Target Sports

SPECIAL FEATURE: HAVING A FIELD DAY

Created on 26th May 2009

MARK CAMOCCIO looks at essential gear for FT and HFT shooters

OUTDOOR AIRGUN competitions have enjoyed something of an explosion in popularity, with the rise of Hunter Field Target (HFT) as a separate discipline now providing even more choice for the budding enthusiast. With the original Field Target still going strong, there's never been a better time to get involved and sample the atmosphere - not to mention the challenge - of these exciting competition formats. Although both sports exist in their own right, they each require much the same paraphernalia.

If you're new to these disciplines it can all seem a little bewildering and there is inevitably a fair amount to ponder over. But as with any sport, much depends on how far you want to take them. You can enjoy them on a basic level, or invest more time and effort into improving your skills. I've put together here a mixed bag of accessories that can help smooth the path when competing and also maximise the equipment's potential - hopefully improving scores along the way.

Barrel-cleaning kit

Back in the 1980s, when the best FT rifles available were still spring-powered, we never considered cleaning the barrel. As the humble spring/piston design is fairly self-lubricating, it simply wasn't necessary: the piston throws a tiny amount of lubricant forwards on each shot, which in turn finds its way into the barrel, keeping it largely free from corrosion. Today's pre-charged pneumatics bring with them a different set of considerations, including some barrel-related issues. As the PCP system's main diet is dry air, barrels can corrode after a while - especially in varied climatic and storage situations - unless some TLC comes their way.

Opinion is divided over what's the best maintenance routine; and the golden rule of ‘leave well alone if the gun is grouping well' can make sense. But I think it's beneficial to clean the bore after three or four sessions, regardless, as it minimises the chance of corrosion building up inside the rifling. Some top competitors lubricate pellets, thereby transferring a protective coating of sorts to the barrel. But for peace of mind a periodic barrel cleaning session is a good idea, and should optimise group sizes too. And obviously, if the rifle gets wet, lubricating/cleaning the barrel becomes a priority. Just remember that a shift in zero may occur as a result of cleaning and this means you might need to fire a number of shots to resettle the barrel.

With a plethora of dedicated air rifle cleaning kits on the market the choice is huge. But for airguns I only recommend a soft pull-through-type product - I steer clear of phosphor bronze brush fitments and rigid metal rods. When you consider the comparative softness of steel used in an airgun barrel, the rifling does need to be respected to avoid damage. Add to this the ease with which any lead deposit can be cleared, and it's obvious that a cloth cleaning patch pulled through the bore several times, combined with solvents, will amply deal with the task. This can take the form of a coated length of wire or cord, with a loop at one end, being passed down the bore until it emerges from the breech. A cloth patch can then be fed into the loop, and once a few drops of cleaning agent (I use Parker Hale 303 solution) have been applied the patch can be drawn through the barrel. This procedure can be repeated a few times until the patch runs clean. Fishing trace line is often used but many dedicated alternatives exist; the Hoppes Bore-snake from Deben is particularly simple to use. A small brass weight drops through the barrel and becomes a handle with which to pull the attached cleaning cord through the bore.

Logun cleaning kit; SRP £19.99
T: 01902 722144 (Webley Ltd)
Napier pull-through kit; SRP £17.95
T: 01235 821993 (Napier)
Hoppes Bore-Snake; SRP £21.50
T: 01394 387762 (Deben)

Pellet pouch

Turn up at any FT or HFT competition and you're bound to see a small pile of lead pellets in the grass on one of the target lanes. This is caused by those rather naff pellet tins that need a piece of tape to stay shut. Just why we are still expected to cope with such a product is beyond me. Invariably they fall open, spilling their contents in the mud - and unless you're really desperate the pellets have to stay where they fall as they will either be contaminated or damaged, or both. A secure, easily accessed container is therefore a prerequisite. Luckily several pellet pouches that fit this bill are now available. Many of them are of cheap vinyl type but there are also some finer specimens available.

Mike Tawn supplies a rather nice design in black leather. Its half-moon shape means that pellets don't get stuck in the corner and its flap can be removed or pivoted out of the way when necessary by means of two press studs on the reverse. Then there's Mike Wilkins' increasingly popular pouches. These are hand-made and come in two sizes, with the main bowl diameter being either 2.5" or 3". They are fashioned from hard leather to an exceptionally high standard. Their design incorporates a button-down front opening lid to keep the contents in place even when awkward shooting positions are adopted. The standard-sized pouch can take around 125 pellets in the smaller .177 calibre (ample for any competition) and its larger brother can soak up almost an entire tin, or even rifle magazine. With the opening fastened any spillage is prevented - even when taking shots from the prone position. And the pouches are supplied with attractive cord lanyards and a quick-release catch.

