Newbie to F-Class, need some advice.

Kevin M.

Kevin M.

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Edmonton, Alberta
Well, my father and I finally took the plunge and got ourselves a proper F-Class rifle, a Savage 12F.

We are both pretty stoked to shoot it, but have a bunch of stuff we need to take care of first... A suitable scope for the beast, rings to match, and finding a source for the reloading components, brass, bullets, and powder.

Looking for some good advice about what kind of scope would be suitable for this kind of rifle. I am not a huge optics buff, so my knowledge is limited. I am looking for somthing that has loads of elevation adjustment, as I am hoping to be able to shoot it anywhere between 100 -1000 meters, as those are the distances available to me. With any luck, it would also be relatively easy to adjust for that kind of distance. (Maybe it exists, never hurts to ask.)


Then we need a source for the brass and bullets, so if anybody could suggest a source, it would be appreciated.

Anyways, here is the rifle. Currently has Leopold Bases.

EDIT, give me a bit, the pics were kinda massive. I am going to downsize them then repost.



So thats what we got.
 
Congrats! Which caliber did you get? (308, 6BR or 6.5-284)

As to scopes, I am a snob. I believe that it takes a wealthy person to buy a cheap scope, and when you are playing in a game where you are making adjustments as to where a quarter inch bullet lands a kilometer away, you want quality, repeatability and a proper long range target reticle.

In the good-better-best category:

Good: Sightron variable scopes up to 32 and 50 power. (cons: poor reticle choices)
Weaver T-36 or Sightron 36X fixed power (great prices, lots of power great reticles, but power cannot be dialed-back in mirage)

Better: Leupold 8.5-25X50 Long Range (best glass of the bunch, but only 25X and 1/4 moa clicks)

Best: Nightforce 8-32 or 12-42X56 BR scopes. These are the paradigm for F-Class shooting. (cons: weight, price, but nobody EVER regretted buying them) (These will be what the Canadian F-Class team uses at the World Championships)

I dislike Bushnell; their reticles are far too large for long range shooting in my personal opinion, and I have never been impressed by their contrast. (remember what you paid for my opinion)

Gord (CGN ONT001) and Mike (CGN ICE PICK) are both witht he ORA and are excellent F-Class shooters that are quite involved in welcoming new shooters to the fold. I suggest you hook up with them. You have many great sources for reloading components out east and I'm sure those folks will help you even further.
 
Obtunded has a great point that all people will come to understand eventually.
Although I opt'd for this one;
Viper PST 6-24x50 FFP Riflescope
In the EBR-1 MRAD Reticle
Great Glass, Great Warenty & Great Price.
After it was all said and done it came out to $1250 with taxes in.
Now if I could only find a nice barrel to go with it...
Hint, Hint, Wink, Wink.
 
Satain: Are the PST scopes out yet? Vortex Canada said they will not be released until June. You'll have to do a review.
 
I will try my best but unfortunatly the stock barrel I have won't do any scope justice as it is quite pathetic past 100 meters.
 
Kevin - congrats. Definitely try to hook up with a knowledgeable local F-Class shooter through the ORA. Enjoy shooting out to 1000 yards at Borden with them, I sure did. Not only can they tell you all about gear, they can also give you all the inside info on making good target ammo, and where to get good components at good prices. Especially if you have a .308, this is very much a no-brainer (98% of your load development has already been done for you, by hundreds of other shooters).

Usually higher powered scopes end up having less total travel of their adjustments.

Instead of a one-piece sloped base, I am a very big fan of using the Burris "signature series" rings, which use two-piece plastic inserts. You can get offset inserts, allowing you to determine the mounting angle (how much it points "down") so that your elevation knob will be near the lower limit of its travel for your 100y zero, and you can have the vast majority of the scope's elevation adjustment available to you in the "up" direction.

I am in the minority opinion, but I find that I prefer coarser reticles; I find that the very fine crosshairs and/or dots used in BR-style reticles can be difficult to see against a mostly-black F-Class target (BR targets are mostly white). But like I said I am in the minority, most of the winning F-Class shooters do in fact use very fine reticles - I just think they are "wrong" ;-)


Definitely, absolutely, don't buy a crap scope (e.g. a $200 Chinese knockoff), that way lies a world of pain and suffering. Having said that I am not *as* much of a scope snob as Obtunded. If the price really is a factor for you now, it is OK to go with the bottom of the line of his recommendations, and even a cautious notch or two cheaper. But if you can stomach the price, I would say that buying a $1000 scope is definitely not a waste of money (I am torn though as to whether a $2000 scope is worth it, or if that is too far down the road of diminishing returns; they sure are gorgeous though!)
 
