Production rule proposal.
Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2017 5:02 pm
New Production Rule Proposal
Submitted by JIM FIELDS - Region IV Director 405-203-1268 - Date - 02-08-17
This proposal in no way is asking for a new category, we have enough as it is. As most of us board members know, we have lost numerous shooters in our sport over the years to declining eyesight, especially in the production categories, both production & revolver. If it wasn't for IHMSA approving scoped guns in the mid-90's & I think most of you will agree, IHMSA would no doubt be a thing of the past.
Let me insert something here, as Oklahoma State Director in the mid-80's in Idaho Falls, ID, I had a proposal on the table two if not three different years to create a scope category for those who wanted to compete with a scoped handgun, notice I said wanted to use a scope, in other words those who didn't want to, that was their option. That same thing applies to this new proposal.
My thinking at that time was for the same reason I'm proposing this rule change, & that being older shooters with eye-sight problems. And as anyone who might of been in attendance at one of those meetings in Idaho, I got laughed out of place including the Oklahoma shooters that drove up with me. I explained at that time as shooters age became a factor they would drop out of our sport as a result of their eyesight going south.
IHMSA membership had a huge decline in the late 80's & early to mid-90's as most of you know, & this was the point I tried to get across years earlier. If that proposal had been approved in the mid 80's I truly believe there would not have been as big of a loss in membership.
Don't know the exact year, but I think it was 1996 we voted to include a scope class on a trial basis for a couple of years & the rest is history, the UAS category in both BB as well as SB is now by far our most popular categories.
At my club here, OKC Gun Club, we're lucky to have 3 to 5 entries in production & about the same for the revolver category & that's unacceptable, most all will agree they can't see the iron sights anymore. I think that holds true at most IHMSA clubs across the country as well as Canada, Australia & Brazil.
So here is my PROPOSAL, to allow reflex sights (red-dot) on both production & revolver handguns in our sport. No new categories involved; now, the board is to determine one of two things (1) to allow reflex sights for shooters of any age or (2) set an age limit say at 60 years of age or whatever, that to be determined by majority of the board. My research shows that most all of these sights are under 4 ounces, so to make weight add 4 ounces to total production gun weight.
Now, some my argue that blade & post shooters will be at a disadvantage, I don't agree, you still have to do the mechanics & keep the dot on distant targets thru the whole firing sequence. If you get beat by a shooter using this reflex sight, so be it. Most reflex sights have little to no magnification.
Some may be skeptical of this proposal but rest assured it will undoubtedly add entries to our local matches & therefore put more money in the bank account of IHMSA & local clubs as well & I think you all will agree we need the extra revenue as recent financial records have reflected. And remember this, you younger shooters, your time will come believe me, & this new rule will extend your time competing in this great sport of silhouette competition.
There is no doubt in my mind that if we adopt this new rule change & the word gets out IHMSA will experience some of our older shooters who have dropped out returning to our sport.
Most other handgun sports across the world have adopted these sights, so there is no reason IHMSA, can't join the party & possibly save IHMSA from extinction.
After much discussion on this new rule change & thinking of the future of IHMSA, I would hope the board as a whole would approve this proposal or at least put it on a 2 year trial basis starting with the 2018 season.
UPDATE: This proposal has been approved by the IHMSA board of directors at the OKC Gun Club on July 17th, 2017 & will go into effect on January 1st, 2018 on a two (2) year trial basis. Age limit is set at the IHMSA senior level which is 60 years of age, a weight increase of 4 ounces has been added on production guns including revolvers.
Submitted by JIM FIELDS - Region IV Director 405-203-1268 - Date - 02-08-17
This proposal in no way is asking for a new category, we have enough as it is. As most of us board members know, we have lost numerous shooters in our sport over the years to declining eyesight, especially in the production categories, both production & revolver. If it wasn't for IHMSA approving scoped guns in the mid-90's & I think most of you will agree, IHMSA would no doubt be a thing of the past.
Let me insert something here, as Oklahoma State Director in the mid-80's in Idaho Falls, ID, I had a proposal on the table two if not three different years to create a scope category for those who wanted to compete with a scoped handgun, notice I said wanted to use a scope, in other words those who didn't want to, that was their option. That same thing applies to this new proposal.
My thinking at that time was for the same reason I'm proposing this rule change, & that being older shooters with eye-sight problems. And as anyone who might of been in attendance at one of those meetings in Idaho, I got laughed out of place including the Oklahoma shooters that drove up with me. I explained at that time as shooters age became a factor they would drop out of our sport as a result of their eyesight going south.
IHMSA membership had a huge decline in the late 80's & early to mid-90's as most of you know, & this was the point I tried to get across years earlier. If that proposal had been approved in the mid 80's I truly believe there would not have been as big of a loss in membership.
Don't know the exact year, but I think it was 1996 we voted to include a scope class on a trial basis for a couple of years & the rest is history, the UAS category in both BB as well as SB is now by far our most popular categories.
At my club here, OKC Gun Club, we're lucky to have 3 to 5 entries in production & about the same for the revolver category & that's unacceptable, most all will agree they can't see the iron sights anymore. I think that holds true at most IHMSA clubs across the country as well as Canada, Australia & Brazil.
So here is my PROPOSAL, to allow reflex sights (red-dot) on both production & revolver handguns in our sport. No new categories involved; now, the board is to determine one of two things (1) to allow reflex sights for shooters of any age or (2) set an age limit say at 60 years of age or whatever, that to be determined by majority of the board. My research shows that most all of these sights are under 4 ounces, so to make weight add 4 ounces to total production gun weight.
Now, some my argue that blade & post shooters will be at a disadvantage, I don't agree, you still have to do the mechanics & keep the dot on distant targets thru the whole firing sequence. If you get beat by a shooter using this reflex sight, so be it. Most reflex sights have little to no magnification.
Some may be skeptical of this proposal but rest assured it will undoubtedly add entries to our local matches & therefore put more money in the bank account of IHMSA & local clubs as well & I think you all will agree we need the extra revenue as recent financial records have reflected. And remember this, you younger shooters, your time will come believe me, & this new rule will extend your time competing in this great sport of silhouette competition.
There is no doubt in my mind that if we adopt this new rule change & the word gets out IHMSA will experience some of our older shooters who have dropped out returning to our sport.
Most other handgun sports across the world have adopted these sights, so there is no reason IHMSA, can't join the party & possibly save IHMSA from extinction.
After much discussion on this new rule change & thinking of the future of IHMSA, I would hope the board as a whole would approve this proposal or at least put it on a 2 year trial basis starting with the 2018 season.
UPDATE: This proposal has been approved by the IHMSA board of directors at the OKC Gun Club on July 17th, 2017 & will go into effect on January 1st, 2018 on a two (2) year trial basis. Age limit is set at the IHMSA senior level which is 60 years of age, a weight increase of 4 ounces has been added on production guns including revolvers.