Top ten reasons to shoot F-Class

[Steve Blair]

By the looks of some of the podiums this year (Lodi, perry) you guys better hope the sling guys stay shooting slings until we die. Seems to be some what of a pattern developing where guys are dropping the sling and immediately vaulting to the podium at major events...coincidence? Probably not.

Bryan Litz, Ray gross, brad suave (sic), Jim Grissom....hmmm

[br]
Bryan has coached a lot of F-Class and is a fine shooter. Brad has been competing F-TR for a long time. After shooting a few major matches, my take is a little different than yours. I shot both Service Rifle and Match Rifle, so I'm pretty familiar with the challenges. What I usually see when sling shooters try or move to F-Class is: [br]
1. They need work on wind call precision due to 75% reduction in target area.
2. Reloading techniques must be improved for the same reason as #1. This is reflected not just in precision but the necessity to halve vertical requirements.
3. Shooting techniques and strategies must be learned as they are somewhat different. [br]
I've seen several sling shooters make successful transitions to F-TR but not as many to F-Open. I'm not sure why. It may be that not as many try it or that F-TR is more similar is some ways to sling shooting. Techniques I learned shooting an M1a and .300 WM prone have helped in F-Class, both F-TR and F-Open. It is still long range shooting, after all. [br]
Personally, I don't regard one as superior or more/less difficult than another. Each has areas that must be mastered. Although I've never tried Rimfire Benchrest, it can be assumed that it contains another set of problems to overcome. At Camp Pendleton, we have Service Rifle, Match Rifle, Palma, F-TR and F-Open shooters together on the line. We all seem to get along and respect each other's accomplishments without feeling the need to denigrate anyone.

 

[Dgd6mm]

Oh, now I see, thanks for the clarity baydawg. This thread was meant to piss shooters off.... I didn't see that coming, I thought it was a joke.... ;D

 

[Erik Cortina]

I'm 43 and am too interested in precision to even think about sling.

This would make a good t-shirt! ;D

 

[nosualc]

Funny, funny post!

As another poster put it in another thread, no matter the discipline, we're obsessed with what to the rest of the world is akin to bowling trophies. We should never take ourselves too seriously.

-nosualc

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

Bryan has coached a lot of F-Class and is a fine shooter. Brad has been competing F-TR for a long time. After shooting a few major matches, my take is a little different than yours. I shot both Service Rifle and Match Rifle, so I'm pretty familiar with the challenges. What I usually see when sling shooters try or move to F-Class is: [br]
1. They need work on wind call precision due to 75% reduction in target area.
2. Reloading techniques must be improved for the same reason as #1. This is reflected not just in precision but the necessity to halve vertical requirements.
3. Shooting techniques and strategies must be learned as they are somewhat different. [br]
I've seen several sling shooters make successful transitions to F-TR but not as many to F-Open. I'm not sure why. It may be that not as many try it or that F-TR is more similar is some ways to sling shooting. Techniques I learned shooting an M1a and .300 WM prone have helped in F-Class, both F-TR and F-Open. It is still long range shooting, after all. [br]
Personally, I don't regard one as superior or more/less difficult than another. Each has areas that must be mastered. Although I've never tried Rimfire Benchrest, it can be assumed that it contains another set of problems to overcome. At Camp Pendleton, we have Service Rifle, Match Rifle, Palma, F-TR and F-Open shooters together on the line. We all seem to get along and respect each other's accomplishments without feeling the need to denigrate anyone.

Steve, I loved the list and your analysis above is very cogent and well thought out.

Further to that, I believe that a lot of sling shooters are attracted to F-TR precisely because it pretty much follows the genesis of the discipline as George Farquharson intended it; a .308 match rifle with a scope and a bipod. It's a natural follow-on and because it's the same cartridge it's an easy transition.

Granted, the level of precision is higher because of the smaller targets but for someone who has been handloading their own match ammo for years or decades, some tweaking is not that difficult (says the guy who just spent $2000 on new brass prep and general loading tools in the last 12-15 months. And I thought I had everything I needed.)

