Resources Be a Better Field Target Shooter in 15 minutes- Bracketing with Bill Rabbitt

[DeadEyeNC]

What in the heck is bracketing?
In this episode I talk to Bill Rabbit about using bracketing range a target. If you do your homework, bracketing can be a great tool for determining distance for those far targets!

#airgunfieldtarget @wbillbbb #deadeyenc #fieldtarget #airgunshooting #aafta #bracketing #rangefinding

 

[dan_house]

Couple of Q's.....

does FFP or SFP affect how bracketing works?

Bill's card shows some blank spots... like the 2x8 at 54 yards doesnt have an entry. does that mean the 54 yard measurement is the same as the 55 yard reading? Same as the 53 yard reading?

Big Thanx to DeadEye for this series!!

 

[DeadEyeNC]

Couple of Q's.....

does FFP or SFP affect how bracketing works?

Bill's card shows some blank spots... like the 2x8 at 54 yards doesnt have an entry. does that mean the 54 yard measurement is the same as the 55 yard reading? Same as the 53 yard reading?

Big Thanx to DeadEye for this series!!

Does FFP or SFP matter? I would say no- as long as you’re using the same magnification you used to make your bracket card when using a SFP scope. I wouldn’t think it would matter the magnification with a FFP scope!

Bill has blank spaces on his card where the bracket measurement is not an even measurement- when the board or block falls between mil or hash marks.

Glad you found this interview helpful!

 

[Garrettkq]

Muwhahahaha Time to order some off-size cinder blocks.

 

[scotton]

Couple of Q's.....

does FFP or SFP affect how bracketing works?

Bill's card shows some blank spots... like the 2x8 at 54 yards doesnt have an entry. does that mean the 54 yard measurement is the same as the 55 yard reading? Same as the 53 yard reading?

Big Thanx to DeadEye for this series!!

Just to expand on this, FFP and SFP affect bracketing a lot, but in a good way. With a FFP scope, the brackets will always be the brackets regardless of magnification. This is because the reticle markings stay the same whatever the magnification. So if a cinder block is 4 mils at 50 yards, it will always be 4 mils because the reticle size changes with the magnification change.

An SFP scope is the opposite. If you bracket a cinder block at 4 mils at 50 yards at 16x, it won't be 4 mils if you change the magnification to 12x. The reticle appears to get bigger as you zoom out, so the cinder block would bracket at 5 or 6 mil instead of 4 mil.

However, you can use this to your advantage. For example, on my scope used for WFTF, I can change the magnification to make the reticle line up with a block, then see what the magnification is. So if I change the magnification on my scope until a block is bracketed by an even number of mils. I can then look at the magnification marking. If it's 30x, and 8.5 mils, I know the target is 50 yards away. If it's 8 mils, the target is 55 yards. I have a chart for the brackets of cinder blocks and kill zones at various magnifications for targets greater than 40 yards away.

Because Hunter class can only go up to 16x, there is less magnification range to be able to bracket by changing the magnification, but it's still useful enough that a lot of hunter class shooters prefer SFP.

The reticle view in Strelok is very useful for starting your bracket chart, but it takes practice in the field. Holding steady enough on a 52 yard target to get the bracket info is much harder than you think it is.

One other thing, there are a couple of match directors that think Hunter class isn't allowed to turn the magnification down. They think the scope has to stay at the same magnification throughout the shoot, even for offhand and kneeling lanes. This is an incorrect interpretation of the rules, but it's their shoot so they get to do what they want. So check with your local match directors before you spend too much time making charts and graphs for different magnifications.

 

[Scotchmo]

…
One other thing, there are a couple of match directors that think Hunter class isn't allowed to turn the magnification down. They think the scope has to stay at the same magnification throughout the shoot, even for offhand and kneeling lanes. This is an incorrect interpretation of the rules, but it's their shoot so they get to do what they want. …

If the Hunter Division rules are taken literally, then only a scope that maxes out at 16x can be used at ANY lower magnification. The rules have special wording for scopes capable of greater than 16x. The rules say only the “nearest” lower setting, rather than “any” lower setting as some assume. Very few take that rule literally.

If the scope has the following marks:

4, 8, 12, 16max.
Any magnification can be used.

6, 12, 16, 20max
Only 16x or 12x can be used

5, 10, 15, 20, 25max
Only the 15x mark can be used

Officials typically don’t check Hunter Division scopes. It’s an honor system. Some match directors might just say no touching the magnification ring as that’s easier to enforce. When shooting Hunter Division, and when I was a match director, I used your interpretation.

 

[scotton]

If the Hunter Division rules are taken literally, then only a scope that maxes out at 16x can be used at ANY lower magnification. The rules have special wording for scopes capable of greater than 16x. The rules say only the “nearest” lower setting, rather than “any” lower setting as some assume. Very few take that rule literally.



6, 12, 16, 20max
Only 16x or 12x can be used

You would use only 16x in this case according to the literal interpretation of the rules. But having witnessed many top level Hunter shooters lower the magnification on their Sightron SIIIs during a match, I think part of the interpretation of the rule is based on who you are as well as where you are.

