The 6mm GT (aka 6GT) cartridge was conceived as a “bigger Dasher” for PRS and NRL competition. The 6mm GT’s creators wanted 6mm Dasher accuracy and moderate recoil delivered via a cartridge with a slightly longer case body for better mag-feeding, longer neck for seating flexibility, and more moderate pressures. So far the 6GT has performed very well in PRS competition. Today’s story is a bit different — this is about an experiment — running a 6mm GT in an F-TR type rifle. Understand that, under current NRA rules, you may only shoot .223 Rem (5.56×45) or .308 Win (7.62×51), in official, sanctioned F-TR competition, but the 6GT is fine for F-Open. Mike McCasland wanted to see the potential of the cartridge for long-range target shooting, so he put a 6mm GT-chambered Bartlein barrel on a nice custom rifle with McMillan XIT stock and Kelbly F-Class Panda action. The results were impressive.
6mm GT — New Cartridge with Multi-Discipline Potential
Story by Mike McCasland, Texas Precision
The 6mm GT began garnering attention within PRS circles in early 2019. It promised to shoot 105-110gr 6mm bullets at 2950-3000 FPS, yet not suffer from mag-feed issues sometimes found with 6mmBR variants such as the 6 Dasher, 6BRX, and 6BRA. Moreover, since it burned less powder, the 6mm GT promised increased barrel life compared to the 6mm Creedmoor or 6XC. The 6mm GT case size should still work with the accurate powders in the Varget burn-range. I found the 6GT also worked great with H4350.
As someone who aspired to building a repeater and jumping into the PRS game, and had a spare F-TR rifle sitting around, I thought it would be fun to build up a 6mm GT to see if there was any merit to the hype. My smith, Wes Ripley of RIP Precision in Texas, builds a lot of PRS rigs, and already had the reamer on hand (a 0.120″ freebore variant).
Whidden Gunworks had some 6mm GT FL bushing die kits in stock, so I figured why not see what all the fuss was about? At the very least I could play around with the 6mm GT in F-Open Class at local club matches to see how it compared to the 6BRA, 6 Dasher, and other popular 6mm cartridges.
Click image to see video comparison of multiple 6mm cartridges by Quarter Minute Magnums.
How the Project Got Started with Backup F-TR Rig
My 6mm GT build really started as a project spawned purely from COVID-19 Isolation boredom. This rifle primarily serves as a backup F-TR gun, and it had been relegated to performing some load development on .308 barrels, so I could spin new ones on my main match rifle. The only problem was, I had run out of .308 barrels that needed load development. So, I basically had an ideal test platform just collecting dust in the safe. All I needed was a 6mm GT-chambered barrel, since (like the 6mmBR) the 6mm GT works in a short action with a .308 Win-sized bolt-face.
6mm GT Rifle Specifications:
Action: Kelbly Panda F-Class SA RB/RP
Stock: McMillan XIT with RAD 2A
Barrel: 30″ 5R Bartlein 1:7.5″-Twist, HV Contour
Scope: Vortex Golden Eagle 15-60x52mm
Trigger: Jewell Benchrest, about 2 ounces
Bipod: Phoenix Precision
Mike McCasland reports: “I have used both Hornady and Alpha brass in this rifle and haven’t noticed much difference between the two. I will say that my batch of Alpha brass was slightly softer than Alpha brass I’ve used in other calibers; you could feel a difference when neck turning cases. I’m unsure if that’s a batch issue, or something specific to their 6mm GT brass as a whole. As far as performance, there was little discernable difference. Oddly enough, the Hornady brass seemed to have slightly less case capacity than the Alpha; with most other cartridges it’s the other way around.”
In this video, George Gardner of GA Precision talks about the 6mm GT cartridge which he helped develop.
POWDERS — The 6mm GT was designed with Hodgdon Varget in mind, and that popular powder works exceedingly well in this platform. That said, the 6mm GT can work with a wide variety of powders, some yielding better performance than Varget.
I’ve tried a multitude of powders during my initial 6mm GT load development: Varget, Shooters World Precision, RL16, VV N140, H4350, and RL-15 to name a few. In my barrel, Hodgdon H4350 seems to deliver the best velocity/accuracy combination. SD and ES also seemed to be the lowest with H4350.
Load Development for the 6mm GT — Many Powders Tested
BULLETS — The most common 0.120″ freebore chamber allows for the majority of high-BC 6mm projectiles found in both F-Class and PRS. I had good luck with the pointed 107gr Sierra Match Kings (SMK), as well as the 110gr Hornady A-Tips in my rifle. For those looking to run the heavier 112-115 grain 6mm offerings, I believe GAP designed a 0.160″ freebore reamer that gets those bullets out of the neck/shoulder junction. Shown below is the 0.120″ freebore JGS reamer print:
SUMMARY — Good Cartridge with Much Potential
Generally speaking, I think the 6mm GT is a good little round. Some may not subscribe to this theory, but I believe some cartridges are inherently easier to tune than others. I’m not sure the 6mm GT is as easy-to-tune as a 6mmBR, 6 Dasher, or 6 BRA, but I don’t think it lags that far behind.
