2016 ORA outlook
- Thread starter max-x
- Start date
Canadian eh!
Regular
That sounds like everything anyone would need to run great matches.
- Location
- Meaford Ontario
You must spend almost as much time as me there.... I would like to see some events end up there. I am more than willing to help anyone with this.
Latest word from ORA is that Vimy and Amiens ranges will be available this coming season but that Mons will not be ready. In recognition of the effect this has on long range shooters there will be a $30 reduction in the 2016 membership fee. Not great news for TR and F-ers in SW Ontario...
At the end of the day, what's good for the hive is good for the bee. I will be keen to see how the club solves it's current dilemma, and subsequently make a decision on membership this year. Even if the TR crowd can pull it together, it'll be a great development.
Really kombayotch? 8 plus hours drive each way for me to drive up to the annual matches in Ottawa. Then turned around and did the same drive to shoot the CFRC starting the following weekend. Service rifle and CQB didn't see much if any changes in the program last year with Mons being closed. PR could have booked Connaught for one weekend and for their long range and shot everything else at Kingston. TR and FR's had to make do with more short range practice or make the drive to Ottawa. Since we do not own our own range we are at the mercy of the DND when it come to range time.
Now Whizzbang, If I could add a point to my scorecard for every point my blood pressure goes up waiting for the Fer's to finish their blow off, I wouldn't need to even fire a shot to win the match. The whole waiting game is a result of the Fer's not wanting to shoot on the same target as TR and TR cadets and all wanting to shoot on the same relay. So you can't have your cake and eat it too.
Hi Tom - if you guys would just upgrade your rifles to the 21st century we could use the same targets, problem solved!
(but then again, you might not like having to clean your rifles once in a while...) Cheers, Ian.Yeah really! Driving 8 hours is a solution. Not needing to drive 8 hours because all your matches have been cancelled and no alternative has been found is not. When TR couldn't have Mons, arrangements were made to get Connaught.
You can save me the PR MD could've BS. I know very well how things work, who controls range bookings and what their priorities are and I know what support is given to other discipline's MD. SR and CQB gets ranges because the MD knows the system. New MDs don't and that information isn't volunteered. "You should've done this... oh, no one told you to do that? Ah, that's too bad... shucks!" When PR had nothing, I BEGGED them for access to other ranges all summer long to offer an alternative. They couldn't be bothered to even try.
Hi Tom - if you guys would just upgrade your rifles to the 21st century we could use the same targets, problem solved!
Really simple and no need to upgrade a $4500 target rifle to something with a scope on it and rest it on the ground. Everyone can shoot the same target TR, Fer's and cadets all mixed together. Value indicator is black on one side and red on the other. If an F'er shoot his v Bull the value indicator show red at the 3 o'clock position. If you shoot a bull the value indicator show black in the same position but is scored a 5. If the TR shooter shooting alongside shoots either an F Class V Bull or TR V bull if is still indicated in the same position and the colour of the indicator that is at 3 o'clock does not matter, it is still a V bull for the TR shooter.
But, then the #####ing starts because half the F'ers thought one relay way easier than the other relay and they were stuck with a slow shooter and a cadet that was shooting 3's and 4's. At one time everyone was mixed together, this help promote the sport and the cadets learned that TR isn't the only game in town. Now sadly the F'ers are all down on one end of the range and there is no interaction with the cadets other than with the TR shooters.
Wait a minute here...
TR does not book the range as TR days, these are called "open practice days". Open to all members and all disciplines. The only ORA match that was moved to Connaught was the Annual Matches as Connaught is the only other 900m/1000 yard range in Ontario. Victoria Day Matches, NCRRA Long Range Match, Eastern F Class Championship are not ORA run events, these are put on by the good folks at the NCRRA. The June Match and the Kingston Fall Match have always been held in Kingston, nothing was moved. The ISSF match was shot at Winona, because Mons could no be booked. If the Toronto gang wanted to practice at long range, they got in their car and drove to Connaught, same as the guys training for the world F Class championship.
Exactly who did you beg for range time? MD's are not a paid position. Some MD's do not have the time with work and family commitments to just decide to move a match or whole shooting program 5 hours up the road. If the MD can not make arrangements to be there, there has to be someone in the group that is willing to take the bull by the horns and run a day or a weekend match. As you know, I have been running things at Cedar Springs for a number of year. We used to have 1000 yards there. Even though I run most of the practices, when we did hold matches other members would step up and run the match for the weekend. Even now that we are not running matches, I have several people that are willing and able to run a days practice on their own if I am not available, and I must say they do a great job of it.
Practice days??? MATCHES!!! Matches, man! PR got NONE! Not one single match. Zilch! Zero! Nada! The shooters in that discipline didn't get to shot a single match, but the organization gladly took their membership money. And what are they getting to offset that? A $30 discount this year, and they probably won't get to shoot this year either. What a joke! It's an insult! They should have gotten all of their membership due back except for maybe a $30 admin fee. That would have been the proper thing to do. They didn't get to shoot, so where did their membership money go if it couldn't be refunded? To support another discipline, I'm guessing... gee, wonder which one.
Who did I beg for range access? Des (with Fazal being CC's on every message). I asked every few weeks to get access to Meaford. Something he boasted he could get for well over a year at various meetings. When he was taken up on that offer, he didn't even try to get it. Instead, he sent me on wild goose chases. He had me write a manual, when I did that, it was another excuse, then another. Then: "Oh... we'll have to review that next year at the meeting...". Right... you've got a discipline that isn't getting any matches, and you have someone who is willing to offer an alternative and people who are willing help run that, but you need to wait till next year to even look at it. No hurry... not TR, not important. It can wait.
