In a casual conversation with a good friend, an old "survivalist" from Texas, he questioned me (as old people are capable of), with the force of experience and the lapidary tone of a parent:
"Your FT sport, you've been at it for,. . . what?, something like two decades?"
I had to admit that, yes, a bit under 21 years. And he countered:
"And in those 21 years, has the sport advanced?
Hmmmmm, yes, I said, I assume it has advanced in some aspects and has retrograded in some others.
"OK" he said. "Let's concentrate on those aspects on which you think it has retrograded. What has become less interesting?"
In here I have to clarify that he refers to many things, and persons, as being "interesting" or "uninteresting", and that in that seemingly simple concept, he engulfs all sorts of aspects and feelings from 'fun and exciting', to 'loveable and cherishable'.
So, I told him: "It has become MUCH more complicated. The 'Simple' in it is gone"
As a good surgeon he once was, he began dissecting the issue:
"Is the 'simple' in IT or in YOU gone?"
And THAT made me think.
Yes, the courses have become harder, longer, more challenging, but the pellets and the rifles have advanced so, ¿Why do WE make it complicated? Is it truly that important to place "Top X" that we allow it to detract from the enjoyment of the sport?
¿Why do we want to solve all issues with equipment and more equipment?
¿Why not return to "Simple FT"?
I had been working by times and lapses, on how to improve the DIANA 430L, and my last conclusion was that it was still not an FT rifle. My objections were, mostly, what I had told my friend "detracted" from the sport!
AND that statement applied to a rifle scoped with a 2-7 X 28 scope.
So, I pulled the Vortex Optics Diamondback Tactical 6-24X50 FFP - Mil/Mil (probably the best spring-piston airgun scope currently on the market) from the Walther LGV and mounted it on the "small" 430L.
But the 430L is not REALLY a small gun. It is compact, yes, but it is not a carbine.
And the scope is not a SIGHTRON SIII, so I do think they go well together.
The addition of a leather cheek-rest was VERY useful to accomplish a uniform eye placement in relation to the scope. The stock itself is ambidextrous, but now the gun is right-handed.
"Your FT sport, you've been at it for,. . . what?, something like two decades?"
I had to admit that, yes, a bit under 21 years. And he countered:
"And in those 21 years, has the sport advanced?
Hmmmmm, yes, I said, I assume it has advanced in some aspects and has retrograded in some others.
"OK" he said. "Let's concentrate on those aspects on which you think it has retrograded. What has become less interesting?"
In here I have to clarify that he refers to many things, and persons, as being "interesting" or "uninteresting", and that in that seemingly simple concept, he engulfs all sorts of aspects and feelings from 'fun and exciting', to 'loveable and cherishable'.
So, I told him: "It has become MUCH more complicated. The 'Simple' in it is gone"
As a good surgeon he once was, he began dissecting the issue:
"Is the 'simple' in IT or in YOU gone?"
And THAT made me think.
Yes, the courses have become harder, longer, more challenging, but the pellets and the rifles have advanced so, ¿Why do WE make it complicated? Is it truly that important to place "Top X" that we allow it to detract from the enjoyment of the sport?
¿Why do we want to solve all issues with equipment and more equipment?
¿Why not return to "Simple FT"?
I had been working by times and lapses, on how to improve the DIANA 430L, and my last conclusion was that it was still not an FT rifle. My objections were, mostly, what I had told my friend "detracted" from the sport!
AND that statement applied to a rifle scoped with a 2-7 X 28 scope.
So, I pulled the Vortex Optics Diamondback Tactical 6-24X50 FFP - Mil/Mil (probably the best spring-piston airgun scope currently on the market) from the Walther LGV and mounted it on the "small" 430L.
But the 430L is not REALLY a small gun. It is compact, yes, but it is not a carbine.
And the scope is not a SIGHTRON SIII, so I do think they go well together.
