LOL! The gun is capable of extreme accuracy. However the idiot behind the trigger is always the problem.
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Clearly I needed another hole in my head.........
- Thread starter qball
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LOL! The gun is capable of extreme accuracy. However the idiot behind the trigger is always the problem.
No wonder you disappeared from the long range forum, you’ve been busy. Nice rifle! No excuses now.
mike
mike
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Yeah, haven't really spent much time at the 300 yard range recently now that FT season has started. LOL!
I literally spend 3 hours with my laser range finder marking range on the parallax wheel yesterday, even wore out the battery in my Sig range finder. This FT business is more time consuming than I thought even starting with a top tier rifle, I haven't even really started the ergonomics adjustments in earnest because my hamster hasn't shown up from UK/Rowan yet. This is quite the rabbit hole I got myself into. Doh!
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It has been nice readying about your similar journey. I have been crazy busy at work, and haven’t gotten go to a match yet with my Thomas, but like you, I have tried to spend time in the yard getting my dope right and practicing (I suck at the kneeling and offhand too).
I have the tape for my parallax wheel written out in pencil, and am waiting on my wife to create it in Photoshop.
I saw your note about the range finder. What I found I really like instead of the range finder is a 300 tape measure. I love that thing. It helped create my tape and it has helped me in practice/dope checking sessions. I can range and then flip over the tape measure and confirm I am where it says on the wheel. It is a little more accurate than my range finder and even helped confirm partial yardages too.
I’m hoping now that the first busy season of the year is over, I can find a little more time to get out and head over to the matches. It is nice having 2-3 sets of local matches fairly nearby.
I have the tape for my parallax wheel written out in pencil, and am waiting on my wife to create it in Photoshop.
I saw your note about the range finder. What I found I really like instead of the range finder is a 300 tape measure. I love that thing. It helped create my tape and it has helped me in practice/dope checking sessions. I can range and then flip over the tape measure and confirm I am where it says on the wheel. It is a little more accurate than my range finder and even helped confirm partial yardages too.
I’m hoping now that the first busy season of the year is over, I can find a little more time to get out and head over to the matches. It is nice having 2-3 sets of local matches fairly nearby.
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@Smok3y: I’m lucky enough to be working from home most of the time which is part of the reason I made the moderator and tuned it down to 12 FPE so I can practice in the yard in stealth. Thanks to that now I’m looking to setup for WFTF class hahahaha!
I found FT more challenging than long range but also I can practice as home vs not, the guy we were interviewing this morning wasn’t too good so I zoned out and put a couple of dozen shots into my 20 yard target box during the interview. Gotta love Bluetooth headset with mute button! LOL!
once the Rowan adjustable hamster shows up(hopefully just another week) I’ll post my setup in its almost final form and start ergonomic adjustment in earnest.
I found FT more challenging than long range but also I can practice as home vs not, the guy we were interviewing this morning wasn’t too good so I zoned out and put a couple of dozen shots into my 20 yard target box during the interview. Gotta love Bluetooth headset with mute button! LOL!
once the Rowan adjustable hamster shows up(hopefully just another week) I’ll post my setup in its almost final form and start ergonomic adjustment in earnest.
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Agree with the challenging comment. That is why I wanted to start it up, make me a better shooter overall hopefully. I do love that I don’t have to worry about the rifle. Set it up and it just shoots the same every day at every temp.
A lot to remember. I keep wanting to stand up before I close my pellet pouch. That is annoying when I spill them! That and… Oops, I forgot to adjust the elevation!
Rowan ships fast, so it shouldn’t take long to get here. I get stuff faster from them than I do stuff in the states.
A lot to remember. I keep wanting to stand up before I close my pellet pouch. That is annoying when I spill them! That and… Oops, I forgot to adjust the elevation!
Rowan ships fast, so it shouldn’t take long to get here. I get stuff faster from them than I do stuff in the states.
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Rowan adjustable hamster has been out of stock but I just got the notification that my order is fulfilled but still no tracking info yet so hopefully next week.
Have to agree 100% on the Thomas being as reliable and consistent as it gets which frees up my focus to the shooting itself. You are not kidding on a ton of things to remember then there is wind!!! I've even been stretching daily to help with my shooting posture and position. Funny you mentioned spilling pellets from pellet pouch because I just did that this morning! Doh! LOL!
Have to agree 100% on the Thomas being as reliable and consistent as it gets which frees up my focus to the shooting itself. You are not kidding on a ton of things to remember then there is wind!!! I've even been stretching daily to help with my shooting posture and position. Funny you mentioned spilling pellets from pellet pouch because I just did that this morning! Doh! LOL!
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You guys were talking about setting up your scopes…so I’ll throw my method out there.
Most guys spend an afternoon with some blue tape on the wheel and some pencil marks. I believe that learning the peculiarities of a scope takes at least a few weeks of data collection.