With relatively little trouble, I was able to find loads with both Varget and H4350 that would consistently shoot very well — 0.2 to 0.3 MOA. Moreover, I found the 6GT cartridge lives up to the velocity claims made by G.A. Precision. I was easily able to push the 110gr A-Tips to 2950 FPS, and the 107gr SMKs to low 3000 FPS range without any pressure signs, or unnecessary wear and tear on the brass.
As a fun test, I ran my 6mm GT rifle in a local 1000-yard F-Class match with the 110gr A-Tips, just to see just how well they would perform. Although wind conditions of the day and some E-Target issues prevented my 6mm GT rig from getting the better of the larger 7mm and .30-Cal rifles, the 6mm GT proved itself an accurate little round at distance. Here is a 1000-yard ShotMarker target:
After putting several hundred rounds through my 6mm GT rifle, I anticipate building another 6GT on a repeater action to give PRS a try. I think if you are looking for a dual-purpose rifle that can run tactical matches (with 100% feeding reliability), and can also be used for mid-range, F-Open Class competition, the 6mm GT would be a very good option.
About the author, Mike McCasland:
Mike McCasland is an avid shooter who competes regularly in F-Class matches. Based in Texas, Mike is the creator of the Texas Precision YouTube Channel. There you’ll find many videos covering reloading, gun projects, and marksmanship. Mike has done some notable product reviews including a comparison test of Micrometer Competition Seating Dies. To access Mike’s YouTube Channel, CLICK HERE.
Here’s a handy training option for F-Class shooters. Forum member SleepyGator is an F-Class competitor, but there are no long-distance ranges close to his home. Accordingly, he wanted some “reduced-distance” targets he could use at 300 yards for practice. There IS an official reduced-distanced standard for 300-yard F-Class matches. This utilizes the NRA No. MR-63FC – F-Class Target Center which is pasted over the MR-63 target. It provides a 1.42″ X-Ring, 2.85″ 10-Ring, and 5.85″ Nine-Ring. We offer some free targets you can print out for use at 300 yards. The dimensions of F-Class targets are found in the NRA High Power Rules, Sec. 22, part 4, page 70-71 — see sample below.
To duplicate the 300-yard target, SleepyGator made a printable version of the MR-63FC Target Center, along with a pair of training targets with two bulls and five bulls. The two-bull and five-bull targets mirror the scoring rings on the MR-63FC, but they display only the innermost three rings and two rings respectively. All three targets are Adobe PDF files that can be easily printed.
NOTE: You may need to adjust the scale (sizing) on your printer to get the dimensions exactly correct. As noted above, when printed, the 10-Ring on all three targets should measure 2.85″. This should provide some handy practice targets you can use between matches. Thanks to SleepyGator for providing these targets. You can download all three as a .Zip archive. After downloading the .Zip file, just click on the .Zip archive to extract the individual targets.
The 2025 European F-Class Championships took place September 1-8, 2025 at the famed NRA Bisley Shooting Centre in the United Kingdom. Hundreds of talented competitors attended the match, with shooters from the USA finishing at the top in both F-Open and F-TR class.
Here’s a report from the NRA UK Facebook Page: “That’s a wrap on the F-Class European Championship. As the biggest F-Class event in the world, it brought together the finest shooters to test their skills at our very own National Shooting Centre, Bisley. It was a true testament to the skill and dedication of every competitor, with Bisley’s Stickledown Range living up to its reputation as a challenging and dynamic range. The wind and conditions were relentless, but so were the competitors.
A huge well done to all the competitors who travelled from across the world to participate. And thank you to the incredible NRA staff and volunteers who made the event possible. We are so proud to have hosted this prestigious event at the National Shooting Centre and we are already looking forward to hosting the World Championships in 2026.”
Stunning rainbow on the Stickledown range at Bisley, England, UK.
F-Class competitors on the firing line. CLICK HERE for more information about the famed Stickledown range at the NRA UK Bisley Centre.
The 2025 European F-Class Championships drew hundreds of shooters from around the globe, many from outside Europe. Top competitors from the USA wanted to gain experience at the challenging Stickledown range because the 2025 WORLD Championships will be held at the same venue. It was a demanding match, with very tough weather conditions during some sessions. CLICK HERE for full Individual and Team Results at 2025 Euro F-Class Championships.
Top 20 Finishers at 2025 European F-Class Championships
Congrats to F-Open Champion Peter Johns, who surpassed runner-up John Murphy of Ireland by 4 points. American shooters took three of the top five places in the F-Open competition.
Praise to F-TR winner Tracy Hogg, who edged second-place Dale Lucy by 3 points. Americans took four of the top five place in the F-TR championships.
