Kirk's HFT shooting blog

kirk13 · **Reply #270 on:** July 14, 2015, 11:53:58 PM

Quote from: Gareth on July 14, 2015, 11:46:20 PM

Now that's one I've not had the chance to play with. Did it do everything for you, or do you still actually have to know how to shoot?

Oh,you still need to know how to shoot it! In truth it's a bit like an iPhone. Very good,but not a lot of soul

Mike, Lord of the Spammers! · **Reply #271 on:** July 14, 2015, 11:59:57 PM

Its good to know there's still something to be said for talent and practice then! Mind you there's probably an app for that

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Gareth · **Reply #272 on:** July 15, 2015, 12:00:17 AM

Quote from: kirk13 on July 14, 2015, 11:53:58 PM

Quote from: Gareth on July 14, 2015, 11:46:20 PM
Now that's one I've not had the chance to play with. Did it do everything for you, or do you still actually have to know how to shoot?

Oh,you still need to know how to shoot it! In truth it's a bit like an iPhone. Very good,but not a lot of soul

That doesn't surprise me TBH. I feel the same way about a lot of the top end Daystate rifles.

One that has rather caught my eye but I've never had a chance to shoot is the Air Arms HFT500. It's seems to be just a tarted up S500, but it looks sweet to me.

Mike, Lord of the Spammers! · **Reply #273 on:** July 15, 2015, 12:05:50 AM

That does look the part mate

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SAK Guy · **Reply #274 on:** July 15, 2015, 12:08:12 AM

That looks really heavy! 10 lbs?

kirk13 · **Reply #275 on:** July 15, 2015, 12:13:51 AM

Quote from: SAK Guy on July 15, 2015, 12:08:12 AM

That looks really heavy! 10 lbs?

Don't know Robert,but it was a right tank,even compared to my HW97

Gareth · **Reply #276 on:** July 15, 2015, 01:38:05 AM

Quote from: kirk13 on July 15, 2015, 12:13:51 AM

Quote from: SAK Guy on July 15, 2015, 12:08:12 AM
That looks really heavy! 10 lbs?

Don't know Robert,but it was a right tank,even compared to my HW97

11lbs apparently. Not including the scope of course.

shark_za · **Reply #277 on:** July 21, 2015, 10:35:57 PM

Hey Kirky, Jason Guthrie my local knifemaker/shooting/enduro riding buddy used to shoot the normal field target discipline.
He is my goto guy when it comes to air rifles, check WFTF Poland 2006.

Son of my buddy who owns the local shooting range.
He is now heavy into making knives and loves Spydies and SAKs almost as much as me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQMhBVTV-Ug&safe=active

kirk13 · **Reply #278 on:** July 21, 2015, 10:40:54 PM

Cool! I'm really surprised at the way the air rifle scene has come to life in SA since I left

shark_za · **Reply #279 on:** July 21, 2015, 10:50:55 PM

Licensing is no longer required so it's booming.

kirk13 · **Reply #280 on:** July 21, 2015, 10:58:17 PM

Quote from: shark_za on July 21, 2015, 10:50:55 PM

Licensing is no longer required so it's booming.

Ah!

Gerhard Gerber · **Reply #281 on:** July 22, 2015, 10:54:48 AM

Quote from: shark_za on July 21, 2015, 10:50:55 PM

Licensing is no longer required so it's booming.

And meanwhile slightly to the North......no bloody idea why we have to license air rifles

Never could afford more than a crappy Daisy growing up, and now something slightly more than a toy will take up one of my 3 gun licenses

Quote

Look what I got to play with last night

That's proper pretty

Gareth · **Reply #282 on:** August 08, 2015, 07:48:37 PM

After a very busy July where the only shooting I got to do was at the Meet-up I thought I'd better make sure all was good with my rifle before Sunday's competition, so I headed down to the indoor range for a bit on Friday. Well, there was nowt wrong with the gun, but flippin' heck I felt rusty!

I'm hoping it'll all come together tomorrow morning but I'm not holding my breath....

Wait, should I be holding my breath or not?

Mike, Lord of the Spammers! · **Reply #283 on:** August 08, 2015, 08:27:04 PM

Pre match nerves mate that all

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Gareth · **Reply #284 on:** August 10, 2015, 05:25:10 PM

Well, I had an excellent day at the comp yesterday; great course, well orgainised, good food, good weather. Shame I totally sucked.

On a happier note I went back to our indoor range this afternoon and sorted myself out. Realised that I'd forgotten that my rifle is pretty hold sensitive and, frankly, I'd been doing it wrong.

What you get for taking a month off I guess. Even better my daughter had asked if she could come along and have a go. She was very well behaved and listened to all the rules and had a ball. She even shot pretty well once she'd worked out how to look through the scope (and after I remembered that the scope on the Brocock needed sighting in

) . She was regularly taking out the knockdown target at 35 yards and the 25 yard target stopped being any kind of challenge at all. Very proud daddy right now.

