AAFTA National Event Match Rules

The information contained in the match rules has been gathered from experienced Airgun Field Target Match Directors and shooting participants. The intent of this publication is to provide minimum requirements for AAFTA Member Clubs when holding a National Airgun Field Target Match. These rules should be considered as guidelines for local and regional matches.

Getting Started

If your club wishes to hold a Regional or National Airgun Field Target Match, there are several things you should consider.

A.    Does your club have enough members who are willing to give their time to prepare and run the match properly?

B.    Are your Facilities adequate?

C.    Does your club have the financial support necessary for the match?

D.    Does your club have enough targets suitable for the match?

E.    Has the match date been approved by AAFTA and is the weather in your area acceptable on that date?

Having answered these questions positively, your next step is to select a Match Director. The Match Director is responsible for seeing that the match is run according to the AAFTA Rules and insuring fair play for all participants.

Match Planning

         1.    Duties:  Predetermine each club member’s duties regarding the match. That includes preparation before, during and after the match.

         2.    Schedule:  Contact AAFTA to schedule an open date on the AAFTA Calendar (consider weather, holidays, school, vacations, and range conditions).

         3.    Layout:  Decide the number of shots and the course layout.

         4.    Food:  Determine what food services will be offered. This will be determined by how much money is available, or how far it is to the nearest store/restaurant, etc. Water should be available to all participants.

         5.    Restrooms:  Restrooms must be provided for men and women.

         6.    Accessories:  Some form of seating should be available for shooters and spectators, taking into consideration rain or shade. Scorecards, clipboards, name tags and pencils should be provided. Whistles or walkie-talkies to call marshals are highly desirable.

         7.    Scoreboard:  A scoreboard visible to contestants and spectators will be provided.

         8.    Awards:  All awards will be presented at the conclusion of the match.

         9.    Tie-Breaker: Pre-plan a tie-breaker system for the match.

       10.    Announcement: A mailer or invitation will be prepared well in advance of the match. The invitation will include:

A.    Dates and times of the match and practice hours.

B.    Location of the range, with directions or a map.

C.    Host Organization with contacts and phone numbers.

D.    Awards, Divisions and Classes

E.    Entry fees and deadlines for registration (with registration limits)

F.    Information on food and drinks.

G.    Safety information, sanctioning, and sponsors.

H.    Motels (with addresses and/or directions) including rates and phone numbers

I.      Air tank availability and/or an air tank rental company name with an address and phone number.

J.     Patches, shirts, hats or pins for sale.

K.    Any equipment restrictions or special notices.

L.     Copies of the shooting rules will be provided if they differ from the current AAFTA rules.

       11.    Promotion:  The AAFTA webmaster will post match registration and information. It is the club’s responsibility to provide this in a form suitable for posting such as HTML, PDF, or DOC files. The club will provide the above detailed information to all registering shooters either by email or US Postal Service, when time permits, in advance of the match.

       12.    Time Management: Shooting times will be planned to allow all shooters enough time to finish the match. Take into consideration the number of shooters, number of lanes, and number of shots at each target (remember, two shots at one target takes less time than one shot at two targets).

       13.    Shooter’s Meeting:  A shooters meeting will be held prior to each match. Allow from 10 to 20 minutes for each meeting.

       14.    Marshals:  Arrange for Marshals well in advance and get a firm commitment from each person. The number of Marshals you will need depends on the geography of your course. If you have the course laid out over a large area, you will need more Marshals. Train your Marshals well in advance so they can perform properly and be an asset rather than a liability.

       15.    Results:  Send in the match results and a descriptive story to the AAFTA webmaster as soon as possible following the match. In addition to names and scores by classes, include a description of rifles, scopes and pellets used by the competitors.

Assuming you planned your match... Make a plan... then work your plan!

Course Preparation

         1.    Layout:  Each course will be laid out using the available terrain. To lay-out a safe course, remember that a "cone of fire" will be developed to direct all shooting away from competitors and into a safe direction. Things to take into consideration when laying-out a course:

A.    One lane shall never cross another lane, and one course shall never cross another course. These are good safety precautions.

B.    Shooting locations (i.e. "shooting pads") should be on a plane that allows safety for all.

C.    If you will be using tree targets, cut your lanes with the trees in mind for the targets.

D.    Make sure that resetting strings can be run back to the firing line without tangling in briars, etc.

E.    Lanes shall not be so close to other lanes that safety or ease of movement of shooters is impeded.

         2.    Shooting Pads:  Shooting Pads shall be sloped or drained so that no water accumulates. Pea gravel helps drain water and is acceptable to most competitors. Pads shall be reasonably level so that a competitor can safely take a shot.