American Tracy Hogg Wins 2025 European F-TR Title
SEB Lambang, creator of SEB Rests and Joypod-X joystick bipods, posted: “Congratulations to Tracy Hogg for winning the 2025 F-TR European Championship!” Tracy, shown below with his awards, posted: “I’ll have to be honest I should have started years ago (using the Joypod-X). It really helped being able to move across the target so quickly in those tricky winds in Bisley”.
Report from John Murphy (2nd Place, F-Open)
American F-Open competitor John Murphy posted this report: “Finally back home and unpacked after an incredible week at the European F-Class Championship in Bisley. I’m thrilled to have finished 2nd overall [in F-Open], shooting through some of the toughest conditions I’ve ever faced and competing against many of the best in the world. Congratulations to Peter Johns on taking 1st place — he’s not only a world-class shooter but also a true gentleman.
A big thank you to Richie, the GBFCA, and the entire crew for organizing such a fantastic event. And of course, to my teammates, who made me proud in both the Team Matches and the America’s Cup. Already looking forward to seeing everyone again next August for the World Championships!”
Here’s a video report from Erik Cortina, who finished 7th overall in F-Open:
Rifle Images from the 2025 European F-Class Championships
F-TR competitor with alloy stock. Note the extremely low-profile bipod mounted close to bore axis. That helps minimize twist/roll on recoil.
F-Class competitors on the firing line. All shooters shown here had laminated wood stocks.
F-Open shooter with SEB NEO-X Front Rest. This rest folds compactly for transport yet is extremely stable during shooting, with superb joystick control.
Lady F-TR competitor with a handsome gold snakeskin pattern on her stock, with matching gold bolt shaft.
This rifle called “Sindy” features a leopard print on multicolour metallic. Very handsome. SEB Lambang posted: “Thank you Wendy LFree for sharing this lovely pix and for using my products!”
Heavy Rain and High Winds at Stickledown — Challenging Conditions
There were significant rainstorms during the 2025 F-Class Championship. Competitors needed tough wet-weather gear, and rainguards over their ammo and scoresheets. It was also wise to protect your scopes from moisture so that raindrops did not obscure the lens views.
The 2025 Great Britain F-Class Association (GBFCA) European F-Class Championships take place in the United Kingdom this week from September 2-7, 2025. This match will feature hundreds of F-Open and F-TR competitors. The 2025 “Euros” will be the largest F-Class event ever to be held at the world-famous Stickledown range at the Bisley Camp in the UK, the home of the UK National Rifle Association since 1890. Vihtavuori, Lapua and Berger, known for their world-class reloading powders, brass, ammunition and bullets will be platinum sponsors for the 2025 GBFCA European F-Class Championships.
The Championships are expected to bring more than 400 top shooters (from over 20 countries) to compete in F-TR and F-Open classes. The event consists of both individual and team matches at 800, 900 and 1,000 yard daily aggregates, and Grand Aggregates on Friday and Saturday.
With the ‘Euros’ taking place less than 12 months before the 2026 F-Class World Championships, also at Bisley, the organizers are expecting a very high level of competition. The world’s top shooters are taking this timely opportunity to experience the famous Stickledown range as part of their preparations for 2026.
Conditions were challenging earlier in the week — with heavy rains during the competition. But then the skies cleared, revealing a double rainbow. Photos courtesy March Scopes UK.
The European F-Class Championship event is run by the GB F-Class Association. “We’re really thrilled to extend our partnership with these top brands as main sponsors. Working together to create this successful event strengthens the shooting community and offers great development opportunities for our sport”, said Richard Jones, GBFCA committee Chairman.
“The GBFCA European F-Class Championships is one of the world’s long-range shooting highlights. We’re excited and proud to support this event that brings together the world’s top F-class shooters”, states Vihtavuori, Lapua, and Berger Sales & Marketing Manager Olof Borgstrom. Vihtavuori, Lapua and Berger are part of Nammo Group, a leading supplier of high-quality ammunition for military, LEO, and sporting use.
To learn about the 2025 European F-Class Championships, visit GBFclass.com.
The 2025 F-Class Nationals took place recently at the Winnequah Range in Wisconsin. The match was run superbly with an excellent target system. Competitor John Masek, who finish 10th in F-Open, noted: “Congrats to all the winners in both Mid and Long Range — there were no ‘gimme’ matches the whole week. It was an awesome match and the folks at Winnequah put on a hell of a match. We had hundreds of devices on the Shotmarker system at one time and I don’t remember it ever going down because of it. Great weather and a tricky tricky range led to all kinds of shake-ups each day especially as long range went on.” The winds did become challenging on the final day said Winnequah staffer Kevin Liebetrau.
The Winnequah Gun Club in Lodi, Wisconsin, hosted the NRA F-Class National Championships from August 2nd to 9th, attracting top-tier competitors. This premier event has two main categories: F-Open and F-TR, each with specific equipment and caliber rules. The championship employed ShotMarker Electronic Target Systems for real-time scoring at both Mid-Range (600 yards) and Long-Range (1000 yards).