The addition of a leather cheek-rest was VERY useful to accomplish a uniform eye placement in relation to the scope. The stock itself is ambidextrous, but now the gun is right-handed.
The Nautilus sidewheel provides plenty of spacing between the 48 and 50 meters (53 and 55 yards) markers, and when set to the short ranges, the whole thing has a flat top profile that fits into many cases. In the upper photo it is set at max range (50 meters/55 yards).
A few detailed pictures:
A few detailed pictures:
The loading port is not completely obstructed and allows plenty of room to put the pellet into.
I put a "secret sunshade" in the scope and it was quite effective cutting off the glare of shooting towards the east in the morning without adding undue length to the scope and obstructing the loading port.
I put a "secret sunshade" in the scope and it was quite effective cutting off the glare of shooting towards the east in the morning without adding undue length to the scope and obstructing the loading port.
Viewed from the rear, you can see that there is a definite spacing between the 48 and 50 m markers, and it is not hard to repeat the rangings IF there is sufficient reflected light (and we will go into that a bit later, when we discuss the North Carolina Classic -NCC 2021- ).
It is also a mil-mil scope, meaning that the reticle (First Focal Plane), is in mrads, and the turrets are in 1/10ths of a mrad, so coordinating the "trip to Zero" is remarkably easy.
It does have a 16X mark, so our "Hunter" Division friends can use it at their ease.
I used it at 24X. A bit under the 29X that I normally use my SIGHTRON at, but the glass is clear enough that I didn't feel challenged by the lower magnification.
I used it at 24X. A bit under the 29X that I normally use my SIGHTRON at, but the glass is clear enough that I didn't feel challenged by the lower magnification.
Last, but not least, a windicator worthy of the husband of a fierce knitter.
;-)
A truly simple rifle/scope combination. No hamster, no inclinometer, no level, no "custom stock".
Simple sporter stock capable of fitting-in VERY well around a camp-fire.
The system shoots well the Baracuda FT. And I had tested the trajectory several times at DIFTA's sighting-in range Monday night shoots. Finding it remarkably consistent from week to week.
So, on Wednesday, before the NCC-2021, I was at my range, putting numbers in the sidewheel and seeing if all the data was more or less consistent.
To do that I shot some groups with the same pellet (BFT), but in three different modes: Lubed with baked Pledge, lubed with T-9 and Naked, results were "interesting":
;-)
A truly simple rifle/scope combination. No hamster, no inclinometer, no level, no "custom stock".
Simple sporter stock capable of fitting-in VERY well around a camp-fire.
The system shoots well the Baracuda FT. And I had tested the trajectory several times at DIFTA's sighting-in range Monday night shoots. Finding it remarkably consistent from week to week.
So, on Wednesday, before the NCC-2021, I was at my range, putting numbers in the sidewheel and seeing if all the data was more or less consistent.
To do that I shot some groups with the same pellet (BFT), but in three different modes: Lubed with baked Pledge, lubed with T-9 and Naked, results were "interesting":
There are 10 shots in each group, and as you can see, from the zero distance there is a clear grouping ability for the baked Pledge pellets that becomes even more obvious by the 50 meters mark.
Each bold square is an inch, and each small square is a ¼ ", so, the group at the 50 m mark with baked Pledge measures less than ¾" high X 1½" wide O-O so, with better wind reading and more practice it IS now an FT "system".
It is also interesting that the SAME pellet, at the SAME MV, does exhibit a different POI at 50 m depending on whether the pellet is lubed or not.
So, we went with baked Pledge lubed pellets.
Thursday morning saw me pack and by 15:00 hrs, I was on the road to Roanoke Rapids.
I was somewhat worried that there would be problems refueling, as the "hacking" attack on the Eastern oil pipeline had shut down fuel deliveries for 5 days already. Luckily, it seems that Diesels are privileged:
Each bold square is an inch, and each small square is a ¼ ", so, the group at the 50 m mark with baked Pledge measures less than ¾" high X 1½" wide O-O so, with better wind reading and more practice it IS now an FT "system".
