F/TR... Really... Who is interested?

Post by **AlanF** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 8:11 pm

John E wrote:No doubt Rosedale will cater for F/TR at it's next Prize Meeting? Oh yeah.

We may be looking for something to replace F-Std A John - numbers haven't been too good of recent years. :wink:

But seriously, we have several young F-Std shooters with Omarks and Remingtons that would qualify for F/TR, in fact some of them are using non-standard projectiles already. So if two or three of them are keen, I'm sure we can be flexible enough to include them in the OPM. And it could grow from there.

Alan

John E · Post by **John E** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 10:36 pm

If you want to talk numbers, FO would be the discipline to be replaced, I would think. FS numbers have been noticeably higher than FO at Rosedale in recent years, probably forever, Alan.

Seriously though, if you have a potential source of F/TR candidates, why not encourage them to do it? This is the perfect opportunity.

John

Woody_rod · Post by **Woody_rod** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 11:22 am

ANyone with a 223 or 308 remington style hunting rifle with scope and bipod could lay down and shoot F/TR as is. This is a relativly large group of people that is not really tapped.

On entry fees, if there are no badges or whatever, why would people want to enter? Better to use the correct projectiles and compete in FS, or otherwise FO.

Southcape · Post by **Southcape** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 11:33 am

Until we have numbers, I don't expect a club to offer a seperate badge at a PM.
We shoot in F Open, and be eligible for their trophies and badges.

Sure there are some clubs that will go looking or be offered sponsorship to run F/TR.

But lets walk before we run.

TOM · Post by **TOM** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 1:45 pm

Woody, A hunting rifle.. shot back to 1000 Yards, whats more, competing with a dedicated target rifle. Id like to see that.

bruce moulds · Post by **bruce moulds** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 2:31 pm

woody does make a good point that there is an untapped source of membership out there.
while some factory rifles are less suited to ftr than others, many are suited to the job, at least in the beginning stages, and a barrel
replacement can take them to the top.
perhaps we should not look at ftr as another division of fclass, but another fullbore discipline which can fit in with the three that already exist. this would be a better way to market the concept to our governing bodies.
bruce.

John E · Post by **John E** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 5:53 pm

If anyone is going to shoot F/TR competively, club or Pm level, hunting scopes just are not suitable. Hunters, depending on what they hunt, generally zero their rifles at 100yds or 200yds, and once they are zeroed, don't want to alter the zeroed point of impact.
If anyone is going to shoot any sort of F Class, they need to accept that they need a target scope.
At Grantville, we allow anyone to shoot their hunting rifles alongside us at whatever range we are shooting, and have a club rifle available if they want to use it ---- they soon see the difference.
Depending on the quarry, I use a 222, 30.06, or 338, and I zero all of them at 100yds, and I don't alter the zero after it has been set, because I know that, at hunting distances, I will achieve the desired result, if I pull a good shot. I would not contemplate using a hunting rifle as a target rifle.

John

TOM · Post by **TOM** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 7:10 pm

Bruce, Knowing what you know with your target rifles, would you consider a hunting rifle to be competitive with what you have?

Woody, same question????

The last thing you want to do is suck people in with a hunting rifle and then tell them they need to spend X amount of dollars to bring them up to standard. Another option would be to introduce a 'Hunter Class' far removed from F/TR.

Woody_rod · Post by **Woody_rod** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 7:24 pm

TOM wrote:Bruce, Knowing what you know with your target rifles, would you consider a hunting rifle to be competitive with what you have?

Woody, same question????

The last thing you want to do is suck people in with a hunting rifle and then tell them they need to spend X amount of dollars to bring them up to standard. Another option would be to introduce a 'Hunter Class' far removed from F/TR.

I have fitted new barrels to hunting type rifles (R700, M70, Sako etc) with results approaching very closely that of a target rifle. They do lose a bit of speed due to the usually shorter barrel (26 inch average) to fit with the dual purpose, but they do work.

With a little work (barrel, match chamber, bedding and floating), it is possible for pretty much any hunting rifle to shoot well. It is relatively simple stuff.

No need to bother trying to make arguments regarding not being competitive....if these people are new to target shooting, they will not be winning regardless of what they are using. If in time they decide they like the sport, they can then build or buy a competition rifle. I have seen this a few times, and it gives the person plenty of time to decide what they want to do, while having a go at the same time.

On your question about competitive with our equipment, that is not really the issue here. My rifle is prob worth in the order of $7500 with the March scope. I would expect it to shoot as well as anything that could be put on the firing point. A $1000 rifle is not going to keep up (at long range), but it is still an option to get people into the sport, also giving them an opportunity to learn some stuff about reading conditions etc.

TOM · Post by **TOM** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 7:29 pm

Exactly. A match grade barrel fitted to a sporting rifle will bring it reasonably up to scratch. No longer a standard off the shelf hunting rifle is it! More of a Hybrid.

Woody_rod · Post by **Woody_rod** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 7:34 pm

TOM wrote:Exactly. A match grade barrel fitted to a sporting rifle will bring it reasonably up to scratch. No longer a standard off the shelf hunting rifle is it! More of a Hybrid.

Man, you can find a negative in everything. Who said anything about an off-the-shelf rifle?

Take a rifle such as Weatherby vanguard in 308, cost about $1000 - a secondhand one is fine for this. Add scope for say $400, new barrel for about $800, makes $2200. Given some intelligent tuning, it would shoot well enough to make a name for yourself.

TOM · Post by **TOM** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 7:43 pm

If you could be happy to use one in complete confidence, knowing you are in with a chance of competing with a custom rig, then thats good enough for me.

Woody_rod · Post by **Woody_rod** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 7:47 pm

TOM wrote:If you could be happy to use one in complete confidence, knowing you are in with a chance of competing with a custom rig, then thats good enough for me.

I would give it a go no problem. You are talking about competing, people new to the sport will not be competitive in 99% of cases no matter what gear they use.

TOM · Post by **TOM** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 7:51 pm

You did not answer the question, Big difference between competing and being competitive mate. So long as people are told straight up they will not be competitive with an off-the-shelf hunter rifle then there will be no issue.

RAVEN · Post by **RAVEN** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 8:27 pm

TOM
The key word is participation
When I started in 2002 I participated for 5 years before I was competitive
I think we for get to quickly how we all started
RB