F-Class Long Range Nationals Top 10 Finishers, F-Open and F-TR
Congratulations to Ryan Mitchell for winning the 2025 F-Open Long-Range Nationals.
Congratulations to Keith Trapp for winning the F-TR Long-Range Nationals for the second time!
Team Competition at the F-Class Nationals
Here is a video from the Long Range Teams Match.
In Team Competition, the Bayou Boys won F-Open with a 1578-72X score with Team Lapua just six Xs behind with 1578-66X. In F-TR division, Team USA F-TR Berger took the title with a 1542-33X score. In second was Team USA F-TR Vihtavuori with a 1527-36X score.
SEE: F-Open Team Results; F-TR Team Results.
Keith Trapp Wins F-TR LR National Championship
Team Lapua’s Keith Trapp won the F-TR division of the USA F-Class Long Range National Championship, with an impressive 1558-58X Aggregate score. This marks Trapp’s second F-Class National Championship win. Trapp won his first F-Class Long Range title in 2022, and his first Mid-Range title in 2023.
“I’m incredibly proud of this win,” said Trapp. “The competition was fierce, but my equipment, particularly the Berger bullets, Vihtavuori powder, and Lapua cases, performed flawlessly, giving me the confidence I needed to perform at my best. It’s truly an honor to win this title for a second time.”
Keith Trapp’s confidence was significantly aided by his choice of ammunition. He relied on Berger 200.20X bullets, propelled by Vihtavuori N150 powder, loaded into Lapua .308 Win Palma cases. Trapp is set to compete this September on the international stage at the upcoming European F-Class Nationals.
Top F-TR finishers in the Long Range Competition. Dale Lucy on left, and Keith Conrad on right. First-place finisher Keith Trapp holds the trophy. Keith won the title the hard way, overcoming a crossfire on Day One. This was a great performance.
Dale Lucy’s F-TR Rifle with Barrel Tuner and SEB Joy-Pod front joystick-adjustable bipod.
Competitor Mike Cateena noted that there was “challenging weather this week for the 2025 US F-Class National Championship and amazingly the rain held off until the finish of the last day.” Mike added: “And congratulations to all the winners and a huge congratulations to the USA F-TR Rifle team — you guys absolutely crushed it at Nationals this year! And thank you Winnequah Gun Club for doing an amazing job at hosting this year’s F-Class Nationals and thank you Criterion Barrels, Inc., Krieger Barrels and Brux Barrels, LLC for supporting the match.”
Competitor F-Class John, who finished 10th in the Long Range event, said the match was run really well and the support services provided to competitors were excellent.
2025 Mid-Range F-Class Nationals Results
The 2025 F-Class Mid-Range Nationals were held August 2-5 at the Winnequah Range. Remarkably, the top five F-Open shooters all finished with 1796 points, dropping only 4 points in nine stages, earning 1796 out of 1800 possible points. Randy Snook won the F-Open Class shooting a 6BRA with a 1796-127X score, winning the title on X-count. Here are the scores for the top five Mid-Range F-0pen shooters: Randy Snook 1796-127X; Brad Johnson 1796-118X; Johnny Ingram 1796-117X; Andy Amber 1796-116X; Dave Lyons 1796-106X.
The top five Mid-Range competitors all finished with 1796 points, dropping just 4 points on 180 targets!
In the F-TR Division (limited to .223 Rem and .308 Win), Gabriel Gavrock secured the 2025 Mid-Range Title with a 1785-100X Score. In second was Lusty Leo Cebula with a 1782-94X score. Finishing third was David Schmidt with 1781-97X. It’s notable that Gabe Gavrock (below left in photo) is just 19 years old — so this is a great start to his marksmanship career. Gabe is a member of the Under-25 United States Rifle Team. He is the only junior to ever win a USA F-Class Nationals event.
Team Lapua’s Keith Trapp Makes History at the 2025 Southwest Nationals
Keith Trapp, talented member of Team Lapua, has etched his name in history by claiming his third Southwest Nationals F-Class Target Rifle (F-TR) LR Championship with a Grand Aggregate score of 1237-72X. It was a great performance. Keith finished 3 points ahead of second-place Oleg Savelyev (1234-48X), but with 24 more Xs! (The next highest X-count was fourth-place Alen Tempke with 1223-54X.)
Trapp competed with a .308-Win chambered rifle, utilizing Lapua .308 Winchester Palma brass, Vihtavuori N150 powder, and Berger 200.20X Hybrid Target bullets.
The 2025 Southwest Nationals took place from February 12-16 at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, Arizona. Hosted by the Desert Sharpshooters Rifle Club, this prestigious annual event attracted over 350 competitors across Sling, F-Open, and F-TR categories. CLICK HERE for full F-TR individual results.
