F-Open Cartridge Selection for new guy?

[WindSurgeon]

1. Hadn't really thought of budget. Usually I accumulate parts every payday until I have what I want/need. I'm sure rests aren't cheap, and that isn't something I'd considered. I figured I would start with a "budget" rest to start out with in order to start with a better gun.
2. The manners T2 would only be used if I did F-T/R because I already have it.
3. Reloading equipment...if I were to go with a new cartridge, I would need dies. The other poster was mentioning .308 and .223, I have Redding S-type dies, body dies, and expander mandrels. I typically use Forster BR seating dies. I have a Rockchucker I seat with and I typically process on the the progressive press. I have been eyeing a Giraud trimmer, but I have the drill-mounted units now that seem to work just fine and they are fast. I have a bench-source annealing machine, a wet tumbler and a dry tumbler. I do not have an Fx120i, rather a Chargemaster. I've talked to a couple of guys that seem to think a Chargemaster would not be the limiting factor. I spoke with Erik Cortina and he stated guys can win with them, so I've been fairly convinced the Fx120i is a good upgrade, but not a priority upgrade.
4. Noted!
5. Therein lies the problem, won't shoot much at 1k (the ranges are far from home and I have small children), but would I be best served building a "one rifle" for both 600 and 1,000? Or just focus on 600?
6. Those are some good points and very intriguing because I could just get a barrel spun and not have to wait on a full build.

Thank you for the thorough response. I will keep your suggestions in mind as well as any further insight.

Count on $4-5k to build from scratch. Less if you are willing to buy a used rifle off this site.

 

[davidjoe]

The faster-than-BR 6’s such as your gunsmith recommends for up to 600 yd midrange, are actually so easy to load for and score masterfully with, that they are catching some flack as a category these days.

284 stalwarts point out that the immediate high level success with a 6, and yes that’s very possible at midrange when you start with a fresh barrel and enthusiasm, may make it harder to transition to a 7 or bigger for long range, or that alternating back and forth could hinder your long range shooting. IMO we can relate to a risk of getting spoiled, yes, but because we can discern that pothole, we ought to be able to steer clear of it, when we shoot our finicky guns, but then again, tobacco and casinos do flourish.

284 guys will acknowledge that 284’s shot by great shooters, will be squeezed for the win from below at midrange by a 6, often actually losing the agg to them even when there were only one or two entered, and who’s shooter, whether great or not, will have had an indisputably easier time with precise gun handling using that 22 pound 6, burned less powder and shot cheaper bullets.

If you are going to only shoot midrange, then you have the luxury of considering a 6 for all your Fclass shooting. All the 284 guys proposing the 284, - they shoot both mid and long range.

This 600 yard target is from a regular factory Rem 700 repeater short action, rebarreled 6BR, Shillen with many rounds through it, and plain old 107 SMK bullets, tipped, from a Manners Fclass stock. 16.5 pounds all in.

 

[swd]

If 600 yards is 90% of your shooting a Dasher is the way to go. They have a big disadvantage at 1k but every now and then you can still get it done. I managed to win Master on Sunday's match at our state championships with a 6BRX against I think all 284's in the rest of the Master field.

 

[dskogman]

The 6mm vs 284 and up at 600 yds depends on where you shoot. Big wide open ranges out west are 284+ (Raton, Byers, Capitan, Ben Avery). Light wind, protected, tree lined ranges 6mm’s rule. And then there are a bunch in the middle.
A 284 may give up a few X’s some times but it’s going to give up a lot fewer 9’s most of the time.

 

[Rope2horns]

Fun facts about 6mm versus bigger guns at mid-range.

Mid-Range Nationals was won 7 years in a row (until this year) by a 300WSM.

600yrd national record is 200-23x - 7mm.... Before that a 6mm 200-22x...before that 200-21x 7Shehane...before that was 200-19x....probably shot a dozen times by 7/6mm's combined.

600yrd agg record...the last four records were shot using 300wsm, 7mmShehane, 7RSUAM and 7mm Sherman Short.

Never under estimate what the bigger guns can do in the right hands with the right tune on the right day/days.

Pretty convincing if ya ask me.

 

[Ringostar]

The 6mm vs 284 and up at 600 yds depends on where you shoot. Big wide open ranges out west are 284+ (Raton, Byers, Capitan, Ben Avery). Light wind, protected, tree lined ranges 6mm’s rule. And then there are a bunch in the middle.
A 284 may give up a few X’s some times but it’s going to give up a lot fewer 9’s most of the time.

I agree completely with Doug. Roswell is another range in this windy category, however only 600 yds. I shot a 2 day regional with my 6.5x47L. I shot a few 199-14x scores with it, however lost to 284 Shehanes with 200-8x scores.