It is also interesting that the SAME pellet, at the SAME MV, does exhibit a different POI at 50 m depending on whether the pellet is lubed or not.
So, we went with baked Pledge lubed pellets.
Thursday morning saw me pack and by 15:00 hrs, I was on the road to Roanoke Rapids.
I was somewhat worried that there would be problems refueling, as the "hacking" attack on the Eastern oil pipeline had shut down fuel deliveries for 5 days already. Luckily, it seems that Diesels are privileged:
Driving our little Golf TDI to shoots has become a tradition, it is a capable and comfortable vehicle and, when properly driven, it yields more than "decent" mileage door to door:
Checked in at the hotel and prepared for next morning.
Early next morning, I whooshed by Wendy's take out and went directly to the range.
Last year, the navigation had taken me to the wrong spot on Jack Swamp Road, so I had saved the entrance location and this year, there was no problem finding it.
Of course, this year they HAD put up a large red banner. ;-)
Got to the range and met all the friends, checked in, signed the waiver, and proceeded to the line of fire.
Early next morning, I whooshed by Wendy's take out and went directly to the range.
Last year, the navigation had taken me to the wrong spot on Jack Swamp Road, so I had saved the entrance location and this year, there was no problem finding it.
Of course, this year they HAD put up a large red banner. ;-)
Got to the range and met all the friends, checked in, signed the waiver, and proceeded to the line of fire.
In the foreground, from left: Tom Holland, Chas DiCapua, and Leo Gonzales
In the foreground: Mike Dugas and Phil Hepler
Three Hunter Piston Champions, from front to rear: Paul Manktelow, Greg Shirhall and Eric Brewer
To my surprise, I found the rifle VERY close to zero, a few clicks to the left, but nothing major.
Shot about 100 pellets that day, at different distances and under different wind conditions and in all aspects, the PP Calc data seemed to be good, so, called it a day, we went together for dinner at Logan's and next morning we met again.
After checking zero and just warming up, we were squadded and sent to the "White Course".
This course is challenging in several fronts:
On one side, it is a wind tunnel. The gas line clearing clearly collects and bounces around all the stray currents. Some cuttings allow certain cross winds to flow and when they do, even a small cross-wind meeting an almost solid wall of trees, rises and swirls and creates challenging conditions.
Last time (2018 Nationals) we had shot this same place, we were shooting from the sun into the shade. This time, shots were longer and we were shooting from the shade into the dappled shade of the tree borderline, or far into the shade. So, very challenging light conditions.
Add to that the wind that kicked in with gusts of up to 20 kph (12½ mph) and you have indeed a challenging shoot.
Shot about 100 pellets that day, at different distances and under different wind conditions and in all aspects, the PP Calc data seemed to be good, so, called it a day, we went together for dinner at Logan's and next morning we met again.
After checking zero and just warming up, we were squadded and sent to the "White Course".
This course is challenging in several fronts:
On one side, it is a wind tunnel. The gas line clearing clearly collects and bounces around all the stray currents. Some cuttings allow certain cross winds to flow and when they do, even a small cross-wind meeting an almost solid wall of trees, rises and swirls and creates challenging conditions.
Last time (2018 Nationals) we had shot this same place, we were shooting from the sun into the shade. This time, shots were longer and we were shooting from the shade into the dappled shade of the tree borderline, or far into the shade. So, very challenging light conditions.
Add to that the wind that kicked in with gusts of up to 20 kph (12½ mph) and you have indeed a challenging shoot.
Picture courtesy of Leo Gonzales
By the end of the day, I was happy to have gotten some really long and challenging shots.
In my cards, ranges are in meters and the small dots by the "0" indicates the suspected POI
As usual, the diagnostic is that we can all use a bit more practice, specially when we are trying to shoot a sporter gun with no aids.
And that we can use more real match practice, shooting a lane out of order, and timing out were not smart moves!
