• Please consider adding your "Event" to the Calendar located on our Home page!

Field target practice range

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Tominco

Tominco

Member
Apr 1, 2015
3,014
387
Colorado, United States
I built a home range to practice for the upcoming American Field Target event and thought I'd bring you guys along! So, I built a custom camera mount to hold my camera just to the right of my scope and went for it. 
I like this style of FT, I find it to be very peaceful and relaxing. 
I hope you all enjoy! :)
This was only the second time I had shot this range setup. 
Tom
 
Wonderful home range; no wonder you shoot so much! What rifle and scope do you use for FT, and what division/class do you shoot in?

For FT practice you might like the resettable targets from Steel Plinkers. They make versions that look just like FT targets, but have a shoot to reset paddle below the face plate, so they don't fall down, but its pretty easy to see when the upper paddle has been knocked down (this is with a high power scope; at 12 x for hunter class this might harder to see). The targets are pre painted and available in a variety of animal silhouettes, have a 1.25" kill zone, and come with three reducers: 1/2, 3/4 & 1". I got three and set them up at close, medium and far distances, to mimic a FT lane, and use the reducers to set Troyer values of around 40 at each distance, which would be a tougher than average course. By shooting consecutively from near to far, I can practice both range finding and shooting, and with the small kill zones, surrounded by a large face plate, its a much more realistic (and harder) target than a golf ball, or spinner. The Steel Plinker targets are fantastic value ($38), made in the US, and really robust (3/16" steel plate).
 
Upvote 0
Very nice range. I have lots of trees in my back yard but the furthest I can set out targets is 65 yards because somewhere back there is a house. Can't see it anytime except in the winter when the trees lose their leaves, but I'm always worried about a ricochet if I miss. BTW, what kind of scope are you using. I have a Hawke 8-32x56 which doesn't track worth a darn and am planning on sending it back to the factory for some work ... in the meantime I am looking for a new one that will track great and hold zero.
 
Upvote 0
@Regal_US - I had just installed and zero'd the MTC Viper Pro. I would get knockdown targets but, I like to keep things on the low cost side. Very low cost, as in - DIY style. :)
Steel Plinkers does make great targets! But, there's up and coming shooters on this forum that don't have the funds to buy nice manufactured targets like those. I like to show low cost alternatives being used. For the price of 1 steel plinkers target, I can get a whole lot of other creative targets to shoot at. While not as convenient, They serve their purpose. 

@likkitysplyt - Thanks for being a responsible shooter! I could have set up a better range but then I would have run the very low risk of a pellet bothering someone in some way. It's just not worth it. One wrong move like that and you start all sorts of problems. Odd to hear of a hawke not performing. I hope you get it sorted out. MTC Viper Pro.

@triggerFingr - No wind flags and no time in "american field target". That's one of the reasons I like AFT - you have a very short amount of time to setup and shoot. It's more realistic to hunting and it keeps the event moving along at a good speed. I've got a nice collection of powder burner "dust collectors" as well. Airguns was originally supposed to be a way to practice for shooting them. Now, they just don't get shot. 

Tom

 
Upvote 0
Yo Tominco ... how 'bout givin' me a rundown on that MTC Viper Pro. I have been lookin' at it and it looks pretty good. Does it hold zero great, track great, glass clarity. Did you make a yardage tape for the elevation turret, does the software work, was it any trouble? What do you think of that reticle? I have a SR Pro reticle on my Sidewinder which looks a lot like the one on the 5-30x50 with no real aiming points for closer shots than what you have the gun zeroed at ... so I guess you either do turret adjustments for closer shots or you have it zeroed real close like around 30 yards. I like to take long shots and have mine zeroed at 60 yards with FX No Limit mounts which hold me pretty well out to 100 or more yards, but it's getting really hard to do with the tracking screwing up all the time now.
 
Upvote 0
Tom ... OMG ... I've never heard of such a thing. I read the whole thread and was shaking my head the whole time. I understand that you bought something and wanted to make it work right but when all the software doesn't work properly to make the tape ... it would seem that you are only left with one option ... manually walking out there, setting up targets at different ranges and marking the tapes manually when you get the gun zeroed at the next distance. That's a shame too because I really liked the viewing space with the yardages marked ... but if it is that much trouble ... wow!!! Well, does it hold the correct POI if you get the distance on the tape correct .. no hitting an inch to the left or right once the elevation is worked out ... and then there is the problem of different pellet weights in that one caliber. They ought to make a tape for each pellet weight in each caliber, that way you would just have to drop in the correct tape for the caliber and pellet type you are using.
 
