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SHOT Show and F Class?

I’m not surprised by the outcome of the poll. Prs shooters out number all the F Open, bench rest and sling shooters put together. Most new shooters want to have a rifle that resembles some type of military weapon, anything that looks like a sniper rifle or AR.
They don’t want to spend $5000. on a rifle and another $2000 on a scope and have it look like something that has a wooden stock, McMillan colored injection red. The masses want something bad ass. If they are spending this type of money it has to look cool.
I shoot F Open and I see our target sport dying on the vine. Without the youth it will be dead. I’m 44 and have been shooting at my local club for 11 years, and one of the younger guys. I have tried to bring a bunch of friends into the game and it never works out. It’s a huge expense for a newer shooter. I had one friend spend $10000.00 for a complete competition F Open rig and he waited so long for the rifle that he lost interest and started shooing 3 gun. Now I take my 13 year old daughter and she is shooting my 6.5x47 Lapua and we are having a blast. I don’t have any suggestions for new blood into any of these old man shooting disciplines. Social media would help but the real sex appeal is in anything that has a magazine, pistol grip, attachments and can wear any type of operator clothing. I have not shot PRS and saying anything bad about that sport. ALL THE SHOOTING SPORTS NEED TO STICK TOGETHER. They are just doing it right and all of the other High Power and prone shooters better figure it out. The reason for nothing being said about F Class at shot show is the money. Only Savage makes a rifle for F open or TR, and Palma, and they still don’t have a 6.5 Creedmore in F class. It seems to be a no brainer, that caliber you can get match ammo and reasonable.I’m not saying this is the best choice but the easy button for a beginner. We as a group spend a ton of money buy not enough for the advertising. They know that we are going to come back because we just bought 3 rifle barrels and enough components for 2 season's. I’m sure we all have heard the same thing on the line.
My 2 cents are done.
Watch out the wind is tricky today.
Jason
I'm not so sure of that. I look at PRS as a large pool of future F Class shooters. Remember why F Class was created? So aging shooters had a class of competition to participate in once their eyes would not work with open sights at 1000 yards. It is enough of a challenge that it also attracted many younger people who may also shoot PRS. I shoot F Class with a number of people young enough to shoot and do well at PRS. Some of them do. But, once the PRS shooters blow out a knee or two and can no longer carry 40 pounds of gear along with their rifle from stage to stage or climb a roof line or crawl under a fence line without busting a ball, will they quit shooting sports? I don't think so. I think they will graduate to the more refined zen like sport of F Class. And by then they will have already spent 10's of thousands of dollars on shooting equipment and be ready for a real precision rifle. :)
 
That is surprising to me. At a typical hometown gun show maybe typical results, but at the leading industry show hummm! Thank You for doing it and posting.
The people specialize in what they're told to sell. If anything upsets me today it's the rampant breaking of one of the first rules of firearm safety.
How in hell do you use your firearm mounted flashlight without pointing your firearm?
 
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I like the idea of booths for different shooting disciplines. Most people don’t know what all is out there. Guys I show my BR setup to almost always say “that’s really cool” and girls almost universally say “wow that rifle is so pretty”. I think booths with the gear setup to show off would be a pretty interesting attraction for the show that people would enjoy regardless of their motivation to compete.
 
The green on some of yall shows greatly. I have shot PRS for the last few years and I can tell you excalty why it grows. It’s because the people that shoot it and the low bar of entry. I will shout out Tx precision matches, probably some of the friendliest match directors and shooters you can find. You can show up to a match with absolutely nothing and they will give you a loaner rifle (you pay for the ammo) and will let you use a kestrel doped for that loaner. Your squad will let you use their bags, tripods, and any other equipment you may need. People involved in PRS want it to grow, so they are nice to everyone and especially first timers, sure there may be a few bad apples as there are in any sport, but the majority are amazing.
The bar of entry in to PRS is not nearly as high as some other shooting sports to actually be competitive. Plenty of people win matches with factory rifles shooting factory ammo. Really you can go to a match with a rifle and a single good bag like a wiebad tater tot, and be well equipped to shoot each stage.
I’ve ROd at two day matches and the sentiment is still the same, everyone is helping each other and sharing fellowship while doing something dynamic and fun. Everyone from teenagers to 60+ year olds can do it and have a great time.
Another aspect is the people that have created products specifically for the PRS market. You can see them at every single match. John-Kyle from foundation stocks is a huge supporter of the sport and is at almost every major match, the founders of wiebad shoot at my local match nearly every month, MDT has their shooters at every match. But really it boils down to these small mom and pop operations that grew because of their dedication to the prs niche of the shooting world and their relationships with people. I have posted about what John-Kyle has done for me and I will always support his business.
People can go to a match and practice and learn skills. You get so much better at target acquisition, position building in dynamic environments, wind reading, adjusting shots on the fly and all of these in one stage. It’s really an experience like no other. I think for anyone talking trash on it, should go to a well oiled match with nothing at all and ask to be shown how it goes and that you’d like to shoot. Then you would see easily why it’s the fastest growing shooting sport currently.
 
PRS looks like great fun. If they had an over 60 division for non-exercise freaks who prefer to drive over walk, and where each station has a bench and stool, then I would be all in! ( ps I live in mountains not on prairie)

There is a senior or “old guns” division.

And you certainly do not to be any kind of exercise freak to participate, or even be really good at it.

I’ve been at matches where it’s been a bit of a hike, 1/2 mile total or so in some hills and a few of the older guys were moved around via UTV.

Theres a place for everyone.
 
