Thread: Advice on a precision F class set up

There is a good millennium on Tm at the moment for 2.5k
Awesome target rifle and a good option (if you are a right hander)

It really depends on what you want to achieve in F-class. At the sharp end, the rifles you listed are not likely to make the grade. Go visit several clubs, shoot with the club rifles and talk to folks, especially those who travel to regional comps and shoot the nationals.

If you want to have some fun and increase your skills, several of the NI clubs now run a hunter class, which is a much more cost-effective way of getting into longer range shooting. Another option to consider (which the rifles you listed are well suited for) is the precision rifle events run by Gillie on here and groups like Taranaki Long Range shooters.

The reality of F-class at the sharp end is that it is a very particular animal. It is not your "sub 1 MOA 3-shot group on a good day" territory. You are talking about trying to put 10 shots into a 0.5 MOA X-ring. With standard dispersion that means the rifle should be capable of at least 0.25 MOA. Then you need to build the skills to fire the rifle at that level consistently under match pressure, this takes YEARS... Then on top of that there is the small matter of wind skills...

I'm a casual shooter wanting to do more.
Paper and plink, as they say. Newly retired and time to play with.
Met the guys of Tara LR at the local gun show.
With their suggestion, bought the Bergara (6.5) HMR. They had also and thought them the better buy for that style of shooting....
Friends have Tikka 3s and thought the action much smoother and tighter than theirs.
Stock trigger heavy (~3lb) and gritty tho still a clean break so need to replace that for sure.

Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by Awaian

I'm a casual shooter wanting to do more.
Paper and plink, as they say. Newly retired and time to play with.
Met the guys of Tara LR at the local gun show.
With their suggestion, bought the Bergara (6.5) HMR. They had also and thought them the better buy for that style of shooting....
Friends have Tikka 3s and thought the action much smoother and tighter than theirs.
Stock trigger heavy (~3lb) and gritty tho still a clean break so need to replace that for sure.

Hope this helps.

I've got H&F to special order in a Bergara B14 BMP 24" for me to look at, which is the full custom chassis version of the HMR. Going by the price range on full chassis here in NZ (MDT/KRG etc) the BMP seems to be a steal since it has a RRP very close to the Tikka T3 Tac A1 but is $1300 LESS over here? Talk about a mark up on the Tikkas haha.

Macca, to be honest the rifle/scope combinations that you have mentioned above are not really what I would describe as either F-Open or FTR type rifles except for the 308 caliber. I consider a FTR rifle to be something like Savages Model 12 FTR or for F-Open their F-class rifles. To be compeditive in F-class here in the States it's not how many you can put in the ten ring but how X's. As mentioned above the Barnard actions are superb. This is a picture of the stock/bipod I ran in FTR, rifle was a basic REM 700 in 308 with a 30 inch barrel, for optics I was using a Nightforce NXS 12-42x56.

@Macca get in touch with Mike Collings ex- commonwealth /Olympic shooter and good bugger ,he will give you some great advice he still shoots every weekend competitively - Mike Collings Gunsmith Whakatane.

The Tikka CTR is something to consider also, but as others have said the Varmint/Super Varmint are good contenders also.
Savage offer a lot of rifles that are very well suited to your task at hand, but you would be less likely to find a store with one in stock to have a look at.

The biggest problem with most of the stock Tikkas is that the stocks are too light, I think you would quickly want a Boyds or a chassis with a bit more weight and a better weight, too shoot off the various bipod, tripod, bag arrangements used in F class.
In saying that, I've shoot my .260 Tikka (feather weight barrel) at 300, 500 and 600 yards F class and it was more than capable of holding the 5 ring, so all the rifles you are thinking will be vastly better.

buy my omark

I second the Barnard action. I wanted to make something better than I am but could not aford to do it in one hit. I wanted a varmint rig and day carry rifle. Barnard SM (repeating action, timmy trigger and 20MOA rail aprox $1600 + gst. Basic boyds stock which I may upgrade later, truflite 24" #3 or #4 contour, $1100 for barrel fitted and bedded and threaded for Hardy gen V. Plus a couple of hundred for floor hard wear and 2 mags. All up with sling and bipod, scope etc 5.8 kg. Well inside your budget.

