Just starting out

[williada]

Gyro, I recognize and appreciate your armouring ability and marksmanship, and my friends who have met you speak highly of you and I may have some sound gear but the new shooter in the context of this thread does not relatively speaking but can be competitive with that gear in the grading systems designed to accommodate performance except for FO. So they should not feel isolated by having a crack but feel included and recognized as competitive so as to enjoy our sport and learn a lot from it for performance and develop lifelong friendships. The marketing hype however would let some believe they are top shots the minute they try whether that be FS, FTR or FO? Competencies and precision are different for each class. Despite that, I enjoy different perspectives to sort the wheat from the chaff, the wood from the trees and the subtle sell because it generates interest or inquisitiveness. However, too many generalizations are made with regard to performance. In reality, can new shooters maintain a 1/4 minute rifle and hold that across the course? Back in the 70's Warren Page wrote a chapter about the Quarter Minute Rifle. It was the minimum standard then for benchrest, so the 1/2 minute gear with standard factory is at best borderline unless tickled across the course in our game IMO.

[Gyro]

Gyro, I recognize and appreciate your armouring ability and marksmanship, and my friends who have met you speak highly of you and I may have some sound gear but the new shooter in the context of this thread does not relatively speaking but can be competitive with that gear in the grading systems designed to accommodate performance except for FO. So they should not feel isolated by having a crack but feel included and recognized as competitive so as to enjoy our sport and learn a lot from it for performance and develop lifelong friendships. The marketing hype however would let some believe they are top shots the minute they try whether that be FS, FTR or FO? Competencies and precision are different for each class. Despite that, I enjoy different perspectives to sort the wheat from the chaff, the wood from the trees and the subtle sell because it generates interest or inquisitiveness. However, too many generalizations are made with regard to performance. In reality, can new shooters maintain a 1/4 minute rifle and hold that across the course? Back in the 70's Warren Page wrote a chapter about the Quarter Minute Rifle. It was the minimum standard then for benchrest, so the 1/2 minute gear with standard factory is at best borderline unless tickled across the course in our game IMO.

No worries cobber and cheers.

Further to my story 'bout shootn the barrel-block 7/300 play rifle, I went to our Club Range today to try it out a bit further and it went a bit shite at 300 but lots better at 500 and 600 yards. I'm shooting it off a bipod and after it shot poorly for the 300 yard detail with the bipod "cant lock" activated, I tried it at the 500 and 600 yard details with the lock off, so the gun could swivel at will and it seemed to go a LOT better.

All this means to me is when I was setting up for the shot and applying some firmness to the various body/rifle contact points I was probably loading some torque into the "system", which normally DOES go feral during the recoil pulse. With the cant lock undone it is far harder to impart any torque effect into the system. As many of us know well it's easy to give your gun lots of bad juju with inconsistent hand grip and I would say differing cheek pressures do the same.

I believe many of the reasons why the 1/4 minute rifle is actually a1/2 minute one can be understood and minimised.

Re F Shooting I decided to totally abandon ANY rifle hold about 4 years back and just touch off a very lightly set Jewell trigger, which opened up a whole lot of other challenges .......

It aint easy, but the learning curve is HUGELY sped up with help and advice from more experienced guys, starting at Club level. I love helping the less experienced shooters, which btw doesn't mean lecturing them but more just suggesting what may be going on for them and they can take that on board if they wish.

Unfortunately I reckon many have got a poor "system", and they may have spent a whole lot of money on it. I suspect there's a very good reason some shooters go knocking on Bob Eagers ( sp? ) door.

[Bigtravoz]

As an option cleavers and the barn are selling ultimatum actions quite well priced and cleavers have barrels that would fit in 30” 308 Palma profile. This would be worth a look for a newcomer wanting to build a rifle that would be somewhat competitive.

[Jakec27]

Once again thanks everyone for all the information. I have bought a second hand barnard P action with a 30" krieger 1-12 twist barrel and Bob Eager is curretly making me a stock. Have shot a few times now in Bendigo and really enjoying it. I think i will probably end up going with a Nightforce Benchrest or vortex golden eagle scope.
Jake

[Tim N]

A good decision to go that way!
All the best with your shooting.

[Heliduck]

I understand that you get what you pay for, but does money buy accuracy? I’m looking to get into F class as well, not too concerned with competitions just enjoy long range shooting. For some one like me would a Sauer 404 6.5 creedmoor be worth the extra $ over a Tikka T3?

