ARA Factory Class rule change

[AMTGMC]

I got an email from local club.

“Factory class rule change: Increase the MSRP to $1250 and enforce the MSRP regardless of manufacturer.

This will remove the CZ 457s with the Manner’s stock. It will allow the Bergara B-14 Steel version. Other rifles not approved solely based on MSRP will be re-evaluated.
This will go into effect January 1, 2023.”

I was going to pick up a CZ with the Manners stock over the winter to fit this class and also standard rifle in long range varmint silhouette, but this kind of changes things and thought I would pass along the information.

 

[gkgeiger]

I wonder what they will do for the people that bought them early on when the msrp was under $1250? I think I paid $880 for mine.

 

[Appalachian]

I wonder what they will do for the people that bought them early on when the msrp was under $1250? I think I paid $880 for mine.

Nothing.

 

[Tiger_Shilone]

And, this is why I got out of ARA completely. Once you start making the match directors into $ equipment cops the fun factor really goes downhill, especially when you do it off something as dumb as MSRP. Watching ARA dq any rifle over the msrp limit EXCEPT the CZ manners stocked guns destroyed any credibility with that organization IMO.

Factory class should have been no rests, just bipod or bags. Factory stock or chassis, 1.5lb + trigger, and maybe an overall weight limit. No $$$ limit. I got tired of telling ppl they couldn’t shoot their rifle because it was $20 over msrp limit, but you can shoot in unlimited class (against 4-6k $ dedicated br rigs).

 

[DFOOSKING]

And, this is why I got out of ARA completely. Once you start making the match directors into $ equipment cops the fun factor really goes downhill, especially when you do it off something as dumb as MSRP. Watching ARA dq any rifle over the msrp limit EXCEPT the CZ manners stocked guns destroyed any credibility with that organization IMO.

Factory class should have been no rests, just bipod or bags. Factory stock or chassis, 1.5lb + trigger, and maybe an overall weight limit. No $$$ limit. I got tired of telling ppl they couldn’t shoot their rifle because it was $20 over msrp limit, but you can shoot in unlimited class (against 4-6k $ dedicated br rigs).

Same thing happened in NRL22. Same limit amount basically too. But they also allow unlimted support gear for both Base and Open. And kids can run basically Open rigs against kids with Base rigs.

There needs to be an intermediate Division. There needs to be a stepping stone approach to Divisions. Right now its like be in shit guns or go against full blown customs. No step in between.

There should be little or basic support gear in Base (and Youth)...like rear bag and basic non moveable bipod.

Then Intermediate gets two bags...like a rear bag and a game changer...and oh btw better guns.

Then Open has the entire gamut at their disposal....the custom guns....the plates.....the uno bags....tripods.

Some guys probably can afford to have a CZ457PT or Bergara B14R with a middle of the road optic. Or they don't want to buy every doodad and beanbag chair. Intermediate would help solve that problem. And guys with bigger budgets, deeper gear desires still have Open left unlimited.

 

[DRACO]

I’m one of the ones the has a CZ in the Manners stock and have shot it for two years. Before I started I ask the ARA about it and was told all CZ except for the BRUNO are legal.
I sent an email to the ARA and was told “We can’t make everyone happy”
That being said I won’t be shooting factory any more.
If they want rules
Any factory rifle
Harris Style Bipod and rear bag
That levels the playing field

 

[doninreno]

I have an older (bought it in 1983 while I was stationed at Ft. Rucker, AL for IIRC about 300 bucks) model 82A Kimber skinny barrel bolt action .22 that has about a 4 pound trigger pull that my daughter and grand daughters want to shoot in some local ARA matches, so I decided to take it along to a match and zero it for the 50 yard targets and was told that this old squirrel gun would have to be shot in the unlimited class. WOW! I can't imagine any reason that an organization's rules would stick these kids in the unlimited class with this old rifle and make them shoot against crazy dead serious folks with multi-thousand dollar BENCHREST rigs! I just can't imagine this happening EVER, so I guess the ARA has just lost them as potential new participants in the shooting sport because they now view anyone associated with the ARA as some kind of a WHACKO and I can't blame them at all for feeling that way and have written the ARA to ask them to remove me from their roles, as I am in NO WAY interested in being further associated with them. (I WAS shooting a Remington 40X on an Edgewood bag and a SEB front rest in the unlimited class), but have decided that the ARA is just too unreasonable as an organization....I'm not doing that ever again as I am a supporter of the shooting sport and PARTICULARLY interested in drawing new shooters in to become involved...... and the ARA has proven themselves to be completely contrary to this idea with their mindless rules that RUN OFF new shooters rather than attract them!!

 

[ToddM]

Factory/Production classes never seem to work, for a variety of reasons. Look at PRS Production, you have companies like MPA/Seekins/PVA making guns for that class that no typical shooter would believe is a factory gun and what most people consider to be a "factory gun" can't compete against them, the MSRP limit is something ridiculous like $5500 now between rifle/optic. In other sports factory class allows so many mods it's not factory at all. The youth or new shooters that won't drop $5500 on a rig, are still going to get destroyed by experienced shooters running $5500 rigs.

No system is perfect, but to me you either decide you want to know how you stack up against everyone, and you shoot open, or you get frustrated with any class/Tier system. Shooting sports that have classes based on performance/averages you get sandbaggers. We used to see it every big tournament in Trap shooting, guys would tank their ATA averages during the year and win trophies in lower classes at the state shoot then walk around acting surprised they shot so well. After it happens 3-4 years in a row, no one buys you're just having a "good day".

The lesson on competition is classes of any nature, money, averages, etc. are never really fair for everyone, and some are always going to try and game the system. Accept there's likely lots of people better than you, and shoot against them.

