Over the past month, many of the world’s best long range shooters competed in South Africa. First was the South African Open Championship, held March 9-15, 2024 for “Target Rifles”. This was followed by the 32nd World Long Range Championships for Fullbore/Palma rifles, with individual and team competitions held March 16-23, 2024. The World LR Championships event was for “hard-holders”, shooting iron-sighted rifles prone with sling. There were shooters from at least 12 countries: Australia, Canada, Channel Islands, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Kenya, Ireland, N. Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the USA.
The World LR Championships and the South African Open Championships were held at the Genl De Wet range West of Bloemfontein in South Africa. Conditions were very challenging — with very hot temperatures on the range and challenging winds.
Individual Top 20 Results 32nd World Long Range Championships
Australian Ash Bidgood won the Individual World Championship with an impressive 739-92V score. Great Britain’s Glyn Barnett was a close second (on V-Count) with 739-86V. In third place was another Brit, J.C. Underwood, who tallied 738-78V.
Two Americans finished in the top 15, Brandon Green (733-82V, 8th place) and Amanda Elsenboss (659-59V, 11th place). Both Brandon and Amanda are past USA National Champions who previously served in the U.S. Army and shot with the USAMU Team.
Other Grand Aggregate Divisional Winners include:
Veterans: B. Carter, New Zealand, 661-60V
Ladies: R.L. Furniss, Great Britain, 662-73V
Veterans Over 70: J. Jeffrey, Australia 548-51V
Under 25-21 Age: M. Baily, Australia, 661-84V
Under 21: T. McGowen, USA, 648-61V
Team Results: 32nd World Long Range Championships
1. Australia Total: 7172.996 | Day 1: 3580.474 Day 2: 3592.522
2. Great Britain Total: 7168.1005 | Day 1: 3578.469 Day 2: 3590.536
3. South Africa Total: 7153.869 | Day 1: 3562.405 Day 2: 3591.464 Click HERE for All Team Scores
4. United States Total: 7140.876
5. New Zealand Total: 7030.703
6. Canada Total: 6946.592
7. Germany Total: 6683.465
Team Australia won the Long Range World Championship with leading scores on both days of competition. The Aussies shot well, earning the Gold medal with a 7172.996 total vs. 7159.1004 for the Brits. Team Australia reported on its Facebook page: “We’d like to summarize how the 2024 Palma in South Africa evolved and highlight just how extraordinary it was. World records were repeatedly smashed and, while Australia defended and retained our world championship title earned in 2019, this was only the 4th time Australia has won the Palma since its inception in 1876.”
All four leading teams smashed the old full match Palma record of 7106.825 set by Great Britain in 2015, with Australia setting the new Palma world record with 7172.995. On Day 2, Australia set a new single-day world Team world record of 3592.521. That’s 37 points higher than the previous team record of 3555.424 set by GB in 2015.
The new individual World Record (during team competition) went to Australia’s Brett McCauley with 450-73V — breaking the world record of 449-55V set by Toby Raincock of GB in 2015. And, on Day 2, Great Britain’s Theo Dodds set a one-day individual world record with 225-40V.
USA’s Brandon Green Wins South African Open Championship
Former USAMU shooter Brandon Green topped the field in the South African Open Championship, which took place before the World Championships. Brandon won the SA Open individual title in a dramatic shoot-off. Congratulations to Brandon Green for an impressive come-from-behind victory to win the South African Nationals. Brandon finished with 924-93V, edging out Great Britain’s M.J. Ensor (923-101V) by a single point. Now that’s close!
Photo credit Chris Wheeden, GB Veterans Team
Shooter’s Report from South Africa by Paula Crenshaw
The first week of competition was the South African National Championships which was (for some) a warm-up to the World Long Range Championships. The U.S. National Rifle Team had five teams there. These were: Palma Team, the Veterans Team (those over 60), Goodwill Team, Junior Under 25, and Junior Under 21 teams. Competitions included team competitions and individual competitions.
I was not happy with my performance but I’m not particularly disappointed either. I know what I need to do. My .223 Rem caliber Palma rifle was also not ideal, and I’m eager to shoot my new .308 Win rifle. My Goodwill Team did take second in the Chairman’s Match.
Photo from last day of individual World Championship. The heat was tough.