[scott/r]

I understand that you get what you pay for, but does money buy accuracy? I’m looking to get into F class as well, not too concerned with competitions just enjoy long range shooting. For some one like me would a Sauer 404 6.5 creedmoor be worth the extra $ over a Tikka T3?

No. The money that you would spend on a Sauer, you'd be better off spending said money on a 2nd hand dedicated target rifle.
Scott.

[ben_g]

Don’t buy a sauer for target work.

If on a budget look for a Savage 12 f class or LRPV, better option than a Howa or Tikka IMO.

[bruce moulds]

ben g,
you make a good point re the sauer rifle.
it is a hunting rifle.
as such not very suited to shoot alongside fclass and tr rifles past 300 yds when mounted with a proper hunting scope.
maybe heliduck would be better off with a hybrid (target/sniper) rifle for this job, and get the sauer for real hunting.
bruce.

[cheech]

The first thing I see with ALL new prospective members eager to do Fclass is they want one rifle to do both roles of hunting and relatively good target work . Can this be done ? Of course it can , but the build cost of an accurate repeater can actually exceed a single shot I’ve seen some of the new PRS rigs out there that make my Barnards look cheap.

[Heliduck]

That sounds like good advice on the rifle choice, I’ve checked out the savage 12 & I reckon one of those in 6.5 Creedmoor will suit me perfectly. Going on the “buy once, cry once” advice I’m looking into a Nightforce ATACR 7-35x56 scope to go with it. From what I can ascertain, the Mil-C reticle would be the best for long range target shooting. Is this the consensus? The Tremor 3 reticle looks like a good idea but I wasn’t looking forward to getting a degree in mathematics before I fired a shot!

[scott/r]

Which ever scope you end up with, I'd recommend that you go with a MOA reticle and adjustments. That is what the targets are set at, not mils.
Scott.

[ben_g]

For f-class a SFP is what you want.

I prefer a magnification of at least 40X

The NF competition is a staple, the NF BR scopes are great value as is the Vortex Golden Eagle.
I really like my March 8-80X56 if your budget is higher.

Whatever you get make sure it has 1/8 MOA adjustments, mils are not useful for Fclass game.

The Savage is a good starter, don’t be afraid to pickup a used LRPV and have it rebarrelled with a quality matchgrade barrel.

I like the 6.5calibres but projectiles are a PITA to obtain, don’t overlook a savage in 6mmBR to start off with a view to rebarrelling it as a Dasher. In the F-open game your going to be shooting against customs in 284 and 7mm SAUM ect. It’s a tough class to be in with a factory barrel. While learning the ropes an accurate 6mm is easy to load for and shoot and relatively easy on the hip pocket. My 6mm Dasher is my go to for ranges less than 800yards. However as you get into the sport and if you become addicted be warned you’ll probably want to add a 7mm to your safe.

I started out straight into F-open with a 6.5x47L, but I do wish I had started in F standard shooting a 308, it’s a level plying field ballistically, it’s cheap to shoot with heaps of projectiles easily available, there is so much knowledge out there in making a 308shoot well.

[Heliduck]

which reticle do you have on your March scope?

[Gyro]

which reticle do you have on your March scope?

AlexE is selling the same scope I use ( fwiw ). That scope is First Focal Plane with a VERY good reticle. I consider that scope perfect for the following reasons. It is simple. FFP is simple. Simple is gold for my simple brain. The FMA-2 has line thickness that is NOT super fine like the Vortex GE or the NF comp.

I have tried the Vortex Golden Eagle in F-Open competition, then couldn't wait to get rid of it because I could not EASILY see the scope reticle. The NF Comp scope would give me the same grief. But then my eyes are 61 years old.

Our Nationals are held at Trentham and normally its blowing its tits off and the lighting aint great so the last scope I would want in those conditions is a hi powered one with a very fine reticle.

With a FFP scope and manual marking it takes just a moment when the target pops up to bracket off the spotter disc with the reticle hash marks and know in a flash how accurate your wind call was, or how your elevation is tracking. The rules change for E Target scoring.

It's the "simple" thing again, like a LH rifle for a RH shooter, it just makes life a LOT simpler and buys u more time. Time to watch the conditions !!!

The scope is a PERSONAL choice. It's horses for courses. Cheers Rob K.