New Shooter From Franklinton La

[MalcolmSchuler]

Hello everyone,
I'm a new shooter from Franklinton, LA, just beginning my journey into the F-Open world. I’ve previously competed in PRS and NRL22 matches, but decided it was time to try something new—and jumped into F-Open headfirst.

Following my “buy once, cry once” philosophy, I reached out to Greg at GT Accuracy to get started right. He’s currently building me a 7 PRCW on a Borden BRMXD action, paired with a McMillan Kestros R stock and topped with a March High Master Majesta in Near MFG rings.

As I get started, I’d really appreciate any advice you seasoned F-Open shooters might have for a newcomer. Over the next year, my goal is to learn the ins and outs of the rifle and cartridge, burn through the two barrels I’ve picked up, and most importantly—have a blast doing it.

Also, huge shoutout to Greg at GT Accuracy—he’s been incredibly helpful and I’m really looking forward to seeing the final build.

Thank you,
Malcolm

 

[ogre1911]

Well you started off with a HELLUVA parts list!

 

[snert]

welcome to AS

 

[joshb]

Welcome!

 

[demarpaint]

Welcome!

 

[SDDasher]

Hello everyone,
I'm a new shooter from Franklinton, LA, just beginning my journey into the F-Open world. I’ve previously competed in PRS and NRL22 matches, but decided it was time to try something new—and jumped into F-Open headfirst.

Following my “buy once, cry once” philosophy, I reached out to Greg at GT Accuracy to get started right. He’s currently building me a 7 PRCW on a Borden BRMXD action, paired with a McMillan Kestros R stock and topped with a March High Master Majesta in Near MFG rings.

As I get started, I’d really appreciate any advice you seasoned F-Open shooters might have for a newcomer. Over the next year, my goal is to learn the ins and outs of the rifle and cartridge, burn through the two barrels I’ve picked up, and most importantly—have a blast doing it.

Also, huge shoutout to Greg at GT Accuracy—he’s been incredibly helpful and I’m really looking forward to seeing the final build.

Thank you,
Malcolm

Welcome to Accurate Shooter and F Open. As you go forward I’m not sure which will drive you nuts first!
( he said jokingly) You have paired with a first class builder and first class components. As in anything new, listen and learn from the top tier shooters. Wind reading skills is very important in both mid range and especially long range, and is learned through experience in my experience and opinion. Good Luck.

 

[ogre1911]

Welcome to Accurate Shooter and F Open. As you go forward I’m not sure which will drive you nuts first!
( he said jokingly) You have paired with a first class builder and first class components. As in anything new, listen and learn from the top tier shooters. Wind reading skills is very important in both mid range and especially long range, and is learned through experience in my experience and opinion. Good Luck.

+1 on wind. Most everyone can pull the trigger well. Wind and atmospheric stuff separate the winners from the competitors.....imho

 

[MalcolmSchuler]

Welcome to Accurate Shooter and F Open. As you go forward I’m not sure which will drive you nuts first!
( he said jokingly) You have paired with a first class builder and first class components. As in anything new, listen and learn from the top tier shooters. Wind reading skills is very important in both mid range and especially long range, and is learned through experience in my experience and opinion. Good Luck.

Thank you. Wind reading will be very important with F-Open as I just can't hold left or right edge of the plate like I did in PRS. I'm so pumped about this new endeavor and my mind is like a dry sponge just wanting to soak up information.

 

[TTE]

my mind is like a dry sponge just wanting to soak up information.

With the vast amounts of experience and information here ........
you may need an extra sponge

 

[NA Woody]

Malcom,
You should come shoot with us at Bayou Rifles, just south of Houston.
We have a 1k match the first Sunday of every month and a mid-range match on the 3rd. Sunday.
If you need more info shoot me a PM.
Neil Woody
BRI HP Division Director

 

[Sandstorm]

Listen to Woody, Malcolm. Them fellows down there will get you going in the right direction.
They are probly some of the finest shooters west of the Mississippi when it comes to F-Class.

 

[tvaught]

Welcome Malcom

Ranges/Clubs- 3Bar, Long Range Alley, and Palo Alto are all local to you in terms of ranges and clubs.

Mentor: Your previous shooting experiences will serve you well in Fopen, but next one on your list should be to ID a mentor to help you get the most out of the excellent equipment list you posted, and help you forge a 24-36 month plan for the way ahead.

