Team USA won Gold and Silver at the recent 2023 F-Class World Championships held in South Africa. With a strong, come-from-behind performance on the last day of the team match, The U.S.A. F-Open Team topped South Africa to win the F-Open Team Championship with a 3540-366V score (South Africa finished with 3535-374V — a “V” is like an “X” in the USA). Congratulations to the 2023 USA F-Open team, the new World Champions!
In the F-TR Division, Team USA took silver with a 3462-284V score, close behind winning Team South Africa which finished with 3518-307V. One of our Forum members noted that the South Africans won F-TR with a superb showing on Day 2: “I’m in awe of the performance of the South African F-TR team. Their 1762-162V on day 2 would be good enough for second place in F-Open. Only Team USA F-Open had a better score of all the teams for Day 2.”
The F-Class World Championships were held March 26 – April 1, 2023 at the Genl De Wet Shooting Range outside Bloemfontein, South Africa. The multi-day individual matches had some tough conditions with strong, twitchy winds and rain delays. And the winds were challenging for the team matches as well.
Both F-Open and F-TR team matches were shot at multiple metric distances: 700m, 800m, 900m. The high-scoring American F-Open shooter was B. Kolodziej with 448-50V. His team-mate Todd Hendricks (444-53V) had the most Vs with 53.
The high-scoring American F-Open shooter was B. Kolodziej with 448-50V. The F-Open Team USA (3540-366V) finished five points ahead of South Africa (3535-374V).
In the F-TR Division, Team USA took silver with a 3462-284V score, close behind winning Team South Africa Protea which finished with 3518-307V. Great Britain’s F-TR squad was third with 3376-222V. The top scoring American F-TR shooter was T. Hogg who finished with 438-40V. Among all F-TR shooters, the highest score achieved was 447-38V by H. Rolfes of winning Team South Africa Protea.
Scary weather — lightning and thunder — during individual competition.
There were some very tough weather conditions during the individual matches. Forum member C.J. Rowe reported: “World’s Individual Final Day: The day’s course of fire is two strings of 2+20 at 900m shot 3 to-the-mound, which will conclude the Individual portion of the World Championships. Huge rains and thunderstorms the evening prior left most of the roads on the range washed out, and much of the 900m ready area looked like a mud pit. But that didn’t deter any one or any thing, and after the daily prayer from the General, the match started promptly as always.
Both F-T/R matches turned out to be challenging. The first, while not easy, was in line with conditions we had seen throughout the past two weeks. The second match was an entirely different story all together! Winds switched over to full value (for the first time since we have been in South Africa, as the prevalent condition has been a fishtailing tail wind), with velocities unseen previously (anywhere from a low of 10 mph to highs approaching 20 mph), with very rapid let-offs and pickups, and the scores showed it.”
F-Open World Champions — Team USA
F-Open Team USA Member Shiraz Balolia posted this on Facebook: “I would like to thank SABU and the South African F-Class Team for putting up an amazing World Championship in Bloemfontein, South Africa. After a hard fought battle and a dramatic comeback from behind, Team USA F-Open won the Gold Medal and became the new World Champions. I am proud to have been a part of this team for many years, as this was my 4th and final World Championship. I was the last shooter on the line and after a long interval Trudie Fay coached my very last shot into being a pin-wheel V Bull (dead center bullseye) at 900 meters or almost 1000 yards. Thank you to my great teammates for an outstanding performance. Amazing memories!”
PHOTO CREDITS: All images except top from Forum member C.J. Rowe. SEE Forum FCWC F-TR Thread. Top photo from Facebook, courtesy Erik Cortina and F-Class John.
This article Copyright 2023 AccurateShooter.com. No reproduction on any other site is authorized without permission and fees.
Congratulations to Erik Cortina winning the 2023 South African F-Open Target Rifle Championship with a Grand Aggregate score of 687-65X. This match was the domestic South African F-Class Championship, which preceded the 2023 F-Class World Championships which conclude on April 1, 2023.
The 86th South African Open Target Rifle Championships were held March 10-18th at the Genl De Wet Shooting Range in Bloemfontein, South Africa. The multi-day individual match had some tough conditions with twitchy, strong winds and rain delays.
