• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

F T/R Competition F T/R Competition here I come!

J-ROD

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jul 17, 2011
308
10
Mechanicsville, Virginia
Well, I did the 1,000yd thing....and....



I am HOOKED!!
A huge-igantic thanks goes out to USFTR on here! Up until yesterday, the furthest for me was 300yds. He graciously offered up his time and experience to give me a F T/R-101 class at the range, and wouldn't take a dime!

We started out at 600yds and got things dialed in. I was shooting FGMM 168's and they did as good as I could shoot. I switched to some SW 155 Scenars since we were getting ready to move back. My gun doesn't like these as well as the 168's but they do fly...if memory serves total dope was 28.5moa, I need to check my chicken scratch notes.
I didn't get any pics because, well, nothing to brag about but I was on cardboard the entire time...target not so much but cardboard (and the Al framing supporting it lol) yes!

Having a pro there to coach me and point out the little things that make a huge impact is priceless!
A few things I found out quickly: My form needs work, I need a better rear bag and the wind is a PITA! And it wasn't even that windy while we were shooting. I will say it is much easier to dope the wind when you have a someone like Jeff telling you where to turn the turret too...hehe.

So after comparing my results to the scores it takes to win, or even be competitive, I have realized this is gonna be a lot harder than I ever expected..you guys are GOOD!

Thanks again Jeff, I owe you man!

God bless,

-Jarrod
 
Re: F T/R Competition here I come!

Yeah man shooting 1k takes skill
as they say PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE
someone told me once YOU HAVE TO BUY YOUR WAY INTO THIS GAME
and he was right , for some its money , some its time , ITS BOTH.
.

Great guys here on the SH

Glad you had a good one man GL
 
Re: F T/R Competition here I come!

It can become an obsession, but I mean that in a <span style="font-style: italic">good</span> way...

You got off on the right foot; I don't think I know USFTR, but I already like him.

IMHO, F-T/R's caliber restrictions are limiting. Some will thrive on this additional part of the challenge, and that's very good.

I just prefer to do it with a .260. I'd use the Bipod too, but I think its be dumb not to take advantage of the rest and rear bag as the Open rules permit.

Any way, practice, as noted above, is the best teacher; just be sure you're practicing the right things, the right way. Proper preparation prevents, etc...

I am partial to practicing for the wind with the .22LR at extended range. I think it really helps one accumulate the huge volume of experience that's needed, but in a less costly, and less extended distance environment.

Once you go past 100yd, you're learning; and I really doubt there's much more to be obtained beyond 200-250yd. For the .22; bullet holes don't register in my optics very well out beyond 150 yd, so I prefer to peck away at the gongs. Besides, the ping is more immediate and gives a genuinely positive reinforcement.

Greg
 
Re: F T/R Competition here I come!

Jeff is one heck of a shot and is getting better everyday. Top five in world for certain

You where lucky to get him to help you.
 
Re: F T/R Competition here I come!

I think as you go to more matches you will find many HP shooters are like your friend. The good thing about NRA matches is you have a break between relays, while you're pulling targets, to bounce info off of other shooters. Then you come out for your next relay to apply anything learned in the pits.


Remember, if it was easy everybody would be doing it. stick with it because the rewards are worth the effort.
 
Re: F T/R Competition here I come!

Rice

I'm glad you had fun and learned something as well but I'm jealous of Jeff imparting his knowledge to you when I too need all the help I can get
grin.gif


I just got my NRA F class classification card from the 2 matches I shot this year. I made marksman wooo hooo, you are right it is much harder than it looks. I hope to someday in the distant future to make expert.

Keep shooting and you will learn alot about that evil devil wind.
 
Re: F T/R Competition here I come!

Rice

This weekend is a 1000 yd match at Camp Butner NC. Also on Friday I will be holding a practice at 1000 Yds.

Va Jim
 
Re: F T/R Competition here I come!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Greg Langelius *</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

You got off on the right foot; I don't think I know USFTR, but I already like him.

Greg </div></div>


"USFTR" <span style="text-decoration: line-through">currently</span> has owned both the US & Canadian F-tr National Championship titles. I guess you could say he's <span style="text-decoration: line-through">the</span> a North American F-tr Champion ;>). Hence why I've been trying to pick his brain for the last 2 years!
 
Re: F T/R Competition here I come!

Thanks for the kind words here.

Jarrod is trying to make it for Saturday I believe.

Joe, I didn't go to Canada this year so I'm not the current champion. My budget wouldn't allow it.
 
Re: F T/R Competition here I come!

