F-Class vs Benchrest. Sorry for my ignorance up front!

[EOD Rob]

So Im batting around the idea of getting into either F-Class or Benchrest shooting. This has never been my discipline, but shooting Highpower rifle matches gets harder and harder. Havent shot a match in quit a while.
Anyway, I'm not totally sure the difference between the two disciplines, but I know the big one is rifle weight. 17# vs 22#.
I'm thinking of building a 6 Dasher Custom to get started with.
I'd like to hear some input from the vast experience that is rolling around this sight please. Where to start, what caliber, which discipline, ect. Just looking for a starting point.
I have several ranges around my home town that shoot 600yd matches quit often if that helps.

Again, thanks for any and all advice for this ignorant individual!
Rob

 

[Dub]

F class is prone (like High Power) and if that is what makes it difficult then the obvious choice is benchrest

 

[ballisticdaddy]

Best thing to do is go to a match and see how it works / what works and can ask questions there. F-Class is shot prone in both classes of FTR (.223 or .308) or Open (Any caliber) and shoot at different sized targets.

 

[dthomas]

In f class you shoot prone but you can use a front rest and rear bag. Course of fire is the same as high power prone but we shoot smaller targets. Benchrest is completely different.

 

[caihlen]

Benchrest is completely different...Totally different game.

 

[jr600yd]

So your experienced shooting Highpower. Ok, ”F” class is like shooting the 600 to 1,000 line prone except……….you can use a front rest and a rear bag or a bipod, no sweat shirt or shooting jacket, no glove, no sling. Slow fire, no magazine needed. Use a spotting scope if you want. Usually you’ll find high power scopes on the rifles 25X- 80X. Competition rifles will look more like Bench Rest rifles with 30” +/- barrels. Almost all will be bolt guns.

 

[B Nettesheim]

You could use the same rifle for both if built correctly

 

[jr600yd]

Like Bench Rest “F” Class has weight limits. 18 lbs for Ftr (223 & 308) only and using a bipod.
F open is any other caliber subject to range limitations 22 lb weight limit. You can use either a bipod or front rest along with a rear bag.

 

[JLittle]

So Im batting around the idea of getting into either F-Class or Benchrest shooting. This has never been my discipline, but shooting Highpower rifle matches gets harder and harder. Havent shot a match in quit a while.
Anyway, I'm not totally sure the difference between the two disciplines, but I know the big one is rifle weight. 17# vs 22#.
I'm thinking of building a 6 Dasher Custom to get started with.
I'd like to hear some input from the vast experience that is rolling around this sight please. Where to start, what caliber, which discipline, ect. Just looking for a starting point.
I have several ranges around my home town that shoot 600yd matches quit often if that helps.

Again, thanks for any and all advice for this ignorant individual!
Rob

All of the F-Class rules are in the back of the NRA Highpower rule book. Most of the time it’s shot alongside prone matches.

 

[Damfino]

So Im batting around the idea of getting into either F-Class or Benchrest shooting. This has never been my discipline, but shooting Highpower rifle matches gets harder and harder. Havent shot a match in quit a while.
Anyway, I'm not totally sure the difference between the two disciplines, but I know the big one is rifle weight. 17# vs 22#.
I'm thinking of building a 6 Dasher Custom to get started with.
I'd like to hear some input from the vast experience that is rolling around this sight please. Where to start, what caliber, which discipline, ect. Just looking for a starting point.
I have several ranges around my home town that shoot 600yd matches quit often if that helps.

Again, thanks for any and all advice for this ignorant individual!
Rob

In addition to the above information the targets are different. The course of fire is different. The approaches are different. There is some similarity between the disciplines but in reality they are quite different.

Recently I've shot some 500 benchrest club matches in Brock's Gap in Birmingham and NRA approved F-class 600 and 1,000 yard matches out of Tullahoma. I am an experienced F-class (High Master), but feel like an absolute beginner in benchrest. In benchrest we shoot sighters then go for record and the shooters wait for a condition, then some shoot so fast and smooth it's hard to believe. Like 5 shots in less than 10 seconds.

In F-class you shoot slowly because you're waiting on target pullers in the pits or an electronic delay if you're on E-targets, but you get feedback on your shot placement. I can't see the bullets holes in benchrest and with a RBRP configuration I'm very slow and my preferred chosen condition never last long enough.

If I was building a rifle for both I would go with a dual port action and a Dasher or most any 6BR variant. The picture below is of my F-class rifle (6 Dasher) at the most recent benchrest match. It is adequate, but not really suitable.

Both benchrest and F-class are very easy to participate in, but damn hard to be competitive in even at the club level. Happily, both disciplines are populated by shooters who are generous with their knowledge and insights and happy to share with the most misguided of beginners.

 

[kzin]

If you want to start with the smallest move from highpower don't overlook the AR tactical class.

AR with some specific restrictions prone off a bipod with a 15x scope.

 

[kzin]

I'm basically an f-class shooter and occasionally shoot and enjoy score bench.

I'm not attracted to group bench and haven't tried it.

 

[shoot4fun]

So Im batting around the idea of getting into either F-Class or Benchrest shooting. This has never been my discipline, but shooting Highpower rifle matches gets harder and harder. Havent shot a match in quit a while.
Anyway, I'm not totally sure the difference between the two disciplines, but I know the big one is rifle weight. 17# vs 22#.
I'm thinking of building a 6 Dasher Custom to get started with.
I'd like to hear some input from the vast experience that is rolling around this sight please. Where to start, what caliber, which discipline, ect. Just looking for a starting point.
I have several ranges around my home town that shoot 600yd matches quit often if that helps.

