shooting in different classes in Field Target

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josh3rd

josh3rd

Member
Apr 2, 2015
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Newark, Delaware, United States
I would like to know if I competed in a Hunter Piston class competition can I use 2 rifles say in 2 different classes? Like use my prosport in hunter piston and say my 54 in open class the same day? And if so, how do you go about it? Like when its my turn, do I shoot the 1 class then after finishing the lane i'm on, then do I pick up my other rifle and shoot it in the other class? Or do I take my turn, then let the others in my squad go, then go again after them?
 
As for my shoots @DCFS Josh, yes you can shoot 2 classes in one day. You can use two guns or one as long as they fit the rules for each class. You would be squaded with one other shooter and you would shoot first then the other shooter would take his turn, then you would go again with your second class. If you want to do this you would have to shoot on the timer to avoid it going to long.But the answer is yes. Your squad mate would also have to be willing to take the time for you to shoot two classes.
 
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There is nothing in the rules that disallows shooting two divisions or classes. A big issue comes in when a shooter is shooting two different guns in two different divisions. What should not occur is for a shooter to shoot open division, say with a high power scope, and then after he has ranged and shot targets using a high power scope then shoot say hunter division with a 16 power scope after he/she has already got the distances figured out using equipment not permitted in the second division. 

The other issue that is less obvious is simply that the shooter is in reality getting practice shots on each target on the entire course. Even though the shooter enters and pays twice he/she still ends up getting practice shots for his/her second rifle and practice shots on the course should not be permitted. 

As a match director I would say that shooting two rifles in not in the "spirit" of the game and is fraught with potential issues and I would not permit it.

Rick Bassett

FTRPA


 
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Thanks Rich, some good points.

So Josh the answer to your question is yes and no. Yes you can shoot 2 classes at DCFS and no you can't at FTRPA. 

You will still need to find someone willing to squad with you knowing you will be shooting 2 classes and the point Rich made about Hunter and Open..you would need to shoot Hunter ( lower powered scope) first.
 
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As Match director for the SVFTC .... if a shooter had issue with the gun in there class, we have no issue with that gun being swapped out ( staying in the same class ) so they can finish the day out.



Shooting two guns simultaneously simply screws up the flow too much of the allotted 5 min per lane rule & we would likely not allow this unless a special match where everyone was doing so.



JMO tho ...

Scott S
 
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To elaborate further ..

Most matches are squads of 2 .... so a person within a squad shooting as a 3rd person and that time allotted to them screws up and holds back the rest of the shooters. Now you could shoot by yourself ( Tho NO SCORE ) and keep pace with the other squads ? ... Or if at a larger match where squads are of 3 shooters, could be placed in a 2 man squad where the pace to others would be equal.

At a AAFTA sanctioned "Serious match" it would not be allowed.



Scott S



 
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I shoot 2 guns/2 classes in firearms competitions most every match; as do several other shooters. However the long-time (past) Chairman of the AAFTA Board of Governors wouldn't allow it in sanctioned events, but had no problems with it in monthly club matches (leaving it up to individual clubs and MDs). Seems reasonable enough to me.
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No rule against it. I agree, I myself wouldn't want to be bothered....I struggle to keep one gun figured out, but I don't see any reason why it couldn't be done. Time wise it will be the same time per lane as a 3 man squad, so no issue there either.
 
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As for my shoots @DCFS Josh, yes you can shoot 2 classes in one day. You can use two guns or one as long as they fit the rules for each class. You would be squaded with one other shooter and you would shoot first then the other shooter would take his turn, then you would go again with your second class. If you want to do this you would have to shoot on the timer to avoid it going to long.But the answer is yes. Your squad mate would also have to be willing to take the time for you to shoot two classes.
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That's awesome Doug. I want to get my 54 in there
 
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There is nothing in the rules that disallows shooting two divisions or classes. A big issue comes in when a shooter is shooting two different guns in two different divisions. What should not occur is for a shooter to shoot open division, say with a high power scope, and then after he has ranged and shot targets using a high power scope then shoot say hunter division with a 16 power scope after he/she has already got the distances figured out using equipment not permitted in the second division. 

