Stirring the F-Class pot a little over the current ammo/component shortage

[Downeast]

I may have mentioned this in the past but a small group of us try to shoot F-Class monthly matches when we can all get together on a private range nearby. It's nothing serious but more a fun match with the highlight being the grilling/cooking afterwards. We shoot at 300 yards using the reduced 600 yard F class targets. Once in awhile we may go out to 600 but many of us only have deer rifles (one guy shoots a .270 Win with factory ammo!) and limited access to ammo thanks to the current popularity of shortages which seems to be a national fad at the moment.

In order to reduce the burden on some of us, we have reduced our relays to 10 round strings instead of the normal 20. Surprisingly, it makes for a lot more enjoyable relay! Ten rounds in 15 minutes. We have discovered that if you can't get the first 10 rounds into the 9 or 10 ring then the next ten won't help you. It saves time, makes scoring a whole lot easier, and it reduces the angst of having limited ammo and components available for many of us.

There have been a few threads on here discussing the ongoing shortages and their impacts on shooting participation and it appears that our small blue collar group is happy with the new system and more importantly they show up to shoot instead of just showing up to eat! Anyway, it works for us and it may become our norm so I thought I would throw it out there in case there are others facing the same dilemma due to shortages.

 

[Downeast]

As far as reloading components I have continued to build up quite a stock - primers/bullets/powder. It takes work to do it but they can be found. Certainly not getting any cheaper and you have to buy things when you see them. I can't speak for factory ammo.

What you guys are doing sounds great. 10 rounds makes more sense than 20 for your setup and equipment. No deer will be safe inside of 300 yds when hunting season comes around. Make it a two gun day and take your 22lr's as well to shoot a separate match at a shorter distance.

I have done the same and have a good supply of components but many do not and one of our primary goals is to get new shooters involved in F-Class. That's why we have no problem when someone shows up with a deer rifle. We have an ample supply of bags and bipods for them to use too. Good idea about the .22's!

 

[CharlieNC]

With the emergence of Covid a couple of years ago we implemented shooting at every other position, and two 20 shot matches. Less shooting and more break time! Looking forward to the implementation of etargets this year.

 

[JEFFPPC]

I may have mentioned this in the past but a small group of us try to shoot F-Class monthly matches when we can all get together on a private range nearby. It's nothing serious but more a fun match with the highlight being the grilling/cooking afterwards. We shoot at 300 yards using the reduced 600 yard F class targets. Once in awhile we may go out to 600 but many of us only have deer rifles (one guy shoots a .270 Win with factory ammo!) and limited access to ammo thanks to the current popularity of shortages which seems to be a national fad at the moment.

In order to reduce the burden on some of us, we have reduced our relays to 10 round strings instead of the normal 20. Surprisingly, it makes for a lot more enjoyable relay! Ten rounds in 15 minutes. We have discovered that if you can't get the first 10 rounds into the 9 or 10 ring then the next ten won't help you. It saves time, makes scoring a whole lot easier, and it reduces the angst of having limited ammo and components available for many of us.

There have been a few threads on here discussing the ongoing shortages and their impacts on shooting participation and it appears that our small blue collar group is happy with the new system and more importantly they show up to shoot instead of just showing up to eat! Anyway, it works for us and it may become our norm so I thought I would throw it out there in case there are others facing the same dilemma due to shortages.

Do not try to enter common sense into shooting. They will shoot you down in flames while patting themselves on the back. The few glory seekers have little interest in the overall health of the spot.

 

[CJ6]

Adapt and Overcome.....It's what we do.....

 

[shootergdv]

I may have mentioned this in the past but a small group of us try to shoot F-Class monthly matches when we can all get together on a private range nearby. It's nothing serious but more a fun match with the highlight being the grilling/cooking afterwards. We shoot at 300 yards using the reduced 600 yard F class targets. Once in awhile we may go out to 600 but many of us only have deer rifles (one guy shoots a .270 Win with factory ammo!) and limited access to ammo thanks to the current popularity of shortages which seems to be a national fad at the moment.

In order to reduce the burden on some of us, we have reduced our relays to 10 round strings instead of the normal 20. Surprisingly, it makes for a lot more enjoyable relay! Ten rounds in 15 minutes. We have discovered that if you can't get the first 10 rounds into the 9 or 10 ring then the next ten won't help you. It saves time, makes scoring a whole lot easier, and it reduces the angst of having limited ammo and components available for many of us.

There have been a few threads on here discussing the ongoing shortages and their impacts on shooting participation and it appears that our small blue collar group is happy with the new system and more importantly they show up to shoot instead of just showing up to eat! Anyway, it works for us and it may become our norm so I thought I would throw it out there in case there are others facing the same dilemma due to shortages.

We also shoot our highly unsanctioned FCass at 300 with a reduced 600 yd. target - we do cut and paste the Dirty Bird 12" target onto the replacement centers and we score "low line" i.e. bullet hole is mostly in 10 but touches 9 line, ya get 9 !. We also have separate classes for Open, Sporting, Service(gotta be iron sights !) and Heritage . Like you we were trying to get the guys with hunting rifles to try the game. The 10 shots and then eating sounds good !

