International HFT Rules

1. Safety

2. The course and scoring

3. Shooting positions

3.1. In general

3.2. Prone

3.3. Kneeling

3.4. Standing

3.5. Supported kneeling / standing

4. Timing

5. Equipment

6. Shooting range

1. SAFETY

1.1. All shooting activities must be carried out in accordance with the WHFTO rules.

1.2. Any air rifle is allowed as long as it complies with current national legislation for airguns and has a power output less than 16,3J (12 ft/lbs). The power output can by checked by random or compulsory chronograph test at anytime before, during or after the competition.

1.3. Each course must have safe place for checking and adjusting airguns - The ZERO RANGE. It is necessary to register and sign safety declaration form before entering the Zero range. Using the Zero range is allowed only for the shooters competing. It should be large enough based on the number of shooters.

1.4. All shooters must sign familiarization with the WHFTO rules and attend a safety briefing at each event to be held immediately before the session they are shooting in.

1.5. When a single blast of a whistle is heard all shooting must immediately stop. Shooters must discharge their rifles into the ground, away from the target, at a safe distance and angle. Targets must NOT be sighted or the gun shouldered during a cease fire.

1.6. After hearing two blasts of the whistle, firing may re-commence after you have visually checked it is safe to do so.

1.7. Rifles must be cased or carried with the muzzle pointing down at all times when not in use, this includes rifles carried on a sling.

1.8. Do not cock your rifle until you are ready to take shot.

1.9. No gun should be cocked or loaded between lanes. Multi-shot rifle must have the magazine removed, and be in a visibly safe condition. Every member of a group should ensure theirs & their shooting partner’s activities are carried out in a safe manner.

1.10. NEVER rest the rifle muzzle on your foot. When getting down or up from a prone shots always be aware of where your rifle muzzle is pointing, it should remain pointing down or down-range at all times, ask your shooting partner for their assistance in handing, or taking, your rifle from you if you find it difficult getting up or down safely.

1.11. All Juniors (under 18 years old) must be under the direct supervision their parent/guardian on the day.

1.12. No living animals are allowed at the championship courses.

1.13. In the case of a any dispute, the Chief Marshal can be called, and their decision is final.

1.14. If you are approached by a marshal for any reason i.e. shooting technique or safety please do as they have asked as remember they are there to make sure the course is shot safely and fairly.

2. THE COURSE and SCORING

2.1. Each registered shooter will receive the scorecard which fills in by details of equipment for event (Name, Surname, Manufacturer and type of Rifle, Manufacturer and type of Scope, Magnification, Backlight and Parallax used for the event, Manufacturer, type and size of Pellets)

2.2. Once the first shot has been taken, NO adjustments may be made, in any way, to the rifle, stock or scope.

2.3. The courses always have category Open, and then can be divided into subcategories:

2.3.1. Springer

2.3.2. Ladies

2.3.3. Veteran (age 60+, at the day of the course)

2.3.4. Junior (age under 18, at the day of the course)

2.3.5. Team (max. 6 shooters, top 4 of them will count into team’s results)

2.4. The scoring will be 1 point for a knockdown, 0 point for faceplate hit or miss of the target. The target MUST fall to earn 1 point.

2.5. Under no circumstances may a target be shot at more than once by a shooter, nor are any practice shots of any kind allowed during the course of fire.

2.6. Regardless of any circumstances such as forgetting to load a pellet, not shutting the loading bolt or if the trigger is pull before you are locked on target, if the gun goes off (air released) the shot is considered as having been taken and will be scored accordingly. If this does happen, the competitor should make sure the pellet has left the gun by dry firing safely into the ground over the firing line with the consent of their shooting partners.

2.7. When a target has been downed the shooter must gain confirmation of the knockdown from a fellow group member before the target is reset.

2.8. Only a member of your shooting group is permitted to record your scores on your scorecard. Under no circumstance is a shooter allowed to score his/her own scorecard. If an error is entered on any scorecard the shooting partner who made the mistake must seek a marshal who will amend this error for you & sign the back of the card.