The entire experience was amazing. It was also incredibly challenging with the heat wave and the winds. My teammates are outstanding people and I met many wonderful fellow shooters from other countries. Shooting while wildebeests and ostriches roamed the range (see above) was … interesting! Captain Bob’s wild dash to get me my forgotten bolt from the hotel was one for the storybooks … and his comment that he’d do it again despite being banned from the range warmed my heart. To my teammates John, Mark, Seth, and our coach Yvonne: Thank you!
The USA women competitors. Right to left: Trudy Fay, Paula Crenshaw, Yvonne Roberts, Kacie McGowan, Amanda Elsenboss, Jessica Hudson.
Here is a cool overhead photograph of the Genl De Wet shooting range outside Bloemfontein, South Africa.
Photo credit Chris Wheeden, GB Veterans Team
About the Long Range World Championship — Rifles and Course of Fire by Paula Crenshaw
Fullbore and Palma are different courses of fire, but both shot with similar rifles. The 87th South African Open Bisley Championships was a fullbore event held March 9-15, 2024. There were individual and team matches. The 32nd World Long Range Championships was a Palma event held March 16-23, 2024. A Palma match is shot at 800, 900, 1000 yards (or 700, 800, 900 meters) and has 15 shots for record at each distance using a .223 Rem or .308 Win (7.62×51) caliber iron-sighted rifle. A Palma rifle is always shot with a sling and iron sights.
Fullbore competition has 2-3 shooters to the mound (except in the USA where sometimes string fire is allowed at 1000 yards), 10 shots (sometimes 15) and shot at 300, 500, 600, 900, 1000 yards (or the equivalent in meters).
The Palma discipline has evolved into the “The World Long Range Championships, Individual and Palma Team Matches”. It has gone through many changes since 1876 and has developed its own set of rules and requirements for target, rifle, and cartridge. The match is now held at 4-year intervals. Teams consist of 16 firing members and two alternates along with a support group of a team captain, adjutant, five coaches, and a non-firing armorer, with total team size not to exceed 26 members. The match in South Africa was shot at 700, 800, and 900 meters.
The Palma is a match of great distinction. While the long range championships include individual matches and a nation’s other teams such as the Veterans teams, Under 25, Under 21, and USA’s Goodwill team, it is the Palma teams that hold the highest honor. The World Long Range Championships culminate with the Palma teams competing from each country. For an excellent detailed history I recommend A History of the Palma Match by Hap Rocketto, first published in 1996 (CLICK HERE FOR PDF).
Photo Credits: Credit top image, range flags image, and Brandon Green Chair image Great Britain Rifle Team. Other images credit Paula Crenshaw, Team USA, Team Australia, Chris Wheeden.
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There’s a good report on the F-Class World Championships, held earlier this year in South Africa. The current issue of Shooting Sports USA (SSUSA), available for free online, features a detailed 6-page report on the F-Class Worlds. This major event features individual and team competitions. F-Open Team USA, shown above, won the F-Open World Championship, while the American F-TR team finished second to F-TR Team South Africa.
CLICK Image Below to Read F-Class World Championships Report:
Team USA won Gold and Silver at the 2023 F-Class World Championships 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).
SSUSA Editor John Parker notes: “In March for this year’s F-Class World Championships held in Bloemfontein, South Africa, the United States sent a united F-T/R and F-Open team, shooting different guns, but with the shared goal of returning to America with as many team medals as possible. Our F-Open rifle shooters defeated South Africa on its home range for the first time in over two decades, capturing the F-Open Team Aggregate gold medal in a historic victory. Preceding the F-Class World Championships in Bloemfontein was the 2023 South African National Championship, where U.S. rifle shooter Erik Cortina [led] the F-Open leaderboard with a score of 687-65V. See Cortina, along with his 7mm PRCW rifle, on the cover.”
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.
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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.
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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.
The 2023 F-Class World Championships will commence soon in South Africa. The 2023 F-Class World Championships are being held at the General Christiaan de Wet Shooting Range in Blomfontein, South Africa from March 26th through April 1st. Competitors from around the globe will compete in both F-Class Target Rifle (F-TR) and F-Open divisions battling for the prestigious title of World Champion.
Team USA will be competing in both divisions for a full week. The team includes past American champions and Southwest Nationals winners. Berger, manufacturer of high quality bullets and ammunition for competitive long-range shooters and sportsman, is a leading sponsor of the 2023 United States F-Class Team competing at the 2023 F-Class World Championships in South Africa.
