In short, Limited can use 1x Optic no extenders, Tactical can use a fixed or variable Optic, and Open can use whatever you can mount and drag to the line.
The idea behind the rule change was to attract new shooters to Multigun. The shooters out there who bought black rifles and threw red dots on because that's what they see guys carrying in the sandbox. This gives them a chance to come to a Multigun match with the equipment they have, and compete in a division with guys using similar equipment. I still remember the first USPSA 3 Gun match I came to. I had a Trijicon Reflex on my Duty rifle and had to compete in Open. (This was before Tactical). Totally turned me off from USPSA 3G and it was years before I tried it again. Telling the new guy with a red dot to compete in Tactical against the guy with the $1600.00 Swarovski is a bit like telling him he's competing against the guy with the full custom 2011 with his Ruger P85. The top Iron sight guys are still gonna beat them, red dot or not.
The hope was to not drive any existing shooters away, and attract new ones. There was quite a bit of consultation with some of the major 3 gun MD's in the country. Some are already allowing red dots in limited. They saw a large in flux of new folks come to matches. If we can get more people shooting Limited, without just shuffling the Divisions around, I see it as a good thing. If we find out after a year or so that no one is competing in Limited still and we haven't gained anything we can always revisit the decision. But I think this is going to be a good thing for Multigun in general and Limited specifically.
How does everyone feel about this.