My appologies, I thought there was an overlap. I've correct my post. Hope to see you and the rest of the X-Men Sunday.
 
Re: F T/R Competition here I come!

Thanks for the responses guys!

Yes I do consider myself VERY lucky to have had the chance to get a shooting clinic with Jeff. I will say there was a problem however: A few months ago I was just a Va redneck shooting by myself on a farm with cattle, then I go to a range to shoot side by side with people (brakes etc), then two weeks later get to shoot while having Jeff watch/coach me...talk about being nervous and intimidated! lol

I actually like the rules of the class as I think it makes the competition tighter and forces people to brew good handloads (whether heavy or light rounds), perfect their shooting abilities and of course read the wind.

I do have a little .17hmr bolt gun that I practice with as it is flat shooting to 100yds but after that it drops like a rock and the wind really moves the rounds around...so it's cheap/good practice for me...zero recoil too.

Everyone I have met and PM'd about shooting, reloading, whatever, all have gone above and beyond to help me. Hope I can payback the favor one day.

Congrats Hank440! And yes, I am going to keep on keeping on. :)

Va Jim: Yes sir, I am trying to make it out Saturday, but just for the two individual shoots (match 1 & 2, not 7 which is team). I would love to come out Friday to practice some more but don't think work will let me have the day off to get down there in time. Either way I am not in it for score at this point, I just want to meet everyone and get some rounds/time under my rifle belt. If I make it out Saturday, I plan to keep my mouth shut and learn as much as I can.

Well, Shredder58 on here "secretly" took some pictures of Sunday (thanks man!), lol I honestly never saw him take any of these pictures. I have proof this shoot really happened and it was actually Jeff there, not his stunt double! He sure had his hands full trying to get me up to speed in just one evening. Critique away on my form and ignore my ugly mug hehe.

021re.jpg

By mouzetrap at 2011-11-29

018vt.jpg

By mouzetrap at 2011-11-29

017no.jpg

By mouzetrap at 2011-11-29

016rky.jpg

By mouzetrap at 2011-11-29

003xiu.jpg

By mouzetrap at 2011-11-29
 
Re: F T/R Competition here I come!

I've read over this a couple times
Didn't find your firearms information, looks to be the Savage F/TR, but the ole computer has tricked me before...
Can we get some details on this, perhaps likes and dislikes on the firearm, its parts/feel etc... and the scope, power range, likes, dislikes.
Thank you,

I started Fclass this year, it was fun, 300 & 600 yards only at the local club, I got my arss kicked at 600, stayed between 160 and 170 every match. I'd like to give 1000 a go sometime.
 
Re: F T/R Competition here I come!

It is not surprising he seems to be a vary humble guy, look up his video on shooting and check out the last few seconds it reports he is 2010 teacher of the year that has got my utmost respect...the shooting stuff just makes him cool.

What rear bag did he suggest, those pillows he uses or another system.

Trevor


P.S.

change the ear muffs.. i bet more then as few times you felt those big bulky things touch the stock and distract you. get some shotgun style muff and foam inserts. they are less irritating and will eliminate one more item so you can focus on shooting.
 
Re: F T/R Competition here I come!

I really like the canvas bags I've been using now for years. My mother made those for me. It is just heavy canvas from the fabric store filled with polypropylene beads thats used to hold up crafts. They are weatherproof and lock together well. By using bags, I don't have the issue of uneven turf putting uneven stress on the rifle while in recoil. It seems as though if the bunny ears are not on level ground, it would impact the rifle differently for each shot. The bunny ear style just doesn't work for me. I've seen a lot of shooters with high bipods and bunny ears that have major elevation issues.
 
Re: F T/R Competition here I come!

thanks
i have been looking at your set up and was trying to determine the fill. i will give them a try..
Trevor
 
Re: F T/R Competition here I come!

Oops, my apologies on the rifle specs. It is indeed a box stock Savage 12 F-T/R (30in barrel, ~150rds thru it so far) with target accu-trigger… same gun as Darrell and other guys on Team Savage. I love everything about the gun really… the trigger is great, light and crisp. It flat out shoots with the right ammo in it which is really the only issue I am still working on as I don’t handload yet. FGMM 168’s do awesome in this gun but of course are no good for 1k. Everything else I have tried, including FGMM 175’s, the gun does not like. Next best thing is SouthWest 155gr Scenars which I will be shooting this Saturday if I go.