The U.S. F-Open and F-TR teams are comprised of over 60 members coming from 25 different states. The team members have spent over five years preparing for this major event. Lead by Captains Dan Bramley and Phil Kelley, the teams are sure to make an impact. Three members of Team Berger — James Crofts, Trudie Fay, and Matt Schwartzkopf — are serving as coaches for US F-TR team. Team Lapua’s own Erik Cortina will be competing as part of the F-Open team.
“We are honored to have the opportunity to support United States F-Class Teams on their quest to be crowned international champions”, commented Geoff Esterline, Director of Marketing at Berger Bullets.
Team USA will also be supported by Lapua, maker of top brass and bullets. “We’re proud to support the United State F-Class Teams as they compete in South Africa at the World Championships”, commented Adam Braverman, V.P. of Sales & Marketing at Capstone. “We’ve watched the team over the last five years come together, practice, make it through delays due to COVID and still remain strong.”
USA F-TR Team Will Use Berger 200.2X Hybrid Target .30-Cal Bullets
F-Class Target Rifle (F-TR) category has strict requirements for a “ready-to-go” rifle weighing no more than 18 pounds. Chambers are required to be unmodified and use a standard .308 Win/7.62 NATO or .223 Rem/5.56 NATO cartridge. For competition, the U.S. F-TR team utilizes Berger’s .30 caliber 200.20X Hybrid Target, and 215 grain Hybrid Target bullets.
USA F-Open Team Will Use Berger 7mm 184gr and 180gr Hybrid Target Bullets
The F-Open category has requirements of a rifle weighing no more than 22 pounds and chambered in any caliber .35 and under. Rifles are fired in the prone position from the shoulder with an adjustable front rest and rear sandbag. Berger’s 7mm 184 grain Hybrid Target bullet is a favorite among F-Open competitors and is the official bullet of the U.S. F-Class F-Open team. The team also competes with Berger’s 7mm 180 Grain Hybrid Target bullet.
This video shows a match at the Genl De Wet Range in South Africa a decade ago:
About Berger and Lapua
Berger manufactures precision projectiles and match-grade ammunition for Target, Hunting, and Tactical applications in Mesa, AZ. For 100 years, Lapua has been producing the highest-quality cartridges and components for civilian and professional use. Berger and Lapua are both part of the Capstone Precision Group, exclusive U.S. distributor for Berger, Lapua, Vihtavuori and SK-Rimfire products. For more information, visit Bergerbullets.com and Lapua.com.
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6.5 Creedmoor (right) shown with .308 Win (left) and .243 Win (center) for comparison.
Though most popular for competition applications (PRS and XTC), the 6.5 Creedmoor is also a capable hunting cartridge. A few seasons back Norma spotlighted the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge and outlined the game-harvesting capabilities of Norma 6.5 Creedmoor factory ammunition. Here are highlights of that article, which may interest hunters this fall.
Origins of the 6.5 Creedmoor
Dave Emary, senior engineer at Hornady, asked fellow competitive shooters about their “wish list” for a mid-sized round with long-range potential. It needed to offer efficiency, good ballistics, fine accuracy, and reliable feeding from a magazine. To achieve these goals, Emary necked the .30 T/C to .264 caliber (6.5 mm). The shoulder on this case is well to the rear, so long bullets with high ballistic coefficients can be used in short actions. The efficient Creedmoor case and its modest powder charge deliver hard hits on big game while keeping recoil modest. The case runs well in magazines sized for the .308 Winchester, and because it is efficient, the 6.5 Creedmoor delivers velocities very close to the .260 Remington (which is basically a 6.5-308 Win) with less powder. The 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge has shown excellent accuracy in PRS competition, though the 6mm Creedmoor has proven more competitive, given its reduced recoil. Overall the 6.5 Creedmoor has been a huge commercial success — the 6.5 CM is now one of the most-commonly chambered cartridges in new factory rifles.
Hunting with the 6.5 Creedmoor
by Wayne van Zwoll
I learned about the 6.5 Creedmoor by way of a rifle from Todd Seyfert at Magnum Research. The Remington 700 action wears a carbon-fiber barrel with a Krieger stainless core. GreyBull Precision added a stock and a modified 4.5-14X Leupold scope. Its 1/3-minute elevation dial is calibrated specifically for 130-grain boat-tail spitzers at Creedmoor velocities. “Spin the elevation dial to the distance in yards, and aim dead-on.” said GreyBull’s Don Ward. Prone with a sling, I was soon banging steel at 500 yards.
