FWB What distance to zero for field target competition.

[mwgm2020]

For lots of FT info go to the AAFTA website at: https://www.aafta.org/

For the handbook/rules go to: https://www.aafta.org/handbook--other-docs.html

I hope you have a good time. FT is lots of fun. I shoot HFT-US.

 

[Yogi_Rides]

The ideal zero range is at or just before the highest point of your trajectory...

Let me preface this by saying, I have not shot a FT match yet but do plan to start in the spring. I have however given it some thought but at this point it is mostly a mental exercise.

Since in HFT you are not allowed to touch the turrets duing a match you will want to minimize the amount of hold over/under as much as possible. To my way of thinking, a zero where ever the pellet crosses your LOS would be an ideal starting point.

For example, with my setup I intend to give a go with in the spring, I have a 20yd zero so between 20 & 35 yds I essentially have zero holdover or under. After 35yds it starts stepping up to 55yds with a 1.5mil hold over. I have verified this on paper at the range. Now whether it will serve me well at a match.. I think so but we will see...

 

[cavedweller]

Let me preface this by saying, I have not shot a FT match yet but do plan to start in the spring. I have however given it some thought but at this point it is mostly a mental exercise.

Since in HFT you are not allowed to touch the turrets duing a match you will want to minimize the amount of hold over/under as much as possible. To my way of thinking, a zero where ever the pellet crosses your LOS would be an ideal starting point.

For example, with my setup I intend to give a go with in the spring, I have a 20yd zero so between 20 & 35 yds I essentially have zero holdover or under. After 35yds it starts stepping up to 55yds with a 1.5mil hold over. I have verified this on paper at the range. Now whether it will serve me well at a match.. I think so but we will see...

yep - that should work. Still best to take a shot (or three) at every foot from 10 yards out to your zero, then every yard from point where pellet begins its descent. Now holding still for those small holdovers is another matter. Best to always avoid holdunders.

 

[Bedrock Bob]

Let me preface this by saying, I have not shot a FT match yet but do plan to start in the spring. I have however given it some thought but at this point it is mostly a mental exercise.

Since in HFT you are not allowed to touch the turrets duing a match you will want to minimize the amount of hold over/under as much as possible. To my way of thinking, a zero where ever the pellet crosses your LOS would be an ideal starting point.

For example, with my setup I intend to give a go with in the spring, I have a 20yd zero so between 20 & 35 yds I essentially have zero holdover or under. After 35yds it starts stepping up to 55yds with a 1.5mil hold over. I have verified this on paper at the range. Now whether it will serve me well at a match.. I think so but we will see...

I don't shoot matches and have zero experience at what is best for a match. I can only assume that extending the range of your "flat spot" would be the best way to sight in the rifle.

Your "LOS" would be your "close zero" and "far zero". As long as the top of the pellet's arc is between these two points you are maximizing your "flat spot" around the crosshairs. Since the drop is parabolic your "far zero" should be a bit closer to the top of your arc than the "close zero" to squeeze the most range out of it.

That is the most forgiving spot to sight a pellet rifle in my limited experience. What others say about it might hold more weight in competitions.

I've found about the same trajectory at 50 as you have. I zero at 25 and it's on again at 35 (or so). At 50 I'm about 1.75" low (more or less). I'm not competing and misses don't matter so I haven't made a science out of it.

In the past I zeroed at 27 yards and used the dot above the crosshair for my aiming point. This put the POI above the horizontal crosshair from 0-45 and went below the crosshair past that. I liked it for long shots (100 yard beer bottles) because I used fewer dots below the crosshair (I get mixed up past two dots and sometimes shoot off the wrong one). It works pretty well with a complex crosshair and long shots. And it helps keep your scope closer to optical center with a little droop in your barrel. It minimizes the effect of scope or gun canting on long shots too.

Somewhere along the line I went back to zeroing on the crosshair. I'm not sure which way I like better. One is just as good as the other I suppose as long as you can visualize what's going on downrange in relation to your aiming point and can keep track of the dots.