Mr M,
I respect your contributions to the sport and your opinions...but I will give my dissenting view to two of your opinions.
1) I do not agree that F-Class is killing Across the Course Highpower Rifle. If anything it is extending the shooting career of older shooters. Mid Tompkins, Larry Bartholome, and Jerry Tierny (RIP) are a few names that come to mind. I'm not seeing a highpower migration to F-Class happening and believe it appeals to a different crowd as well as the highpower grand seniors that maybe can't get into position or can't see well enough. Instead, I see PRS as the bigger draw with a shorter learning curve to get started, easier range setup and near instant gratification.
2) I straddle the M14 era and the M16 era's. I've competed with both and won with both. Both responded well to the proper application of marksmanship skills. But I feel that the Rat Gun as you call it, saved Service Rifle Competition. Let me explain. In the past, an accurate M14 was the domain of a fortunate few. You either needed military support, or you needed friends with that specialized knowledge. A competitive gun was not easily obtained and civilians were at a significant disadvantage. The AR15 put a competitive rifle into pretty much any shooters hands for not much more than a grand. And that grand got you a rifle that was considerably easier to care for and feed. That drew out a bunch of folk. Add to that it was junior friendly which further added to the numbers. The rise of the "Rat Gun" came at just the right time as the DCM recalled all of their state association M14's and the DCM and later the CMP stopped issuing ammo for NBPRP matches. The "Rat Gun" ensured that Service Rifle continued to be accessible to Joe Average (Chris Average in my case), and drew in more juniors (Chris Average Jr.).
Aperture sights continued to be part of the skill set to master with the Rat Gun, and actually became more important to learn as the shorter sight radius was less forgiving than on your beloved M1 or the M14.
If you want to point the finger at something that is degrading the learning of shooting with aperture sights, it's the rule change that allowed optics...but that rule allows optics on the M1 and M14 as well. I have mixed feelings about that rule...on one hand it has increased the cost of a service rifle significantly (although iron's are still legal and competitive)...but on the other hand it's extending the career of Service Rifle shooters, and it's somewhat aligned to what the troops are issued.
I have to ask you a question...have you gotten your grandkids out competing in Highpower Rifle? you know they can still compete with your beloved Garand. If the answer to this question is no...I'll ask "why not?"
Last edited by ChrisF; 07/26/21.
