Interview with the HFT World Champion - Sándor Szilágyi

Interview with the HFT World Champion - Sándor Szilágyi

strzelectwoterenowe.pl:
First of all I would like to congratulate you to become the 2021 WHFTO World Champion!
I was also shooting during this weekend and I know how hard it was to get a good result.
Especially on a Sunday because of the wind. So I congratulate you again.
How did you celebrate your victory?

Sándor Szilágyi:
My friends and family greeted me with cake and drinks when I got home and we celebrated together for a few hours.

strzelectwoterenowe.pl:
How would you rate the preparation of the courses for the Worlds? Which course was more difficult in your opinion?

Sándor Szilágyi:
Our Slovak friends have built high-quality and challenging courses. Both courses were hard, but adapting to the weather was the most difficult part. On the second day, the varying strength and direction of the wind was the biggest challenge, especially since a lot of the targets were on the field.

strzelectwoterenowe.pl:
Which target was the most difficult for you?

Sándor Szilágyi:
White 11, a distant lollipop stander with a zone of aroud 35 mm zone. It had to be shot in an upward angle on uneven ground.

strzelectwoterenowe.pl:
When and how did you get interested in shooting?

Sándor Szilágyi:
I started in 2008 with a Walther LGR and a noname Chinese scope with 7.5 J energy (that's the limit in Hungary), then from 2011 I used an AA S400 with a Chinese scope at 5x magnification, this time in 16.3 J. I have been using my current rifle and scope since 2018 with satisfaction.

strzelectwoterenowe.pl:
What kind of rifle and scope do you use? What are your scope settings AO? Zoom? On what distance you have zero? - if it is not a secret :-).

Sándor Szilágyi:
Walther LG300 XT with a laminate factory rifle stock and an Optisan EVX 10x44i, 27 meters parallax, 23 meters zero.

strzelectwoterenowe.pl:
What is in your opinion ideal set for HFT (rifle and scope)?

Sándor Szilágyi:
I prefer Walther because it feels comfortable and works reliably for me. For me, the ideal scope has a thin reticle with half-mildot marks, adjustable parallax and, preferably, illumination. What matters the most is the equipment should be solidly put together and comfortable to use.

strzelectwoterenowe.pl:
What kind of pellet do you use and how do you prepare it?

Sándor Szilágyi:
JSB Exact 0.547 g. That is what goes best with my Walther. I’m still shooting with the 2018 series this year. There is no particular trick to preparing my pellets; I just take them out of the box and put them in the holder on my rifle while making sure they are not damaged.

strzelectwoterenowe.pl:
Do you practise any other shooting sports? How long did you train before the World Championships? How is your training looks like?

Sándor Szilágyi:
Yes, I use the same equipment in the Hungarian Silhouette Championship, and I also shoot silhouettes with a .22 LR gun and Field Target with a Walther Dominator and a March 10-60x52 scope. Sometimes I even shoot clay pigeons and go hunting if I have the time. Before the World Championships I had 3 Hungarian Cup rounds and the National Championship as well as a couple training sessions on my own. I last shot HFT at the National Championship 2 weeks before the World Championships. I had a silhouette competition a week ago but nothing other than that. I have to feel hungry for shooting for it to work. Even at the World Championships venue I only had 15 to 20 control shots – I couldn’t wait for the competition to start. I shoot a lot on paper during training sessions to detect any issues and see what causes them. An average training session is 2 hours long with a minimum of 40 standing and kneeling shots.

strzelectwoterenowe.pl:
How do you find the range to the target? by blurring, by eye or bracketing?

Sándor Szilágyi:
I usually rely on my eyes and experience. I’m confident in my guessing for up to 30 meters plus I know the rules Above 35 meters the blurring of the sight picture sometimes helps. I do not measure zones because we use alternating individual zone sizes.

strzelectwoterenowe.pl:
What are your plans for the near future?

Sándor Szilágyi:
This year I would like to shoot the Hungarian HFT Cup series, in addition to the FT series, and I would like to shoot several silhouette competitions in Hungary, as well as any HFT Open competition in a nearby country, and of course the 2022 HFT World Championships in Hungary.

strzelectwoterenowe.pl:
Some tips from the master for beginners in HFT.

Sándor Szilágyi:
Listen to seasoned shooters; buy a good rifle and a good scope. Get to know and trust your equipment. Practise rangefinding by estimation every day, even when walking on the street. Practice in subpar weather conditions like wind, rain, cold and heat. Compete a lot and remember it is kneeling and standing shots end up deciding competitions.

strzelectwoterenowe.pl:
Thank you very much for your time and I would like to wish you further success in sport and in private life!