First F Class Rifle

[Ajwilly96]

I have the opportunity to pick up a savage F T/R in .223 with a 30in barrel laminate stock for $1200.

I was looking at starting to shoot F class specifically using .223. For the money are there any other rifles that I have not stumbled across that would be better than a savage at that price point?

Caliber choice is because I already have several other rifles in various calibers but I was looking for something to practice reading wind and just overall trigger time. .223 seems to be the cheapest to reload

 

[Downeast]

I have one that I picked up used and it shoots in the .2's if I do my part. Switching barrels is real easy too. I have a Shilen on mine now.

 

[Sandstorm]

Its certainly a great way to get in the Game. I think its a perfect opportunity to see how you like
F-Class and FTR specifically. Once your shooting and meeting people youl have plenty of time decide
on how you want to advance in the sport, with equipment and calibers.
Just get out and start shooting and the magic happens.

 

[Ajwilly96]

I have one that I picked up used and it shoots in the .2's if I do my part. Switching barrels is real easy too. I have a Shilen on mine now.

I currently own three savages and one Tikka that I have re-barreled. I have never owned one of their “Target Actions” though

 

[scissorhands]

I say it depends. I'm new to the game and currently have a stock Savage 12 FTR in .308 and a NightForce NXS 8-32. Shot a 600 yard match and a 1000 yard match and now have a Bartlien barrel on the way and a McMillan XIT stock. I also replaced the NXS with a NF competition.
I thought I would spend a year on shooting what I had, that lasted 2 matches. (top level shooters have used stock savages at the national level and were competitive and even won).
There's a reason why the top shooters are using what they are ( mainly talking about the 200-20x Bergers) and I want to "try" and take the "easy" stuff out of my way.
I want to win and be competitive so I bit the bullet and will slowly get up to speed.
Overall, get out there and shoot a match and have fun.

 

[Ajwilly96]

I say it depends. I'm new to the game and currently have a stock Savage 12 FTR in .308 and a NightForce NXS 8-32. Shot a 600 yard match and a 1000 yards match and now have a Bartlien barrel on the way and a McMillan XIT stock. I also replaced the NXS with a NF competition.
I thought I would spend a year on shooting what I had, that lasted 2 matches. (top level shooters have used stock savages at the national level and were competitive and even won).
There's a reason why the top shooters are using what they are ( mainly talking about the 200-20x Bergers) and I want to "try" and take the "easy" stuff out of my way.
I want to win and be competitive so I bit the bullet and will slowly get up to speed.
Overall, get out there and shoot a match and have fun.

Were you not happy with the accuracy and feel of your barrel/stock?

 

[scissorhands]

Were you not happy with the accuracy and feel of your barrel/stock?

The rifle is very accurate. With different loads and bullets it would shoot .2 and .3 inch groups at 100 yards.

 

[D-4297]

Solid choice to begin with . I would suggest you focus on 600 yard Mid-Range as that rifle is competitive at that distance . Mainly due to the available bullet weights in that caliber . It will give you a great opportunity to sharpen wind reading skills , and develop more advanced loading skills for the TR game . This is not a over-night success story , like the movies , but it will be both frustrating and enjoyable . This is the right place to be , with a lot of great knowledge to send you down the bottom-less rabbit-hole .

 

[1911mag]

It is a good entry level start with .223 at mid range. Yes wind reading skills are a must. I shot a Kimber 82G at 100 for practice and took that to a Remington .223, lots of practice and hard work pays off. My first upgrade was reamer to run 90’s in a 1:7 Bartlein 30”, upgrade number 2 was a Nightforce Comp.
I was an underdog to 308’s by what I was told. I also like a challenge and it paid off. Now wife is FTR and I crossed to Open.
Best advice I have is go have fun and ask questions and learn. I have never been to a match that did not welcome me and help me. Then when your hooked the rabbit hole begins!

 

[Fast14riot]

Buy it. Shoot it, a lot. Learn to shoot before buying expensive gear and you'll have a better idea of where and how to spend wisely.

 

[Ajwilly96]

Buy it. Shoot it, a lot. Learn to shoot before buying expensive gear and you'll have a better idea of where and how to spend wisely.

