Am I ready to try F-TR ??

[Road_Clam]

So this past May my club officially opened our 600 yd range. We held a few high power matches and got some excellent positive feedback about our facility. The plan is to bring F class as well next year. I'm thinking about trying F class. i've been tracking my 10 shot scores and at this time i'm shooting about 1.9 to 2.3 MOA at 600 yds. I handload both .308 and .223 . I am comfortable that I have adequate equipment to try F-TR , but am a little concerned i'm maybe not ready as far as if the conditions get windy. Would like your input on what it takes as far as skill and equipment to have a go at F class. Here's a quick equipment list:

R700 Varmint .308, B&C A5 stock, 8-32x Sightron scope and an atlas bipod.

Bushmaster 24" Varmint AR-15 in .223/5.56 , Geissele 2 stage match trigger, and Atlas bipod.

I have a custom fabricated rest and a Creedmore shooting mat and an inexpensive wind meter for misc items. I also have a Celestron 60x spoting scope.

 

[diego-ted]

Nothing ventured nothing gained!

 

[284driver]

Yep. You'll learn more about the wind by shooting matches than not shooting them. Plus it's a blas. Plus, it's a blast.

 

[dkhunt14]

Till you shoot it, you will not know. I am sure you will learn things as you go. Sometimes competition will bring out the best in you. It is also good to get the gun time and know where you need to improve things. Matt

 

[watercam]

Sooner the better. Your fellow competitors are your best source of help for both technique and equipment.

 

[Jay Christopherson]

IMO and as others have said, you won't know until you try it. My equipment list NOW looks far, far different than my equipment list when I started, and I had some pretty good equipment to start with. I have video from my first year of competing and the way I shoot NOW is also far different from the way I shot back then. I guarantee that whatever you have or do now, won't look like what you'll have or what you do down the road, if you start competing even semi-seriously.

So, don't sweat it, just show up at a match and give it a go.

 

[Chappy]

IMO and as others have said, you won't know until you try it. My equipment list NOW looks far, far different than my equipment list when I started, and I had some pretty good equipment to start with. I have video from my first year of competing and the way I shoot NOW is also far different from the way I shot back then. I guarantee that whatever you have or do now, won't look like what you'll have or what you do down the road, if you start competing even semi-seriously.

So, don't sweat it, just show up at a match and give it a go.

+10000

 

[jim_k]

Yes, you are ready. You will not win your first match. Who cares? If you can shoot 6" high and 9" wide groups at 600 yards, you are even more ready, FWIW. You might still not win; I'm using my own group size and non-winning record as a reference. Later, if you can shoot 3.5" high and 5" wide groups at 600 yards, then write back and let me know how it's done.
Jim

 

[Road_Clam]

Thanks for all the advice and encouragement, my only concern is I have little wind experience. All four of my outings shooting 600 the weather was perfect and only a light breeze. I have made a lot of GREAT friends since I got involved with our 600 yd range project. I think my plan will to first voulenteer some time at an actuall event before I even shoot, that way I have a feel for exactly how a match is run. I just don't want to get involved if the competition gets too "real" , I enjoy my precision shooting strictly at the fun "club" level, and IME as soon as money hits the table, stuff gets hard.... I don't want that scenario..

 

[Jay Christopherson]

honestly, I wouldn't be too worried about the wind at 600, unless you are concerned about staying in the X-ring. Unless the wind is howling, you likely aren't in any danger of being blown off target.

Wind experience comes with just that - experience. Go do it and you'll see.

 

[blairf]

Don't worry about the wind, go shoot and have fun......... 8)

 

[boltman223]

I agree, I would just go and shoot. Don't worry about going to a match to learn what is going on, it sounds like there will be plenty of people there to help you with that. If you have questions just make sure you ask. If you don't know how to score for the shooter and/or mark and score the target,ask. Those are the biggest things for starting out that I've seen with people. after your first match you will be kicking yourself for not shooting at the match/matches you watched. I just know that I wish I would have started sooner instead of worrying about getting ready. when i went to my first match, I was shown the bare necessities. I shot and had a great time. I remember thinking, this is all there is to it, (not referring to wind reading or my scores haha) why didn't I start sooner. I learned more at that match than I did in the 3 years I spent getting "ready".

 

[Nowhere Man]

NO! No, you should not start shooting F T/R class. I don't need to get beat by any more competitors.

 

[Erik Cortina]

I'm going to tell you what I was told when I showed up to watch at my first F-Class match. One of the competitors there handed me a rifle to shoot and I told him I was just there to watch, he said "Shut up, lay down, and shoot!". It was the best advise I could have gotten at the time.

So I tell you the same. Shut up, lay down, and shoot!

 

[M99]

Of course you're ready to go for it. 2 MOA won't get you in the hunt, but so what? If you are there to enjoy the shooting and camaraderie, have at it. You'll certainly find several experienced F-TR shooters that will give you more help then you want.

 

[Immike]

Most adults are intimidated by the thought of trying something new in public but the other shooters will be busy with their own performance and pay little attention to each other's scores other than the ones to beat. Most of us have memories of rough starts in the sport but nobody else even noticed them. You will make some mistakes and come back more prepared, then make a few more and keep refining as you go. We all stepped on the line for the first time, it's your turn. Go get em.

 

[suberjc]

I shot F-Open for 4 years before trying F/TR. Boy is it different. Listen to these folks and just go out and shoot my friend. Addiction will always find a path to the 10 ring. LOL

 

[Road_Clam]

Most adults are intimidated by the thought of trying something new in public

Here's a little o/t but relavant, I was 19 , dated a girl that loved bingo, so I went to play at a local VFW hall, (keep in mind I had no idea how bingo matches were run) there was about 150 people there mostly seniors , during a more unique game called a "round robin" they called a number and I was pretty sure I hit the game, but not positive so I was asking my girl and she verified yes, meantime they called 2 more numbers and when I finallt yelled bingo , so did another senior, dam did I pi$$ off a LOT of disgruntled old hags.... I thought I was going to get taken out back and cane lashed so that "public" event has warped me for life