National rules F-Class Czech Republic

F-Class shooting competitions are named after Canadian shooter George Farquharson, who defined the rifle for long-range precision shooting. This rifle is characterized as a single-shot rifle with a Falling-block bolt system with a floating barrel. Since the first competitions in 1876, these competitions have been gaining popularity, especially in the Anglo-Saxon environment.

Striving to achieve the most accurate results of target shooting with modern single-shot rifles leads to the growth of shooting skills and is a challenge for a wide range of sport shooters not only in the world but also in the Czech Republic. National rules of F-Class competitions include full-fledged shooting categories in the spirit of ICFRA rules - OPEN and F/TR. In order to make precision shooting more accessible to the Czech shooting public, rules are also developed for modified F-Class categories Sniper Open and Semi auto.

The national F-Class rules have been developed to establish uniform and clear rules for the organizers of competitions organized in the Czech Republic as well as for Czech and foreign participants of these competitions.

Training

Training in the F-Class is provided on the same shooting range where the competition will take place. The training is usually provided the day before the competition with the time listed on the website ww.f-class.cz. Competitors who have paid for and registered for practice when they register for the event will adhere to the time set for practice shooting. The shooting time is the same as the time listed on the start list. The start list is posted on the website at least two days before the event.

Exception in shooting time for training must be agreed in advance with the organizer of the competition.

If there is a vacancy on the firing line, the competitor may occupy the vacancy outside of the specified time, but always in agreement with the referee directing the firing.

Times relevant for the training:

Categories: Open, F - TR

Category: Semi-auto

Category: Sniper Open

Competition

Competition in the F-Class consists of prone shooting at distances from 300 m onwards using a weapon equipped with an optical sight and front and rear support. Shooting from the shoulder is compulsory and free recoil is not allowed. Shooting takes place at three predetermined distances on paper targets with concentric circles of known size.

The competition shall be held on open ranges in all weather conditions, provided that weather conditions allow the targets to be seen, do not restrict shooting safety and do not endanger the competitors. Weather conditions preventing practice or competition are considered force majeure and do not entitle competitors to a refund of entry fees.

Shooting shall be conducted sequentially from the targets located closest to the targets located farthest from the firing line. Competitors have the opportunity to practice one day prior to the start of the competition on practice targets located at all competition distances.

Times relevant for the competition: Categories: Open, F - TR

Category: Semi Auto

Category: Sniper Open

Equipment

Front and rear supports

Bipods, rests or leather or cloth bags filled with sand (bags) are permitted to support the forearm of the weapon when firing. The rest must be equipped with a leather or cloth bag filled with sand on which the forearm of the weapon rests when firing. The weapon must be free to be lifted from the rest. If the weapon is so firmly fixed in the rest that the rest lifts with the weapon, it shall be considered as part of the weapon and its weight shall be added to the weight of the weapon. No part of the weapon, except the front face of the forearm, shall come into contact with any part of the rest other than the bag during firing. Only leather or cloth bags filled with sand (bags) are permitted to support the stock. The front and rear gun supports must not be connected in any way to each other or to the support on which they are placed and no mechanisms are permitted to allow the gun to return to its pre-shot position.

F-Class Open

F-Class F-TR

F-Class Sniper Open

F-Class Semi-auto

Weapons

The competition gun must be registered and have a gun license. The width of the forearm must not exceed 76mm (3"). The trigger mechanism may be any safe mechanical trigger mechanism, electronic, pneumatic or other trigger mechanisms that allow the weapon’s hammer mechanism to be activated remotely are prohibited. There must be direct interaction between the shooter and the trigger mechanism during firing. The weight of the weapon depends on the category and the weight of the weapon includes all parts of the weapon including all attached accessories, i.e. optical sight, bipod and other devices, if any. One weapon cannot be entered in more than one category. A weapon whose calibre is changed during the competition is considered a different weapon and may compete in a different category. One weapon may be shared by no more than two shooters and only in one and the same category. The use of one weapon in two competition categories is only possible if the shooter shoots the first category without a shot, i.e. Sniper Open.

F-Class Open

Class F-Class F-TR

F-Class F-Class Sniper Open

Class F-Class Semi auto

Scope

The optical sight is not limited by magnification or design. All optical sights are allowed.

Method of shooting

Shooting is from the shoulder in a prone position and free recoil is not allowed. Competitors are allowed to shoot 3 sighting shots at each competition distance, which are marked before the competition shots start. Sighting shots are not allowed in the Sniper Open category. The number of competition shots and shooting time for each distance is announced by the competition organizer in the competition rules.

F-Class Open

F-Class F-TR

F-Class Sniper Open

F-Class Semi Auto

Other equipment

Notes, wind indicators, ballistic computers, speed meters and time indicators can be used when shooting. If the time indicator is a timer, it must not disturb other competitors by sounding a signal before the linesman has finished shooting.

The placement of wind indicators in the shooting range is at the discretion of the competition organiser. If wind indicators placed in the shooting area are permitted by the organiser, they must be placed on the shooting area by the organiser in such a way that they are usable by all competitors. In such a case, the wind indicators must be placed in the area before the start of the competition and their number and position must not change during the competition. The wind indicators must be placed so that their height does not exceed the imaginary line between the competitors’ main guns and the bottom edge of the target, or they must be placed outside the line formed by the edge shooters and the edge targets.

Target scoring

Targets at all competition distances are scored the same, no target has a higher score. Hits are scored on the caliber with which the target is shot. If no rings are hit, the hit is scored 0 points. If two circles are hit, the hit is scored with the points corresponding to the higher scoring circle. A hit between two circles is considered a hit that touches the line dividing the circles with different scores.

Targets

The targets for all F-Class competitions are paper targets with concentric circles of different sizes and with different scores. The highest scoring (ten points) is the center circle with a diameter of 1 MOA. The center circle contains a special inner circular area of 0.5 MOA that serves as an auxiliary, it is referred to as “X”. The circle designated as “X” may be displayed in a different color than the other circles to improve target acquisition.

Safety measures

Safety principles must be maintained during all activities in the shooting range area. Especially when handling and firing the weapon. A severe violation of the safety rules presented during the instruction prior to the start of the competition may be grounds for expulsion of the shooter from the competition.

A severe violation of safety rules is:

Entry fee

The entry fee is determined by the organizer of the competition. The entry fee is the same for all categories and includes participation in the official training one day before the competition.

GDPR

By registering the competitor for the race by filling in the entry form, the competitor gives his/her consent to the processing of personal data in accordance with the applicable GDPR requirements.