Why not many AR10's in F class?

[sapper299]

I shoot f class, mostly 1000 yard but sometimes mid range. i am surprised by not seeing many semi auto AR 10's being used. I know they can be competitive, so why don't we see more?

[98Z5V]

Because most F Class guys are 32"-barreled bolt gun snobs.  We've had a few cool F Class guys come through here, though.  Most of the ones that show up here are telling us how we're doing it wrong because it wouldn't win an F Class match...

[sapper299]

I think thats nuts and shame on them then. I shoot bolt guns for the most part, but I know that a well built AR based rifle can keep up with most of the field at the matches I shoot. Yea, there are some national level shooters, but most of the rest would do just as well with an AR, at least at mid range. I would agree, a barrel less than 30" at a 1000 yards and your giving up a lot velocity wise so maybe not the best choice, but still doable. That's unfortunate because as a group, just like NM shooting, we need to attract more shooters.

[308kiwi]

On 2/20/2018 at 3:46 AM, 98Z5V said:

Because most F Class guys are 32"-barreled bolt gun snobs.  We've had a few cool F Class guys come through here, though.  Most of the ones that show up here are telling us how we're doing it wrong because it wouldn't win an F Class match...

And there's the correct answer right there ^^^.

I have a close friend that shoots F class, he does it well, multiple national titles under his belt and to top it off he's a down to earth guy, definitely not your average bolt gun snob. (to blow my own trumpet, I barrelled his current rifle for him that he won one of his titles with), but yes, 98Z5V has it nailed, they are pretty much a breed unto their own.

I keep telling Grant that I'm going to enter next year with my 243 Win AR and stir up the hornets nest, simply for my own amusement

 

Edited February 21, 2018 by 308kiwi

[HotRod308]

Although the big AR can shoot very well, but if one wants to win and has the skill set, shooting a semi auto isn't going to do it. The bolt gun with the 30 inch barrel is going to be way to go.

If they made a class where semi autos could compete against each other would be the ticket. That would encourage people to bring their big or Ar-15 out to compete and that would lead to experimentation leading to more accurate rifles, barrels, parts, and etc.

Several years ago I took my big AR set up as match rifle with iron sights to a practice f-class match. Being the only sling shooter, I didn't care if I shot on a f-class target, a black bull is the same size anyway. After we were done, I talked to the F--class guy pulling shooting on the same target, he didn't know at first what rifle I was using. I shot a pretty good score at 600 and he was surprised when we switched out for him to shoot to see a semi auto with irons behind the firing point.