Hosting an F-Class Match

[Touch not Squeeze]

Hi Forum, I am interested in shooting in an F-Class Match. Now, there may not be one around the area anywhere close, so I might have to host my own. I don't know what the NRA requirements are for a range, so the range I would be able to host at might not fit the guidelines. However, I would like to hold one anyway. I think there is enough interest in the area. Plus there is a 500 meter range that is open to the public, which just requires dropping in a couple bucks in the donation box on the way out. It does have an archery range in another section, a 200 meter range running adjacent, and an 85 meter pistol range on the otherside of that. I can have the range exclusively for the day or weekend, as my dad is the one that can shut it down, and typically it doesn't get used for two-thirds of the year(what a shame). Does anybody know where I can get info, or does anyone live in central Wisconsin that wants to help organize a shoot? This range is in Shiocton, Wi which is about 30 miles west of Green Bay. I don't want the headache of organizing one, I just want to shoot against my buddies, siblings, and others. Any help would be great. I would like to do it as a fundraiser for the Rod and Gun Club that helped revamp it. Thanks Forum.

 

[Guy Miner]

Go to http://www.long-range.com

That's the source of info for all real prone and F-class matches.

A match consists of three strings of twenty shots, in twenty minutes. Each string of fire preceeded by two sighters. Sometimes unlimited sighters are allowed prior to the first string of fire.

After each shot, the target is pulled and marked, then run back up for the next shot. Each target requires a three-man team: a shooter, a scorer on the line with the shooter, and a guy in the target pits pulling, marking and raising the target.

Conventional prone shooters use the same targets we've used for decades, a one MOA x-ring and a two MOA 10-ring. Recently introduced F-class targets are more demanding, with a 1/2 MOA x-ring and a one MOA 10-ring. Haven't been too many "perfect" matches fired (none?) since the introduction of the new targets.

Wisconsin has a regulation range at Lodi I believe?

The NRA can also provide regs on both conventional highpower (across the course or prone) as well as the much newer F-class matches.

F-class matches are generally held in conjunction with a regular prone match - the targets are different, and the rifles are supported differently, but otherwise it's the same 20 rounds in 20 minutes format. Some are held at 300, 500, 600 yards - and some are held out to 1000 yards.

Prior to hosting a match - you should at least shoot in a few real matches, to see how they're run if for no other reason.

Best of luck! Setting up and running a match requires a lot of work, and a lot of help from other experienced competitors. If you want to make a road trip halfway across the country, I'd be more than happy to show you the ropes at one of our prone matches here in Washington...

Regards, Guy

 

[Touch not Squeeze]

Go to http://www.long-range.com

That's the source of info for all real prone and F-class matches.

A match consists of three strings of twenty shots, in twenty minutes. Each string of fire preceeded by two sighters. Sometimes unlimited sighters are allowed prior to the first string of fire.

After each shot, the target is pulled and marked, then run back up for the next shot. Each target requires a three-man team: a shooter, a scorer on the line with the shooter, and a guy in the target pits pulling, marking and raising the target.

Conventional prone shooters use the same targets we've used for decades, a one MOA x-ring and a two MOA 10-ring. Recently introduced F-class targets are more demanding, with a 1/2 MOA x-ring and a one MOA 10-ring. Haven't been too many "perfect" matches fired (none?) since the introduction of the new targets.

Wisconsin has a regulation range at Lodi I believe?

The NRA can also provide regs on both conventional highpower (across the course or prone) as well as the much newer F-class matches.

F-class matches are generally held in conjunction with a regular prone match - the targets are different, and the rifles are supported differently, but otherwise it's the same 20 rounds in 20 minutes format. Some are held at 300, 500, 600 yards - and some are held out to 1000 yards.

Prior to hosting a match - you should at least shoot in a few real matches, to see how they're run if for no other reason.

Best of luck! Setting up and running a match requires a lot of work, and a lot of help from other experienced competitors. If you want to make a road trip halfway across the country, I'd be more than happy to show you the ropes at one of our prone matches here in Washington...

Regards, Guy

Thanks for the feedback Guy!

 

[Guy Miner]

Well... I didn't want to rain on your parade at all - but if you advertise an "F-class match" some F-class shooters are likely to show up expecting a standard NRA match.

In addition to our regular NRA style matches, my gun club hosts a "fun shoot" every spring -that is an absolute hoot, and there's no "official" rules to follow...

We shoot:

Standing at 600 yards - on big 600 yard NRA prone paper targets. Amazingly, most of the guys get most of their rounds on paper!

Prone at roughly 1/4 mile - at bowling pins! Each shooter has 5 pins to knock down. They've been setup at different ranges, but generally somewhere around 440 yards. Lots of fun. No coaching, so the shooter has to figure out where he hit and adjust if the first shot doesn't knock over the pin.

Standing, sitting and prone at 300 yards. On NRA paper targets usually.

Exploding targets... At 50 - 150 yards... :twisted: Fun stuff. Sometimes we add stuff in, like running to a tower, climbing it, grabbing your rifle, and shooting a couple of exploding targets at different ranges.

Sometimes we even have moving targets...

The shoot is a lot of fun to put on and a lot of fun to compete in. Far less formal than the NRA course of fire too.

Regards, Guy

 

[Touch not Squeeze]

I was looking at having a fun shoot to start, but also a more formal one, for those interested. The facility is very nice. It is a shame to waste it.

 

[Guy Miner]

Exactly! Our local range once had a thriving "highpower" rifle club, but the membership dwindled, the facilities didn't get much maintenance and we were down to one match a year until two years ago when a few of us breathed new life into the place. Now we're holding a match almost every month! Lots of fun, but a lot of work too.

If you've got the range - you can figure out some kind of a match.

Best of luck w/your project! :grin:

 

[Touch not Squeeze]

Thanks Guy! I will keep you posted.