Suggestions for an F-Class course of fire to run concurrently with Service Rifle?

[MCMXI]

Our club is slowly coming round to the idea of shooting a "real" F-Class format alongside the High Power Service Rifle folks. I've been asked to come up with some ideas as to how would could accomplish this. Our club's usual course of fire for HPSR is as follows:

200 yards
2 sighters in 2 minutes
10 rounds slow fire for score in 10 minutes (standing)

2 sighters in 2 minutes
10 rounds rapid fire for score in 60 seconds (sitting or kneeling)

300 yards
2 sighters in 2 minutes
10 rounds rapid fire for score in 70 seconds (prone)

600 yards
2 sighters in 2 minutes
20 rounds slow fire for score in 20 minutes (prone)


I've read through the F-Class rules HERE and am trying to come up with a course of fire for anyone interested in F-Class shooting. Ideally, it'd fit in with the High Power course of fire so that those shooters won't be sitting around all day and such that F-Class competitors can work towards an NRA classification. The best I can come up with is as follows:

200 yards (Practice stage of fire)
2 sighters in 2 minutes
10 rounds slow fires in 10 minutes (prone on a reduced 600 yard target, X-ring is 1/2 MOA, 10-ring is 1 MOA etc.)

300 yards
2 sighters in 2 minutes
10 rounds slow fire for score in 10 minutes (prone using MR-63FC target)

or

2 sighters in 2 minutes
15 rounds slow fire for score in 15 minutes (prone using MR-63FC target)

600 yards
2 sighters in 2 minutes
15 rounds slow fire for score in 15 minutes (prone using MR-1FC target)

The rules don't explicity state the time limit for the F-Class stages of fire but I'm assuming that it's one minute per shot like the HP stages . The course of fire above would mean that shooters could submit their 300 and 600 yard scores in order to gain an NRA classification as well as qualify for nationally recognized records.

Any thoughts, suggestions etc? I don't see any 20-round stages, just 7, 10 or 15. Also, does the 156gr bullet weight limit for .308 apply to F-Class now?!! I found a International Fullbore Prone 2010 rules update HERE.

Thanks

 

[Jim Watson]

Sounds like a good goal to me.

I have never shot anything but 600 and 1000 and a few times when it was in parallel to a HP XTC match, waiting out the 200 and 300 yard stages to get set up at 600 was kind of dull.

Time limit at 600 yds has normally been unlimited sighters and 20 shots in 20 or 22 min. No conflict.

While it seems reasonable to shoot a warmup at 200 while the HP shooters are doing standing slowfire, they might object if the Fs shot for 10 min after they got done with their rapidfire at 300.

There is no weight limit to .308 F-T/R bullets in the USA. A 175 is most common. I have been shooting 155s but will likely restock with 175s when they are gone, because of all the load and sight dope.

 

[Howard Roark]

It would drive me crazy waiting on prone shooters during the rapid fire matches, but that's personal opinion.

A couple of things;

Records can only be established in registered (state or regional) matches. Monthly matches are approved matches.

You don't see 20 round matches because of the fullbore rules. The courses of fire are a little different for NRA highpower.

The problem with using the fullbore rules is that they only allow target rifle and international rifles if someone wanted to shoot prone from a sling. These two categories are limited to .308 and .223 NATO caliber rifles. Not to mention the bullet weight restrictions. I wouldn't want to turn someone away if they showed up with another caliber. By opening the match up to sling prone shooters you might get more participation.

If you do try to get your matches approved be aware that there is no such thing as f-class for type of tournament. F-class scores are notated as such and are sent in as either conventional or international prone. There are two sections on the reporting form for the two different types of competition.

 

[MCMXI]

Jim and Howard,
Thanks for the excellent points. Our club already runs state/regional matches so that should help. The hardest part in all of this is trying not to upset the Service Rifle folks, many of whom are very set in their ways. There will be some snarls and scowls I'm sure.

 

[MCMXI]

Just an update on the F-Class situation at our club. We had a club meeting last night and the first official F-Class match will take place on 6/12 and will be run concurrently with a Service Rifle match. The course of fire for both disciplines will be the Mid-Range Prone Course ....

300 yards slow fire, 15 shots, MR-63FC target
500 yards slow fire, 15 shots, MR-65FC target
600 yards slow fire, 15 shots, MR-1FC target

I'm still trying to convince the service rifle members to let us run a 15 shot slow fire stage at 300 yards after their 300 yard rapid stage (part of the National Match course of fire that they typically shoot). That way, we'd have the 300 yard stage and a 600 yard 20 shot slow fire stage for the regular monthly matches and classification.

 

[Howard Roark]

I'm glad you're getting it done and I hope you have good attendance.

 

[MCMXI]

Thanks!! There already seems to be a lot of interest in F-Class here, particularly among active service members. Even some of the Service Rifle shooters are putting together F-Class rigs in anticipation of a regular F-Class match schedule. The range is being extended to 1000 yards this year so we may be able to run some Palma courses of fire in 2011 as well as 1000 yard individual matches.