Results Heavy Duty (HDAFT)/Extreme/American Field Target results from 09/26/20

[Franklink]

(Since I've heard a few different names used to refer to this 28-100fpe/up to 100 yard version of field target, and because there's been some drama from a couple of the sub 20 ft crowd about the name, I figured I'd cover them all in the title). 

I spoke with Ben on my way home from work this evening and he asked me that I post the standings and pose a few questions (since he doesn't have permission to get on AGN). 

This has been tabulated from a hand-written pic he sent so please forgive any errors. I included calibers where they were either noted or from the participants that I spoke with at the match and asked.

Overall pretty hotly contested.

I was surprised to see a higher score from the pellet shooters than the slug shooters. 

I know I personally had a blast and it seems that everyone else I spoke to felt the same way. 

Much thanks to Ben for all the manual labor to create this for us. Airgun's of Arizona's contribution to the event was also much appreciated (catered tacos were delish, prize money is always a sweet motivator, and we couldn't have had it without the heavy duty targets being loaned out). Also thanks to Phoenix Rod and Gun club for hosting and sharing your facilities with us. Finallly, Ben had some great help from numerous people (Van, Mike, Ben's sister, etc), and felt bad that they weren't recognized at the event so he asked that I do it here.

The plan I'm getting from Ben is to put this on as a monthly event. I believe he has the fourth Saturday of every month lined up for the near future. 

Now, opinions please......

Those of us that participated know that the winds were brutal. My 35fpe got humbled real quick in that wind. There isn't much vegetation, and the wind is doing vastly different things out at the target than at the shooter's position. That being said.....Ben is hoping to gather some input on how yesterday's and future competitors feel about hanging some surveyors tape out on the range to help aid in reading the wind. He doesn't want it to become a benchrest event where there is just a sea of every variety of windicator imaginable, but perhaps something simple like surveyors ribbon? Or would that take away from the more realistic/hunting nature of the event?

He is also considering putting on what he's calling a "white out" event a couple times per year. By this, he would paint the entire targets white. This could be used to help in seeing where the pellets are hitting. I personally thought the paint job on the targets was awesome, but it was hard to see some of the pellet/slug impact points. 

Any other constructive criticisms/suggestions/gripes please shoot to [email protected]

 

[Arzrover]

Thanks for the report, Franklink !

Thank you Ben, AoA, PRGC, and all the people who helped !

Those that chose not to show really missed out. It WAS HOT, but I think most of us managed the heat fairly well. The umbrellas and water on the course REALLY helped. I've shot more than a few events just as hot, so nothing new there. The tacos were quite good after, also.

The SHEER MAGNITUDE of physical work Ben did was crazy ! THANK YOU , Ben !!!!

For criticism .... I have none. There were a couple of targets somewhat more difficult ..... GREAT.... but the majority were well in line with the conditions and VERY doable. Very nice course ! No cold lines... one of my pet peeves... Great ! Nothing like seeing the paddle disappear on a 50 lb target and watching it slam down in your scope ! FUN STUFF !!

For my own opinion on the wind indicators .... though I would love to have more to see out there, we are already allowed indicators on our rifles and there really are other ways to see it there.... so I'm against adding more. I suppose a vote at each event might be acceptable though. A white out might be an interesting experiment . What about a quick spritz of white after the event for those that want to shoot it a second time?

Thanks for a GREAT event Ben, and for following through where others of us have just talked about it .

Bob

 

[bluebaby]

Thanks @franklink for the write up. We did all have a blast despite the heat. A wise old man told me (not my husband, he’s not old) that if you hydrate a day or two before being exposed to extreme conditions your body manages better. I did this and it helped quite a bit. 

Its nice to see all the scores and how several struggled. I would venture to say probably from the wind. I personally think that is what makes it so interesting and several people actually practice at reading and understanding the wind. You do have the option of adding a ribbon to your rifle that I think is more than adequate and I know several did not have this. Maybe that would be a good start for some of the strugglers with the wind.

I also would have loved to see a shoot off for ties Maybe a target could have been set up on the pistol range so we didn’t have to go all the way back out to the FT range Since this was for money, which I know they all won’t be in the future, I would have liked the opportunity to beat @arzrover fair and square, one can only hope. White out might be interesting. But I think would give an advantage to locals reading the wind or having an idea of how the wind moves around in there. I would prefer to keep it extreme and not try to allow to much information because I think that’s what makes it challenging and so much fun.

I think the match was a complete success and Ben and company did a fantastic job organizing, setting up and running the match. Kudos to @steve123 winning with a rifle loaned to him. Someone pointed out that the top 3 winning rifles were all BC tuned rifles. Coincidence, hmmm.

