Air Rifle Hunter Field Target Shooting (HFT).

Air Rifle Hunter Field Target Shooting (HFT) is designed to make target shooting representative of hunting. It is a fun challenging sport that is for all the family. All ages and abilities can take part in Hunter Field Target Shooting at local clubs and competing nationally on the UKAHFT circuit.

A typical Hunter Field Target course that follows the UKAHFT rules consists of 30 metal knockdown targets at distances ranging from 8 to 45 yards. The targets are laid out in consecutive lanes, with each lane comprising of a lane marker (usually its number), a peg, a target reset string, and of course the target itself.

The main skill of HFT is target range estimation, because the target ranges are not actually shown so you need to know your equipment. You get two-minutes to shoot each target, each lane has a peg that the shooter must be touching either with the body or gun when the shot is fired.

Hunter Field Target equipment

You do not need any special equipment other than an air rifle within the legal limit (12 ft lbs) fitted with a telescopic sight which is not essential but is defiantly an advantage.

There are choices when it comes to the air rifle you decide to use. The spring activated recoiling break barrel types or the pre-charged pneumatic types. There is also a decision to be made when it comes to caliber size .177 or .22. The .177 caliber tends to be favored for target shooting as they have a flatter trajectory and therefore have a smaller variation when estimating range adjustments. But as long as you know your gun, which comes from practicing, at the end of the day you have to know where to aim to hit the target at the required range.

The telescopic sights you chose will depend on your own personal preference and budget but it is probably the most important piece of equipment. There are hundreds of telescopic sights to chose from with the most popular being the ones with a mil-dot reticule.

Mil-dot scopes give you numerous aiming points for varying ranges and wind conditions and once you have become proficient greatly assist in zeroing in on the target.