OzFclass

Very true what Greg has said about actions, set up and bedded correctly they are all accurate. Some are nicer to use than others but that doesn't make them shoot any better. Angels, omarks, neilsons, dale's etc aren't that much different to barnards, some even consider the floating bolt head an advantage, savage obviously does. Barnards are precision made and of higher quality but the principle design is still the same. The lack of primary extraction that early Australian actions have can be easily overcome with small base body dies and sensible reloads. Can't recall Spencer Dunstall or Mark Buchanan having to much trouble with stuck cases in their Angels during their multiple Queens wins. Well maintained older rifles should be savoured by clubs to allow new members a cheaper entry to this fantastic sport. Members who have been around a bit know you don't have to spend thousands to be competitive at club and country prize meeting level while having a ball and getting addicted. This is the message we need to get out there, it doesn't have to cost a fortune to have fun and win a few gongs. It always amazed me how some people would shoot all day and have a ball, all the while complaining about a five dollar range fee. Then they'd spent four times as much on a pizza and half a dozen stubbies on the way home! Go figure! With proper guidance from experienced members this doesn't have to be an expensive sport for new members at local level. If they wish to go to the highest level then they're already hooked.
Teddywaddy, I know of a couple of 223 omarks in the wimmera area. The warracknabeal rifle club should be able to fix you up.
Merry Christmas shooters, wish you all a happy and safe new year.

I started shooting TR back in 1978, having bought an Omark second hand. In 2010 after having sighting issues and not enjoying TR, I decided to give F Class a go, , with the same Omark (with an adaptor fitted in the 90's), Davies trigger, a Maddco barrel, Nightforce scope and a Davies bipod. My enjoyment of shooting started again, with great enthusiasm. This at the time was an experiment, a learning exercise if you will, and I am not disappointed at all. More recently I have moved across to a Barnard for F Class, the results amazing, but it does not escape the fact that Omarks to me are still viable especially for those wishing to try the dark art of F Class shooting on a budget of sorts, before spending more.

I was most impressed by this setup, especially when I won the B-Grade Queens in Sydney back in 2012 and 2nd in the Macintosh and 2nd in the Grand, with factory ammo.

My sighting issues in TR have been sorted out and now I have to set my Omark back up as a TR rifle, not a difficult change and certainly a valuable lesson in this sport.

If you can find an Omark, grab it and give it a go, before spending serious money on other actions, you will have fun, learn lots and not be disappointed.

Ben

TheOtherLeft wrote: So it's a minimum $3500 just to get to the shooting mound. Is this realistic or can it be done for less?

you'll definitely be able to get going for less than that, ........and i recommend that you give it a go.
keep it simple to start with, get started in it, don't rush into buying everything at once.

i started f class a bit over 2 years ago (but been doing other forms of shooting since a young teen) with my 308 varmint rifle, a harris bipod, a basic rear bag.
my goals at the time were to become a better long range hunter, so i started f class to get better at reading other conditions such as wind and mirage etc.
doing this helped me accept the fact i wasn't going to win any comps,.......but every now and then i'd shoot a respectable score with it anyway.
over time i meet more people out in the club and managed to buy good second hand bits and pieces for f class, such as a better scope for the job,......and eventually a better rifle too.
it's been a great journey and i've met lots of good folks, learnt a lot about long range shooting and the effects of wind and mirage on long range bullet flight (my original goals), and have acquired some great f class equipment cheaply along the way.
there's nothing wrong with getting something like a 308 or 223 varmint rifle, a reputable scope with good adjustment, some sort of front & rear rest that can get you started,....and you're good to get going.
just remember,........you can sell this entry level stuff later on if you want to upgrade.
example could include;
Howa barreled action
Bell & Carlson stock
(or some sort of Omark)
Leupold or Sightron scope
Harris, or Atlas bipod
basic rear rest.
this is all well under your budget and it would allow you to shoot in both F-std and also F-tr.


i personally would absolutely love to see something like a 'long range hunter' type class start up everywhere, as it would open up the possibilities for a lot more people to start some sort of f class.