HFT setup advice

[ilovemyheckler]

I am thinking of having a go at HFT.

Although I have limited knowledge of the equipment I think I have chosen an air rifle (an Air Arms as I have had these before) but am struggling with a scope.

I have seen a scope, a Hawke Airmax 30 6 - 24 X 50 which looks like it will do the job and is priced at around £300 ish

However, there are scopes that cost £2,500 or more. I am not thinking of paying anything like this but it got me wondering what do you get for this price compared to a £300 scope?

I get that the optics are probably a lot better but is this necessary for HFT or are these scopes for rifle shooters who shoot at much further distances?

Thanks

 

 

 

[ratass]

if you can hit a penny at 30rds with a 60quid scope use it,thing is does a bigger money scope make you shoot any better,yes the optics might be better.

jon

[Uilleachan]

For HFT the rules (or they used to) state that there's no scope adjustment allowed. Unlike FT, where very high mag scopes are used for range finding, in HFT range finding is to be guesstimated simulating field conditions, rather than range conditions. 

Lots of HFT shooters use a fixed scope in the 10x 40 class. Regular plain jane scopes without a parallax adjustment knob are fixed parallax and set up for a nominal 100y by the manufacturers, many HFT shooters re-parallax their scopes (done by adjustments to the rear lens set up, loosening the lock ring then turning the lens bell, done without breaking the scopes seal and is reversible without causing damage to the scope) from a factory 100y to say, 25y or some other suitably close range that would work with your set up. 

The idea being that a clear sight image provides the shooter with a range reference. That coupled with the scope zero distance the weight and trajectory of the pellet allows the shooter to learn and use the deterioration of focus/parallax as a range finder/guesstimator for closer or further targets to assists with estimating hold under/hold over, for shots that fall either side of the flat part of the pellet trajectory. 

I don't think you need to go mad buying a scope, also there'll be plenty 2nd hand scopes already set up for air rifle HFT ranges, being solid on by guys in the HFT scene.

The key will be set up, parallax distance pellet weight/trajectory and scope zero etc. Then getting to know it for kill zone shots in the 10 y to 50 y range. Worth talking to those involved for the best advice...  

[Ultrastu]

That is good info above .i would second the advice. That either a fixed power scope (for clear optics and extended depth of field ) will be good. 

But you may find that a simple 3 - 12 x 40 or 44 scope to ideal .

Having shot and won a few hft championships in the past. Id surgest you find a scope with a wide range depth of field as possible .(to help you see 10 - 45 yds as clear as possible .)parralax  adjustable. 

And a ret that your happy with .

The scope i use (and love ) is a old design  hawke airmax 3-12 x44 sr6 .

I set the px at my zero (33 yds ) on 10x mag .and can see from 8 - 50 yds. 

It has a fantastic dof.

 

 

Ps .to re parrelax a fixed scope its the front obvective bell you wind out to reduce the px range from say 100 - 30 yds. 

[Mr.C]

40 minutes ago, Ultrastu said:

 

But you may find that a simple 3 - 12 x 40 or 44 scope to ideal .

Having shot and won a few hft championships in the past. Id surgest you find a scope with a wide range depth of field as possible .(to help you see 10 - 45 yds as clear as possible .)parralax  adjustable. 

And a ret that your happy with .

The scope i use (and love ) is a old design  hawke airmax 3-12 x44 sr6 .

I set the px at my zero (33 yds ) on 10x mag .and can see from 8 - 50 yds. 

 

 

 

This is information you don't usually find out till to you've already bought your kit and started. 

You don't need a massive front element, I maybe wrong but think a smaller lense gives better depth of field, and a side focus scope allows you to mount it lower to the barrel. 

I have a 50AO Hawke Vantage Max, nice scope but front focusing ring makes it so big its virtually 2" off the barrel. 

It means close shots need more holdover. A full 3mildots at 8yds however 40-45yds are quite bracketable, ie you can squeeze them into the same kill zone. 

[Ultrastu]

Thats correct .usually (but not always ) a smaller objective lens gives a wider dof.

So a 40 mm side focus /or fixed  and a mag usually around x8 - x10 

 

And mounted as low as possible for the tricky close shots. 

[ilovemyheckler]

That's some really great information. Thanks very much everyone