         3.    Lane Markers:  Lane Markers are used to identify where the shooter must take the shot. Two lane markers shall be used for each shooting pad. The gun barrel shall be between the markers with the shooters torso behind the markers when addressing the lane. These markers can be made of wood, steel, or other material and should signify the lane number.

         4.    Hit Zone Visibility:  Target hit zones shall be clearly visible from the shooters pad with no obstruction in the flight of the pellet.  A clear and unobstructed view of the hit zone must be afforded from allowed shooting positions. If a designated position (kneeling or standing) is not declared, all targets must be visible from a height of 15 inches above the firing line; otherwise, plan the lane to accommodate all shooting positions and shooter heights. When trimming the lanes, look for even the thinnest weeds, grass, or vines.

A well laid out course, properly prepared, eliminates problems at match time!

Targets

         1.    Type: There are both commercial and "home-made" targets that can be used in matches. Any target that is reliable and capable of withstanding repeated 20 foot pound pellet strikes can be used. Targets should be tested with both high power and low power airguns. The suggested testing technique is to shoot the hit zone of the target with a 4fpe or lower-power airgun to test for reliability with low-powered airguns; similarly, shoot the hit zone and faceplate with an 18fpe or higher-power airgun to test for high-powered operation. The quickest way to ruin a match is to have a target that does not work properly! The target should fall when hit in the hit zone, and not fall when not hit in the hit zone!

         2.    Hit zone size and shape: Hit zones shall be round in shape! Hit zones sizes can range from 3/8" to 2". Smaller hit zones are generally used in lesser numbers at shorter distances. No fake hit zones may appear anywhere on the target.

         3.    Hit zone size and distance:  Care should be taken when placing targets at close distances since pellets can ricochet or bounce back! When setting a course, shooter proficiency should be taken into consideration. The following target distances are the maximum distances for expert level shooters.

         4.    Average Target Difficulty: For a Regional or National match, the average difficulty based on the Troyer scale of all the targets should be no more than 40T with a spread of difficulties from approximately 20T to 60T.

         5.    Target strings and rubber bands: It has been found that a good quality braided Dacron line (50-80 Lb. test) will not stretch and will last longer under ultraviolet rays than Nylon or Polypropylene. This line is used for offshore fishing and is extremely durable, but it is rather expensive. It is recommended that Nylon not be used since it stretches and makes the target hard to reset. A simple fishing swivel, 10-12 inches in front of the target, keeps the lines from becoming twisted and makes them easier to wind up after the match. A short, braided steel fishing leader used through the target hole will keep the line from fraying on the metal target. Rubber bands or short bungee cords attached to the target and to the line with a little slack will curtail string snags which prevent target knock-downs.

Note: Competition Kite string is made from the same braided Dacron line, so check kite suppliers for better deals. If the braided Dacron line is too expensive, use only enough for the target placement distance (e.g. 25 Yards, 40 Yards, or 55 Yards).

         6.    Target Installation: Targets shall be securely attached to the ground or other objects so that they are stable and will not be disturbed by pellet hits or by pulls on the reset line. Targets placed directly on the ground require that any ground cover (leaves, sticks, pine needles, etc.) be removed that might interfere with proper operation. Prior to installing any target on the course, it is important that all targets be lubricated and checked for proper operation.

         7.    Target Painting: Since Field Target shooting is a fun sport as well as a challenging sport, detailed painting of the targets makes them more enjoyable for all competitors. Flat Black targets don't excite anyone! A little art work goes a long way in creating realism! Hit paddles should be given a base coat of white paint then day glow orange should be applied over that. Of course, all hit paddles should be repainted between matches. An alternate solution for hit zone visibility is to use tape on the back side of the face plate.  In any case, the hit zone must contrast with the faceplate.

         8.    Target Placement:  Placement relies on the imagination of the course designers with the following guidelines:

A.    All participants shall share equal visibility of the entire hit zone.

B.    All competitors shall have the same opportunity to shoot in the same shooting position.

C.    When placing a target in a lane, a spotter should be in a shooting position to give detailed instructions to the person setting the target. This way the spotter can make sure short and tall, as well as left and right-handed shooters have the same advantage. Binoculars or a scope will allow the spotter to see if any obstructions exist. Lane markers should be adjusted to afford the shooter the ability to get a clear shot on all targets in the lane.

D.    All targets shall be set from a predetermined plan.

E.    When setting targets, the shooting sequence shall be determined (e.g., shoot the nearest target then the longest target).

