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Target Shooting Matches, Discussion & Events > Hunter Class Field Target

16X for Field Target Hunter Class?

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ReedOH:
I just got my first air rifle cleaned, set up, and sighted in this past weekend.  It's an HW95 in .22 caliber.  I'd like to enter a few Field Target events next year and wondered how best to practice. 
Do most shooters shoot the entire match at 16X in hunter class?  My deer rifle has a 1.5 - 6X scope on it which is just about perfect here in New Hampshire.  I felt really shakey at 16x on Sunday.
I haven't shot with that kind of magnification before.
I'd like to practice for the events, and hopefully get used to whatever magnification is used.

Motorhead:
Will make the assumption you will be shooting in the "Hunter" class ... AKA: "Hunter Piston"
In this class 16X is the MAXIMUM one may use even if the scope has higher magnification.
You can adjust it lower any time you wish. In actually shooting a match only time most ever do this is for the Forced lanes such as Offhand or Kneeling.

Scopes "PARALLAX" focus which we use to range find has a shallower depth of field higher in magnification you go making the use of the 16X limit WHERE YOU WANT TO RANGE FIND as well SHOOT !!
Then you have the SCOPE and if a SFP or FFP ( Second or First focal plane )  SFP scopes and the D.O.P.E. sheet made for hold over will only be correct at the X magnification you calibrated it for being ideally at 16X.  Where a FFP one D.O.P.E. data sheet works at all X magnifications.

Finding stability is a TECHNIQUE class all its own and there are many ways to get more stable that somewhat revolve around body type ( Short & stumpy or Tall with long legs / arms )
Sitting on a TRI leg stool is far more stable than a Bucket .... Quick adjust shooting sticks such as "Trigger sticks " or "Bog-Pods" make it a lot easier to achieve a natural point of aim and a consistent shooting position.


GO TO YOUR FIRST MATCH AND HAVE FUN ... watch others and ask questions. Seek out those who have played the game for a spell and score well, they will if willing to help you be the key to a rapid improvement in your overall skill set for this game we call Field Target.


Scott S
SVFTC Match Director

nced:

--- Quote from: ReedOH on September 22, 2020, 01:56:04 PM ---I just got my first air rifle cleaned, set up, and sighted in this past weekend.  It's an HW95 in .22 caliber.  I'd like to enter a few Field Target events next year and wondered how best to practice. 
Do most shooters shoot the entire match at 16X in hunter class?  My deer rifle has a 1.5 - 6X scope on it which is just about perfect here in New Hampshire.  I felt really shakey at 16x on Sunday.
I haven't shot with that kind of magnification before.
I'd like to practice for the events, and hopefully get used to whatever magnification is used.

--- End quote ---
Part of the "field target game" includes scope rangefinding to determine the amount of holdover needed for distances other than the "near zero and "far zero". Here is a target I shot a few years ago to determine the trajectory of a certain tune level from 10 yards to 50 yards............

As you can see, using a 30 yard zero my "first zero" was at about 17 yards and my "second zero" was at almost 35 yards. At 10 yards the poi was 3/8" low and at 50 yards the poi was about 1 1/2" low. Some 10 yard field target killzones are only about 3/8"-1/2" diameter which means a miss (or at least a splitter) using a 30 yard zero. The 50 yard group is about 1 1/4" ctc and 1 1/2" low so holding "dead on" would most likely be a miss (or at least a splitter). The "name of the game" is to judge the actual distance to the target and accurately compensate by "holding over" (in hunter class anyway). Even at 16x the depth of field isn't very shallow and pretty "iffy" at distances past 35 yards or so. The open class shooters have claimed that a mag of at least 24x is the minimum for a useful rangefind past 35 yards, and especially past 50 yards. Generally it seems to me that 32x is the minimum power for a good rangefind. When I first started shooting the hunter class the max allowed scope power setting during a match was 12x, however a few years ago the max scope power setting for hunter class field target was raised to 16x. IMHO, the depth of field of a 1.5 - 6X scope is so deep that it's practically useless for accurate scope rangefinding, plus the loopy trajectory of a .22 cal HW95 requires even more accurate "range guestimation and holdover" than a flatter shooting .177 pellet. You mentioned that the 1.5-6x scope was from a "deer rifle", depending on the scope it may not be "internally hardened" for the unique two direction HW95 recoil and the scope definitely needs to "springer rated". Years ago I was using a Weaver V16 scope on my .177 R9 and after a while the reticle literally started "flopping around" when the gun was moved. I sent the scope to Weaver for repair and the repaired (or replaced) scope developed a broked reticle wire. I also used a 6x Burris Compact scope for a while and the R9 also destroyed that scope. My brother also mounted the same type scope on his .177 R9 and it "shot loose". After Burris returned his repaired scope (took 6 weeks!) he only used it on his .22 rimfire. Anywhoo.......with a recoiling piston gun like the HW95 it's wise to get a scope from a vendor with a good customer service department.

Years ago I played with a .20 cal R9 and then fitted the gun with a .22 barrel thinking that it would be better for squirrel hunting. What I learned was that out to my 30 yard zero distance it didn't matter if I used a .177, .2 or .22 barrel, however past the zero distance the proper holdover was too critical for my "range guestimation abilities" and the larger cal actually turned a "reliable at 40ish yard squirrel getter" into a "reliable at no more than 35 yard" squirrel hunter.

Motorhead:
ALWAYS establish your zero range at pellet apex of flight which in a .22 cal and the speed you will be shooting and scope mounted low as practical .... that ZERO will fall likely in the 23-26 yard range.
YOU NEVER ever ever want to have 2 zero holds .. this miens if you did you would need to be HOLDING UNDER between them !! talk about screwing with your head !!! BAD bad bad.

Ideally with a single zero you can hold pretty much dead on +/- 5 yards or so of your zero.  ALL OTHER distance will have some amount of HOLD OVER that Increases as you move closer from the zero range and Increases again as you move further away from the zero range.

Frank in Fairfield:
Scott,
As a past NATIONAL CHAMPION, we are still waiting for your pamphlet, giving us your years of experience in print.
Winter is coming buddy, so get to writing and typing.
I will even help with the typing and photography.
That I do very well, unlike my performance on the FT range..

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