By the charts, the 6.5 Creedmoor is a superb cartridge for deer-size game. But I caught only a late elk season with this new rifle. The 6.5×55 and .260 had taken elk for me; surely the Creedmoor would as well. Alas, the close shot I’d wanted, to ensure precise bullet placement, didn’t come. When on the final evening Don and I spied a bull far off, there was no approach. “Your call,” he shrugged. “The air is dead-still.” I snugged the sling, prone, and dialed to the yardage. Ribs spot-lit by a sinking sun, the bull paused. Craaack! The animal spun, sprinted and fell. That shot was twice as long as any I’d ever attempted at elk.
Whitetail hunting with a Ruger 77, then a trip to sub-Saharan Africa with a T/C Icon, kept the 6.5 Creedmoor in my ammo pouch. The T/C dropped a Vaal Rhebok at 250 yards, in stiff wind. Shorter pokes on a variety of game produced consistently quick kills. I found the Creedmoor’s limit with an eland.
A high ballistic coefficient helped a Creedmoor bullet slice stiff wind 250 yards to this Vaal Rhebok.
Since then, I’ve seen several animals brought to bag by the 6.5 Creedmoor. And I’ve used it in a variety of rifles on paper and steel targets to 1,200 yards. It has become one of my favorite cartridges for deer-size game. Its mild report and recoil make it easy to shoot accurately. It seems an inherently accurate cartridge too. I’ve punched half-minute groups from production-class rifles. The proliferation of hunting loads for the 6.5 Creedmoor includes none better than Norma’s 130-grain Scirocco. This sleek, polymer-nose bullet, with its 15° boat-tail and a G1 BC over .550, flies very flat. In expansion and penetration tests, it opens reliably down to 1,750 fps, and drives straight and deep. A bonded bullet, it stays in one piece after high-speed impact, routinely retaining more than 80% of its original weight.
Story Tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
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Believe it or not, here is a cartridge that makes a .338 Lapua Magnum look like a toy. The 14.5x114mm cartridge was designed as a MG and rifle-fired anti-materiel round. To translate from the metric system to caliber and inches, the round is a mammoth .57 caliber which measures 4.49 inches to the case mouth, and 6.13 inches overall. That jumbo-sized case holds a whopping 655 grains of powder. Commonly-loaded projectiles weigh 920-1030 grains. The 993gr armor-piercing projectile has a muzzle velocity of approximately 1006 meters per second (3300 fps) and can penetrate 30-32 millimeters of RHA steel at a range of 500 meters.
The top photo comes from Elardus De Lang, a Forum member who works at the Truvelo Manufacturers Armoury in South Africa. Elardus also provided an impressive video showing the massive 14.5x114mm being shot from prone with a Truvelo-built bolt-action rifle. Elardus tells us: “Here is a video, with a slow-motion ending, of our 14.5x114mm anti-materiel rifle being fired in our indoor testing facility. This caliber is a true beast! It propels a 993gr Armor-Piercing Incendiary bullet to 3300 fps, burning 480 grains of powder in the process. [This shows] that rifles of that power level can actually be shootable. The concussion indoors is something to experience……every shot feels like you are being punched in the face, and the heat from the muzzle flash actually hits you like a wave!”
14.5x114mm Cartridge Design and Dimensions
The 14.5×114mm has 42.53 ml (655 grains H2O) cartridge case capacity. The exterior shape of the case was designed to promote reliable case feeding and extraction in bolt action rifles and machine guns alike, under extreme conditions. Cartridges typically use lacquered steel cases, but some countries also use brass cases.
All dimensions are in millimeters (mm). Americans would define the shoulder angle at alpha/2, or 22.5 degrees. The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 455 mm (1:17.91″) with eight lands/grooves. According to official guidelines, the 14.5×114mm can handle up to 360 MPa (52,213 psi) piezo pressure.
14.5x114mm Cartridge History
The 14.5×114mm (.57 Cal) is a heavy machine gun and anti-materiel rifle cartridge used by the Soviet Union, the former Warsaw Pact, modern Russia, and other countries. It was originally developed for the PTRS and PTRD anti-tank rifles, but was later used as the basis for the KPV heavy machine gun that formed the basis of the ZPU series anti-aircraft guns that is also the main armament of the BTR series of armoured personnel carriers from the BTR-60 to the BTR-80 and for heavy anti-material sniper rifles. The cartridge was designed in 1939 and first issued in 1941.