F.    When two or more targets are in one lane, care shall be taken to make sure that the string from the longest target does not interfere with the other target.

G.    If the course has a tendency to have standing water or rain, make sure targets are not under water if it rains on match day.

H.    Make sure that the Marshals can get to the targets during the match. Have ladders available for tree targets if necessary.

I.      Make sure that targets in one lane cannot be confused with targets in another lane.

Target preparation, maintenance, painting and planned target placement are essential to a successful match!

Practice Area (Range)

A safe practice area shall be provided for the competitors the day before the match and just prior to each match. This practice area shall have the following:

         1.    At least 55 yards of clear safe shooting area.

         2.    A suitable dry area from which to sit and shoot.

         3.    Some form of target holders for the competitors to use.

         4.    Yardage markers each 5 yards from 10 yards to 55 yards.

         5.    Gun Racks.

         6.    A designated area for SCUBA/air tanks.

         7.    A designated and marked "Firing Line".

         8.    A range safety officer on the firing line at all times when shooting is taking place. The range safety officer shall have complete control at all times.

         9.    Rest rooms.

       10.    Spinners, practice field targets, bench rests, and chronographs add to a good practice area!

       11.    Children shall not be near the firing line and must be supervised by a parent at all times!

       12.    No pets shall be allowed in the practice area!

       13.    During practice or during a match, all AAFTA Safety Rules shall be in force.

Shooter’s Meeting

The Match Director shall hold a Shooter’s Meeting prior to each match to discuss information pertinent to the match. This is an opportunity to welcome contestants and introduce Marshals, Scorekeepers, and other workers. This meeting should be from 10-20 minutes in length and include the following:

                 1.    Special club rules and procedures.

                 2.    Explanation of scoring and score-cards. The score-card shall track the course layout.

                 3.    Point out where facilities are located, including shooting lanes.

                 4.    Number of shots per target and the order of shooting; i.e., left-to-right or near-to-far.

                 5.    Number of lanes.

                 6.    Where to turn in score-cards.

                 7.    Lane Assignments & Squadding:  It is customary to squad shooters in groups of 2 or 3 depending on the number of shooters attending the match. For one-day matches, a suggested method of squadding for qualifying rounds is to designate a top shooter, an intermediate shooter and a novice when using the customary 3-person system of squadding in all but the final round. In the final round, it is customary to squad shooters with those whom they are directly competing. For National matches, squadding shall be determined by ranking and division such that shooters of comparable ability and division are shooting the same course simultaneously to the extent possible.

                 8.    In-depth discussion of the AAFTA Safety Rules, with an introduction of the Marshals and any discussion of time limits.

Class System

If conditions warrant it, a suggested system to further subdivide the two standard AAFTA Divisions (PCP and Piston) might be as follows:

Unlimited - any airgun in the class with any scope. Additional bodily support such as jackets, straps, etc. are allowed as long as the airgun is supported solely by the body.

Standard –

Option 1 - any gun in the division with any scope, but no additional bodily support of any kind is allowed.

Option 2 - any airgun in the division with a sporter style stock, a scope limited to 20x, and no additional bodily support of any kind is allowed.

In a major match, such as the Nationals, it is suggested that Veteran, Women and Junior Classes be established that encompass all relevant shooters in both the PCP and Piston Divisions with sufficient awards to satisfy the number of registered shooters. Other Classes can be created by the match committees as the situation dictates.

It is very important to note that all competitors, even though they may be shooting in a Class such as Unlimited, Standard, Junior, or Veteran are ultimately competing in either the PCP, Piston, WFTF PCP or Piston, or Hunter Divisions. All Classes are defined as subdivisions of those five basic divisions (PCP, Piston, WFTF PCP or Piston, and Hunter). With that in mind, all competitors in each Division are competing for the overall placement awards for that Division first, plus any other Class awards they may be entered in as well.

Awards Presentation

Each AAFTA Division shall have at least a 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place award if there are sufficient entrants. As noted in , consolidation of shooters into larger classes or divisions is acceptable. It is not recommended to have a separate match winner and then 1^st through 3^rd place awards. It is recommended that there be one 1^st place, or champion award, for each Division followed by 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, etc. All awards should be presented immediately following the final match. A suggested method of presenting the awards is to present the lowest place award for each Division and Class available at the match first, then the next lowest place award for each Division and Class, and so on up to the 1^st place/Champion award in each Division. It is suggested that awards should be displayed during the Award Presentation. Pictures for publications should be taken by the host club and identified for the press.