I have been following this thread on the F/TR subject for a while now. I honestly trust that the various provincial F-Class councils and NRAA will for the sake of the Australian F-Class shooting future be inaugurating the F/TR discipline, it's rules and that goes with it. People are scared to try new stuff - but worst case it will die. I put money on, it will grow as for the rest of the international shooting community. F-Class and especially F-T/R is booming world wide. The refusal of a venture like this would be sad for shooting if not fully supported.
My Hint; Remember not to try and merge F-Standard with F/TR. Australia has enough shooters to make everybody that wants to shoot happy. If a shooter does not want to shoot on the international circuit - it must be his /her choice. A discipline should only fall away the day that the numbers do not make it feasibile any further.
I wish you all the best of luck, JUST DO NOT QUIT SHOOTING.
Jannie Els
Captain: Protea F-Class Team
SOUTH AFRICA
I originally gave up reading this thread after the first page, but seeing it go on and on I thought I'd better read it all.
Wish I did so sooner just so I could make Alan eat his words.
I'm a hunter who originally wanted to get some practise and work up loads for two of my hunting rifles.
Alan talked me into using the club rifle in 6mmBR and a few days later I put money down on my new Remington 700 Varmint.
It in my opinion is a long range hunting rifle. I've chosen to shoot FS, but not really sure why. I guess because there's more FS shooters at Rosedale and I don't mind using one of the few allowed pills.
I was forewarned that my rifle wouldn't be as accurate as the target rifles are and a compromise wouldn't work too good, I bought it anyway because I've always wanted a Rem700.
It's a off the shelf Rem700 SPS Varmint with a target style scope and a Harris bi-pod. That's the budget stock from Remington and isn't free floating. I didn't bother getting the better version because I intend to replace the stock long term.
While sighting it in at 300yd, I got a three shot group in 1.5inch on a calm day, using factory hunting ammo.
And as Alan said, when the wind is calm I'm getting some good hits at longer ranges. The longest so far is 900 yard with a score of 48.1.
Some of the other shooters on the day got, 47.0, 49.1, 50.1 then 55.2 upwards.
So don't discount "cheap off the shelf" rifles being accurate.
Oh and I have used the rifle in the field hunting with success.
As for supporting F/TR, I'm not to familiar with the rules behind it all. But as I understand it's basically F Class with tactical rifles that could be used in the field.
The best F class to "lump" it under would be FO, only due to the open choice of bullets. But for sure support it as it's own class if you can.
I'll personally wait to see what happens, I'm not shooting to compete, but I also don't really want to compete by myself.
I have been following this thread on the F/TR subject for a while now. I honestly trust that the various provincial F-Class councils and NRAA will for the sake of the Australian F-Class shooting future be inaugurating the F/TR discipline, it's rules and that goes with it. People are scared to try new stuff - but worst case it will die. I put money on, it will grow as for the rest of the international shooting community. F-Class and especially F-T/R is booming world wide. The refusal of a venture like this would be sad for shooting if not fully supported.
My Hint; Remember not to try and merge F-Standard with F/TR. Australia has enough shooters to make everybody that wants to shoot happy. If a shooter does not want to shoot on the international circuit - it must be his /her choice. A discipline should only fall away the day that the numbers do not make it feasibile any further.
I wish you all the best of luck, JUST DO NOT QUIT SHOOTING.
Hi Jannie, I hope you enjoyed your trip to Belmont and had a resonable flight home. It was a pleasure meeting you there.
I agree with your statements and actually think the fear isn't as much taking on something new but more in losing F Standard. There are a lot fighting for F standard here. It is a great class and deserves to stay. If they made the decision to keep both I think there would be almost unanimous support.
If its not approved now then people will continue to discuss and ask for it. I say let it happen so everyone can shut up and shoot. Nothing frustrates me more than sitting and talking.
But FS needs to stay as it is and FO needs to stay as is. A new class, whoopeee that means we have to add a few pages in the rule book. What is so hard about that?
I shoot a 308 F/TR setup rifle at the moment. But Im changing to tracker stock and front rest because I want to. The stock and bipod are always going to be there if I have the incliniation to give it a go.
Received in an email today, and posted with permission from the author.
Perth-Fremantle Rifle Club (PFRC) unanimously passed a motion to run F/TR as a recognised sub-class of F-Open in club competition at its club meeting tonight, pending recognition of F/TR rules by the NRAA - at which time F/TR will run as a stand-alone class. PFRC is the first MDRA club to do this. A number of us will shoot F/TR at club level in 2012. Any other shooters interested in doing so are welcome to join in.
The Tumut RC invitational ( the "Tumut 1000") on Saturday 18 Feb 2012 at 800 and 900 yards, and on Sunday 19 February 2012 at 1000 yards is calling for FTR and F Open Shooters. (There will be no F Standard this year)
No official news from the NRAA. We will just carry on as usual.
F/TR will be shot for the first time in a OPM here in the West at the end of this month. It will be shot as a subclass of F Open.
F Open is a class that struggles for numbers here in the West. Hopefully running F/TR within F Open, we will mean we gather more numbers making F Open a viable class to offer.
At the moment we struggle to get 5 entries in F Open at the WA Queens, GSDRA and Wurgabup, which are the only clubs which offer F Open at Prize Meetings here in the West.