Field Target is an arms race.
- Thread starter Franklink
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Disagreeing with folks is part of life.
I'll counter with how many Sighttron SIIIs are being used in Hunter class at 16x now.
SIII Field Target10-50x60 IR
Built for precision target shooting applications up to and exceeding 1000 yards. The Sightron SIII 10-50x60 Field Traget Long Range rifle scope with Illuminated reticle delivers superior optics and accuracy when it counts.
sightron.com For anybody that didn't follow the link, the SIII's are going for the budget friendly price of $1759.99. Likely find a deal on one somewhere for less than MSRP though. Heck might even get it all the way down to $1500 if a guy shops around and waits for a sale.
I'm not new to field target, just in the habit of calling a space a spade.
What's also telling is that you're calling a $1200-2100 rig "low-dollar."
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There just doesn't seem to be a way to explain to some people that if they got after it like the top dogs, they might be a top dog. Most of us are unwilling to make the sacrifice, spend the hours, put in the monotonous practice, and do it until you bleed from your eyes. I know where I stand (and it took a long while to figure out, so I'm not criticizing) - but once you step in the big pool (*real* competition) you'd better figure out if the prize is worth the price, and realize that there are those who eat, drink, and sleep nothing but shooting. If you have *any* distractions, you need to figure out where you want to be, and be happy with that.I was at a match not long ago where my neighbor on the next bench quickly noticed I had a 3000$ scope and his only cost 600. We both had the same chronograph for about the same length of time and he had 36 sessions on his compared to my 900 plus. He's pretty sure I beat him because of my scope, though.
Not to discourage anyone. I think competition is the very best way to improve, but it's very humbling. You get to go from being the awesome shooter your friends think you are, to the bottom of the list in the world of genuine proficiency. You can blame equipment, or buy all the best equipment, but nothing replaces the hours of intense, meaningful, practice that some put in.
I repeat, that I know where I stand. I'm considered a good (though not the best) shooter even in my competitive crowd. I can knock the socks off of recreational shooters, my friends are dazzled, but I'm no match for the big dogs, and equipment isn't going to change that. I'm just solidly good, but not great. I would never be here without competition, but I've also realized that I just don't have the drive to work as hard as those in the top spots. I still work harder at it than many (most?) but I recognize that those that are beating me have worked harder, not just bought better gear.
GsT
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Jeff thats great !!!
Been years and being the horder I am ... Still possess a Palmer Blazer, a CCM Auto Cocker / pump conversion and a 1st gen AGD Automag
Why ... I just don't know
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Nobody needs one of those scopes to be competitive.Disagreeing with folks is part of life.
I'll counter with how many Sighttron SIIIs are being used in Hunter class at 16x now.
SIII Field Target10-50x60 IR
Built for precision target shooting applications up to and exceeding 1000 yards. The Sightron SIII 10-50x60 Field Traget Long Range rifle scope with Illuminated reticle delivers superior optics and accuracy when it counts.
For anybody that didn't follow the link, the SIII's are going for the budget friendly price of $1759.99. Likely find a deal on one somewhere for less than MSRP though. Heck might even get it all the way down to $1500 if a guy shops around and waits for a sale.
I'm not new to field target, just in the habit of calling a space a spade.
What's also telling is that you're calling a $1200-2100 rig "low-dollar."
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You don’t need those scopes to be competitive, but they are extremely bright, which helps old eyes, and they were at a price point before COVID ($1000) that didn’t seem unreasonable. They don’t range any better than other scopes past 40yds at 16X. But a good Athlon scope and proper time spent bracketing on KZ’s and target bases can deliver winning performances.Disagreeing with folks is part of life.
I'll counter with how many Sighttron SIIIs are being used in Hunter class at 16x now.
SIII Field Target10-50x60 IR
Built for precision target shooting applications up to and exceeding 1000 yards. The Sightron SIII 10-50x60 Field Traget Long Range rifle scope with Illuminated reticle delivers superior optics and accuracy when it counts.
For anybody that didn't follow the link, the SIII's are going for the budget friendly price of $1759.99. Likely find a deal on one somewhere for less than MSRP though. Heck might even get it all the way down to $1500 if a guy shops around and waits for a sale.
I'm not new to field target, just in the habit of calling a space a spade.
