European Field Target Federation shooting Rulebook 014, R No1-14   INTRODUCTION The following rules are based on the WFTF rules and shall apply to all European Championships and International Open competitions or other European major field target shooting events. DEFINITIONS European Championship – a competition hosted by a member RGB and registered in the calendar of the European Field Target Federation and accepted by EFTF Board. Hamster – a support that is affixed to the underside of the rifle stock and rests on the Shooter’s hand or knee, depending on the shooting position. Kneeling – a shooting position where there are only three points of contact with the ground: two feet and a knee. The rear foot has to be upright and straight in line with the knee. A legal seat may be used to support the rear foot and/or ankle, or to keep the knee clean provided that the foot has contact with the ground. The leading hand will support the rifle and from the wrist forward it should be unsupported by the thigh and the knee. A single rifle sling and butt hook may be used to steady the aim. PCP – precharged pneumatic air rifle. RGB – Representative Governing Body, the organization that represents a member country at the European Championship and International Open competition. Standing – a shooting position where the shot is taken in a standing position without the aid of any support. Only a single rifle sling and butt hook may be used to steady the aim. Single rifle sling – a sling used to carry the rifle or as a means of steadying the aim. Such a sling shall be attached to the rifle at a minimum of one and maximum of two points when a shot is taken. The sling may be unclipped from the rifle when not in use. Springer – an air rifle the power of which is generated by a large spring/gas ram and piston. 1.  Equipment 1.1.  Air guns Air rifles, PCP or Springer, with muzzle energy not exceeding 16.3 Joule, and which are in the safe working condition may be used. No muzzle energy adjustments may be made to the air rifle during a competition. Fully adjustable rifle stocks are permitted to accommodate various shooting styles and positions. The surface of the hamster must be flat and not shaped to provide lateral support to the rifle. 1.2.  Ammunition Any design of pellet that is completely made of lead, lead alloy, zinc or zinc alloy or a similar material may be used. 1.3.  Sights Any form of a sighting system may be used with the exception of laser sights. No built-in or separate electronic range finding device may be used. 1.4. Rifle accessories allowed: -      A single rifle sling (no additional straps are allowed); -      Butt hook; -      Spirit level; -      Sunshade on scope; -      Scope enhancer - rubber eyepiece extender; -      Thermometer; -      Wind indicator, non-electronic; -      Inclinometer. No additional equipment, electronic or other, may be used to assist a shooter in evaluating the wind or other weather conditions. 1.5.  Clothing Any type of clothing, gloves or footwear is allowed provided it is not a hazard to the shooter or the others. Clothing may be padded to reduce the pressure of the rifle stock resting on the arm, knee or shoulder. Separate pads may be worn over non-padded clothing. Gloves may not contain any rigid material extending beyond the wrist. 1.6.  Seating  The maximum height for any form of seating is 150 mm when flattened between two boards. The seat may only be used as an aid in sitting or kneeling shots. 1.7.  Targets Metal silhouette “falls when hit” targets resettable from the firing point shall be used. The hit zones shall be circular and of a contrasting colour to the faceplate. The use of simulated hit zones on any other part of the faceplate is prohibited. Standard hit zones shall be 40 mm in diameter. A limited number of targets with reduced diameter hit zones of 15 mm and 25 mm may be used. If reducers are used, these shall be painted the same colour as the faceplate and shall be fixed to the front side of the target facing a shooter. 2.  Shooting Range 2.1. Terrain A suitable field/forest landscape should be prepared for field target shooting events so that it is clearly identifiable. The terrain should accommodate two or three courses of 25 lanes, with two targets to be erected per lane, a total of 50 targets per course. The lanes of these two or three courses must be respectively identifiable (e.g. blue /black /white course) along the terrain. 2.2.  Target placement and numbering Targets shall be placed at distances of 8 to 50 meters from the firing line. All targets shall be clearly numbered, per course from left to right, at both the target and the firing line. Targets may be placed at higher or lower elevation to the firing line, but must at all times be fully visible from all shooting positions and be at the  85°- 95°angle of the shot trajectory. 2.3.  Positional targets The free shooting position is sitting but five lanes per course may be designated as ‘standing’ or ‘kneeling’. The total number of targets designated as standing or kneeling may not exceed  ten targets on that particular course, and these positional targets should be divided as equally as possible, e.g. three standing and two kneeling lanes, or vice versa. The maximum distance that positional targets may be placed at is 40 meters. A clear sign at the firing line shall indicate the kneeling or standing lanes. 2.4.  Targets with reduced hit zones The total number of targets with reduced diameter hit zones may not exceed 14 targets on that particular course. Maximum distance limitations for such targets are as follows: Hit zone size                      for non-positional targets           for positional targets 15 mm                                 20 meters                                          not allowed 25 mm                                 35 meters                                          20 meters                                          2.5.  