I use a cad program to create a tape with 1mm graduations from 1-250 or whatever suits your range of travel on your wheel.
I make a permanent mark on the wheel to align the zero of the tape with.
I then begin ranging known distances and recording the number on the tape in a notebook. You must write down the conditions very specifically. Cloudy, sunny, temperature, texture. You will quickly see that your range numbers will vary a lot depending on many conditions. I do this over as many possible temperatures, light conditions, and textures as I can. Take your time gathering your data and always use the same technique to arrive at your range. Clockwise approach or counterclockwise approach….whatever works best. Just do it exactly the same.
When you have gathered as much data as possible….you are now ready to begin making your real range tape. I make my tape for the average temps and average light conditions on a surface that I will always have available like a target face. Lay your tape out on a flat surface and use your average numbers from your acquired data to create a yardage tape.
Study your data to learn what you should expect during temp changes and use an adjustable pointer to reset your long ranges according to current temp. The longer ranges (46-55) are what you need to concern yourself with. That is where the game is won and lost.
This is a very abridged version of what I do. I believe it’s absolutely vital to winning matches. Once you have complete confidence n your rifle and your scope in every condition….you can start learning the other elements of the game.
Mike
Most guys spend an afternoon with some blue tape on the wheel and some pencil marks. I believe that learning the peculiarities of a scope takes at least a few weeks of data collection.
I use a cad program to create a tape with 1mm graduations from 1-250 or whatever suits your range of travel on your wheel.
I make a permanent mark on the wheel to align the zero of the tape with.
I then begin ranging known distances and recording the number on the tape in a notebook. You must write down the conditions very specifically. Cloudy, sunny, temperature, texture. You will quickly see that your range numbers will vary a lot depending on many conditions. I do this over as many possible temperatures, light conditions, and textures as I can. Take your time gathering your data and always use the same technique to arrive at your range. Clockwise approach or counterclockwise approach….whatever works best. Just do it exactly the same.
When you have gathered as much data as possible….you are now ready to begin making your real range tape. I make my tape for the average temps and average light conditions on a surface that I will always have available like a target face. Lay your tape out on a flat surface and use your average numbers from your acquired data to create a yardage tape.
Study your data to learn what you should expect during temp changes and use an adjustable pointer to reset your long ranges according to current temp. The longer ranges (46-55) are what you need to concern yourself with. That is where the game is won and lost.
This is a very abridged version of what I do. I believe it’s absolutely vital to winning matches. Once you have complete confidence n your rifle and your scope in every condition….you can start learning the other elements of the game.
Mike
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Thanks Mike!!! And thank goodness I’m not looking to win real matches against “you people”! LMAO!
Those are some really awesome advises and I need to go over them a few times and digest them better on how to incorporate them. My current approach is to use higher surface areas with good texture and lighting for laser ranging. Trying to be as consistent as I can when ranging with laser, I leave my right shoulder in shooting position when ranging or as close to shooting position as I can. obviously it’s a bit tougher to scope range darker objects, might switch scope to one with better glass but I really like the turret, parallax and reticles of my current scope……trying to not spend another 4k on the Khales FT scope. Doh!!!
I didn’t realize temp change would affect how ranging work so need to definitely pay attention to that and mirage did make things difficult so need to learn how to deal with that. Once scope ranging is accurate enough I’ll start the ballistic validation, I can cheat a little with strelok pro and get drop and wind calculation with environment data variation and go validate the accuracy and so far strelok as be spot on. I know as temp and elevation goes up ballistic will change significantly from shooting long range. Tape will be near impossible to use at my local range so I’ll stick with my Sig laser range finders….for now.
For now my main focus is to get my sub 15 yards drop figured out better because I really suck at is last couple of matches. Anything pass 20 I was pretty descent at during the matches or didn’t really have many misses but close ones ate me up! Missed only 3-4 shots pass 20 yards but missed half of the shots at sub 15 yards, Doh!
Like you said there is no quick way around it besides spending as much time as I can shooting and collect data in as many different conditions as possible. This is a neurotic “sport” but for some reason I really like it so guess that means I apparently have more than a few loose screws…..which fits the title of this thread well. LOL!
Those are some really awesome advises and I need to go over them a few times and digest them better on how to incorporate them. My current approach is to use higher surface areas with good texture and lighting for laser ranging. Trying to be as consistent as I can when ranging with laser, I leave my right shoulder in shooting position when ranging or as close to shooting position as I can. obviously it’s a bit tougher to scope range darker objects, might switch scope to one with better glass but I really like the turret, parallax and reticles of my current scope……trying to not spend another 4k on the Khales FT scope. Doh!!!
