[Action Pistolero]

There has been some talk lately about expanding the Rimfire category. When I was on the committee we made Rimfire available to Juniors and later Women at Bianchi. NRA also ran a side event at Bianchi which was the Ambi plates. Participation was dismal at best. In my opinion, this was due to the time of year that Bianchi is shot and the Ambi plate event. While we cannot do anything about the time frame that Bianchi is held, we can change the choice of events.

A few weeks ago we shot the MD State match. One of the events was the Ambi plates. I was surprised to hear just how much this event is hated. I had one shooter come up to me and asked if I was running the Ambi plate event at the VA State match. He told me if I was, he wanted his money back. That's why I believe the Ambi plates was not a good event to have to see if there was any interest in Rimfire.

My goal for next year is to get a side event at Bianchi with a Rimfire. The ultimate goal would be to get a 2 gun aggregate that includes Rimfire. To get this, we will need to show NRA that there is an interest.

On the registered match level, shooters had the chance to shoot a Rimfire at the Lake Charles regional and the 2 matches held in Bluefield, VA. There will be 13 registered matches held by the middle of Oct. As of today I have 10 rimfires signed up for the regional and 10 for the State match. There is some interest there but only if the shooter is able to shoot multiple guns.

If a sponsor or two would step up to the plate and sponsor a Rimfire side match at Bianchi. The NRA would most certainly have it but we would also have to shoot it. I suggest shooting the Los Alamitos.

Comments?

This post has been edited by Action Pistolero: 28 August 2009 - 09:40 AM

[oldtrooper]

It sounds good to me Kevin. I have shot the .22 at the Lake Charles regional before, some time back, and it is challenging in it's own right to say the least. I will shoot it as a side event at the Cup if it is offered.

[Shawn Knight]

I would do it.

I can't see why there isn't one already!

[ffl]

I have already built a 22 bianchi gun and am going to shoot it at the Cup.

I am already committed to the Sponsorship of the Speed Star event and can't add more to the plate however we might consider something.

Kevin, I am sending my proposal to the committee. the one we have been kicking arround with Martian and Don and others.


David

[Action Pistolero]

David,
I was hoping that you could help out with this.

Marvel and Ruger would be the first two that I think of to possibly help out. Ruger would also be good for Production.

I should have added a poll to this to show the interest.

[Allgoodhits]

from a letter I sent to NRA with suggestions for 2010 and beyond....

Dwight,

It is my understanding that you are still Chair of the Action Pistol Committee, and if so I would like to tender some opinions for consideration. If you are not on the Committee, please so advise so that I may get this information to others.

First, let me say that NRA AP is once again strong, and growing in spite of the economy, and the severe shortage and cost of shooting supplies in the past year or so. This growth and strength in the sport is much, if not all, to the credit of Tom Hughes and his staff in the Competitive Shooting Division at NRA. Not to be overlooked of course is the obvious support from his hierarchy at NRA, including but not limited to Michael Krei.

Second, the 2009 BC was a huge success due to many of the innovations that have been implemented, and the cleaning up of other specific issues. Again, Tom Hughes had a great deal to do with this as well.

Some ideas, for NRA AP in general.

All gun Divisions:

Do away with the chronograph requirement at each stage, and perhaps completely. The POWER FACTOR issue was a product of the 1970's when people were either shooting 1911's in .45 acp, Browning HP's in 9mm or the K frame revolver crowd, namely PPC shooters. Those shooting 9mm's and .38 spl WC's were perceived as having an advantage of the 1911 .45 acp shooters, so an attempt was made to level that issue. Today, most 1911 shooters are shooter 9mm's or .38 Supers, and virtually all others are shooting .38 spls. The 9mm's and .38 Supers are loaded very very close to the Power Factor requirement anyway, since much below that they will not run/cycle reliably. The revolver crowd are shooting velocities in the 900fps+ range now anyway, due to the lead on the mover, and the quickly turning (edging) targets so as not to have a late shot.

The chrono requirement of taking 6 rds from each competitor at each event is time consuming, labor intensive for range staff and annoying to the shooters. After all, they only check the gun once at the initial inspection, so if it is necessary to collect ammo at each stage, then why wouldn't the same logical distrust flow to checking the competitors gun at each stage?


Open gun Division:

Seems to be working fine don't mess with it.


Metallic Sight Division:

Make maximum barrel length 6" requirement the same for both semi-auto and revolver. Why have the rule unnecessarily complex. These guns are clearly target/competition guns akin to PPC open revolvers and PPC semi-autos, or other modified non-compensated, metallic sighted guns.


Production Division:

Make maximum barrel length requirement the same for both semi-auto and revolver. I would suggest that the maximum barrel length should be 5 inches. This would work for just about any gun that any PD would issue, and about any gun that IDPA would permit. A 5" 1911, a Browning HP, a Beretta and S&W Model 10, 13 or 15, 67, or 66 would all be eligible, as would all Glocks, SIGS and HKs that anybody would likely carry or be issued. After all, this Division must have had some hint of carry or duty when it's language was drafted, otherwise why the limitation of holster designed for everyday use?

Either permit single action guns to compete in Production, or create a second category for it. If you do this, then you need three categories. Revolver, Single action semi-auto and all others. My suggestion would be to have one category of Production, but make the trigger pull requirement of at least 4 - 5 lbs or so. BTW, no one shoots a revolver single action, but the revolver triggers were weighed in the SA mode. This is ridiculous.


Bianchi Cup specific

Permit shooters to enter as many Divisions that they choose to pay to enter, and permit them to be eligible for all that they earn while shooting the Division(s) which they enter. This will do several things.
Make it more worthwhile to spend a week away from home with all the travel and expense just to be limited to 192 shots. Let them enter to shoot 384 shots or 576.
This will raise revenue by having more entries, but not raise parking, portatoilet, or other staff issues for the match.
This will "show" statistically that there is growth in the sport. One hundred shooters shooting "two" guns is 200 entries, whereas one hundred fifty shooters shooting "one" gun is 150 entries!
Yes, charge double or triple entry fees for those who wish to be eligible for prize in those additional Divisions. Maybe offer some multi-gun discount, but make it worthy of the challenge. You have to pay to play.
Offer winners of Open, or Metallic or Production, and also offer a Three gun Winner.
Introduce .22LR Rimfire to the Championship. It exists, there are National Records recognized, why not offer it at the National Championships?
Thank you, Dwight, for your service to the shooting sports and specifically to the National Rifle Association.


Warm Regards,

Martin Johnson
NRA Benefactor Member

[1911onr]

Count me in for a .22 side or main match. I have a .22 Bianchi gun that comes out only once a year for Kevin's match.

[Action Pistolero]

Check this out.

Ruger

Talk about timing.

[ffl]

Secure Firearm Products is the Official Steel Target Supplier to the Ruger Rimfire Series. We have developed a portable target stand they are using to send to the competitions. I have talked to them about the 22LR at the Bianchi Cup. They are interested.

dcs

[Chuck Anderson]

Why is it that people keep wanting to limit Production to 5" and exclude the Glock 34, which won the championship last year, and the new Smith M&P L's. Is there something inherently wrong with 5.5"?

[Shawn Knight]

Chuck Anderson, on Sep 1 2009, 09:44 AM, said:

Why is it that people keep wanting to limit Production to 5" and exclude the Glock 34, which won the championship last year, and the new Smith M&P L's. Is there something inherently wrong with 5.5"?

I was wondering that too...

I know of at least 2 PDs that issue G35s.