FTR Front Plate Tracking Surface

[majaci@bigpond.com]

How many of you FTR shooters are running carpets as opposed to smooth surfaces on your front plates?
I am curious about the ratio, especially since most carpets provide tracking for the bipod and resist the side to side movement of the bipod legs, therefore bordering on, if not illegal.

[Tim L]

Making tracks is against the rules.
Using your head to get the bipod to track straight is not.
Most of it is down to body position. Get yourself aligned correctly, and you can all but eliminate bouncing left or right. A bit of marine carpet with the pile fighting any side movement can help.

[majaci@bigpond.com]

Tim, you missed the point mate, I am not having trouble or asking for advice. Just wondering how many people use carpets as opposed to smooth surfaces. Carpet preventing the side movement of the bipod feet is technically (at least in my view) not legal, yet its a widespread practice.

[Tim L]

OK gotcha.
Given it's widespread use, why do you think it's not legal?
I mean, what are you reading that leads you to that conclusion?

[majaci@bigpond.com]

When the rifle recoils back, carpet prevents any lateral movement, therefore creating tracks. If you try to move such rifle bipod side to side there is a substantial resistance, hence my conclusion.

[Tim L]

The use of ‘tables’ i.e. a single flat solid surface extending under both front
rest and rear bag is prohibited. Carpet or similarly flexible matting may be
placed under the front rest and rear bag. Separate flat boards and or plates
not exceeding the dimensions of the individual rests by 51mm on a given
side may also be placed under the front rest and rear bag. In the case of a
bipod the board or plate may be as wide as necessary to accommodate the
bipod at its widest point, but not be more than 30cm front to rear. It is not
permitted to provide tracks for the guidance of bipod feet. No levelling
screws or protrusions are allowed on these boards or plates. They must be
flat on the top and bottom.

The rules specifically say carpet but you believe there is an issue?
I've seen carpets with marks on them, and I guess with a lot of shooting those might wear in and become tracks, but as the rules stand, usung the pile of a carpet to resist lateral movement is ok because the pile is not a track.
The only time I've seen the track issue come up was actually with the Joypod bag.
The shooter set up and then proceeded to move the rifle back and forth, tamping down aswell, until the joypod legs had formed troughs (tracks) in the pads.
Carpet is fine, but I'd say if there are threadbare "tracks" worn into it that accommodate the bipod feet and form a positive guide, that would be a step too far.

[Rogue22]

I use neoprene aka wetsuit material glued down to my front plate.