lets go back to 1986 for a min....

[Lord Long]

I know it's a cliche, but those were the good old days of FT (IMO) you could shoot the gun you hunted with, now it's 'Star Wars' guns with target jackets and gloves, looks like the fun (remember fun) has gone out of it. I think the fun went when pre charged came in.

[Bongo351]

The BODS badge you have stands for Basingstoke Outdoor Shooters. I started the club in 1975 shooting paper targets. The Pigeons were always a popular side shoot and I made them just before I started Nockover Targets. As for Joe and Cindy I exchange Christmas cards with them each year. I still own the only pump up rifle made by Ken Turner. Wonderful times with many NEW guns coming on stream not just wonderful new stocks! Nice to hear some of us are still around

[Baxterbasics]

Here's a link to a vid that I came across a few years ago-to all on this thread, enjoy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuxnuDdQSik

[MrGrumpy]

I was a member of Ormsby air rifle club in those days we used to run FT events and had a decoy shoot . One lad had a 25 break barrel and was pretty much unbeatable . I think we lost the FT grounds because some one set fire to the woods during a comp and it got into the peat and there was fire breaking out everywhere !!!!!

[gunstock]

I remember going to basingstoke and shooting my hw80. and winning a trophy for shooting at moving ducks I think, got a picture of me and Ian law with our trophies

[derekj]

Here's a link to a vid that I came across a few years ago-to all on this thread, enjoy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuxnuDdQSik

Wonderful video that What nostalgia Atb. Derek

[Lord Long]

Thanks for that vid, so I'm guessing that was the start of HFT, is it still that 'informal' ? I've never been to a HFT shoot. Good to see Rob Verrier on there, was one other guy I recognised too, in the hat with the 77?
Any idea what year this would have been ?

[Lord Long]

The BODS badge you have stands for Basingstoke Outdoor Shooters. I started the club in 1975 shooting paper targets. The Pigeons were always a popular side shoot and I made them just before I started Nockover Targets. As for Joe and Cindy I exchange Christmas cards with them each year. I still own the only pump up rifle made by Ken Turner. Wonderful times with many NEW guns coming on stream not just wonderful new stocks! Nice to hear some of us are still around

So I'm guessing you are DP ? Are you still making the targets.....?

[Peter Dunkley]

The Melbourne Bellringers still occasionally have a fun duck shoot on a club evening at the Melbourne British legion. Yellow plastic ducks shot with an air rifle converted to shoot corks.
hysterics is the word.

[Trumpetier]

I was a member of Ormsby air rifle club in those days we used to run FT events and had a decoy shoot . One lad had a 25 break barrel and was pretty much unbeatable . I think we lost the FT grounds because some one set fire to the woods during a comp and it got into the peat and there was fire breaking out everywhere !!!!!

God this takes me back. I remember shooting in the woodland course at the sun inn, just outside Chop Gate.

[Terry D]

Hi
Yes i was there at basingstoke and remember that, i sill have the badge they gave away that day saying I HAVE SHOT WITH THE BASINGSTOKE BODS, it was in a sports center, they also had a table that shooters bought there guns to sell, even terry doe was there dave welham, terry wheeler, ian law, dave whiscombe, great days.
JJJJJJ

Great days, those. Still got some trophies from those shoots somewhere.

[Terry D]

Thanks for that vid, so I'm guessing that was the start of HFT, is it still that 'informal' ? I've never been to a HFT shoot. Good to see Rob Verrier on there, was one other guy I recognised too, in the hat with the 77?
Any idea what year this would have been ?

That was very early '90s, Chris.

The guy in the hat was Barry Longbottom. Also there was Barry's wife, Kate, and his brother, Michael, Paul Sambell, Mick Laylor, me, Max Fisher did the narration, and Rob's wife, Kathy, and son, Vince, were there, too.

As for the fun going out of FT when the PCPs arrived, I assure you we had a TON of fun during those times, mate, and I'm told the FT crew still have a great time today.

Top sport, great people, unlimited fun. Marvellous.

[jjjjjj]

Great days, those. Still got some trophies from those shoots somewhere.

Yep me to, There was one time at Basingstoke they had put copper pipe on the barrels of a couple of air rifles and was firing paint balls at a target the size of a door, I remember one of the rifles was a bsa meteor.

[Rickenbacker]

I now own Kate Longbottom's gun from 1992 (which I hope is the little AR4 shilouette that she won the Worlds with in 1993?).

And I was a marshal / set up helper in one of those very early decoy & paper target events in 1984 or about... It was at a small village called Redbrook, 15 miles from Chepstow, and as I remember, it was mainly shooters from the Bristol area competing.

[OUTCAST]

Ormsby air rifle club them were the days... I had my fair share of wins at chop gate .
As for the decoy shoot .22 with H&N hollow points out of a HW80 they put squash balls in the head to make them last longer but sometimes you had to shoot them in the tail to spin them out of the ring.
just in case you are thinking who the its Dave Hammill