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How would you like to represent the United States in top-level International Shooting competitions? Well, if F-Class is your game, here is your opportunity. F-Class Team USA will be conducting try-outs for the United States squads who will represent our country in F-TR and F-Open divisions (plus Under-25) at the 2021 World Championships. The try-outs are open to any competitive shooter with a class-compliant rifle and the will to win. Team leadership expressly welcomes newcomers.
Initial and primary tryouts are planned during the 2018 U.S. National Championships in Raton, NM, and the 2019 SW Nationals in Phoenix, AZ. There may also be an early 2019 tryout date at Butner, NC.
Dan Bramley Invites Shooters to Team USA F-Class Try-Outs
Official Invitation to Team USA F-Class Try-Outs To the F-Class Community–
On behalf of Team USA 2021, we are pleased to invite the best of USA F-class to consider joining our effort for the 2021 World Championships in Bloemfontein, South Africa. We are reaching out with this invitation to provide some general information on our plans for 2021 and for upcoming try-out dates for the unified Team USA: F-TR, F-Open, and Under 25.
We are moving forward with F-Open, F-TR, and Under 25 unified as one USA F-class 2021 Team. This will allow us to take advantage of each team’s strengths and provide needed purchasing power and coordination for event and logistic costs. We also believe this will help encourage and grow our sport. We will share ideas, event/facility dates and best practices within this unified team, however, individual team segments will make their own decisions. Therefore, please direct your responses and inquiries to the appropriate team leadership.
Being part of Team USA is a major commitment of time and resources. We do have wonderful and sizable sponsorship partners who we thank and rely on for moderating individual team member costs. However, due to the location of this World Championship effort, one can expect to help cover a commensurate level of the costs.
We are now moving into the USA “development team” stage of the process. This team is open to newcomers… there are many newer names showing up on the top of leader-boards and many new teams that are making positive impacts. If you are interested in being part of Team USA, please consider making that commitment. We would like to hear from you by March 23, 2018.
Team Time Expectations
Attendance at SWN and US Nationals will be expected for 2019 and 2020. We will also likely expect the final team to attend the Berger SWN in 2021 or have an alternative site for a final practice prior to our trip. We will try to have afternoon or evening team sessions during these events however we may have team days just prior or after these events to maximize the use of individual travel dollars and time. We will also likely have additional team training dates in 2019 and 2020, likely on east coast ranges to facilitate best availability for all.
Shooting/Coaching Position Opportunities
We are equally passionate about developing coaching/shooting teams for winning gold medal efforts in both the Richardson Cup (8-man) and Rutland Cup (4-man) World Championship Events. Obtaining a shooting or coaching spot on one of these teams is an absolute gauntlet of a commitment and consistent strong results will be required as the USA is blessed with wonderful depth. We encourage all, with proven success in our sport, to test themselves at this highest of levels.
Team Try-Out Dates and Locations
Initial and primary tryouts are planned during the 2018 US National Championships in Raton, NM and the 2019 SW Nationals in Phoenix, AZ. There may also be an early 2019 tryout date at Butner, NC.
If you are interested in further information, please contact our Team USA leadership:
Dan Bramley, Captain USA F-Open
usrifleteam2021fopen [at] gmail.com
Phil Kelley, Jr., Captain USA F-TR
usarifle2021 [at] gmail.com
Rick Jensen, Captain USA U25
U25USAFclass [at] gmail.com
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Photo Credits Laura Perry(top) and Kelly McMillan (bottom)
The 2017 F-Class World Championships wrapped up August 17 with the final day of Team competition. Over the past two days, 8-shooter squads competed in the major international challenge match while 4-shooter teams vied for honor in the Rutland match. Team USA F-TR stole the show with a stirring come-from-behind victory over a very strong Australia F-TR squad. Not to be denied, Aussie F-Open shooters countered America’s F-TR success with a solid win for Australia in the 8-shooter F-Open match. It was Deja Vu… this result was a replay of the 2013 Worlds, where Team USA won the F-TR Team Title, while Team Australia won F-Open.
