Palmyra Sportsmen's Association (near Hershey, PA) - Field Target - Sunday, November 12, 2023.
Our AAFTA (sub 20 fpe) Field Target format is 3 separate 5 lane loops or mini-courses. Someone can shoot all 3 loops for a unique 60 shot match course, or can choose to shoot any combination of loops, including shooting the same loop multiple times. A loop consists of 5 lanes with 2 targets per lane shooting 2 shots per target for a total of 20 shots per loop. There will always be a loop on our rifle range, which is friendly for those that do not want to walk on terrain. Each loop will also have one lane with a forced position (standing or kneeling).
We will also have a loop setup for Extreme Field Target (XFT). This will be a 20 shot course with targets at distances between 15 and 110 yards. Guns are limited to a maximum 80fpe and 30 caliber for use in XFT. We recommend at least 28fpe at the muzzle as a minimum.
There is no single scheduled start time for this event, you can start shooting a course when you show up. Most of the experienced AAFTA shooters will choose to arrive near the earliest start time, and will choose to shoot the full 60 shot course.
You can shoot both AAFTA and XFT field target at this event, be sure to bring the appropriate equipment for each if you intend to participate in both.
We will be open for sign-ups between 9AM and Noon. Cost is $5 per loop. Sign-up and sight in range is at our Competition Rifle Range.
We shoot rain or shine. Our range loop is on a covered range, and if we expect rain, all loops may be on a covered range.
Palmyra Sportsmen's Assoc. - Field Target
For more info about XFT at PSA: https://www.palmyrasportsmens.com/eXtreme-Field-Target
410 Sportsman Rd.
Annville, PA 17003
Our November match wraps up our 2023 outdoor FT season. Although a little cold in the morning, it was a beautiful day to be out shooting. The wind on the blue/range course was unpredictable at times, which added a challenge to the long range targets. The green and red courses were in the ravine with most lanes shooting uphill.
The AAFTA three course average difficulty was 29.5 (moderate) and the individual course sections had the following avg difficulties (not including environmental factors):
- Blue - 29.5 (moderate)
- Green - 29.7 (moderate)
- Red - 29.4 (moderate)
Scores - Each course is a possible 20, and the 3 course total is of a possible 60 (ties are not broken):
This match also wraps up our 2023 season with our seasonal league results. Each course section shot is its own match, where the top score that day on that section is awarded 100%, and all other scores a percentage of the 100. The top 9 course section scores for a competitor, in their class, are aggregated to a seasonal score with a maximum of 900 possible points. WFTF and Open are combined into one division, and divisions are further divided by powerplant. Here are the 2023 PSA Seasonal League Results...
Top PCP WFTF/Open - Mark King
Top Piston WFTF/Open - Hector Medina
Top PCP Hunter - Doug Rogers
Honorable mentions (a league of their own)
Piston Hunter - Trevor Davies
PCP Unlimited - Brian Wagner
2023 Seasonal PSA FT scores are available at PSA 2023 FT League Results
We also had a course section setup for XFT. The results for this month's 20 shot XFT course are:
Great Shoot!
As usual, challenging in unexpected ways.
One squirrel refused to fall and even refused to make noise when the faceplate was hit! LOL!
"Post-Mortem" showed that the pellets had been hitting the junction of the arm and the body.
Which means that the wind that was going to the RIGHT, forced the shot to the LEFT and DOWN by almost 1 mRad. That is one you would never figure out without being able to take a few extra shots and then check the target physically. More on that later.
There were some uphill shots:
Don't see the targets?
Here they are:
Another lane :
With the targets:
Tree target:
Now, what about those "extra shots"?
Mike and I also shot the course with a "Golf" scoring system on a PAR 5 basis (Shoot up to 5 times each target, until it falls, max allowed 5 shots), it was a ton of fun and the results were pretty close.
We did learn more than a few things when shooting under this system, such as the conditions under which a right wind can push the shot to the left and down.....
Even though the Troyer rating came up higher that what is typical at Palmyra, I did feel that the KZ's were more generous, though the distances were longer.
As Mike said, a beautiful day out in the woods, with friends and your favourite airgun.
What can be better than that?
Keep well and shoot straight!
HM
