F-Class Rifle from scratch

[Chris S]

G'day All,

After some advise on building an F-Class rifle using the best componants
for the job. I've had a taste of F-class std. using my Lilja barelled Stiller action in a McMillan A5 stock, it's more in the "tactical" style (yes I know it sounds wanky) but I have a CF Benchrest background and know the value of
top class gear.

What componants would you use and most importantly why, is my question?
E.g. glue-in vs screw-in?
Barnard action vs Stolle etc.

tnx in advance, Chris

[bennf]

Well now you have asked the million dolar question.
When it comes to this I am afraid its a matter of opinion.
I am just starting down the road myself of a new F STD rifle/
The question is how much and how long.
What is your budget and how long are you willing to wait to get it.
Do you want to shoot off Bipod or stand.

Action
I am looking at a BAT action from the states due to its easy barrel change and good write up. But with a 4 month wait I will probable go for a Barnard.

Barrel
Well a number of the A Graders are playing with the Hart barrels and shooting some damn hot groups with them.
As for the profile. Well thats a hot debate you can go for a parallel heavey barrel or a standard palma style. Once again it depends on how much and how long.

Stock
Find one that suits you as in shap and weight.
If you are shooting off a Bipod a wide forend doesn't matter
Otherwise a tracker style is best for a rest style setup.

Trigger
Well Jewel 2 stage is my choice but Barnards come with a damn good trigger as well

Scope
I am more than happy with my Nightforce BR 8-42 but its only new and before I was shooting a Nikko Striling 50 x 60 scope which one me a queens so once again find one that suits your eye.
Ask out on the range to try out guys gear and make an informed desision.

Good Luck

Benn

[Woody_rod]

I wont start an advertisement here....

I would personally worry more about the barrel, trigger and stock fit, than the rest of the rifle (not scope). Although the actions mentioned are great and well proven, so are Musgraves, Remingtons, Angels and even Omarks in recent competition.

A good trigger will help you score better, but a good action will make your rifle look nicer (and not necessarily shoot any better). Get the best barrel you can find / afford, that is where most of your accuracy lays.

I would not glue an action in, but thats just me. I like the "takedown" of the fleXibed system as in the Millenium - a bit obtuse for a recommendation I know, sorry.

Your scope should cost almost as much as your previously complete rifle if you are going to be serious about competing.

If you get discussing this with Bennf and his mates, you will get some seriously good advice. I suggest staying with what the winners are doing if all else fails - they prove that what they are doing works, evidence enough for me.

If you save any dollars here and there, spend it on competing. That is where you will really learn what is important, and what is not.

[bully_eye]

I'd be happy with your components as is. Stiller actions and Lilja barrels are great and the A5 stock fine for competition use. With your back ground in benchrest you probably have barrel changing gear and a good scope and reloading gear (AND practices), so you can switch from F Standard to F Open as you will.

Good shooting,
Michael

[ned kelly]

G'Day All,
well as a CF BR shooter and FO shooter, here's my 2 cents worth.......
1. Barrel, Krieger, Shilen, Maddco, Truflight, Hart, Lilja......which ever you can source at a good price. They are all very good barrels, but their bore dimensions do vary from maker to maker. A tighter bore would be better for bullets like the lapua scenars which are smaller than SMK in dimensions. I've found the sierra MK & Bergers to very well made and shoot like 67gn elfs

2. Actions, any properly trued factory Action (i.e. Rem700) are as good as any BR action for accuracy. But a BR action (inc Barnards) usually handles higher pressures than a factory action can. Be aware that a BR action was designed for shooting free recoil off a bench and shooting fast. F class is NOT BR, its slower, and I have not yet proven to myself that free recoil is successful of lumpy ground compared to a rigid concrete bench. So I tend to hang onto the stock.

3. Triggers; weight of pull is not important as consistency is so although i like Jewel triggers A LOT, I would seriously consider the Barnard action & trigger as definate contenders. (small firing pin, ground true AFTER heat treating, plenty of after market accessories inc action wrench/tapered bases, comes with a GOOD trigger, variable bolt/port combo's, different recoil lug/bedding options, etc.

4. Stock, what ever you feel comfortable with, ask other shooters to let you use their rifles to find out what you prefer. However, the MBR style stocks and the trackers have very good reputations.

