Want your thoughts- Factory BR Matches

[MandoMan]

I am a ‘show up and shoot’ shooter. Keep it simple.

[David Valdina]

I have not seen this thread for a while. Seems to have gotten more complicated since it's original thoughts of a factory class bench competition.

I used to shoot IR 50/50, which is similar, just a bit more expensive in the rifles used by the very top shooters. In this new ARA you can do quite a bit of modification, have any scope and use any factory ammo, so this is not going to be inexpensive. The best Lapua ammo is $26 a box. $260 a brick. $2,600 a case. The best scopes will be $1,000 + So big deal they say the rifle can't list for over $1,000.

An inescapable part of rule making is human nature to end up with people wanting to take advantage any place they can, and the arguments in favor and against. These disputes get magnified and become bigger than the game. Sand lot softball and football games are a lot more enjoyable to those who play the game than the formal games. If only players, way less disputes. Bring in coaches, umpires etc. and you create an entire field of back and forth which takes away from the fun.

I like the expressed attitude, just show up and shoot. If you want to be inclusive of the members of the sportsman's club, you let them bring to the range whatever they have and shoot it. Big deal some have more money than others. That does not guaranty superior performance. You can never have a level playing field, no matter what your rules are. Billy is 19 years old and has been shooting just a year, but has youth, eyes etc. Joe is 45 years old and has been shooting all his life and can get to the range frequently. I am 77 years old, and my eyes are not what they used to be and my joints remind me of my age constantly. No way a level field. So I would vote for fun among the members, friends and guests, bring what you have, shoot and not worry too much about the others. In truth, we all seek to do as well as we can with what we have.

[KyleAllen]

I want Factory Class to succeed and expose more New Shooters to how Fun this game can be.


A few years ago the ARA shoot at my Club was down to 2-3 competitors. The Match Director- Bill Townsend has worked tirelessly to build it up to the 14-18 competitors we have now. He did it by creating a mid-week Fun Shoot using the ARA target and making the regular shoot a Fun, professionally run, efficient event.


- Make an 8 1/2 x 11”, printable copy of the Factory Class Target available ASAP.

- Sponsor several online Factory Class Postal Matches with Prizes

- Keep to the ARA principle of the fewer rules the better and skip the List of Approved Rifles and go with a very short List of Banned Rifles. Makes it much easier on Match Directors and Competitors. Encourages new shooters to Show Up & Shoot whatever they have.

- Challenge every current ARA Shooter to bring one Friend to a Competition this year. Waive first-time Competitors ARA Match Fees.

[Highdollar]

Originally Posted by pump .22s

I very respectfully disagree about the "griping". This thread has evolved since the first post....as typically happens.....and a point of discussion at this time appears to be what a proposed new factory class should consist of or include. Providing input as to your preferences whether they are in agreement with someone else's or not is not necessarily griping. Waiting until all decisions are final to voice your displeasure might be considered to be griping, but I am under the impression that this is still a work in progress.

There are a lot of folks who still own and enjoy shooting the older target type factory guns who would like to have a class where they could be competitive. Nothing wrong with that, and nothing wrong with saying so IF input is still welcome here. If the decisions have been finalized then someone needs to say things are finalized, and we can then wait to see what those decisions are. I don't think anyone means to criticize what is being done or not show appreciation for the efforts being put forth. We all understand that you can't make everyone happy all the time.

Have not followed this for a few month. Just my opinion, they eliminated the mass pool of next step custom guys, by not including the factory guns people have. I had envisioned on finding out who had the best classic target rifle in the land. Oh well. And if I remember back when I used to shoot USBR, seemed like the savage heavy barrel with the thumb hole stock shot close or even with our anschutz and 40x’s.

[Cattleman30]

Wish the ARA well with the new Factory BR Class. There is a 96 post thread on Rimfire Accuracy that’s informative.

Be nice if they found a way to include the vintage target rifles in something other then Unlimited class in which they are no longer competitive.

Irregardless, I’m dusting off a couple ol rifles and intend to come play. A well trodden path I’m sure but maybe I can have some fun and learn a bit.

[52DH&R12]

Originally Posted by Cattleman30

Wish the ARA well with the new Factory BR Class. There is a 96 post thread on Rimfire Accuracy that’s informative.

