Classifier Adjustment

[Mark R]

Sorry if this is a repeat, but I could not find anything related...

As a Match Director I understand that when we setup classifier stages, we need to setup the stage in exact accordance with the stage briefing…distances, props, heights, etc.

My club does not have the convenience of having a perfectly level range floor. Some of our shooting locations incline or decline from shooting box to rear targets.

Example on a 30 foot long classifier (see attachment): The stage description says to staple targets 5 ft high at the shoulder. The range floor inclines from shooting box to rear targets. If I held a string at the center base of the rear target, pulled the string out to the shooting box and put a string level on it, then measured from string down to the front of the shooting box, there may be 1 foot difference.

Now with the incline of 1 ft from shooting box to rear target, the target, if placed at 5 ft high at the shoulders, would be 6 ft high from the vantage point from the shooting box. To me this would not be seen from all others in the US that shoot this classifier.

My question is: Do you adjust the target down 1 ft to account for range floor incline and is it authorized, or should you put target at the stated 5 ft at shoulders and shoot it upwards? This also applies to declines from front to rear.

Thanks in advance!

[Ronnie j]

Even though what your describing makes sense to me and you, I don't think it's legal by the book.

[SteveU]

We set them up 5' at the shoulder (or whatever specified) from the ground -- measured at the target. We disregard any incline/decline in the ground (though in our range it is slight) and just ensure safe direction of fire if our range varies. If we can't do the classifier as written in that bay we move it to a different bay.

I don't think you can (or should) adjust as you are suggesting. Just lay it out as written.

[GrumpyOne]

Regardless of the slope, you are talking about a level line (in reference to the terrain) from the target to the shooter, which would be 1' lower. If your bay were on the side of a mountain, and the target was at the bottom of the mountain, would you raise it up to be eye level with the shooter? I think not. Same goes for if you have a shooter who is 3' tall and another who is 8' tall. Do you adjust for shooters heights? Again, no. The bullet travels in a straight line from the muzzle to the point of impact...It doesn't follow the terrain.

So, whether the target is on a slope or not, it should be set as the classifier states. Besides, it will be the same for every shooter.

[Mark R]

Thanks folks for you input...I just received a reply from John at NROI...here is his reply...

"The only thing we can control on setup is the height on the target stand and distance to them, many ranges have slope in them or unlevel ground, which we cannot control, the only thing to be watchful for is if your slope is uphill far enough that when setting targets at 5’ to shoulder your putting rounds over the berm, you would then need a different classifier if available with targets lower than 5’."

Thanks again for the info. Consider this a closed issue. Targets will be hung according to stage description.