Piston shooters

[drsquall]

I was pondering why people stay with piston for field target competition? I have just started field target and started with a tx and have shot maybe 5 matches with it hunter class. I averaged I think 32/60. Now I shot one match with a pcp in hunter class and shot a 49. I enjoyed hitting more targets and knowing the gun was doing its job just not me. I will say I had a better scope on the pcp than I did the piston so that could have made a little difference, maybe. I do like the idea of not having to have extra things for the match with the piston. Piston guns are for me a more challenge to shoot consistently but I like that challenge and I can get a top of the piston rifle for easily half or more off a top of line PCPs that are commonly used for serious competitors(raw,Daystate,fx, Thomas).
So why do you piston shooters stay with piston? Enjoyment?challenge?

I will continue to use both but around here you might have a one or 2 piston shooters max.

I do know I hate using holdover lol. I'm a clicker and shooting open in piston is even more rare. I also have to be honest with myself and realize that WFTF is not the most comfortable or stable position for my big butt. So it seems that you have to stay in Hunter class to have competition even though there isn't much in Piston.

If I'm to be honest I enjoy piston guns better but I enjoy hitting more targets more lol

So I guess I need to practice more. Lol

Jon

 

[Sqwirl57]

Its more rewarding with piston. Every knock down is earned because you had to do everything right or very close to right to make it happen.

 

[Motorhead]

I'm not willing at this point in my life to work THAT HARD !!! to be a proficient Piston FT competitor.
The reigning Piston WFTF World champion is a personal friend ( Cameron K ) The sheer amount of effort he has put into his game these past 4 years is nothing short of obsessive !!!

Personally i like to knock targets down via precision shooting with a PCP. The enjoyment of a piston gun for me is quickly lost when shooting one in a competitive application. Thus I generally don't

 

[scotton]

Shooting piston is like dating a crazy woman. Some days are fantastic and everything just works. Other days (most days?) things are a little out of whack and you have to chase the zero around to figure out where things are going. And like dating a crazy woman, it can be fun and challenging, but you wind up asking yourself "what am I doing? this doesn't have to be this hard". A lot.

 

[drsquall]

Shooting piston is like dating a crazy woman. Some days are fantastic and everything just works. Other days (most days?) things are a little out of whack and you have to chase the zero around to figure out where things are going. And like dating a crazy woman, it can be fun and challenging, but you wind up asking yourself "what am I doing? this doesn't have to be this hard". A lot.

I agree sometimes you look at the gun what now!

 

[Franklink]

I shot piston for awhile. At first it was just me and another guy, both in Hunter class. He quickly moved on to PCPs and I moved to Open but still Piston, mostly cuz the only other regular piston shooter was in Open.

I went through an HW77k, an HW50s, a couple FWB Sports, a couple FWB300s, and a Beeman RX2 in .20. (rebadged HW90). Lots of frustration with all of them. I think my highest ever score was around 50% and was with the HW50s. I could hit the most targets with the 300s guns, but it was a bit funny to watch the pellet hit the paddle and not make the target fall on the majority of targets past 45 yards or so.

I've since all but given up Piston. Went to PCP in various classes and routinely score 90% +

So for me the question would be why I didn't stick with it.....and the answer would be the frustration. Range em right, read the wind right, but miss cuz I had a nose hair out of place drove me nuts. Too much pressure or too little pressure anywhere on the gun and the impact point wasn't where it should be.

I agree that knocking em down with a springer is a very rewarding experience. I'll also add that guys like Cameron that can shoot PCP scores while using a springer are superhuman.

Of all the ways a guy can shoot field target, a guy using a springer deserves the most credit for skill. In contrast, with a PCP it's often a matter of who's got the best gun. Crediting the gun is fighting words for many, but the truth cuts deep. Whereas with a springer, it's nearly all the shooters skill earning them that score.

 

[drsquall]

I shot piston for awhile. At first it was just me and another guy, both in Hunter class. He quickly moved on to PCPs and I moved to Open but still Piston, mostly cuz the only other regular piston shooter was in Open.

I went through an HW77k, an HW50s, a couple FWB Sports, a couple FWB300s, and a Beeman RX2 in .20. (rebadged HW90). Lots of frustration with all of them. I think my highest ever score was around 50% and was with the HW50s. I could hit the most targets with the 300s guns, but it was a bit funny to watch the pellet hit the paddle and not make the target fall on the majority of targets past 45 yards or so.

I've since all but given up Piston. Went to PCP in various classes and routinely score 90% +

So for me the question would be why I didn't stick with it.....and the answer would be the frustration. Range em right, read the wind right, but miss cuz I had a nose hair out of place drove me nuts. Too much pressure or too little pressure anywhere on the gun and the impact point wasn't where it should be.

I agree that knocking em down with a springer is a very rewarding experience. I'll also add that guys like Cameron that can shoot PCP scores while using a springer are superhuman.

