Thread: F-Class

Cheltenham is having 2x rounds at 600 yards on Saturday. 100 yard sighting available from 12. $5 for sighting and $8 for the 600y shoot.

Originally Posted by longrange308

mite have to give this a crack
although have spent too much on guns lately so maybe i shouldnt

Spent too much on guns? Is that an oxymoron? It's like the wife saying she's got enough shoes.

See you on a range in the new season.

Originally Posted by Bugger That

That said a heavy barrel varmint gun may do alright but the guys currently shooting would put anyone right on the thought.

I started shooting F-TR in Decmeber with a Rem 700 varmint after not shooting at all for about 8 years, once I started reloading and sorted a good load for it I was reasonably competitive, 4th of 14 at Cheltenham at my last shoot

Hey @Kurt, nice to see you on here. You had a good run at Chelty, solid improvement over Wairarapa.

Epic brain failure on my part that day, cruising along nicely at 300 & 500, then shot on the wrong target twice during my 600 string, doh !

Hope to see you down at Seddon next season, so you can come experience some of the famous "pain"

Cheers, I actually did a bit better than that on the 2nd day

Wairarapa was before I started reloading.

Just lobbed on to this thread. Interesting to see that 'ageism' has reared it's head again. I can understand resistance to change, but the only 'constant' in life or any activity is - CHANGE. Having been a 'very amateur hunter' in my youth (66 and counting at present), age has caught up with joints and strength, so target shooting has become 'an aim'. Went to Cheltenham (from Carterton), on Saturday 2 x 500 yard shoots. Should have phoned first, as weather was really CRAP - only just made it back through the Manawatu Gorge before it was closed. Was going to 'pick brains, ask questions, be a nuisance', but rain was so heavy, left without going in. Pity - would have been very instructive. This thread has been helpful, and I concur that every shooting organisation and it's members, have been EXTREMELY welcoming - in Aistralia (28 years) and NZ. Mostly claybird shooting - but the help was always given freely, and helped improve technique and results. F Open is my choice (Ballinger Belt is too stressful - not a 'true competitor' LOL), have received a lot of help from Frank at Masterton. Pity that the Brancepeth range is weather dependent - never mind, shit happens. Looking forward to completing the licensing process and getting started.

@WallyR, some very, very good shooters over at Brancepeth, you could do a lot worse

Nice range as well, we shoot superlongs there once a year. Hopefully see you amongst the competitors next season.

@ebf - I shoot for the fun of shooting LOL. Any idea of what I should be looking at - calibre, action, barrel length, stock/chassis, glass. Being retired, is a 'bummer', as anything I might want (260 Rem seems to be popular), has to pass the 'keeper of the purse strings' - oh, and the kind gentlemen of the NZ Police at Masterton (still in the process of getting my License). I've seen a couple of interesting opportunities on TradeMe, that would get me well on the way to LR shooting, but price is a little 'steep' for the missus to swallow - got to set up the reloading system as well (more.....discussion LOL). Probably the wrong thread to ask these questions on, but a guy's got to start somewhere eh.

Originally Posted by WallyR

@ebf - I shoot for the fun of shooting LOL. Any idea of what I should be looking at - calibre, action, barrel length, stock/chassis, glass. Being retired, is a 'bummer', as anything I might want (260 Rem seems to be popular), has to pass the 'keeper of the purse strings' - oh, and the kind gentlemen of the NZ Police at Masterton (still in the process of getting my License). I've seen a couple of interesting opportunities on TradeMe, that would get me well on the way to LR shooting, but price is a little 'steep' for the missus to swallow - got to set up the reloading system as well (more.....discussion LOL). Probably the wrong thread to ask these questions on, but a guy's got to start somewhere eh.

I'm looking at similar to you and probably looking at the same stuff on trademe haha. 260 is leading the pack for my first choice and first barrel.

That 260 Barnard on trademe would be nice but barrel may be a bit past its best which makes the package not very well priced if a rebarrel is required shortly....

Originally Posted by Kurt

I started shooting F-TR in Decmeber with a Rem 700 varmint after not shooting at all for about 8 years, once I started reloading and sorted a good load for it I was reasonably competitive, 4th of 14 at Cheltenham at my last shoot

The interesting thing is, both Matt and Micheal have expensive top end FTR rifles. Ewan probably had the Petone club FTR also top end and @ebf correct me if Im wrong, is rocking along with an Omark gun he bought for $400 and worked on himself (plus a new barrel?), So $400 v $5000+ and showing similar scores.