Be nice if they found a way to include the vintage target rifles in something other then Unlimited class in which they are no longer competitive.

Irregardless, I’m dusting off a couple ol rifles and intend to come play. A well trodden path I’m sure but maybe I can have some fun and learn a bit.

If your really interested in shooting at a match, may I suggest this one.
It is called a 222 match. 2 IR50 targets, 2 ARA targets and 2 PSL targets.
This one will be at Piney Hill near Luray Va. or as Kenny says, "near downtown Stanley" on Jan 25th. This is one of the more interesting matches held all year. Then the next day, a full on ARA match..

Match Director
Jason Frymier

Address and Contact
[email protected]

304-266-0081
945 Piney Hill Road
Luray, Virginia

[swo1]

ARA Factory Class Targets are due out next week. KSS website will probably have them. In the meantime I have been using the Unlimited ARA target that the 50 ring is .75. Also the USB target has the 9 ring at .75. I see that some ranges have Factory Class scheduled for 2020. The Updated scoring program is also out and ready for downloading with Factory Target as an option.

[langenc]

Originally Posted by doubs43

If it's a registered match, triggers can be checked during registration.

When I shot registered pistol matches in England, they had a 1 kilo weight with a hook. You had to show that the chamber was clear, cock the hammer or striker and pick up the weight with the trigger. Then you had to snatch the pistol upward to snap the action.

It should be little trouble to fashion a 3# weight to do the same for rifles.

Was always done many moons ago when I shot ROTC rifle team 4 position. Trigger had to support (hold) a weight m(3#) and as noted was done as the team checked in.

I recall a match where one opposing team member was having some trouble making weight. Finally he passed.

We went to an upper level range, other team downstairs.

"Then it was lock and load one round" BANG from the other level. I was a sub on the team but I bet the guy fooled w/ his trigger some more and he slam fired. I didnt suggest to the coach to get a reweigh. Should have had his rifle checked after the match and probably would have gotten him DQd.

[justinp61]

Has anyone ordered the targets yet? I was going to order 100 online but the shipping was $18.69 so I called and confirmed, yep $18.69 for shipping. For now I'll practice on my A-17 targets.

[KyleAllen]

100 ARA Targets is pretty hefty

They are 11x17 and printed on heavy card stock


Bite the bullet and order them. Shooting the NRA A-17 is a poor substitute.

[vlnbyr]

Most everyone I know and most clubs buy direct from KSS at an event where they are set up and save the shipping. If you can't be there have a friend pick them up.

[justinp61]

I was told 10# per 100.

The 8 ring on the A-17 is .780" and the 100 ring on the ARA target is .836". If I can keep in the 8 ring I should be good to go.

[KyleAllen]

Originally Posted by justinp61

I was told 10# per 100.

The 8 ring on the A-17 is .780" and the 100 ring on the ARA target is .836". If I can keep in the 8 ring I should be good to go.

If you are actually practicing for Competition in ARA, I feel it is imperative to use an actual ARA Target.

- You learn to use the rings on the ARA Target for wind hold offs. Using a different target for practice will bite you in the butt in Competition.

- Moving from Bull to Bull 25 times is a big part of the difficulty of ARA. You must also master being able to move from sightseers to bulls seamlessly.

- The ARA Target is blue and white vs. Black and Tan for the A-17. Your crosshairs will look very different on the two targets.

- You can’t Score an A-17 like an ARA Target. The ARA Target will allow you to more easily track your improvement.

The shipping amounts to one box of match quality Ammo. In my opinion, you will be cheating yourself by not using the ARA Target for practice.


There is another option for the Unlimited ARA Target. You can buy the OnTarget TDS program. It allows you to print the ARA target on 8 1/2 x 11 paper. The program allows you to scan the completed targets and it will score them for you. It also provides some interesting data including Mean Radius, Max Spread etc. They offer a Free Trial on their website. I believe they are adding the Factory Class Target soon.

[Turbosam]

So many answers for someone who has shot ara one season. Kyle you can use whatever target you feel like using to shoot practice and compare them it's not hard. It wont bite you in any way shooting a different target center is center regardless of the target.

[justinp61]

I'll check out OnTarget.

Something I didn't think about is buying targets from the range, it's about a twenty minute drive from me. I'll contact the range master and see if he'll sell me a pack.