Best Caliber for F Class

[Quarters]

Hello All
I'm think of trading in my Accuracy International .308 and having a bash at F Class.

What is the best calibre to use? I know you can have anything up to 8mm but what is the best/most realistic one to shoot? I won't be home loading so I'll have to buy.

Also what's the barrel life on the different options. I want some ideas of what I want before I go and talk to Mik. I only shoot at Bisley from 600yards to 1000 yards.

Thanks

[Maggot]

Hello All
I'm think of trading in my Accuracy International .308 and having a bash at F Class.

What is the best calibre to use? I know you can have anything up to 8mm but what is the best/most realistic one to shoot? I won't be home loading so I'll have to buy.

Also what's the barrel life on the different options. I want some ideas of what I want before I go and talk to Mik. I only shoot at Bisley from 600yards to 1000 yards.

Thanks

Why not have a go at FTR with your accuracy?

It will give you a get out option if you keep it, F class can be a bit of a bottomless pit and to be honest, you may well need to hand load to get the accuracy for F Open (or FTR).

Better still....Ask Mik Mak.....

[mag41uk]

I was shooting last week at 800 and 900 with a guy who just got a Savage model 12 308 FTR (?)
What a tack driver! He was rarely out the V!
You could buy HPS ammo and off you go.
Worth a look.

BTW What length barrel on your AI ?

[Quarters]

Hi
The AI has a 30 inch barrel.
I am worried about the bottomless pit part of F class! Just interested in getting a picture of the running cost per year. I know I can afford F/TR but I wanted to get some numbers in head about F Class in relation to the cost per round and barrel life.

[Maggot]

I was shooting last week at 800 and 900 with a guy who just got a Savage model 12 308 FTR (?)
What a tack driver! He was rarely out the V!
You could buy HPS ammo and off you go.
Worth a look.

BTW What length barrel on your AI ?

V of what, F class target or NRA? The F bull is .5MOA Expected accuracy for competition is sub .5 MOA as if the conditions are flat, many will hold the V out to 900.

The real test comes at 1000+ sadly.

[Maggot]

Hi
The AI has a 30 inch barrel.
I am worried about the bottomless pit part of F class! Just interested in getting a picture of the running cost per year. I know I can afford F/TR but I wanted to get some numbers in head about F Class in relation to the cost per round and barrel life.

Reckon on a pound a bang+ for FTR (That was the ball park when I binned it a year or two ago factoring in barrel life as well).

Barrel life (If you are not silly...most are) circa 3-4000 (remaining accurate enough to compete). Some of the open class lot are burning a barrel a season.

A lot of the league stuff is 900/1000 (other than Diggle as far as I remember).

Shoots are usually 2+15 or 2+20.

If it were me I would enter a fun shoot or an F class club shoot with what you have (My club, the Dorset riflemen shoot at Bisley regularly and have some very good effers amongst them (Team GB Open and FTR)), then see what it takes and costs to be competitive.

If you take is seriously the cost really is quite shocking, but its a great discipline if its your thing. I enjoyed it until I started taking it serioulsy

[Matt]

What Maggot said (all of it )

Go and give it a try before splashing out anymore, warning though - it's very addictive and frustrating at the same time but very rewarding if you like a challenge

Give it a go, see if you get hooked and then go and see Mik when you can shoot FTR better than your AI will (yes I know how good AI are before anyone starts )

Plenty to learn before buying a new rifle and getting dragged into it if that's what you want to do, all the F Class boys and girls are really helpful so there's plenty to learn clapclap

[Quarters]

Thanks for your helpful responses.

[RDC]

Out of interest, why don't you wish to reload? All those I have spoken to who do F class stuff insist load development is a must, otherwise it's not worth bothering as you simply won't get the accuracy and consistency required.

All a bit too serious for me, but I can see why some enjoy it.

[RobB]

As someone who has just started FTR (Bisley over the bank holiday was my first competition) I can confirm Maggot's costs....about £1 a shot but I think reloading is almost a must. It's difficult enough trying to hit something the size of a CD at 1000yrds with the wind blowing without random vertical changes.
Saying that though, last week vertical was the least of my worries....aiming off 11ft was!

Some of the clubs at Bisley have reloading facilities so you could use their equipment if needed.

Ring Mik at Dolphin. Very helpful even if you don't buy a rifle from him.