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FT Blog: Plus points of FT

FT Blog: Plus points of FT

I recently found myself stood in front of a Team Wild video camera as they tried to get some footage for Air Arms. It wasn’t the first time I’d been in this position but even so I didn’t feel particularly at ease. Some people come across so naturally on screen, I’m not sure how they manage it as I’m certainly not one of them! The venue for the ‘shoot’ was a Midlands winter league round and the cameraman asked me to say a little bit about why people should come and shoot FT. Now please understand that I was under a bit of pressure to begin with but this question completely stumped me.

WHY FT?

The beauty of the written word is that it allows the brain a little time to think things over and, thanks to word processing, editing is a doddle, I don’t even have to worry too much about my poor spelling. Now I have been given chance to think, do I have an answer as to why people should come and shoot FT?

There is no obvious and straightforward answer as we all have our own reasons for whatever choices we make in life. Sitting down on a bean bag in the middle of a field firing little pieces of lead at what many shooters so elegantly describe as ‘tin chickens’ does seem to be one of the stranger lifestyle choices to make.

If I were given the task of promoting FT how could it be done? Could I use the premise that your health will benefit, at first that seems unlikely but I’m generally worn out upon my return from a competition. We spend all day out in the fresh air, generally away from traffic fumes and the like, and for the duration of a competition (usually hours) we are on our feet, only sitting down for a couple of minutes at a time to shoot a couple of targets.

BUMS RUSH

Try it now, sit your bum on the floor and then stand up while holding a 5kg weight, repeat this 25 times and make your own mind up as to whether or not this counts as exercise. It certainly has to be better for you than sitting with a can of beer and a bag of crisps in front of the TV for two hours watching a football game. The downside to this argument could be that many FT shooters seem to have bad knees and of course there is the potential for lead poisoning!

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The competitive side of FT is certainly an attraction for some, proving yourself to be better than your fellow human beings. Doesn’t sound very welcoming now does it? I love the competitive side, but I take more from my own personal performance when I do well rather than thinking about all the shooters I may have beaten (with the odd exception if I’m honest). Generally FT shooters are very welcoming of those new to the competitive side of the sport, they certainly aren’t perceived as a threat, advice wouldn’t be so freely given otherwise.

Thinking about the competition side of things leads nicely on to the challenges offered by FT. It isn’t about what everyone else scores, although that can be a useful benchmark, it’s about shooting well under differing circumstances and conditions, mapping your own progress (or lack of) and constantly trying to improve your own shooting. There are many ways to challenge yourself too. For instance you might decide to use a spring gun rather than a PCP, or use a scope that doesn’t allow you to use it for range estimation. Don’t stay indoors during poor weather, embrace the difficulty of shooting in the wind and rain. Get out there and see if you can overcome the many challenges on offer.

FT PARTYING

There is of course the social element, FT is generally a group activity and everyone has a common interest to begin with in shooting. Many competitions are set up in such a way too that you might find yourself shooting with a complete beginner, a World Champion or indeed anyone in between the two extremes. Plus while the participants are generally male, more and more women are taking up the challenge of a sport that offers no advantage to a particular gender. If you are wondering how best to break the ice with a shooter it’s easy, just complement them on their equipment. If only it had been that easy with the girls when I was a teenager!

I touched on the fact that more and more women are taking up FT in the last paragraph and it is a sport for all! It spans the generations from those who are just old enough to handle a gun safely (and legally) right the way up to those just young enough to handle a gun safely. Not something many sports can do.

CHEAP THRILLS!

Whether we like it or not the financial element of what we do is always a consideration. Once again FT comes good on this front. A typical winter league round will set me back about £20 which includes entry fees, diesel and a bit of food. Not bad for a day out! Yes the equipment can be expensive but competitive equipment, especially pre-owned, can be found for a relatively modest outlay and will last you years if looked after properly.

My thoughts outlined above may not have marketing companies knocking at my door offering me a job but I think they make a reasonable case to give FT a try. But what about my own personal reasons for shooting FT? I’ve been doing it for over 25 years now so I guess habit plays a huge part, that and the fact I don’t have the imagination to try something new! Basically though it is the whole package offered, the people, the travel, the challenge, the nice equipment. If I had to pick out the one reason I go to shoot FT? Well it’s obvious isn’t it? I want to get on the telly!

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