So, F Class, what's it all about then?

[Dougan]

Cheers for the link 20series, thats answered all my questions :P

...no I do have a few.... :)

Ovenpaa: You posted a picture of your (or Crystals') rifle (can find the topic now) - I think you said it was a 'wildcat' - in the link it specifically mentioned the wildcat when pushing high velocities....what is particular about the wildcat?

Also, there was another F class topic when you were talking about putting a bipod on your rifle, and considering the weight - why use (and add weight that could be used elsewhere) a bipod when you can use rests and sand bags...is there an advantage to a bipod?

[20series]

Cheers for the link 20series, thats answered all my questions :P

...no I do have a few.... :)

Ovenpaa: You posted a picture of your (or Crystals') rifle (can find the topic now) - I think you said it was a 'wildcat' - in the link it specifically mentioned the wildcat when pushing high velocities....what is particular about the wildcat?

Also, there was another F class topic when you were talking about putting a bipod on your rifle, and considering the weight - why use (and add weight that could be used elsewhere) a bipod when you can use rests and sand bags...is there an advantage to a bipod?

With the F-TR rule you're limited to a fixed bipod, as oppesed to the non attahced machine rests that the open class use, as I said earlier the total weight of the Rifle, Scope and Bipod cannot exceed 8.25Kg/18lb2oz so the ideal is to get as near as possible to that weight.

The trouble you can have (I did anyway) is that by adding a long heavy profile barrel you can soon be pushing the max, I had to remove as much as possible from my stock and the tilting mechanism from my Sinclair Bipod, I am now 1 oz in weight.

[Ovenpaa]

The two classes F/TR and F Open have different rules, the weight limit for FO is 10kg for the rifle and anything attached to it, so if you have a bipod attached it is included in the 10kgs, if you use a machine rest it is not included in the 10kgs.

Wildcat means it has an unlisted chambering, as examples:

Christel shoots a 22Christel - this is a 6.5x47 Lapua case necked down to .224" and the shoulder angle is changed, so this is an 'overbore' cartridge. Such a cartridge enables you to push a light bullet very quickly, in her case a .224 80 grain SMK at 3250fps.

I shoot a 7mm Christel, it is a 300 SAUM necked down to 7mm again with a modified shoulder angle this time using a 7mm/.284 180 grain bullet.

Both classes are huge fun however with FO you can shoot cartridges other than .223/.308 so in theory you can use higher BC bullets at higher speeds to give more accuracy. I say in theory as some of the F/TR shooters are every bit as accurate as the FO shooters.

[Watcher]

Is the essence of F Class the 'shooting' or the 'loading'? Given the bipods, telescopes etc many of the variables in the shooting have been removed (although obviously not all). Is it more to do with the selection and loading of the ammunition?

[Ovenpaa]

Is the essence of F Class the 'shooting' or the 'loading'? Given the bipods, telescopes etc many of the variables in the shooting have been removed (although obviously not all). Is it more to do with the selection and loading of the ammunition?

A combination of both, you are not using issue ammunition so you can build ammunition to suit your rifle and the distances shot, equally you need to be able to shoot and read the wind. A good example is Bisley, if you a master of Stickledown wind or have shot on it many times in TR or any discipline then you will have a significant advantage.

[Dougan]

OK this is starting to make more sense :idea:

So with changing the 'shoulder' on the case/chamber? - Do you decide what round you intend to use, and have the chamber made for the round, or make a round to fit the chamber? Is there an 'ideal angle' for the shoulder, or is it decided by which caliber you are 'necking down' to/from? Then, if you design you own round, how do you make it (bespoke dies?), or are you restricted to dies that are available? And what about the brass?

As for skill - I reckon there is an 'overlap' between TR and F class - both have the basic shooting skills - a good eye, the understanding of consistent shot taking...plus, the all important, judging of the wind. Then TR has the separate skills of holding the rifle on a sling, and using open sights - Where as F class has the separate skills of using a scope, and loadind ammunition.

[Watcher]

Is it only a long range thing? I noticed that the guys were happily getting down at 300 yards last Sunday but what I've read seems to indicate that F Class is really a 1,000 yard game?

In thinking about the 'loading' verses 'shooting' question the implication is that as you move from TR to F/TR to 'free rifle'(?) you are moving more towards the 'loading' being the critical skill.

[Ovenpaa]

The 22C was based on quite a long discussion with Sanselm of this forum. He had built something similar before based on the Swiss Match 6x47 which has a large primer so had first hand knowledge of what we were looking for, I outlined what it had to be, ie use a .224" bullet and get to 1200 yards and look like a normal rifle, 90 minutes later we had the basis of a rifle sketched out.

One important thing with such a rifle is understanding how to modify and build the cases, quite a daunting task first time round. I write step by step details of case preparation and build so I can always refer to it later on and based on this I was a lot more comfortable with the build for the 7mmC which uses significantly modified cases as well.

A good grounding in TR or MR will certainly set you up nicely for F Class.

EDIT - F Class is shot from 300 to 1200 yards in the UK

[Dougan]

The 22C was based on quite a long discussion with Sanselm of this forum. He had built something similar before based on the Swiss Match 6x47 which has a large primer so had first hand knowledge of what we were looking for, I outlined what it had to be, ie use a .224" bullet and get to 1200 yards and look like a normal rifle, 90 minutes later we had the basis of a rifle sketched out.

One important thing with such a rifle is understanding how to modify and build the cases, quite a daunting task first time round. I write step by step details of case preparation and build so I can always refer to it later on and based on this I was a lot more comfortable with the build for the 7mmC which uses significantly modified cases as well.

A good grounding in TR or MR will certainly set you up nicely for F Class.

EDIT - F Class is shot from 300 to 1200 yards in the UK

I hope you dont mind the incesant questions But what brass do you start with, and what are the steps to producing the finnished round - do you use dies, or other engineering?

[Ovenpaa]

The principle is similar for both the 22C and 7mm

The simplified version:

For the 7mm I use 300 SAUM brass so first stage is run it through a die that had been cut to size with the rifle chamber reamer, this gives brass that fits the chamber but the internal diameter of the neck is too small and it is not parallel so I run a floating mandrel through it which takes it to .284" ID, then neck turn it to .0125" with a SInclair neck turning tool and a powered drive or alternatively on a small lathe with a sacrificial mandrel. Then trim to length and chamfer the inside and outside of the mouth. Then gently ream the inside to remove any doughnuts and then weigh them to weed out any significant variations. Finally I neck size them to give the correct neck tension.

I build my first load with the bullet jammed into the lands by .020" so the case does not move forward when it is hit by the firing pin and this blows the case to the shape of the chamber.

I need to post some pictures don't I

I am halfway through a batch of new cases and if I get a chance to continue with them this weekend I will take some pictures.