Catch-22

The Stryker is infinitely better than the Hawk. Illya Koshkin, aka The Dark Lord of Optics (a bonfide Optics expert) has done numerous reviews of the Stryker 5-50x56 and rates it extremely highly and puts glass quality, mechanics and build quality on par with scopes costing nearly double. He was so impressed he bought one for one of his own rifles. I think he reviewed the MK2 which you have. And I think a Canadian F Open shooter used one not long ago to win some big competition. Very good scopes…and yours is a bargain at that price! Good luck with the sale!

I believe the latest version has the 3 stars logo on the parallax turret, rather than ‘Delta’ written. Still looks to be a good bargain. Good scopes by all accounts.

When we submit RSDs along with the JSP907s, we just state hand loaded ammunition might be used and is the responsibility of the shooter for safety.

Fair enough - just seen enough of those spikes cause no end of issues. With the big 338s, it’s definitely a mix of a good solid position, front loading the bipod a bit and solid trigger pull. I have a custom Defiance 338 Norma Magnum in a Eliseo RTM chassis, with a big bag rider at the back. That allows me to settle things well. I find a proper rear bag rest work best to help the gun track backwards properly, like an F class gun does in the bag. I’ve found my ‘tactical’ squeeze bags allow the butt to torque or shift under the recoil unless I’m really careful, but even then things can jump on you. My RTM chassis is nice and inline (like an AR15) so the push is straight back - not sure what it’s like on the AI MKIII? I do have an AI AWM in .300wm, with the older style thumbhole folding chassis synonymous with the AWs. Whilst it’s not setup to shoot from a rear rest, I’ve found it does so better than a squeezy type. You will find whilst a sound moderator does tame recoil, the brake alone will do a better job. I mostly use the Sidewinder brake on my .338NM and it definitely works better than with the moddy. My .300wm AWM is quite mild with a moddy.

You don’t have one of the butt spike things do you? If so, chuck it in the bin. I’ve seen plenty of people have them who simply couldn’t get their gun to group. As soon as it was removed and a proper rear bag used, groups and recoil management improved.

Issue with the Valkyrie is you need a 6.8SPC bolt face. If you already have a .22-250, the Valk wont work in your rifle without getting a new bolt or action (if using a non AR15 type pattern). IMHO, there is absolutely no point switching calibres (dies, barrel, bolt or action etc) just to fire a very similar bullet to what you have already. The valk is really designed to shoot the 90gn bullets…the freebore and associated barrel twist is set up to do so. Putting a 50-60gn bullet in there is like the equivalent of buying a Ferrari only to put tractor wheels on it. Why go to all the bother and expense to hinder the performance for which it was designed. If you’ve already got a .22-250, with a fast twist (1-8” or 1-7”) and what to shoot heavier bullets, just get the throat pushed out. Alternatively have a new barrel put on it, with suitably long throat and twist. The .22-250 is a great round but has always been hampered with it’s very short throat and very slow barrel twists - limiting it’s use to the light bullets. A longer throat and faster twist (say 1-7”) and it’ll easily handle anything up to the 88-90gn bullets if you so wish. Thats what I’d do if I had a .22-250 with short throat and slow twist - new fast barrel with long throat. Use light bullets for close super fast flat shooting. Then heavies for long range work that cheat the wind better. Total flexibility without needing to change your dies, brass etc. Just my opinion. Good luck 👍

Many thanks both for your help and advise. Is there a club I could contact to go along to and speak with some members about starting out? Are there any near me (S Wales)? Or do the clubs (down south) just all go to Bisley anyway? And club shoots, do they only take place weekends (Sat or Sun)? Sundays are tricky for me as I have church. But I don’t work every other Friday, so can be more flexible to travel & shoot then. I should probably just join Bisley and hire a lane for the morning or day. But had thought approaching a club might be good for the advice and social side. Im a member of Monmouth & District but I don’t know if any F class shooters there. Mind you it is a big club, so there might be. If anyone reading this is with MDRC too, and shoot F class, I’d love to chat and possibly share lifts or a shooting lane.

Hi F’ers, I’ve been doing a bunch of reading and YouTubing for a while now and I’m beginning to really feel the interest in F Open. Im a long time shooter, mostly medium/long range, plinky plonky, tactical style type stuff. I don’t shoot competitions but definitely have a competitive spirit. I aspire for better control of the gun, to improve my reloading technique…all the good stuff. I’m looking to get out of my lazy comfort zone more and be pushed a bit. I’m based in S Wales…sadly quite far away from Bisley. I’ve heard that Mik Mak of Dolphin used to run Bisley F Class introductory days. Does he still do that? Or anyone else? Any advice to help me dip my toe in the water would be welcomed! Cheers 👍

Personally I can’t help you, other than to say the Leica CRF 2700-B is really very good. But that’s a fair amount more than your budget. I’ve heard good reports about the Bushnell 1700 but I’ve not used one personally. I think that aligns more with your price point. Or you could seek unwanted rangefinders in the wanted section. A Leica or SIG Kilo would be a very good buy 2nd hand.

I suspect he was laughing at the bit where you said: “it was AIMED at Golfers”. Thats how I read it, and it gave me a chuckle. Personally, I think golfers are fair game!

