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Okay... I'm really going to show my lack of all things non-SMLE shooting here

But I'll risk it, I've still got my looks going for me.

[Sigh]... What is "F Class" ?

There, I've said it. Be gentle.

Two classes, F/TR and F Open.

F/TR is shot with a standard chamber .223 or .308 or NATO equivalent you can shoot with an attached bipod and telescopic sights and you are limited by weight.

F Open is shot with a greater range of cartridges up to 8mm as long as it is within range limits and has a weight restriction of 10kgs all up for the rifle, it can be shot with a separate front rest.

F Class is typically shot at longer distances however the Phoenix and Diggle do shoot short. So expect to shoot at 400/500/600, 800/900/1000 with occasional comps to 1200

Targets have a half MOA V Bull so are quite a bit smaller than the TR targets you would expect to see at Bisley.

Good question . So heres another whats the difference then between F class and Benchrest in terms of rifles used .
If F/TR is limited by weight of the rifle and I assume that includes the bipod why not just use a rest or is that not allowed .


Dave

A rest if used in F/TR must be attached. You can also use an attached front rest in F Open however it is included in the all up weight of the rifle

This is why people look for the lightest stable, wide footprint bipods they can find in F/TR as it is included in the 8.25Kg limit. Rear bags can be used and are not included in any weighing however they must be filled with a granular substance that can be deformed with finger pressure, so sand or similar in other words.

Bench rest classes are different however you can build a rifle that can be used in say F Open and BR, my view is it would be a slight compromise for both disciplines however I am not a BR shooter.

It is interesting to note that some F Open shooters do use a fixed bipod to great effect and I personally prefer them myself.

So, it's long-range, precision, shooting with telescopic sights?

Is F-Class also what is referred to as "Sniper class", I've heard that term, but just assumed people meant; I have a scope of my rifle.

Also, What is the "F" in F-Class?

Yes it is long range shooting with telescopic sights and was the brain child of George Farquharson a Canadian shooter, originally for people with less than perfect vision.

I have never heard it referred to as Sniper class.

f stands for Faquarson after the man who started the discipline

also to add to daves comments in f open you camn use a mechanical front rest which does not count to total weight allowances

Can it be short range i.e. up to 600 yards?

in the uk class they shoot from 500 up to 1000 but at club level some clubs shoot 300

spud wrote:in the uk class they shoot from 500 up to 1000 but at club level some clubs shoot 300

Actually they start at 300. I could just about get the 300x f class target on display under this post - all 5 rings. You want to shoot f.. - go ahead, but the targets your compatriots have designed and voted for are really difficult. There was one occurrence where the senior people in f-class made a rash boast to the TR community. The result was that the TR World Champion shooting to TR rules did beat the England F-open champion in an f-open event. I understand that the guilty F-open barrel is sawn in half and buried on Connaught ranges in Ottawa. Other than that, F- is a really hard wind reading problem - if you think you are up to it - give it a go!

Iain