Starting a Journey into F class shooting

The problem with only buying 100 bullets for a sample that as soon as you get a tune going your out of bullets and the next box/ lot number may not shoot the same there fore you’re chasing your tail again and again.
Sierra makes good bullets but they’re mass produced from different dies and might have different jackets.
 
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The alternative to searching for a bullet your gun likes is to choose a bullet and chamber a barrel to accommodate it then tune a load to maximize potential.

I've REALLY been thinking of how to say this today - I know what he's trying to accomplish, and I hate that it seems like he's running a little bit in circles because he just doesn't see THAT quite yet.

I say it all of the time - put a good bullet in a good barrel over an appropriate powder, seated in good brass, and take care of primary ignition the way you should, and then just stay out of it's way, because it'll shoot well.

The RAZOR edge of the 90 SMK vs. the 90 Berger VLD is exactly that - but the biggest leaps in performance are really just going to be starting with the right mix of proven gear, and making it work.
 
The problem with only buying 100 bullets for a sample that as soon as you get a tune going your out of bullets and the next box/ lot number may not shoot the same there fore you’re chasing your tail again and again.
Sierra makes good bullets but they’re mass produced from different dies and might have different jackets.

I agree, 500 is my lowest denominator when buying bullets for these applications
 
I have the same line of thought when buying primers, no sleeves only bricks. I wish I could say the same about powder but sometimes I can’t get the 8 pounders only singles.
 
I agree, 500 is my lowest denominator when buying bullets for these applications

Same - and really, 1,000 at a time or more. I honestly rather have ALL of the bullets a barrel will eat over its entire life when I buy the barrel. If a barrel really spits them, there are enough to resell at near retail value, but really, good barrels shoot well with good bullets if you do the work on the bench.
 
Same - and really, 1,000 at a time or more. I honestly rather have ALL of the bullets a barrel will eat over its entire life when I buy the barrel. If a barrel really spits them, there are enough to resell at near retail value, but really, good barrels shoot well with good bullets if you do the work on the bench.
Same and now I'm buying minimum 1500 and usually 2000 so when I find a load I can burn out a barrel with that lot of bullets. Try to have bullets, powder, and primers in large enough lots to lay aside for the life of each barrel.
 
Good for you horsemen61!
I am knee deep into long range fullbore shooting , several generations of it in fact.
However I do not shoot Fclass( my son shoots F/Tr)
I shoot TR, which is the precursor to Fclass ( sling'n'irons) although I do shoot a .223 mostly.
When we shoot, I use the Target Rifle target , which is basically twice the scoring ring size of an Fclass target .
Your Vbull is 1/2 MOA, and mine is one MOA.
Plus. Being Canadian, we shoot the ICFRA 5 scoring ring target as opposed to the 10 like you guys in the States do .
We shoot from 300 Meters to 900 meters at my club, and although my eyes are getting weak (and so is my body) with age , I can still give the young Fclassers a scare every now and then!LOL
I currently am shooting 95 grain Match Kings put of a Krieger 1:6.5 barrel
Cat
 

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Alright everyone so time to get back into this one. To bring everyone up to speed I got the rifle back from the smith. He installed a 30 inch Shilen Stainless select match 1~7 twist. It is setup for the 90 grain VLD bullets think Sierra and Berger. I am currently waiting on a 44” cleaning rod so I can break in the barrel. So the rifle specs are as followed.

1.) Savage Model 12 VLP dbm stainless
Action stock

2.) Shilen Select Match 30 inch barrel 1~7 Match Contour

3.) Vortex Golden Eagle 15-60x56 MOA scope

4.) Seekins Pro Rings 30mm

5.) Random bubble level from a friend

That about covers the rifle I do believe.
So I’m left to handle Ammo and equipment

Ammo (As always Use at your own risk I’m not liable at all)

Here is what I’m starting with
90 grain SMK

22.00 Varget

Lupua brass

Cci 450 SRMP

COAL 2.550

Now to get it all done and get to shooting!!!
 
I make sure it's clean in the bore, I shoot a couple of rounds, run a couple of wet patches then a dry, then shoot the snot out of it.

Some folks say just shoot the snot out of it.

That's true match barrels which are very smooth and not prone to fouling a lot. I imagine a rough barrel could use more break in.
 
All of the Shilen barrels I have ever bought have been hand lapped - I assume all of them sold currently remain to be so.

I have gone through different barrel break in processes, as well as NO break in, just shooting the rifle, and I can’t say I have been able to demonstrate any difference between the two. Before I had a borescope, for factory barrels, rough barrels, I would have said I thought alternating cleaning and shooting and cleaning and shooting would make cleaning easier, but I know now that was misguided.

I run a brush and patches through new barrels to scrub out any oils, packing preserves, lathe chips, spider eggs, packing peanuts or plastic wrap, whatever might have gotten in there during all subsequent handlings, and then I shoot within the fouling and course of fire format that the rifle will experience during regular use.

So that’s a long way of saying, “shoot it.”
 
Break-in?

I have a new Shilen Match Select that was purchased in Sept.. Been shooting it an working up loads for our local league. When I got it I ran a few wet patched thru it then shot 5 rounds and a few more wet patched, with a copper solvent, which came out mostly clean. did that a few times and after seeing nothing alarming I gave up. Shot another 50 and then again ran the copper solvent with nothing shown. Now after every 50 or so I run a wet carbon solvent patch and a nylon brush followed by Hoppe's until clean and then dry patched.

I do this now and still because I am burning LeverEvolution powder and have been told it is a dirty powder. Which I guess it is as it usually takes about 10-12 patched before it comes out clean. Must be working as I have just shot the 2 weeks in a row with the highest score I have ever shot in the now 4th year of shooting this.
 
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So update I did break in the barrel but not to the extent of what I do with a factory barrel so far 30 rounds and she shoots like a dream I’m extremely impressed I’ll run a couple of patches through it to make sure it’s all good before I shoot again but man it seems like it’s all coming together…..
 
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