One can play with loading and bipods and scopes and similar stuff, but at the end of the day, it's all in the conditions and marksmanship. I have seen lots of superbly handloaded ammo fired in the wrong direction; that great expensive hand-sorted bullet with the trimmed and pointed meplat just hits the 8 ring or worse with added panache, when you don't see that condition change. This is where the seasoned sling shooter will shine.

 

[Erik Cortina]

Bayou Shooter, I agree with you, but a seasoned F-T/R shooter will also shine in the same situation.

 

[6BRinNZ]

Can't help myself.

Preparing for the NRA Rifle Championships
Gallagher doesn’t shoot much of the sling rifle these days. In fact, the last time she wrapped said sling around her left arm and sent a few shots 1000 yards down range was the 2013 NRA Long Range High Power Championships. Which begs the question — how did she manage to win without any practice?

“I’ve been shooting F-Class.”

Some slingers over here have been discussing shooting FTR in order to refine their wind skills.

Conversely I have been working with the friendly slingers on my FTR shooting technique.

I'm with Steve though...one isn't better than the other just different.

 

[suberjc]

Also lets remember, after a time, very few processes, workflows, sports or anything else that lasts bears much resemblance to the original vision. I thank and honor Mr Fahrquarsen for his original idea but it's our sport now. Part of our cross discipline problems can be found in what can only be described as cultural differences. The other disciplines have been around awhile and have many traditions. In F-Class we are the generation who are creating our traditions as we speak. We no longer expect to see only infirm Octogenarians (some not so infirm) being helped down into position in the line. That was never a rule BTW. At my home range, we shoot 12 - 83 yoa and more coming all the time. F-Class is here. The shooters are high-schoolers to retirees and they are getting better and better. We are NOT going back to Mr Fahrquarsen's vision alone and we are not apologizing for it. I don't shoot sling , not because I can't but because I'm one of thos who spent time in both the USMC and the Army. Been there, done that, I wanna shoot tiny groups now. Besides I thought a sling was something you used to hang your weapon on a tree while you took care of business.
Whether you shoot sling, rest or bipod if you spend all of your time focusing on your discipline, you'll have all you can do and it will make you a better shooter.
See you on the range. Get used to it.

It was funny Steve. BTW, I'm the big fat, bald guy that pulled targets next to you the morning after the Palma match at SWN this year. Hope you are doing well.

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

Bayou Shooter, I agree with you, but a seasoned F-T/R shooter will also shine in the same situation.

Erik, if I gave the impression that it was an either or situation, then I apologize.

My point was that it is easier for a seasoned sling shooter to transition to F-TR and become competitive very quickly compared to someone who is just starting out shooting in F-TR with no prior LR experience.

My other point is that F-TR is an easy transition for a sling shooter since so many of them use a .308 to begin with. Palma shooters, fullbore, etc. And that was the genesis of F-Class.

I retired my fullbore rifle a long time ago, but I was shooting .308 ammo at 900 meters with it back in the early 1980s at Connaught. That's where my love affair with the .308 began and it's still going on strong to this day, though I did go flirt with the 5.56 for a few years. I thought I could load good ammo for F-TR since I had so much experience with the .308; it took a while to realize the folly of that belief and then address it.

F-Class has evolved and I'm fine with that, but to me, THE rifle cartridge will always be the .308.

I pulled out my old fullbore match rifle to try out last year and discovered that it was broken. One of these days, I may decide to get it fixed and rebarrel it. The current tube is shot out.

So much to do, so little time.

 

[Petros284]

I brought up the "death before F-class" stickers/shirts not to stir the pot but more to mention a unique point of view.
I have many friends who are "slingers". I did not take offense to this at all, in fact I got a chuckle out of it.

I respect all competitive shooters no matter the discipline. In terms of sling vs. F-Class both have their challenges.

