FREEDOM BENCHREST

[Mulligan]

I'm nobody and I have no say in the rules at all . I do feel like shooting sighters in the record round is just going to raise the odds of getting a target shot from another bench .

I too am a nobody, maybe we all are?
It may raise the odds, but, in short range BR this is the standard practice and they have it figured out. At our range (Western Colorado 600 yards), half of our shooters also shoot short range and all of them feel the rules not allowing them to go back to the sighter is counter productive to shooting small groups. I tend to agree, that if you get "lost" keeping up with the conditions and a shot at a clay bird or sighter plate will help you, by all means, go for it. At this time, I am a runner because I cannot keep track of all the moving parts anyway, so for me, it will be business as usual. If this helps shoot smaller groups, I am all for it!
CW

 

[Spankey]

I too am a nobody, maybe we all are?
It may raise the odds, but, in short range BR this is the standard practice and they have it figured out. At our range (Western Colorado 600 yards), half of our shooters also shoot short range and all of them feel the rules not allowing them to go back to the sighter is counter productive to shooting small groups. I tend to agree, that if you get "lost" keeping up with the conditions and a shot at a clay bird or sighter plate will help you, by all means, go for it. At this time, I am a runner because I cannot keep track of all the moving parts anyway, so for me, it will be business as usual. If this helps shoot smaller groups, I am all for it!
CW

In short range you can see bullet holes and know if you've been crossfired on at a 1000 yds most can't .

 

[tom]

You're going to run the crossfire risk more on any range not using pits, it's just part of life. With live pits, and rifles that track, it's almost non existent. But, in our case we would have to renovate in order to entertain the idea. I'm all for it though, as you will see smaller groups and higher scores. Maybe Deep Creek can sign up for the "range improvement money" from the IBS, and then jump ship once she's ready.

Tom

 

[Mulligan]

You're going to run the crossfire risk more on any range not using pits, it's just part of life. With live pits, and rifles that track, it's almost non existent. But, in our case we would have to renovate in order to entertain the idea. I'm all for it though, as you will see smaller groups and higher scores. Maybe Deep Creek can sign up for the "range improvement money" from the IBS, and then jump ship once she's ready.

Tom

Just spitballing here, could etargets be used for your sighters?

If you are on bench 1, put an etarget in frame 2 (obviously leaving bench 2 empty) so the shooter on 1 can immediately see their sighter shots?
Ya, they (etargets) are spendy but I think a lot, if not most long range shooters already have them.
CW

 

[tom]

Just spitballing here, could etargets be used for your sighters?

If you are on bench 1, put an etarget in frame 2 (obviously leaving bench 2 empty) so the shooter on 1 can immediately see their sighter shots?
Ya, they (etargets) are spendy but I think a lot, if not most long range shooters already have them.
CW

Yes, limit to 6 shooters per relay in our situation then though. Possibly 7.

Tom

 

[Mulligan]

Yes, limit to 6 shooters per relay in our situation then though. Possibly 7.

Tom

Understood
CW

 

[JFrank]

Without E targets we would have a tired pit crew by the end of the day. Lol

 

[JBauer]

These same people ARE on the IBS board for Long Range and have been, but made no changes.

Dear rtfroggy: I don’t know you. Your statement about “no changes” is total misinformation as I personally have authored more agenda items for myself and many others that didn’t quite understand the process, than anyone in IBS history. All but one of them was approved and is currently contained in the current IBS Long Range Rule Book. I made a comprehensive rewrite, with another author of the Long Range Rules in 2016. Check for my initials on the 2nd page of the existing LR Rule Book. Please take a look at the additions of a greatly successful Tactical and Factory Class additions that the LR Committee authored and was put into the Rule book in 2023. Again, check the for my initials on the 2023 revised LR Rule Book. I also rewrote the Score Rule Book with final assistance from Jeff Stover, Kent Harshman and one other. So I respectfully ask you to reconsider your statement of “no changes”.
But I fear you may have missed the point here.

The goal of Freedom is to provide a Long Range ONLY organization that is under the direction of the Match Directors and Shooters as Stated in my Original post, provided rules and Letter. Easier Match operation and less cost for our LR Shooters. Nothing More, Nothing Less.
With all due respect.

 

[Skedaddle Shooter]

Just spitballing here, could etargets be used for your sighters?

If you are on bench 1, put an etarget in frame 2 (obviously leaving bench 2 empty) so the shooter on 1 can immediately see their sighter shots?
Ya, they (etargets) are spendy but I think a lot, if not most long range shooters already have them.
CW

Hi Clay, so our range just completed a new long range firing line. We still need to improve our pit\target area. We are shooting clays on the ground and steel plates at the moment. After shooting live pits at Sac Valley and White City is is very apparent that live pits are a much better way to get accurate feedback during the sighter period as apposed to shooting a steel plate that is already marked up. Unfortunately our range will never have the resources to build live pits and while I love working the pits and seeing the drama unfold many of the older shooters don’t care for it. This is a prototype I have built for our club and we are in the process of fund raising. Our hope is that the right side of this will be a shot marker target system for the sighter target and the left side will be our record target. Then each competitor can get accurate sighter info on each shot as compared to shooting a steel plate and hitting a previous mark and not knowing for sure where their impact was. I think will will be much better than what we have and a good alternative for the ranges that can never have a live pit setup.

