Hi

Keith C · Post by **Keith C** » Thu Jul 17, 2014 8:44 pm

Hi guys and girls,
Just joined the forums today and have had abit of a read through. Im looking to start shooting F open within the next few months and will be buying a custom APRS to do so. Im way out of my element as all my shooting up to date has been varminting and target shooting out to 500 yards.

before I drop the $$$ i want to make an informed decision and make sure the build is able to compete. Expect alot of questions from me

Keith

Roy cobb · Post by **Roy cobb** » Thu Jul 17, 2014 8:56 pm

Welcome and enjoy I'am like you with a lot to learn about F class but that just adds to the fun

Roy cobb · Post by **Roy cobb** » Thu Jul 17, 2014 8:59 pm

Welcome and enjoy Iam like you with a lot to learn about F class but thst just adds to the fun

Singo85 · Post by **Singo85** » Thu Jul 17, 2014 9:30 pm

Hi Keith,

Welcome to the forum.

The best advice I was ever given when starting out was to talk to members of your club, try different rifles and calibers and to also talk to different gun smiths.

At my club I have seen two members now drop big $$$$ on unsuitable rifles only to get frustrated and end up losing $$$$ when selling.

Cheers
Michael

RAVEN · Post by **RAVEN** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 12:20 am

Welcome to the fastest grown shooting sport in the world
Custom APRS ??
IMO If your are paying more than 5K it’s the wrong choice
These are usually repeater rifles up market Rem 700's
the Stiller actions are OK you will be paying a premium becuase its TACTICOOL $$$$$$$$$
Are you intending to use off of a bipod or pedestal rest
If you are using a pedestal it won’t work as well as something specifically designed for it.
Single shot rifles are stiffer
You could probably get a custom purpose built Barnard or Kelbly Stolle for the same price including scope.
Stay away from the Magnums components are expensive and mostly hard to obtain.
308 bolt face can be adapted to almost all competitive FO cartridges just change the barrel.

RB

RDavies · Post by **RDavies** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 8:32 am

RAVEN wrote:Welcome to the fastest grown shooting sport in the world
Custom APRS ??
IMO If your are paying more than 5K it’s the wrong choice
These are usually repeater rifles up market Rem 700's
the Stiller actions are OK you will be paying a premium becuase its TACTICOOL $$$$$$$$$
Are you intending to use off of a bipod or pedestal rest
If you are using a pedestal it won’t work as well as something specifically designed for it.
Single shot rifles are stiffer
You could probably get a custom purpose built Barnard or Kelbly Stolle for the same price including scope.
Stay away from the Magnums components are expensive and mostly hard to obtain.
308 bolt face can be adapted to almost all competitive FO cartridges just change the barrel.

RB

Agreed with what Raven said.

The APRS will be good if you are an "operator, doing some wet work on a mission" :shock:

and have a lot of money to spend. Otherwise a used single shot F class gun will be cheaper and better suited. If you are not in too much of a hurry, maybe try to get to a few club shoots and chat to some other shooters and have a go with their guns so you will get an idea of what is better value for target shooting. You will likely find that most shooters will be helpful with info as long as you don't corner them just before they get down to shoot. Otherwise, like you said, ask questions here. You will get a few different ideas and view points, the majority of them very helpful.

macguru · Post by **macguru** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 8:54 am

Ditto the last 2 comments. Tacticool weapons are a bit too heavy for hunting and too light for target so you end up with a compromise rifle. The best looking rifle is the one that gets high scores, once you start using it...

If you want to go in the deep end and straight to f open a 6mm/dasher/brx made on a single shot action by a custom gunsmith would be a good start. not a magnum. Stiller/pierce/barnard for example.

Otherwise, a second hand f std 308 and try b grade first and then rebarrel to f open. depending on how good a 308 you wind up with. The trouble with buying a new savage 12 target rifle (i have had 3) is that you only have a 50-50 chance of getting a good barrel. In my case only the action is now original. One barrel was excellent, one ok, and one bad, from the factory. There are plenty of second hand ones for about 1500 (or less)

Keith C · Post by **Keith C** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 9:32 am

Yeah this forum is bound to be a fountain of opinions

Have made my mind up on the APRS, will be shooting it from a bipod and rear bag not a dedicated rest. I will be looking through the 15-55 Nightforce Competition. It will be on a Manners MCS T5A Stock a harris bipod on the front(and i was planning on a monopod on the rear but after reading some rules and regulations i found this is not permitted?)Im not out to win competitions yet i just want to have a rifle that reaches out to 1000 yards without losing the feel that i am still shooting the rifle. Single shot rifles dont interest me i know they may be better suited to this style of competition but on a whole a detachable box magazine opens up the rifle to many more styles of shooting(including game)
Is the weight restrictions still 10kg? are parallel barrels permitted in F open?

now the question that will open things right up. Tossing up between two very different cals for the build a 6.5x47 and 300 win mag. Leaning more towards the 300 win mag. Are there many being used in F open?