Of all the ways a guy can shoot field target, a guy using a springer deserves the most credit for skill. In contrast, with a PCP it's often a matter of who's got the best gun. Crediting the gun is fighting words for many, but the truth cuts deep. Whereas with a springer, it's nearly all the shooters skill earning them that score.

I totally agree with everything you just said about how frustrating piston guns are and the guys that do it consistently well are few and far between and deserve all the credit for it and their ability. It's like I'm going back to PSR rimfire but going to do it with a PCP and I know I will be the only shooter with an air rifle at my local match but that's okay. I want the Air Rifle to become popular in PRS and to be honest I enjoy it a lot more than Field Target. Your comment about the PCP coming down to the quality of a gun I think it's true also I saw that all the time in the PRS world. Myself included started out as cheap as possible and I got as good as I could get with the equipment that I had and soon realized I needed to upgrade to a better rifle and a better scope. My scores went up greatly.

 

[bvan]

I shot piston for a few months and even at some GPs this year. I was extremely happy with my results between 65-85%. Been a PCP guy for several years but the satisfaction of getting everything right was really rewarding. I plan on doing some more matches in the future with a springer.

 

[gonzav71]

Shooting WFTF piston has been very rewarding. It takes a good, smooth, docile consistent shooting rifle, a well balanced and custom fit stock, a durable scope and a crap load of practice every day to do well. I would have a good day If I can get within 5 points of the highest match score.

 

[Uglyjohn]

Shooting piston is like dating a crazy woman. Some days are fantastic and everything just works. Other days (most days?) things are a little out of whack and you have to chase the zero around to figure out where things are going. And like dating a crazy woman, it can be fun and challenging, but you wind up asking yourself "what am I doing? this doesn't have to be this hard". A lot.

Your crazy woman analogy is spot on. I dated a woman with untreated manic depression in college. The “best day of your life” vs “run for your life” experience made life interesting. And I shoot springers at HFT(US) because I love springers, period! Clearing a tough lane with a springer gives me sense of joy that I just don’t feel with a pcp. Yes Im always the lone springer guy at our club and that doesn’t bother me a bit. After all we’re all just shooting against the course and having fun regardless of the equipment we choose. Now if I could just hit a stander once in a while ………………Uj

 

[Lewis]

...because I love springers, period!

I'm right there with you. Just something nostalgic and romantic. Same reason I would prefer to wind a Rolex than recharge an Apple watch. The Apple watch is clearly more accurate, but is devoid of personality or warmth.

 

[scotton]

I'm right there with you. Just something nostalgic and romantic. Same reason I would prefer to wind a Rolex than recharge an Apple watch. The Apple watch is clearly more accurate, but is devoid of personality or warmth.

Yes, the thing that springers have over PCPs is soul. But as Jules said, "We'd have to be talkin about one charming ******* pig!"

 

[Betohunter]

ls true that you hit more use a pcp, but Im my opinion is more gratifying hit 10 with the piston that 20 with the pcp for all the point and concentration that you must leave in each shoot.

I leave the PCP for back to basic ….

 

[Motorhead]

ls true that you hit more use a pcp, but Im my opinion is more gratifying hit 10 with the piston that 20 with the pcp for all the point and concentration that you must leave in each shoot.

I leave the PCP for back to basic ….

It is true some folks do like S&M / Bondage .... Driving in Traffic .... Spilling Hot coffee in there lap etc .... Just not this FT shooter

It's all in fun ... not picking on ya

 

[Betohunter]

It is true some folks do like S&M / Bondage .... Driving in Traffic .... Spilling Hot coffee in there lap etc .... Just not this FT shooter

It's all in fun ... not picking on ya

Hehehee the easy things is not for me buddy hehehe

 

[c_m_shooter]

I like the springer class because it is basically self limiting budget wise. The Whiscombs don't come out often, so all you need is a tuned hw97 and a decent scope. All in under a grand. It is challenging when the Troyer rating goes up to keep pcps from cleaning the course though.

Need to get out to shoot again. Been shooting bows so much I forget how to use a sight.

 

[scotton]

It is true some folks do like S&M / Bondage .... Driving in Traffic .... Spilling Hot coffee in there lap etc .... Just not this FT shooter

It's all in fun ... not picking on ya

Did Ron hack Scott's account?

 

[SteveV]

WFTF Piston is the most difficult class, PERIOD. When arguing for more than 16 mag in Hunter PCP last year, was told I need to just practice more by someone shooting Open PCP. In the next breath he told me he didn't shoot piston guns in ft because "it's too hard" Damn right it is!

 

[beerthief]

IS a Whiscombe considered a springer ?

 

[Sqwirl57]

Shoot whats most fun to you. At the end of the day it really is just a fun game. There really isn't anyone walking away from a FT match with pockets full of cash.

I do look forward to shooting PCP class a few times next year with a pretty budget setup just to see how it compares to the rest of the field though. I really do find it hard to believe that a $4k+ setup is going to outshoot my sub $1k setup by a huge margin.