Trapp not only earned him the championship title but he also coached the USA F-TR Vortex team to a strong second-place finish with a score of 2556-106X, which tied first-place Berger F-TR team (1556-125X) on points. Led by team captain Ian Klemm, the F-TR Vortex squad featured Drew Rutherford, Brad Sauve, Tracy Hogg, Mike Francis, Luke Ramsey, and Trapp himself.
2025 Southwest Nationals F-TR Individual and Team Top Five
F-TR Long Range Top 5 Individual
KEITH TRAPP 1237-72X *MW*
OLEG SAVELYEV 1234-48X
NIKLAS MONTIN 1227-49X
ALLEN TAMPKE 1223-54X
BRAD SAUVE 1223-47X HiSr
F-TR Long Range Top Five Teams
USA F-TR BERGER 2556-125X
USA F-TR VORTEX 2556-106X
GUN RUNNERS 2551-117X
TEAM USA VIHTAVUORI 2543-114X
SPIN DRIFTERS 2526-102X
“We congratulate Keith on this momentous achievement,” said Morgan Joy-Twenter, Capstone’s Director of Communications. “This past weekend, he made history as the only shooter to ever win the F-T/R Championship at the Southwest Nationals three times!” Watch the interview below to hear Keith talk about the 2025 SWN event:
Modern F-TR rifle looking down-range at Ben Avery Shooting Facility.
The F-Class Target Rifle (F-TR) category has strict regulations, requiring a rifle to weigh no more than 18 pounds with bipod. See an example above. Additionally, chambers must remain unmodified and use a standard .308 Win /7.62 NATO or .223 Rem/5.56 NATO cartridge.
2025 SWN F-TR champ Keith Trapp has won the Southwest Nationals LR match three times. Here he is shown after his impressive 2022 victory. That year Keith scored 1233-62X, winning by five points with high X-count among all F-TR shooters.
About Lapua Lapua produces superb-quality brass, cartridges, and components for civilian and professional use. In the USA, Lapua products are exclusively imported by Capstone Precision Group, the official distributor for Berger, Lapua, Vihtavuori, and SK-Rimfire products.
The 2025 Southwest Nationals (SWN) concluded yesterday at the Ben Avery Range outside Phoenix. The individual long-range matches were held for F-Open, F-TR, and Sling shooters. There was a good turn-out, particularly in the F-Open class. The match was very challenging at the end, with strong winds (see Brandon Green short video below). Along with the individual competitions there were team matches for F-Open, F-TR, and Sling (Palma/Optic) Teams. The weekend featured individual and team matches at 1000 yards on Saturday and Sunday. This was preceded by multi-distance (800, 900, 1000 yard) events on Thursday (Team) and Friday (Individual). EDITOR’s NOTE: We are still awaiting the final published results for some events. We will update/correct the information when available.
Shown above are Tim Vaught (left) and Keith Trapp, winners in F-Open and F-TR classes respectively. Congratulations to Tim (F-Open) and Keith (F-TR) for their first-place finishes among very tough competition. Well done!
2025 SWN Long-Range Match, Individual Results
2025 Southwest Nationals F-Open, F-TR, Sling 600-Yard Top 10
F-Open LR Top Ten
TIM VAUGHT 1245-66X *MW*
ROBERT MASSINGILL 1241-59X
DOUG SKOGMAN 1240-62X
ALAN KULCAK 1239-65X
WILLIAM KOLODZIEJ 1236-82X
JOSEPH FAIRLEY 1236-62X HiGS
SCOTT MCNEELY 1235-75X
PETER JOHNS 1235-69X
SHANE HOWETH 1235-68X
JOSHUA MASSINGILL 1235-62X HiJr
F-TR LR Top Ten
KEITH TRAPP 1237-72X *MW*
OLEG SAVELYEV 1234-48X
NIKLAS MONTIN 1227-49X
ALLEN TAMPKE 1223-54X
BRAD SAUVE 1223-47X HiSr
JEREMY NEWELL 1223-40X
ERIC BISSON 1222-53X
ALAN BARNHART 1221-50X
BENOIT VAUTOUR 1221-50X
TRACY HOGG 1220-39X
SLING LR Top Ten
BOBBY GILL A 791-33X *MW*
DAVID LUCKMAN P 790-35X
JUSTIN SKARET A 790-33X
MICHAEL STORER P 788-36X
MIKE KELLEY P 788-34X
JESS MELLEN F 788-28X
LARRY SOLLARS P 787-35X
PHIL HAYES A 787-32X
PARAG PATEL P 787-30X
RYAN HAYES P 786-30X
Forum member Johnnyi praised the folks who worked hard to run this major match: “Thank you so much to all of the volunteers organizers and staff who run one of the best matches in the country. So many friendly and welcoming faces! Much much appreciated in donating your time away from your families to put on this event!”
The Southwest Nationals is one of the few American events where sling shooters compete on the same firing line as F-Class competitors (though in separate groups).
