GTA
Target Shooting Matches, Discussion & Events => Field Target Gates => Hunter Class Field Target => Topic started by: vinenator on November 07, 2013, 01:04:58 PM
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i'm competing in my first Hunter Class FT event this weekend.
besides:
"hit the little hole in the middle of the target"
any advice? hints? tricks/tips?
i'll be shooting a FX Cyclone .22 with JSB Exact RS (13.43gr) at about 18.5fpe off a telescopic bipod with swivel V-grove and have a folding hunters seat.
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My advice would be to enjoy yourself first and foremost. Take it all in and don't worry too much about the shooting parts. Gain as much info as you can from the veteran shooters there, they will guide you through it all.
Biggest thing for me was calming down and not setting my expectations too high. Once I settled in, a lot more targets started falling. Above all else though, just have fun!
Good luck, let us know how you do.
Tyler
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The Cyclone has a 8-shot magazine, and I have two. There will be 60 shots over 12 lanes, so I can reload while waiting my turn for a lane and then only every other lane.
Thanks for the advice.
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Advise I teach when working with first timers is .....
*Whatever seating position you find most comfortable and stable .. DO IT EXACTLY THE SAME WAY at every lane ;)
*Be aware of body position to degree you slump, neck position and cheek weld pressure / grip on on rifle & B-ipod be consistent shot to shot as you move along.
Practice ranging with your scopes SF or OB parallax at UNKNOWN distances, resolve what that distance is in your best estimation, Reference your Dope sheet ( Done on Chairgun and printed out ) Take the shot with hold over / under correction getting comfortable with this discipline.
The rest will come with time and actual in field experience shooting in this way.
1st time out ... JUST HAVE FUN, Watch and Learn from others more experienced around you ;D ;D
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(channeling my inner Dirty Harry) I find it difficult to tell if i shot six shots or only 5, but seeing this a an 8 round clip and could shoot WAY too many shots, you do have a point.
the only issue is, would i be penalized if i load the magazine one off and shot a blank first (not sure of the rules)? i'm guaranteed not to do that if i load 8 pellets.
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Technically yes. Under the rules when you break the trigger that is a shot. Most folks at local matches won't care too much but you never know. Best to ask first but it's not a luxury I'd get used to. Maybe put two marks on your mags with red nail polish. One for loading in the same place and the other to tell you when you are half way done.
Just a thought.
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are phone apps allowed (dope sheets) in these events or do all dope sheets have to be printed out?
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are phone apps allowed (dope sheets) in these events or do all dope sheets have to be printed out?
Printed out .... Time allowed per lane would for one really make it tough ... also using one's PDA not knowing what your viewing would be viewed as cheating by many.
Not sure however what the rules say about it tho ?
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the rules say no rangefinders beyond the scope and focus, but doesn't even mention being allowed to carry dope sheets, so i guess i will carry both hard copy and my phone. the idea of the app is to guess the wind before it is my turn and enter it in...about the same amount of time as going over the wind charts.
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Good luck and I hope that you have a great time.
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P.S. Let us know how you do.
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Good Luck on your 1st HFT Shoot.
I'm jealous as I would love to try a FT shoot or 2. The closes one I can find from Central NH is Crosman's in NY, which is a long days drive each way.
Anyone know of any other FT Shoots in the Northeast?
Norm
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Norm there is a FT shoot in Fairless Hills Pa this Sunday. Don't think It's any closer. There is a few of us from GTA that are going to give it a try. None of us has shot FT yet. Going to be a learning experience.
Tom
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Here is the summary of the DIFTA event from Nov 9.
(from the DIFTA Yahoo Group, courtesy of Paolo Amedeo)
The course consisted of 60 shots on 12 lanes. On lanes 1, 2, 9, and 11 we shot a single shot per target (it looks like that I'm the only one constantly taking a second shot at a hard target to make it count as a miss on the next, easy target), contrary to the default two shots per target. Lane 4 was forced offhand position and had a 3" crow target at 55yd. Normally it's not an extremely difficult shot, but the constantly-changing wind made it very challenging with only two shooters knocking it down at least once.
