If you're just thinking out loud, than I just responding the same way. This is just a discussion, nothing more is intended.
Yes, that's what I meant. I see it was pretty unclear now.
There is a danger in too many classes. I don't disagree except that people don't want to shoot their .308 M40 clones in Any/Any, they want to shoot them in F class (and I don't blame them -it's a bit of an oddball).
You mean they just want to shoot off a bipod. I'm fine with that, have them petition the NRA to sanction a new class alongside Any/Any that uses the regular 2MOA targets using bipods.
I think three classes is a good balance - Open for the gearheads, TR for the target shooters who don't want a gear race, and "service" (or "field" for whatever you want to call it), to keep the tradition of military inclusiveness in high power and cater to a large group of shooters.
I still don't see the point of shooting the miniature F-class targets with "field" rifles. When the NRA sanctioned the one quarter targets, these targets where commensurate with the equipment that would likely be fielded for the next multiple years or decades. I simply do not see F-TR shooters being able to clean targets at will; ever. I don't see it being possible for F-Open either, but since I don't shoot F-Open and probably never will, I don't want to make such a pronouncement.
Forcing these one quarter targets on the "field" shooters will only engender resentment and grumbling, especially if they compare their results with F-TR or worse still, F-Open.
There is no "tradition of military inclusiveness" in F-class; it's all civilian, about a civilian as you can get this side of clay pigeons. We are talking concentric circles, (very long) known distances, long and heavy single shot rifles shooting highly sophisticated hand loaded ammunition scored one round at a time.
At our local matches, I'd guess half or more of the TR shooters would be in this new class. Our XTC matches are almost entirely service rifle. It might kill off or diminish TR, which is a risk. I don't know. Just thinking out loud.
XTC was designed for Service Rifle, the semi auto kind. I've tried it once with a bolt action rifle, without stripper clips; it was a disaster. I do much better with my NM AR-15 and a pair of magazines.
So let's say you have a Field class, I can guarantee you that within a few years there will be someone wanting to create a sub-class to better accommodate beginning shooters who are unable to get a medal or a win on their first time out with their Wally World special rifle scope and ammo for $300. Where do you draw the line?
