ARA Sporter

D

DonMatzeder

Guest
I'll do a cut and paste of the newsletter post that Dan sent out. I'll appologize in advance if the format is not good.....

Change of Pace

Beginning with the 2011 Indoor season, ARA will sanction a Sporter division in addition to the typical ARA
'Unlimited' matches. We will NOT have 3-Gun. The Sporter division will be completely separate from the
ARA Unlimited, with different matches, club champions, A-Line, Agg-Line, National Tournament, and Hall of Fame.
Regular ARA Unlimited matches will continue on just as they always have. The new Sporter division will be
conducted the same as an Unlimited match with the exception of the rules for the rifle and rest. Both divisions
will shoot the same target and be scored in the same manner. Each ARA sanctioned club will be able to hold both
Sporter and Unlimited matches. These matches may be held on the same day but not at the same time as the
Unlimited matches. Sporter matches will consist of 2-6 targets, each club may hold 1 Sporter Club Tournament
each year, and each state may hold 1 Sporter State Tournament each year. Complete rules will be published by
Dec. 1, and new rule books will be printed up for next season.
General overview of ARA Sporter Rules
Sporter Class
* Unlimited Scope Power
* Gun and Scope must weigh 8.5 lbs or under
* No electronic or mechanically assisted triggers are permitted
* Rifle must be a repeater and must be able to hold 2 or more rounds in a removable clip/magazine except for
tubular fed rifles. Rounds may be fed into the chamber either by hand or from the magazine.
*Stock must be made of wood
*Stock must be 2.25" or under at its widest point
*Any area of the stock that comes into contact with the rest must be convex. The convexity must be across the
entire width of the stock. Convexity will be determined by placing a quarter on the stock where a convex shape
is required. The outer edges of the quarter can not come into contact with the stock in the dimension being
measured.
* Barrel must be made out of one piece of metal with no attachments except for what is needed to attach the barrel
to the action
Rests
*One-Piece or two-piece rests are allowable of any material.
* Rest may not be attached to the bench
* Rifle may not be attached to the rest nor the bench in any fashion that would
Impede the recoil of the rifle or return the rifle to battery.
* Rest must not prevent the rifle from being raised straight up out of the rest.
 
Let me see, the ARA Sporter can be one pound heaver than the IR 50/50 sporter and can have unliminited power on the scope where as in IR 50/50 the scope cannot be over 6.5 power. It would be good if Dan and Bill could get the rules the same. These rifles are so far from factory that I don't see what is wrong with having tuners.

Concho Bill
 
These rifles are so far from factory that I don't see what is wrong with having tuners.

I don't see that. My factory Cooper will meet these specs, especially with the 8.5 lb weight limit (not that I would use that over my custom IR50/50 sporter). It's easy enough to switch from an IR50/50 to an ARA sporter by either switching out the scope or just turning up the power on a variable. I like the ARA sporter rules.
 
Interesting:

The situation seems somewhat analogous to the "rifles Up" thingie. I have heard lots of folks over in CF whine about the 6X scope limit on HBR rifles but those who shoot them seem to manage and shoot darn good scores. Using 6X or 6.5X scopes is no big deal and adds an interesting challenge beyond what the Unlimited scope provides. I would be all for haveing all the rules and specs as close to being the same as possible. I don't see anythign to be gained by being different.
 
Bill Wynne said:
Let me see, the ARA Sporter can be one pound heaver than the IR 50/50 sporter and can have unliminited power on the scope where as in IR 50/50 the scope cannot be over 6.5 power. It would be good if Dan and Bill could get the rules the same. These rifles are so far from factory that I don't see what is wrong with having tuners.

Concho Bill
Click to expand...

I agree, whan one looks at the current crop of barrels with the big Dog Knot on the end, how is it much different from a tuner one can adjust or remove, in reality?
 
Pete Wass said:
I agree, whan one looks at the current crop of barrels with the big Dog Knot on the end, how is it much different from a tuner one can adjust or remove, in reality?
Click to expand...

You pointed out the difference quite nicely. The difference is that it can't be adjusted or removed by the shooter during a match. If the shooter has a lathe he can adjust it himself but otherwise it's a job for a good gunsmith. Why the unlimited scope? The ARA target is really too small to see well enough at 6X. Oh, it can be done if you have great eyes, but at the average age of us BRers, not many of us have those. Dan's options, either adopt/develop a new sporter target or up the magnification. Since the power is unlimited, you can still use those 6x scopes if you choose.
 
ARA in San Angelo

Bill Wynne said:
Let me see, the ARA Sporter can be one pound heaver than the IR 50/50 sporter and can have unliminited power on the scope where as in IR 50/50 the scope cannot be over 6.5 power. It would be good if Dan and Bill could get the rules the same. These rifles are so far from factory that I don't see what is wrong with having tuners.

Concho Bill
Click to expand...

So ya'll will be shooting ARA in San Angelo?
 
A composite stock such as the Bell & Carlson Anschutz style would have been nice as I have a rifle that would be competitive.

Maybe this is the signal I need to get another rifle to put into a wood stock.

Now y'all need to dump the single piece rests and the wind flags ....
 
It makes no sence to match the 50/50 rules. If the shooters wanted to shoot those rules, all they have to do is shoot 50/50. This accomadates those that want something a little different.
 
