An idea for a new kind of shooting sport

[Jubjub]

I watched an episode of Top Gear last night, in which one of the guys goes to Finland and competes in what they call a Folk Race. It's pretty much a rally style auto race, but with a twist in the rules. In order to keep things competitive, they base the classes on the price of the car. Not on what you paid for it, but what you are willing to sell it for. Anyone who enters a race has to agree to sell their car for a specified price to anyone else entered in that race. Say that you are in the $2500 class, if at the end of the race someone wants to pay you $2500 for your car, you have to sell it to them.

It's an absolutely brilliant way to keep things fair, and to let pretty much anyone compete. Sure you could come in with a screaming fast car and win a race easily, but at the end of the day, someone else is going to own it.

I'm thinking that the same principle could be applied to shooting sports. You could have a $200 rimfire rifle match, or a $500 action pistol match. Not everyone can afford an Anschutz .22 target rifle, but who wouldn't be able to afford to compete in a $200 rimfire rifle match? Rather than a bunch of rules about weight and length and sights, just say, "Bring anything that's safe, and that you will be willing to part with for $200. Can't you just see a bunch of people out there banging away with Marlin 60s?

Anyone could bring a gun that could beat anything in a given class, but after they win one match with a ringer, someone else will be taking it home.

Who's up for a $1000 three gun match?

 

[kimbernut]

I don't think so!

Might be wrong but I don't think that would fly. Many folks, myself included, are too partial to our guns to take a chance on someone else taking them home.

 

[M-Cameron]

you know something......thats actually a pretty interesting idea....and sounds like a lot of fun honestly

Might be wrong but I don't think that would fly. Many folks, myself included, are too partial to our guns to take a chance on someone else taking them home.

well i think it would stand to reason that you wouldnt bring your great grandfathers 1-off rifle to compete with...

...i know if were to compete in a setup like this, i would have a dedicated gun with no real sentimental or high monetary value, and that way if your gun was bought, then you could use the money to buy someone elses......it would kinda be like a Yankee swap......except with guns.....sounds like a good time to me.

 

[Jubjub]

Exactly. You wouldn't buy a $1000 gun to compete in a $1000 class match, or risk a gun with sentimental value. It would be entirely up to you what class you were competing in. If you took a Stevens 200 to a $1000 benchrest match, and afterward someone bought it off you, how upset would you be?

The concept just tickles my imagination. There would be so many layers of strategy. For one thing, you wouldn't want to win by too much, if you want to keep your gun. Or you might want to win by as much as you can, if you are shooting a gun that you could make a nice profit on. A good shot might find himself making a steady income from people who assume that he's shooting exceptional guns.

 

[Zak Smith]

Besides the points already mentioned, there are some potential legal issues or at least complications.

 

[ny32182]

I imagine that just like most shooting sports, the top level of competition would end up being dominated by a select few guns that could be optimized the best within the rules (or in this case, the price point)

...or maybe those at the top level would not care about "paying" some to win, if they could set up a gun over the price point that would help them win, even knowing they would lose X$ in the sale.

But I think most would just bring a gun under the price point and there wouldn't be a lot of buying going on.

Anything I've got is for sale at the right price... if I could go to a "$1000 match", win, and convince someone to buy my Glock half the time... I'd be buying a lot of new Glocks, lets put it that way.

 

[Jubjub]

Once again, exactly. Someone who could afford it could take a race gun that they spent $3000 for to a $1000 match. He might win because of the gun. But next week, he'd be selling another $3000 gun for $1000. All of his beneficiaries would move up to the $2000 class, where they might win handily, not caring if they had to sell the gun, because they won, and made $1000.

 

[danprkr]

I like it. I say go for it.

 

[Jubjub]

Honestly, why would there be a problem at any level of competition, and for what reason?

He won because his gun was too good.

And you didn't buy it at a bargain price why?

 

[WNTFW]

Don't let me stop you from putting a match like that together. Only way to see if it works is to pursue it.

It has been in racing for years and does not solve the problem. People still had more into whatever could be "claimed" than it was worth. "Protests" are similar. IT (Improved Touring) and autocross can be done on a budget. A lot of guys have a lot of money into some cars.

Even when I competed in bicycling, money was an issue. I has been in every type of competion and will always be. In shooting money also equates to traveling comfortably and trigger time. There are state matches coming up that have a practice day. I know some guys that probably can't take off that extra day.

In the rifle example I show up with a POS and claim a decent rifle because I am to lazy to search for a good used one. Then I never come back or show up again with another clunker. 11 guys on the line how do you decide who gets dibs.

Now a spec class is pretty cool. Which is Palma to a degree. F Class T/R is somewhat limited, yet I'm sure the guy next to me did have 10 time the cost of mine into his rig. Whoever shoots more often generally beats the shooter with less practice.

I will say that after having competed is several types of shooting matches I do think the rules are pretty well sorted out.

 

[russ69]

I like the idea of limiting the gun "race". Some sports have guns you wouldn't even recognize as guns anymore. Having said that, there are some really good shooters out there and some are shooting guns that are very close to stock. I wouldn't let that stop me from competing. I have some high dollar competition guns and that doesn't guarantee a match win. Not only that, most popular competitions have a class for limited mod guns. Highpower rifle matches can be won with a 1000 buck rifle. That may sound like a lot but it's a long way from what you can spend. I'm not sure what shooting sport you are interested in but there is a cheap way to get going in every one of them.

Thanx, Russ

 

[russ69]

Oh, yeah, except for a big trap match or televised match, I don't think you could find a match worth 1000 bucks, LOL!

Thanx, Russ

 

[1SOW]

In car racing--that's been around in the U.S. for a l o n g time. It'ds called a "claiming" race.

It's intent was for people without a lot of money to be able to race (usually dirt track) on a more-or-less even footing, without racing against someone with several thousand dollars worth of suspension or other mods. Frivolous "claims" were distinctly frowned upon, but if someone came in with a car that was 'gamed' and a claim was made; the owner either sold his car OR never raced there again.

 

[AhHeck]

I think there may be too many issues about the buy it option.

But, I would be very interested in a Marlin 60 only shoot or something similar.