For those who haven't yet pored over the 2021 FITASC rules, there are a couple of changes to be aware of.
The first is mainly for target setters and course designers, but it's worth knowing for shooters to know that the layouts in World Cup events have been properly prepared:
2.5.3 On a layout, at shooting positions with 3 machines and 2 doubles, there is either 1 simultaneous double or one rafale double, or even both: but there can't be 2 doubles on report. To be used only in World Cup Events held in the U.S.
Another change is only for referees and how they record scores:
4.3 [NOTE this is mis-numbered in the NSCA Rules, it should be 14.3, it is in CHAPTER 14 - SCORECARDS] The total scores shall be tallied and the scores may be recorded electronically, written in ink or pencil and initialed by the field judge.
The last change is very important for all shooters, and it provides an actual rule for a common situation that was not included before in the rules and was handled differently by different referees. As background, consider the following long-standing rules:
7.3 In exceptional circumstances, a shooter may, in the event of his/her gun malfunctioning, borrow another shooter's gun, with the latter's agreement, in order to complete the round.
Complete or partial replacement of a firearm, mobile choke or barrel is allowed during the same round, between stands, or between single and double targets, though this must not cause any delay.
7.4 Once shooters are on the shooting stand, they are not allowed to make any of the changes provided for above.
These two rules state that once in the shooting stand, a shooter cannot change chokes. But what about the unfortunate shooter who is up first for singles, who is viewing the targets for the first time within the shooting stand? According to these rules, that shooter has no opportunity to change chokes before shooting singles, a patently unfair situation. Some refs allow that shooter to change chokes in the stand (violating 7.4), some allow the shooter to step out of the shooting station to change chokes (violating 16.11), and the rest simply shrug and say "Dem's da rules, sorry."
But now we have this, an actual, new, useful - and most welcome - rule:
7.11 While viewing targets, the shooter in the shooting ring will be allowed a reasonable amount of time to change choke tubes.
Note that it doesn't say "viewing singles targets," so it MIGHT also be applied to the shooter viewing a true pair during doubles (it certainly will on my parcours). And what is "reasonable amount of time," you ask? That, of course, still depends on the referee. But I wouldn't stand there trying to decide between IC and LtMod for more than 3 seconds. And also note that you have to have those chokes with you in the stand, no running back to your cart for your XF turkey choke.
The first is mainly for target setters and course designers, but it's worth knowing for shooters to know that the layouts in World Cup events have been properly prepared:
2.5.3 On a layout, at shooting positions with 3 machines and 2 doubles, there is either 1 simultaneous double or one rafale double, or even both: but there can't be 2 doubles on report. To be used only in World Cup Events held in the U.S.
Another change is only for referees and how they record scores:
4.3 [NOTE this is mis-numbered in the NSCA Rules, it should be 14.3, it is in CHAPTER 14 - SCORECARDS] The total scores shall be tallied and the scores may be recorded electronically, written in ink or pencil and initialed by the field judge.
The last change is very important for all shooters, and it provides an actual rule for a common situation that was not included before in the rules and was handled differently by different referees. As background, consider the following long-standing rules:
7.3 In exceptional circumstances, a shooter may, in the event of his/her gun malfunctioning, borrow another shooter's gun, with the latter's agreement, in order to complete the round.
Complete or partial replacement of a firearm, mobile choke or barrel is allowed during the same round, between stands, or between single and double targets, though this must not cause any delay.
7.4 Once shooters are on the shooting stand, they are not allowed to make any of the changes provided for above.
These two rules state that once in the shooting stand, a shooter cannot change chokes. But what about the unfortunate shooter who is up first for singles, who is viewing the targets for the first time within the shooting stand? According to these rules, that shooter has no opportunity to change chokes before shooting singles, a patently unfair situation. Some refs allow that shooter to change chokes in the stand (violating 7.4), some allow the shooter to step out of the shooting station to change chokes (violating 16.11), and the rest simply shrug and say "Dem's da rules, sorry."
But now we have this, an actual, new, useful - and most welcome - rule:
7.11 While viewing targets, the shooter in the shooting ring will be allowed a reasonable amount of time to change choke tubes.
Note that it doesn't say "viewing singles targets," so it MIGHT also be applied to the shooter viewing a true pair during doubles (it certainly will on my parcours). And what is "reasonable amount of time," you ask? That, of course, still depends on the referee. But I wouldn't stand there trying to decide between IC and LtMod for more than 3 seconds. And also note that you have to have those chokes with you in the stand, no running back to your cart for your XF turkey choke.