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Things I noticed at a match today

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otis1016

Member
Feb 10, 2022
135
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Alabama, United States
Evening everyone,

i got on the road this morning well before sunrise to attend an air rifle match at CMP in Anniston AL and I must say, it was interesting in several ways. This event was open to multiple age groups all shooting against each other. I was clearly the oldest shooter as the others ranged in age from 13 to maybe 25. While my Beeman rifle was easily more capable than me it was also the least costly by far next to the Anschutz, Walther and other purpose built rifles. Let’s just say I was not a top ten finisher and leave it at that. What I found impressive and very encouraging was that every other shooter there had clearly worked hard to develop a routine that worked and that even the youngest had a lot of family support. While my Beeman is maybe a $250 rifle the others started at $4K and up. Add in all the other support gear, cost, time and travel involved and I left feeling very upbeat about the future of shooting sports in general. What’s more was that these shooters were at least polite and generally downright friendly and helpful as was true of everyone else. I made sure I registered for the October match before I left. Now for the work and practice.

Rick H.
 
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I’m in no way someone who wants to rain on someone’s parade but a gear arms race at the youth level seems detrimental to the sport in the long term.

Hear me out for a bit - As a sport at the amateur level becomes more and more about elite gear the prospect of new shooters coming into the discipline diminishes. It starts to become about who can afford to participate. Sure, someone can get into it with a low cost springer or entry level PCP, but eventually the perception of the sport changes to the point where people believe they can’t compete effectively unless they have the greatest gear and thus they don’t even try.

Glad to hear that there is youth participation, but worried if competing costs participants an arm and a leg… and with that I shall return to drooling over the specs of a Red Wolf 😃

-Marty

Edited for typos.
 
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ScottEnglish said:
Stick with a springer. At the 2022 World Field Target Championship in Italy, Cameron Kerndt who shoots with the CASA club in Los Angeles placed 3rd in the Piston division using a Weihrauch HW 97 springer, which you can buy at AoA for $700+/-. Hone your skills and compete against yourself to improve your scores every match.
Click to expand...
Incorrect ... he is a long standing Sacramento valley Area shooter with his home club being the SVFTC.
And he shoots a Air Arms TX200 HC that is heavily modified.

Sorry .. if your going to boast another persons accolades, please have your facts in order.

Respectfully stated ...
 
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I appreciate the Kudos lol

I did take tenth at the 2018 Worlds in Poland with a HW97k that I bought from Krale for $350. I picked up a Hawke sidewinder ED from DVOR for $600, tuned it myself using the factory spring and a homemade guide/ tophat using a lathe of course. Honed my own trigger mechs etc. And then strapped on a RAM fish finder mount for a hamster. It worked, but in the words of a dearly departed friend it looked like I brought a "stone axe" to a world event compared to 80-90% of the equipment there.

Now my equipment looks more of the part, and I slowly acquired goodies to install, or designed and made my own.

That setup for springer is what I started with, but home club for me is Sacramento Valley FT being it's only 35-40 mins from home. I have many friends at CASA tho (6.5 ish hour drive)

Mr. English, I appreciate the shout-out, and hope you are doing well!

To Rick, enjoy shooting with what you have. Listen to all the advice from people who you talk with, apply what makes the most sense to you a little at a time and steadily watch your improvement each match at this game.
I'm glad to hear you've met people just like I have that were very encouraging and helpful to you at a match. That was one of the main reasons I got hooked on FT, starting with my $110 Benjamin discovery and a 3-9 RWS AO scope. I learned a lot with that setup, and later when I upgraded I could carry on my knowledge over and setup a higher end rifle that I purchased and dedicated to ft.

Enjoy the sport, we need more people to come out and play with us. Encourage other shooters you know who haven't tried it, it can greatly diversify a shooters portfolio. Condensed long range shooting, with very precise requirements to hit the killzone. Doesn't hurt that the ammo is much cheaper than my centerfires either!

Cam
 
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I spent quite a bit of time and $$ shooting long range center fire out to 1000 yards. I learned that it’s best not to spend too much until you know what you need as opposed to what you think you need. I got the Beeman when I asked a friend about something for this competition knowing that I can spend much more. The other shooters looked like they were from well to do backgrounds and could certainly afford the gear although I also found several good quality loaner rifles from CMP at no cost. The most impressive part to me was the dedication on the part of the competitors and their families. So often kids grow up with no real idea of hard work and success and how those things can improve their lives. CMP is providing events and good facilities to encourage that and have some fun doing it. Very different from so much of the crap we all see in media lately. That alone made the trip worthwhile.

Rick H.
 
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