Stecker Succeeds at SWN with Radical Benchrest-type F-TR Rig
Most F-TR rifles are essentially prone rifles adapted for use with bipod and rear bags. They feature prone or tactical-style stocks designed to allow a firm grip on the gun, with cheek, hand, and shoulder contact. This has worked very well. Unquestionably, a skilled F-TR shooter can achieve outstanding scores with such a configuration — it works. However, “there’s more than one way to skin a cat”.
At the Berger Southwest Nationals, Eric Stecker introduced a new type of rifle, and a new type of gun-handling, to the F-TR ranks. Shooting “free-recoil” style* (i.e. with virtually no contact on his rifle) Eric managed to finished second overall in F-TR (with the highest X-count), beating some past national champions in the process. Thinking “outside the box” worked for Stecker in Phoenix. The success of Eric’s benchrest-style rifle and shooting technique definitely drew the attention of other F-TR shooters.
Click photo to zoom
| VOICE FILE: Eric Stecker Talks About the SWN and his Radical F-TR Rifle. |
Eric’s F-TR rig was built by John Pierce using a stiff, light Scoville carbon-fiber stock. The stock is so light that Eric’s rifle came in 1.5 pounds under the F-TR maximum weight limit (8.25kg or 18.18 pounds). The gun features a Pierce action, Bartlein barrel, Jewell trigger, and a Gen 1 Nightforce 15-55X52mm Comp scope. From the get-go, Eric’s strategy was to “aim small” and shoot his rig like a bench-gun. He actually focused on shooting really small groups rather that just trying to keep shots within scoring rings and “hold waterline”. With a .308 Win that could shoot bugholes at 100 yards, this strategy paid off.
Rifle builder John Pierce explains the thinking behind this rifle: “The stock choice was mine — I had built two prototype rifles last year based on the premise that the game is Benchrest in the prone position. I still feel very strongly regarding [this concept]. I chose Bob Scoville for obvious reasons — he is an artisan and his stocks have won so much, they just flat work. We built Eric the latest configuration along these lines, and the tool worked for him. Without a doubt, Eric is a shooter, and we were all pleased to watch him perform so well.”
Eric sets up rifle before match. During live fire his hands do not contact the stock.
Eric employed a benchrest-style shooting technique with his F-TR rig — he shot pretty much free recoil, with no cheek pressure, no hand contact, and just a “whisper” of shoulder contact. Eric explains: “I shoot what’s called ‘free recoil’. Now the rifle is butted up against my shoulder very lightly, but no other part of my body touches the rifle except for my finger on the trigger.” Eric has even used this technique when shooting a 7mm cartridge in F-Open at other matches: “Someone suggested that this style wasn’t possible with the larger [7mm] cartridges, but I found it very successful so I continue to do it that way.”
| VOICE FILE: Eric Stecker Talks About Shooting F-TR with Benchrest Technique. |
Eric also employed an unconventional strategy — he was focused on shooting small groups (not just holding ring values): “Since I have started shooting F-Class, I treat [the target] like a benchrest target. What I mean by that is that I regard the center as my first shot, and so my objective is to create the smallest group. So, I will hold whatever… is required to end up with the bullet ending up in the center — that’s probably true of any F-Class shooter, but I guess the perspective’s a little different when you have a benchrest background.” Eric explained that “maybe I aim a little smaller than others might”, because in the benchrest game, “the slightest miss ends up costing you quite dearly”.
Click to Zoom Photo (This is not Eric Stecker’s rifle, but a “sistership” built by John Pierce.)
Eric Talks about F-TR Trends
Will other F-TR shooters build rifles suited for free-recoil-style shooting? Eric isn’t sure: “I don’t know if this type of rifle is the future of F-TR. I shoot a lot of benchrest, so putting those kinds of components into an F-TR gun made a lot of sense to me. One thing I like about F-TR is that there are a lot of different types of approaches being tried and some of them are successful. So I think it’s still pretty wide-open[.] But I think the really great part of what we found at the Southwest Nationals is that shooting [with] a benchrest-style approach certainly doesn’t hurt you. What I mean by that is … aiming small, trying to make the group as tight as possible rather than trying to hit a particular area. I actually tried to shoot tight groups — that was a focus and that worked for me — I had quite a high X-Count.” NOTE: Eric finished with 51 Xs, 14 more than F-TR Grand Agg winner Radoslaw Czupryna (37X). James Crofts had the second highest X-Count with 48 Xs.