Who did I beg for range access? Des (with Fazal being CC's on every message). I asked every few weeks to get access to Meaford. Something he boasted he could get for well over a year at various meetings. When he was taken up on that offer, he didn't even try to get it. Instead, he sent me on wild goose chases. He had me write a manual, when I did that, it was another excuse, then another. Then: "Oh... we'll have to review that next year at the meeting...". Right... you've got a discipline that isn't getting any matches, and you have someone who is willing to offer an alternative and people who are willing help run that, but you need to wait till next year to even look at it. No hurry... not TR, not important. It can wait.
I see that you have never personally had to deal with the DND for range time. You can't just phone up Borden or Meaford and tell them that you are going out to use their range next weekend. Lots of ground work, meetings and plenty of communication between the PRA's, DCRA, base, Range Control, the respective CBG's, NDHQ and Downsview. Proof of insurance, TSR's generated, Coordination between G3 Op's and Trg.at any time someone is this cluster decides to take another posting, retires or goes on leave the whole train comes to a stop. The ease of getting range time at Borden is because of relationships built up over the If last 25 or so years.
So PR didn't get any matches. There was other events that went on, be it a practice or a match at places other than Mons. Matches that are usually held at other ranges still went on. Kingston ran a June match and a one day fall match. Winona was busy something like 15 or 16 days this year. Service Conditions and CQB ran a full slate. If you wanted to shoot there was shooting available. Maybe not PR but there was other shooting to be had. Want to shoot long range or matches meant that you had to travel more this year.
So PR didn't get any matches. There was other events that went on, be it a practice or a match at places other than Mons. Matches that are usually held at other ranges still went on. Kingston ran a June match and a one day fall match. Winona was busy something like 15 or 16 days this year. Service Conditions and CQB ran a full slate. If you wanted to shoot there was shooting available. Maybe not PR but there was other shooting to be had. Want to shoot long range or matches meant that you had to travel more this year.
It takes so long, yet communication to start the process was never initiated. Gaining access to that range was touted more than two years ago now. Interest in getting access was expressed from the very beginning. Yet, nothing was done to begin laying that ground work you speak of even when it became clear that Mons would be closed for 2 years. When access was straight up asked for, it still wasn't initiated. I imagine that even now, it still hasn't been initiated. You don't have to have ever dealt with the DND before to know that if there isn't any contact with them, NOTHING is going to happen! That's common sense.
Shoot CQB with your TR rifle much? You do realize that some people only have a PR rifle right? You do realize that many of those rifles have timed brakes that can't be removed right? And that brakes aren't allowed in the other LR matches?
Shoot CQB with your TR rifle much? You do realize that some people only have a PR rifle right? You do realize that many of those rifles have timed brakes that can't be removed right? And that brakes aren't allowed in the other LR matches?
PitBull1973
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Right Behind You
You say that matches were held and travel was needed. Then why didn't anyone notify The PR group if they might be interested in shooting. 2015s clinic was the only thing that was held and if it were not for the SR MD who shared the range we would of had nothing
I take it that you have access to the internet and are able to find the ORA web page? There is/was a list of upcoming events, matches and practices that showed the event/location, timings and distances being fired by clicking on the date. Once this was posted you could advance the calendar and look for events for the whole season. I am not really sure what you are getting at. Were you told that you were not allowed to shoot other events or other ranges?
Tom, we weren't told anything and that's the point. PR shooters were completely ignored last year. Nothing on the calendar. Nothing in the news. Nothing in the magazine. No invitations to shoot with other groups. And the biggest one, no other options presented regarding matches. The organization was however quite happy to take our money.
As a member of the ORA you are allowed to shoot and attend any event put on by the ORA. You didn't join the ORA PR section, you joined the ORA. As long as you show up with some rifle that is capable of shooting the even, you just need to show up. Of course showing up with your SKS to shoot a Palma match wouldn't be the best option and either is showing up with .50 cal for CQB. One thing that should be kept in mind is that some range have calibre restriction in place. ie no .338 or .50 cals allowed at Cedar Springs, Winona, Kingston or Connaught.
Got a muzzle brake? Let the MD know as soon a you get there. In most cases another target can be put up a few targets down so everyone does not have to enjoy the muzzle blast.
The ORA AGM is coming up in March. I would suggest that every ORA member attend. For some reason it seems that someone has drawn a line in the sand, that no on should cross between F'ers, TR, PR, SC/CQB.
Got a muzzle brake? Let the MD know as soon a you get there. In most cases another target can be put up a few targets down so everyone does not have to enjoy the muzzle blast.
The ORA AGM is coming up in March. I would suggest that every ORA member attend. For some reason it seems that someone has drawn a line in the sand, that no on should cross between F'ers, TR, PR, SC/CQB.
I hope that the ORA Executive is watching threads like this so they can see the depth of frustration amongst the members. The line in the sand is quite simply this: We all pay the membership fee, but we have all not been represented equally. If I join a racquet club to play tennis and the tennis court closes for renovation, I don't want to be told that I can play squash instead. I can't use my tennis racquet on a squash court. I want to know when I can play tennis again! Otherwise I expect to get my money back!
