My 1st FT match today

[Smok3y]

Intro:
After visiting my first match in the Fall at at Tarheel Airgun Club, I picked up my first FT rifle in February, and found time to finally get to a match today at Piedmont Airgunners Association. (Blessed to have 3 FT clubs fairly close)

I joined FT to become a better shot and it is going to be work. It is a lot of work!!! More work than I have put into any other shooting I’ve done. I chose open so I could start my FT journey at 20ft lbs and use the scope I like, so that it would help my enjoyment and hopefully keep me interested.

I shared some on my Thomas when I got it around February. (Decided to jump in head first and take the rifle out of the equation.) Spent a while getting dope right and ranging right, and just haven’t had time to get to a match. Just shooting around in the back yard here and there. When my son’s plans were cancelled last night, I made plans to go to my first match this morning. Might as well jump in!

Actual match notes if you came for that:
I had a great time. The weather was mid 80’s and there wasn’t much of any wind, so that helped the first attempt. I shot Open class, and scored a 34 (of 60) on what everyone was telling me is a tough course. Lots of elevation changes, covered woods, uneven ground, but it never felt hard. I felt really comfortable, like I could clear most lanes (at least I felt that way). I went into it thinking “If I throw out the standing and kneeling lanes, my best hope is for a 52. If I can hit 70% or so the first time, that is around 35. Let’s aim for that.” I just about got there, and the great thing is I think I could have easily done better (we all do), so I feel great about that. And I got 1 standing and 1 kneeling. Pure luck!! But I’ll take it!!!

Started off my day with hit/hit. Heck yeah!! Missed the next 2, and was disappointed in myself. I haven’t practiced any large inclines or declines at all. I tried to adjust for the incline on the first shot in lane 2 and blew it, realizing that it didn’t affect things as much as I was afraid it might. Then just straight pulled the next shot. Then proceeded to get 3/4 in 4 of the next 5 lanes. I felt amazing about my start…

Then came standing. I have only barely practiced this, even though I have heard many say to “practice standing and kneeling the most. That is where matches are won and lost.” As I just started, I have focused more on the other 52 shots and getting set up. 1st shot… HIT!!! Hot dog!!!! Missed next 3, without ever feeling comfortable. I stole one there.

Totally blew 1 lane shortly after that that I think maybe got messed up when I accidentally moved my power wheel and had to move it back. I don’t think I shot any with it out of place, but maybe that change messed up the next 2-3 shots. Either that or, I topped off the gun right before that as well and those were the first shots. I’ve never noticed any issue with that on the Thomas before though. The shots on that lane were just crazy off, so something happened, but not really sure what happened.

Kneeling came shortly there after, and it felt more uncomfortable than standing. I felt like just firing 4 shots in the dirt honestly. Somehow hit the 4th one, so SCORE!! Stole another.

Not really sure what happened in the middle, but 4 out of the middle 5 lanes just didn’t go my way. I missed a few that I thought were money, had a couple just bad shots (not steady), and misranged/misadjusted for range on a couple shots.

After a 1 out of 4 lane that didn’t seem bad at all but just blew them, I thought I was on the last lane, and buckled down. Told myself you got this, enough with the bad shots and closed with 4/4… except I had 1 more lane! Still hit 3/4 (last 3 hits) on the the final lane to close up with 7/8 and felt great about that.

I found that the dope is important, and I’m glad I spent so much time, trial and error, and different attempts at range tape to get where I feel good about it. I didn’t feel like I had many bad reads expect maybe one lane. So I feel like that prep was well spent.

Final thoughts:
Getting up and down for 3-4 hours is a workout!!

Practice/practice/practice standing and kneeling!!!

I had a lot of fun and I really want to think everyone who made me feel welcome and chatted with me. It was a great time, and I will definitely be back! Artie was a great coach today. Philip/Linda and Ray and Vince shot nearby, so I got to chat with them a little and they were super nice as well.

Thanks to all the FT contributors who offer so much here. It helped me out a lot.

I didn’t take many good pics, but I’m sure Philip will have plenty of pictures and video out there.

 

[Uglyjohn]

Very nice account of your first FT match! I recall similar experiences in my first match where I’m sure I shot something less than 34. The take away is that you shot at a hard course at a beautiful club, met some great people and (most important) had a good time. Great fun this game! Uj

 

[Smok3y]

For the cliff notes version… what UG said! Ha!

I didn’t realize how tired I would be, but I’m pretty tired. It lasts longer than you think. I usually just practice in the yard getting up and down back and forth between 10-55 for about an hour. I might have to practice longer.

I started thinking too that in the middle was also about the time that I realized how hungry I was and had a snack and drank some water finally. That could have played into the horrible middle lanes. I didn’t eat this morning because I was so nervous and my stomach was tore up. Great thing was that I was never nervous at the match. Felt like a bunch of people I had known for a long time, but had only ever met 2 of them briefly.