Again, thanks for any and all advice for this ignorant individual!
Rob

While you have been given a lot of spot on and valuable info here I feel one option has been left out.
IBS now has both Tactical and Factory classes as well as our traditional Light Gun (17# or less) and HG (no weight limit). If you have a precision bolt rifle or a good shooting factory rig then you're all set to at least go get your feet wet. As stated already, if one carefully analyses the rules of both, a rifle can be built to satisfy both F-Open and IBS LG.

In addition to the above information the targets are different. The course of fire is different. The approaches are different. There is some similarity between the disciplines but in reality they are quite different.

Recently I've shot some 500 benchrest club matches in Brock's Gap in Birmingham and NRA approved F-class 600 and 1,000 yard matches out of Tullahoma. I am an experienced F-class (High Master), but feel like an absolute beginner in benchrest. In benchrest we shoot sighters then go for record and the shooters wait for a condition, then some shoot so fast and smooth it's hard to believe. Like 5 shots in less than 10 seconds.

In F-class you shoot slowly because you're waiting on target pullers in the pits or an electronic delay if you're on E-targets, but you get feedback on your shot placement. I can't see the bullets holes in benchrest and with a RBRP configuration I'm very slow and my preferred chosen condition never last long enough.

If I was building a rifle for both I would go with a dual port action and a Dasher or most any 6BR variant. The picture below is of my F-class rifle (6 Dasher) at the most recent benchrest match. It is adequate, but not really suitable.

Both benchrest and F-class are very easy to participate in, but damn hard to be competitive in even at the club level. Happily, both disciplines are populated by shooters who are generous with their knowledge and insights and happy to share with the most misguided of beginners.

We really enjoy having you at our match and hope you enjoy us enough to keep coming back. As for competitiveness I would suggest that most of our shooters are "hard core" long-timers at BGTC 500 Yard BR and their abilities (especially mine) did take some time to refine. Keep working and asking questions and you will get there too.

 

[XTR]

F-class is just a subset of the rules for NRA Highpower, so you probably know the drill. Same course of fire you've been shooting just with supported rifle. As noted above, F-TR with a bipod and rear bag shooting 223 or 308s up to 18.18 lbs (including the bipod) and F open shooting with a rear bag and pretty much any rest and any rifle in any chamber 35cal or less up to 22lbs. (that's simplified but essentially correct, I suggest anyone read the rules if they are going to play the game)

BR is a different game with a different governing body and different rules.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Both sports have a lot more in common than not. The main questions to ask yourself would be, do you prefer to shoot groups or score? Do you want to shoot from a bench or prone? Do you want to shoot/load a lot or not? In Br you will shoot for group and score blind (no marked shots), sit at a bench, and shoot/load less. In F-class you will shoot only score, from the prone, and typically the matches require you to shoot/load more ammo. In Br tuning is probably more critical than wind reading, in F-class wind reading is probably more critical than tuning. So thats another thing to consider. Both games require the utmost precision and skill to win just slightly different skill sets.

 

[DJSBRS]

While you have been given a lot of spot on and valuable info here I feel one option has been left out.
IBS now has both Tactical and Factory classes as well as our traditional Light Gun (17# or less) and HG (no weight limit). If you have a precision bolt rifle or a good shooting factory rig then you're all set to at least go get your feet wet. As stated already, if one carefully analyses the rules of both, a rifle can be built to satisfy both F-Open and IBS LG.

We really enjoy having you at our match and hope you enjoy us enough to keep coming back. As for competitiveness I would suggest that most of our shooters are "hard core" long-timers at BGTC 500 Yard BR and their abilities (especially mine) did take some time to refine. Keep working and asking questions and you will get there too.

As you guys know, we would even furnish him all the equipment and ammunition to try it out and decide for himself. Come shoot with us and we will show you southern hospitality.

DJ

 

[lawman29]

What 600 yard matches are they shooting near you - F Class or BR or both? FClass is under Highpower rules and has classifications so you can compete against individuals of the same skill as you work your way up. BR no classifications you're in the deep end of the pool from day one...

 

[Ringostar]

As Tim said. Check with your local ranges, and see what types of competition they hold. That could be a very big factor. If there aren’t matches for the rifle that you choose, then you’re going to be traveling.

 

[Retired Grunt]

I chose F Class because there is more of it in my Area, doesn't hurt to have the many awesome world class shooters at the closest range. I tried Hi Power with the Coat and Tie, my disabilities really hinder my prone abilities, so I am a F Class Bench shooter.

 

[std7mag]

My limited experience with both...
Obvious prone vs bench.
F-Class scopes usually running something in the 6-24 power range with a hashmark or dot reticle.
BR a 10-50 power range with fine reticle & center target dot.
F-Class shoot 60 for score plus sighters.
BR IBS/UBR is timed (5-7 minutes per relay) expect 24 shots plus sighters for UBR. (20 for IBS).
Hence barrel life is theoretically longer, but demand for utmost precession doesn't necessarily make it so.

If you think wind reading isn't as important at a short range BR match, come watch one & count all the wind flags & different devicds for dirrection & velocity.

F-Class target "X" ring slightly under 1/2 MOA.
BR at 100 yards is essentially a dot on the target like made with a sharpie at 100 yards.
10 ring at 100 is about 1/2", depending upon caliber.
Then at 200, 300, 400 yards it remains at 1".