Cortina, fresh off his first-place finish at the Southwest Nationals, used Lapua 6.5 PRC cases necked up to 7mm in his 7mm PRCW. He also took second in the President’s Cup, fourth in the Jack Mitchely Cup, and 11th in the Dalrymple Cup. Cortina is sponsored by Lapua.
“Traveling ten thousand miles and competing on an unfamiliar range is always nerve racking, but it’s comforting when the preparation pays off and things fall into place,” said Erik Cortina.
Cortina is currently in South Africa with the U.S. F-Class team competing in the 2023 F-Class World Championships. Eric Cortina finished 14th in the F-Open Division at the Worlds, which was won by B.J. Engelbrecht of South Africa. Visit 2021fcwc.com/fcwc-2023-results to stay up-to-date on Team USA’s accomplishments in the two divisions. The Team competition concludes tomorrow, April 1, 2023.
Team USA during practice day at F-Class World Championships in South Africa.
World F-Class Championships
The 2023 World F-Class Championships began on March 26, 2023 (after the South African Championships). The individual F-TR and F-0pen competitions are now complete. Team competition continues.
Shown below are the Individual F-Open and F-TR Grand Aggregate scores for the World F-Class Championships. There are links to the full results, along with tables of the Top 20 for each division. There were 116 F-Open competitors and 131 F-TR shooters. South African marksmen dominated the event.
Many of our Forum members have expressed interest in a recoil-reduction system for prone F-Open competition rifles shooting heavy bullets from powerful cartridges. A .300 WSM shooing 200+ grain bullets can definitely take its toll over the course of a match. One system that has been used with considerable success is the hydraulic “Bump Buster” recoil system. This definitely reduces the pounding your shoulder gets during a long match. To illustrate this system, we’ve reprised an article on Bret Soloman’s F-Open rifle from a couple years back. Watch the Videos to see the Bump Buster in action.
On his Facebook page, Hall-of-Fame shooter and ace gunsmith Thomas “Speedy” Gonzalez unveiled an impressive new F-Open rifle built for Bret Solomon. The rifle features Speedy’s new low-profile F-Class stock.
Bret’s gun is chambered for his 300 Solomon wildcat, shooting heavy 210gr bullets, so it can can be a real shoulder-buster, without some kind of buffer. The stock is fitted with a Ken Rucker’s Bump Buster hydraulic recoil reduction system to tame the recoil. The Bump Buster was originally designed for shotguns and hard-hitting, big game rifles. It is interesting to see this hydraulic buffer adapted to an F-Open rig.
Here you can see Bret shooting the gun, coached by Nancy Tompkins and Michele Gallagher:
Bret’s gun features a stainless Viper (Stiller) action, barrel tuner, and an innovative Speedy-crafted wood stock. Speedy says this stock design is all-new: “It is a true, low Center-of-Gravity F-Class stock, not a morphed Palma stock merely cut out on the bottom”. See all the details in this short video:
Stock Features: Glue-in or Bolt-In and Optional Carbon Pillars and Cooling Ports
Speedy explained the features of the new stock design: “Terry Leonard and I started working on an F-Class version of his stocks last year during the F-Class Nationals and came up with what he and I consider the first true low-CG stock in the sport. As you can see by the videos, there is very little torquing of the stock during recoil. I add the carbon fiber tunnel underneath the forearms to save Terry some time. This bonds very well to his carbon fiber skeleton within the stock adding addition stiffness to the forearm to support the heavy barrels found on the F-Class rigs.
We are playing with both glue-ins like we benchresters use and bolt-ins as well. The rifles on the videos are glue-ins. Bret just took delivery today of his first bolt-in employing carbon fiber pillars and the first Leonard stock ever to have cooling ports.”
Need for Recoil Reduction Follows F-Class Trend to Bigger Calibers and Heavier Bullets
In recent years we have seen F-Open competitors move to bigger calibers and heavier bullets in pursuit of higher BC. There is no free lunch however. Shooting a 210gr .30-caliber bullet is going to produce much more recoil than a 140gr 6.5mm projectile (when they are shot at similar velocities). Does this mean that more F-Open shooters will add hydraulic buffers to their rigs? Will a recoil-reduction system become “de rigueur” on F-Open rifles shooting heavy bullets?