 

[Deleted member 38071]

It would seem the hook has been well set. Welcome to the illness inside the addiction.

 

[Motorhead]

Reads like a very good 1st match ... Yup to the unfamiliar 48-60 shots over 12 to 15 lanes, up and down can takes it's toll.
The single thing I say over and over to our starting out FT shooters & even those doing it for years !!! Don't sweat the misses, try best you can to forget about them entirely !! There is no going back, do overs etc ... Just keep doing your best in keeping focused on the NEXT shot.
With some time and more matches under your belt, the rhythm & procedures that suit you will start forming and it WILL GET EASIER as well a whole lot more fun.

Fight buddy FIGHT ... Your hooked now !

 

[qball]

Sounds like a fun match, you are hooked now! I also started FT not so long ago and thoroughly enjoying it even though I did pretty terrible on more difficult FT course but it's just another learning experience.

 

[SteveV]

Every time I shoot a match, am still amazed that more airgunners don't compete in field target.

Glad you enjoyed your first match, betting it won't be your last!!

 

[Smok3y]

Sounds like a fun match, you are hooked now! I also started FT not so long ago and thoroughly enjoying it even though I did pretty terrible on more difficult FT course but it's just another learning experience.

I noticed that you started your updates right before me too, so I have enjoyed reading your updates as well.

 

[d3vnull]

For inclines and declines of 45 degrees or less you can use the rifleman's rule. For anything above 45 degrees you need to calculate hold under.

I'm no expert on this, but here are two videos with different ways to calculate (one is more rule of thumb the other is actual math):

If you already knew this or interpret my post as not being helpful then my apologies. I just find this interesting. I'm betting others with more experience shooting into inclines and declines can contribute even more than just a couple of video links I gave.

 

[Smok3y]

I appreciate all the responses and reads. Reading your replies, I realized how often I don’t think to respond to something, but I am surprised how much I have appreciated the responses on my update. I could see why people would just skip over my update for more popular people’s reads, but they are all bringing a smile to my face… so thanks!

 

[Smok3y]

For inclines and declines of 45 degrees or less you can use the rifleman's rule. For anything above 45 degrees you need to calculate hold under.

I'm no expert on this, but here are two videos with different ways to calculate (one is more rule of thumb the other is actual math):

If you already knew this or interpret my post as not being helpful then my apologies. I just find this interesting. I'm betting others with more experience shooting into inclines and declines can contribute even more than just a couple of video links I gave.

Thanks. I appreciate it. I remember seeing that video back in the day, and I think the thought of it jumped in my head the night before and started freaking me out a little… Just thinking of that without remembering the details and without practicing it, got in my head for that first incline. After that first shot, it was obvious the incline needed to be higher!

I’ll definitely go back and look at that again though, because I do remember it being prettty informative.

 

[Smok3y]

This morning, I was trying to think through some more of the details, and something hit me…

This is sort of like golf… While it is easy to remember the shots that I know I should have made, oh how quickly I can forget the lucky shots I made too!!

I was trying my best to think through as many lanes as I could, and I started remembering some more lucky shots I had. Not as lucky as the standing/kneeling. But there were I think 3 more shots where I was surprised I made a hit. I remembering sitting there too long, getting a little jittery, and jerking the trigger and hitting a few I didn’t expect. I also had the same thing happen on some misses. Artie was kind enough to remind me to back off at those times.

And I had one where I just pulled the trigger accidentally. First time I have done that with this rifle. Haven’t done that in a long while, and can’t remember doing it too many times with a second stage trigger either, but most of those have been heavier triggers.

Another note… no crazy mistakes forgetting to move the turret or something of the like. Super happy about that. And the mistake I’ve made most in the yard, I managed to avoid today… Standing up without closing my pellet pouch and losing a bunch of pellets down my shoe. I did almost do this a couple times though, but I learned to keep the pouch much emptier than I did in the beginning too, so I was saved.

 

[davecole]

I don't have any sage shooting advice other than consider the experience a learning one. Enjoy the camaraderie, take in the fresh air. The exercise you're getting is not only good for you but you're having fun doing it.
Shoot against yourself; you're the person you need to out-score. Work on improving your score each match. Soon, you'll be knocking down the sitting shots and the forced shots will be your nemesis.
Good luck and enjoy the sport!

 

[thomasair]

I didn’t watch the videos…so I won’t comment on those. I will tell you that the rifleman’s rule will not work for FT except in a narrow range of distance. At short ranges around your apex and closer, the rifleman's rule will steer you wrong.

For all incline or decline shots you will need less clicks or less holdover than the horizontal distance. We usually zero our rifles at our apex of around 25-30y. Everything below the zero distance will be more clicks or more holdover. This is going the wrong way.

You won’t get into much trouble if you observe the Rule of 15s. If the target is below 15y or below 15 degrees of incline or decline…..don’t do anything different. Beyond that begin to aim lower in the kill zone.

Mike