F Class Question

[Mystic Precision]

manitou210, congrats on doing so well.

I think the fast 22's can give the big boomers a run simple because of recoil. Ballistics are really good too. Over the course of a match, some shooters are going to fatigue and it doesn't take much to drop a point if you flinch.

Also, some barrels are going to overheat or just burn out during a match.

for those, that can take the beating, yes, they have a ballistics edge in the wind AND a bigger hole in the paper.

Then there is the skyrocketing costs of feeding these boomers. I did some math on a fast 7mm and it is about $2 per bang when you include the cost of replacing the barrel every 1000rds.

the fast 22's will be quite a bit less money. Still expensive and brutal on barrels but less of everything.

I am sure that the trend in F Open will be bigger for a bit but at some point, costs/recoil/wear and tear are going to discourage shooters.

Personally, I am already looking at F TR with a 223 as a future stomping ground especially if I get a chance to compete at long distance matches (over 600m).

I think FTR will grow leaps and bounds and be THE div in the not too distant future.

Jerry

 

[mpwolf]

congrats Paul- sounds like you got the 90's working just fine. Looking forward to picking your brains in August- since you'll be there for the 22nd-;-)

 

[rnbra-shooter]

FYI a .223 firing 80-Sierra, 80-Amax, 80-Berger or 82-Bergers will be roughly the same wind drift performance as a .308 firing a typical 155 match bullet (e.g. Sierra #2155). The .223/80s will be somewhat (but only somewhat) outperformed by one of the new top-of-the-line .308/155s (Lapua 155, Berger 155.5, Sierra #2156). The Sierra and Berger 90s in turn will outperform those top 155s by a similar margin.

You have received good advice on the pros and cons of 223 vs 308 (lighter, cheaper, easier to shoot well, more difficult to load ammo well, etc)

As already stated, under DCRA rules there is no bullet weight limit for a .223 F-TR rifle (or a .223 TR rifle for that matter). FWIW it used to be that there was a "<81 grain" rule for .223.

It is up to each province to decide what rules they wish to use. Quite often a province will use DCRA rules, though they are under no compulsion to. It might be that Ontario has simply forgotten to update their rules, or it might be that they intend to stick with the 80 grain bullet weight limit - just ask them.

900m in Canada

or 1000 yards, depending on the range

1200m in the UK

Target Rifle and F Class are fired out to 1000 yards in the UK.

Match Rifle is fired at 1000 yards ("short range", MR shooters call it!), 1100 yards and 1200 yards. A UK "Match Rifle" is .308 (only), optical sights are permitted, rests/support are permitted but not to the same extent as F-Class.

Australia also fires Match Rifle (10,11,1200)

1000yds in the US

Longer if ranges allow but generally those distances will be max.

Yup.

I don't know of any US ranges longer than 1000 yards, though there may well be.

I think the range planned for Clark County Nevada will be 1200 yards.

North Star Range in SASK has a 1200yd firing point IIRC.

They sure do, and good on them! I'd love to shoot there some day.

Springfield NB has a 1000m range, but it is a "slot in the woods" rather than a big open field of a range.

 

[Diver]

DCRA and MBRA allow front pedestal or bipod.

Would anyone know with the rule change allowing a front pedestal, if the weight of the bipod is still included in the maximum 8.25 kg weight of the rifle. Someone shooting with a front pedestal could run a heavier contour barrel and still meet the weight restrictions compared to someone shooting with a bipod.

I am in the process of ordering a new fast twist barrel for a 223 and the rifle will be a bit overweight with a heavy palma contour barrel and my bipod, I may have to go with a standard palma contour instead due to the weight restrictions.

 

[rnbra-shooter]

Would anyone know with the rule change allowing a front pedestal, if the weight of the bipod is still included in the maximum 8.25 kg weight of the rifle[....snip....]

http://dcra.ca/F_Class.htm you will find DCRA rules and also ICFRA rules. (note that DCRA is basically ICFRA plus some of our own, most for things not covered by the ICFRA rules).

With a front pedestal, its weight is not counted, so you are correct that you could use a heavier barrel. You might not want to go down this road though, since while front rests are presently legal in Canada as an "F/Farquharson" rifle, they are not legal in the USA as an F-TR rifle nor are they legal under ICFRA rules as an F-TR rifle.

It is an open question as to whether we in Canada will stick with our "any front rest" F/Farquharson class or not. If you build your rifle so that you can make an 8.25kg weight limit with a bipod of your choice, you will not run into any future problems.

 

[Diver]

Thanks for the information, I just ordered a barrel with a contour that will allow the rifle to meet weight restrictions with the bipod attached. In my case, this means a standard palma contour. I like the idea of not having problems in the future.

http://dcra.ca/F_Class.htm you will find DCRA rules and also ICFRA rules. (note that DCRA is basically ICFRA plus some of our own, most for things not covered by the ICFRA rules).

With a front pedestal, its weight is not counted, so you are correct that you could use a heavier barrel. You might not want to go down this road though, since while front rests are presently legal in Canada as an "F/Farquharson" rifle, they are not legal in the USA as an F-TR rifle nor are they legal under ICFRA rules as an F-TR rifle.

It is an open question as to whether we in Canada will stick with our "any front rest" F/Farquharson class or not. If you build your rifle so that you can make an 8.25kg weight limit with a bipod of your choice, you will not run into any future problems.