I didn’t realize temp change would affect how ranging work so need to definitely pay attention to that and mirage did make things difficult so need to learn how to deal with that. Once scope ranging is accurate enough I’ll start the ballistic validation, I can cheat a little with strelok pro and get drop and wind calculation with environment data variation and go validate the accuracy and so far strelok as be spot on. I know as temp and elevation goes up ballistic will change significantly from shooting long range. Tape will be near impossible to use at my local range so I’ll stick with my Sig laser range finders….for now.
For now my main focus is to get my sub 15 yards drop figured out better because I really suck at is last couple of matches. Anything pass 20 I was pretty descent at during the matches or didn’t really have many misses but close ones ate me up! Missed only 3-4 shots pass 20 yards but missed half of the shots at sub 15 yards, Doh!
Like you said there is no quick way around it besides spending as much time as I can shooting and collect data in as many different conditions as possible. This is a neurotic “sport” but for some reason I really like it so guess that means I apparently have more than a few loose screws…..which fits the title of this thread well. LOL!
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The back ordered Rowan hamster finally made it here just in time for this weekend’s match, Pepe is all dressed up for tomorrow!
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Mr qball did quite well on Sundays SVFTC match ! Had squaded him with a 10+year vet of the game who also shoots a Thomas and WFTF class. In this way I hoped they both might have a bit of good fun and direct competition & they did. Discounting the dreaded OFF HAND & KNEELING, qball beat the other gentlemen by 2 shots !! ... Whoa !!
But as those of us who shoot the game of FT learn at some point, until such time as you can master the Forced positions you sadly will seldom beat those who can.
Thus .... qball did not beat the other gentleman come matches end.
His rifle ( THOMAS ) really has come together nicely, he has the skills and just needs some time in the FT game in getting consistency anchored better and get those forced position shots especially.
Great job !!!
Scott S
SVFTC Match Director
But as those of us who shoot the game of FT learn at some point, until such time as you can master the Forced positions you sadly will seldom beat those who can.
Thus .... qball did not beat the other gentleman come matches end.
His rifle ( THOMAS ) really has come together nicely, he has the skills and just needs some time in the FT game in getting consistency anchored better and get those forced position shots especially.
Great job !!!
Scott S
SVFTC Match Director
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Thanks Scott!
It was a blast and highlighted my glaring weakness! Need to work on that big time.
my Thomas needs some Motörhead special touch very soon!!! I know, I can’t leave a good thing alone!
It was a blast and highlighted my glaring weakness! Need to work on that big time.
my Thomas needs some Motörhead special touch very soon!!! I know, I can’t leave a good thing alone!
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Asked a friend to help me make a FT tray/tote, finally finished today and it’s pretty awesome. Granted still thinking about a foldable golf cart design so might go that route too a bit later.
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Finally another update:
Shot it at a few matches and the gun obviously did it’s part so all the misses were on me. Of course I have to blame the scope and found a good deal on a beast of a scope!! It’s OMG clear so hopefully I can do a touch better as between 45 and 55 yards the poor little helix was struggling a little and I have to be really on top of it to range correctly in low light or shade.
So what do I do when I get a new scope? Shoot it? Obviously no! Doll it up of course, who takes their shiny new truck to the dirt? It’s all about looking cool so I went to work with my 3D printer.
Printed a big scope wheel and yes I’m a Tesla fanboy!
Couldn’t find a 40mm bubble level so I made one with a modular scope wheel indicator/marker
The. Some bling for my palm shelf
Then finally jazzed up my moderator with a bit of graphics because I was born in year of dragon.
Not is all purtty I’ll try to sight it in tomorrow and mark the scope wheel with yardage so I can shoot this Sunday’s club match…..,if I messed up the yardage at least I’ll look good!!!
Shot it at a few matches and the gun obviously did it’s part so all the misses were on me. Of course I have to blame the scope and found a good deal on a beast of a scope!! It’s OMG clear so hopefully I can do a touch better as between 45 and 55 yards the poor little helix was struggling a little and I have to be really on top of it to range correctly in low light or shade.
So what do I do when I get a new scope? Shoot it? Obviously no! Doll it up of course, who takes their shiny new truck to the dirt? It’s all about looking cool so I went to work with my 3D printer.
Printed a big scope wheel and yes I’m a Tesla fanboy!
Couldn’t find a 40mm bubble level so I made one with a modular scope wheel indicator/marker
The. Some bling for my palm shelf
Then finally jazzed up my moderator with a bit of graphics because I was born in year of dragon.
Not is all purtty I’ll try to sight it in tomorrow and mark the scope wheel with yardage so I can shoot this Sunday’s club match…..,if I messed up the yardage at least I’ll look good!!!
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Looks like you have your dancing shoes all spiffed up ... Lol
CYA at the range Sunday .... should be a fabulous fall day .
CYA at the range Sunday .... should be a fabulous fall day .
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