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Thread: FT Setup

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2022
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    FT Setup

    Our Gun Club has just acquired some extra land and we are looking into setting up a FT layout - or HFT - still looking into the differences. We don't want to be world championship level for now just want to give our members a new discipline and maybe attract some younger shooters. Its a steep learning curve but we will get there.

  2. #2
    xbow's Avatar
    xbow is offline "Right a bit, left a bit............"
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    Good luck with that, I used to enjoy shooting FT.
    We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.
    Rudeness is the weak mans imitation of strength. Eric Hoffer.

    If I don’t reply to your comments it’s probably because you’re on my Ignore list.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Bideford / Shebbear N. Devon
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    Oh my god, this could be a lengthy answer. Unless Furnace Mill isn't still running you are pretty close to a good HFT set up already. Been years since I shot there now but it was exclusively HFT (to UKAHFT). I would say pop along to see what they've got but I wouldn't want to advocate any poaching of ideas and potentially members!

    I'm going to try this answer with the DLODs acronym. DLoDs being Defence Lines of Development.
    T- Training
    E- Equipment
    P- Personnel
    I- Infrastructure
    D- Doctrine/Concept
    O- Organisation
    I- Information/Interoperability
    L- Logistics

    T- Training
    You said you didn't want to be World Championship level but get young blood in. So, the course might not have to be a full course 30 plus targets. You might want to concentrate on a few lanes that are good training lanes, freestyle, kneeling and standing. Also potentially a target or targets prone to wind. Judging distance training wise on a course is hard as people will learn the distances over time but you can but try and be deceptive or just think about other ways to train for it.

    E- Equipment
    The basic target would be of a knock down type with a resetting string. Now the reality; for a course you need a shed load of these, decent string, winders (to wind the string on to), posts or a means to place the targets, tools, ladders, a means to mark the firing line, firing points/lanes, signage for numbers (at both ends (firing line and target) and so the list goes on. You might also need or want club guns to loan newbies?

    P- Personnel
    You said this aimed at club and entry level. But also consider here left and right handers, short (vertically challenged) and physically disabled or less mobile. People who find themselves offended by or for others by the use of animal shape targets. You might not be bothered about any of them, but it will complicate things if/when you do. Having an accessible course is one thing; making the targets fair to all who get to the firing line/lane is another. As an aside, FT is probably easier for target setting given its in a lane and usually sitting on a bean bag if not kneeling/standing. HFT in my own experience can be more complicated to be accommodating at a peg for all the different types of people. The land available and the course/s you set will also need to take account of the people that will use them or maintain them. I'm assuming of course that you will be the course setter; otherwise you need one of them too, and a maintenance crew.

    I- Infrastructure
    If you are starting from scratch it can be quite an expensive outlay for 30 plus targets plus all the extras. I've been to clubs where there wasn't so many people shooting, so they only put out 15 targets (HFT) and go around the course twice. By the time you get round to shooting the first target again you will probably have forgot what wind you gave it or things have changed anyway! Again, this can be massively effected by the size of the course; 15 targets over a large area will (or should) be more challenging than 15 in a small linear setup.

    D- Doctrine/Concept
    Well you have a concept (of sorts) now depending which way you go could effect doctrine. FT with the BFTA as your guide or HFT and UKAHFT. These are the national bodies but you could follow any regional variations if you wanted too. Down here in the south west (SWEFTA) there's a bit of a push against the national rules for either. Without going into reasons behind that it can work out better for your demographic in the club, or not if you are trying to promote the sport and get youngsters into FT and HFT. If they see the national rules and comps and your local ones differ it can cause some issues. You said you weren't going for World class so it is what it is. Some might start at your club and find they outgrow it or possibly you all bring it up together? Trying to get into FT could be made easier by the targets distances been given so the expensive range finding scope isn't needed in the first instance. Basically you're gonna need a rule book or books to follow or make up your own.

    O- Organisation
    Gives me shivers down my spine this one! Any club has those that get stuck in and those that turn up. As you increase the amount of targets, and or courses, the workload increases dramatically over a simple plinking or traditional target range. The whole thing requires organisation, and if the club gets big enough then you're into Committees, bank accounts and AGMs! Oh the joys.

    I- Information/Interoperability
    In defence some think its interoperability and some information. Lets go information first. Well you are now actively seeking information and the BFTA and UKAHFT websites will be useful. The NRSA might also be one to consider with info regarding minors, and insurance amongt other things. The forums will obviously also give you mixed results (just look at this post!)
    Now Interoperability. It is possible to have multiple targets for different disciplines sharing the same space. Use different colours, shapes etc.

    L- Logistics
    Well its the bean and the bullets and the grease that makes it all work and what wasn't covered in the rest. To give you a flavor of the logs in my local FT club there's this for starters. It will be the same for many clubs I imagine, although a lot of people think this is all done by the HFT & FT fairies!
    Mowing the field/lanes. Requires a sit on lawn mower, trg, fuel, someone to do it, someone else to clear the lane of the resetting cord and place it out again.
    Strimming the woodland. All of the same but with a strimmer!
    Air cylinders. Someone to take them for refilling regularly, Somewhere close that does it. Someone to pay for it, and someone to make sure that others aren't taking the piss by refilling their own cylinders from the clubs supply, that's dive cylinders not rifle ones.
    Target painting and maintenance.
    Good selection of tools
    Generator
    Toilets
    Shelter
    Means to make hot drinks etc
    And on and on........
    Oh and keeping it all secure!

    Good luck.
    Steyr Challenge HFT - HW97K - BSA Mercury Challenger - Anschutz 9015 One - AA Pro Target - AA Pro Elite - ASI Paratrooper (R) - Walther LP500

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    Bristol
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    86
    Quote Originally Posted by xbow View Post
    Good luck with that, I used to enjoy shooting FT.
    you are the heartland of HFT tbh. You have Throckmorton not far, nomads (best technical ground IMHO) and furnace all within 30mins.

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