Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Competitive Shooting F-TR @ Long Range

Well, I finally did it yesterday, I reached Expert class in F-class Long Range shooting FTR with my .308 rifle. On a cold and windy Sunday morning I shot a 572-8 which, taken with my most recent LR score, gives me a 94.5%; 0.5% above the requirement.

I have not been able to apply myself to shooting as much as I wanted for the last several month, shooting only once a month or less, and the conditions yesterday were less than conducive to a good score so that made the results doubly sweet.

As an added bonus, I also established a new range and club record for the aggregate score in F-TR and 1000 yards.

Oh, and I won the match. I just had to tell somebody.

(I also had a wardrobe malfunction which caused me to shoot a 7 in the second match.)

I would want to tell someone about that too, if it were me.

GOOD JOB on a major personal accomplishment.

I know it has to feel good to be able to say you are an expert class shooter!!

Thank you very much.

You are absolutely correct, of course.

The NRA has set the bar pretty high for F-class shooters with their tiny targets and it's even more difficult with a .223 or a .308 and a bipod. I'm already NRA Master at mid-range in F-class with my .223 AR-15 target rifle but it was not cutting it at LR.

The next stop at LR is Master, but that is going to be very difficult in F-T/R. This will be 6 consecutive 20 round matches with a score higher around or above my best ever. It's a good goal.

One thing I did notice is that my X-count is low. In the wind yesterday it was all I could do to stay in the 10-ring.

10s count just as much....

Good shooting! We had ok wind here yesterday. Yours was probably much worse I'd bet.

Now that you've made the percentages, nothing guarantees the card though... of course you know that. BTDT a bit.

Hadn't seen a match update via Glenn or whomever it changed to yet, but that may still be coming.

Not shooting enough sucks. I know...and the way it looks right now it may take me all of this year to complete my remodel at the house and barn... might take longer, one never knows.

Jeff

They have changed they way they send out the match updates.

Email me directly if you want to get back on.

As for the card, yes, I know but I try to stay on top of it with the NRA. They did get my score for last month and I will make sure they get the one for this month. We've already discussed the percentages and how it works. I find this one to be more difficult than getting Master at MR though I was very pleased when I got that one last year.

Master at MR or SR is easy. HM took some shooting on my part though IE I had to have way more than the required shots to get it.

I filled out the info thing to change the bulletin info....

You should have my email, but I may have something at home when I get home...

Jeff

Again, you are equating SR with F-class, especially F-TR. Yes, Master in F-Open is readily attainable, (I would not say "easy",) it's a little trickier in F-TR and while I am sure there are a few, I do not know any HM in F-TR. I have shot HM scores at 300, but I want to earn it at 600, else I will just classify myself out of my league.

It's the same thing with Expert or Master at LR; I wanted to do that at pure 1000 yards, not this 800/900/1000 yard crap. (I mean crap in the nicest sense of the word, of course.)

I'm boarding a plane shortly. I'll check email when I get to my destination tonight.

sorry, I read that to be master MR which meant Match rifle to my mind from your earlier days.... master in XC, especially with a match rifle doesn't take that much IMHO.

Talking F class is another topic and you are right on that one for sure!!!

My bad as they say.

Hope the trip was well and safe.

Jeff

Hey, Congratulations FTR Shooter!

A match win, a new range and club record and your Expert rank all at once! Excellent!!!

Thanks GuyM, I was pretty jazzed. And to think I almost didn't go because I was so tired and it was so cold and dreary.

Jeff, my fault. I assumed that people understood MR to be mid-range as oposed to LR long-range. I can now see where that would mess you up.

The trip was find, relatively crash free. It's even colder here.

I look forward to your foray into F-class, I think you will enjoy it.

just hang on long enough for me to get there... my 308 bolt gun is getting coated right now.. then have to buy bottom metal and bed it into the A5 stock... but life is gonna get in the way big time.

Congrats!!!

Sounds like you did some very good shooting.

Thanks, AJ. I really appreciate the thought.

Congratulations! That's a nice goal you've reached.

Thanks g5m. Score and new records just got confirmed this evening.

The next level is going to be a real challenge and I look forward to it.

Hey, just got my link last night I think.... NICE shooting! Maybe I can beat that some day...

Jeff

I'm sure you can, but by that time, I'm hoping to have attained even higher scores. I was just looking at my scores compared to the F-Open guys and I didn't do too bad with my old .308, bipod and cheap Weaver scope.

The wind is a great equalizer and I seem to do well in the wind for some reason. I'm thinking it's all the .223 I've sent down range at 1000 yards. Now with a high BC .308 I seem to get more 10s and less silly scores.

This actually shows that anybody can do this and it does not require huge amounts of money. My .308 rifle started life as an old varmint rifle, I spent the money on the barrel; top quality, properly fitted. $400 for a scope, $200 for a bipod and voila, superb rifle. I spend my shooting money on excellent components in bulk. I've been handloading for decades but had to revamp my methods and some equipment in order to turn out large quantities of match ammo.

Don't wait too long to start, nobody is getting any younger.

hell anyone at any age can belly shoot, just ask JJ Conway.. what a role model!

It'll be a year or two or three, but I'll start before I'm 50 anyway...

You do well in the wind for 2 reasons, IMHO. First you sent a lot of 223 downrange is right. Doesn't leave much room for error, but is much easier on the body to shoot. Heck I shot a 308 bolt and HOT 185 bergers for a while at 1000 with irons... I did NOT like that thump after a lot of shots.

Just don't get lazy now that you shoot a more wind resistant rig... shoot for center X each shot.

The second reason you shoot well in the wind is it doesn't fluster you like it does most. Wind takes out about 50% of your competition right off the bat. I always figured, we all have to shoot in it, we'll all make some mistakes, so why worry or bitch about it, just learn to shoot in it. Now I'm talking the difference between F and XC... but I would RATHER shoot in the wind up to a certain point, I can't stand no wind as you rarely get a hard visible warning on a mild puff or such, one that gives you a 9, where as in a big wind I can usually wait it out, and start shooting as the wind is building and have a really good shot at staying with it as long as I'm done before it peaks and levels out.

In a year or two or three, I'll be close to 60 so don't make me wait that long.

Yeah, when the competition is tough, I pray for wind. If I screw up, I have a ready made excuse.

FTR Shooter, Congrats, and thanks for your help on past topics.
Luke