Why no official Factory Class?

A

a.JR

New member
Hi all, Just wondered why the sanctions have never put their full weight behind factory class at 600 and 1000 yds , ranges support this part of the program with prizes and events to shoot at ,why is it it never made it into the rule book?..JR..Jeff Rogers
 
Jeff,

I think it likely has to do with enforcement. It would be very difficult to determine if certain illegal modifications have been made. This has always been an issue with factory class in anything I have been involved with. The honor system just doesn't work because some will do whatever they can get away with if they think it helps them win.

Also there is usually a smaller manufacturer that will qualify by producing a certain number of rifles and they will produce top quality similar to custom. Those with the dollars to spend will still end up with the best equipment by purchasing the higher dollar factory rifles.
 
a.JR said:
Hi all, Just wondered why the sanctions have never put their full weight behind factory class at 600 and 1000 yds , ranges support this part of the program with prizes and events to shoot at ,why is it it never made it into the rule book?..JR..Jeff Rogers
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The factory gun is by far the hardest to master at 1000 yards! A lot of old time shooters have tried it and got humbled. So when the subject is brought up at a board of directors meeting it is swept under the table pretty quickly. I for one think it should be a class with all the benefits of points and wood! It can lead to new shooters which is a positive for our sport!
 
What I have seen at NBRSA matches is a new shooter coming to shoot with a new gun that is capable of winning the match. Don
 
Joel,

I can't remember cheater guns ever being an issue (at least not winning) at Hawks Ridge factory class matches. A claiming rule would answer the problem of guns outside of the spirit of the game. Wining guns could be claimed for perhaps $1,000. I would be happy to surrender my tired old Swede 96 for that! I'd even throw in the brass and dies (Lee).

Greg
 
Jeff, we had a Factory Class at our club winter league. With my tired old eyes, I decided to shoot it. The first match , there was some good participation, maybe five shooters out out 35. By the second match, there were 3 -- my .223 and a couple Factory 6PPCs. By the third match, I was shooting against only myself.

For whatever reason, in the States, interest in Factory Class seems to be an internet phenomena, not a "match" phenomena.

As to cheating -- there is all sorts. There is downright cheating, which I imagine would be small.
But as soon as points & championships are offered,
there will be "spiritual cheating" -- like going through 20 or so take off barrels by those that have access to them. Then there is truing the factory rifle, off center if need be, but everything set up square to one plane, which George Fulmer proved works pretty good.

With points & championships, the so-called "Factory Rifle" will become a full-blown competition rifle, but more expensive than the custom rifle.

FWIW
 
Classes

Hi guys , Your version of things over there mirrors just about what i have tried over here in AUS.. I have attempted in the 3 long range events we have over here(551yds , 600 yds and 1000yds) to have a base/ factory class shooting along side L/G and H/G ..At 551 yds (FLY Shoot) i gave up after 4 years due to lack of interest ,at 600 and 1000yds i am still trying to give it a run because i have seen first hand the new factory guys converting over after awhile to L/G , it means bums on seats.. It was rejected as an inclusion in the new Australian 1000yds benchrest rules ,but then again so was 600yd ,it is now only shot locally.. I guess i'll just follow Hawks Ridge and offer Factory as a club event only and hope for the best..JR..Jeff Rogers
 
aJR

Jeff you can always do what I do and lend somebody your back-up gun to shoot.That way they have a nicer rifle but probaly with a higher mileage barrel on it that still keeps them in the hunt.Once they shoot it and do pretty well they may return.
Lynn
 
A few years back the factory guns grew to three full relays at Hawks Ridge. The class was shot between LG+HG. We had new shooters at every match! The competition was very good with some groups dipping into the 4" range!!! Then the complaints started mostly by old time shooters that didn't shoot this class anyway. The matches are taking to long-We are getting to many members??? Next thing we know the board of directors changed it to a Rookie class that can only be shot a limited number of times,then you must move on to LG. Now we are lucky to have 3-5 shooters in Rookie class! We lost several potential new shooters that would not come back after the class change change. We need to do everything we can to help our sport grow!
 
Factory class

I began shooting in the factory class at Williamsport. We stopped those matches because our light gun class had grown so large that we were getting all the shoot offs etc completed too late in the day. We have since incorporated 600 yard shooting into the club's shooting activities and have allowed a factory class in that discipline to accomodate new shooters. The 600 procedures allow us more latitude to accomodate the factory class. I agree strongly that this class allows potential shooters to compete and introduce them to competitive long range shooting. Our goal with the 600 group is of course to build interest for all disciplines.
 
I too started in factory class in VFS @ club match's( MGGOA in dublin ga) where the factory class is "out the box, nothing but a trigger job and 24 power scope limit, then I go to a Club shoot in Reedsville NC ( nice place, great guys too) and shoot the first winter league shoot in thier factory class with allows replacement triggers, bedding any scope and barrel changes. I was competitive (finished 2nd) but different clubs have so much different rules, the one thing I can tell you is @ dublin you have got to be sharp to win a club "factory match' hell I won a IBS 100 yard,a 200 Yard and a Grand Agg before I ever won a club match @ 100 yards. I'd love to see a factory class in VFS or 1000 yard, I'd be down with that
 
david dumas said:
then I go to a Club shoot in Reedsville NC ( nice place, great guys too) and shoot the first winter league shoot in thier factory class with allows replacement triggers, bedding any scope and barrel changes.
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No, you had to use a factory barrel at the Rockingham winter league. You could use any scope, you could re-bed the factory stock, and you could use a replacement trigger. That's all.

A word about replacing the trigger. Many clubs allow you to only modify the factor trigger. In my opinion, a number of these alterations have questionable safety. Well, no problem at a match, the only time the bolt is allowed in is when the range is hot, so what's the problem?

The problem is some people may not take that questionable trigger out when the match is over. We want to encourage safety, not "getting by under some conditions." A replacement trigger keeps the Factory's lawyers happy and lets the shooter have a light, safe trigger.

Rockingham has a *modified* class which allows replacement barrels. The idea of this class is that the action has to begin as a factory action, not a custom action. Anything else is up for grabs -- and I believe the winning modified rifle would have come in 3rd or 4th in the BR class for the whole league.

BTW David, was that you shooting the Ruger 6PPC? If so, you won the second match in factory class!
 
charles, that wasn't me, I only made it to the first match(had to work for the rest of them) and all I shot were savage rifles, one in factory and one in modifide, also adrin shot one of mine in one class, that was a really fun shoot, nice range and great people and the way they hide the wind fan when they built the range as neat,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,lol
 
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