2015 FNH Championship

[Moltke]

I really like seeing courses of fire that offer multiple ways to shoot through, but don't like it when only one of those ways is really competitive - so it was nice to see the target layouts at FNH didn't make this the case. There were multiple stages at this match in which people were choosing different combinations of guns, and with different game plans, but still ending up with very similar times.

Separately, as an irons division shooter I'd like to give a shout out to the staff for doing a great job with long range target presentations. The fact that long range targets were freshly painted blaze orange between every squad goes a long way to show that the match cares about the irons division. If you're on the fence about shooting irons at a major, then FNH is the match to try it! The targets will be far, but they'll be visible.

[Vlad]

I think pretty much everything about the match was awesome, except maybe those 6 clays. I'm not really sure a fresh RO and a tiered RO would create an even presentation on that stage, plus the RO couldn't really see when someone touched the shotgun the same way for everyone. The RO's did their best, I'm just not sure they could do it consistently.

[Moltke]

As hard as it was to make the shots because not many of us practice sporting clay shooting... having a bunch of rapid fire birds was really fun, cool, and challenging and something I haven't seen before.

[Dan Sierpina]

I think the inconsistency on the clays had to do with the cycle time of the trap. When my squad shot it, we were mashing the button several times before it threw a clay.

[Vlad]

As hard as it was to make the shots because not many of us practice sporting clay shooting... having a bunch of rapid fire birds was really fun, cool, and challenging and something I haven't seen before.

That's true, but you could say the same thing about having an RO following you around and hitting you about the head and shoulders with a catfish during the course of fire.

Edited September 8, 2015 by Vlad

[Moltke]

As hard as it was to make the shots because not many of us practice sporting clay shooting... having a bunch of rapid fire birds was really fun, cool, and challenging and something I haven't seen before.

That's true, but you could say the same thing about having an RO following you around and hitting you about the head and shoulders with a catfish during the course of fire.

That would certainly be different... but I... uh... okay... I don't even know how to respond. I feel like I'm looking at a common core math problem. Catfish?

[Vlad]

Well I guess my point is that it could be fun, cool, and challenging and not seen before, but perhaps not the best choice for a competition where you want to ensure everyone has equal target presentation.

[Vlad]

To be fair though, for me the presentation was consistent, I just know a number of people were complaining about issues when they ran the stage.

[dcloudy777]

Basically it was asking the clay thrower to do something to wasn't really designed to do, and the RO to do something humans just aren't that great at.

2 or 3 birds, activated by one of the targets, would have made for a better stage. But it's easy to monday morning QB stuff. I don't think the clay presentation presented anyone with a grossly unfair target presentation, or gave anyone a significant unfair advantage.

Besides, I cussed the tiny little rifle shooting box on that stage a heck of a lot more than the birds!

[louu]

We need more flying clays next year that's what shotguns are for.

[bmiller]

We need more flying clays next year that's what shotguns are for.

I like flippers that throw clays when activated by poppers, flying clays not so much! Leave the throwers for the sporting clay guys.

[oak hill]

Yes, I vote for options too! Always glad to see them. It is part of the game to figure out which will work best for you.

Stages 1, 2, 8 and 10 were my favorites.

Thanks to all the staff who worked so hard to make the match enjoyable !

[T Bacus]

I liked the clays although this time I did not do so well! The only thing I might have changed is the penalty, five seconds instead of ten. Maybe next year put the launcher down below the hill and throw them up at the shooter. Clays coming up and at you are a fun target.

[Bryan 45]

Thanks to Larry, Howard, and all the staff for a well run match. The awards presentation at FNH is one of my favorite events of the entire 3 gun season- good food, great company, and we get to see what everyone looks like showered and wearing normal clothes.

Stages were fun and presented their own unique challenges. I shot my pistol more than I expected and left the shotgun on a staging table for a few stages. The side matches were staffed by some of the greatest ambassadors of FN they could find. I enjoyed hanging out with these guys almost as much as shooting the match. As someone who shoots flying clays once a year, the sporting clays is always my favorite.

