I've asked myself this question for many years and after 20+ years of F-Class shooting I have come to one conclusion.
Sometimes a humble 308 Winchester will outshoot the entire F Open class. This proves there is no best caliber for all conditions and all distances.
There are best calibers for specific distances under specific weather conditions. This is why cartridge opinions are so widely varied.
6 Dasher, 6 BR, 6x47 Lapua (insert other small round of choice) will do well at 600 under mild wind conditions, even at 1000 if the wind flags stick to the flag pole. These 6's will even out perform many high performance rounds (like 6.5 - 06 Ackley Improved) at this distance under mild conditions.
On the other hand, when the winds get tricky, suddenly the afor mentioned 6.5 - 06 Ackley Improved make a run for the top of the leader board.
To be competitive under any wind conditions out to 1000 yards, you will need to go to the range with a golf bag full of rifles and pick the one that suits the distance and weather at the time.
Short of that, pick a caliber you like and give yourself a pass if the conditions during competition do not play into your strengths.
More than anything, you need to focus on your brass prep, hand loading and wind reading. Understand light affecting POI, thermal expansion affecting velocity, parallax, mirage and refraction.
And don't forget the most important thing... How to set up your rifle to shoot the entire string of shots accurately... Competition is not sniping or hunting where 1 shot counts... all your shots count and you need a repeatable setup over the entire string.
Sometimes a humble 308 Winchester will outshoot the entire F Open class. This proves there is no best caliber for all conditions and all distances.
There are best calibers for specific distances under specific weather conditions. This is why cartridge opinions are so widely varied.
6 Dasher, 6 BR, 6x47 Lapua (insert other small round of choice) will do well at 600 under mild wind conditions, even at 1000 if the wind flags stick to the flag pole. These 6's will even out perform many high performance rounds (like 6.5 - 06 Ackley Improved) at this distance under mild conditions.
On the other hand, when the winds get tricky, suddenly the afor mentioned 6.5 - 06 Ackley Improved make a run for the top of the leader board.
To be competitive under any wind conditions out to 1000 yards, you will need to go to the range with a golf bag full of rifles and pick the one that suits the distance and weather at the time.
Short of that, pick a caliber you like and give yourself a pass if the conditions during competition do not play into your strengths.
More than anything, you need to focus on your brass prep, hand loading and wind reading. Understand light affecting POI, thermal expansion affecting velocity, parallax, mirage and refraction.
And don't forget the most important thing... How to set up your rifle to shoot the entire string of shots accurately... Competition is not sniping or hunting where 1 shot counts... all your shots count and you need a repeatable setup over the entire string.
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