There is a continuing theme in responses to your OP; spend time with your rifle, shooting FT, and developing the skills that will take you to the top. Philip Hepler is my friend and a prime example of this process and his way to the top. He even put together a series of FT shooting videos to help other new shooters get better!
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Don't forget that the "arms race" is good for the economy...
If the bulk of the "wanna be" competitors didn't think that the quickest path to the winners circle was through spending a lot, then we would not get the manufactures to create lots of new and better equipment (sometimes only so-called) to improve the possibility of perfection.
But in reality, perfecting ones skills with low cost accurate equipment first, is the best path forward.. Then upgrade if you can afford it .... or beat the best with low cost entry level equipment and achieve EVEN higher levels of glory sort of like my friend Scott Hull
If the bulk of the "wanna be" competitors didn't think that the quickest path to the winners circle was through spending a lot, then we would not get the manufactures to create lots of new and better equipment (sometimes only so-called) to improve the possibility of perfection.
But in reality, perfecting ones skills with low cost accurate equipment first, is the best path forward.. Then upgrade if you can afford it .... or beat the best with low cost entry level equipment and achieve EVEN higher levels of glory
sort of like my friend Scott HullUpvote 0
Cameeron Kerndt won the Worlds in Piston class with an Athlon Heras 15-60x56 $600 retail scope. And he can afford to shoot any scope he choses.
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when i was in High school and a completive person , sometimes i was on top other times i was not . my main goal was to not come in last . Same in FT
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You're making my point about getting what you pay for with this SIII example. If it's brighter (as one aspect of a scope) and helps old eyes, then it's gonna be easier to use. And like you say, a cheaper Athlon "can" be used to win. But it isn't the path of least resistance to do so, like the SIII.
To consider even a $1000 scope reasonable is the point I'm making also. The vast majority of people that like to shoot (not ft shooters) are gonna choke at the mention of a $1000 scope. But here in the field target discussion we dismiss that dollar amount as being reasonable. We're talking big bucks to play the field target game. Simple as that.
As for the continuing theme of practice, those that know me know I practice. I've even been accused of cheating because I practice so much (yeah logic through that one
). While I'm not on the Grand Prix hunt I do compete at monthly "fun matches," as Motorhead called them. And in those monthly matches I hold my own. This post wasn't sour grapes about not ever winning cuz I don't shoot $8k rigs. Quite the contrary actually. This post was about how prickly ft guys get when they're told it's an equipment race. And how distorted our view of expensive/cheap becomes after years playing the equipment race game, even if only at monthly matches.
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I might also add ... If you do shoot lets say ... Field Target, & lets say Hunter class .... SPEND TIME OUT IN THE WOODS / FIELDS etc shooting on a seat with shooting sticks !! The more you actually use the position with the same tools & miens you use in the FT game the more comfortable and adapting you will become.
The more you shoot as such the sooner a personal established seating and support technique you'll acquire for both field and target work ( Not bench )
* Practice does not necessarily need to be practice as just staying consistent to figure out how to sit stable and support a rifle or FT pistol in an ever changing environment is Priceless practice & fun too
The more you shoot as such the sooner a personal established seating and support technique you'll acquire for both field and target work ( Not bench )
* Practice does not necessarily need to be practice
as just staying consistent to figure out how to sit stable and support a rifle or FT pistol in an ever changing environment is Priceless practice & fun too Upvote 0
And then you still have that fellow down in Texas that's at the top of or near the top of the winners list shooting a Benjamin Marauder.
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I think guys get prickly because it's not an arms race.
It's not a cheap sport, though. It can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be.
The funny part of all this is that I could not afford to buy even a cheap pcp rifle...so I built my own. My homemade gun and a 300$ Mueller scope served me well my first ft season...although I did change out my scope for a used 350$ Leupold that someone got rid of in a fire sale.
Mike
It's not a cheap sport, though. It can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be.
The funny part of all this is that I could not afford to buy even a cheap pcp rifle...so I built my own. My homemade gun and a 300$ Mueller scope served me well my first ft season...although I did change out my scope for a used 350$ Leupold that someone got rid of in a fire sale.
Mike
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I'm of the mind that most anyone can do whatever they want....if they want it bad enough.
Mike
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Same sorta thing here ..
$350 Marauder and a $100 BSA scope for several seasons.
Being able to massage the rifles internals worked well .. so well it started a side business
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I don't have the skills or courage to machine. My buddy was a machinist and showed me tons of videos of accidents they showed in safety classes.
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