Ken Pfau said it best at awards- keep the sponsors of the matches you like in mind when buying and recommending products. Vote with your dollars. There has been a shift in recent time, and that along with a very stagnant marketplace for firearms and accessories, should be a reminder to support those manufacturers that share our love of the game by sponsoring matches like SMM3G, Pro-Am, FNH, RM3G, BR3G, Iron Man, etc. They need to hear from us that we appreciate what they're doing for our game.

[1time]

We need more flying clays next year that's what shotguns are for.

I like flippers that throw clays when activated by poppers, flying clays not so much! Leave the throwers for the sporting clay guys.

I heard you like slug targets?

[poortrader]

We need more flying clays next year that's what shotguns are for.

I like flippers that throw clays when activated by poppers, flying clays not so much! Leave the throwers for the sporting clay guys.

I heard you like slug targets?

That was a different guy from NJ. That guy shot 4 knock down plates with slugs in one stage.

[bmiller]

We need more flying clays next year that's what shotguns are for.

I like flippers that throw clays when activated by poppers, flying clays not so much! Leave the throwers for the sporting clay guys.

I heard you like slug targets?

Lol! Maybe I'll say I like shooting paper with slugs! It seemed like a good idea at the time. The funny thing was standing there watching several hundred people shooting the stage correctly after that. Oh well, there is always next year.

[eddiegunks]

We need more flying clays next year that's what shotguns are for.

Yes. More flying clays.

I bet The people that are complaining are the ones that cant shoot clays.

The presentation was fine. The clays all flew by exactly the same way everytime.....same

Height, speed, and location.

[alma]

Definitely please lower the penalty for the clays and perhaps the number shot in that manner.

[Dan Sierpina]

Definitely please lower the penalty for the clays and perhaps the number shot in that manner.

It was a unhit target, why change the penalty?

I do like clays that are thrown when a popper is knocked down though. Black Sheep Clay Kickers for straight upward targets give the most consistent presentation for that type of shot.

[alma]

Definitely please lower the penalty for the clays and perhaps the number shot in that manner.

It was a unhit target, why change the penalty?

I do like clays that are thrown when a popper is knocked down though. Black Sheep Clay Kickers for straight upward targets give the most consistent presentation for that type of shot.

I guess because it's a disappearing unhit target. I don't think it should be the same penalty as one of those poppers that's still standing at the end of a stage or something.

[Dan Sierpina]

Where do you stop making exceptions? If clays had a different penalty, what about clays on a swinger? Stage 7 had a stationary clay, that was also assessed a 10 second penalty for a miss.

I bet you practice weak areas in pistol shooting.

[alma]

Where do you stop making exceptions? If clays had a different penalty, what about clays on a swinger? Stage 7 had a stationary clay, that was also assessed a 10 second penalty for a miss.

I bet you practice weak areas in pistol shooting.

In pistol shooting (USPSA anyway) there are different penalties for targets that you don't get another chance to shoot at. Stationary targets and even most targets on a swinger are quite different as they continue to be available. Not saying I don't need much more practice on that kind of target but they are fundamentally different because of difficulty and limited presentation.

Edited September 9, 2015 by alma

[Jim Norman]

There was no penalty for failure to engage the 6 clay birds, there was a miss penalty, it was the same for all close targets, 10 seconds.

If you shot and missed you added the shooting time to the penalties. Some, very few, elected to not even bother to shoot the clays. More than a few got all 6, many got 3, some 4-5, others only 1-2 and a number did miss all 6. For the record, only 3 people managed to hit all 6 Rifle targets with 6 shots. More than a few fell in love with either the two on the left or the one on the far right. Others got the long ones and went to war on the two close in rifle targets.

Look at what you did poorly on and practice. If squatting in a really tight oddball position is not your strong suite, then get into tight oddball positions and shoot. You can do this with a .22lr at 25 yards, it needn't be 300 yard targets. It is shooting from the position that is the issue. Missing the flying clays? Shoot a few flyers when you practice. Everyone works to smoke a load-4 in 2 seconds, but how many are willing to spend some time shooting aerial clays? The flippers are actually a harder target as they are only visible for a very short time and there may be more than one at a time. This was just something we don't see at every match.

Which reminds me, I think I'll put a couple flyers into our next 3-Gun match.

[louu]

Please do Jim!