WA Queens F-Open

[AlanF]

Is anyone else from outside WA intending to shoot F-Open at the WA Queens starting September 23? If its true what some are saying that its definitely a goer then I'll be there - I believe this may be the last Queens at Swanbourne, and I need to know why scores have been so good there recently . I'm driving over but not able to take passengers because of other travel intentions. However I should have room for a rifle and ammo if someone wants to fly and is concerned about limits on ammo, weight etc. I would probably be leaving Melbourne around September 17 and returning about October 5. Will be struggling to make the SA Queens now.

Alan

[Paul Janzso]

Come on Alan, you will be returning through S.A. I will save a plase on the mound for you.

Cheers
Paul

[AlanF]

...I will save a plase on the mound for you...

Yes Paul I remember that ant's nest.

Its possible I'll just make it - will depend on whether I get sick of the desert. Failing that, I hope you can make it to Canberra in November. It should be the biggest ever F-Open gathering in Australia. We need to get good scores too, to put those pesky F-Std shooters in their place .

Alan

[Paul Janzso]

Yep, I found an even bigger ant nest, there waiting for you.

I will be at Canberra this year, I have applied to be in the F Class Open team and I will be shooting the Queens as well.
I will be doing my best to get to the Vic Queens next year as well, I will only bring one rifle, maybe 2.

Just think, if some one askes you to take there rifle to WA Queens, you could load up extera ammo for it and use it in the SA Queens on the way back, that would give you 4 rifles to choose from.

Cheers
Paul

[TOM]

Alan F Wrote " We need to get good scores too, to put those pesky F-std shooters in their place. "
I would say that FO would need to well and truly trounce F std to keep face and justify the exotic calibres.

TOM

[AlanF]

Tom,

At some of the recent Queens where Std and Open have used the same targets and scoring system, an F-Std shooter has had the highest Queens agg. However its not quite as bad for F-Open if you look at average scores rather than winning scores. In the Vic Queens for example, average F-Open range scores were about 3 higher than F-Std.

Alan

[John E]

Who really cares?

The Troll

[AlanF]

While on the subject of the Vic Queens, I couldn't help noticing John that F-Open was the only class to retain its numbers from the year before. Just thought that needed to be mentioned somewhere.

Alan

[John E]

See above

[johnk]

If the powers that be in Victoria hadn't chosen to relocate their Queens to the same time as the Aussie match rifle championships & international teams match (an event on the NRAA calander a year or two prior to that decision being made) they would have quite a few more FS shooters.

[AlanF]

johnk,

Yet another example of the need for a coordinated approach to event schedules.

Major events such as Queens and International/National/State Championships should be scheduled at least 2 seasons in advance in my opinion. Once these are fixed, then interstate team events and other major events should quickly follow, then lastly prize meetings and similar, with the aim of having at least 12 months notice, even for prizemeetings. It badly needs some top down direction i.e. from the NRAA. I know there is a calendar on their website, but it is clearly not working the way it was intended.

Alan

[AlanF]

Back to the subject of the WA Queen, I've paid the entry fee, and am looking forward to my first drive across the Nullabor.

A question about the Swanbourne mounds please? Are long spikes needed (on front and rear rests), and if so, what length/diameter of spikes are normally allowed and used?

Thanks for any advice.

Alan

[Matt P]

Alan
LIke the rest of Perth the mounds are very sandy you'll need the longest spikes allowable, and it's always windy, friendly from the west and nasty from the east, goodluck.

Matt P

[AlanF]

Thanks Matt. Any advice from WA shooters as to what is currently allowed?

[Mark Hamersley]

Hi Alan

I've been using 50mm spikes front and rear as I understand this is the maximum length allowed these days. The mounds are sandy but mostly pretty good. You may come across some quite soft sand and possibly some grass so thick a 50mm spike will barely get through to the soil. Some packers to accommodate varying mound slopes are handy.

What Matt said about the wind too, but expect to see benchrest style flags down the middle of the range which can be helpful.

best regards


Mark