Gareth · **Reply #285 on:** August 17, 2015, 01:43:29 AM

It COULD be that I have a new rifle on it's way to me.

SAK Guy · **Reply #286 on:** August 17, 2015, 01:47:45 AM

Awesome looking rifle!!!

Chako · **Reply #287 on:** August 17, 2015, 01:56:27 AM

That does look sweet.

What is the fps rating on that?

Gareth · **Reply #288 on:** August 17, 2015, 08:57:49 AM

Cheers gents.

The deal isn't quite done yet but it should be finalised later today.

Dan, for the UK spec that should be somewhere in the region of 750fps or so.

Gareth · **Reply #289 on:** August 19, 2015, 06:40:10 PM

Quote from: Gareth on August 17, 2015, 01:43:29 AM

It COULD be that I have a new rifle on it's way to me.

(Image removed from quote.)

Got the new rifle in today and I'm very pleased. Not in 100% pristine condition, but just fine for a user. Slapped a better scope on it and took it to the indoor range for some pellet testing. First glance suggests that, of the pellets I own, AA Fields are a good choice. I suspect it's a little down on power (even for a HW35), but it's not anything urgent I suspect. A bit of a service and change of the perishables might be in order in due course.

Felt very controlled and predictable (though the trigger needed lightening). Got to say it was nice to use a spring gun that actually put the pellets where I was aiming them.

SAK Guy · **Reply #290 on:** August 19, 2015, 06:47:50 PM

Congrats!!!!

Mike, Lord of the Spammers! · **Reply #291 on:** August 19, 2015, 07:40:14 PM

Very nice mate

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Chako · **Reply #292 on:** August 20, 2015, 01:15:19 PM

That reminded me of something actually. In Canada, if you don't hold a PAL, you are restricted to a max of 500 fps. One of the reasons I wanted my PAL was to have something that could shoot higher. Oddly enough, I have yet to find anything locally that fits the bill. I guess most if not all folks who do get a PAL are for firearms and not for air-arms which might explain why I haven't seen anything higher powered locally.

Gareth · **Reply #293 on:** August 20, 2015, 05:06:42 PM

Got the chance to put it though a chronograph this morning and I was right, it is a little low on power. A nice consistent speed of 710fps with 8.4grain pellets giving me 9.4ftlb at the muzzle. I'd like it a little higher but it's OK for now and at least it's consistent.

Gareth · **Reply #294 on:** October 11, 2015, 09:06:26 PM

Well, this thread went a bit quiet didn't it? I don't know about John but I've had a very middling series of results. Not BAD, but nothing worth mentioning either. That is, until today. Today I finally placed well and came home with a medal.

Tied for second in class but lost out on the coin toss so I got to bring home a bronze. Even better was that it was the last league competition of the year and so all the top shots in Scotland were out in force and I was only two points behind the winner. There were two friends of mine who both had bad days that I seem to have benefited from, but I'm not handing the medal over.

kirk13 · **Reply #295 on:** October 11, 2015, 09:23:00 PM

Congratulations Gareth! Very well done!

Gareth · **Reply #296 on:** October 11, 2015, 09:24:16 PM

Cheers buddy.

kirk13 · **Reply #297 on:** October 12, 2015, 01:58:12 PM

I hadn't realised how long it's been since I updated

Forgive me if I can't remember dates and exact scores,because,with one exception,they've been really dire! Like embarising to the point of not wanting to talk about it!

Let's start at the Oaks and the Sussex Interclub. Although the Ultra was repaired,I thought after an OK shoot with the 97 at Horsham,I'd try and see if I could improve on my last score with the 97 at the Oaks. I might have,but after completely missing a 40yrd shot,it was all I could go to stop myself throwing the gun down range in anger. The problem with the 97 is you'll sting a half dozen good shots together,then it just goes wrong. Score was about 35x60. Bloody awful. That and my waterproofs leaked. Just bloody awful.

kirk13 · **Reply #298 on:** October 12, 2015, 02:02:25 PM

Next shoot was at Ford. SIHFT again. Had to rezero the Ultra,which surprised me. After four plates,I realised everything was not doing what it should. On closer examination the action was sitting at a different angle in the stock. From then on I knew it was going to be random chance,and I just laughed my way around the course. It's a shame because not only was the sun out,and the sky blue,uniquely for Ford,there was no wind

Again,score was well below forty.

That evening,Tony fell off a ladder and broke his wrist....

kirk13 · **Reply #299 on:** October 12, 2015, 02:12:51 PM

So that put us both out of the running for next few shoots.

There's another comp I'm missing,and I'm not sure where or when,except it must have been a few weeks after Tony done his wrist. His mum kindly took us down to Horsham for the combined SIHFT/Summer Champ round.

I struggled round in the low forties,Tony beat me,even with a wrist in plaster. It actually looked like he was on for a score up in the fifties,but I think pain and fatigue got by the 3/4 point,and his score dropped to the mid-forties.

I was sure my zero was out...I'd been constantly missing kills by small amounts.

At least it was dry and warm!

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