Re-"design" a new Field Target game

[jps2486]

Having been a newbie in several shooting disciplines, I never thought to myself: "self? I'd like to get into this game if only the organizers would change the rules and the equipment to satisfy my stupid inabilities". Instead, if the game attracted me, I'd look at the top competitors and say: " I want to be as good as they are or even better". Then go get the correct equipment according to the rules and get with it, developing my skills. You will always have newcomers looking from the outside in. If they are serious and want to play, they will get the right equipment and get going. We have to teach and encourage them. Yes, there are many that will fall by the wayside-that's the way it is.

New rifles? There are plenty of good shooting <20 fpe rifles on the market now. AA 500/510, Daystate Revere/Red Wolf/Wolverine, RAW, Thomas, FX, and others. Pick one that suits your fancy and get to work developing your skills. If you think you can buy some cheap rifle and win the accuracy lottery, forget it. The game isn't going to change because of you.

 

[cavedweller]

Having been a newbie in several shooting disciplines, I never thought to myself: "self? I'd like to get into this game if only the organizers would change the rules and the equipment to satisfy my stupid inabilities". Instead, if the game attracted me, I'd look at the top competitors and say: " I want to be as good as they are or even better". Then go get the correct equipment according to the rules and get with it, developing my skills. You will always have newcomers looking from the outside in. If they are serious and want to play, they will get the right equipment and get going. We have to teach and encourage them. Yes, there are many that will fall by the wayside-that's the way it is.

New rifles? There are plenty of good shooting <20 fpe rifles on the market now. AA 500/510, Daystate Revere/Red Wolf/Wolverine, RAW, Thomas, FX, and others. Pick one that suits your fancy and get to work developing your skills. If you think you can buy some cheap rifle and win the accuracy lottery, forget it. The game isn't going to change because of you.

Agree... expensive equipment is never a substitute for time spent practicing and learning to read the wind...
for newbies even a inexpensive platform generally out shoots their skill level until they get the basics down pat.

 

[cavedweller]

Newest Renditions of the Field Target Bench Rest Targets:
Walk your score card out to the target...
Insert your score card in behind the plate and secure with a magnet at top
walk back to the shooters box range distance and shoot
a paddle blocks the target from a second shot so you know you nailed it.
Retrieve targets and score.
View attachment 480040
View attachment 480041

Update = 3 August 2024 the quest continues. New targets in house and more specific target templates are being prepared for graphics development and printer people. I started with two different preprinted targets to create this, as stock must be thick enough to not distort in handling and rain and be easily and repeatedly easy to place quickly.
These templates are in prototype development stage:

 

[cavedweller]

Update = 3 August 2024 the quest continues. New targets in house and more specific target templates are being prepared for graphics development and printer people. I started with two different preprinted targets to create this, as stock must be thick enough to not distort in handling and rain and be easily and repeatedly easy to place quickly.
These templates are in prototype development stage:
View attachment 485181View attachment 485182View attachment 485183

found on amazon for 9.99 for 100 units.

this is a 25? or 50 meter target cut from a sheet of Benchrest targets. i found it on amazon also. but end game is to print a new much more specific target.

 

[beerthief]

I'm not disagreeing with a lot of that. Mine's 11 and enjoys can plinking with the Ryder for a bit, though I think it's similar in that you can only shoot the same 10 spinners or 6 cans until it's boring. Part of this issue is size, a heavier longer gun like a marauder or huntsman is difficult for someone of that size to use, let alone balancing safely on sticks. I'm gonna let him run a FT match with the notos, since it's more his size. If he's happy with faceplate scores, then we'll see where it goes.

There's very few (as far as I know) well shared youth airgun specific sports outside of 10m. Thus my goal of suggesting a different kind of FT that could bring in more juniors (and newbies)...kind of a 'step into it' where you can have tons of fun without needing quite the minimum investment.

You could build up a Diana Bandit , a butt stock a bit longer barrel and a scope mount , BINGO a rather inexpensive FT gun @ ? 4 lbs ? for smaller youth .

 

[Pauly5]

Intriguing thread. I have been involved in trying to build up a club and one thing I observed when youth are involved is that we/the older shooters can waffle on a bit. I think kids like or respond to set boundries, so a bit of talk is good, but keeping things moving will help to keep the younger ones with shorter attention spans interested. They also need to be praised to build up their confidence and meke them feel good. Not natural for some to do, prefering to discuss gun mods.
Kids with their keen eyesight are often very good shooters and if they get hooked will likely become healthy competitors.

Another suggestion could be to develop a score keeipng app. Brian Sampson in the UK had an excellent wind trainer app, so maybe a touch of technology for the youth.

I shoot an older Air Arms/CZ S200. Perfect accurate gun for youth to shoot I reckon.

Re those bell targets with conduit, is the aim to shoot into the conduit so the pellet travels around the bend and hits the gongy bit, or does the conduit focus the sound back to the shooter?

 

[Regal_US]

When I started shooting FT I tried the Unlimited Division. It's not an officially sanctioned AAFTA Division, but many clubs offer this and it's a good way for a beginner to get experience. Prior to this I had no shooting experience at all, so i really was starting from scratch. After a few matches I switched to Open Division, where I have remained for about 6 years.

For those who don't know Unlimited means: you can use a seat and sticks; are not limited to 16x, and so can benefit from higher scope magnification; and you can adjust (click) your elevation turret; I think a laser range finder is also allowed. Your rifle must still be under 20 fpe. In the unlimited Division you still need to learn hold over, adjust for wind, and of course knock down and reset targets, but its a bit easier.

 

[Arzrover]

"Re those bell targets with conduit, is the aim to shoot into the conduit so the pellet travels around the bend and hits the gongy bit, or does the conduit focus the sound back to the shooter?"

Travel around the bend to ring the bell... the end of the conduit needs to be a little ways from the bell so less likely to be ringing on a split pellet...

The interesting aspect of shooting it is that you ate hitting something that you can't see and getting a nice reaction. I've made flag targets similarly.

One of the coolest I've seen was a volcano target that someone set up as part of a side shoot at one of the Nationals we attended. You shot at a "kill zone" and if successful, ir "erupted"... No idea how it was done, but it was fun...

Bob