Even Berger’s Boss did pit duty at the Berger SW Nationals.
*”Free Recoil” style shooting has its variations. Some would say “pure free recoil” would not even allow shoulder contact. Eric Stecker lightly touches the back of the stock with his shoulder.
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Tags: Benchrest, Berger, Bob Scoville, carbon fiber, F-TR, John Pierce, Pheonix, Soutwest Nationals, SWN
which bipod is that? It looks familiar, but I can’t place it.
I’m guessing a Rempel.
Looks like a Phoenix bipod to me. This is an example of doing well in spite of the equipment. He is an excellent shooter and would have likely done much better with a prone stock. Either way, well done!
I think the point of the article is that a prone stock did not work for Eric. He built an F/TR rifle using a stock style that “he” was comfortable with and thought would make him successful. Obviously in this match that proved true. And yes the bipod is the excellent Phoenix Precision bipod.
@Ryan, are you being facetious or do you actually think that? I seriously doubt the style of stock would have made a bit of difference. As Chris points out, using a style of stock that is comfortable for you is likely far more important.
I like the choice myself. Scoville stocks are extremely ridged and straight. I wouldn’t know, but one would have to think the bi pod would actually handicap this type of stock. Shoot that set up in the open class off a front rest, and then you would gain full benefit.
I shoot my LV scoville rifles in 6ppc at our local 300 yard f-class matches, and I usually clean the target. Great read, and thanks for sharing this. Lee
Where does the NRA rule 3.4.1 #2 and 2b come into play?
I wish to thank Eric Stecker and Radoslaw Czupryna for the fine performance , very happy customers and great shooters…
Rad came first and Eric on his heels.
First off Congrats to Eric for some terrific shooting.
We all can rightly assume Eric was using Berger bullets, but I’d like to know which one?
Again, Congratulations Eric!
Danny Reever
ICFRA rules state for pure Target Rifle (iron sights) under (T2.6) that the stock may be made from any material and shaped so as to be comfortable for the shooter.
For F-TR there is no such rule as the inference has been that the stock will be derived from TR. But it does not have to be as the only real rule is that the F-TR rifle should weigh no more than 8.25 kg.
So it is a very interesting equation now – find the lightest components so you get get the best barrel. Build the rifle around the barrel and use a carbon fiber stock, March scope, alum rings, cut back bipod etc etc…
Bingo……
Stock weight 22 oz
Titanium action. 22oz
Bipod HD Because we can. 2.2 lbs Phoenix
Scope heavy if you like but NF = 27.8 oz
Barrel…..
Very heavy…..and 30+ if you want
And rifle is still 1.5 under weight.
Stiff straight tracking stock and heavy barrel and
accessories…..
And it works for me and Eric !!!
Nice shooting Eric
John Pierce
I had never shot F-TR until I was in MI visiting Bryan. I didn’t have a rifle with me so John Pierce lent me a project rifle he was working on. I won the match so needless to say I was happy with the rifle. So I asked John to build me one for the SWN. Until I shot the match in MI I had no plans to shoot F-TR so I hadn’t considered any other rifle stock options.
I suspect the BR style stock helped in how the gun tracked through recoil but I have no experience with prone stocks in F-TR so they may perform the same. All I know is I’m used to not touching the rifle and the low profile Scoville let’s me do that while being very rigid.
I shot the Team Michigan load which uses 215 gr Hybrid Target bullets.
Oh, and it is a Phoenix bi-pod with a modification. John moved part of the bi-pod down because this set up didn’t allow the rifle to get low enough in the bi-pods original configuration.