 

[Hozzie]

Say what you want, but Factory class has been very successful for ARA. That fact is you can't make everyone happy and regardless of what they would make as rules, someone will always think they have a better "rule" to use.

Go or don't, that's ok. We all have to make choices. One thing you will find at any ARA match is a great group of people.

 

[Booner1334]

I'm in my third year of shooting ARA factory class and have enjoyed the experience very much. I will agree with Hozzie in that I think the class has been very successful for the ARA. In my state, I think it's safe to say that the factory class has doubled in size each year that I've been taking part, not only in the amount of people shooting, but an increase in the number of ranges that have added factory class to their benchrest competitions. It's my understanding that other states are seeing the same type of growth in factory class with a few growing so much that in some matches, factory class shooter outnumber the unlimited shooters. This year the Nationals will be shot over two weekends with the first week for factory class, and the second week for the unlimited class. Again, this is another indication about the growth in factory class.

A link to the ARA website is here-> https://www.americanrimfire.com

I would recommend that before you show up to shoot a match, you first read the rules to avoid aggravation/disappointment as to what constitutes a factory and an unlimited rifle.

 

[ToddM]

I wonder what they will do for the people that bought them early on when the msrp was under $1250? I think I paid $880 for mine.

It's a good question, the rules don't seem to address this. I know some other shoots allow for MSRP at the time of purchase. However, I don't know how you'd verify it. Most stores and receipts are not going to charge or list MSRP and some years a particular gun's MSRP might jump much higher than say inflation so just increasing the MSRP limit by inflation doesn't cut it. They'd almost have to have a yearly running list of MSRP's and then verify your purchase date by receipt.

It's interesting that they allow re-crowning barrels in factory class, I can't think of another factory/production class that allows barrel modification. Rules are up to the organization though, and I'm sure they made sense to someone, if you don't like them no one forces you to shoot them.

 

[Booner1334]

It's a good question, the rules don't seem to address this. I know some other shoots allow for MSRP at the time of purchase. However, I don't know how you'd verify it. Most stores and receipts are not going to charge or list MSRP and some years a particular gun's MSRP might jump much higher than say inflation so just increasing the MSRP limit by inflation doesn't cut it. They'd almost have to have a yearly running list of MSRP's and then verify your purchase date by receipt.

It's interesting that they allow re-crowning barrels in factory class, I can't think of another factory/production class that allows barrel modification. Rules are up to the organization though, and I'm sure they made sense to someone, if you don't like them no one forces you to shoot them.

I don't know if the story is true, but it's my understanding that the powers that be in the ARA noted what the MSRP was on various rimfires on Jan 1, 2023, and made their cutoff based on that. If your previously legal rimfire was over the $1250 msrp limit on Jan 1, it wasn't legal to shoot.

 

[Seymour Fish]

I have an older (bought it in 1983 while I was stationed at Ft. Rucker, AL for IIRC about 300 bucks) model 82A Kimber skinny barrel bolt action .22 that has about a 4 pound trigger pull that my daughter and grand daughters want to shoot in some local ARA matches, so I decided to take it along to a match and zero it for the 50 yard targets and was told that this old squirrel gun would have to be shot in the unlimited class. WOW! I can't imagine any reason that an organization's rules would stick these kids in the unlimited class with this old rifle and make them shoot against crazy dead serious folks with multi-thousand dollar BENCHREST rigs! I just can't imagine this happening EVER, so I guess the ARA has just lost them as potential new participants in the shooting sport because they now view anyone associated with the ARA as some kind of a WHACKO and I can't blame them at all for feeling that way and have written the ARA to ask them to remove me from their roles, as I am in NO WAY interested in being further associated with them. (I WAS shooting a Remington 40X on an Edgewood bag and a SEB front rest in the unlimited class), but have decided that the ARA is just too unreasonable as an organization....I'm not doing that ever again as I am a supporter of the shooting sport and PARTICULARLY interested in drawing new shooters in to become involved...... and the ARA has proven themselves to be completely contrary to this idea with their mindless rules that RUN OFF new shooters rather than attract them!!

Flip over to ABRA. Kid friendly and far less uptight.

 

[chevy_man]

Exactly why we've quit everything and started our own outlaw stuff. Each match director can do their own thing for stages.


All classes are based on hit percentage. It's really hard to sandbag when you don't know what the match winner is going to get for a percentage, and his score sets the 100% rate. So you can hit 50% and potentially still get a 90% hit rate for classification.

Kids are the same way. Money doesn't matter, only hits.


While you can buy points for awhile, you still have to shoot. The guys with the cheap stuff don't ever really move up, the guys that keep upgrading tend to also keep moving up classes.

 

[*rim-star*]

ARA has some strange factory class rules, I was told you cannot paint your stock ? I dont get that at all, or...you cant use an aftermarket firing pin ? But you can use a custom bipod that weights over 5 lbs and costs 500 bucks. Strange.

 

[chevy_man]

ARA has some strange factory class rules, I was told you cannot paint your stock ? I dont get that at all, or...you cant use an aftermarket firing pin ? But you can use a custom bipod that weights over 5 lbs and costs 500 bucks. Strange.

Another money grabbing institution without any real world experience then?

 

[epeet]

All shooting sports turn into equipment races. It just seems more pronounced when you've been involved in one since the beginning. You can't bring in new shooters if the baseline to be competitive is a $10,000 rig. PRS isn't going to be relevant in a few years because they didn't fight to hold Production costs at a level approachable to new shooters. It would be nice if they would rename "production" into "budget" and really ratchet down the equipment costs, and it seems a little silly for folks to be complaining that their $800 rimfire stock is moving their rifle into a different classification.