5. Scope, weaver 24x or 36x, good reliable scopes for the money and with 1/8moa clicks for FO.

Also with the Barnard you have several options for recoil lugs and 2 of them allow fast barrel changes. Unlike Remington style recoil lugs. that's one of the reasons for glues in's in BR. My F (O) class rifle is a glue in (ex BR rifle) and when I restock it to a more suitable stock for FO, it will also be a glue in..............because it works so well!

So, if the $$$ were not a problem then a Bat DS in a Shehane Tracker, with *** barrel, Jewel, 12-42 NF BR scope and gear stick rest (SEB) would ROCK!

However, Chris, being a BR shooter try to use as much of your existing BR gear to reduce costs as you can and hunting up an old BR rifle is an excellent way to enter f class. A sleeved Remy 6ppc opened up to a 308 bolt face will allow you to shoot a 308 in FS and switch barrels to shoot a 6BR or 6x47 lapua in FO.

Hope this helps!

Cheerio Ned

[Ben C]

Hello Chris,

I've looked at your post a couple of times and thought........should I reply ...as my idea of a good F-Std rifle (and setup) varies quite a lot from what other F-Classers reckon . Anyway, I reckon go for a RBLP Glued in to a fibreglass tracker style stock off a pedestal front rest A good heavy barrel will spit out your pills straight and true ....if everything goes well .

My theory is - Buy good gear........remember, buy once, cry once

Regards
Ben...

[MrMackie]

G'day All,

After some advise on building an F-Class rifle using the best componants
for the job. I've had a taste of F-class std. using my Lilja barelled Stiller action in a McMillan A5 stock, it's more in the "tactical" style (yes I know it sounds wanky) but I have a CF Benchrest background and know the value of
top class gear.

What componants would you use and most importantly why, is my question?
E.g. glue-in vs screw-in?
Barnard action vs Stolle etc.

tnx in advance, Chris

Hi Chris, i was in the same boat as you a few years back, only i built a F Class OPEN rifle in 6BR, so i have a weight avantage for heavy actions and scopes (which includes my heavy nightforce 12-42x56, lol)

I used a Barnard Action (Heavy compaired to Stolle) but a nice peice of gear.
I glued in the action (with Armagrout) but made sure i used the release agent so i could pull it apart if i needed. It uses 3 screws to hold the action down into the bedding. Alot of messing about, but worth it in the end.
I am very maticulous with things i construct, so if you are handy with tools, you shouldnt have a problem.
I have disassembled by rifle many, many times, and it fits back into the bedding perfectly, still shoots incredibly well and is known for its outstanding accuracy on the range, usually im the weakest link with any bad shots that are shot.


I have a friend who shoots F-Class STD in .223 and he has a bedded barnard aciton (Held in by 3 screws), light custom stock and uses a Weaver T24 scope. He does extremely well at all the comps.

The only limiting factor of any heavy action is the weight, so it means other components have to be lighter to make the weight grade.

Hope my baffeling helps a little.

[ned kelly]

G'Day Chris,
you wont recognise my nick name, but you may remember Darren White & I helped you out at Para when you needed a scope for your first BR match at the SA BR titles years ago! (Geoff from Melb.)

Go the Barnard, Bill Hallam thoroughly recommends them for F class, big stiff action for hanging heavy barrels off; lovely trigger and ideal for F class.

Mr Mackie, the idea of a "glue-in", is no release agent is used at all, you literally glue the metal action to the stock, screws are there to hold it together IF the glue disbonds. Being able to remove the stock is a "screw-in" bedding job.

My glue-in Hall action has not been removed from the stock since 1996 from memory, still glued in and still shooting bug holes!

Hope this helps

Cheerio Ned

[Dave P]

I tend to agree with Ben C generally.
If I was building a pure FS rifle I would start with a Bat, Stolle, Stiller type action then add a suitable barrel by Maddco, Lilja or Krieger.
Then add a Jewell trigger with either a Tracker or MBR stock (I know where you can get an uninletted MBR if you decide to go that way) combine that with a good pedestal rest Sinclair, Seb or one of Chopper Reid's Raptor's as shown on the forum(they look the goods dont they)
I would opt for a glue in because they work simple as that.
Find a scope you like I would use a NF 12-42 in Kelby mounts with 20MOA rail.
Get a quality bushing die set ie Wilson in lines or Redding or Forster screw in dies and your set.
Also have a look at 6mmBR.com they have some excellent examples of what you can do and plenty of good info.

cheers
DaveP