What does shooting 10 meters have to do with FT?

[davecole]

It has EVERYTHING to do with FT.

one of the most dreaded disciplines in FT is the forced positions. Almost all clubs has an offhand lane. A few shooters have mastered it; many have not. It can be the difference between making the podium or watching from the sidelines.

Who couldn’t use a few extra KZ’s your competitors struggle with?

This year, I’ve struggled with forced positions. If I could hit the same percentage of forced as I do in my normal HFT stance, I would have finished easily top three. I recently lost a match with the tie-breaker being who had the most forced KZ’s. 
Kneeling typically I’m not hindered so much. 75% or better is normal but standing is my achilles heel; 0-25% is my norm. I don’t know about you but I can’t afford an eight-shot deficit. 

If you struggle with the forced positions, find a method of practice. Get one of the resettable squirrel targets, or even spinners. The type of target doesn’t really matter as long as you practice. 
I recently had the opportunity to go to a club that shoot the steel shilouttes at 10 meters indoors, all offhand. Rams, pigs, turkeys and chickens. I shot a borrowed Walther CG90 with a non magnifying optic target scope. This better simulates the size of KZ (actually smaller) I’m shooting at in HFT. I averaged better than 70% both matches so if I can convert this percentage to standing FT my position in finishing might go up a few. 

 

[Motorhead]

Yup ... complete distaste for offhand !! 

Yet you need to be 50 to 75% at minimum capable at the task when competing in FT if you wish to be on the podium with any regularity. 



If there is anything I can add .... PRACTICE with your FT GUN and NOT a lighter gun, one with a better trigger, one that balances better or without optics etc .....

For that WILL NOT BE THE GUN you will be shooting offhand with during a FT competition event.





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[AirShot]

The same thing could be said about 50 and 55 yd shots at less than one inch kill zones. Only those with high tech rifles and high tech glass are capable of hitting those on your 75% basis. Bottom line is, you need to be good at all disiplines of shooting if you expect to finnish well. 

 

[Therealld]

Typically, The term “10 meter shooting” implies shooting like they do in the Olympics etc., meaning offhand with diopter sights at bullseye targets fromm10 meters.

Years ago I was surprised to see skilled, ranked 10M shooters do only fair at airgun Silhouette and Field Target events. These shooters opined the main problems were they had fired hundreds of thousands of shots at targets roughly the same height as the gun, and they were used to targets of an exact size, shape, and distance … a black circle on a leveled, square white background, and had built up “muscle memory”.

For FT offhand practice, its best to use a scope with similar reticle and magnification (don’t exceed 12X on close ones) you will use for matches. 10meter is fine, but try a dark background with and even darker target circle to simulate some tougher ones I’ve seen, and practice with the targets a foot or less above floor level. At 10M, a dime-sized circle is about right for practice. I prefer to come up into the target (rather than down as many bullseye shooter do), since I can see the target sooner, and (ideally), break the shot as soon as I’m into it, rather than bouncing back up.

I used to be a pretty decent offhand shot, but am too old and doddery nowadays, though on a good day I get 75%.

 

[whitefox545]

I have to totally agree with Scott on this! Shooting with a ten meter rifle with peep sights has little to compare with shooting a heavy F/Target rifle with a large heavy scope that is normally shot for F/Target. I have several ten meter rifles and I am quite certain I could shoot the off hand and kneeling shots much better with them as compared to my F/Target rifles because of the added weight and lousy balance because of the heavy scope, so shoot your practice with the rifle you plan to use at a match to practice with if possible. But be prepared to struggle and become very tired quickly!! Practice is the only way to become better, But it sure is frustrating and tiring!!!! Good luck!!! J.L.

 

[chasdicapua]

Yes, 10m does not translate to off hand field target shooting. I found that out the hard way after practicing off hand all winter in my basement with the target at the same height, nice flat floor, etc. and feeling like I was making some progress, only to crap out in the off hand lanes that spring and summer. 

What Dave is pointing to though is the utter importance of doing well in the forced position lanes if you're in the game to be at or near the top. On a 60 shot course, if you got 50% of the shots in the forces lanes, (something lots of folks would feel OK about), you're already down 6 points. You would need to clear all the rest of the lanes to get a 54. Anyways, I'm agreeing here that to do very well in FT, one has to do well in the positional lanes. It's what I'll be doing all winter in my basement. 

Chas

 

[John "spysir" Blount]

Quite a lot if using the same rig for both.

John

 

[sillymike]

10M standing is an acquired taste... Back when I was actively shooting ISSF, I draw the line right before 10M air rifle ;-)

- For a reason or another, the standing targets for 50M free rifle seemed easier... Fast forward to today, if find casual (without the samurai suit) 10M standing kind of relaxing, just like yoga...

 

[Motorhead]

10M standing is an acquired taste... Back when I was actively shooting ISSF, I draw the line right before 10M air rifle ;-)

- For a reason or another, the standing targets for 50M free rifle seemed easier... Fast forward to today, if find casual (without the samurai suit) 10M standing kind of relaxing, just like yoga...

As do I .... Owning a Diana 75 HV and Diana 100 10 meter rifles. Just picking one up and doing a little offhand can be relaxing and very satisfying. 

Doing the same with the scoped FT rifle Not so much !!