Update on the legality of Bright Focus apertures in competition

Spring 2010.  The CMP has now declared that apertures must be round, so for now, my rectangular apertures remain NRA legal, but are not legal for CMP.

To answer this requirement for a round aperture, I have designed a new aperture I call the ARand aperture.  It is a round Garand aperture transplanted into an AR.  As many people know, when you elevate the Garand aperture to maximum height, it inclines forward, creating an oval image for the eye, despite the fact that it is round.  By doing some complex multi-axis cutting with a wire EDM, I have created a sight using a plate of the same thickness as the Garand aperture, inclined at the same angle as the maximum swing of the Garand aperture, and simply modified the depth of chamfer the Garand uses to create a slit shaped ovalized image to the eye.  Make no mistake - the rules call for a round aperture, and this aperture is round!

Testing looks very good, and I expect them to be available for sale at Camp Perry 2010.

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August 2008.  I met with Gary Anderson of the CMP, at Camp Perry, during the Nationals.  I presented him with new data that rectangular apertures help astigmatic shooters, as well as evidence of other non-round sights that had been developed by the US Army.  Gary recommended I write another letter to the Rules Committee to have the sights re-evaluated during their 2008 meeting.  This meeting is scheduled to take place late October 2008, and I will do everything I can to attend.

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June 2008.  The CMP has informed me that the rectangular apertures were NOT ruled legal this year.  I am working to appeal this decision.  The basis for their decision was rule 6.1.1 (4), which requires that the sight be of US Army design, however this ruling ignores 6.1.2 (3) which specifically ALLOWS the rear sight aperture to depart from the US Army design.

6.1.1 (4) Front and rear sights: Must be of U.S. Army design (either service or match).

6.1.2 (3) The dimensions of the rear sight aperture (internal diameter) and the front sight post (width) may vary from standard military dimensions.  The rear sight aperture may have a fixed, non-adjustable aperture insert.

With NRA approval, these apertures can be used in all XTC matches run under NRA sanction, as well as for the NRA portions of the National Matches.  They CANNOT be used in EIC matches, the P100, or NTI.

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Feb 2008.  CMP has delayed their rules committee meeting, and hopes to hold it before March of this year.

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Nov 6, 2007.  NRA LEGAL I have just been in communication with Don Nance, Highpower Program Coordinator for the NRA, who informed me that the NRA High Power committee has determined that nothing in the service rifle rules requires the aperture to be round, so Bright Focus rectangular apertures ARE ALLOWED under current NRA rules.

I'm still waiting on a judgment from the CMP, expected sometime in January 2008.

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October 27, 2007.  The CMP rules committee meeting, originally scheduled for October 30 has been posponed till the December/January timeframe.  I'm still on the agenda, and will be there when the meeting happens.

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August 2007.  While at Camp Perry for the 2007 Rifle Championships and to launch Bright Focus Rectangular Apertures, I met with Gary Anderson, Director of the CMP, and Don Nance, Program Coordinator - High Power Rifle of the NRA.  I also attended the NRA competitor's meeting, headed by H. J. "Walt" Walter.  In all cases, these gentlemen gave me excellent advice on how to write a formal letter to the rules committee of their respective organizations, requesting official review of the Bright Focus apertures, and suggesting strategies to justify why they should be allowed in competition (in the event that the rules committee finds that they are not allowed under current rules).

My lead argument is that nothing in the CMP or NRA rules appears to prohibit rectangular apertures, as apertures are not defined as round by Webster's dictionary, and changes to the dimensions of the rear aperture are specifically allowed by the rules.

Followup arguments are that other changes, like float tubes are external modifications that have been permitted in the spirit of making the rifle more suited for target shooting.  These apertures should fall into the same category of modifications.

My final argument was that these apertures reduce the disadvantage associated with declining eyesight (like mine), to allow target shooting to be a competition of shooting skill, not a judgment of visual acuity.

Bright Focus Rectangular Apertures are now on the agenda for the next meeting of the rules committee of CMP and NRA, scheduled for October 2007.

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I'll update this page when I have more information.