As I continued to ponder the FT option, the potential of the Veteran comes to mind. I recently bought a Veteran Standard in .22, and have been very impressed with it. So much so, I'm thinking that one in 177 might make a passable casual HFT rifle. Anyone using it?
Taipan Veteran for FT
- Thread starter elh0102
- Start date
I don’t own a Veteran but my opinion is to try the HFT thing with what you have, a .22. If you enjoy the game you might chose a .177 Veteran, or, maybe something else you see at the local FT course.
Saves mucho money with the Shoot what’cha got theory.
ps I started with a .22 Benjamin Discovery and a 3-9 Bugbuster scope. I have graduated to more sophisticated tools but at least I knew I liked the game
Gary
Venice, Fl
Saves mucho money with the Shoot what’cha got theory.
ps I started with a .22 Benjamin Discovery and a 3-9 Bugbuster scope. I have graduated to more sophisticated tools but at least I knew I liked the game
Gary
Venice, Fl
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I’ve not tried the HFT game yet but would really like to get my hands on a Veteran .177 long. I really like my .22 long and would like to have a long in each caliber and hopefully after the first of the year the Veteran lineup will expand. I think that there were only a handful .177s made available this fall and they went quick.
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.22 caliber and a Pup your at a disadvantage because ...
Hitting the edge of KZ ( Splits are increased with the bigger diameter )
Pellets will be heavier than smaller calibers and therefor must be shot slower to stay sub 20 Ft-lbs
Due to slower speeds range estimation becomes FAR MORE critical ( loopier trajectory )
A short gun like a bull pup is a LOT harder to hold stable due to the distances between support points being closer than a long gun.
seen it tried more than a few times ... Most give up rather quickly and go back to a long gun and stay with .177 or .20's
Hitting the edge of KZ ( Splits are increased with the bigger diameter )
Pellets will be heavier than smaller calibers and therefor must be shot slower to stay sub 20 Ft-lbs
Due to slower speeds range estimation becomes FAR MORE critical ( loopier trajectory )
A short gun like a bull pup is a LOT harder to hold stable due to the distances between support points being closer than a long gun.
seen it tried more than a few times ... Most give up rather quickly and go back to a long gun and stay with .177 or .20's
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Not surprised Scott. I've shot my .22 Veteran a lot in the yard using sticks. My maximum range there is 30 yards or so. I've shot it enough from the bench to say with confidence that it is very accurate. But, as you say, it's stubby length makes it decidedly more difficult to shoot. Although the Taipan has a fantastic trigger, both the Red Wolf and Royale 400 are much easier to shoot well.
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I think the ergonomics of the Veteran with a little help if some add ons would make a great FT rig....maybe better suited for sitting off a bum bag than off sticks though. I have one set up for Open and WFTF shooting. I have had this .177 standard Vet for a little over a month and will have another new one which got held up in customs for 45 days here shortly. So if anyone is looking for a Brand New .177 standard Veteran PM me.
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I shoot FT with a .177 bullpup (Diana Skyhawk). Including Hunter Division (though not usually with sticks). For my sitting style, it's better than anything else I've tried. Not so much for offhand, yet. Regardless of long-gun or bullpup, for FT, a .177 has advantages over a .22 caliber.
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Out here in Cali, we've a ft competitor shooting his Taipan .22 for a couple of years and was extremely competitive. He must have found it too easy, cause he's shooting a .22 Cal Leshiy now.
Love the trigger and off hand, it's amazing. I would have no problem with competing with the Vet or original Taipan- I shot airgun silhouette with one (Taipan-) for 3 matches and it was very good. -.22 Cal, shorty, tuned to 19 ft lbs
I've a daystate pulsar I'm using for normal ft matches- bullpup- and it does well enough. I'm shooting hunter- open might be different.
I've bought the crown Continuim , .177 barrel and bolt, single load, but it's not as consistent as the Daystate or Taipan-.
I'm thinking of asking Charlie Frear to get a .177 uragan for me. In .30 Cal, it's very smooth, great trigger and good proportions. In .177, it could be a dream.
Summary- if you like bullpups, or hunt with yours, shoot ft with them and have fun!
Love the trigger and off hand, it's amazing. I would have no problem with competing with the Vet or original Taipan- I shot airgun silhouette with one (Taipan-) for 3 matches and it was very good. -.22 Cal, shorty, tuned to 19 ft lbs
I've a daystate pulsar I'm using for normal ft matches- bullpup- and it does well enough. I'm shooting hunter- open might be different.
I've bought the crown Continuim , .177 barrel and bolt, single load, but it's not as consistent as the Daystate or Taipan-.
I'm thinking of asking Charlie Frear to get a .177 uragan for me. In .30 Cal, it's very smooth, great trigger and good proportions. In .177, it could be a dream.
Summary- if you like bullpups, or hunt with yours, shoot ft with them and have fun!
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I just measured my Thomas which has a 15" barrel and is 31" long the way I shoot it for FT. I just measured the Taipan Veteran and it is 30" long with the butthook on it so pretty much the same size. The.barrel on the standard Vet is 17" long which is 2" longer than my Thomas and I don't have a problem shooting scores in the 50s with my Thomas carbine. I did use a Leshiy once shooting Hunter field target and even with it's short barrel managed to shoot a 47 but the lightweight of the Leshiy seemed more of a.problem than how short it was. I think trying different guns is part of the fun of FT shooting and I'd use whatever you are comfortable with and just see how it works out.
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