F class calibre?

[6.5shooter]

Ok folks,

 

I have a single shot rpa rifle that is going to be rebarreled for f class shooting over here in N Ireland.

Im just getting started in f class and its a bit primitive over here compared with you folk across the water as regards rifles etc.

I had applied for 6.5x284 but my application was messed up and i think its getting refused because of complications but I will reapply when I get it back and get my reasoning straight this time and all should go smoothly.

Anyhow, I want to pick the brains of all the current f class shooters and accuracy boffins on here whom I seek a bit of advice for my questions.

Well, im wondering to myself should I reapply for the 6.5x284 again or should I ask for a 6.5x47? I currently have a 6.5x47 repeater rifle for other tacticalish shooting but I want a dedicated f class rifle.

Im thinking 6.5x284 shooting 139 scenars around 2950 fps vs a 6.5x47 shooting 139 scenars at 2900 ish using re17.

This will be a 30" barrel.

Now, I know 50 fps is not the be all and end all of everything but every little helps as they say but Im interested in low velocity spread and greater accuracy potential that I think the 47 case may or may not posess over the 284 case?

Niw I may be splitting hairs here but what do you fellas think from experience of shooting the 6.5x284?

There is all this chat of poor barrel life but is it really that bad? Barrel life between the two rounds shouldnt be alot of difference I guess when the 47 case is using re17 powder.

I dont want to go 7mm as I shoot mainly MOD ranges etc and want to stick inside energy limits.

If all else fails and I cant decide I may just have it rebarrelled 308 and enter the FTR class but I seek advice first before I make any rash decisions.

Thoughts appreciated.

 

Garry

[1967spud]

personally i shoot a 6.5-284 out to 12oo and love the claibre

[taylor]

a 284 can be under the energy limits if its going under 2900 fps with a 175 -180 7mm bullet , but the 6.5-284 is awsome with 140 grn bullets and can keep up with the 7mm if you read the wind right

[Davy]

Another vote for the 6,5-284 here.

[The Gun Pimp]

6.5 shooter,

 

Look at the results - become a 7mm shooter - the Yanks got 'tatered in the 'worlds' with their 6.5-284s.

 

Go for a straight 284. Better ballistics, better barrel-life, proven winner.

 

Grant Taylor has won the GBFCA League TWICE with his - I don't think a 6.5 has every won it.

 

Vince

[brown dog]

I'm not an F-Class shooter; but I'll give you a view based on what puts me off, which is that I don't think there's any discipline that is so clearly skewed by 'spending-power (or perhaps 'will to spend') buys extra points'.

 

I know that's horribly cynical so apologies to all; and I know that an example of someone doing well with a cheap setup will be given; but I suspect that hard groundtruth is that unless you're prepared to spend the value of a small car on your set-up; you ain't in the game. It's from that stepping-off point that talent comes into it.

 

And there's clearly an awful lot of talent, but being pragmatic, even Malcolm Cooper wouldn't be in the game if he didn't come to it with the 'will to spend' on buying 'pinnacle' kit.

 

So;

 

I would go 308 and shoot F/TR.

 

But...go and have a look at winning F/TR rifles, scopes and rests; be under no illusion that you will still be in the 'will to spend' race for the setup itself; but what you will have done is step out of 'will to spend' race for calibre which, to an onlooker, appears give extra points to 'whoever's prepared to buy / replace the most new barrels in a year'.

 

Do research the long range 308 fully before committing to a barrel spec though; there are some stunning developments in that calibre that will require a purpose spec'd barrel -have to admit though; I don't know how they do on barrel life.

 

Happy to shot down by those who 'do'; I'm a horrible cynic on this (and I apologise for that again )

[taylor]

i dont see why a 284 is entering a arms race you get over 2000-2500 rounds from it of top grade accuracy maby equal to a top ftr rifle ,a f-open rifle will cost the same as some ftr rifles apart from a front rest and a bald eagle or gogiani will cost nearly the same as some of the bipods that ftr are using ,and a 284 is all thats needed to win thats been proven here and in the usa

yes you are correct some open shooter buy thier way to the top by building some ultra calibers ,pushing bullets faster than they should and replacing barrles every 600 rounds ,but you dont need all the fancy gear to do realy well ,at the end of the day its a wind reading game and if you read the wind correctly a 284 will beat them all

[brown dog]

i dont see why a 284 is entering a arms race you get over 2000-2500 rounds from it of top grade accuracy maby equal to a top ftr rifle ,a f-open rifle will cost the same as some ftr rifles apart from a front rest and a bald eagle or gogiani will cost nearly the same as some of the bipods that ftr are using ,and a 284 is all thats needed to win thats been proven here and in the usa

yes you are correct some open shooter buy thier way to the top by building some ultra calibers ,pushing bullets faster than they should and replacing barrles every 600 rounds ,but you dont need all the fancy gear to do realy well ,at the end of the day its a wind reading game and if you read the wind correctly a 284 will beat them all

 

Grant, I think we may be sort of agreeing - I think there's nil difference between f/tr rifles and fopen other than what's screwed on the front - that's my point about the ftr setup still being in the spend race (but I see that as a great shame, when i first heard of ftr it was being sold as the 'inclusive' part of f; and it's evolved into anything but.)

I think where it steps forward a little to a potential newcomer is in that the playing field is levelled slightly by mandated calibre.

 

But on fopen, it'd grip my sh't if I felt someone was beating me simply because he was prepared to spend more on barrels per year than me!

 

As regards wind reading; what you fellows at the top of the game do humbles me.

[The Gun Pimp]

Brown Dog,

 

The GB F Class League is the pinnacle of F Class shooting in the UK - it isn't a novice discipline.

