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Has been released and includes string shooting at many of the meetings, that will be interesting – anyone know why the change of style?

Subject to MASSIVE correction

Its to develop our skills in that style since next World Champs is in good ole USofA - and dats the way them there shoot!

Yes the reason for doing the String Shot course of fire is that the yanks shoot that way and because the World Cup in 2013 is being held there it's to give people a chance to practice the format.

Obviously our colonial cousins don't understand taking it in turns!!!

On a more serious note I would think some of the guys shooting WSM's etc are going to be worried about buring their barrels sooner

Alan

I have had a thought brewing since my summer (?) trip up to Diggle,

But first, re string shooting. I posted a question re string shooting on the F class forum back in June. 2 people responded and neither could answer my question. I am a little bit miffed that string shooting has been considered and as far as I can see no one has mentioned it on that forum. I can only assume that there was an AGM at some point and this matter was discussed.

20Series raises a good point, however, as someone who has felt the need to rush my shots due to my partner on the point taking their time, normally due to a problem, I welcome this style of shooting and hope that it will improve my scores.

My thoughts,

After Diggle I realised that I was not prepared to venture up there again, not only was it prohibitively expensive, but a combination of the weather and possibly some shooters not pulling their weight, I only managed one days shooting, so the whole trip was a waste of time and money - although I do enjoy the company.
That leaves me with Bisley and possibly Barton Rd if they were accepted/wanted to be part of the calender.
I know that people closer to the other two ranges, Diggle and Blair Atholl, also have the same feelings.
I feel that each range needs to put on more shoots to make it easier for shooters to at least put forward the best 6 scores for the league table. If I was able to shoot 4 or 5 at Bisley and only had to travel North once or twice a year I may consider it, but as it is at the moment I will only be looking to shoot the 2 comps at Bisley and both of them are biggies - the first being the long range (out to 1200 yards) and the second is the Europeans.

I accept that getting range time for these comps is not easy and has to be planned long in advance. I also accept that due to the cost of markers (at Bisley) the competition needs to be for the best part fully subscribed.
But I feel that if the organisers and those who are involved in the F Class gun industry want to see the sport grow, and they have a vested interest in doing so, we need more comps to enter so that we can play with our expensive equipment.
The league has some great and very knowledgeable shooters, but I feel that the score board is populated too much by the same names who can afford to travel and can get the time off to compete,

DM

A plus side to string shooting that we have not had before is that it will now be possible to measure group sizes! I look forward to reading of records being set and broken in the 2012 season - especially the long range shoot,

DM

Maybe time for North/South regional split ?

ovenpaa wrote:Has been released and includes string shooting at many of the meetings, that will be interesting – anyone know why the change of style?

I don't know the reason, but I do know this: For decades British full-bore shooters have punched above our weight in most disciplines in which wind is an issue. A big part of the reason is because we are forced to shoot on demand - whether in a team or in squadded competition. You have to make your wind call as you see it, and shoot. Adapting from squadded/Bisley shooting to string shooting takes a week. Adapting from string shooting to squadded shooting takes a lifetime. This has been proven time and time again. Big mistake.

..

Dangermouse wrote:I have had a thought brewing since my summer (?) trip up to Diggle,

After Diggle I realised that I was not prepared to venture up there again, not only was it prohibitively expensive, but a combination of the weather and possibly some shooters not pulling their weight, I only managed one days shooting, so the whole trip was a waste of time and money - although I do enjoy the company.
That leaves me with Bisley and possibly Barton Rd if they were accepted/wanted to be part of the calender.
I know that people closer to the other two ranges, Diggle and Blair Atholl, also have the same feelings.
I feel that each range needs to put on more shoots to make it easier for shooters to at least put forward the best 6 scores for the league table. If I was able to shoot 4 or 5 at Bisley and only had to travel North once or twice a year I may consider it, but as it is at the moment I will only be looking to shoot the 2 comps at Bisley and both of them are biggies - the first being the long range (out to 1200 yards) and the second is the Europeans.

I accept that getting range time for these comps is not easy and has to be planned long in advance. I also accept that due to the cost of markers (at Bisley) the competition needs to be for the best part fully subscribed.
But I feel that if the organisers and those who are involved in the F Class gun industry want to see the sport grow, and they have a vested interest in doing so, we need more comps to enter so that we can play with our expensive equipment.
The league has some great and very knowledgeable shooters, but I feel that the score board is populated too much by the same names who can afford to travel and can get the time off to compete,

DM

The League is of course working very well with full entries at Diggle and Blair - Bisley of course can accommodate as many entries as the League can muster.

The idea of the League was to spread it around the country, otherwise it would quickly become 'Bisley weighted'. Don't forget, there are a lot of good keen F Class shooters north of the Border, they support the League and they certainly deserve a couple of rounds at Blair.

Yes, travelling to away shoots is expensive - the Europeans must have cost me £400 but that's what I do - I don't go and sit on a beach in Spain for a fortnight.

But, as I'm always reminding shooters, the League is F Class at THE highest level and it's working - it has produced the two current World Champions and the GB Team are also World Champions.

All serious F/TR and Open shooters are now thinking about the World Championships in 2013 and League positions will decide who goes. For the rest of us - pick your shoots and enjoy matching yourself against the world's best at every League shoot. The current format works and works well - we don't need to change it.

As for more comps - at Diggle, we shoot F Class one per fortnight - I'm sure other clubs and ranges must put on shoots. If not, how difficult is it to organise your own?

Lastly, string shooting - yes, this will be the format at the next Worlds and GB Team members need to practice it. Yes, barrels won't last as long but they are becoming a 'disposable commodity' amongst the top shooters. But, what would you give to come home with that gold medal round your neck?

Vince

Gun Pimp wrote:Lastly, string shooting - yes, this will be the format at the next Worlds and GB Team members need to practice it. Yes, barrels won't last as long but they are becoming a 'disposable commodity' amongst the top shooters. But, what would you give to come home with that gold medal round your neck?
Vince

What a shame.

Win World Championship. Forget Lessons Learned.

..

Actually - I see it as take on lessons learnt, we changed to V = 5.1 from 6 in the run up to FCWC 2009 as it is a slightly different shift to try and stay in the 5's as opposed to shooting for 6's. All of us prefer to shoot Bisley style but the Americans are utilising their right as the host country to shoot it how they want it. It would be somewhat foolish to think that we could just rock up to the states and shoot string effectively - I believe you have to practice it in order not to rush and have the balls to wait a condition out. The league will be reverting back to the usual Bisley style in pairs and the Europeans will always be shot Bisley style. Personally I am in favour of campaigning that all international matches are shot Bisley style end of. F Class isn't TR and there are several factors that have to be looked at when shooting the hotter calibre's etc.

As for higher scores and records though I think you will find that our GB F Class records are actually better than most of the US NRA F Class records and all ours our shot Bisley Style. Because of the way we have to shoot we are generally better wind readers, as Rox says. That is why there is no danger of it becoming a permanent thing.

The GB F Class league is the envy of many shooters abroad, nobody has anything that comes even close, it is something that we should be proud of because it is competition at the highest level right on our doorstep. I shot F Class at Diggle for three years before I shot the league, now I only shoot the league because I save up to enter the best competitions. There are loads of opportunities for people around the country to shoot local F Class comps, if they like it and want to take it further they should join the league. As for the same names and faces etc always being at the top it is because they have worked hard to get there and even harder to stay there.