In the PCP world ... Unarguable is the THEOBEN Rapid and its predecessor the RAW TM/HM/BM
Thinking this family of rifles is nearing 30 years of manufacture ... Yes would say VERY successful !!
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Most successful FT guns
- Thread starter cavedweller
- Start date
Thinking this family of rifles is nearing 30 years of manufacture ... Yes would say VERY successful !!
HUH?!?!?!
Frank never said anything about "the best design" nor did I imply such. I was only taking issue with you derailing the converstation by saying it's all about the shooter when the original intent was to try to identify guns that are frequently used for winning ft matches.
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Crap rifle is one that nobody is going to win FT matches with on any sort of regular basis (might get lucky occasionally), regardless of shooter skill. And I'm talking about matches with decent attendance of skilled shooters using typical-for-ft guns, like many of those listed and/or mentioned in this discussion.
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"The "winning" is done by the people, just so you know. These rifles don't shoot on their own. Someone has to actually hold the rifle, look through the scope, and pull the trigger."
I'm all for healthy debate. This quit being that a long time ago. Have a good day.
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Yes, and you can probably add the gun that a manufacture is sponsoring a very large team of contestants in verses/total number of contestants.
(and you can bet the team members won't be shooting "an out of the box" rifle.)
Manufactures often seek out the best shooters and offer them a free gun and travel expenses for shooting their gun and wearing their shirts.
Wayne
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In my experience, the most successful gun in benchrest competitions would tell you more about the abilities of the guns. For field target, a list of the most successful scopes would be more useful than a list of guns. When you get to a certain point in FT, most of the guns are basically more accurate than the shooter when shot from FT positions. The real difference maker is the scopes ability to range find and have consistent POI (especially in WFTF and Open). A good scope on a mediocre gun is way more fun than a bad scope on a premium gun.
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From the 5ish years that I've been involved, and based on the three clubs (sub 20fpe) here in AZ where I've participated, the guns that are consistently at the top are: (not in any particular order)
Rifles
I skimmed through old match reports to arrive at the above-no statistical analysis but simply making note of what was at the top of the leader board from month to month and match to match in all 3 clubs. There are occasional honorable mentions like the Tzar and the Pulsar and Air Ranger and the Atomic XR and HW44 for pistols, but they haven't shown up as often as the bulleted guns above.
The really interesting thing to note here, is that those guns are not only the regularly and consistently winning rifles, but often from different shooters and in different classes.
Rifles
- Thomas
- Daystate Red Wolf
- USFT
- Daystate Huntsman
- RAW TM1000
- Daystate Wolverine
- Crosman 1720T
- Thomas
I skimmed through old match reports to arrive at the above-no statistical analysis but simply making note of what was at the top of the leader board from month to month and match to match in all 3 clubs. There are occasional honorable mentions like the Tzar and the Pulsar and Air Ranger and the Atomic XR and HW44 for pistols, but they haven't shown up as often as the bulleted guns above.
The really interesting thing to note here, is that those guns are not only the regularly and consistently winning rifles, but often from different shooters and in different classes.
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OP, although the FX Impact shooters seem to have figured out how to stabilize POI shifts I wouldn't take a chance on one unless I had a top smith with the know how to thoroughly go through one. I do know that my 1st Gen Impact was a nightmare when it came to POI shifts!!! I definitely do not like the one screw holding the barrel in the rear, the liner system, the 2nd reg in the G3, and the excessive amount of o-rings, etc. The more complicated the more chance of something going wrong.
In the 18 years I owned my USFT, which lacked a reg, the only problem I had was from when I didn't tighten the barrel down correctly when experimenting with slugs. Other than that it never shifted more than .2 mil and I think that was from sitting in the safe for months on end but after it was shot again for a few minutes the zero would return. Not much to go wrong so not much went wrong, except that which was caused by me.
The recent USFT's, like Cole's, feel much more refined than mine did.
Trigger wise my Thomas rifles are superb! Do I like them more than my USFT's (wife had one too), yes. Though I'm definitely still getting used to it. My fault for NOT practicing with it since I was busy working on the house this year.
Dependability, precision, trigger feel, and adjustable ergos, are my main considerations. IMHO, past these knowing your gun, and practicing(especially positional), "are" the extra few points needed to win matches.
Semi locally there are some guys that shoot the RAW's that are having great success as well.
In the 18 years I owned my USFT, which lacked a reg, the only problem I had was from when I didn't tighten the barrel down correctly when experimenting with slugs. Other than that it never shifted more than .2 mil and I think that was from sitting in the safe for months on end but after it was shot again for a few minutes the zero would return. Not much to go wrong so not much went wrong, except that which was caused by me.
The recent USFT's, like Cole's, feel much more refined than mine did.
Trigger wise my Thomas rifles are superb! Do I like them more than my USFT's (wife had one too), yes. Though I'm definitely still getting used to it. My fault for NOT practicing with it since I was busy working on the house this year.
Dependability, precision, trigger feel, and adjustable ergos, are my main considerations. IMHO, past these knowing your gun, and practicing(especially positional), "are" the extra few points needed to win matches.
Semi locally there are some guys that shoot the RAW's that are having great success as well.
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M3 compact with Saber Tactical butt stock, arca swiss rail and cheek riser. Use and arca swiss plate with maximum Hunter Division allowed, shaped EVA foam foregrip for offhand and kneeling shots, helps immensely.
Athlon Helos BTR 6-24x56 moa with 1" riser and high scope rings making 3.95" over bore. This helps flatten shots at 50-55 yards which @930FPS makes a .75 moa@ 50 and 1.5 moa @ 55 reducing ranging error effect on hold over.
Machined a Lothar Walther Slow Twist Poly to remove liner system POI shifts. Still tuning barrel for 10.34 at + 920FPS speeds which the slow twist rate assists. NO POI SHIFTING .
Started with Impact in other disciplines, adapting to field target, certainly not purpose designed to optimize FT scores
Athlon Helos BTR 6-24x56 moa with 1" riser and high scope rings making 3.95" over bore. This helps flatten shots at 50-55 yards which @930FPS makes a .75 moa@ 50 and 1.5 moa @ 55 reducing ranging error effect on hold over.
Machined a Lothar Walther Slow Twist Poly to remove liner system POI shifts. Still tuning barrel for 10.34 at + 920FPS speeds which the slow twist rate assists. NO POI SHIFTING .
Started with Impact in other disciplines, adapting to field target, certainly not purpose designed to optimize FT scores
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