Our friend Boyd Allen observes: “You may imagine that shooting a short magnum, or even a .284 Win with heavy bullets, involves a fair amount of recoil, and in the prone position this can be more than a little wearing. It can in fact beat you up over the course of a match. Some time back, Lou Murdica told me about having a hydraulic recoil absorbing device installed on one of his F-Class rifles, chambered in .300 WSM. Lou is shooting heavy (210-215gr) bullets so the recoil is stout. According to Lou, the hydraulic recoil-reduction system made all the difference.”
Story tip from Boyd Allen. We welcome reader submissions.
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!”
We’re having a wicked winter in some parts of the nation. California is experiencing blizzards and snow-bound highway closures. In the middle of the nation, major snowstorms hit many states, and 470,000 customers lost electrical power after an ice storm in Michigan.
Rifle Transformed from Ordinary Varmint Rig to a Stunning F-TR Machine
As an antidote to these weather-related worries, for this Sunday GunDay we’re offering a bit of beauty amidst snow — a handsome rifle showcased in a white winter wonderland. This handsome rifle started life as a rather ordinary .204 Ruger Rem VSSF varmint rig. With a new barrel, a new stock, and a stunning flame-pattern hydro-dip coating, this is now an ultra-accurate .223 Rem F-TR competition rifle.
Flames in the Snow…
Forum Member Brandon Schlund (aka “Bois Blanc Boy”), photographed this handsome flame-themed F-TR rifle against the snowy background of Michigan’s Bois Blanc Island. Brandon posted this to our long-running Pride and Joy Rifle Forum thread. He notes: “This is my first F-TR build, which started out as a stock Remington .204 Ruger. I had the action blue-printed, firing pin was bushed by Speedy, and I had a new bolt handle and knob installed by John Pierce.” This rifle is now fitted with a 3-groove Pac-Nor 1:6.5″-twist barrel chambered in .223 Remington to shoot the 90gr Bergers. Other components are: Kelbly KTS stock, Phoenix bipod, and Sightron 8-32x56mm SIII scope. Brandon says: “It took a long time to get this gun where it is now but I’m truly happy with it!” Here’s the “before” photo:
The Transformation — F-TR Comp Rig Made from Rem .204 Ruger Varminter Report by Brandon Schlund
This rifle started out as a “plain Jane”, factory Remington VSSF II. I shot it on varmint hunts in factory configuration. Then I decided to transform the rifle into a .223 Rem F-TR gun. As the .204 has the same bolt face as a .223 made sense to go in that direction since I would be able to use the gun for varmint hunting as well as F-TR.
While I had shot some F-Class matches with my dad (Joe Schlund aka Bench on AccurateShooter) it wasnt much. When we did a PD hunt in Wyoming I primarily shot my .204 but I decided I wanted a cartridge that could reach out a little further and also do double duty — competition and varminting.
The first step in transforming this rifle was selecting a barrel. We ordered a Pac-Nor, 1:6.5″-twist, 3 groove, 30.5″ heavy Palma contour. This was then chambered with a PTG .223 ISSF reamer with 0.169″ freebore to run the .224 caliber heavies. I went with Pac-Nor because both my father and my brother Mark (aka Labrador2 on AccurateShooter) owned Kelbly-built F-TR rifles with the same barrels. Mark and my father couldn’t be happier with the results. Pac-Nor has great customer service along with a short wait time.
I sent the barrel and the factory Remington 700 action down to Kelbly’s where they did the chambering and cut the threads. While Kelbly’s had my action I had them blueprint it. A Kelbly KTS stock with the three-way buttplate and adjustable cheek piece came next. After getting behind Dad’s rifle and Mark’s gun there was no reason to look any further. With all its adjustments, the KTS stock fits very comfortably.
Loading for the .223 Rem with H4895 and 90gr Bergers
As a .223 Rem, this rifle has proven very accurate — it’s a bullet-hole cutter at 100 yards (low twos easy). Our best load is with Hodgdon H4895, 90gr Berger VLDs, CCI BR4 primers. This load is running at about 2835 FPS but YMMV (remember this is a LONG 30.5″ barrel). The Bergers are loaded .008″ into the lands with base-to-ogive of 2.035″.