F-TR World Champions: Team USA, Richardson Trophy — Score: 3400-264V
PERRY, LAURA, AL — 419v31
DROELLE, JOHN, MI — 418v27
BARNHART, ALAN, MI — 433v36
HOGG, TRACY, NC — 424v31
KLEMM, IAN, WI — 426v39
RODGERS, DEREK, NM — 435v39
RORER, JEFFREY, NC — 429v35
POHLABEL, DANIEL, OH — 416v26
GROSS, RAYMOND, MI
HARDIN, CARLTON, GA
PHILLIPS, PAUL, MI
LENTZ, DANIEL, WI
LITZ, BRYAN, MI
FULMER, SCOTT, NY
REEVE, KENT, NC
BOYER, DOUGLAS, MI
F-Open World Champions: Team Australia, Farquharson Trophy — Score: 3511-342V
DAVIES, ROD — 441v45
CARTER, PETER — 437v37
LARSEN, PETER — 442v38
LOBERT, MARTY — 437v43
POHL, ADAM — 440v48
BRAUND, STUART — 431v39
BUNYAN, BRETT — 440v40
NUGENT, TIM — 443v52
MCGOWAN, CRAIG
BRAUND, RICHARD
WAITES, MICHAEL
LAZARUS, STEVE
REID, JOSH
FERRARA, BEN
TILLACK, LOWELL
DOBSON, DAVID
Team USA — Three-time World Champions deliver a come-from-behind win at the 900 meter line.
Along with winning F-Open, the Aussies did well in the 8-man F-TR competition, finishing second overall with a score of 3394-237V, six points behind Team USA F-TR (3400-264V). Third in F-TR was Team South Africa, with 3376-250V.
Team Canada (3506-346V) finished second in F-Open, while Team USA (F-Open) finished third with the interesting score of 3500-350V (that’s not a misprint). We believe Calvin Waldner of Canada had the top individual F-Open score for the match — 444-51V.
The F-TR Team Battle — It Paid to Wait
The top two F-TR squads, Team USA and Team Australia, followed very different strategies. The Australians got off to a quick start, while the Americans waited… and waited … and waited. Being patient and waiting for more readable and stable wind conditions proved a winning strategy for the Yanks who overcame a 9-point deficit to finish with a six-point margin as time closed down in the firing period.
Team USA Captain Ray Gross reports: “The match came down to the last yard line. The Australians were up 11 points to start the day and the Canadians were 6 points behind. We made up 2 points at 700m and shot even with the Australians at 800m, leaving us 9 points down going into the final 900m stage.
The Aussies chose to start shooting right away in what looked liked easy conditions and we waited, hoping for better. While we waited the team stayed focused and ready. Luck was on our side, it calmed down and the shooters and coaches performed flawlessly, making up the nine points and finally pulling ahead in the last few minutes of the match.
We were the last team on the line shooting and everyone was behind us watching. After two days of very close competition, the match was not decided until our last two shooters. Our last shooter started with only 12 minutes left in the match and he finished his string of 15 shots in about five minutes. He only dropped two points giving us a six point victory.
We were so focused on delivering our best performance that we weren’t sure how the other teams had finished. After the last shot the Australian captain came over and congratulated me. They had been watching our score after they had finished and knew that we had won the match. Our gritty determination had paid off and it had been one of the most exciting matches that I’ve ever been a part of. Everyone on the team should be proud that they did not let our slim chances discourage them going into that last yard line. They stayed focused and each delivered a top performance.”
American F-Open Squads Dominate 4-Shooter Rutland Match
In the F-Open Rutland competition for 4-shooter teams, American squads dominated, taking the top 4 places. Team USA Blue (1758-177V) won the Rutland title, edging Spindle Shooters by a slim one-point margin. In third place was Team USA Red followed by the Texas State Rifle Association team.
In F-TR Rutland competition, Team “Da Bulls” secured a very convincing win. Da Bulls’ 1709-131V score was a full 14 points ahead of Team KP Ballistics. This was sort of an American victory… though Da Bulls did have one Canadian “ringer” on the squad, Stephen Ireland of Toronto. Runner-up KP Ballistics was just the opposite — KP had all Canadian members except one Yank, Wade Fillingame of New Hampshire.
Above Team Da Bulls member James Crofts waives “good-bye” from the Connaught Ranges in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The next F-Class World Championships will be held in South Africa in 2021. ICFRA Web Page for 2021 FCWC.
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6.5 Creedmoor (right) shown with .308 Win (left) and .243 Win (center) for comparison.
Though most popular for competition applications (PRS and XTC), the 6.5 Creedmoor is also a capable hunting cartridge. This month Norma spotlights the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge and outlines the game-harvesting capabilities of Norma 6.5 Creedmoor factory ammunition.