Practice range The practice area shall be provided for the competitors at least one hour before the competition. The practice area should be in close proximity to the competition range. Multiple paper targets should be placed between 8 and 50 meters. The range should be large enough to accommodate all competitors in one hour. Compressed air should be available for competitors and a Deputy Marshal shall be present whenever this range is open for practice. All normal range safety rules shall apply. 2.6.  Shooting position The shooting position is indicated by two posts between which the competitors must shoot from. While shooting, the barrel of the rifle has to be in front of this line, but the trigger must remain behind it. 3.  Safety As is the case in all shooting sports, safety on the range is of utmost importance. 3.1.  No rifle may at any time be pointed in the direction of people or animals. 3.2.  Except whilst shooting, no rifle may be in a loaded condition. Rifles must face the target if loaded. 3.3.  When a ceasefire is signalled (one whistle/horn) and a rifle has been loaded prior to the signal, the shot must be fired across the firing line into the ground in front of the shooter. 3.4.  When carrying a rifle, it should be pointed either up or down unless carried in a case or a bag. If carried in an open rifle carrier, the cocking lever/bolt shall at all times be in the open position. 3.5.  No non-participants are allowed on the shooting line. 3.6.  Unless accompanied by and under the control of a responsible adult, no children or pets are allowed on ranges during a competition. 3.7.  No alcohol or drugs may be consumed before or during a day’s competition until the last shot has been fired. This excludes prescribed medication.  4.  Administration 4.1. The information of the European Championship is transferred to the European Field Target Federation website Calendar. The following competition information shall be listed on the web site: place and coordinates, dates, format, organizers’ contact details, accommodation, rules, rifle import and registration. The European Championship organizer should publish all relevant information about the competition together with the list of participants on the website of the European Field Target Federation. The European Championship host should open the registration to the event at least six months before the competition date. The host of the International Open Competition or any other major event should open the registration to the event at least three months before the competition date. 4.2. The categories of the European Championship are PCP and Springer with the muzzle energy limit to 16.3 Joule. 4.3.  The classes of entry are as follows: -      Junior - not 17 by January 1; -      Senior Ladies; -      Senior Men; -      Veteran - 60 years or older on January 1. 4.4.  A minimum of four competitors in any class is required to constitute the awarding of competitors at the European Championship. 4.5. In both categories the national teams consisting of minimum four and maximum eight competitors can be entered. At least four teams in any category are required to constitute the awarding of national teams at the European Championship. Team scores will be derived from the results of four shooters who have registered 24 hours before each competition day, and added together at the end of the event. 4.6.  Teams at the European Championship must be entered at least 24 hours before the commencement of the first day of the competition. The organizer must post all registered teams on a notice board at the Registration Office. Each RGB is entitled to enter a single team per category. 4.7.  Shooters grouped together for a course should ideally not include the members of the same RGB or club. In a three-day competition the groups per course for subsequent competition days may be grouped according to the accumulated score ranking. Each shooter has to shoot once on every course. Score Cards indicating the shooters’ names and starting lane, timers and pens must be prepared per course groups and made available to all groups of shooters before each competition day commences. 4.8.  A Chief Marshal and a sufficient number of Deputy Marshals shall be appointed. All Marshals shall be well versed in shooting safety, rules and especially the understanding and handling of field target shooting-specific situations. Wherever possible, they should also be able to speak and understand English. There have to be enough Deputy Marshals to cover the complete range within view of each other, and they shall be supplied with identifying vests, effective two-way communication equipment and whistles/horns. 4.9.  Competitors that cannot for whatever physical or medical reason comply with a particular shooting position shall inform the Chief Marshal of it before the commencement of a competition day, and obtain Permission to use an alternative position or aid provided that no unfair advantage is gained. Chief Marshal written Permission must be visible on competitors Score Card. 4.10.  Emergency services in the form of an ambulance or qualified first aid staff must be present on the range during at least all European Championships and International Open events. 4.11.  Insurance. Each competitor is responsible for his/her own personal accident insurance. In addition to this the host organization shall take out event insurance for the European Championship events. 