I wouldn’t focus on velocity. Whats your ES & SD for each of those charges? That’s more important. Find the 3x charges with most stable/consistent ES & SD (preferably lowest SD) and you’ve found your Optimum Charge Weight. This will be your most stable charge Adjust seating depth to fine tune group size. After above done, then note your velocity and store it in your ballistic calculator.

Nice. I’ve got the predecessor, a AWM in .300wm. What barrel twist do the newer ones come in, still 1-11”? Mine is shooting MME 190gn, 200gn and 210gn bullets very well. I think I was starting to get stability issues with 208gn ELDM.

I have a .44mag Rossi 92. Use Starline brass, Murom LP primers and 240gn RNFP lead bullet from Shellhouse. I was using Vhit N340, around 10.6gn worked well - but it’s expensive. Up around £90kg. Ive switched to Maxam CSB-5, a shotgun and pistol powder, which works a treat. 6.3gn is nice and mild and more accurate than me. It’s not a spherical or extruded powder, but slightly rounded flake. Metres perfectly in an Autotrickler or even manual Redding hand trickler. Ive heard other people using Vectan GM3, but I can’t get any near me so haven’t tried it. But as CSB-5 works so well, I don’t need to bother now.

Tasty…if only I had a .22LR on my ticket. Good luck 👍

I think Armalon also made replacement barrels that matched the originals. Might be worth contacting them to ask for the spec sheet.

I’ve had 3x 6.5x47L barrels over the years; A Begara 24” long, 1-8” twist on a Tikka M595. A Bartlein 5R, 26” long, 1-8” twist on a Defiance Mutant Tubegun LA. A PROOF research SS 5R, 26” long, 1-8” twist on a Impact Precision 737r. All barrels shot well with the 123gn Scenar and around 38.0gn Vhit N140. This is up around 2900fps. However, I think my PROOF barrel is either on the ‘slow’ side - or is just not as tight as the Bartlein or Begara because I’ve needed to stoke the charge up a bit to keep velocity pace with the other barrels. All barrels shot the 139gn Scenar well with SO70 and RS62 but felt the 123gn Scenars with N140 performed better. Personally I wouldn’t bother trying 120-123gn bullets with N150, SO70, RS62 or other similar slower burning powders because you won’t generate the pressure needed to get decent velocity. The 120-123gn bullets simply are too light to help generate the pressure build up behind the bullet. If using 120-123gn bullets, stick with a medium powder (like N140 or RS50/RS52 as Laurie notes) or go with a heavier bullet like a 139gn Scenar and use a slower powder (N150, RS62 or SO70). Good luck. Lovely Cartridge, very forgiving to load for, very accurate, minimal recoil, can bite you with over pressure without much warning!

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I thought that too but omitted it since I couldn’t find the specific U.K. guidance stating it. The various online ‘Duty’ calculators still indicate duty/vat to be paid. But if there is no duty/vat, then the above costs going direct through Adam is even better; around £245 cheaper going direct! Why wouldn’t you??

Despite the duty costs, it seems many here who had ordered the v4 didn’t get charged duty/vat. Autotricker/throw v4: Order direct from Adam = £383 (plus shipping & duty/vat. Call it £530) Older v3 from said U.K. distributor = £695 Difference of £165 A&D FX-120i: From Oakley weigh = £478.80 (current offer). Normally £565 From said U.K. distributor if bought along with v3 Autotrickler = £625 Difference of £146.20 (with offer) or £60 if not on offer. ** costs taken from above mentioned websites today. If you’re aware of the differences in costs and happy to pay them, then more power to you!

^^ hmm, seems a huge mark up when compared to ordering direct.

Adam MacDonald, the man behind it, is Canadian. Search Autotrickler and his site will come up. Order direct.

Nothing special but I really like the simplicity of the design of my GPW mission. 42.5mm case, looks just about perfect on my wrist. Guts are a Seiko NH35 automatic. Works well, possibly runs around 1min slow over the course of a week, which isn’t bad as I’m mostly sat at my desk 5days. So far, titanium case and sapphire glass has held up to resist scuffs and scratches. Whatever they coated/treated the bezel with also resisting scuffs, unlike my last Suunto Core which looked like all the paint had been bead-blasted off in less than 6 months. Nice and light, feels comfy, waterproof to 200m, good luminosity but not iridium, strap is great (Suunto split after 4 months). 👍

Peter is a really nice chap. I’ve had plenty of his 30cal Wimbledon Match bullets, mostly in 190-210gn guise. These are excellent bullets that are similar, but I fancy better, to the Sierra Matchking. The 3x types of target bullet include Wimbledon Match, Mistrel (a Hybrid bullet) and Mistrel-T (tipped Hybrid). I personally wouldn’t use them on game, as they’re a FMJ and will pinhole wound…like a Sierra MK or Lapua Scenar would. He does a bunch of game bullets (soft points) but not used any of these. But going by the quality of the match bullets, I’d think they are probably very good!

Thanks. Yeah I already bought a bottle from Dr S and have used it to size a few hundred 6.5x47 and .303 cases. A couple of pumps in a sandwich bag is all that’s needed for an even coat. Sizing was great - no issues with stuck cases or over lube bulges. Afterwards I simply rinsed the sized cases in some hot water with a squiz of wash liquid and done. In all, a lot quicker than lubing and then cleaning each case with the Imperial Wax. Perfecto!