DonMatzeder said:
It makes no sence to match the 50/50 rules. If the shooters wanted to shoot those rules, all they have to do is shoot 50/50. This accomadates those that want something a little different.
Click to expand...

I disagree. It makes the most sense to match equipment specifications if the Org wants folks who shoot in other Org's to join in. Most aren't likely to make another rifle to compete with in each org's competition I don't think. I, for one, like to be able to pick and choose where and when I shoot. It's a heck of a lot easier to do that with two rifles. If one looks at the scores of the Sporters in other Orgs, Scope Magnification is hardly a problem, even with "Old Eyes". Nothing to fear but fear itself :).
 
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Just my thoughts, since I don't shoot sporter but have owned one and shot the ARA targets with it, I agree with Bill it's much more difficult to see even with a reduced dot compared to the 50/50 target and my eyes are not what they use to be either. The rules are in place so lets see what happens.

Joe
 
Pete

Pete Wass said:
I disagree. It makes the most sense to match equipment specifications if the Org wants folks who shoot in other Org's to join in. Most aren't likely to make another rifle to compete with in each org's competition I don't think. I, for one, like to be able to pick and choose where and when I shoot. It's a heck of a lot easier to do that with two rifles. If one looks at the scores of the Sporters in other Orgs, Scope Magnification is hardly a problem, even with "Old Eyes". Nothing to fear but fear itself :).
Click to expand...

How many ARA targets have you shot with a 6X scope?
 
J Pappas said:
So ya'll will be shooting ARA in San Angelo?
Click to expand...

Hi James, I am glad to hear from you.

No. We shoot 50/50 unlimited as best we can. You shoot ARA as do a lot of our friends. Most of us in San Angelo have only one 22 benchrest rifle at a time so we could not put together a sporter match unless we used our silhouette rifles and those would not stand a chance in these classes.

While I may have what I think is some practical avice for those who make rules on sporter class rifles, I don't really care.

That being said, I think that Dan is spot on with the bigger scopes. While I have your ear, can you tell me why shooters should not be allowed to use adjustable tuners? Those little tricked out rifles are well beyond anything built in a factory anyway so why stop there?

Concho Bill
 
The way I see ARA's Sporter rules, a shooter that can handle that sporter, could use the same gun in all classes with no changes. No need for two or three guns unless you are married and you wife shoots as well. Then you would need two Sporters.
 
I think Dan is right on the ARA sporter rules. It is hard to get a FACTORY sporter to make 7.5 - IR 50/50 wt. When you put 36 power scope on you have really got to modify a gun to make the 7.5 wt -and to the point that you can't make shoot or be legal. I think the 6x scope [ as you get older you need more than a 6x scope ] and the 7.5 rule really hurt IR 50/50 in attendance and in getting people to shoot the Sporter class. I shot the Sporter class - but I didn't enjoy it due to the 6x rule.
 
Bill Whitener said:
I think Dan is right on the ARA sporter rules. It is hard to get a FACTORY sporter to make 7.5 - IR 50/50 wt. When you put 36 power scope on you have really got to modify a gun to make the 7.5 wt -and to the point that you can't make shoot or be legal. I think the 6x scope [ as you get older you need more than a 6x scope ] and the 7.5 rule really hurt IR 50/50 in attendance and in getting people to shoot the Sporter class. I shot the Sporter class - but I didn't enjoy it due to the 6x rule.
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Bill,
you were a terror with your model 36 Cooper
 
DonM, Really? We've got all these guys with sporters out there already. Instead of just opening another door for participation we have enough changes so that lots of them will just say "The hell with it". Part of the challange of the sporter class is gun handleing, not just setting it up on the machine rest IMHO.
 
Its really light custom?

With todays rifles, the main thing that makes them a sporter is the six power scope. If we put a 36x scope on them, then they are really just a light custom rifle.
 
My practice targets are far smaller than the ARA targets. I have visited the ARA target on the website so I know what it looks like. Sighters on my practice targets are the size of a dime on the outside edges, if that is any guide to you. I wear Tri-focals on my 66 yo eyes and I can see those dime size spots, somewhat, enough to place bullets in them.

There has long been the complaint about 6X scopes by a lot of folks who think they couldn't use them but for those who have shot them regularly, they are not a problem to work with.

As somene has said, the rules are in place so discussing it here is meaningless. Perhaps there will be spate of them but I am not optamistic.Probably be more likre the AR class in IBS Score.
 
Bill Whitener said:
I think Dan is right on the ARA sporter rules. It is hard to get a FACTORY sporter to make 7.5 - IR 50/50 wt. When you put 36 power scope on you have really got to modify a gun to make the 7.5 wt -and to the point that you can't make shoot or be legal. I think the 6x scope [ as you get older you need more than a 6x scope ] and the 7.5 rule really hurt IR 50/50 in attendance and in getting people to shoot the Sporter class. I shot the Sporter class - but I didn't enjoy it due to the 6x rule.
Click to expand...

We have just changed some of the rules over here (UK) to pretty much what Dan has come up with except the scope is limited to 12x. As Bill said very few were interested in shooting sporter with the 6.5x scopes but the new changes have certainly created more interest. My own Sako Finnfire with a VXII set at 12x just makes 8.5lb and is a lot of fun to shoot.

I have to be honest, for me I would add the rule that the barrel had to be parallel or varmint profile, but that's just a personal thing.

Brian
 
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