When I see the BOG president this afternoon I'll tell him to fix the wording of the rule. I'm also going to have him add a rule that there is a 5 point score penalty if you don't bring exact change to matches. Wow, this power is very corrupting.

 

[Scotchmo]

You would use only 16x in this case according to the literal interpretation of the rules….

Rules say “16x mark or nearest lower factory marking”.

So, taken literally, you might actually have two settings you can choose from. For instance, if the nearest marking below 16 is 12, then you are allowed to use either one.

 

[scotton]

They used the same poor wording for the pistol rules: Scope maximum magnification of 12x. Variable scopes of greater than 12X must be turned to 12X or the nearest lower factory marking on the scope.
So if you have a 12x scope you can do whatever you want, otherwise you get two magnification options and I guess you can just jump back and forth between them. I've only seen one match director follow the letter of the rule rather than the obvious intent of the rule, and I've heard of another match director that does the same but I've only witnessed it personally at one club.

I think the rule needs to be re-written so that the words match the intent.

For any new FT shooters, don't freak out and buy a scope that only goes to 16x. What you have now is probably fine. What we are doing here is a time honored field target tradition called "complaining about the rules". This is a fun winter time activity that we engage in because we are old and bored. The main take away from this is two things: The AAFTA rulebook has a few small issues and most match directors do weird things. I mean, I just read a post where a match director said that guns in a cradle have to be covered. That's weird. But I'm probably never going to shoot at that club, so I'm not going to run out and buy a gun blankie. You just need to find out what flavor of weirdness your match director subscribes to and then you can laugh about the weird match directors in other parts of the country.

 

[DeadEyeNC]

They used the same poor wording for the pistol rules: Scope maximum magnification of 12x. Variable scopes of greater than 12X must be turned to 12X or the nearest lower factory marking on the scope.
So if you have a 12x scope you can do whatever you want, otherwise you get two magnification options and I guess you can just jump back and forth between them. I've only seen one match director follow the letter of the rule rather than the obvious intent of the rule, and I've heard of another match director that does the same but I've only witnessed it personally at one club.

I think the rule needs to be re-written so that the words match the intent.

For any new FT shooters, don't freak out and buy a scope that only goes to 16x. What you have now is probably fine. What we are doing here is a time honored field target tradition called "complaining about the rules". This is a fun winter time activity that we engage in because we are old and bored. The main take away from this is two things: The AAFTA rulebook has a few small issues and most match directors do weird things. I mean, I just read a post where a match director said that guns in a cradle have to be covered. That's weird. But I'm probably never going to shoot at that club, so I'm not going to run out and buy a gun blankie. You just need to find out what flavor of weirdness your match director subscribes to and then you can laugh about the weird match directors in other parts of the country.

'Gun Blankie'
LOL

 

[Franklink]

Big sale right now on them....

https://a.co/d/212B56f

All in the name of safety of course.

 

[bvan]

Some clubs want the trigger group to be covered when a cradle is used to move a rifle around as part of their safety requirements. They allow it to be a simple as a small towel.

 

[scotton]

Big sale right now on them....

https://a.co/d/212B56f

All in the name of safety of course.

Don't be ridiculous.
Tacticool - if you build boats

 

[dan_house]

Muwhahahaha Time to order some off-size cinder blocks.

Proof postitive match directors are evil ........

 

[DeadEyeNC]

If shrinkflation comes to cinder blocks and 2x6 lumber, our bracketing strategy is screwed!

 

[dan_house]

"...long as you’re using the same magnification you used to make your bracket card ..."

Im a max mag all the time kinda guy.... so that wont be an issue

and thanx to everyone for all the other info!

 

[Scotchmo]

If shrinkflation comes to cinder blocks and 2x6 lumber, our bracketing strategy is screwed!

Best to have a ranging strategy that includes focus ranging as well as bracketing. Don’t totally rely on either one. There are often clues to non-standard blocks. You’ll learn which to favor for any given instance.

 

[DeadEyeNC]

Best to have a ranging strategy that includes focus ranging as well as bracketing. Don’t totally rely on either one. There are often clues to non-standard blocks. You’ll learn which to favor for any given instance.

Personally I agree.
There are plenty of targets here in NC that have obstructed stands, blocks, etc.
I usually range first, then use bracketing to confirm or make a decision when it's difficult to tell.

 

[Franklink]

I can see the utility behind bracketing if you shoot at a club where every target is attached to a block.

The matches I've attended usually have as many targets (or more) attached to trees and stumps as they do clamped to blocks. Somebody shows up to one of these, heavy on the bracketing and light on the range by focus..... they're gonna have a frustrating day.

 

[Scotchmo]

I can see the utility behind bracketing if you shoot at a club where every target is attached to a block.

The matches I've attended usually have as many targets (or more) attached to trees and stumps as they do clamped to blocks. Somebody shows up to one of these, heavy on the bracketing and light on the range by focus..... they're gonna have a frustrating day.

Don’t go light on either. I find utility in the possibility that even one target has a convenient target feature on which to bracket. And even when there are none, I’m still OK. That’s why we should be prepared to focus range find as well as bracketing.