We can chuck that to CoViD! LOL!
By the end of the day, the score was not bad:
And that we can use more real match practice, shooting a lane out of order, and timing out were not smart moves!
We can chuck that to CoViD! LOL!
By the end of the day, the score was not bad:
Don't pay attention to the rifle, pellet and scope stats, they were not changed on this card, though I had corrected the club's data base when I arrived.
After the Subway lunch, we chatted a little, and we agreed to repeat Logan's for dinner.
Next morning we met, checked our zeroes, and I found the gun shooting just a bit to the right, took mental note and decided to shoot as it was.
I was fairly confident that the more calm day and the woods course wouldn't be as challenging as the open wind-tunnel course.
Till I saw the targets.
All targets painted in blue.
In here we have to say that THAGC is a strongly-WFTF leaning club. Shots are long and they adhere to the basic concepts of shooting by target number, using the standard colors designated by WFTF, lane markers that inform the shooters of where they are, what they are shooting at, and keeping timers on track.
We DID shoot twice at each target, as is the custom in the USA.
So, BLUE they were!
Next morning we met, checked our zeroes, and I found the gun shooting just a bit to the right, took mental note and decided to shoot as it was.
I was fairly confident that the more calm day and the woods course wouldn't be as challenging as the open wind-tunnel course.
Till I saw the targets.
All targets painted in blue.
In here we have to say that THAGC is a strongly-WFTF leaning club. Shots are long and they adhere to the basic concepts of shooting by target number, using the standard colors designated by WFTF, lane markers that inform the shooters of where they are, what they are shooting at, and keeping timers on track.
We DID shoot twice at each target, as is the custom in the USA.
So, BLUE they were!
Picture courtesy of Leo Gonzales
Picture courtesy of Leo Gonzales
Even with the telefoto lens and the contrast reading capabilities of a CCD sensor, it is hard to see the pellet impacts.
On top, the real life experience was that of a much darker setting, the camera images tend to enhance the brightness and reduce the contrast/balance.
As the day wore on, I did realize that my ranging was not as good as in a brightly lit setting, and I started ranging two and three times at different objects and textures, so as to check the numbers.
This is one aspect where a larger scope would have performed better, perhaps at the expense of the ease of handling of the "smallish system"
On top, the real life experience was that of a much darker setting, the camera images tend to enhance the brightness and reduce the contrast/balance.
As the day wore on, I did realize that my ranging was not as good as in a brightly lit setting, and I started ranging two and three times at different objects and textures, so as to check the numbers.
This is one aspect where a larger scope would have performed better, perhaps at the expense of the ease of handling of the "smallish system"
Ranging several times eats the time up, and so timing out and rushing shots is not out of the question.
I also had a peculiar "failure" where the cocking lever opened, something I did not experience again, but that I think I will address anyway with a magnet to reinforce the holding of the lever in the "battery" position.
I also had a peculiar "failure" where the cocking lever opened, something I did not experience again, but that I think I will address anyway with a magnet to reinforce the holding of the lever in the "battery" position.
Leo and Nathan had also had a rough time. Nathan was breaking out a custom stock made by him from a laminated blank. Purple! Not my cup of tea, and nothing could have made our rifles farther away from each other, LOL!
But they are good shooters and they were more consistent than I was.
But they are good shooters and they were more consistent than I was.
Of the four WFTF piston shooters, three were shooting LGU's, so that gives you an idea of the level of competition.
The courses were World Class courses in their style, presentation and challenges.
It was a pleasure and a privilege to shoot those courses, so thanks go to the designers: Ketih Knoblauch for the White Course and Chris Corey for the Blue course.
When MOST of the shooting was done, and all the scores were in, I asked Chris C. how I could help, and he very graciously allowed me to set the shoot-off lanes.