Standard pouch; SRP £15.95 (2.5") or £17.95 (3")
T: 01423 547222 (Wilkins Pouches)
Black leather pouch; £19.99
T: 01945 420770 (Michael Tawn Airgun Supplies)

Bean bag/shooting seat

Unlike in FT you're not allowed to shoot from the sitting position in HFT. You can use beanbags for kneeling shots, though. I used to compete with a piece of foam stuffed in a sports bag, but once I experienced the comfort and support of a dedicated beanbag I didn't mind the extra outlay. And in the Field Target world they're all but essential, with some even offering a pouch for pellets and scorecard.

Webley/Logun bean bags; SRP £20-£27
T: 01902 722144 (Webley Ltd)

Scope enhancer

Scope enhancers could well fall into the category of ‘gimmick'. But push one into place on the rear of your scope and I defy you to stop grinning: they really do give you a sharper, crisper image.

Scope enhancers work by shutting out all backlight. Their soft rubber eyecups push over the ocular (rear) lens of the telescopic sight; by adjusting how far they are pushed on or off, the eye relief can be completely taken up and the shooter's eye then snugly pressed into the cup. The eye then adjusts and makes best use of the light available, without any distraction and distortion coming in through the rear lens.

I first came to appreciate the benefits of these superb little add-ons at the European Championships at Weston Park a few years back. By mid-afternoon on the second day a high sun was shining through the woods from behind the shooter. It's extremely difficult to get a clear view of the targets in these conditions as the light adds haze to the image. Some competitors even had to resort to wearing towels over their heads. Suffice to say that I came back the following year with the enhancer in place (and so had to look for another excuse!).

Scope Maximizer by Bisley; SRP £13
Available from all good gunshops
Hawke Flexi-Eye; SRP £9.95
T: 01394 387762 (Deben)
Enhancer Eye Cup; SRP around £17
(Blackpool Air Rifles)
T: 0870 4430264

Scope lens covers

Most scopes these days are supplied with some form of protective lens caps. While these do indeed look after the glassware they can be lost easily, especially if they are of the elasticated ‘end to end' type. A far more practical design is the flip-up cap style, which will do the job while staying in situ on the scope. It simply flips up out of the way when necessary. Arguably the most famous name in this area is Butler Creek. This firm's products are marketed by Deben and offer individual push-fit cups or two-piece sets. The design includes spring-loaded covers that flip up when a small button is pressed to open. The Blizzard option has clear or yellow tinted Perspex (sorry: optical grade polymers!), allowing shots to be taken when the caps are down. The caps keep out grit and dirt as well as rainwater, so they protect both in the field and when the gun is in storage.

Alternatives include Deben's Hawke range, which offers further value-for-money flip-up designs. Bushwacker's products are similar, with yellow tinted see-through lens and a quality feel.

Butler Creek; SRP £8-£10 individual,
£18 Multiflex two-piece
T: 01394 387762 (Deben)
Hawke flip-up covers; SRP £5.95 individual
T: 01394 387762
Bushwacker; SRP £5
Available in all good gunshops

Lightweight case

I can't remember a bleaker season than 2007 as far as weather is concerned. If it's a taste of things to come then a waterproof rifle case will be more important than ever in future. And as FT/HFT shooting can take up the best part of three-four hours, changeable weather may well be on the cards. If the drizzle sets in it makes sense to at least cover the rifle between target lanes or while waiting to shoot. What you really need is a lightweight (hard or soft) case, as you'll be carrying it through the course.

It also makes sense to protect the rifle/scope combo from intense sunlight, as in extreme circumstances this can cause a zero shift. Different metals on the rifle, scope or mounts can expand and contract at different rates, and it's these tiny changes that can cause the problem.

I now use the Doskosport Hybrid case, which adds great padded protection into the bargain, but many cheaper alternatives are widely available.

Doskosport SE range; SRP £32-£45
Doskosport DLX Hybrid; SRP £85
T: 01394 387762 (Deben)

Spirit level

You may once again be thinking ‘gimmick' - but hear me out. I was persuaded of this object's validity in FT during a competition held in a pine wood during the late 1980s. I was sitting at an extreme angle. When a fellow competitor handed me his rifle to have a look at the gizmo I just couldn't believe he'd bothered to fit one, but the incredible amount of correction I had to make on the rifle in order to bring the bubble back into line made me realise how useful it was. OK, on level ground it's not really necessary but many FT events take place up hill and down dale, and canting the rifle is a common source of shot misplacement - with the error magnified at long range.

Top producers include top-quality British company Sportsmatch, which offers either the swing-out variety or levels that sit atop scope mounts. Airmasters88 produces high-quality levels that clamp to the scope body, offering great versatility and peace of mind. Remember, though, that levels are outlawed in HFT so it's an FT-only device.

Sportsmatch SP3; SRP £25.95.
SP1 and SP2 kits; SRP £24
T: 01525 381638 (Sportsmatch)
Airmasters88 mounted level; SRP £30
T: 01442 266831 (Airmasters88)

Shooting gloves

You need shooting gloves in freezing weather, and Deben's Super Stretch examples are a superb buy. With tiny bonded slits to expose the finger and thumb plus Velcro adjusters and pads, they follow a well thought-out design.

