Resources What’s needed for FT
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You can use a springer. They have matches where everyone uses one but any match should allow springers as long as the foot pound energy requirements are met. You may have different rules at your local club so ask them but I suspect that you will be fine. Obviously if you want to do better and rank higher a PCP could be more accurate. There's a guy that uses a tx200 at my club who frequently gets higher scores than most PCP guys. Just go down with your springer and enjoy a few matches and if you like the sport talk with a few guys down there. They would probably let you shoot their rifles and then you can see if you want to invest in a PCP or just keep having fun with what you got.
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Absolutely nothing wrong with springers! I have two that I have setup specifically for FT. Take yours down, talk to the guys at the match, and just have a fun. You'll have a great time!
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Springers are a great way to get your feet wet, so to speak. Easy to use for both buckets or bum bag, but you lose the power wars with the PCPs in Hunter.
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As the match director for the SVFTC am responsible in setting up our monthly FT matches. In our rotating group that shoots each month of @ 16-24 shooters we generally have +/- 3 to 6 piston gun shooters present. Yes indeed you can shoot a spring piston rifle, but do be aware your generally shooting a course that you will find rather challenging. This not done on purpose but so those who are shooting PCP's a more realistic challenge.
Also as one who spends time with club members helping them improve there FT game, if your starting out playing this game doing so with a Spring gun it absolutely will dampen the rate of a learning curve being established. That being LEARNING how to get a spring gun to shoot consistently accurate being hard enough, compounded by all the small nuances of how to address targets shot after shot, ranging, consistent holds and how to make shots outside your comfort zone etc ...
Just saying that learning the game is IMO a lot easier with a PCP especially with some experienced guidance during informal matches.
In our club we have several very accomplished PCP shooters who have gone back to springers for the challenge they present within the FT game they know how to play.
Either way ... JUST DO IT !!! After months or a season or more you can fine tune HOW & CLASS you play and what you shoot doing it.
Scott S
SVFTC
Also as one who spends time with club members helping them improve there FT game, if your starting out playing this game doing so with a Spring gun it absolutely will dampen the rate of a learning curve being established. That being LEARNING how to get a spring gun to shoot consistently accurate being hard enough, compounded by all the small nuances of how to address targets shot after shot, ranging, consistent holds and how to make shots outside your comfort zone etc ...
Just saying that learning the game is IMO a lot easier with a PCP especially with some experienced guidance during informal matches.
In our club we have several very accomplished PCP shooters who have gone back to springers for the challenge they present within the FT game they know how to play.
Either way ... JUST DO IT !!! After months or a season or more you can fine tune HOW & CLASS you play and what you shoot doing it.
Scott S
SVFTC
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Ditto to what Scott said.
At Diablo FT, we have classes for each discipline, so you'll only be competing against others with similar equipment. What you'll be learning depends on your comfort with a springer.
My first match i shot a QB-78 with a fixed 4 power scope. CO2 powered. In the cold.
Um, I didn't get high overall. I did have fun.
Dana showed up with with a Wally world open sighted springer for his first match. No shouted louder with joy than he did when hit a target. He pursued springers for 6 months, ended up with some of the finest pcps around. If he was still with us, I'd bet he'd return to springers.
Heck, last weekend I took two neighborhood kids down to the local creek and we made fishing poles out of branches. Couldn't of have more fun if we would have had Oris fly rods . Its about fun and when you figure out what you want to do afterwards, then pursue that.
Until you change your mind
At Diablo FT, we have classes for each discipline, so you'll only be competing against others with similar equipment. What you'll be learning depends on your comfort with a springer.
My first match i shot a QB-78 with a fixed 4 power scope. CO2 powered. In the cold.
Um, I didn't get high overall. I did have fun.
Dana showed up with with a Wally world open sighted springer for his first match. No shouted louder with joy than he did when hit a target. He pursued springers for 6 months, ended up with some of the finest pcps around. If he was still with us, I'd bet he'd return to springers.
Heck, last weekend I took two neighborhood kids down to the local creek and we made fishing poles out of branches. Couldn't of have more fun if we would have had Oris fly rods . Its about fun and when you figure out what you want to do afterwards, then pursue that.
Until you change your mind
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Like most things, I kinda took a backwards approach to FT. I started out with a couple of very high end and as expected, very accurate PCPs. I later acquired a HW97K that I had tuned to 12fpe and topped with a good FT scope. My level of satisfaction and enjoyment is much higher when shooting the 97. Something about hitting a target that you “might” hit being so much more rewarding than hitting one that you are “supposed” to hit. But I just shoot monthly matches in a small club where I’m usually alone in Hunter. I can shoot what ever gun I want. The springer is just more fun! Uj
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That's an absolutely great attitude to take to an ft match when shooting a springer - that x on the scorecard, it's just not a given - have fun, remember the hits, not the misses!
But honestly, easier said than done.
But honestly, easier said than done.
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