One of the most abrasive things in match organizing is the few voices of dissension, subtle implications of cheating, match proofing, etc. Of unfairness due to perceived access of a prop (many which require multiple people just to set-up), or of R.O.s or match organizers/course writers shooting their own events having some “advantage”.
Even worse when it comes from those who imply good intentions of growing the sport or numbers of shooters, at the cost of making all matches the same, boring barricades, yet they never once travel down to shoot the events.
As I’m concerned with getting tunnel vision in my opinions, I’ve reached out to a couple of other shooters to review the recent parts of this gent’s thread.
Here’s one reply:
“Well I’ve seen many people go shoot positional punisher matches that have unrealistic times for cof and targets and the winners are hitting less than 50% the match score.
But then everyone raves that that was fun even with most the stages being undoable.
Same thing the best shooters can adapt and shoot off of stable or wonky props it’s called being a well rounded shooter.
Before long everyone will want to shoot all the stages prone just to avoid props.
To each their own”
Thats a pretty lazy and defensive position to take.
If you don't want people to question the integrity of the match, eliminate the possibility or appearance of it. This includes people who setup the COF, not also shooting the matches, taking trophies, ect. There is a MASSIVE advantage to having written and proofed a stage, so much so that its outlawed in center fire. Some MD's may shoot their matches at 1 days, but they don't score themselves. If you cannot understand WHY this is such a huge conflict of interest, you have no business running matches.
Growing the sport is not just about being fun, but also being fair and equitable. Just about every sport has standards. Oh this football field is 120 yards and this one is 80. The batters box at this stadium is 36" wide but at this one its only 12". There is MORE than enough latitude to change things up and keep them interesting, without having a bunch of unstable shitty props that are nothing but a gimmick and have zero to do with shooter ability or skill. When you need to have a 4 or 5 MOA target in order for someone to get a 50% hit chance, then your props are garbage.
There are hundreds of different props and variations than can and are used, and they are rock solid. This is not 2012 or some shitty NRL22 bullshit where you need to shoot off a bucket and a chair and ladder.
For example, Something like a cattle gate can be welded solid and concreted into the ground, and its still not going to be like shooting prone. Shooter skill will determine how stable someone can shoot off of it. Now take that same prop and let it swing free now you introduced unnecessary wobble and instability that even the best shooter will not be able to over come without something like rear tripod. Not saying rear tripod stages are bad , but there is no reason the prop needs to be wobbly/unstable.
We just had a 2 day national match last weekend. 2 out of 20 stages were prone. A few stages had a part of them as prone and part as positional so you had to setup, move and resetup the gun. Almost every stage was positional off a prop. Not one prop was unstable or wobbling, but it sure as hell was not like shooting prone/modified prone. Best shooters in the world still dropped 20 shots over 2 days, which is more than alot of matches.
I doubt you will even read this or pick up what I'm putting down, but if you want good shooters to come and help grow the sport in your area, instead of placating the same small group of not great shooters, it would be worth trying to emulate what the other high end matches are doing. That is where the sport is growing, that is where the money is (if there is any). People would be willing to drive very long distances for the chance at points, if they feel like they have a fair shake at winning the match. This means the gimmick shit that can blow your day, needs to go. Or not and keep doing the same shit in your own little rice bowl.