Rules on Target Clips

bluetentacle · Post by **bluetentacle** » Mon Apr 16, 2012 6:34 pm

Long story short, I shoot smallbore, and I painted my target clips white so that they don't intrude into my sight picture. But the other day, one of the coaches at our club told me that it is in fact illegal to do this. However, thus far, I have not been able to find the rule that says that clips have to be of a certain color. Does anyone here know where in the rulebook it is?

Both Champion's Choice and Champion Shooters Supply offer silver colored clips. Are these legal?

http://www.champchoice.com/prod-SMALL_B ... _-731.aspx

WesternGrizzly · Post by **WesternGrizzly** » Mon Apr 16, 2012 6:48 pm

I can't find the rule, but you can't mark your target differently than the other targets. This can be considered as marking your target. (this is NRA) I will keep looking at the rules.
Matt

bluetentacle · Post by **bluetentacle** » Mon Apr 16, 2012 7:00 pm

It would be nice to know exactly what is and is not allowed...

RobStubbs · Post by **RobStubbs** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 2:35 am

I'd be suprised if any such ruling exists - clips are used variously and I'd be suprised if they were even mentioned. In the UK we pretty much only use clips on the backing cards (at least everywhere I've shot at). You will however have to look at the specific rules for the events you shoot. You could however ask the coach to point the specific rule out to you (?)

Rob.

Hap Rocketto · Post by **Hap Rocketto** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 6:24 am

The answer to your question is that unaltered “Boston Bulldog” and black binder clips will not attract any attention from range officials. They are the two most common clips used by smallbore shooters.

The NRA Smallbore Rules cited below are those that have commonly been used to support the argument about painting clips.

It has been my experience, in some 50 plus years of shooting, that as long as the clips are not painted a garish color no one but a martinet range official will complain.

I would argue that the target is not being intentionally altered or marked, the clips are being marked.

14.11 Scoring Altered Targets - Targets intentionally altered, or marked to benefit a shooter over other
competitors, will not be scored. (See Rule 18.15 (f))

18.15 Responsibility - It shall be the competitor’s responsibility, that:
(f) To ensure that his target is not altered intentionally or with special marks which benefit him in any way.
Scores fired on such targets will be disqualified. (See Rule 14.11)

justadude · Post by **justadude** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 7:39 am

I will line up with Hap, it is not that big of a deal and white clips are not specially marking the target.

If you had your clips painted, say bright pink, I would say you have deliberately marked your target. Since it sounds like you have painted them a color to make them less obvious the argument about special marking does not hold as much weight.

I used to shoot on a range where the sun would hit just the perfect angle so I would catch a hot spot reflection off one or two of my clips. Solution: I too have my clips painted a light tan or beige and only once have I had anyone say anything about it.

My argument is that there are so many different varieties of clips out there that in order to say a competitor has not specially marked a target the range would have to mandate a certain clip be used and then provide that clip.

In the end, you do what you have to do, if it really annoys some RO that your clips are painted white, go look for some that have more of a matte finish in their un-adulterated state and you should be fine.

Good Luck,
'Dude

tenring · Post by **tenring** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 8:30 am

I painted my primer gray so as to not see them. Mine would catch the light too and cause distraction.

tenring

Tim S · Post by **Tim S** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 2:00 pm

To each their own,

Coloured clamps are fairly common here in the UK. Mine are red, blue, yellow, and green. I know of others who have day-glow orange. None have excited any comments from ROs at Bisley or elsewhere.

Coloured clips do "mark" the target, but you can recognise your target while aiming; fewer cross hots is the theory (although that didn't stop the gentleman who put three consecutive shots on my target).

Tim

bluetentacle · Post by **bluetentacle** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 4:38 pm

Thank you for all the advice. I will continue to use my white painted clips. But I'll also have a plethora of other clips on hand so that I can use those if anyone complains.