I will make sure to forward this to Ben so he can be included in my ideas and opinions..

 

[Franklink]

Someone pointed out that the top 3 winning rifles were all BC tuned rifles. Coincidence, hmmm.

Coincidence? No, I think not. BC knows how to get a gun to perform at a very high level, as evidenced by him and you being at the top of competitive events for the last couple of DECADES. 

 

[Centercut]

Great set up Ben, truly a challenging course but certainly not too hard or unfair. It was hot, but manageable. Awesome job!

I’d be ok with some streamers along the ridge line in back of the far targets. That would give an indication over 100 yards away what the wind is doing as far as swirling or changing directions. Nothing fancy, just plastic streamers on a stick.

My only suggestion on setup is to have an umbrella at each lane if possible. I’d also like to see an “optional” lane 11. Set a large paddle target (3” or 4” ?) at or near the top of the ridge line so it’s at 140 to 160 yards. The option would be if you shoot and miss, you get -1 point. If you hit you get 4 points. One shot only. Classic risk/reward.

A very fun event and I’m glad I drove with Tony P from San Diego. Looking forward to more Heavy Duty Extreme American Field Target (HDEAFT) events in the future!

 

[steve123]

Thanks so much to all who made this HDAFT event possible! And thanks Franklink for taking the time to do this match report. Also special thanks to Arzrover for loaning me his Safari!

I love air rifles and I love shooting steel so it was such a pleasure to even participate in a match like this, long range pellet gun shooting on large Field Targets, just awesome fun!!!!!!!!!!!! What a visionary mind Robert Buchanan had years ago to make these big targets and bring about the AFT at EBR, and now Ben is bringing about this HDAFT event out of his passion for airguns and shooting!!!!!

There's an interesting backstory I want to share for those that don't know, and I have to brag on Arzrover a bit. Six days before the HDAFT an accident happened. I am in between rifles currently so Arz offered to let me borrow his Safari. We were shooting at EBR targets and I left the Safari set up on my BR table to get a drink of water and get another tin of pellets. With my back turned I heard a noise nobody wants to hear, that of a gun falling, bouncing off the table, and hitting the ground, I turned around horrified at what had happened, there's Bobby's $2500 rifle laying on the ground! I'm thinking to myself MY GOD, I can't believe this is happening. Apparently a member of our club walked up to my table to look at the Safari and stepped on, stumbled on, or kicked the foot of the table, which knocked the gun off the rest. I guess it's mostly my fault because I should have laid the Safari down flat on the table. 

Any less gracious of a person, including me, would have instantly gotten, let's say, "less gracious", but not my good friend Bobby. He took the whole debacle in stride like nobody else I know would, assuring me and the other member "IT" was okay, and that we'd get the Safari fixed. The other guy apologized and agreed to split the cost of repair with me which included a cracked stock on the left side of the grip. 

The Safari held up well for such a devastating drop onto the ground. A part underneath the shroud was slightly loose, was tightened and the rifle was mostly GTG. It needed to be sighted back in but I was shooting .3" groups at 45Y with it shortly afterwards! 

This is the rifle I shot yet unrepaired in the HDAFT. It's crazy how well this rifle shoots, often sub half inch at 75Y when I was practicing with it ! And how well it holds zero is amazing! Looking at a steel at 100Y this morning that I was shooting on last week the vertical was .6" or so for 7-8 shots.

Well to finish up, congrats to the others, Arz, Blue, Centercut, and Tom/AAA!

I suppose Daystate could stand some recognition right?! After all their rifles were 1st through 4th.

Suggestions - I wouldn't mind a just few ribbons up there higher on the hill. Probably 3 times I aimed at the same spot I had aimed for the first shot which was a hit only to miss the second shot because the wind had changed and I couldn't tell it had. 

 

[Ramvan8]

Heavy Duty shoot indeed. Thanks for all your hard work Ben. Don't know of anyone who would subject themselves to Arizona's brutal summer heat (worst in a decade) to make this happen all pro-bono. Nonetheless, your work was professional grade and we all benefited from it, great set up. This was a fantastic shoot, gave us the opportunity to put our big guns to the test and this match did not disappoint. Cant wait for the next event. 

 

[pesty3782]

This was my first time shooting in a competition and I had a great time!! Mike twisted my arm to drive out with him and compete. Glad I did. What I really liked was the setup of targets and how they were placed. It was like being out hunting. You had your streamer on your rifle and you needed to look at any signs down range for the wind just like out in the field. I’m not sure I would put anything down range to help with wind direction, but it was my first time and have never been to a match or watched them on YouTube. 

Thanks again for a great day

Tony P

 

[shutr2]

Seems that Daystate rules the roost, only 1 FX gun, wow.