Our loading technique may be tedious — with lots of sorting and measuring. But brother Mark, father Joe, and I all enjoy the steps. Our three .223 Rem match guns all love the same load which makes loading much easier. Believe it or not we use a Hornady Lock-N-Load progressive ammo plant, which is great when loading for three guns. Our consistency is fantastic with run-out a mere .001-.0015.
We also turn necks and weigh our primers. Does neck-turning and primer weighing really make a difference? Who knows but we try to eliminate more variables since we have to the time to do it, and we actually enjoy the procedures.
Pierce Engineering Installed Action and Modified Bolt
Being from Michigan, Pierce Engineering has done a lot of work for my family’s guns. For this project the Pierce team bedded the action and glued in a single-shot follower. The stock bolt handle/knob was too short for comfort in the KTS stock. Pierce added a longer handle and tactical knob to the bolt. I then installed a .223 Rem Lapua case base into the knob.
The complete .223 Rem rifle ready to shoot F-TR, as fitted with 8-32X56mm Sightron and Phoenix Bipod, weighs 17 pounds, 15 ounces.
Flame Graphics by Camo Creek Hydrographics
After the action was bedded by Pierce, the stock was sent to Camo Creek Hydrographics in Fenton, Michigan. I selected a flame-style design which Camo Creek applied through hydro-dipping. The stock went back to Pierce’s shop, which applied three coats of clear over the entire stock. The clear-coating really enhanced the flame graphics.
Firing Pin Bushed by Speedy
I sent the bolt to Thomas “Speedy” Gonzalez to have the firing pin hole bushed as otherwise the load could crater the primers pretty bad. Knowing I’d be shooting heavy-weight .22-Cal bullets with a stout load this was a good idea. Speedy also cut his trademark grooves into the bolt shroud which looks amazing. His work is top notch! There is zero cratering now, even with the hottest of loads.
Competition Components — 8-32x56mm Sightron and Phoenix Bipod
For an F-TR rig you need a quality high-magnification optic and a premium, wide-base bipod. I installed a 8-32x56mm SIII Sightron. This was another easy choice because of the attractive price and because my family has four other Sightrons that work great.
I installed a fore-end Picatinny rail to attach a Phoenix Bipod. I extended the Mariners wheel handles by adding short sections from an aluminum arrow shaft. This lets me adjust elevation without stretching forward. I also installed a Calvin Elite Timney Trigger set at 6 ounces.
$2500.00 Invested in Rifle Transformation and Upgrade
How much did this all cost? Brandon tells us “I have roughly $2500 into the rebuild of the gun from a .204 Ruger to the .223 Rem.”
Bois Blanc Island in Michigan
Here on Bois Blanc Island we don’t have many amenities, but we do have the ability to shoot 550 yards at our local gravel pit on state land. It’s snow-bound right now as you can see. But later in the year this will be our close-to-home training center.
Winter at Bois Blanc Island, Michigan — Here’s the gravel pit where we can load test during warmer weather. When I took this photo, it was a “balmy” 10-degree day.
Just last week hundreds of F-Class shooters competed at the Southwest Nationals in Phoenix, Arizona. The vast majority of F-TR shooters had rifles chambered for the .308 Winchester cartridge (7.62×51), but F-TR rules also allow the .223 Rem (5.56×45). There are some advantages to the smaller .223 Rem round — there’s notably less recoil, bullets and brass are significantly cheaper, and a lot less powder is required. For those who are considering campaigning a .223 Rem F-TR rifle, this story explains how an accurate .223 Rem load was developed. This load development was done by a father for his daughter who was getting started in F-Class competition.
Dad builds an F-TR Rifle for his Daughter and Develops Load
Jeremy Rowland decided to put together an F-TR rifle for his eldest daughter, who enjoys competitive shooting. For his daughter, Rowland chose the .223 Rem option because it has less recoil and components are less costly than the .308 Win. Here is Rowland’s account of how he developed a .223 Rem load. For more details (with data charts), read Jeremy’s FULL STORY on Sierra Bullets Blog.
Journey to Find a .223 Rem F-Class Load
by Jeremy Rowland, Reloading Podcast
My oldest daughter has been to several matches with me, and has even competed in several, using her .243. [A few seasons back] I decided, she would compete with a .223 Rem in F-TR. Looking for a good starter rifle, I settled on the Savage Axis Heavy Barrel since it has a 1:9″ twist. This would be a great little rifle for her to learn on. The rifle was shot unmodified, as it came from the factory. A Sinclair F-Class Bipod w/micro elevation adjustment was fitted to the front.