I would guess that for F class you would go for a S or P none repeating action.
Any of those mainstream factory rifles will probably need a session with someone like Mike Collins or Nathan Foster etc.
Zane

The Barnard P is the heart of a top F-Class rig. The S (I have one) is possibly not ideal to hang a 30+" heavy barrel on. The Millennium (mentioned above) is a fantastic "TR" action but being a four-lug with heavy cocking effort is not ideal for bag shooting as there is too much upset when working the action. All serious target guns are single shots.

Mike Collings is a -top- TR shooter but would have less interest I'd guess in F or F-TR guns. He'd still be able to give you good advice in general terms.

Hi Macca,

I will throw in my 2 cents.

I am doing the exact same thing. However as Eben said your choices of an off the shelf gun are not going to be competitive in FTR IMHO.

$6500, there is also a weight limit to meet.

This is where I am at budget ($s and weight) wise,

Barrel, basically $1k fitted, chambered etc, trueflight or Liija 32inch ultra/supermatch barrel 1 in 10 twist, seem to be the 2 at the top of my list. So far I have a 3 to 1 vote in favour of the liija incl Eben and 2 other highly regarded FTR shooters, so liija is probable. Bull or heavy Palma, profile dunno yet, depends on the weight thing. Since you have a weight and cost issue (same here, LOL) if i was looking to save $s here is where I would do it, basically going for a 28 or 30inch sporter quality lighter profile barrel, keeping the cost and weight down, you can upgrade at 4000rounds easily to ultra-match.

Action,
To keep weight to the rules I think it has to be the Barnard S, again this seems to be the favoured action. Not sure if the SM (has a mag cutout) would be a better bet (maybe not for me but for you, yes) but I am not very likely to want to use a mag, $1600 (ish) The S(M) is favoured right now, I intend to ask Barnard for their advice on that S v SM option.

We both need to find a stock and a bipod.

$6500-$2600= $3900 left.

Scope = $2k, again a sightron S3 would be about $1500+

= $1900 left for a stock, I think a competitive gun doable for that budget, I am certainly hoping so!

I might just use my cheapo hunting bipod to start with to keep costs sane so I can spend more on the scope and action.

An alternative is,

Someone mentioned a Millenium, these make great FTR guns and are highly regarded. Ive shot the Club's one for 4 years+ now and its a really good gun, I love it. Lots of palma shooters have them as TR guns as well and for good reason, if I could read the damn wind at Trentham i'd be doing very well with it. So if I could manage it (to find one) personally I'd buy a second hand Milleniem, Barnard S or P FTR for around $2000 and slap a better scope on it.

PS The advantage of the Barnard S is you maybe able to buy the stock via your Q card as well as the scope (I assume its your plan).

I am still doing research, dunno if there will be sales after Xmas, probably how its going to pan out for me.

PPS Someone also mentioned Hunter class I think the rules get revised a bit soon but it could be a fun class to shoot in, but has a severe weight restriction.

how about a second hand set up off another f class shooter? ask around the clubs. that should get you in the door.

I have been doing just that, no luck so far, also the weight restriction is a bit of a problem to meet. There was one (a Millenium TR) on TM but he wanted $3k which is way over priced.

I would wait until a mean second hand deal comes up. you can save while you wait, and practice with a normal rifle and tiny targets until you are ready to buy.

My motto is that a top quality item second hand is a better deal than an average quality item brand new. You just have to know what to look for, and if you dont, then ask or take an expert with you.

Barnard S vs P

Traditionally P actions have been used for FTR, but if you go to heavier profile barrel it means you need to do some fancy footwork to make the weight limits - not impossible but more $

At least 2 of the top end FO guys are using S actions now, and hanging truck axle barrels off them. The side benefits are that you have a wider choice of stocks (effectively a Remmy 700 action profile) and some really good trigger options.

Stocks - I use a Boyds Pro Varmnt. That is a very good budget alternative. Personally I would not skimp when it comes to the barrel - to me that is the most important part of the setup. Even old actions like Omarks can be competitive when coupled with a good barrel that has been chambered and fitted by someone who knows what they are doing.