FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FIELD TARGET SHOOTING
What air rifle and scope combination do you recommend for beginners?
We will have a Benjamin Discovery and a Marauder air rifles to loan out.
What air rifle and scope combination do you recommend for beginners?
- For PCP, Benjamin Marauder Field & Target .177 caliber (regulator included) and TAC Vector Optics Sentinel 10-40x50mm scope.
- For PCP, you will need a Small Carbon Fiber Air Tank or high pressure hand pump to fill your PCP rifle.
- For Piston, HW50 .177 caliber under lever and UTG 4-16x44AO SWAT scope.
- .177 (most popular), .20 or .22 caliber pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) or spring piston air rifle.
- The rifle should achieve at least 1" ten shot groups at 50-55 yards or 1/2" ten shots groups at 25-30 yards.
- It should generate less than 20 foot-pounds of energy (ex. 935 fps max with 10.3 grain pellet) to limit excessive damage to the knock down field targets.
- In WFTF division, the rifle must generate less than 12 foot-pounds of energy. (ex. 802 fps max with 8.4 grain pellet)
- For PCP rifles, it should have a shot capacity greater than 50 for one tank fill and usually has a regulator or one is added to the rifle.
- If shot count is less than 50, you must get and carry a small air tank for refills.
- Large communal air tanks are usually supplied at the match but may not be nearby or accessible at all.
- Most commonly used PCP rifles - Steyr LG110FT, RAW TM1000, Thomas FT, Air Arms XTI-50, Crosman Custom Shop Benjamin Marauder (regulator added).
- Other PCP rifles - Hammerli AR20FT, Steyr Challenge FT, FX Streamline, Weihrauch HW110 ST, FWB 800X FT, Ataman M2 Sport FT, Walther LG400-M & Anschutz 9015 HP ONE FT
- Most commonly used spring piston rifles - Air Arms TX200, HW97K, HW77K, HW98, RWS/Diana 54 & Walther LGU.
- Many are customized with aftermarket springs, guides & seals (Vortek, Air Rifle Headquarters) and power levels reduced to 12-14 foot-pounds.
- Scope with Mil-Dot reticle or similar with an adjustable parallax for range finding down to 10 yards (Adjustable Objective or Side Focus).
- If using a spring piston rifle, scopes needs to be rated for spring piston or for heavy recoiling rifles. For WFTF/Open/Unlimited divisions, there is no limit on magnification (10-50x60 is popular). 24x minimum for optimal range finding.
- Any Sightron with ExacTrack (S-TAC 3-16x42 MOA, SIIISS1050X60 FTIRMH, FTIRMOA & FTIRMOA-H)
- Leupold Competition fixed (35x45mm, 40x45mm & 45x45mm).
- Affordable Option for PCP rifles only TAC Vector Optics Sentinel 10-40x50.
- Any Hawke Air Max 30 SF, Leapers/UTG, Optisan Mamba Lite/Taipan scopes.
- 16x maximum power for Hunter division only with Mil-Dot reticles.
- Optisan Mamba Lite 4-16x50mm
- MTC Optisan EVX 4-16x44mm
- Millett Tactical TRS-1 4-16x50mm
- Hawke Air Max 30 SF 4-16x50mm
- 4"-6" Side wheel for range finding on side focus scopes only (Scope-Werks).
- For Open/WFTF/Unlimited division only, you are allowed to adjust the elevation turret for different distances. Finger adjustable positive click target turrets for elevation and windage adjustments are useful.
- For Hunter division, you are not allowed to touch the elevation and windage turrets once the match begins.
- Scope level to make sure you are not canting your rifle while shooting.
- If using a spring piston rifle, scopes needs to be rated for spring piston or for heavy recoiling rifles. For WFTF/Open/Unlimited divisions, there is no limit on magnification (10-50x60 is popular). 24x minimum for optimal range finding.
- Eye protection - Shooting Glasses.
- Bum bag (Open, WFTF division) or folding stool/turkey hunter's seat/bucket (Hunter/Unlimited division, no back rest allowed).
- Quick adjustable bipod shooting sticks or regular shooting sticks (Hunter division only) or tripod (Unlimited division only).
- One tin (500) of domed pellets.
- Most WFTF shooters use 7.9 grain Crosman-brown box only, 8.5 grain H&N, 7.87 grain Air Arms Express, 8.4 grain Air Arms, 7.87 grain JSB Express or 8.44 grain JSB pellets. With 12 FPE limit, velocity must be less than 827 fps with 7.9 grain pellets or 802 fps with 8.4 grain pellets.
- Most Open/Hunter shooters use 10.5 grain Crosman-brown box only, 10.3 grain Air Arms or 10.34 grain JSB pellets. With 20 FPE limit, velocity must be less than 935 fps with 10.3 grain pellets.
- Hard or soft padded rifle case or rifle carrier (Gun tote) to safely carry rifle from lane to lane.
- Pellet pouch worn around neck or belt.
- Wind indicator (made of plastic cable tie attached to end of barrel or scope with a 8" or more length of wool string.)
- For Open Division, knee pad with flat top to rest rifle on your knee. For WFTF Division, the knee pad needs to be flexible and be folded in half.
- PCP rifle accessories:
- Small Carbon Fiber Air Tank for refilling your PCP rifle before or during the match.
We will have a Benjamin Discovery and a Marauder air rifles to loan out.
Is there a proper way to shoot standing and kneeling?
Yes, there is an acceptable way of shooting both standing and kneeling.
Please view this position rules page on the AAFTA website.
Is there a free trajectory calculator available to determine the exact number of elevation clicks for each different distance to shoot (for Open and WFTF Divisions only) ?
Yes, there is one website version that is free to use. http://www.airguns.net/trajectory.php
You can also download a free excel spreadsheet version from the Central Texas Air gun Club created by Leo Duran.
https://sites.google.com/site/centraltexasairgunclub/information/trajectory-chart
Yes, there is an acceptable way of shooting both standing and kneeling.
Please view this position rules page on the AAFTA website.
Is there a free trajectory calculator available to determine the exact number of elevation clicks for each different distance to shoot (for Open and WFTF Divisions only) ?
Yes, there is one website version that is free to use. http://www.airguns.net/trajectory.php
You can also download a free excel spreadsheet version from the Central Texas Air gun Club created by Leo Duran.
https://sites.google.com/site/centraltexasairgunclub/information/trajectory-chart