I'm not so sure of that. I look at PRS as a large pool of future F Class shooters. Remember why F Class was created? So aging shooters had a class of competition to participate in once their eyes would not work with open sights at 1000 yards. It is enough of a challenge that it also attracted many younger people who may also shoot PRS. I shoot F Class with a number of people young enough to shoot and do well at PRS. Some of them do. But, once the PRS shooters blow out a knee or two and can no longer carry 40 pounds of gear along with their rifle from stage to stage or climb a roof line or crawl under a fence line without busting a ball, will they quit shooting sports? I don't think so. I think they will graduate to the more refined zen like sport of F Class. And by then they will have already spent 10's of thousands of dollars on shooting equipment and be ready for a real precision rifle. :)
How do F Class shooters that have blown knees out carry a 52lb front rest, rear bag, shooting mat, 20lb gun, spotting scope, stand for said spotting scope, ammo boxes and the rest of the yard sale they take with them to the line then lay down, shoot 14 sighters and then shoot for 20 minutes and try to stand up again?

See what I did there?


A guy can look at ANY shooting sport and belittle it.


My PRS rifle(s) have or would do just fine on the line at an F Class match.

Does that make them real?


Supporting shooting sports should be on the mind of us all. Especially F Class, BR and Silhouette guys.

My advice is to go try out a PRS match. You might be surprised to find out it isn’t quite like you described.


If you really want a good time try the rimfire version of it.
 
Rusty Ulmer and Paul Higley are seniors and good shooters in PRS. I’ve shot 2 matches squaded with Rusty and have had a great time shooting with him. He’s simply a good dude and a badass shooter on top of that.
 
I think PRS makes sense to hunters amd the folk inclined to learn about actually practical shootng, much like 3D shoots in archery. The fact that you could use your hunting rifle if you like, factory ammo, will appeal to beginners. I look at it as a modern version of a turkey shoot. The "target" shooters will always get in there and do what they have to do to win, and make up rules to suit, that is a given in any competitive scenario. The trick is to keep the shoots friendly to the folk who are there to have some fun and learn how to improve their abilities, but don't really have or want to spend the loot it takes to "win".
 
How do F Class shooters that have blown knees out carry a 52lb front rest, rear bag, shooting mat, 20lb gun, spotting scope, stand for said spotting scope, ammo boxes and the rest of the yard sale they take with them to the line then lay down, shoot 14 sighters and then shoot for 20 minutes and try to stand up again?

See what I did there?


A guy can look at ANY shooting sport and belittle it.


My PRS rifle(s) have or would do just fine on the line at an F Class match.

Does that make them real?


Supporting shooting sports should be on the mind of us all. Especially F Class, BR and Silhouette guys.

My advice is to go try out a PRS match. You might be surprised to find out it isn’t quite like you described.


If you really want a good time try the rimfire version of it.
Not belittling PRS. I think it is a great sport and I'm glad it is attracting new shooters. I only wish the even more could be attracted. Get these kids away from first person shoot games and out into the fresh air getting some firearms training and some exercise.

Yeah, your PRS gun would likely work in F Class. I know people who shoot them. One of mine is in a KRG chassis with BAT action and could be confused for a PRS gun but my barrel is a 30 inch 1.25 straight. Thin barrels get hot fast in those 20 shot strings.

Yeah, I might shoot a PRS match at some point. Now that I'm retired though I don't have the time to participate in everything I want to. The question is, what do I give up to find the time. I even have the gun. I built a 6 BRA off a Solus action that is set in a Begara takeoff stock. The thing shoots well but I may want a shorter thinner barrel to cut some weight if I have to pack it very far.
 
Not belittling PRS. I think it is a great sport and I'm glad it is attracting new shooters. I only wish the even more could be attracted. Get these kids away from first person shoot games and out into the fresh air getting some firearms training and some exercise.

Yeah, your PRS gun would likely work in F Class. I know people who shoot them. One of mine is in a KRG chassis with BAT action and could be confused for a PRS gun but my barrel is a 30 inch 1.25 straight. Thin barrels get hot fast in those 20 shot strings.

Yeah, I might shoot a PRS match at some point. Now that I'm retired though I don't have the time to participate in everything I want to. The question is, what do I give up to find the time. I even have the gun. I built a 6 BRA off a Solus action that is set in a Begara takeoff stock. The thing shoots well but I may want a shorter thinner barrel to cut some weight if I have to pack it very far.


“Thin” barrels………

Mine’s straight as well.

You don’t see any thin barrels on dedicated race guns. They don’t balance. I would also argue a PRS rifle actually may end as hot or hotter than many guys F Class rifles depending on how one shoots his record shots for F Class.

90 second stage where I have to fire 12 rounds versus 20 shots over 20 minutes. Or even 5 minutes if he’s shooting fast.

They heat up pretty quick.

In fact, in regards to weight, I’d have to make my rifle lighter to be legal in F Class in a sanctioned match.


I enjoy both F class and PRS. I’ll choose PRS every time though.

The main difference between the two for me?

Problem solving.


Both NRL and PRS are incredibly inclusive with youth shooters.

Most events outside of regional finals and national events don’t charge youth shooters to shoot.

Safety is paramount at these events, contrary to what anyone says. You simply cannot handle a rifle in an unsafe manner at one of these shoots. You’ll be called out and DQ’ed by 2-3 people.

Packing gear isn’t a “thing” in PRS matches. There are sniper events and some matches that do this and you hime aways. NRL Hunter matches you have to carry your gear but even the really long walks on these are not very lengthy.


I still say go try it, it sounds like you may have some misconceptions of what these events really are.

Look for a local club near you that hosts NRL22 monthly matches. It’s a great way to see how these things work and a rimfire is an easy way to try it out.

You wouldn’t even need a rifle, just show up and 5 different guys will want you to use their stuff.
 

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