2.9. Upon completion of the course one of your shooting partners should sign your scorecard, this is to signify that they have checked the card & agree with its scoring, the shooter should always check that their scorecard is correctly filled in & signed before handing it in as they are the ones who will be penalised for any irregularities.

2.10. Shoot off will always take place in the event if a tie for 1st place in all individuals classes.

Shoot off will be shoot at 3 targets.

Standard rules for unsupported kneeling/standing positions will be used, including hitzone sizes and distances.

Each person will shoot all three targets from the kneeling position, if any competitors are still tied they will then shoot the targets in the standing position. If after this no winner is established then there will be sudden death shoot off. Only fallen targets are counted as a result. Who shoots down more targets wins. If a large number of shooters are tied for a placing, the organizers may decide to use a count back to decide other placings.

Ranking in the Team category: 1. Compare number of shooters. The team with less shooters wins.2. If still tied, compare the best daily score of each team. The biggest score wins. 3. If still tied, compare the highest achieved individual score in each team. The biggest score wins. 4. If still tied, shoot-off with 1 competitor from each tied team will be selected by each country for a shoot-off. The total targets dropped by the selected competitor will determine the winning team.

3. SHOOTING POSITIONS

3.1. In general

3.1.1. Sitting shots ARE NOT ALLOWED, this is defined as the shooters backside being in contact with the ground, or sitting on your foot folded under your bum as the shot is taken.

3.1.2. Crouching shots are not allowed, this is defined as two feet on the ground with the upper part of the legs being supported by the calves or foot area.

3.1.3. The peg must be touched by some part of the body/rifle as the shot is taken. Moving any of the course fixtures is not allowed, these include the firing line, shooting pegs or any supports (Bails/structures), anyone found doing so will be disqualified from the competition.

3.1.4. The trigger finger must be behind the peg when the shot is taken.

3.1.5. The rifle butt must be outside your clothing when taking a shot & it cannot be supported by any straps/pockets etc.

3.1.6. NO advantages are allowed for the Juniors during kneeling or standing position.

3.1.7. Each championship course will contain 10% standing and 10% kneeling positions out of the total number of targets. At least one of each kind must be un-supported.

3.2. Prone

3.2.1. The only part of the rifle allowed to touch the ground when taking a shot from the prone position is the bottom edge of the butt pad, if any part of the rifle stock extends below this bottom edge then the rifle must not be grounded at all during a prone shot.

3.2.2. A course can have a maximum of 3 off the peg prone shots.

3.2.3. There will be no 'impossible' off the peg prone shots. All off the peg prone shots must be accessible out to the right and out to the left of the peg for left handed and right handed competitors, remember juniors are also shooting these courses - so common sense should prevail here.

3.3. Kneeling

3.3.1. The kneeling position is defined as only 3 points of contact with the ground (2 feet & 1 knee).

3.3.2. The rear foot shall be upright and straight in line with the knee, sitting on a turned foot is not allowed, but ‘laces down’ is ok.

3.3.3. A bean bag may be used to support the knee, shin or foot area only, not the buttock.

3.3.4. The rifle will be supported only by the two hands with the rifle butt in the shoulder, no other part of the body can be used to support the rifle nor can the hands be supported on any other part of the body.

3.3.5. The hands cannot be dropped to allow the wrist joint, arm or any other part of the body to support the rifle. The leading hand should also be forward of the knee, to illustrate this the supporting hand should be dropped down vertically (90 degrees to the forearm), if it contacts with any part of the knee/leg the supporting hand is deemed too far back & therefore not forward of the knee.

3.3.6. The un-supported kneeling/standing shot will be designated by a 10cm (4") tall peg, no other forms of support are allowed for this shot (peg/tree etc).

3.3.7. The leading leg cannot be pulled back so the calf is supported by the hamstrings or lower buttocks, this is classed as a crouching shot & is not allowed.

3.4. Standing

3.4.1. Only your feet may be in contact with the ground.

3.4.2. The un-supported standing only shot will be designated by a 10cm (4") tall peg, no other forms of support are allowed for this shot (peg/tree).