2025 SWN Long-Range Match, TEAM Results
2025 Southwest Nationals F-Open, F-TR, Sling TEAM Results
USA F-TR BERGER 2556-125X
USA F-TR VORTEX 2556-106X
GUN RUNNERS 2551-117X
TEAM USA VIHTAVUORI 2543-114X
SPIN DRIFTERS 2526-102X
SLING LR Top Five
USNRT FRIGUGLIETTI 2570-115X
USNRT-VFB THEURER 2560-119X
USNRT MRNAK 2557-127X
THREE MEN & A BABY 2556-125X
USNRT GROSS 2546-107X
Congrats to the Winning Teams in F-Open, F-TR, and Sling disciplines: F-Open, Bayou Boyz
Captain: Neil Woody, Coach: Peter Johns
Johnny Ingram, Joseph Fairley, Pat Wood, Alan Kulcak, Michael Kurtz
F-TR, Team USA F-TR Berger
Captain: Charles Rowe, Coach: Jim Crofts
Robert Garibay, Todd Strasavich, Kimberly Rowe, Oleg Savelyev, Adam Husted
SLING (Palma), USNRT Friguglietti
Captain: Justin Utley, Coach: John Friguglietti
Michael Storer, Curtis Gordon, Trudie Fay, Benjamin Lucchesi, John Friguglietti
Interview with 2025 F-Open Winner Tim Vaught and Range View Video at Ben Avery:
Here are two members of winning Team USA F-TR Berger with Brandon Green (at left). Brandon posted: “Helping good friends celebrate their F-TR team win yesterday. Great job guys!”
The SWN was made possible this year through the participation of three dozen sponsors including Berger, Lapua, Vihtavuori, Applied Ballistics, BAT Machine, Brux Barrels, SEB Rests, Lilja Barrels, F-Class Products, Borden Accuracy, McMillen Stocks, Whidden Gunworks, 21st Century, Sightron, PMA Tool, Kelbly’s, Creedmoor Sports, Doan Trevor, Nightforce, SW Action Works and many other companies.
Photo by Nancy Tompkins near Ben Avery Shooting Facility in 2022. Nancy posted: “Thank you to all of the sponsors, volunteers, and shooters who have traveled from all over… to make this match so special.”
With the major Southwest Nationals competition just 3 days away we thought our readers would enjoy a look at a contemporary F-TR competition rifles campaigned by a talented, multi-discipline lady shooter. Texan Tracy Slayton is a gifted action pistol and 3-Gun competitor who now also competes in F-Class, F-TR Division. Under F-Class rules, F-TR shooters are limited to two caliber types: .223 Rem (5.56 NATO) and .308 Win (7.62x51mm).
A while back, on Facebook, Tracy posted a nice training session with her Krieger-barreled .308 Winchester F-TR rifle. Her rifle features a McMillan composite stock with a SEB JoyStick bipod attached up front. The optic is a Kahles SFP 1/8 MOA zoom optic (10-50x50mm we believe). You can watch her shooting video HERE on her Facebook page. She used a battery-powered, Chamber Chiller fan unit to cool the barrel.
On her Facebook page, Tracy posted: “Very, very windy day today but pulled off a 444/450 18X which is a High Master score. My Krieger barrel is the bomb and my Kahles scope allows me to see that target at 600 yards clearly. My Chamber Chiller really cools my barrel down in between matches and my Stiller action is as smooth as butter.”
Click Photo for short video of Tracy’s shooting session, with shots called on audio:
Match-Winning F-TR .308 Win Load INFO
Texan Tracy Slayton (featured above) did not supply her .308 Win load data for this article. However, we’ve got something even better! For our readers who compete in F-TR, we obtained .308 Win F-TR load information from top F-TR shooter, Peter Johns. A U.S. Navy veteran, Peter won the 2020 Berger SW Nationals F-TR title, after finishing second at that same event in 2019. Here is Peter’s load profile, a very good place to start for any .308 Win F-TR shooter…
F-TR .308 Win Match Load and Reloading Methodology
Loading for .308 Win F-TR — Do What Matters
Peter told us: “My loading technique has evolved almost full circle from where I started. I went from the basics to doing every step a person could conceive. Then I decided to start testing all the different steps to see what didn’t matter or made things worse. I am now back to almost no steps in my reloading process.
I don’t clean brass anymore. I just wipe the case off, lube, size, prime, and load. I anneal when I feel the necks getting inconsistent when seating the bullets. I pre-load all my ammo for matches. I tried seating them at the match but I didn’t find it to matter on the score card and it takes my focus away from conditions.
Peter’s 2020 SWN-winning .308 Win load consists of Berger 200.20X bullets, Lapua Palma brass, Federal 205M primers, and Varget powder. Peter revealed: “The Berger 200-grainers are running in the mid-2600 fps range. I have tried them much faster but found the best consistency at this speed.”