| Shooter | Rifle | Scope | Pellet | Division | Class | Score |
| Dean Mihalovits | AA S500 | Millet TRS-1 | CPH | Hunter | PCP | 54 |
| Jeff Deyesu | Steyr Hunter | SWFA 12x42 | JSB 10.34 | Hunter | PCP | 47 |
| Tom Barlow | Marauder | Millet TRS-1 | JSB 10.34 | Hunter | PCP | 34 |
| Vince A. Sempronio* | FX Cyclone .22 | Hawke 6.5-20x42 | JSB Exact RS 13.43gr | Hunter | PCP | 38 |
| Al Otter | USFT #16 | March X 8-80 | CPH | Open | PCP | 52 |
| Paolo Amedeo | Marauder XL | Leapers 8-32x56 | CPL | WFTF (Open) | PCP | 48 |
| John Simon* | Marauder .22 | Leapers 4-16x50 | JSB 13.4gr | Open | PCP | 37 |
| Rex Gori | Sheridan | 6-18x | - | Vintage | Offhand | 69 |
| Mark Martin | Sheridan CB | Open Sights | Sheridan 14.3gr | Vintage | Offhand | 61 |
| Paolo Amedeo | Marauder XL | Leapers 8-32x56 | CPL | Open | Offhand | 33 |
VAS Comments: I had a great time. I learned a few tricks (Paolo was my shooting partner) and some lessons learned. Oh, BTW, there was a rule change and you don't have to sit on a 15" bucket any more. You can use a taller seat (still without back). I had left mine home so i ended up doing my first and hopefully last bucket shoot!
i hope the table posts ok. the preview doesn't seem to convert the fake html...
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38 of 60 is an outstanding score for first time out!! Keep it up. One question, though, what is the vintage division or offhand class, and how do they score 61 or 69 on a 60 shot course? Cool to see people shooting a sheridan in competition.
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Make 25% of your shots first time out your doing very good ... break 50% and your doing Great !!
Yea, those offhand 69/61 has me puzzled as well ???
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oh, if i recall (i didn't shoot that class), a knockdown is scored as 2 points and a face-plate hit scores 1.
thanks for the support. i was able to "clear" one lane and i think i only had one complete miss (premature trigger finger).
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Fantastic shooting! Shooting better than 50% your first time out is no joke! I did the same my first time out with a gun that was very much set up for FT just not within the AAFTA rules....so I had a bit of an advantage. I'd love to see if you would have made more shots with a .177 as I am sure there had to be a few splitters that got you with the larger .22 pellets.
Congrats and hope to see you making more matches next season!
Tyler
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ya, there were a few splitters but one actually still knocked the target down. perhaps the added mass helped?
there was a slight breeze which worked against me. i could see a number of shots at the 50yd distance just missing to the left or right.
i hope i didn't set my own bar too high now, if i don't do as well next time i'll be miffed! LOL
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Certainly. I started with a .22 and it definitely got me a few extra points on the gamo style targets as most can be knocked over with a decent sized split.
Reading the wind is an acquired skill that only comes with practice and lots of time with your gun of choice. At the Crosman match in July I really had practiced a lot for wind (as the match is held in a wide open field with lots of tricky winds). I learned what to look for from my wind flag and how much dope to provide as a result. That's what it's all about. Luckily, most 50+ yard targets are a good size and you have a good bit of leeway left and right.
Don't worry about where you set the bar, just go out and keep improving. I've only been shooting FT for a year now and I can say for certain, you are constantly learning. Shooting with guys who know what they are doing is everything. It's impossible to make it through a match without at least one bone head move LOL. It's just about making sure that one bone head move either doesn't lose you a point or it only happens once.
Funny side story, I remember my second or third match, I had this nice and easy target at about 30 yards. Maybe a full 1" kill. Should have been a cake walk, so I line it up, range it and pull the trigger......clink.......I was stunned. The target had a nice pellet mark about 12 o'clock, maybe a quarter inch high. I looked at my scope, and low and behold, I didn't adjust my elevation at all and I was still set on my 53 yard zero from the previous lane. I adjusted and dropped it the second time. But it's stuff like that, the stupid stuff where you just aren't thinking that sticks with you and ensures you never do it again.
Sounds like you enjoyed though! Another has caught the FT bug it sounds like! Congrats
Tyler
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congratulations and good job
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Good Luck on your 1st HFT Shoot.
I'm jealous as I would love to try a FT shoot or 2. The closes one I can find from Central NH is Crosman's in NY, which is a long days drive each way.
Anyone know of any other FT Shoots in the Northeast?
Norm
Norm,
We just finished our first year shooting FT in Salem, NY, about an hour north of Albany, 3 miles from the VT border. Not sure where you are in central NH but I shoot air rifle BR in South Lyndeborough, NH and it takes me about 2hrs, 45 mins to get there. You are more than welcome to join us for some FT competition next year! I might even schedule some kind of FT related indoor shoot over the winter in our 25 yard heated pistol range.
Todd
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Should have posted this before I hijacked your post in my above post, But congrats on a great score for your first shoot! I just finished my first year shooting FT and am looking forward to doing some traveling next year. Hope to meet you at DIFTA sometime!
Todd