ShotMarker: Almost a "must have" nowadays in FOpen, so if you don't have one, get that in the que.

WindZero: Think of it as a Garmin or Labradar chronograph for the wind, and set it up everytime you shoot whether its at 100 yards or 1k. The mental wind picture you'll form over time will serve you well.

System: Just as with your previous 22/PRS experience, think of your FOpen shooting as an intricate system, and try to build resilience and consistency in that system. Component lot consistency, barrels on order, rifle/bag setup etc.

Incremental introduction of change: Don't change anything significantly for at least 2-3 barrels. This includes reamer, gunsmith, bullet, barrel mfg...it takes a bit to learn to get the last 1-5% out of these guns, and that learning curve can be inhibited by trying eleventymillion (Arkansas technical term I've learned) different things before you learn Combo #1.

Welcome, hope you can make the trek down to Bayou when its the right time.

 

[MalcolmSchuler]

Malcom,
You should come shoot with us at Bayou Rifles, just south of Houston.
We have a 1k match the first Sunday of every month and a mid-range match on the 3rd. Sunday.
If you need more info shoot me a PM.
Neil Woody
BRI HP Division Director

Thank you Woody, I will definitely be looking into that because that is only a 6 hour drive from my house. I will shoot you a PM later for more information.

Thank you,

 

[MalcolmSchuler]

Welcome Malcom

Ranges/Clubs- 3Bar, Long Range Alley, and Palo Alto are all local to you in terms of ranges and clubs.

Mentor: Your previous shooting experiences will serve you well in Fopen, but next one on your list should be to ID a mentor to help you get the most out of the excellent equipment list you posted, and help you forge a 24-36 month plan for the way ahead.

ShotMarker: Almost a "must have" nowadays in FOpen, so if you don't have one, get that in the que.

WindZero: Think of it as a Garmin or Labradar chronograph for the wind, and set it up everytime you shoot whether its at 100 yards or 1k. The mental wind picture you'll form over time will serve you well.

System: Just as with your previous 22/PRS experience, think of your FOpen shooting as an intricate system, and try to build resilience and consistency in that system. Component lot consistency, barrels on order, rifle/bag setup etc.

Incremental introduction of change: Don't change anything significantly for at least 2-3 barrels. This includes reamer, gunsmith, bullet, barrel mfg...it takes a bit to learn to get the last 1-5% out of these guns, and that learning curve can be inhibited by trying eleventymillion (Arkansas technical term I've learned) different things before you learn Combo #1.

Welcome, hope you can make the trek down to Bayou when its the right time.

Thank you, I actually have a club local to me in Bogalusa, La called Saorsa Acres that has a mid range match on the 3rd Saturday of the month.

Definitely need to find a mentor that has been there and done that. I do have a 2 year plan right now and my first goal is to learn my rifle and system like I do driving a truck where it becomes second nature. Second goal is to shoot a relay clean and follow my process completely. I think those are two reasonable goal for the next 24 months.

Shot marker is a purchase that I will be making next week. I have a six hundred yard and 1000 yards range at my house. I live on my wife’s family’s ranch so I’m able to practice anytime I want. Just need to move the steel targets out of the way and set up shot maker stand.

Wind zero is something I’m not familiar with; is that like a kestrel?

I totally agree with you regarding learning a system and not making any crazy changes for awhile. I’m still shooting the same PRS gun (AI AX) in 6 BR for the past 10 years with only changing out the barrels when they get shot out. Still the same caliber that I started with so I know the load and bullet that I like and know. I plan on doing the same with F Class. I don’t chase the latest, I learn the caliber and stick with it. I invested enough in bullets, brass, N555, primers to shoot out the two barrels that I have coming plus 3 more. So I’m going to learn the new cartridge one way or another.

Thank you for the response

Malcolm.

 

[tvaught]

Thank you, I actually have a club local to me in Bogalusa, La called Saorsa Acres that has a mid range match on the 3rd Saturday of the month.

Definitely need to find a mentor that has been there and done that. I do have a 2 year plan right now and my first goal is to learn my rifle and system like I do driving a truck where it becomes second nature. Second goal is to shoot a relay clean and follow my process completely. I think those are two reasonable goal for the next 24 months.

Shot marker is a purchase that I will be making next week. I have a six hundred yard and 1000 yards range at my house. I live on my wife’s family’s ranch so I’m able to practice anytime I want. Just need to move the steel targets out of the way and set up shot maker stand.

