are modern pellets good enough?

[TenMetrePeter]

I'm sure I've seen a competition online where they ran, shot & ran again a bit like summer biathlon although that's on roller blades/grass skis.
.

https://www.air-arms.co.uk/academy/9...-sprint-series

[Muskett]

When I was competitively shooting I did wonder how best to find a winner? The person with the top score?? Well it gets to the stage when the course of fire is such that several shots can achieve the same top score and either there is a count back or shoot off.
Count back gets in the realms of luck.
Shoot offs can run out of daylight.

When is it marksmanship and when is it athleticism?

In some cases I'm an advocate of badge of marksmanship. When you achieve a level of competence. Shooting has a history of marksmanship badges. For those who can shoot to a high level but maybe not quite, or quite have the luck, to reach the podium, then badges aren't half a bad thing to go for.
Golf has a handicap system, and different courses given a difficulty grade. I'm not sure shooting requires a handicap system but certainly courses could be given a difficulty grade.
The point of the badge exercise is to have people shoot and improve their standard. As more clubs are established and permanent then the more possibilities there are. It a challenge to shoot over different layouts and places.
Shoot Century Range Bisley often enough and the home team has an advantage. Once I knew Century Range backwards, sideways, everywhichway. Clay Pigeon Grounds have the same.

Anyhow, I don't shoot FT or HFT, but rather than make the targetry depend on luck, I'd advocate an award system that allows all marksmen to be challenged. League system, competence system, and continuity system, so that there is reward for everyone who puts the time in. Different badges for different classes, and different levels, over the year.
One of the best rewards systems in the Military was the top 100 or top 50 badges. (For a time it was easier to get a top Queen's 100 Regular badge as the competition only had 150 competitors whereas the TA top 50 had 300! Whats was fantastic was the cource of fire was extensive enough to always find a winner. If your firing pin didn't break you had a chance.)
Any award system requires a centralised body to organise and monitor and award badges. That takes money. Maybe thats already in place.

As for better pellets then sure the more consistent they are the better. More than weighing and conditioning each one I'm unsure what more might be done, and pellets aren't cheap as they are. How much more expensive should they be? Ammunition on the whole has never been better.

[Muskett]

https://www.air-arms.co.uk/academy/9...-sprint-series

What Air Arms is doing I think is brilliant.

[bozzer]

FT and HFT are target sports. They aren't hunting simulation.

As Rob said the positions ... Sitting ( FT ), Prone ( HFT ), kneeling and standing ... can all be achieved in seconds by an experienced shooter.

The only sprint I've seen on a Sunday mornings is towards the burger van.

HFT and FT shooters running for 400m and then shooting ... NUUUURSE!

[Muskett]

If my post comes over as a dig at FT or HFT its not meant to be.
I agree the sports are not a Practical, nor a hunting simulation. But then its not meant to be 6m or 10m or Bell Target target shooting either. The only crossover is that of good marksmanship which is always a benefit to hunting sports.
Practice positions to a drill and there is no reason they should take long. Its familiarisation to the kit and the shooting practice. Getting proficient in any shooting discipline requires some routine to improve consistency and scores; part of the fun of it all; the application of it all to progress.

I once was a proficient small bore shot. A cup of coffee less than 20 minutes before a shoot cost a point. I hope FT and HFT doesn't get to the stage a bacon buttie is a no no; thats all

[SuffolkRifle]

Boxed Crosman Prems are still available in .177 in both weights in the UK, sadly, the same cannot be said for the other calibres (a shame, as I've a .22 that is spot on with them & I've only got about 20 left!) - as to whether they're still a good pellet? Last Sunday, chap at the club who has been struggling to group less than 4 inches at 30 yards with a new HW using AA/JSB in the varying head sizes and batches, even had it tuned etc. etc. then asked me (as I usually have several makes of pellet in the shooting case) if I had any pellets that he could try, tried a few of my sons .177 7.9g (box marked 'B') it went from 4" groups to pellet on pellet at 30 yards, and consistently hitting a 1/2" spinner at 55 yards - taking him a box of 1250 next week & another member is looking at trying them as well.

[SuffolkRifle]

FT shooters running for 400m and then shooting ... NUUUURSE!

400m? More like 40!