 

[MikeMcCasland]

A 284 may give up a few X’s some times but it’s going to give up a lot fewer 9’s most of the time.

OP - This is sage advice right here, and I've observed the same trend.

I shoot F-T/R "seriously", but occasionally play around in F-Open with a 6mm that's basically a PRS setup with an NF comp on top. If I were actually going to try to compete in F-Open, I'd be shooting a .284 without question.

The little 6s reign supreme at 300, but at 500/600 if the wind picks up, you're more likely to drop points to the .284s. At 1,000 even the "elite" F-Open guys behind a 6mm are at a fairly significant disadvantage.

I really enjoy the 6mms. They have their place in F-Class, but it's not a primary 600/1000 yard rifle.

 

[Zilla]

Fun facts about 6mm versus bigger guns at mid-range.

Mid-Range Nationals was won 7 years in a row (until this year) by a 300WSM.

600yrd national record is 200-23x - 7mm.... Before that a 6mm 200-22x...before that 200-21x 7Shehane...before that was 200-19x....probably shot a dozen times by 7/6mm's combined.

600yrd agg record...the last four records were shot using 300wsm, 7mmShehane, 7RSUAM and 7mm Sherman Short.

Never under estimate what the bigger guns can do in the right hands with the right tune on the right day/days.

Pretty convincing if ya ask me.

Like this?

 

[dskogman]

Like this?

View attachment 1291967

Show off

 

[Carden260]

what does the Ninja know. the only reason he shot the 10 was he would have run out of AMMO!!! Watched it!!!!! That 10 was only after he stopped shooting, stood up smoked a marlboro then laid back down and shot the 10....

 

[Medic505]

what does the Ninja know. the only reason he shot the 10 was he would have run out of AMMO!!! Watched it!!!!! That 10 was only after he stopped shooting, stood up smoked a marlboro then laid back down and shot the 10....

And he probably shot 4 sighters and 25 X's in a little over 3 1/2 minutes, had to wait on that damn 7 second delay.....

 

[lawman29]

Mid-Range Nationals was won 7 years in a row (until this year) by a 300WSM.

So how about the rest of the story: 2021 NRA Mid-range National won by Roger Mayhall shooting a
1800-131 (that's a clean folks) with a 6 Dasher!

 

[Rope2horns]

So how about the rest of the story: 2021 NRA Mid-range National won by Roger Mayhall shooting a
1800-131 (that's a clean folks) with a 6 Dasher!

Rest of the story? I said until this year, maybe you didn’t notice? ….Roger crushed it.

One time out of eight years ain’t bad I guess.

 

[Falfan2017]

I’ve only seen a couple days where I’d rather have a 6 over a 7mm. Even at 600 with the wind blowing the 7 seems to save a point or 2
Per match. Id go with the 284 and get ahold of some 180 bergers if you can find them.

 

[dskogman]

So how about the rest of the story: 2021 NRA Mid-range National won by Roger Mayhall shooting a
1800-131 (that's a clean folks) with a 6 Dasher!

The conditions at Atterbury were right and Roger killed it. I doubt he would have shot his 6 if the wind was up.
John Meyers shot a clean 1800 at Raton with a 300 WSM. They both can win but the wind blows more often than not.

 

[Carden260]

I am shocked all you are arguing over this for 3 complete pages. Shoot what ever blows air up your skirt. NOBODY CARES WHAT YOU SHOOT as long as its a 284!!!!

 

[davidjoe]

what does the Ninja know. the only reason he shot the 10 was he would have run out of AMMO!!! Watched it!!!!! That 10 was only after he stopped shooting, stood up smoked a marlboro then laid back down and shot the 10....

What’d I say about tobacco.

 

[Dgd6mm]

So how about the rest of the story: 2021 NRA Mid-range National won by Roger Mayhall shooting a
1800-131 (that's a clean folks) with a 6 Dasher!

DAMN!

 

[Dgd6mm]

.223 for 600, .308 for 1000.....end of story.

 

[drop_point]

I had another conversation with the smith today. I asked him specifically if I could do a single-shot Defiance Deviant switch barrel .284 Win/6mm BRA. He actually said he would have no problem with that. Specifically, he mentioned it may not extract a loaded round without removing the bolt with that combination, but didn't see that as much of a problem. He specifically said he would recommend the .284 for 1,000 but would like me to do 6mm to save money for the 600 yard matches locally (they aren't windy like out west).

For now, I'll get a .308 barrel spun up and start shooting again in the spring off my bipod and maybe sometime later in the year I can have an open rig up and running.