If the weather holds i might even make a trek to lower light tomorrow and introduce myself to some of the guys down there.

macguru · Post by **macguru** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 9:52 am

My savage LRP target action is not single shot. There is no disadvantage to a repeater, if its a solid design. I have a slide in their to make it SS and can clip in the mag if i want.

The scope choice is excellent although not many have them yet.

You can always switch from bipod to rest if your rifle has an accessory rail in the forend.

Over here nobody had a 300wm shooting great but in your part of the world you may get another opinion on that. , esp if you are going to shoot at 1000yds alot.
how about a 300wsm ?

good luck

Keith C · Post by **Keith C** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 10:33 am

The scopes are great, lightweight and the image is amazing. They also offer the FCR-1 reticle which i love. I do like the 8-32 NSX but the weight would be better spent on the rifle over the scope i think. I like the heavier projectiles the 300 would give me

they also offer you alot more barrel life over the 6.5x47 but at a higher running cost so it probably all evens out in the long run??

RAVEN · Post by **RAVEN** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 10:41 am

Using your choice of platform I would tend toward 6.5 X 47 less recoil easy to get working accurately less powder usage.

308 is also an option you would qualify for FTR class with this cartridge.

Not sure whether you will get the full benefit from 300WM out of a 26" barrel
The rifle you have your mind set on is 5KG the top end open rifles specifically built to shoot off pedestal rests are 10KG I don’t know anyone that is shooting this round regularly and being successful and that then comes down to what your level of success is if you what to put 10 rounds on paper at 1000yd yes it will do it success in my assessment is how I perform against fellow competitors and everybody’s view is different.

RB

Keith C · Post by **Keith C** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 10:51 am

I have been talking to John the gunsmith at APRS and a 28" parallel barrel(if legal for f open) is where im looking at going. getting weight up on a rifle is no drama at all, there are many options available to increasing weight.

Competition in my mind is who has the most fun on the day. Im a pretty easy going kinda guy who is not inherently competitive. What sort of group would you expect from a 300 vs a 6.5x47 at 300,500,1000 yards in the hands of a seasoned shooter?

Post by **AlanF** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 11:16 am

Keith,

Occasionally in F-Open we see an exceptional performance with a tactical style rifle and bipod, but its very rare in major competitions for them to even finish in the top half of the field. If the people at APRS are promoting their rifles as being competitive in F-Open, then maybe they should be waiting until they have results on the board.

We see many shooters with all-purpose rifles come and go, because its very unusual for someone with uncompetitive equipment to maintain enthusiasm. I think the reason most of the forum members are trying to convince you to use a purpose built dedicated F-Class rifle is because they want you to become a long term F-Class addict as we are.

Alan

Keith C · Post by **Keith C** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 12:59 pm

There not selling them as f class rifles and im not really looking for one, im just after something that will open up another avenue of shooting to me. All my rifles are lightweight hunting rifles as i shoot more game then paper. Nothing I own at the moment will allow me to shoot past 400-500 yards and thats pushing my T3 lite .223, Im not going to be someone who cares if i miss. I just want to be able to go out and shoot 1000 yards and get to know some new people doing it. I also dont have access to private land where i can shoot safely out to 1000 yards or i would pursue my interest privately

like iv always said a bad days shooting better then a good day at work

BRETT B · Post by **BRETT B** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 1:04 pm

Ive had a 300Win Mag in F class before and IMO it is too much cartridge to shoot all day!! The odd shoot on saturdays was ok but shoot 4 ranges and you will be buggered. 300WSM would be the max i would even think about if you did want a big magnum but off a bipod it will jump around like crazy!! The 6.5x47 would be my pick to start off with the type of rifle you are building!! I now have my 300 setup for hunting but it is still a lot of gun and tent to leave it home more often than not now when i go out to the farm . We have about 6 or 7 guys in my club who have TAC rigs and most use the 308 as it will shoot 1000 no probs and is a good all rounder for hunting too so that would be another good option to consider!!