Folks with finding out my back is shot ( four blown disks and a broken Vertebrae) I obviously wont be getting back into the war soon. Wife is happy but bank account is so very sorry. That means I will be shooting a bunch more and want to take this time to try and explain the different F Classes. A recent thread on another website showed how little guys know of F Class events. Common thought is one class when it really is two very different classes.

Just short back ground as to why I believe I can answer the questions here is I have been shooting F TR Class for six years, but many other high power and sniper events for the twenty years prior to that. I lucked into making the US National F TR Team and did fairly well in Nationals and at the World Championships over the years. I lucked into being picked as the Team Vice Captain for the next World Championships, so I have a vested interest in finding additional shooters for the team and to grow the sport. Right now the US Team has ten shooters but we plan on possibly expanding since the next World Championships will be held in Raton New Mexico in 2013. In case you missed it the US F TR Team is the current World Champion.

Now as to the two classes:

F Open. It is shot with rifles similar to bench rest rifles, with scopes sitting in front mechanical rests with a sand bag under the rear of the stock. Unlike Bench Rest this has to be shot from the shoulder with no free recoiling of rifle allowed. The X Ring is 5" at 1000 yards so not an easy task to hit. This is not what I shot and I wont go into further details of this but will direct anyone interested to correct folks to help you if you wish. Rests dont count into weight of rig and 22lbs is limit for rifle. Under .35 cal 6.5x284 and 7WSM seem to rule this class.

F TR Class, This is F Target Rifle Class and what I shoot. The rifle can have either a bipod or sling on front and rear sand bag as the only support. No mechanical rests. The caliber has to be either 308Win or 223 Rem. We shoot the same 5" X Ring at a 1000 yards. Weight limit for rifle,scope and bipod/sling is 18.18lbs Very few shoot the 223 Remington on the long range events of this class. This class is commonly shot by guys with either Sniper rifles or Palma rifles. The actual shooting is very much like a sniper trains.

Both F Classes are shot at same ranges but the distances very in different range formats.
The NRA National Events are shot at 600 and 1000 yards
The Worlds are shot at 800,900 and 1000 yards
Other events will shoot from 300 yards to 1000.

The great thing about this is anytime you see long range NRA events they will usually have F Class included. I often shoot with the Palma guys. Its a great chance to learn

Now this does not take any real fancy equipment and for first few years I just shot my 24" sniper rifle and did OK. Its a great way to get better with your sniper rifle and if I where King all LE and mIlitary Snipers would be out doing this for practice.

If you have not shot the long range events, just go to your local club and introduce yourself. I bet you get a tone of free help and learn a bunch. I never met a better bunch than the guys shooting Palma and Across the Course.

As to loads: I keep it simple these days
Lapua Brass Full length sized
CCI BR Primers
VVn140 or N150 powder (working up some really sweet N550 loads with 155 and 185 Scenbars but too soon to change)
155 Scenar just off the lands

Hope this helps and pelase feel free to ask me any questions about F TR Class

Mike, sorry to hear about your back....I know what its like to have back problems....Anyway, couple of questions...When you were shooting with your 24" rifle, were you the odd man out? I shoot F T/R at Cuyama with Michael Tuck and the Tri-County Rifle Club/Range...anyway, most everybody there is shooting 30" palma rifles and occassionally there is someone with an M1A or Garand, but mostly custom rigs...I shoot a 20" Remington 700 PSS and they call my rifle "Stubby"

I am shooting 155's and shooting 1/2 MOA out to 300-400...then I start to expand from there....I am currently using RE15 46.8 grains and seating at 2.890 (mag length) and getting 2830 FPS. I am hampered by my barrel length and decreased velocity....I am currently off the charts with this load, but I am just showing case head ejector marks but primmers are not flat and case heads are not expanding.. What is the velocity that you are getting with the VV powders and your bbl?

Looking forward to seeing you out on the rifle line.....

Steven, for your rifle I would do neck size only, because most likely you have a huge chamber and real long throat, like most Remingtons.

Now with the longer throat you load longer. That with bigger chamber is short make round act like larger case so your loads can end up heavier than some and still be mild.

For powder, I dont know anyone running RL15 for F TR. I had some weird stuff with it and now use VV or Hodgon. For the shorter bbls try N135, N140 or H4895. You will get the velocity needed for the longer rnages.

Find a load that has extreme spread of under 10fps for ten rounds and you most likely willl have a winner at a 1000 yards. The up close great groups with problems passed 600 are often the extreme velocity spread and RL15 is known for that problem.

One other trick is keep all ammo same temp as best you can. When shooting dont chamber the next round until, socre ahs come up, you have adjusted for next shot and are ready to shoot. This will keep the cooking of rounds down to minimum. Less temp change generally also helps with velocity spread.

Hope this helps

Can't wait for my F-TR build to be done.

Mike, thanks for all the tips...I am already cognizant (sp?) of heating up rounds and I do the same thing of waiting for the spotter before chambering the next round. I do neck size only....I am also following your reloading thread for F T/R and already made comments in that one....Again, thanks for your input and experiences....Oh, and above all, thank you for your service to us and your country. I don't think that we give enough credits for our vets....

Gnzrme wrote: I don't think that we give enough credits for our vets....

A+ Thank you for your service!

Thanks for kind words and feel free to ask any questions you have. My goal os to grow the sport.

Mike,

You are in NoCal correct? Do you ever make it down to the SoCal area....If so, why don't you put on a clinic or informall class...I for one know that I can use all the help that I can get and its good to get that help from people who have BTDT...I usually save my training $$ with people like Max Joseph and Scotty Reitz, but neither of them are putting on classes soon for Precision Rifle...Scotty is doing a sniper class at the end of July but I am out of town....Anyway, would be good to met you and learn from you.....Let us know if that is something that you want to do....

I come down a few times a year. Tell you what when my back is better I will come down and do a Tactical Sling shooting and F TR Class, Sat and Sunday, no charge. One day Tactical Style and one day F TR Style

You guys just pick up the range fees and set up the range.

How does that sound?

That sounds awesome

Im up for that!! Thank you!!

That would be great.

perfect....You let us know when you are up for it....We can do the F-class out at Cuyama (800-1k range)....I will let Michael Tuck know about it....Can definately use some sling work as last week was the 1st time I ever used a sling on a precision rifle....