4.12.  A copy of these Rules shall be maintained in the Registration Office during the competition days, accessible to all participants. 5.  Competition 5.1.  A full course at the European Championship consists of 50 targets per day over the period of two or three days and of two days at the International Open Competitions. A full course must be completed for a score to be deemed valid except for circumstances listed under paragraph 5.10. An additional practice day on the day before the commencement of the European Championship competition shall be provided for the competitors. 5.2. All rifles shall be chronographed daily. It is preferable that on one these muzzle speed tests are made before the commencement of the competition. In this first test the rifles that exceed the 16.3 Joule limit may be adjusted for a re-test before the competition starts. The Deputy Marshal shall personally follow the loading of each pellet ensuring that it is not deformed or damaged. Tests on subsequent days may be made at any point along the course as determined by the Chief Marshal. Any failure in these subsequent tests will lead to disqualification. Each time a unique sticker shall be attached to every rifle that has passed the test and the chronograph speed recorded is noted on a competitor’s Score Card. Up to three subsequent measurements are allowed for rifle chronographing. If the rifle does not comply with the muzzle energy requirements set forth in section 4.2., the rifle will be disqualified for this competition. Upon request, the competitor may continue the remaining course with another rifle. 5.3.  A competition starts/course re-opens with the sounding of two whistles/horns given by the Deputy Marshals. The course is then open and safe for shooting to commence/continue. Any timers that have been paused for the ceasefire are immediately unpaused. 5.4.  A competition is closed when a single whistle/horn is sounded. All timers are immediately stopped / paused and any loaded rifles are fired across the firing line into the ground in front of the shooters. No participant may move towards a target unless requested by a Deputy Marshal to do so, range-find a target, or make any other kind of preparation until the course is re-opened. 5.5. Competitors are allowed three minutes on a lane with two targets. Timing starts when the competitor sits down, kneels or brings the scope to his/her eye for ranging in the standing position. 5.6.  A score is indicated on the Score Card by an X for a knock down or a 0 if the target remains standing. Only the shooters in the group on a lane or a Deputy Marshal may handle the Score Cards. Any changes to a Score Card shall be signed by all other shooters in the group or by Deputy Marshal. 5.7.  A shot is deemed to have been fired if air is discharged from a rifle. A shooter, however, may fire a shot into the ground after declaring this to his/her group shooters. 5.8.  Targets are addressed in the sequence according to numbering. If an incorrect target was shot at, the shooter scores a 0 and carries on with the following target on his/her Score Card. 5.9.  Any disputed score must be challenged immediately after a shot is fired. Under no circumstances should the competitor touch the reset cord until the dispute has been resolved. Targets should be checked by the Deputy Marshal whose decision is final. Any target found to be defective should be repaired or replaced immediately and may be re-shot only by the shooter who had challenged the shot. 5.10. Competitors may leave the firing line only under the following circumstances: -          Voluntary abandonment of the Competition, in which case the score up to that point will be accepted as a valid result; -          To repair equipment that has been rendered unsafe or is incapable of firing a shot due to whatever reasons. This excludes zero-shift of optical equipment or poorly zeroed systems. The competitor may replace the failed part or equipment with the permission of the Deputy Marshal. No visit to the sighting-in range by the competitor or any person on his/her behalf is allowed; -          For any other occurrence deemed valid by the Deputy Marshal. In all above-mentioned cases the competitor’s Score Card must be signed by the Deputy Marshal or by the Chief Marshal and only by the latter’s permission it is possible to leave the firing line with a stipulated time for return. The time of departure and intended return will be recorded on the Score Card and any card not claimed within the designated return time will be submitted as a final score for that competition. 5.11.  As soon as a competition is completed, all Score Cards, duly completed and signed by all group shooters, must immediately be returned to the Registration Office. 5.12.  In the event of tied scores for award winning placements, final placements shall be decided by a shoot-off. A lane containing targets according to positional shooting parameters (standing/kneeling) is selected, and competitors with tied scores will shoot off as follows: -          one round by each tied competitor from the kneeling position; -          if still undecided, one round by each competitor from the standing position; -          if still undecided, competitors continue shooting from the standing position until all award winnings placements have been determined. 5.13.  Unacceptable conduct on the firing line shall not be tolerated. Coaching or barracking of a competitor in competition is prohibited. Rifles will not be shared on the firing line. 5.14.  The penalty for an unsafe practice or any form of cheating is disqualification, the organizers reserving the right to take further action.