I own sever rifles for PRS and steel shooting stuff. I’ve just never had a custom action or target action. Nicest one I own is a tikka. I wasn’t sure if there was a cheaper custom action that would put me around the build price of the savage.

 

[Fast14riot]

I own sever rifles for PRS and steel shooting stuff. I’ve just never had a custom action or target action. Nicest one I own is a tikka. I wasn’t sure if there was a cheaper custom action that would put me around the build price of the savage.

So go shoot your PRS rifle in f/class! I know a new gun is always fun, but go see if you like it and want to spend more to get what you want.

 

[Ringostar]

It’s actually a decent rifle to start with. I’ve commented to others in the past, who’ve asked about trying F class. I first asked if they’re already loading their own ammo. If not, I suggested a 223 varmint with factory match ammo and a bipod. It’s a way to shoot midrange without a big expense to try it. If you decide it’s not for you, you still have a varmint rifle to play with, or it’s not that hard to sell.

 

[Ned Ludd]

The Savage 12 F/TR in .223 Rem is not a bad choice to start out in F-Class. Savage rifles can shoot extremely well straight out of the box. It comes with a 30" 7-twist barrel, which is exactly what you want for shooting heavies ion a .223 F-TR rifle. I don't recall whether the barrels are throated long enough for bullets in the 80-90 gr weight class, but if not, it's pretty easy to have a smith throat it out a bit with a Unithroater.

Although they can shoot very well straight out of the box as I noted above, Savage barrels can sometimes be pretty rough inside; i.e. they can look like someone drove a tank tread down the inside of the barrel. Don't let that bother you, especially if it's a shooter from the get go. But you probably want to pay special attention to cleaning and copper removal while the rough spots in the barrel are getting lapped in/smoothed out. Also, some don't care for the Accutrigger, but it is what it is and you'll adjust to it. I think the best plan is simply to shoot out the original barrel while gaining experience as an F-TR shooter and learning to reload for the rifle. When it is time, you can replace the original barrel with a quality aftermarket barrel and you'll be ready to go.

 

[DumpHollow]

As recommended, shoot a season with entry-level equipment and decide where you want to land. TR vs OPEN is a big decision before investing in a full custom. Defending on caliber, your PRS rifle would probably put you in OPEN, just don't worry about winning as much as having fun and learning. Once you have decided, get one of the good smiths and do a top shelf build. Just do it. There's a lot to sort out.

 

[Texas Solo]

I've built 2 Savage rifles for FT/R in .223
off #10 actions. Both have won matches multiple times. Then I felt a need for a F/TR in308. I bought the #12 FTR. I worked a load for it, added good glass, and won my first match with it. I shot 592/600. That's a High Master score.

 

[davidjoe]

The rifle is very accurate. With different loads and bullets it would shoot .2 and .3 inch groups at 100 yards.

I saw the scoresheet for that match, and you have a very good one. I say a “very good one” because I had found that some of them come from the factory and shoot comparable to a quality rebarrel job, while others were just merely good. I had multiples in 6BR, .223 and .308.

Savage throws a wrinkle in match and gear progression this way, by spitting out some random hummers, which can discourage a guy whose investment doubles down, but who got saddled with having one of their best. It can make it hard to be impressed with what comes next. My advice would be to not get rid of a really special one, even when going full custom. We know in the past some of them have won team titles.

 

[scissorhands]

I saw the scoresheet for that match, and you have a very good one. I say a “very good one” because I had found that some of them come from the factory and shoot comparable to a quality rebarrel job, while others were just merely good. I had multiples in 6BR, .223 and .308.

Savage throws a wrinkle in match and gear progression this way, by spitting out some random hummers, which can discourage a guy whose investment doubles down, but who got saddled with having one of their best. It can make it hard to be impressed with what comes next. My advice would be to not get rid of a really special one, even when going full custom. We know in the past some of them have won team titles.

I'm going to keep the barrel and see what this new Bartlien barrel (5R HV 30" 10 twist) does, mainly switching to shoot the 200-20x.