 

[Mulligan]

Understood
CW

View attachment 1420135
Hi Clay, so our range just completed a new long range firing line. We still need to improve our pit\target area. We are shooting clays on the ground and steel plates at the moment. After shooting live pits at Sac Valley and White City is is very apparent that live pits are a much better way to get accurate feedback during the sighter period as apposed to shooting a steel plate that is already marked up. Unfortunately our range will never have the resources to build live pits and while I love working the pits and seeing the drama unfold many of the older shooters don’t care for it. This is a prototype I have built for our club and we are in the process of fund raising. Our hope is that the right side of this will be a shot marker target system for the sighter target and the left side will be our record target. Then each competitor can get accurate sighter info on each shot as compared to shooting a steel plate and hitting a previous mark and not knowing for sure where their impact was. I think will will be much better than what we have and a good alternative for the ranges that can never have a live pit setup.

The shooters are going to love that!
Great work Joe!
Thanks for sharing
CW

 

[Alibaba]

Hello Family,

The ball is rolling can not wait to start having the matches for FREEDOM BENCHREST.
At yesterday meeting we had great feed back from our shooters all positive.
See most of you soon.
LETS HAVE FUN and enjoy what we all love to do.
Thank You
Al.B

Under Competition I posted the dates for our 5 matches hope to see as many of you at Manatee Gun and Archery Club in Sunny Florida .

 

[Mulligan]

Just a question, would target camera systems set up in front of the record target work for those ranges that have pits so the shooters can see hits on the record targets?

Just pondering
CW

Edit,
@JBauer would a camera system be supported within the rules of Freedom BR?

CW

 

[Alibaba]

Just a question, would target camera systems set up in front of the record target work for those ranges that have pits so the shooters can see hits on the record targets?

Just pondering
CW

Edit,
@JBauer would a camera system be supported within the rules of Freedom BR?

CW

Clay,

In my opinion it will not be fair for the ranges that don’t have pits.

 

[Mulligan]

Clay,

In my opinion it will not be fair for the ranges that don’t have pits.

Why couldn’t they do the same thing?
CW

 

[Alibaba]

Why couldn’t they do the same thing?
CW

It’s a good question that I have no answer to.
Can someone please jump in on this issue.
Thank you
Al. B

 

[Dusty Stevens]

What would be nice, if you was a guy that liked electronic targets (i dont think they are of benchrest precision yet), if you could program it to have 2 targets you swap between. Hit a button and your virtual sighter target comes up, hit the button and your record target comes back up. You wouldnt have to call any sighters nor tell anybody that youre going to record.

 

[JBauer]

Couple of questions:
1. Is there a minimum number of benches required per range to host FB Nationals?
2. Is it a requirement for ranges to have fixed plumbing facilities, or are port-a-Johns acceptable to host FB Nationals?
3. "Scorers, Statisticians and Match Directors may not participate in the Freedom National Match." Confirming that the match directors and scorers used throughout a regular season, who also shoot in the regular season matches they direct/score, cannot be used in this same capacity if they choose to shoot, when the range is hosting FB Nationals.

1: not at this time
2: not at this time
3: correct
Please keep in mind that any member club that wishes a review of these rules and offers a change, it will be voted on before the end of the year.

 

[mikecockcroft]

Questions from a private range owner.
How much are match fees, who decides how much the fees are, and who gets to keep them?
Does a portion of match fees go to organization? How much?
Is money paid to winners, trophies or nothing?

 

[jvw2008]

I’ve done a brief bit of research on target cameras. Most are designed for the individual shooter, good to 300 yards, and of questionable durability. To get into a more robust system that would unquestionably do 1000 yards, prices seem to start in the $600 range and don’t include a viewing screen. I like the idea of utilizing a camera system, but if it’s $600 plus, I would rather put the money into a ShotMarker.

 

[Spankey]

I too am a nobody, maybe we all are?
It may raise the odds, but, in short range BR this is the standard practice and they have it figured out. At our range (Western Colorado 600 yards), half of our shooters also shoot short range and all of them feel the rules not allowing them to go back to the sighter is counter productive to shooting small groups. I tend to agree, that if you get "lost" keeping up with the conditions and a shot at a clay bird or sighter plate will help you, by all means, go for it. At this time, I am a runner because I cannot keep track of all the moving parts anyway, so for me, it will be business as usual. If this helps shoot smaller groups, I am all for it!
CW

In short range you can see bullet holes and know if you've been crossfired on at a 1000 yds most can't

What would be nice, if you was a guy that liked electronic targets (i dont think they are of benchrest precision yet), if you could program it to have 2 targets you swap between. Hit a button and your virtual sighter target comes up, hit the button and your record target comes back up. You wouldnt have to call any sighters nor tell anybody that youre going to record.

I don't think any e-target systems will have two target setup . Shot marker the one I'm familiar with will let you shoot sighters and mark them as sighters then you shoot record on the same target . The catch to it is that you can change a sighter to a record or vice versa . So you can manipulate group size and score by changing a sighter to record or erasing a record and sighter shot all together with shot marker if user knows how . One can watch the fclass v1 match you tube video and see shooters designate sighters and record shots with the shot marker e target set up .