On this I have to agree, perhaps a "Tyro" class?

I think we need to come up with an "Entry" class.

Shooting with Andy Stephens in the Nationals was an Eye-opener.

At least my PERCEPTION of the whole thing goes slightly along these lines:

Andy is there to have fun. His son has a different view: If he goes for something he goes to win. But they BOTH need to be accomodated.
They BOTH shoot reasonably priced rigs (GAMO Silver Shadows), though they do have other rifles in their batteries. And they shoot well. Andy's son (JC, I think?) pulled off some really good shots (outside of the competition, once the whole hullaballoo was done and over with), OFFHAND.
And the Match Course was tough. Not only the wind, but the distances and the KZ's were challenging. DIFTA's traditional course was, statistically speaking at least, slightly easier than the "new" course. Tim MacMurray commented on this and I agree with him. But BOTH courses were tough. The newbies in the match went away with one or two baker's dozens hits.

I also decry the "cherrypickers", as humans, though, the temptation is high (I could have shot Hunter, as I was using a 12X scope), but that was not the intent.

Perhaps something like a "Tyro" class, limited to truly entry level equipment (MSRP price and/or weight limited) and entry level target difficulties could be a good addition to the sport.

Maybe, after one or two years of shooting in the Tyro class, shooters would have to move to other classes, maybe not; but I think it would be a worthwhile addition.

On the organizational side, if Pistol matches are run concurrently with the Rifle matches, the Tyro shooters can shoot the Pistol targets as part of their match and forego the long rifle targets, or pehaps shoot them for extra points.

Dunno all the details, but I do have to express my agreement to the initiative of defining an "entry level" class.

JMHO



Un Abrazo!




H�ctor