OzFclass

Had to double check that it wasn't 01 April

Something I had in mind since about 2017 was like a Lithgow cup. Stock standard lithgow rifles of pre determined model using issued ADI ammo. Harris bipod only and pre determined scope as well so everyone is on a level playing field. Clubs could easily set up an approved club rifle and new members can purchase those rifles from the clubs ready to compete. Only quirk on this would be the fitment of a NRAA approved barrel tuner to allow some level of tuning to match the issued ammo.

Get really controversial!!!

Keep FO rules as per ICFRA but add a B grade

Keep FTR as per ICFRA but add a B grade.

Disband FS. If they have a 3" tracking stock and use a tripod they can progress to FO. If they shoot off a bipod they can shoot in FTR.

Sporter hunter. . . .. . Re shuffle and call it whatever you want. Essentially have a FACTORY class that has a price cap and aligns with the PRS factory class. If PRS can do it so can we. Then have a sporter / hunter open class for people that want to shoot with all the fruit..

Make range days really accessible for all,
limit it to 22LR

My take, for what it's worth
FTR, A and B grade. F Std shooters into FTR B grade to allow familiarity with a bipod.
F Open, either energy limit reduction or 2 grades, A and B or 6mm/6.5mm and above.
S/H, This can be difficult as the large variety in calibres, but basically a starter class, off the shelf.

ajvanwyk wrote:Dear all,

I've been thinking about this topic for quite some time now and am of the belief that the only way to improve participation in our sport is to reduce energy limits. Too many new shooters are trying to chase success by requiring the fastest and best of everything in order to WIN, forgetting technical skills along the way....

We should have an upper limit of nothing more than 6mm to really level the playing field... maybe even go back to issued ammo.

Let's discuss...

Albert surely you jest? Or should we ALL go BACK to the 1860’s and use muzzle loaders.
Keith H.

Were moving off topic here but my take on grades etc.

Energy limit reduction is not the answer to the problem of low participation numbers.
I think the biggest factor influencing membership and participation is cost.
Shooting has developed into an equipment race. Think about it,--- $3000 for a front rest, --- $3000+ for a scope,--- $4500 for a reasonable rifle, not to mention reloading gear, then around $2 a shot.
FS was set up as a cheaper alternative to FO and look at what has happened to it.
It has been taken out of the reach of the average shooter, as will S/H if the greedy ones get their way( which they usually do)
It appears to me that cost is an area that nobody wants to visit--- why? Is it too hard? Or what?
It's plainly obvious that participation is falling off-- and don't blame COVID, that's the easy way out and won't change a thing.
We need to start thinking about what's good for the sport rather than what's good for the individual, and I don't accept the dribble that because the rest of the world does it we have to follow suit.
I can still happily shoot my FS rifle at 2900 ft lbs out to 1000 yards so a reduction in energy is not going to change anything.
You need to look elsewhere.

There is no path for green shooters to really enter. By green I'm talking about someone that is looking to get into shooting, doesn't reload and may not even have firearms yet or if they do it's very basic. On top of the cost of the rifle they really need to be reloading which is an added cost but also adds a whole new relm of complication.

Specified factory rifle and scope package with issued factory ammo. Takes all the overthinking out of the process and gives them something to learn the fundamentals while they decide where to go next. No reason at all they can't keep shooting that class if they enjoy it

It sits most definitely with the cost factor of competing with also the availability of components to add to that but mainly the cost.
It’s far from a sport where you can go and buy a sports uniform and compete playing football hockey and the likes and it will never be and will always be an expensive sport that’s for sure, didn’t we introduce spotter hunter to get people into the sport at an entry level?
Changing limits to me is stupid we have them already and it won’t make a difference to the amount of new old or current members Australia wide and changing it to all shooting the same rifle and caliber won’t change it either.
Probably the cheapest area to get into competition wise would be target rifle but that is dwindling away as well so do I have an answer absolutely not do I have an opinion sure do is it right or wrong who knows but I know one thing is maybe we need to make the H/S section a full factory no changes area that way it will at least be somewhat of a fixed entry level for someone to start at then if they want to proceed in the sport then they can choose the discipline of their choice.
Just my thoughts on it.

Cost of equipment is not a barrier that is unique to shooting eg. cycling (Road/MTB), flying model planes, fishing etc
Not everybody wants to be the next world champion - for many it's just about getting out and having some fun
Will forcing limits on energy, equipment etc bring in more people? Don't know - do we have the data that suggests this will be the case? Will it alienate some - possibly/probably. Further, what does that mean for the Australian market (wholesalers/retailers/gunsmiths)? You can argue that we shouldn't follow the rest of the world.....maybe.....what makes us special in that case? Why do we know better than everyone else? What does that mean for the international competitiveness of our teams? Will we even bother fielding an international team?

Other sports with high-cost barriers seem to be able to attract and retain members? Why then is shooting different (Perception towards firearms? publicity? Initiatives or lack thereof by the "shooting sports bodies"?)? If the concern is around dwindling numbers and the future of sport shooting in Australia, I don't see how restrictions re. energy, calibre, factory or aftermarket will drive member numbers! Just saying......

Perhaps as others have suggested - tinker with the various F grades at your peril, rather, keep SH untainted....

Albert, I like your style, throw the fox into the hen house and then hide from your parents. I think we would all like to see you get rid of your cannons.
RMc

For what it’s worth, we had a Come and Try Day at Nagambie yesterday. We had 67 people turn up. Sixty. Seven. That’s the same amount we had at our charity OPM at Bendigo. Out of those, I’ve already had 6 new sign ups and a bunch more that are working through it. They are a mix of people keen to shoot S/H and TR, with some interested in F Class once they get their head around the fundamentals.

All it took was supplying some rifles and ammo at $2 a shot, and advertising it properly. Probably cost the club $150. We had people from as far as Dandenong, Cranbourne and Ballarat turn up that never knew this sport existed. How many people that turned up drove past other rifle clubs to be there? Some were 15 minutes from their local and drove 2+ hours to us. One has already joined. Think on that point a moment.

The sport can survive and prosper. If we put in as much effort to publicise and promote and get more people through the door as we do bickering and in-fighting about rules and other bullshit, imagine how much of a revival would be possible.

Maybe Toby my 5 year old was onto something when I caught him doing this on Sunday

2023-05-22_10-23-49 by James Elphick, on Flickr

UL1700 wrote:Maybe Toby my 5 year old was onto something when I caught him doing this on Sunday

2023-05-22_10-23-49 by James Elphick, on Flickr

But how do we scrutineer?! Someone might modify the darts or up the spring tension! It’s not a fair class! We should restrict it to issues KMART guns and darts, that’s the only way

Yeah that sounds about right, now we are getting somewhere.