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Extreme FT rules and positions

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My “take” on this match from a newbie

The only air rifle shooting I have done was squirrel hunting with Centercut and a few others on the forum. Mike told me about this competition, and we drove out for the first match ever. What a blast I had shooting my first match!!!!! I shot my Vulcan 25, my hunting rifle. I never have really shot from “sticks” or a bucket. I was intimidated after looking at some of the equipment people were using. Team clothing, a fancy tricked out truck…You folks know ; )

The people were so friendly, helpful, and nice before the competition and during I was hooked. I did “OK” 22 out of 40 with the Vulcan. (That damn wind and heat 104 kicked my ass, it was not the equipment) When I got home and told the wife about it, she said she might want to try it also.

In November I came back with Mike and this time I shot like a piece of solid waste with an impact I had purchased. After talking to Bobby, Sandy, Ben and a few others I couldn’t wait for my wife to join us, so in January Barbara will be with me and she has already bought 2 rifles.

After 35 years in Law Enforcement I have seen the best in people and the worst in people. If this sport is going to grow and bring in the younger people, we all need to be the “best” we can for everybody in the sport. This is what I have seen at this match both times I have been there. I guess to me rules are rules, if you don’t like them and people are willing to vote on them, then it sounds like this match will only grow. Let's keep this fun and please keep helping the newcomers that show up it makes a huge difference.

Be safe everybody

Tony P. 
 
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After the fairly dismal scores in the last January Extreme match, do any of you wish you had some streamers up there somewhere to gauge wind direction and speed? I do, because half the time I was unsure where to aim in the wind, mostly at the longer targets. Whereas in contrast to regular FT I usually have a good idea where to aim in the wind with just the string of yarn on my gun.

This time it seemed more difficult than usual getting the wind right because it was often changing direction and intensity just enough to be confusing. Not any mirage that I could see, and I couldn't tell by looking at the grass or leaves???
 
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@steve123, just out of curiosity, if you were actually hunting would you go out and tie strings all around the area you were hunting so you would be able to read the wind. This is what is curious to me. Reading the wind in this event is what makes or breaks your score. I totally understand how difficult it is without the mirage but if your hunting and see “said object” to shoot at will you not take the shot because you don’t know what the wind is doing. That’s what makes this event so exciting. Timers, wind, knowing when to shoot and when not to shoot. Waiting until the last second or taking a chance and making your best guess. I like to win, no doubt, but if you have flags out there then it just becomes who can read read them the best. This last month I chose to shoot when the wind was blowing the hardest and I could read a specific direction. Definitely more successful. Some like to wait until more calm. This is what makes it exciting. Everyone has there own preferences and ideas on how and when to shoot. This is what practice and knowing your rifle will help with. I love this event and wouldn’t change a thing. Just my opinion. 

Sandy
 
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I guess it wouldn’t be “Extreme” if the targets were not beyond the reasonable ability of the shooter and equipment? 

I’m baffled as to why the percentage of hits on the near targets is so low at these matches. These are targets that are in the same ranges and KZ sizes as normal AAFTA Field Target and are being shot with rifles that are massively more powerful and the ranges are provided. A 22 cal HP gun shooting monsters has way less than half the drift of a 12fpe wftf gun.

Mike 
 
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I guess it wouldn’t be “Extreme” if the targets were not beyond the reasonable ability of the shooter and equipment? 

I’m baffled as to why the percentage of hits on the near targets is so low at these matches. These are targets that are in the same ranges and KZ sizes as normal AAFTA Field Target and are being shot with rifles that are massively more powerful and the ranges are provided. A 22 cal HP gun shooting monsters has way less than half the drift of a 12fpe wftf gun.

Mike
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For me, the low percentage of near targets knocked down has a lot to do with the position. My crosshairs are nowhere near as steady from sticks as they are from my regular ft position. And no, I've not had much time to practice. I took less than 100 shots between the Nov and Jan matches, so some practice from sticks would prove beneficial. 

Then there's the timer, some people don't do well under pressure. It's a bit of a mind game for sure. 

I can't blame scope power bc I shoot regular ft at 20x too, but perhaps that has something to do with it for folks that are used to 32x and above to take their shots? 

And as you're well aware, these high power guns have a bit more equal and opposite reaction when the trigger is touched off than a 12fpe WFTF gun. 

I wouldn't say the targets are beyond the reasonable ability of the equipment and shooter. Yes I know, no perfect or even near perfect scores yet, but it's early in it's development. Peole are still buying and trading guns and playing with ammo, all trying to figure out what is their optimal sweet-up. Regular field target has had 35-40 years for people to figure all that out. With the 3 that I've attended, I've felt my gun and myself were capable of better scores, it's just a matter of making it happen (PRACTICE). 
 
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Thanks for the input.

I can’t personally see how additional recoil could be involved lower scores unless people were becoming afraid of the recoil and anticipating. The recoil itself doesn’t harm the accuracy. Most people can put their first ever shot with a heavy firearm cartridge like a 300 win mag on target. From there on its a different story.

As for sticks...I see pic of lots of guys with just the pointy part of their elbows on their thighs. They would be a lot better off with their forearms making as much contact with their thighs as possible. This is accomplished with a lower seat so the angle of your thighs is upward rather than flat. It’s also helpful to roll your arms either inward or outward after contact is made with the thigh to tension the skin and loose muscle at an endpoint....otherwise the arm can just roll back and forth on the muscle.

Mike
 
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Thanks for the input.

I can’t personally see how additional recoil could be involved lower scores unless people were becoming afraid of the recoil and anticipating. The recoil itself doesn’t harm the accuracy. Most people can put their first ever shot with a heavy firearm cartridge like a 300 win mag on target. From there on its a different story.

As for sticks...I see pic of lots of guys with just the pointy part of their elbows on their thighs. They would be a lot better off with their forearms making as much contact with their thighs as possible. This is accomplished with a lower seat so the angle of your thighs is upward rather than flat. It’s also helpful to roll your arms either inward or outward after contact is made with the thigh to tension the skin and loose muscle at an endpoint....otherwise the arm can just roll back and forth on the muscle.

Mike
Click to expand...

Come on down and show us how it's done. 
 
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