F-Class T/R Build

[CenCalShooter]

I have a few parts and am interested in building an F T/R rifle looking for some direction from more experienced shooter.

I have a 32" 308 10 twist Bartlien blank in Heavy Palma, a Rem 700 LA in a McMillan Mod 40X stock, and a Savage Target Action with both 223 and 308 bolt faces. Originally I was only interested in the 308 but now I'm thinking about a 223 build. What would you do with these parts?

 

[smoking-brass]

Build a .308 ...you will happier when shooting from 600-1000 yards over the .223. Just my 2 cents ....now I'm broke!

 

[jr600yd]

+1 for the 308

 

[CenCalShooter]

On a 700 LA or on the Savage PTA?

 

[DukeDuke]

consider the cost of components and the recoil, the 223 with the heavies is highly competitive.

 

[Taildrag15X]

Yes they are....if it were me I'd do it all over again and have more than one in each caliber......use the Savage PTA and have Dennis H (Forum member) set you up with a 30" 1-7" .223 Rem. bull barrel....you'll burn half the powder and have just as much fun to start....have that 32", 1-10" heavy Palma .308 blank fit to the Savage (no nut) like Larry Racine http://www.lprgunsmith.com/lpr_switch_rifle.htm does and you'll have the best of both worlds.

Sell that Rem. 700 LA and MCM stock so you can buy powder and lead.......

 

[ARIZONA_F_CLASS]

No question .308!!!

 

[blairf]

No question .308!!!

+1

 

[suberjc]

I'm not an F/TR shooter currently -now back to F-Open but I'll tell you There have been a lot of promising........ Nah! not promising. Let me re-phrase. There have been a lot of .223s kicking butt at 600 recently using the Berger 90 - Witness the Arkansas State Championship last weekend. I've shot a lot of tricky Ranges - Palo Alto, Ben Avery, and I ain't never seen anything like that trickster range at Camp Robinson in North Little Rock. Brad shot all over the .308s with his .223.
Having said that, I would probably go with the .308 as well. I'm just saying .223 ain't out of the question, for 600 anyway.

 

[CenCalShooter]

Wouldn't an 82 or 80.5 perform at 600? Don't the service rifle guys shoot those all the way to 600? I understand the 90 when trying for 800/1000.

 

[Jdne5b]

Wouldn't an 82 or 80.5 perform at 600? Don't the service rifle guys shoot those all the way to 600? I understand the 90 when trying for 800/1000.

The 80.5s shoot very well at 600, and are super easy to tune. But... When the wind blows, most .308s and 90gr .223s will have a big advantage.

 

[Corey Schwanz]

I'd lean .308. I know its very doable at 600 with a .223 and even at a 1000 and yes there are some people doing it very well. But without looking at scores from matches, I'd venture significantly more people are using a .308 vs .223.

Why not do the obvious and have both?

 

[jsthntn247]

I'd recommend the .223 to anyone. However, better do your homework on your build and reloading equipment and be prepared to get on blood pressure and indigestion meds as well.

 

[Down South]

I'd recommend the .223 to anyone. However, better do your homework on your build and reloading equipment and be prepared to get on blood pressure and indigestion meds as well.

Come on man, thats what makes it fun......... ;D

Congrats again on the win in Arkansas last weekend with that pea shooter!.........

 

[memo43]

What's the furthest that you would shoot.
I have a Remington 700 in 223 and another one in 308.
Its not hard to push the 75-77 grain either close to or past 3000 fps.
The parts you have one hand you can pretty much go both ways 223/308
the options are endless

 

[Cyclops]

It depends on what distance you want to shoot out to as to which calibre you choose.

My son - then aged 14 - took up FTR shooting last year. Being a skinny guy we started with a standard Savage Model 12 VLP DBM in 223, with 26" 1:7 twist barrel. Mainly because he was flinching using a club 308.

I load 80 gr A-Max projectiles with 24.7 gr Varget for this rifle.

He has learnt good habits with this rifle. It is competitive against purpose built 308 FTR rifles and shooters out to 900 yards and 1000 yards in lighter winds. His first ever shot at 1000 yards was in the 'X' ring.

After one season of him shooting the Savage, I'm now getting a 308 built for him around a Barnard 'P' action and a 32" 1:10 twist barrel. The next season will be breaking in him and the rifle plus load development.

Don't dismiss a 223, well set up it can compete. And as someone else noted at 50% of the price per shoot compared to a 308. With 1200+ rounds per season that can be important too.