Out-and-out target gloves give support in the stance. Watch the top FT shots and you'll be amazed at the target glove's versatility and by the support and comfort that it can offer. Several versions, including Anschutz varieties, are available from main importers Frank Dyke.

Anschutz target gloves; SRP £25-£45
depending on specification
W: www.anschuetz-sport.com
Super Stretch Neoprene gloves; SRP £17-£22
T: 01394 387762 (Deben)

Pellet sizer

Sizing pellets is a science. It's one of those things that works for some shooters while others are less impressed, or just can't be bothered. Sometimes a quality batch of one pellet type suits a particular gun, and no amount of experimentation will dramatically improve performance. With other rifle/pellet combinations a tiny alteration can make all the difference. The principle behind pellet sizing is as follows: a machined, tapered tube has a stopper that effectively stops pellets from moving through the tube beyond a certain point. The stopper is adjustable so it allows the pellet to be sized to a greater or lesser degree, as it conforms to the size of the tube at the point where it stops.

The sizing procedure can be deliberately experimental, whereby pellets are forced to become a different size, or it can just be used to grade pellets. So if the majority of pellets in a tin drop to a certain point within the sizer and others fall through, then the undersized can be discarded - in theory tightening consistency.

Peace of mind can play a huge part in generating confidence in any sport, and if sizing achieves this then it's worth its weight in gold.

Airmasters88 pellet sizer; price on application
T: 01442 266831 (Airmasters88)
TR Robb sizer; SRP £18
T: 01268 752888 (TR Robb Airgun Specialist)

Pellet scales

Hot on the heels of pellet sizing comes weighing. And if you thought you could just open a tin of your favourite ammo and get started you were sadly wrong.

OK, that's a slight exaggeration - but if absolute consistency is the goal then you do need to monitor quality regularly. So often with top-quality airgun FT pellets a particular brand becomes popular and sends demand sky-high, with the result that production quality slips as the manufacturer tries to keep up with demand. I've seen alarming variation in two tins of pellets that were supposedly the same make. You may well be lucky, but if results go off the boil then weighing pellets could be the answer. At least you will spot the potential problem before getting an unexpected result!
Variations of a tenth of a grain here and there are immaterial. Increase that to half a grain of variance upward, and place the target at 45yd-plus, and some change in the point of impact could make all the difference. I've spoken to top shots on the HFT circuit who have experienced a weight differential of up to a grain in the same tin! Appalling and rare - but it can happen!

Accura Diamond 10; SRP £39.99
T: 08700 344632 (Kingdom Trading)
W: www.kingdomtradinguk.com

Cleaning/maintenance cradle

Whether fixing a scope into mounts or the mounts to the action, a stable rest is invaluable for holding the rifle in place.

The Cleaning and Maintenance Cradle, made by Stoney Point and marketed by Deben, is a beautifully simple design consisting of two end-plates bearing a moulded ‘v' shape and two cross rods that simply push through the two end pieces. The rods are a push-fit and can be adjusted, while the ‘V' supports are nicely rubberised to protect the rifle. Once assembled, the cradle forms a solid rifle stand. Its design means it can be quickly disassembled and stored in a range box, ready to be whipped out when required. The Pro-Bench Rest, also available from Deben, is a solid addition to any shooter's cabinet.

RMC's Gun Maintenance Center is available from Tim Hannam. To eliminate spills it provides compartments for your cleaning bits and pieces. Its removable forks have moulded-on rubber padding to protect your rifle and can hold two cleaning rods. Each fork has two height adjustments, giving a combination of height adjustments to hold the rifle level upright or upside-down. The large middle section can store all your tools and cleaning supplies in one area.

Stoney Point Cleaning and Maintenance Cradle; SRP £24.95
T: 01394 387762 (Deben)
Pro-Bench Rest; SRP £59.95
T: 01394 387762
MTM RMC Gun Maintenance Center; SRP £25-£30
T: 01977 681639 (Tim Hannam)

Chronograph

My final accessory, the chronograph, is a must for any enthusiast who wants to stay legal and keep on top of performance.

In my experience even different batches of the same pellet can shoot differently, so double-checking consistency and velocity levels should be a regular event. The many other factors affecting the rifle, like cleaning the barrel and experimenting with lubricants, also make a testing routine necessary. Acquiring a decent chrono is therefore a pre-requisite.

Models are available to suit all pockets, from the Combro cb625 right up to multi-functional Skan models for a workshop. I've had a Combro in my collection for some time now and have always found it accurate when tested against larger models. Just bear in mind the safety aspect (all carefully detailed in the instructions supplied) when fixing the compact Combro unit to the muzzle.

Alpha Chrony; SRP £99. F1 Chrony; SRP £77.50
T: 01487 740744 (Theoben Ltd)
Skan Chronographs; SRP £179
T: 01787 227567 (Skan)
Combro cb-625 mk4; £39.95
T: 01323 899950 (Combro)