3.5. Supported Kneeling / Standing

3.5.1. The above rules apply with the exception that any part of the rifle or body may be resting on the supporting tree/object. If a number of supporting objects are available, some part of the rifle or body must be touching the support marked with the peg number as the shot is taken. In addition to touching the numbered support you may also make use of any other supporting objects.

4. TIMING

4.1. The given time limit per lane are 2 minutes, this time starts when you approach the peg.

4.2. Under normal circumstances a shooter is not timed but if any group is causing a hold up or the session is taking too long due to slow shooters then we reserve the right to time individuals or groups of shooters.

4.3. Shooters may be timed by a marshal without their knowledge to ascertain if they are in fact taking too long to shoot but they will not be deducted any points at this time.

4.4. Once the decision is made to officially time any shooter or group of shooters they will be informed by the marshal that they will be timed, they will be told when the clock is started and they then have two minutes to shoot the target.

4.5. If a competition is stopped during the timing the clock will be paused and 10 seconds grace given upon re-start of shooting before the clock is re-started.

5. EQUIPMENT

5.1. Forend depth is limited to a maximum of 150mm, this is measured from the centre of the barrel to the lowest part of the rifle forward of the pistol grip.

5.2. Long butt hooks are not allowed, although the paddle style of butt pad is allowed.

5.3. The paddles of the buttpad must not exceed 57mm (2.25") in length.

5.4. When standing or kneeling, no part of the rifle may be in contact with the ground.

5.5. When taking a prone shot the only part of the rifle which may be touching the ground is the bottom edge of the butt pad, no other device, stock or buttpad extension may rest on the ground.

5.6. Windicators of any type are NOT allowed. The competitors are allowed to use only the nature objects found on the course to measure wind, such as dry leaves, grass, dust etc. Artificial meanings of wind measurement (hunters white powder, tapes of any kind etc.) are prohibited on the course

5.7. Scope levels cannot be used and must be removed or taped up before you start the course.

5.8. A standard rifle sling is allowed to be fitted to the stock/rifle but only as a means to carry the rifle between lanes, at no time can a sling to be used as a shooting aid.

5.9. No device may be added or designed into a stock/rifle to specifically support the stock/rifle on the peg or tree. this includes brackets, ledges, spikes, straps etc.

5.10. The objective and ocular aperture of the scope must be left as it was manufactured. It can not be reduced in any way, including sunshades. Flip up scope caps must always be in an open position when taking a shot and any holes in the caps taped up while shooting the course.

5.11. Anyone found carrying out any adjustments whatsoever to a scope once the course has been started will be expelled from the competition.

5.12. Lasers are not permitted and should be removed from the rifle.

5.13. Use of any Range or angle finding equipment is prohibited for everyone on the course (include visitors).

5.14. The use of mobile phones and other devices for communication between participants is prohibited. The use of mobile phones for taking photos is allowed.

5.15. Beanbags may be carried to place guns on between lanes and may be used for kneeling shots as specified above.

6. SHOOTING RANGE

6.1. Minimal diameter of the peg is 25mm. Minimal dimensions of the square peg is 25x25mm.

6.2. Targets:

6.2.1. Metal silhouette “fall when hit”.

6.2.2. Faceplate must be finished in light color (white, silver, stainless steel, yellow).

6.2.3. Hit-zone (HZ) must be finished in dark colour (black, dark grey, red).

6.2.4. Faceplate for the un-supported kneeling / standing positions must be at least 20mm around the hitzones.

6.2.5. Faceplate for other positions must be at least 10mm around the hitzones.

6.3. Visitors and spectators are allowed and welcome on the course during the competition.

6.4. Visiting the course BEFORE competition start is NOT PERMITTED neither for shooters nor visitors.

6.5. The course will consist of at least 30 targets (include forced positions) with one firing point (peg) for each target.

6.6. All firing points and targets must be clearly marked numbers from 1 to max. amount of targets.