I’m back to provide an update on the most recent 3×600 yard F-Open Match at Nashua Fish and Game. This year I am doing a significant amount of testing, which doesn’t allow for getting truly comfortable with my set up, never the less, it was exciting.
To preface the discussion on results, I need to explain the challenges with the F-Open conversion to the Creedmoor barrel. In preparation for the match and some practice time, I changed out the barrel in my Savage 10 action to the Shilen 28″ stainless match 6.5 Creedmoor bull barrel.
Following the barrel swap, I installed the barreled action to my aluminum JPRifles AMCS chassis. I was going to shooting in F-Class, Open, with the Nosler 140 gr 6.5mm/.264 Reduced Drag Factor ™ (RDF) bullets and due to the F-Class, open rules I could have a much heavier gun (22 lbs max). That’s why I decided to move back to the heavier aluminum chassis. The only downside was that when the rifle was mounted in the rest, I couldn’t use a rear bag that was a standard height. I had to rig up a rear bag that was tall enough to be able to level the gun. The PRS stock toe, is not as low as a true F-Open competition stock, but this isn’t a “built for competition” rig. This is fun on a budget while learning to read the wind 🙂
I tuned my 6.5 loads easily with the Nosler RDF’s we are testing, getting 1/4 to 1/2″ groups while humming along comfortably at 2800 fps with 41.7gr of H4350.
Very impressive, those RDF’s. From my first experience with new gear, I was prepared with what to expect this time. I was stayed focused and was pleasantly surprised, as the day went on I got better and better, despite the make shift gear.
As the day was not hot, I was able to keep the Leupold Gold Ring 7-42X55mm scope we are testing (seen above) dialed all the way to 42x and it was awesome to see the bull much more clearly and to use the target rings to aim for wind calls.
Here are my scores below for my first time in F-Open with new gear.
Match 1: 185-4
Match 2: 192-6
Match 3: 196-8
Final total: 573-18
The gun and Nosler 140 RDF’s were clearly shooting better than I in the beginning, but as I got the hang of the “free recoil” game, it all started to fall into place. Free recoil is allowing the rifle to track rearward under recoil with some space in between you and the buttstock, very much like regular benchrest shooting. I like F-Open, but for now, it’s just fun for me and a way to continue to learn the ways of the wind. I think the only way to become more competitive in this class, you need first get better at wind reading and perhaps get a purpose built rifle/stock combination that was meant to be used in a rest. I am more than happy with how this turned out. I am super pleased with how the Nosler RDF’s were surprisingly easy to tune and shoot accurately! I will be shooting this combination again July 8/9.
See you at the range!
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