Next came finding the components I wanted to use for her match loads. After spending hours and hours running numbers on JBM stability calculator as well as in my iPhone Ballistic AE app, the 69 gr Sierra Tipped MatchKing® (TMK) looked really good. So that’s what I decided to go with. I jumped in head first and ordered a bulk pack of the Sierra 69 gr TMKs. I had settled on Hodgdon CFE 223 powder since it shows good velocity. I decided to go with once-fired Lake City brass with CCI BR4 primers.
Next came the testing. I decided to run a ladder test (one shot per charge from min to max looking for the accuracy node). The ladder test ranged from 23.5 grains to 25.6 grains, in 0.3 grain increments.
Bullet: 69 gr Sierra Tipped MatchKing®
Case: Lake City (mixed years, sorted by case capacity)
Primer:CCI BR4
Powder: Hodgdon CFE 223 (one round each from 23.5 to 25.6 grains)
Cartridge OAL: 2.378″
Base to Ogive: 1.933″ (.020″ off lands)
After his ladder test, Rowland settled on a load of 25.2 grains of Hodgdon CFE 223. He then fine-tuned his load with different seating depths: “I loaded up 5 rounds each at .020″ off lands, .015″ off lands, .010″ off lands, and .005″ off the lands. Here are the results from the best group for OAL/Ogive fine tuning. As you can see, I think I’ve found a winner in these 69 gr Sierra Tipped MatchKings.”
The 2023 Southwest Nationals (SWN) have concluded. Though there were very challenging wind/weather conditions this year, the 2023 SWN was a very successful mid-range and long-range event. There was some great shooting in F-Open, F-TR, and Sling divisions. We congratulate the 2023 Long-Range SWN Champions: Erik Cortina (F-Open, 1241-60X); Jeremy Newell (F-TR, 1221-49X); and Justin Skaret (Sling, 1233-50X). Notably, Skaret won Sling Division by 11 points — a big margin. SEE ALL 2023 Results.
The 600-yard champions were: Louis Buatt (F-Open, 600-39X), Luke Ramsey (F-TR, 596-31X), and Randy Teissedre (Sling, 597-33X). Buatt shoot a remarkable “clean” 600-yard match, not dropping a single point while amassing 39 “X”s. Superb performance by Louis!
Shown below is F-Open Long-Range (1000-yard) Winner Erik Cortina. Erik’s purple F-Open rifle was chambered for the new wildcat cartridge based on the 6.5 PRC necked up to 7mm. This drives high-BC 7mm Berger bullets at 2950 fps.
Our friend Gary Eliseo, maker of Competition Machine rifle chassis systems, said this was a tough match this year: “The 2023 SWN is in the books. This year we faced extremely challenging conditions with very strong erratic winds and cold temps but it was great catching up with so many friends from around the country, thank you all….”
The F-Class Worlds will be held in South Africa this year. The 2023 SWN offered good practice conditions for Team USA, which posted: “The USA F-Open team had two very successful days of practice for the upcoming World Championship in South Africa. We were also blessed to have five USA rifle team members in the top 10, with Erik Cortina taking the win and Bill Kolodziej taking silver.”
Here are the Long-Range TOP TEN for each of the three divisions. CLICK HERE for ALL results:
2023 Southwest Nationals Top 10 Long Range Competitors by Division
F-Open Class
Erik Cortina, 1241-60X
William Kolodziej, 1239-60X
Tim Vaught, 1236-59X
Noman Harrold, 1234-63X
Johnny Ingram, 1234-59X
Matthew Basalla, 1234-54X
Ken Dickerman, 1234-49X
Tod Hendricks, 1232-58X
Dan Bramley, 1232-49X
Doug Skogman, 1231-58X
F-TR Class
Jeremy Newell, 1221-49X
Luke Ramsey, 1218-47X
James Crofts, 1217-57X
Mark Fairbairn, 1217-47X
Allen Tampke, 1214-38X
Scott Fulmer, 1213-44X
Jennifer Bondurant, 1213-36X
Randy Littleton, 1211-39X
Alton Johnson, 1210-39X
Greg Barkley, 1206-44X
Sling Class
Justin Skaret, 1233-50X
John Friguglietti, 1222-37X
Amanda Elsenboss, 1220-55X
Curtis Bohlman, 1220-53X
Stephan Bunde, 1218-56X
Justin Utley, 1218-56X
Jon Rhynard, 1218-46X
Kent Shomber, 1217-46X
Joe Blacksmith, 1217-43X
Nate Guernsey, 1216-47X
The SWN was made possible this year through the participation of three dozen sponsors including Berger, Lapua, Vihtavuori, Applied Ballistics, SEB Rests, Lilja Barrels, F-Class Products, Forster Products, Sightron, PMA Tool, K&M, Creedmoor Sorts, McMillan Stocks, Nancy Tompkins, and many other companies.
