Which caliber to ahoot for new shooter

[Tim L]

So moving on from calibre lets talk hybrid rifles. The Bergera. A Spanky rifle being marketed as a precision hunter. 9 5lb, mag fed, dual lug with a "separate floating bolt head to ensure contact with the lug abutments". Hmmm! For me thats 4 out of 4 no's for an F class rifle. Its not heavy enough, mag feed is acceptable but not desirable, 2 lugs, again acceptable but not desirable but that last one. WTF does it mean?
To put it another way, is anyone advising this is a suitable rifle for either f class or PRS? Long strings of potentially rapid fire is a harsh environment for a rifle.
Have you googled problems with this rifle? Extraction and bolt lug issues seem to be spoken about.
How will you go for armouring? Suitable stock? Trigger weight? 20moa scope rail?
I do see the appeal of a hybrid, I've got one, but it's not a Bergara.
If you want a hybrid take a look at Tikka. Everything you need is available and they work. There are a few shooting Fclass, quite a few in PRS and thousands hunting. While you're waiting, a call to Shane Green at CRM Gunsports in Cairns might be a reasonable call to make.
Alternatively there's the Lithgow Woomera. Aussie made and pretty much ready to go off the shelf in both calibres you've mentioned.

[pjifl]

"separate floating bolt head to ensure contact with the lug abutments"

Surely, that is exactly what the Omark is - but 3 lugs. If there is a slight amount of movement in the bolthead fit, it floats and makes equal 3 point contact.

Everything I have heard points to a Tikka as being the best quality compromise.

Peter Smith.

[AlanF]

The "hybrid" label sounds good, but "compromise" is probably closer to the mark. I've always recommended against expensive hunting plus F-Class solutions. Looking through Tikka's offerings, I cannot find any (regardless of chambering) with barrels over 24". Tikkas are an excellent hunting rifle (have a .308 myself), but fall well short of the allowed specifications for any of the F-Classes. However, Daniel sounds like the ideal candidate for the Sporting Hunting Discipline. In fact if there were two divisions in HS based on equipment specs (I hope this happens one day), some of the Tikka offerings would slot nicely into the higher division.

[Gyro]

Nobody said the Bergara is an F Class rifle ( not Petzal the author either ). It's not even close, never will be. Why is a Tikka better when it too will never be a competitive F rifle ? Petzal MAY have implied by just putting a fatter barrel on a Hybrid then you’re all ready for an F Class comp. Nah.

Petzal finished his story by saying if it gets people on a range shooting and improving their shooting skill set then all good. And maybe that type of shooting won’t be strictly F Class. Shocking !

[AlanF]

Gyro,

Not sure who you're unhappy with here, but Daniel's question was put on a F-Class website, so I for one was trying to answer it in that context.

[Gyro]

No unhappiness here Alan, just boredom. If it wasn’t raining today I’d be shooting. In fact if it wasn’t for Covid I’d be in Oz shooting FTR at your Nats at Belmont. I’ve still gotta heap of 200.20x boolits waiting over there for when we can get there. Never mind.

Perhaps what I’m saying above is that any kind of range shooting is good for the shooting sport as a whole. I have no interest in telling Daniel or anybody else the Bergara is not an F gun.

[Tim L]

Nobody said the Bergara is an F Class rifle ( not Petzal the author either ). It's not even close, never will be. Why is a Tikka better when it too will never be a competitive F rifle ? Petzal MAY have implied by just putting a fatter barrel on a Hybrid then you’re all ready for an F Class comp. Nah.

Petzal finished his story by saying if it gets people on a range shooting and improving their shooting skill set then all good. And maybe that type of shooting won’t be strictly F Class. Shocking !

Gyro,
The logic of suggesting a Tikka is based on Dans information. He wants to shoot fclass but is a also interested in PRS. His budget isn't going to get what most might say is a top notch fopen rig, so we are looking for the best compromise. He suggested the Bergara. I have looked at the Bergara and wouldn't pick it for myself. The Tikka is, imo, the better option because it is better supported with regards to after market parts (chassis, stocks, triggers, rails) all of which reduce the compromise. I have one, a 6.5 SLR 28" trueflite, heavy palmer in an Austec arms chassis for PRS. It holds its own against my 6.5 SLR Banyard, parallel barrel, F open gun back to 800.
Thats why I suggested calling Shane, he was putting Tikkas together for fclass shooting. I don't think he does anymore but can certainly offer advice.

[Gyro]

Ok so how much ( cost ) Tim for your PRS gun and what is its weight ? Lots ?

[Gyro]

Just re-read this thread. I had assumed Daniel was maybe hunting as well ... alzheimers ! Sorry.

So if it's a "range only" rifle then the Bergara is maybe not the best choice.

[Tim L]

Cost, the action came from my 308 CTR $1600 at the time but lets say $2000 now. The barrel was my old 6.5x284 rechambered but lets say $1000 for a new barrel. The chassis was $1200 new. So all up $4200. (I got a couple of mags from Wild Dog but can't remember how much $150 maybe)
A scope for F class? Well a NF comp is out of the question but a 2nd hand Benchrest would only take it a couple of hundred over budget. Maybe a Sightron 8-32 or a Weaver fixed 32 could keep things under the $5k
The advantage of using a whole donor rifle is that its only 2 screws and its back in a light weight stock for hunting too. A but heavy with the barrel but usable.

[Wiseman7187]

I think shooting 6.5mm will be good for me to learn and eventually learn reloading also. Then maybe when im educated enough ill research other cartridges to change u less 6.5mm becomes my preferred for what I plan to shoot.

I'm very keen to try prs more so then any other but I'm sure I'll need to know and learn a lot more and also know my rifle too.

Are there any shooting courses or such that anyone could recommend?
Or should I just talk to shooters at my closest club (wingham) and learn from them?

[Wiseman7187]

Just re-read this thread. I had assumed Daniel was maybe hunting as well ... alzheimers ! Sorry.

So if it's a "range only" rifle then the Bergara is maybe not the best choice.

I hadn't planned on hunting at this stage but would be willing to try later on if an opportunity arose.

More a target shooter at this stage.

[Wiseman7187]

I had also considered building my first rifle and don't mind a few MDT chassis's.
But think it may be above my head trying to build so early in my shooting education.

Or would it be a good way to learn maybe?

I'll have a look at a few tikka rifles and see what u think.

I'll add I did also look at bergara's BMP rifle marketed as a match precision rifle but felt the HMR PRO Had more bells and whistles for late of a better way of saying it.
Just had a good feeling about bergara from the moment I started researching rifles and I did look at a lot. And I know that doesn't mean it's a good rifle lol but I trust my gut a lot.

[Matt P]

Having been around this sport a little while here's my 2 cents worth.
I would recommend using a club rifle for while, then if this sport is for you buy the best gear you can afford. Believe me it will work out MUCH cheaper in the long run, don't ask my wife how I know !!
When I have new shooters/customers arrive on my door, I tell them exactly what's I've written above. I would prefer not to get a sale than someone spend good money after bad on a Hybrid I know won't be competitive when the bug bites. If F Class turns out to be "I enjoy it but" well then the Hybrid will probably fit the bill, but if the bug bites hard it wont be anywhere close.
Matt P

[Trevor Rhodes]

New shooters go to your range and look at what people are shooting with, then ask them how much did the gear cost, work out what you can afford. F/Standard is fantastic, very accurate with every one on the same playing field ( weight of rifle and bullets ) and cheapest of all with the biggeat group of people at clubs that are shooting it. Open you need an endless pocket of money. FTR would be next but the competition at any level is very low except for queens. That's why l love F/Standard.