 

[sdean]

I may have mentioned this in the past but a small group of us try to shoot F-Class monthly matches when we can all get together on a private range nearby. It's nothing serious but more a fun match with the highlight being the grilling/cooking afterwards. We shoot at 300 yards using the reduced 600 yard F class targets. Once in awhile we may go out to 600 but many of us only have deer rifles (one guy shoots a .270 Win with factory ammo!) and limited access to ammo thanks to the current popularity of shortages which seems to be a national fad at the moment.

In order to reduce the burden on some of us, we have reduced our relays to 10 round strings instead of the normal 20. Surprisingly, it makes for a lot more enjoyable relay! Ten rounds in 15 minutes. We have discovered that if you can't get the first 10 rounds into the 9 or 10 ring then the next ten won't help you. It saves time, makes scoring a whole lot easier, and it reduces the angst of having limited ammo and components available for many of us.

There have been a few threads on here discussing the ongoing shortages and their impacts on shooting participation and it appears that our small blue collar group is happy with the new system and more importantly they show up to shoot instead of just showing up to eat! Anyway, it works for us and it may become our norm so I thought I would throw it out there in case there are others facing the same dilemma due to shortages.

Everyone has to do what they have to but I wouldn't drive very far for 30 record shots. I'd rather attend a full match every other month. Just because the first 10 go in the 10 ring doesn't mean the next ten will. Y'all have fun.

 

[Downeast]

Everyone has to do what they have to but I wouldn't drive very far for 30 record shots. I'd rather attend a full match every other month. Just because the first 10 go in the 10 ring doesn't mean the next ten will. Y'all have fun.

Yup, we do have a lot of fun, That's for sure.

 

[Ringostar]

I’m not sure why you would call an obvious 10 a 9. The true size diameter of the bullseye is the outside of the line. They make the lines inside from there, so that you can see them through your scope. Anything touching the line scores higher as official rules.

 

[dannyjbiggs]

I may have mentioned this in the past but a small group of us try to shoot F-Class monthly matches when we can all get together on a private range nearby. It's nothing serious but more a fun match with the highlight being the grilling/cooking afterwards. We shoot at 300 yards using the reduced 600 yard F class targets. Once in awhile we may go out to 600 but many of us only have deer rifles (one guy shoots a .270 Win with factory ammo!) and limited access to ammo thanks to the current popularity of shortages which seems to be a national fad at the moment.

In order to reduce the burden on some of us, we have reduced our relays to 10 round strings instead of the normal 20. Surprisingly, it makes for a lot more enjoyable relay! Ten rounds in 15 minutes. We have discovered that if you can't get the first 10 rounds into the 9 or 10 ring then the next ten won't help you. It saves time, makes scoring a whole lot easier, and it reduces the angst of having limited ammo and components available for many of us.

There have been a few threads on here discussing the ongoing shortages and their impacts on shooting participation and it appears that our small blue collar group is happy with the new system and more importantly they show up to shoot instead of just showing up to eat! Anyway, it works for us and it may become our norm so I thought I would throw it out there in case there are others facing the same dilemma due to shortages.

Nothing wrong with that idea at all! I do think that you might be underestimating the draw of "grilling/cooking afterwards" though!? (And there would be nothing wrong with simply doubling those 10-shot scores to make them more respectable when the drinking starts!)

I can recall a couple of instances of the draw to the "grilling/cooking afterwards". First one occurred when I was invited to come out to a LRR at Butner by some of that shooting crowd in 1997. When I showed up, I was pleasantly surprised that an acquaintance of mine, Pete Hodges, commonly prepared a "pig pullin" for the shooters afterwards for that event. It was very easy for me to make that drive for follow-on years to get Pete's barbecue. I still find myself attending a Fall match there, although Pete is long gone...however, just his memory is a draw. The other concerns the Arizona State Palma Championship put on by Mid Tompkins o/a 5 Dec each year. New into Palma rifle in the early 2000's, I read his match bulletin for the first time. Nothing out of the ordinary, and it mentioned a barbecue on Saturday night. Such comment would not raise the eyebrow of an Alabamian (even a transplant)?!! Flew out to the match, first time, after Saturday evening's match, show up at the club house behind the pistol range. Laid out before us were volumes of baked beans, salads, etc...but instead of the pork barbecue I had assumed were large, thick-cut sirloin steaks...grills were fired up outside...shooters were standing around the grills with drinks in their hands grilling...there was no limit on steaks! As I told Mid, "First time, I came here to shoot; second time I'm coming to eat."

 

[Warren Dean]

You coming to Phoenix next week, Danny?

 

[dannyjbiggs]

No...........I got a "range pass" from Larry...told him I was having to put myself on a diet: Only one trip to Phoenix per year from now on! (But if you would start lobbying for the Nationals up at Attebury, I could make it out to the SWN, first match up for the year? .)

 

[davidjoe]

I have seen matches lose out to food before; you guys may be dangerously close to throwing the hook before F-Class reels you in , not because of 10 shot strings, though. I lost my original shooting buddy to the competitive smoking circuit. He has multiple smoking trailers, I ended up with his guns but he has won a lot of trophies.