Click the links below for full results, including Grand Aggs and day-by-day performances. You can also find further results plus a large collection of photos at SouthwestNationals.net.
The Berger SW 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).
Team competitions were closely fought. In the F-TR Division, Team USA Blue (2505-70X) edged Team Texas (2504-76X) to win by one point. In F-0pen, Team Rollin Coal (2558-129X) finished three points ahead of runner-up Team Grizzly (2555-102X). In the Sling Division, U.S. Palma Gold Team (2555-104X) took first-place, ahead of U.S. NRT Gold (2504-104X).
Reading the wind can be challenging at Ben Avery. What’s your wind call here?
Top competitors show focus and concentration in mid-range match 2022.
Stunning F-Open rifle with SEB Mini front rest with Blake Machine accessories.
Working in the pits is part of the Berger SWN experience.
Hundreds of Competitors from the USA and 8 Other Countries
Along with top American F-Class and sling shooters, the Southwest Nationals attracts competitors from around the world. Last year, on Day 1 of the 2022 SW Nationals, Nancy Tompkins posted: “We started the day off with National anthems for Brazil, Canada, Puerto Rico, Scotland, the United Kingdom, and the USA.”
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.”
See you next year!
This article Copyright 2023 AccurateShooter.com. Any republication on a different website is unauthorized.
With the Berger Southwest Nationals (SWN) underway this week at Ben Avery outside Phoenix, Arizona, we’ll take a look at F-Class competition. The majority of SWN shooters compete in F-TR and F-Open divisions. On the firing line you’ll see the latest and greatest stocks, actions, optics, bipods (for F-TR), and Front Rests (for F-Open). This article looks at the two F-Class divisions.
A while back, our friend Vince Bottomley in the UK wrote an excellent article for Target Shooter Magazine. Vince offers “solid-gold” advice for new F-TR and F-Open shooters. Vince reviews the cartridge options, and offers suggestions for a shooter’s first (and hopefully affordable) F-Class rifle. Vince also reviews various bipod choices for F-TR and discusses optics options (from $300 to $3000).
Getting Started in F-Class by Vince Bottomley
As membership secretary of a large club, one of the questions I’m frequently asked – “What’s the best way to get started in F-Class?” My club has an F-Class shoot every couple of weeks at ranges from 300 to 1000 yards and, not surprisingly, it’s very popular.
F-TR or Open Class?
From a shaky start way back in 2004, the F-TR Class is now proving as popular as Open Class and, at GBFCA League shoots and club shoots, many shooters choose to start with a 308, shooting off a bi-pod – in other words F-TR. In Open Class, the 7mm WSM soon established itself as the “must have” cartridge – if you wanted to win but, the WSM’s appetite for barrels eventually brought another 7mm cartridge into play – the 284 Winchester. This 50-year-old stalwart was revived a decade or so ago as the 6.5-284 and indeed this cartridge found some favor with F-Class pioneers – before the potency of the WSM was discovered. If you don’t mind shelling out for a couple of barrels per year (barrel life is about 750 rounds with the WSM) go for the 7mm WSM but, if you require a decent round-count, then opt for the .284 Win and learn to read the wind a bit better!
[Editor: In the last couple of years, another option has emerged — the 6.5 PRC necked up to 7mm. This wildcat 7-6.5 PRC offers a bit more velocity than a .284 Win or its “improved” cousin the .284 Shehane.]
F-Open rifles on the firing line at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, Arizona.
