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FTR questions


petesonfire

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I've not long got my ticket so be nice lol got .308 on it and I'm looking to start ftr shooting.

1. Rifle wise I've been looking at the savage 12 ftr, what other off the self rifles would you suggest around a similar price?

 

2. Scope wise what sort of magnification range am I looking for? Dont mind spending abit more for a scope as i can keep it if i change the rifle, but there's no point spending more for really big mag if I'm not going to use it.

 

3. Is it worth getting a wide bi-pod or are 'sand bag' style front rests viable

 

Cheers pete

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There is nothing else comparable to the Savage FTR in its price range. You might get a used custom model secondhand for similar money or not much more. The next post to yours I see is selling a used FTR for £1K with a 20-MOA rail and mere 40-round count. That is a very good buy for someone starting in the discipline!

 

http://ukvarminting.com/forums/topic/38248-savage-ftr/

 

Scope-wise, 32x max on a variable is as much as most people need. Personally, I shoot both FTR and F-Open with my 8-32s set at around 20-24X - the wider field of view lets you see targets on each side whose latest shot placement often lets you pick up wind changes that you might not see on the flags. It's only in bench rest and on electronic targets (where there are no marked shots to see) that I wind the scope right up for finer aiming. Scope power, model and reticle form are very personal likes and dislikes though. Personally, I've always liked the Sightron Series III 8-32s with an LRD or LRMOA reticle for FTR/F-Class. Scope weight is an issue and the best of the Vortex and March models save weight (to allow more to go into the barrel in a custom rifle build) as well as being optically superb - but weight isn't an issue with the Savage.

 

You MUST use a bipod (or sling) in FTR - that's in the rules. A very wide model like the Dolphin AB (£260) or even wider Evo Tier One Carbon (both very light due to carbon fibre legs) at ~ £350 really makes life easier as they are very stable and track well on turf. The SEB JoyPod is very widely used now in top FTR competition and is the most advanced technically (but also the most expensive).

 

Have fun and good shooting.

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I would say the Sabatti tactical (is a very non tactical looking rifle though) at £1075 would also be a very good rifle to consider at the same price range as the savage for starting ftr. http://www.sabatti.it/en/products/tactical-syn/

 

That depends on how serious the OP is about FTR and whether he plans to shoot in longer distance matches. 'Tactical' rifles in 308 Win (remember, 6.5s can't be used in the discipline, 223 Rem + 308 Win only) may be competitive to 600 yards, but with their short barrels (more often than not 20-inches these days, 24 maximum) are hopelessly uncompetitive at 800 yards and beyond. To cut to the chase, they simply can't produce the required MVs to make the cartridge perform at these longer distances, and even if accuracy remains with trans and sub-sonic bullet speeds at these distances, the wind drift is much larger than that of the bullet from a good handload in a 30-inch L-R match rifle meaning the user has to read the wind consistently better than his or her fellow competitors.

 

308 Win TR and FTR rifles invariably have at least 28-inch barrels, most of them 30/31-inches. That has been the norm since TR was introduced in the late 1960s, and since day-one of FTR some 10 or so years ago. There is a reason for this!

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Ended up getting a sightron siii 8-32x56 to get me started, going to look at the savage in the link tomorrow, If I get it (which is likely) I believe it has a 1 in 12 twist rate so ....... What grain ammo are people using with the 30" barrel? Carnt seem to find much with that size barrel, factory ammo for now still got lots of things to get my head around before I start loading my own

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That depends on how serious the OP is about FTR and whether he plans to shoot in longer distance matches. 'Tactical' rifles in 308 Win (remember, 6.5s can't be used in the discipline, 223 Rem + 308 Win only) may be competitive to 600 yards, but with their short barrels (more often than not 20-inches these days, 24 maximum) are hopelessly uncompetitive at 800 yards and beyond. To cut to the chase, they simply can't produce the required MVs to make the cartridge perform at these longer distances, and even if accuracy remains with trans and sub-sonic bullet speeds at these distances, the wind drift is much larger than that of the bullet from a good handload in a 30-inch L-R match rifle meaning the user has to read the wind consistently better than his or her fellow competitors.