 

The Open guys are World Champions - they beat everyone! If you want to play in this arena, you will be shooting against the very best shooters in the world at every League shoot and you need the equipment. The initial cost of your equipment will be the same no matter what cartridge you choose - even if it's 308.

 

If you don't want to spend the money, then F Class is shot at lots of clubs all over the country by shooters using ordinary rifles - it's just as challenging, just as much fun.

 

Vince

[brown dog]

Vince, thanks but it holds no interest to me - I'm better when I move

 

The initial cost of your equipment will be the same no matter what cartridge you choose - even if it's 308.

I think you're agreeing with my point -f/tr has the same start up as fopen (which is what went wrong with ftr as an inclusivity strategy) - but I suspect running fopen is more expensive than ftr -hence my advice to go 308 as the mandated calibre reduces that part of the spend race.

Am I wrong?

 

you will be shooting against the very best shooters in the world at every League shoot

 

Ahemm: "you will be shooting against the very best F Class shooters in the world"

 

 

But, as I said, as regards wind reading; what you fellows at the top of the F-Class game do humbles me.

[terryh]

Garry.

 

You need to work out what you want to achieve. If it is as you say just starting with you locally then you probably do not have to go the whole hog. Also look at things like bullet/powder avaialbility. If you're looking for a longer life in you barrel then the 47 would probably do it. I'm achieving 2840 with a 25" barrel with 139's and R17 and this does not seem to be too silly looking round at other results. IMHO if you run a 6.5-284 fast then hoping to get 2000+ rounds out of the barrel is optimistic.

 

Open F-class is the same a F1 in car racing - you do not see any team running last years cars and winning, unless you are prepared to not only spend money on the top gear but also to travel all over the country to compete then do not hope to win, like motor sport, if you want to just compete do so at a local club - where the only F1 cars you'll see are quite old and on a hill climb

 

But if you do want to 'be up there' then I feel the 6.5-284, just looking at results, is not a winning choice, yes IF you read the wind spot on then no problem but a 7mm gives you more room for error and hitting a V bull at 1000 consitently does not give much room for error. If you accept that running a cartridge flat out will only clear 1000+ rounds why choose the 6.5 and not a 7mm? Or as Vince said the std .284 looks a good option, better bullets and (alomst) acceptable barrel life.

 

I've just gone thru this process from a different angle - a tactical rifle that I can have a go at F-class with. looking at it all and keeping my 6.5x47 for general use I've settled on a 7mmSAUM using pointed 180g Hybrid Bergers, most of the time loaded below HME levels. Feeds from a mag with sensible seating depth in a short action.

 

Also agree with Matt, F-class is the pinicle of target shooting but move and shoot/positional/tactical (if you must call it that) is the challenge - different every time and difficult - ask Mr Tubb and Mr Costello if you doubt me

 

In the end you make your choices you pay your money, if it does what you want why worry?

 

Terry

 

Brgds Terry

[6.5shooter]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to express youre thoughts.

I have to admit that it does look to be a bit of an arms race in f open over on youre side of the water watching it from here. Although credits due where credits due, hats off to you fellas.

Its a pity there wasnt a production class where you could only shoot a factory rifle but then I supose you could get a

lucky dip in factory rifles as to one maybe shooting slightly better than the other etc. Then I supose if recrowning or other modifications where allowed where would you stop.

Anyway, distance for me travelling to shoots over here is no biggie really as the MOD ranges are usually no further than 80 miles from me with the exception of the new Tullamore range in the south which is 1200 yards.

Most of the time its shot at 600 metres so a 7mm is maybe not always needed for f class over here.

Its not so much an arms race over here yet as there wouldnt be as many rifles costing the price of a small car here. As I said its a bit more primitive and that is a good thing.

I would however like to go and shoot a few rounds with you fellas over in Scotland maybe as its not a million miles from the boat. I know that if I go 6.5mm I wont run with the top performers but I accept that and would be greatful of the experience.

Im just starting out and as I say its mainly 600 metres so its gping to be a 6.5 of some description for me.

Who knows, maybe id be better going 308 and then id stand slightly more of a chance if I go across to you fellas

When I was 18 I was selected by a motocross team from here to compete in the British championship and it was fun kickin English butt but can say I never won although it was just like entering another level above the one I was used to and the competitiveness I was introduced to made me all

the more hungry to win and it led me to win the Irish cship.

I was riding a 250cc against big 450 4strokes, although my bike was not as quick as theirs I quickly learned to wring every last ounce out of it and put many with £10,000 bikes to shame.

Bit off topic but its helping explain what I mean about shooting with you fellas If I go down that route in the future.

 

Garry

[Davy]

I've just gone thru this process from a different angle - a tactical rifle that I can have a go at F-class with. looking at it all and keeping my 6.5x47 for general use I've settled on a 7mmSAUM using pointed 180g Hybrid Bergers, most of the time loaded below HME levels. Feeds from a mag with sensible seating depth in a short action.

 

Also agree with Matt, F-class is the pinicle of target shooting but move and shoot/positional/tactical (if you must call it that) is the challenge - different every time and difficult - ask Mr Tubb and Mr Costello if you doubt me

Hmm... I also run a 7mm SAUM based wildcat (Different shoulder angle) Also with pointed 180 Hybrids also loaded just below HME most of the time as my F Open rifle and there is no doubt it is working nicely but is an expensive habit to feed. I am still struggling with the concept of lugging 40kgs of gear around to shoot at 1000 yards and in some ways question the ethics of such a class even though I thoroughly enjoy it.

 

Personally I still get every bit as much pleasure from shooting 'tactical' class type things, shooting McQueen type comps at 640m with a 7,62x51 in torrential rain or freezing cold conditions is hard to beat for a sheer rush and needs the same finesse as an F Class shooter, you just get through bullets a bit quicker.