Scopes for F-Class
If you will be shooting 1000 yards then I would recommend at least 32 power and preferably a variable – like the 8-32. The cheapest “usable” scope in this range is the Sightron. It’s a great scope for the money and at under $900 (in the USA) it’s half the price of its nearest competitor. It’s also light – at 1.5 lbs – and there are some great reticles for the F-Class shooter – like the LRMOA.
The 2023 Southwest Nationals (SWN) competition kicks off today at the Ben Avery Range outside Phoenix, Arizona. This major F-Class, Palma, and Any Rifle event runs February 15-19, 2023. The match begins with Mid-Range competition starting at 8:30 am on Wednesday, February 15th. There will be a barbeque in the Indoor Range at the completion of firing Saturday (Approx. 5:30 PM) and then there will be an awards ceremony at the completion of firing Sunday. CLICK HERE for SWN 2023 official program.
Below is the schedule for the entire 5-day event, one of the biggest mid-range and long-range rifle matches of the year in the United States. There are typically over 300 competitors, the majority shooting F-TR and F-Open. For further information, squadding lists, and daily results, visit: SouthwestNationals.net.
Southwest Nationals 2023 MATCH SCHEDULE
1. Mid-Range Match — Divisions: F-Open, F-TR, Palma, Any Rifle-Any Sight Wednesday, 15 February 2023, 8:30 AM
MATCH A: Any rifle-Any sight. Unlimited sighters and 20 shots for record at 600 yards.
MATCH B: Any rifle-Any sight. Unlimited sighters and 20 shots for record at 600 yards.
MATCH C: Any rifle-Any sight. Unlimited sighters and 20 shots for record at 600 yards.
MATCH D: Any rifle-Any sight. Aggregate of Matches A, B and C.
2. Palma 4-Man Team Match — Divisions: F-Open, F-TR, Palma, Any Rifle-Any Sight Thursday, 16 February 2023, 8:30 AM
MATCH 1: Unlimited sighters and 15 shots for record at 800 yards.
2 sighters and 15 shots for record at 900 yards.
2 sighters and 15 shots for record at 1000 yards.
Teams will consist of four firing members, a captain, a coach and an alternate.
3. Palma Match — Divisions: F-Open, F-TR, Palma, Optic Friday, 17 February 2023, 8:30 AM
MATCH 2: Unlimited sighters and 15 shots for record at 800 yards.
2 sighters and 15 shots for record at 900 yards.
2 sighters and 15 shots for record at 1000 yards
4. 1000-Yard Match — Divisions: F-Open, F-TR, Palma, Any Rifle-Iron Sight, Optic Saturday, 18 February 2023, 8:30 AM
MATCH 3: Any rifle-Iron sight. Any sight for F-Class shooters. Unlimited sighters and 20 shots for record at 1000 yards
MATCH 4: Any rifle-Iron sight. Any sight for F-Class shooters. Unlimited sighters and 20 shots for record at 1000 yards.
MATCH 5: 4 Man Team Match. Any rifle-Iron sight. Any sight for F-Class shooters. 2 sighters and 20 shots for record at 1000 yards.
Teams will consist of four firing members, a captain, a coach and an alternate.
MATCH 6: Any rifle-Iron sight Championship: Aggregate of matches #3 and #4.
5. 1000-Yard Match — Divisions: F-Open, F-TR, Palma, Any Rifle-Any Sight, Optic Sunday, 19 February 2023, 8:30 AM
MATCH 7: Any rifle-Any sight. Unlimited sighters and 20 shots for record at 1000 yards.
MATCH 8: Any rifle-Any sight. Unlimited sighters and 20 shots for record at 1000 yards.
For the multi-match Aggregate Awards, these are the combined “Match” designations:
MATCH 9: Any rifle-Any sight Championship: Aggregate of matches #7 and #8.
MATCH 10: Team Match Aggregate – #1 and #5. Firing members must shoot both matches.
MATCH 11: 1000 Yard Championship: Aggregate of #6 and #9.
MATCH 12: Southwest Long Range Nationals – Aggregate of #2 and #11.
Proud owner Dirk L. says: “This is my first build — never thought it would be a .308!”