Peter measures powder to the kernel and also weighs/sorts other components. He runs Berger 200.20X bullets slightly off the lands in a 0.170 freebore chamber. Notably he tests a variety of powders, ascertaining each barrel’s particular preference: “In the last few years I have tried N140, N150, H4895, and Varget. I think they are all good powders for F-TR and the 200.20X bullet. This year I was using Varget. At the 2018 SWN I placed 4th with H4895, in 2019 SWN I got 2nd with N140. I find what powder my particular barrel likes best. I also test CCI BR4 and Fed 205M to see which my rifle likes best. This year I was using Fed 205M. I have been using Lapua Palma brass and it seems to last forever.” Peter full-length sizes with a Redding bushing FL die. He seats his Berger bullets with a Wilson inline seater.
Berger Bullets on SALE Now at Creedmoor Sports
Right now Creedmoor Sports is running a major Berger bullet sale. You’ll find many .30-cal Berger match bullet types that work great for .308-caliber F-TR rigs like today’s featured rifle. Berger .30-cal match bullets, ranging from 155gr to 220gr in weight, are currently in stock with many types discounted.
In addition to the .30-cal Bergers, Creedmoor Sports has significant supplies of Berger .17, .20, .223, .243 (6mm), .257, .264 (6.5mm), .270, and .284 (7mm) caliber bullets in stock now at good prices. There are a wide variety of bullet types for various discplines. Choose target hybrids, varmint bullets, Elite Hunters or other bullet types for your next match or hunt.
What’s wrong (or right?) with this picture? Does the “F” in F-class refer to “Fauna”? Look carefully at this Bisley Range photo taken by Australian R. Hurley while looking downrange through his March 8-80X scope. The photo was taken in 2015 at the Bisley National Shooting Centre in the UK.
The Story Behind the Photo
British shooter T. Stewart reports: “I was there when this photos was taken. All I can say was that Mr. Hurley was firmly reminded that should said deer accidentally jump in front of his bullet … he would spend five years ‘At Her Majesty’s Pleasure’.”
“That morning we had five deer moving across the targets, literally blocking the V-Bull. Since we were on the 900-yard Firing Point, and elevated for such, obviously the bullet would pass well above them. But they do NOT move or flinch at the noise or passing bullets since they are not hunted on the Bisley Ranges. Earlier this year we saw a herd of 20 or so deer grazing slowly across the Range.”
More Fauna Findings…
Apparently Bisley is not the only place were “the deer and the antelope play”. In Canada, on the Connaught Ranges near Ottawa, Ontario, shooters often encounter a variety of wildlife. William McDonald from Ontario says: “Animals are a common sight on the Range. Along with deer we see geese, turkeys, and coyotes on a daily basis.”
Likewise, E. Goodacre from Queensland, Australia often sees ‘Roos on his home range: “I shoot at Ripley, Australia, and shooting is regularly interrupted by kangaroos. Our last silhouette match was delayed by an hour while 30 ‘Roos dawdled across — silly buggers!”
R. Hurley wasn’t the first fellow to view deer through his F-Class rifle’s scope. After seeing Hurley’s photo from Bisley, B. Weeks posted this image, saying: “Been there, done that!”
Today we share some smart tips from a past F-Class and Sling Champion who is both a great shooter AND a ballistics wizard. Founder of Applied Ballistics LLC, Bryan Litz is the author of multiple books and creator of advanced Ballistics Software.
Bryan is also a highly skilled competitor. In 2015, Bryan Litz won the F-TR Mid-Range AND Long-Range National Championships hosted at Ben Avery. And at the 2014 Berger SW Nationals (SWN), Bryan took top honors among all sling shooters. If you only know Bryan Litz from his Applied Ballistics Books and DVDs, you may not realize that this guy is a also great marksman along with being an actual rocket scientist!
Given his impressive track record in both F-Class and Palma (Fullbore) out to 1000 yards, we asked Bryan if he had any advice for other long-range competitors.
First Bryan provided three tips concerning Ballistics, his special area of expertise. Next Bryan offered three more general tips about long-range competition — how to analyze your shooting, how to choose your ‘wind strategy’, and how to avoid the most costly mistakes, i.e. how to avoid the “train-wrecks”.
Bryan Litz won the 2015 F-TR Mid-Range and Long-Range Championships with this sleek rig:
Litz Ballistics Tips
Ballistics TIP ONE. If you’re having trouble getting your ballistic software to match actual drops, you need to look at a number of possible reasons. Here are some common issues that can cause problems.
Click Values Are Not Exact. Scopes and iron sights don’t always produce accurate adjustments. In other words, if your ballistics program predicts 30 MOA of drop, and you dial 30 MOA but hit low, it might be that your sight actually only moved 28 MOA (for example). To see if your sight is adjusting accurately, shoot a tall target at 100 yards and measure group separation when dialing your sight.
Barometric vs. Station Pressure. This is a commonly misunderstood input to ballistics programs. You can avoid this pitfall by remembering the following: station pressure is the actual measured pressure at your location, and you don’t need to tell the program your altitude when using station pressure. Barometric pressure is corrected for sea level. If you’re using barometric pressure, you also have to input your altitude.
