Nockover Targets review | Gear/Equipment Test Reviews

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Nockover Targets

By: Pete Wadeson

During the 1980’s Field Target shooting became more and more popular so the need for a robust and reliable target which would behave the same when hit correctly became of paramount importance. These quarry profile steel plates where designed to fall over backwards flat to clearly indicate a hit when a standard round disc (the kill-zone) in the centre of the target was hit. They were also easily reset to their original position by pulling on an attached suitable length of cord that ran back to the shooting position.

There’s possibly no airgun shooting enthusiast who hasn’t seen or used these. However, only a small dedicated band of designers and makers were working on this type of ‘reactive’ target to make it more efficient.

Go Derek…

It was Derek Peckover, head honcho of ‘Nockover Targets’, who took out a patent when finally satisfied with the design of his ‘fall flat’ targets and their ‘over centre’ mechanism, which is the basic mechanics of all Nockover Field Targets. These targets can be purchased in a variety of realistic animal and non-animal designs. They come with heavy-duty metal ground spikes and 50m of re-set cord with handle/winder. Also you can choose to purchase them with the now ‘standard’ 40mm ‘kill-zone’, or 25mm, or an even smaller 15mm aperture! Accepted and approved by the British Field Target Association, ‘Nockover’ quickly became the standard competition target used in BFTA events, and is now solidly established in HFT competition shooting too.

Derek still makes countless numbers of these robust targets but many shooters want more challenging fall flats or indeed re-settable ‘cordless’ ones. Nockover were also amongst the earliest companies to offer a cordless re-setter – one correctly aimed shot knocks the upper disc (or head) down and another accurate shot at a lower disc stands them up again. This design is basically the same for all cordless re-settable targets and works faultlessly time after time. But enough of history, as it’s time to look to the present, and with such a selection of targets to choose from I’ve chosen two relatively new designs that represent the company’s ingenuity.

Practice rabbit

To celebrate 20 years of manufacture and design is the cordless Hunter Practice Rabbit. To save on repetition, like most models in Nockover’s comprehensive range it’s mainly made from laser-cut, 3mm zinc-coated steel. The body profiles are double-bolted to H-shaped profile angle iron bases with securing holes at the corners. The two kill-zones on this one are both 20mm in diameter and correctly positioned in the ‘anatomical’ areas that would take down an adult rabbit, with one on the side of the head and the other in the heart/lung region. Just hit the head kill-zone disc and it falls away to rest on the upper ‘paddle’ of the lever attached to the lower disc. Hit the lower disc and the upper disc swings back via the clever yet simple linkage at the rear.

These types of target in my opinion are very important to the hunter for practice, as a high level of accuracy has to be maintained – and they do keep you entertained while you maintain your skills.

Double pigeon

The Double Pigeon with reducing wing is currently my favourite Nockover. This is also a cordless resetting model, however a kill is signified not by hitting a disc, but by actually striking the life-size ‘head’ of the pigeon above the neck so it ‘falls’ over on hinges. It is re-set in the usual way by firing a pellet through a 40mm hole in the main body plate to hit the red resetting disc behind. When hit this makes the head pop back up. However, what makes this even more challenging is the moveable ‘wing’. This allows you to reduce the pre-set aperture to 25 or 15mm, as it has two pre-drilled reducer holes and is set in front of the main metal profile of the bird. Secured by a bolt and lock nut it can be swung across so either ‘aperture’ in the wing can cover and reduce the original 40mm hole.

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And there’s more

Nockover offer a comprehensive and diverse range of ruggedly built and ingenious targets, and they can even make ‘specials’ to order. I advise any airgun shooter to visit the company website to see the full range on offer. Highly recommended.

For: Reliable, easy to use and fun to re-set
Against: What about some heavier designs for 22 rimfire shooters?
Verdict: Brilliant

Technical Specifications
Prices	Nockover 'Fall-flats' £26.50 except 'rook' - with reducer on rear £28.50 Hunter Practice Rabbit £28.95 Double Pigeon with reducing wing £24.40

All Prices Are Guides Due to the Changes in US & European Exchange Rates

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