View Poll Results: Why would you not shoot HFT?

Voters
35. You may not vote on this poll
  • I don't like target shooting

    6 17.14%
  • I don't have the right kit

    4 11.43%
  • I won't be good enough

    3 8.57%
  • I don't have time

    13 37.14%
  • I don't like the atmosphere/people

    11 31.43%
Multiple Choice Poll.
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Thread: HFT follow up poll

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
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    HFT follow up poll

    Following on from a discussion about my recent 'Am I good enough for HFT':

    Have you tried HFT and walked away?
    OR
    Are you reluctant to try it?

    If so, then why?

  2. #2
    eyebull's Avatar
    eyebull is offline Even a stopped clock is right twice a day
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    Transport and time issues are preventing me from competing (or shooting much at all come to that) but I'd love to have a go at HFT.
    Good deals with these members

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    HFT was one of my favourite shooting disciplines but sadly I have family obligations which mean I can't spend a day out taking the piss, rolling in mud, being cold/wet or on occasions sweating my tits off and swatting flies.
    While being slightly jealous of some of the kit that was being shot it wouldn't have made me a better shot, more practice would! I always enjoyed chatting with the vast majority of the people who shot from beginners to experienced and will be back at it as soon as I possibly can. In general they're a great bunch, with one or two exceptions but you get that in any large group of people.
    Don't get put off by not having the latest fashionable expensive kit, take whatever you have, try it and have a try of other shooters kit (most will let you have a look through their scope or a few shots on the zero range with their rifle if they aren't busy trying to zero themselves). If you like the atmosphere and competition then think about spending on a better scope or gun but you don't need the mega expensive kit to win, nor do you need years of experience as a few years back we had a 14 year old world champion.
    Most clubs will run a club championship and have informal meets when no competitons are on, find one local to you and get in touch, go chat, try your gun and sight on the practice range, do a club competition, don't get put off by not scoring highly the first time you try, everyone has to learn!
    You will learn tons of stuff about technique and gear that you can't read from magazines or forums but always remember that there is more than one option, what works for some may not work for you, just have a go, what have you to lose? A few hours on a Sunday? There are much easier ways to waste time that are nowhere near as much fun, you could sit watching footy on the telly for instance...
    BSA Super10 addict, other BSA's inc GoldstarSE, Original (Diana) Mod75's, Diana Mod5, HW80's, SAM 11K... All sorted!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
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    Ross
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    Done it a couple of times and enjoyed it.

    My only negative of the experience was towards the end we had to wait ages for a couple to finish shooting, in order for us to finish shooting. Just seemed to drag on and on.

    That's a very minor point though.

    Would like to do it more but I tend to spend Sunday morning at the allotment or doing clay shooting.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Swindon
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    5,321
    It's good fun. I wish I had more time to compete properly but, working in retail can have some pretty unsocial shifts.

    But, given the choice, I'd usually rather be out hunting.



    As far as not having the right kit goes - there is no right kit for HFT. if you've got a rifle that shoots straight and you enjoy using it, turn up and give it a whirl.

    All of the above.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Location
    Eastbourne
    Posts
    105

    Hft

    Just started my 1st season. Got convinced to have a go when the Southern Hunters came to my local club.
    I'm certainly hooked and to be honest was hooked after the 1st event. As a relative novice I'm still getting comfortable with and used to different kit as I learn more.
    I still make novice errors but improving and there's always advice should I ask. I was warned that it's addictive and they weren't wrong.

    And in answer to the poll, I didn't think I was good enough

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
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    swindon
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    I have only tried it at my local club as I can only shoot on saturday afternoons work permitting.
    I would love to get out and visit other clubs and try my hand at other courses but unfortunately due to having a wife who works nearly the same hours as me we decided that Sundays will be our family day.
    I may not be the best shot in the world but I enjoy it so much which is a right bloody pain.

    Mark

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
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    Eastbourne
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    105
    Markyboy you need to get your wife into air rifles.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
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    swindon
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr.C View Post
    Markyboy you need to get your wife into air rifles.
    I have tried but she is not interested.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
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    Retford, Notts
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    Excellent original thread and link, Dan.

    I had a go at HFT about four years ago at the excellent Lincs HFT club and would recommend anyone to have a go. A great bunch of people, very friendly and helpful.

    No-one's there to judge you, just to help you on the way.

    The only thing that stops me currently is time and spare dosh. Money is a bit tight at the moment and every time I mentioned going the Mrs said I could drop her and the bin lids off in Lincoln to go shopping or to the cinema as I wasn't to have all the fun! So, instead of it costing me about £12 including fuel, it ended up being more like £60!