Origins of the 6.5 Creedmoor
Dave Emary, senior engineer at Hornady, asked fellow competitive shooters about their “wish list” for a mid-sized round with long-range potential. It needed to offer efficiency, good ballistics, fine accuracy, and reliable feeding from a magazine. To achieve these goals, Emary necked the .30 T/C to .264 caliber (6.5 mm). The shoulder on this case is well to the rear, so long bullets with high ballistic coefficients can be used in short actions. The efficient Creedmoor case and its modest powder charge deliver hard hits on big game while keeping recoil modest. The case runs well in magazines sized for the .308 Winchester, and because it is efficient, the 6.5 Creedmoor delivers velocities very close to the .260 Remington (which is basically a 6.5-308 Win) with less powder. The 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge has shown excellent accuracy in PRS competition, though the 6mm Creedmoor has proven more competitive, given its reduced recoil.
Hunting with the 6.5 Creedmoor
by Wayne van Zwoll
I learned about the 6.5 Creedmoor by way of a rifle from Todd Seyfert at Magnum Research. The Remington 700 action wears a carbon-fiber barrel with a Krieger stainless core. GreyBull Precision added a stock and a modified 4.5-14X Leupold scope. Its 1/3-minute elevation dial is calibrated specifically for 130-grain boat-tail spitzers at Creedmoor velocities. “Spin the elevation dial to the distance in yards, and aim dead-on.” said GreyBull’s Don Ward. Prone with a sling, I was soon banging steel at 500 yards.
By the charts, the 6.5 Creedmoor is a superb cartridge for deer-size game. But I caught only a late elk season with this new rifle. The 6.5×55 and .260 had taken elk for me; surely the Creedmoor would as well. Alas, the close shot I’d wanted, to ensure precise bullet placement, didn’t come. When on the final evening Don and I spied a bull far off, there was no approach. “Your call,” he shrugged. “The air is dead-still.” I snugged the sling, prone, and dialed to the yardage. Ribs spot-lit by a sinking sun, the bull paused. Craaack! The animal spun, sprinted and fell. That shot was twice as long as any I’d ever attempted at elk.
Whitetail hunting with a Ruger 77, then a trip to sub-Saharan Africa with a T/C Icon, kept the 6.5 Creedmoor in my ammo pouch. The T/C dropped a Vaal Rhebok at 250 yards, in stiff wind (photo below). Shorter pokes on a variety of game produced consistently quick kills. I found the Creedmoor’s limit with an eland.
A high ballistic coefficient helped a Creedmoor bullet slice stiff wind 250 yards to this Vaal Rhebok.
Since then, I’ve seen several animals brought to bag by the 6.5 Creedmoor. And I’ve used it in a variety of rifles on paper and steel targets to 1,200 yards. It has become one of my favorite cartridges for deer-size game. Its mild report and recoil make it easy to shoot accurately. It seems an inherently accurate cartridge too. I’ve punched half-minute groups from production-class rifles. The proliferation of hunting loads for the 6.5 Creedmoor includes none better than Norma’s 130-grain Scirocco. This sleek, polymer-nose bullet, with its 15° boat-tail and a G1 ballistic coefficient over .550, flies very flat. In expansion and penetration tests, it opens reliably down to 1,750 fps, and drives straight and deep. A bonded bullet, it stays in one piece after high-speed impact, routinely retaining more than 80 percent of its original weight.
The 45th Annual Safari Club International (SCI) Convention is underway now at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The big event opened February 1st, and concludes Saturday the 4th. Over 20,000 hunters and sportsmen are expected to attend this year.
$10 Million in Auction Items This Year
The SCI show is famed for its fund-raising auctions. At this year’s Convention, over $10 million worth of exotic firearms, once-in-a-lifetime hunts, and fine collectibles will be auctioned. Net proceeds from the auctions are used by SCI to promote conservation and game management efforts worldwide. Here’s a past auction item, a Krieghoff Double Rifle valued at $84,000. This ‘Legends of the Hunt’ double rifle, chambered in .470 Nitro Express, is custom engraved by master engravers Michael Oke and Andreas Scholz. The stock is exhibition-grade Turkish walnut with ebony pistol grip and fore-end tip. There are gold barrel bands and gold accents on the express sight blades and double triggers.