I am so looking forward to September.

"I shoot for the fun of shooting LOL." I do the same, 303 <=600yds, >FTR. I'd suggest staying with 308w and FTR rather than F-open. Finally got a Pattern 14 PH5b rear target sight!

Bit more to it than that @steven...

The only thing that is still the same on the Omark is the action. In real money terms it has had a Nielsen adapter added, 2nd hand TF match barrel put on, been throated specifically for 185 Bergers. 2nd hand target stock with improved butt pad, and scope is close to $1k. Been lucky to have had pieces donated by club mates and work done etc. I've also just bought a new Lilja barrel for next season, and spent a fair amount on setting up a matching small bore FTR rifle to be able to practise at shorter ranges.

Big thing is that I see FTR shooting as a long term learning curve. Consistency wins when it comes to multi day matches, and it takes a couple of seasons to get up to speed with wind calling, and a lot of travel to learn the different ranges around the country. It is relatively easy to shoot well for a single string, especially when there is no real competition pressure. It is a different thing to do it at multiple ranges, over multiple days, in varying conditions, and with serious competition. I am starting to reap the rewards now, but it has been an 18 month steep learning curve, with lots of time put into it. And I still have a lot to learn...

@PerraziSC3 - yep mate, although 'Septic' blogs credit 260 with >4000 round life. The AICS stock could be worth a little 'pain' barrel wise, while on a learning curve. Plus glass to suit - getting out of reach - even if it stretches another 1K rounds in the barrel. Looking at starting on something that has a reasonable resale value, if this becomes my 'OCD' choice LOL, then re-investing in more match specific gear, as I improve. When I started DTL in NSW 'back in the day', was using a cheap Boito U/O off the 10 yard mark. Great help at Narrabeen Gun Club, really helpful, and happy to loan you better guns to get the hang of things. - NSW Gun Club, more intense and less help, and guns starting $20K>. Went back to Narrabeen. Whangarei Pistol Club were good guys too - back then - even had a trialist (selected in NZ's shooting team as reserve), but he was very intense. Other guys were great! Auckland Gun Club were friendly - once they realised that you were 'only' a high D grade/low C grade shooter and nothing to worry about LOL. Expect some rifle clubs will be similar - that's life, just get on with it LOL. Anybody out there that might have suitable USEFUL gear, with a bit of 'life' left in it (to learn the 'ropes'), PM me with details PLEASE. Ta.

@WallyR, startup cost is just one side of it.

FTR is cheaper than FO, it is possible to get some decent 2nd hand 308 target rifles and put a fairly basic scope on it to start. Learn to read wind, and learn to reload EXTREMELY consistent ammunition, and you could have fun in FTR for several years.

FO you are looking at some pretty specific and pricey rests/bags, plus the barrel life is shorter than 308. The reality is that FO guys try to maximize the benefits of shooting a wind-beating calibre, so a lot of them (not all) run things pretty hot. There are ways around this, several guys are moving to more moderate chamberings like 6.5x47, 260 etc.

For FO advice, PM DAF or Grasshopper on here. If you want to talk FTR, I am happy to answer questions as best as I can.

The big costs are:

1) ammo - a full season is around 1500-2000 rounds for me... when you start using Berger projectiles etc it hurts even more
2) comp entry fees and travel, nationals cost around $ 500 entry fees and 4-500 rounds on top of that, and I shoot most of the North Island regionals...
3) barrel - from a conservative point of view you should look at a new barrel ($1K) every 3000/4000 rounds for 308, and that can go down to less than a 1000 rounds for some FO rifles...

For anyone interested in F-class, my advice is to go to the local club, and speak to people, shoot with the club rifles and try different things before even thinking of buying anything. Realise that the costs involved are more than just a rifle.

Originally Posted by steven

The interesting thing is, both Matt and Micheal have expensive top end FTR rifles. Ewan probably had the Petone club FTR also top end and @ebf correct me if Im wrong, is rocking along with an Omark gun he bought for $400 and worked on himself (plus a new barrel?), So $400 v $5000+ and showing similar scores.



I am so looking forward to September.

Those top 3 had a pretty good lead over the rest of us though!

Rem 700 Varmint dropped in a B&C stock on a Harris bipod and $600 scope here. I only shoot those 155gn Dyer's, because they're (I'm) cheap