One thing we do here in Missouri is invite the sling shooters to our F-Class State Championship and give awards for sling category. They shoot the F-Class target all at 600 yards. Last year was the first year of this and we had a good initial turn out. I anticipate a higher turn out this year.

The sling shooters had a blast shooting on the smaller target utilizing the match as a practice for a bigger match that followed a week or so later. In fact I had a few of them mention to me personally that they shot their best scores at that big match after shooting on the f-class target. By inviting and engaging the sling group it has strengthened the ties between the sling and f group. I would encourage any F-Class match to involve a sling category. We had a lot of fun with them.

 

[Rtheurer]

I for one am very very very grateful for the F class shooters. If it where not for this new venue the sport for which I am very pasionate about would be getting smaller and smaller until it went away. Gentleman THANK YOU for spending the time and energy to come out and shoot. Your welcome at any of my shoots ANY time.
Attendance is up where I shoot because of you.
Im a life long Sling shooter and enjoy the challange of shooting Iron sights, a silly strap sling and will continue to do so until i can not. I have even witnessed a few F class shooters swap over to my side and have done so with alot of zeel. I knew it would happen when this discapline started and it will continue back and forth as it moves forward as long as everyone is not pushing against each other making this sport stronger and stronger.

Thought that Death before F class shirt and sticker was cute however. But seriously we need you. Again thank you for comming out.

RussT

 

[Immike]

I just spent the day making plans with Tom Jacobs at the Vapor Trail range in Spickard MO. Tom has taken interest in Fclass and is prepared to invest in pits for the states first long range facility. Part of the meeting involved making arrangements for our sling shooters to be on the line with us! They paved the way for Fclass and we intend to include them in our plans.

 

[wolley]

If the Fclass shooters would just learn to glue their target faces on all would be right with world.
I tried F/TR for a while and found it to be much more difficult than I anticipated.
I like sling better. The scoring rings are bigger!

 

[Rtheurer]

Mike
I have pictures of Pits and Carriers from across the US for Tom and you to look at when I get back to the USA.

RussT

 

[Immike]

Mike
I have pictures of Pits and Carriers from across the US for Tom and you to look at when I get back to the USA.

RussT

We are moving pretty fast now on this Russ, the dirt work starts next week and I have already built the assembly jig for the design you suggested earlier this year. I have a working model right here at home that we use now @ St.Louis range that is the same design. Would like to see those anyway.

 

[RStewart]

Our monthly Mid-Range matches, as well as Regional and Championship matches have both F-Class and Prone (sling) shooters together on the line.
Only the Across The Course folks shoot a separate match because of the differences in course of fire.

 

[Subsonicwarthog]

Steven Blair, It looks like us "F" class guys always catch the 3rd degree but gaining ground.
I remember in a match diner a few years ago when the GOD of slings MR. Mid said "Now for the "F" class awards" like in( Phony) will be given. I almost jumped up and said F Class does not start with P, but Palma does. I let it slide. He is coming around and love his family.
SS

 

[Subsonicwarthog]

Warren Dean... Long time no see. I would like to talk to you to see how your wonder family is doing.
SS

 

[Subsonicwarthog]

You always hear the scenario on TV about when the world comes to an end or better than that is (when the S--t hits the fan. I truly believe with the number of shooters in this sport with many of us having past military experience will be very important to help our communities & our law officials in a time of need. This is why Japan did not attack us. Our civilians have the 3rd largest military in the world then add our official military on top of that, you had better get a clue.... The cherry on top of this is the best of all of us Palma, F Class, F/TR shooters, and target shooters can outshoot most of the snipers in the world. CUDOS TO THE NRA and their support to keep this a friendly sport and protect the United States of America.
Steven Shaw

 

[Warren Dean]

Warren Dean... Long time no see. I would like to talk to you to see how your wonder family is doing.
SS

Steven,

Yeah it's been a while. Hope Earline and the pups are doing well. I'll be in touch.

Warren