Over 1000 Exhibitors from 33 Countries
This is a huge event, with over 1000 exhibitors from 33 countries and six continents. Notably, hundreds of top guides and outfitter services are showcased in the Outfitters Hall. The SCI convention also features many firearms manufacturers and custom gun builders. In the Gun Maker’s village prestigious European gun makers and engravers display their work.
The SCI convention boasts “the largest display of wildlife art at one venue anywhere in the world” according to Ammoland.com. The work of 55 artists and 110 taxidermists will be on display.
Hunt of a Lifetime — What Would You Hunt and Where?
A couple seasons back, Sierra Bullets asked its staffers about their dream hunting destinations. The Sierra techs, all avid hunters, were polled about their favorite hunting venues. Here are their answers to the question: “If you could hunt anything, anywhere in the world, where would you go and what would you hunt?”
Africa topped the list of “dream hunting locations” by a landslide. Canada and Alaska were both picked twice, with other destinations each favored by one staffer:
Africa 6 votes (Kudu, Eland, Cape Buffalo, Leopard, Lion, Plains Game)
Canada 2 votes (Moose, Black Bear)
Alaska 2 votes (Dall Sheep)
Wyoming 1 vote (Antelope)
US Rocky Mountains 1 vote (Elk)
Argentina 1 votes (Doves)
Australia 1 vote (Non-specific)
Carroll Pilant (Ballistics Technician): “Back to Africa for kudu and eland.”
Rich Machholz (Ballistic Technician): “African Cape Buffalo with my longtime friend Lloyd in Zimbabwee.”
Tommy Todd (Chief Ballistician): “Free Range African plains game”
Story Based on Report by NSSF
American shooters, along with Brownells and Redding, are providing help to the South African Palma (Target Rifle) team members, who will be competing at the Long Range World Championships at Camp Perry in early August, 2015. The ability of the South Africans to compete has been jeopardized by the unexpected seizure of their pre-shipped match ammo by U.S. Customs and ATF. We don’t know why the Feds seized the South Africans’ match ammo, but without it, the South African Team’s ability to participate in the Long Range World Championships has been threatened.
To rectify this situation, American F-TR and Palma shooters, backed by Brownells and Redding, have secured reloading equipment (presses, dies) and ammo components (brass, bullets, powder) so that the South Africans can assemble the needed .308 Win ammo on their arrival in the USA at the end of July.
According to industry sources, the shipment of match ammo for the South African Palma team was seized at the U.S. port of entry by U.S. Customs and ATF agents. When Ray Gross, captain of the U.S. F-TR rifle team, learned about this, Ray contacted Geoff Esterline, Product Category Manager at Brownells. Esterline immediately turned to Robin Sharpless, Executive VP of Redding Reloading, for help.
“I won’t go into the full list of presses and accessories we’ve gathered up, but I can say it’s extensive,” Sharpless told NSSF. “A member of the U.S. F-TR team who lives near Camp Perry has agreed to take our shipment and those from Brownells and the other companies providing brass, powder and bullets so that, when the South African team arrives in the U.S. during the last days of July, they can get started immediately on hand-loading. The U.S. team is even building benches for the press setups, so the South African team should be able to knock this out and get to the more important task at hand, and that is shooting at Camp Perry.”
The 2015 Palma Match and Long Range World Championships will be held August 3-15, in conjunction with the annual NRA National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio.
Ray Gross reports: “The folks who deserve credit for this are the members of the U.S. Palma Team, Ryan Henning, Geoff Esterline of Brownells, and the folks at Redding. Members of the Palma team had donated much of the needed equipment within hours of U.S. Palma Team Captain Dennis Flaharty putting the word out.
My contribution was limited to a few emails to Brownells. They coordinated with Redding to provide the remaining equipment. This is a great example of international shooting camaraderie, but my part in it was very small.”
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Being part of Team USA is a major commitment of time and resources. We do have wonderful and sizable sponsorship partners who we thank and rely on for moderating individual team member costs. However, due to the location of this World Championship effort, one can expect to help cover a commensurate level of the costs.
According to industry sources, the shipment of match ammo for the South African Palma team was seized at the U.S. port of entry by U.S. Customs and ATF agents. When Ray Gross, captain of the U.S. F-TR rifle team, learned about this, Ray contacted Geoff Esterline, Product Category Manager at Brownells. Esterline immediately turned to Robin Sharpless, Executive VP of Redding Reloading, for help.