The other issue that is less obvious is simply that the shooter is in reality getting practice shots on each target on the entire course. Even though the shooter enters and pays twice he/she still ends up getting practice shots for his/her second rifle and practice shots on the course should not be permitted. 

As a match director I would say that shooting two rifles in not in the "spirit" of the game and is fraught with potential issues and I would not permit it.

Rick Bassett

FTRPA

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Awesome explanation Rich. Thank you
 
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As Match director for the SVFTC .... if a shooter had issue with the gun in there class, we have no issue with that gun being swapped out ( staying in the same class ) so they can finish the day out.



Shooting two guns simultaneously simply screws up the flow too much of the allotted 5 min per lane rule & we would likely not allow this unless a special match where everyone was doing so.



JMO tho ...

Scott S
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Thanks Rich, some good points.

So Josh the answer to your question is yes and no. Yes you can shoot 2 classes at DCFS and no you can't at FTRPA. 

You will still need to find someone willing to squad with you knowing you will be shooting 2 classes and the point Rich made about Hunter and Open..you would need to shoot Hunter ( lower powered scope) first.
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Good to know Doug. 

Motorhead thanks for the response on GTA. Now motorhead and Rich, I understand about time limits and what have you but isn't there times where there were 3 people in a squad which is 3 rifles so wouldn't that be or counted as the same time wise? Just curious about all this because I would like to use my prosport for hunter and my 54 for open. If it came down to it, I would just use my AA
 
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As Match director for the SVFTC .... if a shooter had issue with the gun in there class, we have no issue with that gun being swapped out ( staying in the same class ) so they can finish the day out.



Shooting two guns simultaneously simply screws up the flow too much of the allotted 5 min per lane rule & we would likely not allow this unless a special match where everyone was doing so.



JMO tho ...

Scott S
Click to expand...




Thanks Rich, some good points.

So Josh the answer to your question is yes and no. Yes you can shoot 2 classes at DCFS and no you can't at FTRPA. 

You will still need to find someone willing to squad with you knowing you will be shooting 2 classes and the point Rich made about Hunter and Open..you would need to shoot Hunter ( lower powered scope) first.
Click to expand...

Good to know Doug. 

Motorhead thanks for the response on GTA. Now motorhead and Rich, I understand about time limits and what have you but isn't there times where there were 3 people in a squad which is 3 rifles so wouldn't that be or counted as the same time wise? Just curious about all this because I would like to use my prosport for hunter and my 54 for open. If it came down to it, I would just use my AA
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On occasion when we end up with an odd persons count ending up with a squad of 3, to get the last man in with other shooters as match director generally will squad the 3 some with experienced shooters that are known to be quick and prompt. Doing so seldom does the 3 some hold up the other pairs and we get pretty even flow lane to lane. 



Really comes down to how serious the match is being run and if or not folks are comfortable SKIPPING the lane getting bottle necked by the slower 3 some squad & coming back to the skipped lane as it becomes available again. In my experience when you have a 3 some of average shooters using all there time + some shooting among pairs, there will be many squads going around you over the course of 3-4 hours of shooting the match.



Scott S
 
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I rarely re-post on the same subject but here goes. I said that shooting two rifles is fraught with issues and based on the other posts I seem to be correct. 

Someone mentioned that they shoot more than one gun in other matches and depending on the discipline that may be just fine however now apples and oranges are being compared. For example, in air rifle silhouette there are three different classes and yes, if they are enough relays it is fine to shoot two or all three classes if one so chooses. Silhouette however is a different discipline than field target. Silhouette rules are more specific, distances are known, and the course of fire the is same( including time to fire) club to club and match to match.

Someone else mentioned that the rules limit the amount of time to shoot in field target. Unfortunately I just this recently saw this in another thread as well and did not respond to it at the time. Please revisit the AAFTA rules on time limits and timers. It says that time limits MAY be imposed. It does NOT say that time limits SHALL be imposed. We follow AAFTA rules as well as most AAFTA guidelines at all of our field target matches at Falls and we do not impose time limits. We would impose time limits if and when we think it will but necessary. We have never had to yet. Clubs using time limits are also in compliance with AAFTA rules however.

These things are what makes field target unique and different. Some stuff is simply left up to the match director(s).

Rick Bassett, FTRPA
 
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