Artificial Support rule

NRA Pistol Rules 5.2 Artificial Support is defined as follows:

NRA Rule 5.2(a) states, "Any supporting surface, except the ground, not specifically authorized for use in the rules for the position prescribed."

(Use of artificial support is prohibited)

Question is, are items like plywood, boards, cardboard, or carpets allowed for the shooter to stand on?

Yes and can stand on the grass concrete and Etc.

If the competitor brings his/her own then probably not legal.

Wobbley wrote:If the competitor brings his/her own then probably not legal.

Artificially creating a more stable surface.

At Perry in 2013 several shooters tried to lay old targets in the mud and were promptly told NOT ALLOWED. If they would have taken one shot they would have scored a 0 for all 10 shots on that target or be DQ'd for the whole match.

- Dave
If it's not part of the range it's not allowed.

What if the shooter is vertically challenged? Can he/she add height to clear the bench? It would appear to be a rule that would make it impossible for some individuals to compete.

Len

Then I would say they have been handicapped and allowed reasonable accommodations

Not talking about handicapped shooters here, just us BE folks that find the surface uneven, or slanted, or even muddy.
Yes, Perry 2013 was an example of "no artificial support can be used", even though some were standing in 8" of mud, and some weren't. Cardboard, etc. was not allowed.

The rules are plain to me, you can do nothing to enhance the surface except move to a different firing point if permitted. If the surface is much worse than other points im sure you could request to be allowed to move.

At Perry they didn't allow us to stand on target at the muddy target line either; what sense was that?  Any artificial support issue when not even at the firing point? I didn't argue, it wasn't worth it. oh and being anchored in mud was an additional support!

So fancy this: a competitor has a hole and fills it with dirt to make a level spot , just like the other firing points. Not allowed if they see you do it, but ok if they don't?

Man made material in a hole is more obvious but again you still have to stand and deliver the shot. There is no support offered by it, unlike leaning on the bench or shooting with your arm on the brass catcher (seen that one too).

How about an orthopaedic shoe with a thicker sole on one side?

The whole argument seems ridiculous

The adjoining Masters and high masters couldn't have cared less. 

regards

By handicapped I mean they have to accommodate someone to provide a safe way to meet the match rules. If your 3'10", they can't expect you to shoot over a 42" table.

NRA has a few rules for handicaps of various sorts, as I recall.

The discussion has deteriorated, perhaps thanks to the 2013 Perry disaster and the reductio ad absurdium approach of the officials that year.

If the "ground" is dirt, filling a hole ain't gonna be "artificial support". As far as I'm concerned, tough beans for any other competitor who fails to kick some gravel into the dip and make things better. Initiative and ambition and all that. Heck, us HP Rifle people kicked dirt around all the time for the standing stages.

If the "ground" is concrete, you're stuck. But at least not stuck in mud!

Shoes are not "ground". If it's the same for every shot and ain't a ski boot (interesting rumors around the college circuit circa 1983 or '84...), it ain't artificial support.

Now one "legal" thing I might not approve of would be special socks with non-supportive plastic ribs in them to rub your shins and give you extra kinesthetic input into your degree of "sway" while executing your shot...nevermind that just about any pair of ordinary boots could do that, even Goat-Roper boots.