I only had two issues with the gun but have fixed both. One was the ejector button would jam the spent brass really hard into the RH side of the receiver on a slow eject. Thanks to Darrell, I have removed the ejector spring and it’s much smoother now, doesn’t beat up the brass and oddly enough didn’t really slow my chamber to chamber time (it is a single shot so not an issue for me either way, not having a magazine does not bother me for what I plan to do with the gun). The other is the hard bolt lift due to a IMO cheesy design with the end of the bolt (at the rear of the actual bolt itself) riding on the edge of a thin sleeve against the pressure of the cocking spring. So I did a bolt lift (search for thread on here) using the Avid RC 12mm thrust bearing and a ~4mm SS (1/2”x7/8”) washer to make up the difference underneath the above bolt head…nice and smooth now. I ordered 4 of the bearings ($3ea) and it’s a good thing I did as I had to find a matching pair that were on the small side with respect to OD to fit down inside the threads (11.86mm vs 12.02mm).

Oh, also after speaking with Darrell, I did glue a piece of Neoprene to the plastic cheek weld on the gun…this really helps with any problems due to sweat and of course feels better on my face.

The scope is a PST 6-24x50mm MOA-FFP (smoking deal from Liberty Optics) which I keep on 24 power. I really like the scope, nice crisp turret clicks and very clear to me. As mentioned many times here, having your turrets speaking the same language as the reticle is very nice. However, I did not consider that the FFP reticle would subtend to 1.8” at 1k which is a slight bummer I guess but if I get to where I am shooting within that, it will be a GOOD day lol. Rings are steel badger .885”. Base is EGW 20moa cant. Anti-cant/scope level is a Flatline Ops which I also really like as it flips in and out and has a fine adjustment for leveling in each position. I got a smoking deal on the NIB rings and level via a certain GAP owner on here…hehe ;-)

Yes Jeff is very humble! He also didn’t seem to mind telling me his tips/tricks which I tried to soak up as much as I could. I come from a drag racing scene where people are always tight lipped or just BS you, so this openness is a nice & welcomed surprise!

Re: the bag, the last two groups were quite large vertically (among other things) to which I am sure I was getting sloppy behind the trigger as well as fighting the rear bag. I can fix one of those issues immediately so I plan to do so before Saturday.
 
Re: F T/R Competition here I come!

Well a big thanks to Andrew (McCourt Munitions) for jumping through hoops over Thanksgiving to get me some ammo for this weekend!! 175JLK's - JBM numbers for these out of my gun seem very promising.
So so pretty, I feel guilty that it's not long before I will be setting it all on fire Saturday, slowly, one round at a time hehe. Is it weird that I take pictures of ammo? lol

175jlk.jpg

By mouzetrap at 2011-12-01
 
Re: F T/R Competition here I come!

May they all be Xs or 10s!

If you shoot nothing worse then a 9, second time out to 1K you'll be doing dang fine all the way around!

Red flag, right side of impact berm was pretty helpful to me at Butner. Worth keeping on eye on IMHO as it seemed to give warning to changes a bit sooner then some of the other flags.
 
Re: F T/R Competition here I come!

Lol, I am starting to run out of excuses to not shoot well! Honestly, I will be happy to just be on paper for most of it.
We will see though, I'm just ready to shoot! I am fighting the urge to clean my gun right now...trying to stay out of the man-cave so I don't.
Hmm, I had heard sometimes the flags there have a mind of their own. I will for sure look for that flag you are talking about. I am making my list of things to check once I get there, this is for sure on the top. Thanks again Andrew!
 
Re: F T/R Competition here I come!

I had an awesome time at Butner and can honestly say, it's in my blood! Can't get enough.
Just want to thank Andrew from McCourt Munitions for making me some amazing ammo...and I didn't give him time to fine tune anything as it was a rush order.
Since there was no time for me to zero his ammo, I asked him what he thought my MV would be therefore dope as well as windage with respect to the FGMM 168's, turns out he was right on both accounts, I mean exactly right!
Having great ammo was bad in one respect, I now know how un-good I am at reading the wind lol. No excuses now, thanks Andrew ;-)
 
Re: F T/R Competition here I come!

Team effort and sounds to me like you did darn fine for first outing!

I'm just doing what I can to make it easier for you to learn wind. Better the ammo shoots, better wind indicator it is so easier to learn what wind is doing with bullet.

I'll keep working on the 185 load, soon as the weather cooperates. 22 degrees for high and 6+" of snow put a damper on range portion of load development.

Great shooting Jarrod and thank you for your updates!
 
Re: F T/R Competition here I come!

No problem Andrew but great ammo makes bad shooters look...much less badder! As always, I will shoot whatever brew you mix up, just don't send any of that snow when you send the ammo lol
wink.gif