Here’s a handsome F-TR rifle with a beautiful red stock that suits the holiday season. This ruby red beauty was a recent addition to the long-running Pride and Joy Rifle thread in our Shooters’ Forum. The rifle belongs to Forum member Dirk L. (aka “Pinkes”) who hails from South Africa. This is a .308 Win, with 30″ Bartlein barrel, and X-Max action. The stock is a custom composite with carbon fiber for strength and lightness. And yes this rifle shoots as good as it looks. Check out the impressive 5-shot groups below…
X-Max for Xmas — Impressive Metal-work
Along with that beautiful red stock, this F-TR rig has some very cool features, including a South African-crafted X-Max Action. The action designer Piet Welgemoed explains: “The X-Max action body is 17-4PH stainless steel pre-hardened to 44° Rockwell. Bolt and handle are one-piece stainless steel, nitrated to 55° Rockwell 0.2mm deep. Bolt is also fluted. Inside is the firing pin with washers (see below). The washer cuts the lock-time almost by half and also weighs less. The bolt-knob and bolt shroud are CNC aluminum. The action has very tight tolerances.” The complete action with +20 MOA rail and trigger weighs 1.475 kg (3.25 lbs).” Owner Dirk notes that the competition trigger, set at 3.0 ounces, is also Welgemoed’s design.
Wicked Accuracy with Bartlein Barrel, Varget, and 220gr SMKs
This gun has already proven to be a great shooter. Below are two FIVE-shot groups at 100 meters. The group on the left is in the low threes, with three of five shots essentially in one hole. Dirk loads Lapua .308 Palma brass and #2231 200gr Sierra Matchkings, seated 20 thousandths off the lands. The Varget powder and CCI primers drives the 200gr SMKs at 2620 fps.
Brass: Lapua .308 Win Palma (small primer) | Primers: CCI 450 | Powder: Varget
Bullet: New 200gr SMK #2231 | Seating: 0.020″ Off | Velocity: 2620fps
Composite Stock — One of Three by Renier Mostert
And what about that beautiful red stock? The rifle’s owner told us: “This was one of three similar stocks built as a test run by Renier Mostert, a professional composite stock builder and former benchrest shooter from Pretoria, South Africa. Renier was approached by three friends, who were all looking for decent, custom-built FTR composite stocks. There were a number of stocks available to them (mostly imported), but [those] were either made of wood or aluminum. The requirements for the composite stock build was very specific. Aluminum V-Blocks for the actions were required. The stocks had to be light enough to carry some beefy barrels and optics without compromising rigidity and still be within the F-TR weight limit. The three friends supplied Renier with an imported wooden stock as their shape of choice. Although the shape was quite straight-forward, Renier made a few dimensional changes to features which were not symmetrically correct on the sample, and then built a mold from it.”
Renier uses several methods to craft composite stocks for various disciplines: F-Class, benchrest, competition rimfire, hunting, and tactical. For this build he chose to build a shell constructed of a well-planned mix of woven fiberglass cloth and bi-directionally woven carbon fiber with aerospace quality epoxy resin to reduce weight in some areas and increase stiffness in other areas. He used a wet lay-up process where the two halves gets laid up and joined together while still wet to form a complete, continuous shell. The closed mold gets cured under pressure in an oven for several hours at very specific temperatures. After curing, the shell is filled with a high-tech mix of lightweight filler and epoxy resin. The composition of the mix varies in different areas of the stock to facilitate more strength or reduced weight where applicable.
After the initial build, the aluminum hardware was installed. An adjustable cheek piece, Anschutz rail, and adjustable recoil pad mechanism were installed. The stocks were inletted by Renier, while the final fitting and bedding procedures were left for each customer’s gunsmith to complete. The stocks were light enough for the rifles to comfortably be within the F-TR weight limit. A barrel tuner was mounted on one of the rifles, and the rifle still made the F-TR Class weight limit, 8.25 kg (including bipod). The bipod shown in photos in the SEB Joy-Pod.
Paint — Candy Apple Red over Metallic Silver Base
After final gunsmithing, the stocks were returned to Renier Mostert for custom painting. The rifle featured in this article was done in Candy-Apple Red paint from DNA Paints (an Australian company). To get the desired effect, a metallic silver base coat was used, enhanced with a modest amount of medium coarse glitter, followed with multiple layers of candy until the correct shade was achieved. A high-quality automotive clear coat was used to finish off the paintwork.
On his 
Flame Graphics by Camo Creek Hydrographics