Upvote 0
Hey Tom I think I speak for everybody when I say this but I really do appreciate people like you and Steve and Joe and Ted all them guys who make the videos and take X out their lives away from themselves and their families and loved ones who understands and appreciates the knowledge needed, given and spread out to others who need it so again thank you
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tominco
Upvote 0
Ahhh Tom ... you don't give yourself enough credit ... you do a fine job. Everybody puts a little bit of themselves into the videos they make and more than any of the rest of them you seem to be doing it for fun and enjoyment as well as being informative. Let's take Ted for example. He did a video about shooting targets hanging from a drone, got in the dying cockroach position and was shooting mighty fine on a steep upgrade showing trajectory of pellets when shooting vertically. I thought that was interesting so I got in the dying cockroach position and tried it ... ended up shooting my big toe off. Don't think I'll ever forgive him for that! Anyway I really thought your introductory video of you receiving the FX Crown was really good. Don't know how you managed to get inside that UPS truck for some shots, last time I tried that the driver called 911. Later in the video after unboxing the Crown you took it out for some shots and that "Happy Dance" you did had me rolling on the floor. Don't sell yourself short ... anyone that can do 3 videos on sorting pellets and not boring someone to death has real talent. Keep up the good work ole man ... one day they'll film you on the front of the Titanic shouting at the top of your voice," I'M KING OF THE WORLD "
 
Upvote 0
"Tominco"@Regal_US - I had just installed and zero'd the MTC Viper Pro. I would get knockdown targets but, I like to keep things on the low cost side. Very low cost, as in - DIY style. :)
Steel Plinkers does make great targets! But, there's up and coming shooters on this forum that don't have the funds to buy nice manufactured targets like those. I like to show low cost alternatives being used. For the price of 1 steel plinkers target, I can get a whole lot of other creative targets to shoot at. While not as convenient, They serve their purpose. 

@likkitysplyt - Thanks for being a responsible shooter! I could have set up a better range but then I would have run the very low risk of a pellet bothering someone in some way. It's just not worth it. One wrong move like that and you start all sorts of problems. Odd to hear of a hawke not performing. I hope you get it sorted out. MTC Viper Pro.

@triggerFingr - No wind flags and no time in "american field target". That's one of the reasons I like AFT - you have a very short amount of time to setup and shoot. It's more realistic to hunting and it keeps the event moving along at a good speed. I've got a nice collection of powder burner "dust collectors" as well. Airguns was originally supposed to be a way to practice for shooting them. Now, they just don't get shot. 

Tom


Click to expand...
Tom, please explain the “....more realistic to hunting and keeps the event moving along at a good speed” 
Are you speaking of a new Field Target “game” I’m not aware of? I shoot FT Open PCP but I’m wondering if there is another option. We have 5 minutes per lane normally. Thanks, Gary
 
Upvote 0
American Field Target is a once a year match held at the EBR. It has no sanctioning/governing body and is a stand alone shoot as is the EBR. They shoot at targets with circular and irregular kill zones meant to simulate a more realistic kill zone in the corresponding game animal. I believe this is the third year this side shoot has been held.

In order to run a similar match you will need a minimum of 250yd(500yd would be ideal) past the required 120 per lane to account for misses with the higher energy .25 and .30 pellets. Other than that the rules are on the website and have at it. I wouldn't mind shooting the event being a traditional FT shooter but buying a gun for one weekend of shooting doesn't make much sense to me.
 
Upvote 0
"John_in_Ma"American Field Target is a once a year match held at the EBR.

I wouldn't mind shooting the event being a traditional FT shooter but buying a gun for one weekend of shooting doesn't make much sense to me.
Click to expand...
John's post nails it. American Field target sounds like a lot of fun, but its a once per year event held in Arizona. By contrast, numerous clubs hold Field Target matches at locations across the US, and these matches are run multiple times for most of the year (winter weather halts some clubs activities in snow belts) so its a year round shooting opportunity. The 'down' side of conventional FT compared to the enthusiasm of many US shooters for high power air rifles, is that in the US field target competitions rifles are limited to 20 ft/lb (or 12 in WFTF class, and in all international competitions). With variable power rifles like the FX crown, Daystate Air Wolf, and so on, this is less of an issue, and I'll bet that many shooters would be pleasantly surprised at how much fun can be had at FT matches, and also how challenging it is to shoot small targets the range of which varies from 10-55 yards. Its just my opinion, but FT is a lot more interesting than punching paper, and is good practice for hunting small prey where range usually has to be accurately estimated for a humane kill.
 
Upvote 0
Nice work Tom. Again, thanks for taking the time out to show those of us with a postage stamp back yard, what can be done with a little time and setup. Using creative ways to get simple targets to work is helpful. We appreciate you sharing with us.

I bought some new 50 yard targets online last week. Get you some of these.. :)

Crusher
fe6465e4f157a6f96887e7f6b1264d11.jpg
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back
Home
Forums
Resources
Menu