood how urging a distinction changes anything or helps F-Class. It’s not as if once something is considered similar to Benchrest in some regard, suddenly there are no rules. They have plenty of rules; and it’s certainly not as if they could or would lay claim to F-Class, they sit at a permanent table ranges were built around, that’s their defining hallmark, and that is never changing, no sphere or turf in common here.

Your kind of thinking is an asset to shooters, and is often admired on the line at matches. There’s honestly only a handful of you guys and imo the rules should sit still for a good while, as too many changes are exasperating. Yes, it would be interesting to see what innovations might arise in a third F/Unlimited division.
 
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The new rule book also omits some of the guidance for use of electronic targets that appeared in the last high-power rules book. For example, that high-power guidance provided commands for the RO to use when guiding a match where there is no pit duty. In that setting, there is no half-mast position, no personnel in the pits, etc., what command is used to start firing? Obviously, "YOUR TIME WILL BEGIN AND YOU MAY FIRE WHEN YOUR TARGETS APPEAR" is meaningless. The 2023 high-power document had guidance such as:
(a) While using electronic targets The commands are ‘you may load and commence firing and your time begins at the sound of a device.’
(b) On ranges where there are no pits, the start of time will be signaled verbally or by a device.

That guidance was not carried forward into the new F-class rule book...
 

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