F-open cartridge for lazy people

[marchx]

I am lazy and that’s why I shoot 6br. Even with basic tuning or no tuning it shoots very well. With proper tuning it shoots great.

Is there an f-open cartridge that is equally easy to tune?

 

[Rank Amateur]

Another F-open cartridge? If you like 6BR, why not shoot it in F-open?

 

[MikeRu]

For F open at 600 yards I can list several 6.5 Creedmoor shooters that all shoot: same bullet, same powder, similar jump, same grains within a couple tenths, same MV within 20-30 fps, and one of two primers. I’ve personally had 4 barrels that all tuned more or less identically, even though three different brands. I use a factory Bergara action and stock, HMR Premier w the heavier barrel option. I don’t know how it could be any easier. It’s all fun, and it’s competitive. In good weather it should shoot up to 400 clean with 15-30 Xs, but the 7mm or 30cal will outshine in rough conditions. And maybe go bigger bore at 1000 yds if you want to compete, or shoot the 6.5 if fun is the goal.

 

[coldboreshot]

6.5x47L no neck turn??

 

[Steve h]

+1 for coldboreshot

 

[ChrisNZ]

6.5x47 may be fine for mid range ( I've got one just for that) but it's not a serious long range cartridge. The 7 PRCW is a pretty easy button now.

 

[Fire Dog]

For F open at 600 yards I can list several 6.5 Creedmoor shooters that all shoot: same bullet, same powder, similar jump, same grains within a couple tenths, same MV within 20-30 fps, and one of two primers. I’ve personally had 4 barrels that all tuned more or less identically, even though three different brands. I use a factory Bergara action and stock, HMR Premier w the heavier barrel option. I don’t know how it could be any easier. It’s all fun, and it’s competitive. In good weather it should shoot up to 400 clean with 15-30 Xs, but the 7mm or 30cal will outshine in rough conditions. And maybe go bigger bore at 1000 yds if you want to compete, or shoot the 6.5 if fun is the goal.

Just a vanilla 6BR was all I campaigned to start off in F Open and took out the club championship second year against Dashers, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5x47 and a 6.5x.284.
I now use it up to 600 and then to a .280AI out beyond as someone stated, the 7's just do better when conditions are challenging. Once it is "new barrel" time I will upgrade the .280AI to 7PRCW as I have the reamer, dies, brass, spare barrel and the magnum bolt.
If you can only afford to use one gun than it is hard to go past the 6BR or possibly 6BRA for a little more horsepower.

 

[ISS]

Dasher holds more 600/1000 yard records and wins than anything else lately. And now, having said that, I cannot remember what website I read that on. With the ranges and record match data.

 

[Zilla]

.284

 

[NZ_Fclass]

I'm playing with a 6 BRX - First "guess " load shot on the waterline at 600 today (20 kph switchy wind) at 2888 fps and a low ES. Ill try it at 800 next weekend. Won't take much tuning.
[Added - and no- I don't expect to win any 1000 yd matches with it. It's a rifle I have built from existing parts for fun / experimentation and the odd club level match to 600 yds. ]

 

[marchx]

I am talking 1000yards. I am talking Bisley 2026. You can't keep up with 6BR in this weather at 1000 yards.
Thinking about smallest recoil energy and biggest wind bucking ability.
I plan to do some testing with 6.5 prc in a 30" barrel at 1000 yards especially in moderate wind conditions.
If it does well, I will stay with it.
Other option is 6.5-7PRC but I heard too many complaints about it being a finicky cartridge.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

If you want to be competitive in accuracy games Id reccomend learning to enjoy tuning. If you dont enjoy it you wont get good at it and the guys your trying to beat are good at it. At 1k nothing is easy, that 6br still has to be tuned to the tenth of powder and thousanth of seating depth to win just like everything else.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Dasher holds more 600/1000 yard records and wins than anything else lately. And now, having said that, I cannot remember what website I read that on. With the ranges and record match data.

Thats not true. Theres very few Dasher records left.

 

[nockhunter]

Try 6mm ARC

Mike

 

[marchx]

If you want to be competitive in accuracy games Id reccomend learning to enjoy tuning. If you dont enjoy it you wont get good at it and the guys your trying to beat are good at it. At 1k nothing is easy, that 6br still has to be tuned to the tenth of powder and thousanth of seating depth to win just like everything else.

You are right. I cannot go with dasher or GT to Bisley. I was thinking 6.5 PRC in a 30" barrel. What do you think?

 

[Laurie]

Thats not true. Theres very few Dasher records left.

.............. and of those, none is for long-range F-Class.

I am talking 1000yards. I am talking Bisley 2026.

Nobody has shot a six or 6.5 in high level UK F-Open for many, many years. In all of our GB F-Class national league rounds serious entrants have either used sevens for more than a decade, or more recently some heretics have moved to the .300WSM now that effective buttstock recoil reducers have become available and common.

The standard national/international level Bisley winning (top-50 even cartridge) has been the 7WSM and it remains the most popular by far on major Bisley events and the other two ranges used in our top level national matches, Diggle (northern England) and Blair Atholl (Scotland). Even 284 and its 'improved' variants have largely disappeared and rarely feature in the top placings these days.

Remember too, that in addition to Bisley often seeing tricky and constantly varying winds, the '26 FCWC will employ the GB Commonwealth standard firing pattern - two shooters partnered taking shots alternately with a 45-second maximum time allowed after the target reappears. This requires some seriously fast wind judgement, but also strongly favours cartridges with very high external ballistics potentials which have a significant edge over their lesser more wind-affected rivals in this format.

 

[wboggs]

Thats not true. Theres very few Dasher records left.

What cartridge holds the most records now? Do you think it is a lazy man's cartridge?

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Depends on what competition we are talking about but in LR BR its the 6BRA. For F-open its no 6mm at all. Lazy men dont break records

 

[Alex Wheeler]

You are right. I cannot go with dasher or GT to Bisley. I was thinking 6.5 PRC in a 30" barrel. What do you think?

Pick a 7mm

 

[Laurie]

Pick a 7mm

.......... and pick one that suits US shooting practices and conditions as you'll presumably continue using it back home after the 'Worlds'. The WSMs suit our conditions and shooting format, but the 7WSM hasn't been successful in yours. US String shooting when combined with high ambient temperatures produces too much chamber and barrel heat for best results and kills barrels in short order with this cartridge. I imagine the 7PRC is a good option, as was the 284 in the 'Worlds' at Raton back in 2013.