Wind zero is something I’m not familiar with; is that like a kestrel?

I totally agree with you regarding learning a system and not making any crazy changes for awhile. I’m still shooting the same PRS gun (AI AX) in 6 BR for the past 10 years with only changing out the barrels when they get shot out. Still the same caliber that I started with so I know the load and bullet that I like and know. I plan on doing the same with F Class. I don’t chase the latest, I learn the caliber and stick with it. I invested enough in bullets, brass, N555, primers to shoot out the two barrels that I have coming plus 3 more. So I’m going to learn the new cartridge one way or another.

Thank you for the response

Malcolm.

Sounds like a great plan.

Wind Zero

Advanced wind analysis for precision shooting

windzero.store

 

[9146gt]

Have fun enjoy.
Tom

 

[Fast14riot]

Don't overlook rest and bags as part of the system that can be tuned. You should be good with the basics, but keeping good records of rounds on the barrel, atmospheric conditions, etm, will allow you to go back and see patterns you might not notice while at the range.

 

[mike a]

Hello everyone,
I'm a new shooter from Franklinton, LA, just beginning my journey into the F-Open world. I’ve previously competed in PRS and NRL22 matches, but decided it was time to try something new—and jumped into F-Open headfirst.

Following my “buy once, cry once” philosophy, I reached out to Greg at GT Accuracy to get started right. He’s currently building me a 7 PRCW on a Borden BRMXD action, paired with a McMillan Kestros R stock and topped with a March High Master Majesta in Near MFG rings.

As I get started, I’d really appreciate any advice you seasoned F-Open shooters might have for a newcomer. Over the next year, my goal is to learn the ins and outs of the rifle and cartridge, burn through the two barrels I’ve picked up, and most importantly—have a blast doing it.

Also, huge shoutout to Greg at GT Accuracy—he’s been incredibly helpful and I’m really looking forward to seeing the final build.

Thank you,
Malcolm

Welcome. Funny how I always think of LA. as being Alabama. That’s because my dad always said he was born in LA. ( LOWER ALABAMA).

 

[Fast14riot]

Welcome. Funny how I always think of LA. as being Alabama. That’s because my dad always said he was born in LA. ( LOWER ALABAMA).

As a native Kalifornian, LA is very different for me too, lol!

 

[G7BC]

Hello everyone,
I'm a new shooter from Franklinton, LA, just beginning my journey into the F-Open world. I’ve previously competed in PRS and NRL22 matches, but decided it was time to try something new—and jumped into F-Open headfirst.

Following my “buy once, cry once” philosophy, I reached out to Greg at GT Accuracy to get started right. He’s currently building me a 7 PRCW on a Borden BRMXD action, paired with a McMillan Kestros R stock and topped with a March High Master Majesta in Near MFG rings.

As I get started, I’d really appreciate any advice you seasoned F-Open shooters might have for a newcomer. Over the next year, my goal is to learn the ins and outs of the rifle and cartridge, burn through the two barrels I’ve picked up, and most importantly—have a blast doing it.

Also, huge shoutout to Greg at GT Accuracy—he’s been incredibly helpful and I’m really looking forward to seeing the final build.

Thank you,
Malcolm

Welcome to the sport Malcolm! Just a couple years in myself so wouldn't go so far as saying I'm "seasoned" but also kind of feeling like I'm losing the ability to call myself a new shooter. We have so many resources to learn from these days that past generations of shooters didn't have and if you put in the work, you can progress fairly quickly.
I would highly recommend Lanny Basham's book " With Winning in Mind" There's an audio version that's nice for trips to matches or while working in the reloading room. There's some other great books out there as well.

Mental rehearsal is a powerful tool, especially when weather or work/family obligations don't allow for time at the range. Keep good notes and try to capture everything you can from practice sessions / matches.

Try to emulate the top guys and take their advice to heart. I have a half dozen guys I consider sort of "silent mentors" and they don't even know it.

Another trick I use it treating every match as a practice session. For me, it takes a lot of the pressure off and frees me up to focus on process, strategy and reading the wind. Makes the whole thing less stressful and more enjoyable in general.

Definitely get over to Bayou. Not only is it ground zero for some of the top shooters in the world but they're also the nicest bunch of guys/gals you'll ever meet. Good Luck!