    I will, however, definitely visit again and would love to be able to go on a regular basis.

    Kit "snobbery" was non-existent and I just visited with a 77 and 95, standard stocks, home fettled and 4x32 scopes.
    THE BOINGER BASH AT QUIGLEY HOLLOW. MAKING GREAT MEMORIES SINCE 15th JUNE, 2013.
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  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
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    doncaster
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    I am amazed that so few people have voted on this subject, but not that the sheer amount of time that this sport takes is leading the poll as the reason for not giving it a go.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    Newcastle-under-Lyme
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    Thanks for putting this up Dan.

    I shot it from when it started to a few years back. I absolutely loved it. I couldn't wait for Sunday mornings. I stopped for many reasons. My right eye deteriorated so badly, my knee fell apart and a few other reasons.

    I always shot a 77 springer with a Simmons 4-12 scope with 30/30 ret. The whole lot cost originally about £180 second hand. I never missed a target because of kit. I actually knocked quite a lot down.

    I must admit I did get a little concerned when the mega kit started coming in. Not out of jealousy. I just worried that courses were getting tougher to test the best and then the best bought better kit to try and steal the odd extra point ... and then course makers made courses even tougher and so on. That's just human nature and has been discussed many times. It was always going to happen. I worried that the front end of the sport would pull so far away from the entry level that people would be put off getting into the sport ... and staying in it long enough to give it a chance. I do think there's a tad of evidence that that has happened a little.

    I've looked at the poll results. Only 19 votes so far so not really enough to go on. I can see why a few voted 'I don't like target shooting'. A vast number of air gunners are hunters and that's what they do. I really would say to the hunters that there may be no better way of improving your hunting skills than shooting a year of HFT. That's really not a 'Target shooters are better than hunters' thing.

    I also understand people saying they just don't have time. It can be all day on a Sunday if there's a few hours driving and two sessions.

    I am seriously absolutely amazed at the ones who have voted ... Don't like the atmosphere or the people.

    Anyone reading these threads and thinking of giving HFT a go, or FT, that is absolute b0ll0x. The atmosphere at the comps is brilliant. The people are fantastic. No one is made to feel unwelcome. Everyone will go out of their way to make you welcome. They will let you try their kit. They will show you around. They will advise you. I've been given so much kit for free from people like Chris C and lads from the North West. There isn't a better atmosphere to spend a few hours in on a Sunday morning. So I really don't know where those votes came from.

    If you are thinking of giving it a go. Please just go and try it. You really don't need £3000 of kit. As above, I shot for over 10 years with £180 worth of second hand springer and scope. I shot more over 50 scores than under ( mostly club shoots ) and came joint top score in the Worlds Springer class at Kelmarsh one year. The scores don't matter. The friends and memories that I made locally and around the North West and other areas do.

    If you do give it a go then please don't be put off if the courses seem beyond you at first and you only score low 30's or even a 20's score. The learning process early on, especially with the help you will get, will be very steep and fast. So within a few shoots you will be finding far more targets easier to knock down and your scores will start to climb, no matter what kit you use, very quickly. When you've reached high 40's it starts to get a bit tougher again and you may wish to upgrade kit or not. That's the beauty of it. It won't ever get too easy, You will keep reaching levels that you then have to work even harder at to get to that next level ... or you may just be happy staying at the level you are on and just work harder at your p1ss taking skills.

    Please go and give HFT and FT a try.
    Last edited by bozzer; 26-04-2018 at 07:51 AM.

  13. #13
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    It's distance and work commitments for me. If I was based in the south of Scotland I'd likely have given it a go before now, as the north of England is just a couple of hours away. From here I'm 4+ hours from the south of Scotland. So thats the issue. I've a good shooting 77 and a decent 10 x 40 fixed scope, so who knows what the future holds.

    That geography's a bitch.
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    Cut from the same mad socialist cloth as wee Nippy. No wonder you're rooting for her Wullie.

  14. #14
    stagmanv835's Avatar
    stagmanv835 is offline i tend to drink while on the bbs
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    Time and distance

    we only every had 1 round years ago when I did travel to compet that was near plympton , next nearest regular site is quarry
    You only have the rights you are willing to fight for

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
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    Bude
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    I can’t vote because I do shoot hft,most weekends and as part of the swefta league,had a few horrific low scores much to my team mates amusement,finally happy with my tx/mamba lite setup so onwards and upwards,last time was very wet,had to strip the tx apart and empty the water out,all good now though,if your not doing it,stop reading this and find a club

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