 

308 Win TR and FTR rifles invariably have at least 28-inch barrels, most of them 30/31-inches. That has been the norm since TR was introduced in the late 1960s, and since day-one of FTR some 10 or so years ago. There is a reason for this!

 

Hi Laurie

its in .308 with a 26" barrel so should be good to get started and although called a tactical I did state it is not a tactical rifle. I doubt anyone starts FTR confident they will like it and stick with it so most wont go to Mick for a full on Dolphin etc...

 

I think this could be a good entry as for the price its hard to beat and having shot one at 600m they do shoot well enough to gain a new shooter confidence (have not had the opportunity to try it at anything longer yet as I don't own one). And if they decide its not for them its not such a big loss as it were.

 

I fully agree that if you want to shoot seriously a 30" is the way to go and I have a 32" blank waiting for me to get a rifle built but funds don't allow as yet..

 

kind regards

Colin

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The Sabatti doesn't have a 26-inch barrel though. It's 610mm (24-inches). I started FTR in year zero of the sub-discipline with a very similar design, the FN SPR also with a 24-inch barrel. It would perform at 800 yards, although barely competitive in a much, much less competitive environment than we have now, but was pretty hopeless at 900 and beyond. Simply not enough velocity, although switching to 190gn SMKs helped.

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Ended up getting a sightron siii 8-32x56 to get me started, going to look at the savage in the link tomorrow, If I get it (which is likely) I believe it has a 1 in 12 twist rate so ....... What grain ammo are people using with the 30" barrel? Carnt seem to find much with that size barrel, factory ammo for now still got lots of things to get my head around before I start loading my own

 

12-inch twist is a little 'slow' by today's standards. It is the standard SAAMI rifling twist rate for the cartridge. It is ideally suited to modern long/pointy 155gn bullets and the older / shorter 168-175gn models, although older 168s such as the Sierra MK shouldn't be used at long ranges.

 

It used to be quoted as optimal for the 185gn Berger LR BT 'Juggernaut' which is widely handloaded for FTR, but in the light of recent thinking, is regarded as marginally 'slow' for that combination. It stabilises this bullet just fine though for all normal shooting, and with 2,800 fps possible in Lapua Palma (small primer) case handloads, is widely used in these rifles. If you're not into immediate handloading, see if you can get the GB NRA sourced 155gn match ammunition. It is good quality and will get you started. On starting handloading, there is still a lot to be said for the better 155gn bullets which can be loaded to over 3,000 fps in the Savage FTR if 'Palma' brass is used, and at these velocities perform well at all distances.

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The Sabatti doesn't have a 26-inch barrel though. It's 610mm (24-inches). I started FTR in year zero of the sub-discipline with a very similar design, the FN SPR also with a 24-inch barrel. It would perform at 800 yards, although barely competitive in a much, much less competitive environment than we have now, but was pretty hopeless at 900 and beyond. Simply not enough velocity, although switching to 190gn SMKs helped.

 

I just measured it and it is a 26" barrel .... http://www.dauntseyguns.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=SAB5C308

advantage of having the shop handy to go measure up...

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Interesting. I have an acquaintance who is buying the chassis stock model Sabatti, the STR, in 6.5 Creedmoor - looks an excellent buy. Its barrel is listed as 610mm like 'your rifle', and as he wants it purely for target shooting including long-range asked if a 26-inch barrel was available. The answer was 'yes - the factory will do special orders if not too different from standard spec' and was quoted six weeks delivery time. Last time I saw him he was waiting after three / four months - don't know if he has it yet.

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Interesting. I have an acquaintance who is buying the chassis stock model Sabatti, the STR, in 6.5 Creedmoor - looks an excellent buy. Its barrel is listed as 610mm like 'your rifle', and as he wants it purely for target shooting including long-range asked if a 26-inch barrel was available. The answer was 'yes - the factory will do special orders if not too different from standard spec' and was quoted six weeks delivery time. Last time I saw him he was waiting after three / four months - don't know if he has it yet.

 

They have the stock STR in 6.5 on the shelf at Dauntsey atm 4 of them in stock with 26" barrels I got mine there last week for £1695.00 as I wanted one for my daughter to shoot.

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