Muzzle Velocity. Chronographs are not always as accurate as shooters think they are — your true MV may be off by 10-20 fps (or more). If your drop is different than predicted at long range, it might be because your muzzle velocity input is wrong.
Mixing Up BC (G1 vs. G7). Knowledgeable long range shooters know that the G7 standard is a more representative standard for modern LR bullets. However, using G7 BCs isn’t just a matter of clicking the ‘G7′ option in the program. The numeric value of the BC is different for G1 and G7. For example, the G1 BC of the Berger 155.5 grain Fullbore bullet is .464 but the G7 BC is .237. If you were to enter .464 but click on G7, the results would be way off.
Ballistics TIP TWO. A properly installed level is absolutely essential for long range shooting. Without a good level reference, your long range wind zero will be off due to minor canting of the rifle from side to side. You can verify that your level is installed correctly on a 100-yard ‘tall target’. Draw a plumb line straight up the target and verify that your groups track straight up this line as you go up in elevation.
Ballistics TIP THREE. If your long range ballistic predictions aren’t tracking, always come back and verify your 100-yard zero. Sometimes a simple zero shift can be misconstrued as errors in long range ballistics predictions.
Litz Competition Shooting Tips
Competition TIP ONE. Improving your scores in long range competition is a constant process of self-assessment. After each match, carefully analyze how you lost points and make a plan to improve. Beginning shooters will lose a lot of points to fundamental things like sight alignment and trigger control. Veteran shooters will lose far fewer points to a smaller list of mistakes. At every step along the way, always ask yourself why you’re losing points and address the issues. Sometimes the weak links that you need to work on aren’t your favorite thing to do, and success will take work in these areas as well.
Competition TIP TWO. Select your wind shooting strategy carefully. For beginners and veterans, most points are typically lost to wind. Successful shooters put a lot of thought into their approach to wind shooting. Sometimes it’s best to shoot fast and minimize the changes you’ll have to navigate. Other times it’s best to wait out a condition which may take several minutes. Develop a comfortable rest position so you have an easier time waiting when you should be waiting.
Competition TIP THREE. Actively avoid major train wrecks. Sounds obvious but it happens a lot. Select equipment that is reliable, get comfortable with it and have back-ups for important things. Don’t load on the verge of max pressure, don’t go to an important match with a barrel that’s near shot out, physically check tightness of all important screws prior to shooting each string. Observe what train wrecks you and others experience, and put measures in place to avoid them.
Looking down-range with F-TR rifle at Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, Arizona.
Bullet Stability and Twist Rates
In this video, Bryan Litz talks about bullet in-flight stability and how to calculate barrel twist-rate requirements for long-range bullets. Bryan explains that bullet stability (for conventional projectiles) is basically provided by the spinning of the bullet. But this spin rate is a function of BOTH the nominal twist rate of the barrel AND the velocity of the projectile. Thus, when shooting the same bullet, a very high-speed cartridge may work with a slower barrel twist rate than is required for a lower-speed (less powerful) cartridge. For match bullets, shot at ranges to 1000 yards and beyond, Bryan recommends a twist rate that offers good stability.
You’ll find more expert information on long-range shooting and ballistics on the Applied Ballistics website and the Bryan Litz Ballistics Facebook page. Bryan’s most recent Facebook post talks about the Coriolis effect — the apparent drift of a rifle trajectory due to the rotation of the earth.
To learn more, we recommend you subscribe to the Applied Ballistics Science of Accuracy — with in-depth articles, brilliant podcasts, exclusive videos and more.
As someone who aspired to building a repeater and jumping into the PRS game, and had a spare F-TR rifle sitting around, I thought it would be fun to build up a 6mm GT to see if there was any merit to the hype. My smith, Wes Ripley of RIP Precision in Texas, builds a lot of PRS rigs, and already had the reamer on hand (a 0.120″ freebore variant).
BRASS — Editor’s Report: Lapua now offers excellent 6mm GT (aka 6GT) Lapua brass, product #4 PH6060C. You can also get very good Alpha Munitions 6mm GT brass and Peterson 6mm GT brass. Hornady produces 6mm GT brass as well, but we recommend Lapua, Alpha, or Peterson over Hornady. Lapua 6mm GT brass is in-stock now at Midsouth for $136.99/100 or Mile-High Shooting for $130.00/100. Alpha 6mm GT brass is available from K&M Precision for $130.00/100, and 500-ct bulk packs of Peterson 6mm GT Brass are available at Grafs.com for $548.14.
SUMMARY — Good Cartridge with Much Potential
The European F-Class Championship event is run by the GB F-Class Association. “We’re really thrilled to extend our partnership with these top brands as main sponsors. Working together to create this successful event strengthens the shooting community and offers great development opportunities for our sport”, said Richard Jones, GBFCA committee Chairman.