Hi Kevin,
Welcome to F Class.
First thing to do.........
bookmark the following
http://www.ontariorifleassociation.org/
Bob Raymond and the boys are and have been running a very successful Introduction course over this past winter and it continues now at Base Borden with outside training.
On the ORA website the schedule is posted for events for this summer. Refer to it daily as things are always changing.
visit this post http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=420276
IP (Mike) probably already PM'd you with lotsa info. Don't worry, although there is a lot to learn and options and choices to make ,it can all come together fairly quickly.
We all have similar and varied answers to questions asked,but keep in mind you'll hear...
"this is what I use and it works for me" and you'll end up with choices.
The most expensive piece of equipment you can buy is one that doesn't work.So like you've started already,research with people who have been there and done it,then spend you $$.
Looking forward to meeting you and your Dad on the mounds.
PM me if I can be of any help.
Gord
 
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Thanks, I will follow up on those links and take a look around at those scopes.


BTW, the rifle is chambered in 6.5mm - 284 Norma.


Heres the pics.


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2010 will be an interesting year as new products get out in the competition circuit and we see how it does. So far, my experience leads me to believe that price is not always a true indicator of scope performance.

There is a min that needs to be spent but spending double or even more, may not net you any gains. In some cases, you may actually get less.

That is a very nice rifle. If you haven't done so, have it properly bedded. Trigger adjusted so it is both light and doesn't skip and most importantly...

Ditch those bases. The first time those windage screws work loose and you don't notice, will be a very frustrating match. Plus the front ring is held in place by spring pressure. I like solid.

I much prefer Weaver or Pic type rails and rings. you can bolt them up tight and with the right quality of ring and base, WILL NOT MOVE. Easy to confirm that all is tight too.

I also strongly recommend the Burris Sig ZEE rings as they allow you to fine tune your scope settings to maximize both optical qualities and elevation/windage adjustment.

I use a 1 pc Farrell base and Xtra High rings cause I like my scopes to be higher off the action. Also, helps those large scope bells clear my barrel blocks.

Welcome to a most enjoyable sport where you will always get a hand if needed.

You are going to meet some very talented and also super nice shooters/competitors. Will they all do things the same, not in your life but each will have a style based on positive experiences.

Somewhere in all this, you will find a combo that suits you and that is what really matters.

Enjoy...and remember, somedays, you WILL be better off shooting with your eyes closed :)

Jerry
 
Nice Gat!!

Check out http://www.6mmbr.com/SixFive284.html for a few recipes for the 6.5. I have found that H4350 works the best in mine, and I have personally found Berger 140's to be the best. For gosh sakes don't take my word for it... see what your gun likes.

I would grab some 142 Sierras some 140 Bergers and some 139 Lapua Scenars and play. I would suggest if possible, that you hook up with someone who is expereined at load development, because you will find your rifle has a finite barrel lifespan (~1200 if you are careful)

That cartridge has won its fair share of F-Class competitions and is still one of the best long range cartridges ever designed. I second Jerry's thoughts on the bases and bedding. You probably feel as though you are hemmorhaging money on this hobby as it is, but once you have your hardware in order, you just need to feed it.

Welcome to the sport! BTW, have you checked-out fclass.ca?

Cheers,

Ian

(DCRA Teams Captain, F-Class World Championships 2013)
 
There is also an article on action bolt tension tuning for these Savage rifles.

Personally, I disagree as I consider this form of tuning a wonderful indicator of bad bedding.

but that is just me...

One more thing to watch is your front rest. If you are using the Caldwell bags, get rid of them. They are way too soft. Protektor, SEB or one of the other BR specific products. Yes, it makes a HUGE difference. Yes, they cost several times more.

Spend the money on a quality rear bag too. I wish I could remember the name of this US manf bag. Absolutely gorgeous, rigid, superbly manf and seriously expensive. There are links in the 6mmBR.com site.

Rests, like the foundation of your house or tires on your race car should be the best (not necessarily the most expensive) to support your rifle during the firing cycle. Any wobbly here will translate to massive dispersion at the target.

If you haven't, try shooting prone and see if you can get that rest high enough to be comfy BUT not be wobbly.

I used to use the same rest but went to the BR version because the ROCK couldn't get tall enough for me without being very wobbly. I have modified the BR version and will do more work soon to make it fit me better.

Or you could buy something like a SEB rest and have some really nice kit.

You will be spending a whole lot of various accessories but these are lifetime investments...usually.

And if you want to be able to shoot your best, you need to have the gear to support that.

Jerry

Jerry
 
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