As WFTF rules call for, the lanes were IDENTICAL as far as distances and KZ's sizes, ranges were paced out roughly, then measured with a tape, distances and KZ's were checked against WFTF rules, and targets were checked with an official target checker with the recommended three hits to the paddle (low, medium and high in the KZ). Greg, Nathan, Phil and other friends pitched in and they were ready in a jiffy.
And then shooting started:
The courses were World Class courses in their style, presentation and challenges.
It was a pleasure and a privilege to shoot those courses, so thanks go to the designers: Ketih Knoblauch for the White Course and Chris Corey for the Blue course.
When MOST of the shooting was done, and all the scores were in, I asked Chris C. how I could help, and he very graciously allowed me to set the shoot-off lanes.
As WFTF rules call for, the lanes were IDENTICAL as far as distances and KZ's sizes, ranges were paced out roughly, then measured with a tape, distances and KZ's were checked against WFTF rules, and targets were checked with an official target checker with the recommended three hits to the paddle (low, medium and high in the KZ). Greg, Nathan, Phil and other friends pitched in and they were ready in a jiffy.
And then shooting started:
Lauren Parsons and Matt Stark shooting off the 3rd place of WFTF PCP
Lauren and Matt both hit the near and far targets from the sitting position, when advancing to the kneeling position, Matt hit hit his target while Lauren didn't, and so Matt took the 3rd place.
Paul Cray and Gerald Long, shooting out the 1st and 2nd places WFTF PCP
Gerald hit his target while Paul didn't and so Gerald took the First place.
Brian Van Lieuw and Chas DiCapua shooting off the First place of Open PCP
Both hit their sitting shots and when progressing to kneeling, Brian Van Lieuw hit his targets while Chas missed one and so, Brian took the First place.
With the shootoffs done, we all proceeded to the awards ceremony.
With the shootoffs done, we all proceeded to the awards ceremony.
In Hunter Pistol, Brian Van Lieuw placed 3rd
Paul Porch placed 2nd in Hunter Pistol, but being one of the MD's he relinquished his place to Brian, so that Brian placed officially in second place
Joe Garland placed 3rd in Hunter Pistol
Eric Brewer placed First in Hunter Pistol
Tom Holland placed 3rd in Limited Pistol
Chris Corey placed 2nd in Limited Pistol
Nathan Thomas placed First in Limited Pistol
Joe Garland placed 3rd in Open PCP
Chas DiCapua placed 2nd in Open PCP
Brian Van Lieuw took First in Open PCP
Eric Brewer took 3rd in Hunter Piston
Josh Winslow took 2nd place in Hunter Piston with a great second day performance.
Paul Manktelow took 1st in Hunter Piston
Bill Day took 3rd in Hunter PCP
Cary Hymel took 2nd in Hunter PCP
Phil Hepler took First in Hunter PCP
Nathan Thomas took 2nd in WFTF Piston
Leo Gonzales took First in WFTF Piston
Matt Stark took 3rd in WFTF PCP
Paul Cray took 2nd in WFTF PCP
Gerald Long took First in WFTF PCP
All the Champions
All in all it was a great experience.
I am happy with the result and I THINK I will continue to shoot "Simple FT".
Without the complications of extra large scopes, shooting jackets, slings, hamsters, etc. I enjoy more the outings.
I will also continue with the development of the 430L, it is a great platform that can easily compete with other underlevers.
¿Perhaps we can convince DIANA to bring out a 430L "M Improved"?
Next time you have the chance to go to an FT shoot, GO. You really will enjoy yourself!
I am happy with the result and I THINK I will continue to shoot "Simple FT".
Without the complications of extra large scopes, shooting jackets, slings, hamsters, etc. I enjoy more the outings.
I will also continue with the development of the 430L, it is a great platform that can easily compete with other underlevers.
¿Perhaps we can convince DIANA to bring out a 430L "M Improved"?
Next time you have the chance to go to an FT shoot, GO. You really will enjoy yourself!
Keep well and shoot straight!
HM
HM
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