Been wondering, Why only .223 and .308 in F-T/R?

call it a pang of curiousity while on cold meds (finally getting over a head cold after 6 days).But earlier tonight the thought struck me, What was the logic (or process) behind the decision to limit the F-T/R Division to just .223 and .308? Not meaning this as any kind of argument, or complaint. Just wondering if it was just something done to make an easily defined and easier to enter division, or if there was a further reasoning behind it.

I mean if the idea was to have a division where a shooter isn't pretty much required to have a high dollar rig to make it worthwhile to show up (My last used truck cost less than many of the F-Open guns/rigs i've seen), wouldn't it make more sense for the allowable caliber selection to be a little wider and include say, some of the popular US hunting rounds, or other common chamberings?

It's my understanding that as it stands now a new shooter that shows up with a rifle that would otherwise fit into F-T/R but chambered in say 30-06, .243, .260Rem , or something in an old Mil-surp round like 7.62x54 or .303Brit, is going to be lumped in with F-Open and shooting in the same Div. as guys with $3K+ just in their rifle not to mention the rests etc.

Just a random thought running through my head.
As always thank you for your time and anything you wish to share

These are the rules for F/TR . . .

First: "TR", standing for "Target Rifle", is a subcategory of F-Class competition,
limited to .223- and .308-caliber rifles. These rifles must be fired off a bi-pod only.

F-T/R class is firing a .308 (or .223) rifle at ranges from 300 yards to 1200+ yards. These rifles are only allowed to fired off a bi-pod only. NO front rifle rest allowed. The target used is the long-range F-Class target. The “X” ring on the target is 1/2 MOA (or 5″ circle at 1000 yards). The only permitted support for F-T/R rifles are a sling or a bipod (or both, although it is rare for an F-T/R shooter to use a sling). The weight limit for the class is 8.25 Kg (or 18.15 lbs). F-Class rifles may be shot using iron sights, but 99.9% of F-T/R shooters use scopes.

Also, you may want to check out this website:

http://www.nrahq.org/compete/RuleBooks/HPR/hpr-w22.pdf

I'm somewhat familiar with f-class in general.
Bought a Rem700 as a project rifle intended for shooting the local matches back in '09 (wanted Savage, but the LGS that would even order one at the time wanted a $200 premium over the remmy). Finally got everything together and humming along like i wanted, restocked, a load that did well out to 600, dug out my old Harris Bipods, etc. You know had a good starting build for an F-T/R rifle. Just in time for my local club to drop the few non-XTC High power matches in favor of additional Garand matches.... :mad: Short form, current "Rifle Director" is a real diehard Service rifle guy and has a coniption fit any time a discipline/competition other than traditional XTC High Power or CMP matches get mentioned around him , and spouts BS till the "heretic" leaves/gives up.

There is another range that runs monthly Mid- and Long- Range matches about 45 mins up the road, but in the past 3 years most of the Mid-range dates have conflicted with work, and i've only been able to make it twice.

So anyway, what i was wondering wasn't about what the definitions and rules are, (thank you for the link though, it's one of the ones I lost when my hard drive went south last year). But what the reasoning behind limiting F-T/R to those two rounds was. as i said it's really just Idle curiousity while i sit around recovering from this cold.

Don't take this to the bank: I understand F/TR is limited to military training rifles, thus the 223 and 308.

I am sure someone could give a better understanding, but this is what I was told.

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Originally Posted by Dennis

Don't take this to the bank: I understand F/TR is limited to military training rifles, thus the 223 and 308.

I am sure someone could give a better understanding, but this is what I was told.

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That actually kind of makes sense.
happens to be in opposition to the current line from the NRA that the T/R stands for target Rifle. but that's not surprising. You're probably like me and can remember when "the word" was the T stood for "Tactical"

F/TR . . . . Field Target Rifles . . . Unmodified

F-TR Class Champion. "TR", standing for "Target Rifle", is a subcategory of F-Class competition, limited to unmodified .223- and .308-caliber rifles. At many matches, F-TR competitors are restricted to bipod, ruck or sandbags, though at the Nationals a front rest was allowed.

The rule was designed for the competitors to use widely available military Calibers/Cartridges

I don't think you would want to see a 6mm or 7mm competing with a 308 or 223. I think BC has a lot to do with it.

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Originally Posted by BravO)))

I don't think you would want to see a 6mm or 7mm competing with a 308 or 223. I think BC has a lot to do with it.

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Actually my thought/want/whatever it'd be classified as, is that there should be a 3rd division/category that would encompass an idea along the lines of "rifle specs and assocated/allowed equipment same as or similar to F-T/R, but allowing common hunting/military calibers other than .223 and .308"

Not having to be lumped into Open if you choose to shoot a rifle in 30-06, .243, 8mm Mauser, etc just seems like it would be a nice option.

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Originally Posted by Detritus

Actually my thought/want/whatever it'd be classified as, is that there should be a 3rd division/category that would encompass an idea along the lines of "rifle specs and assocated/allowed equipment same as or similar to F-T/R, but allowing common hunting/military calibers other than .223 and .308"

Not having to be lumped into Open if you choose to shoot a rifle in 30-06, .243, 8mm Mauser, etc just seems like it would be a nice option.

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Yes, that would be a nice category and could recruit more shooters into the sport. Maybe a scope power limitation too.

the matchs I attend here are open.Any caliber bench or prone....Lots of 6mmbr's which kick butt.....I use my 22-250-308 or the 223..I shoot off the bench due to back injury and use front rest and rear bag..They have one match a year where a pipod is mandtory for some odd reason..but is only a 250 yard match..which if the wind is up will make it tuff...

i like the fact the f t/r is limited to only 308 and 223 my son shoots my 223 savage with me if he had to shoot in a open class with 6mm or against me with my 6.5 creedmoor he wouldnt have a chance . it sorta evens the playing field somewhat he is still under guned past 600 yards not that it cant be done he's shot out to 700 with it and did very well just my 308 does it better/easier. if anything have a hunting class my club did a few where you shot 10 rnds in 10 min each bench @ 300 prone @ 200 and standing @ 100 try holding a 18lb rifle standing and shooting its not that easy.

I have seen some ranges allowing a modified F/TR class, The caveate is they are not competing for NRA Marksmanship rank as that class is not sanctioned. But who cares right.

i do in a way last year our club let a guy shoot a 300wsm with an aggresive brake on it even with 1 slot open between me and him the blast was enough to make me pull the trigger before i was set on center target even the guy to my left had troubles shoot because of it . we both complained. the blast was even knocking my hat off when he shot .

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Originally Posted by stangfish

I have seen some ranges allowing a modified F/TR class, The caveate is they are not competing for NRA Marksmanship rank as that class is not sanctioned. But who cares right.

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Originally Posted by lal357

i do in a way last year our club let a guy shoot a 300wsm with an aggresive brake on it even with 1 slot open between me and him the blast was enough to make me pull the trigger before i was set on center target even the guy to my left had troubles shoot because of it . we both complained. the blast was even knocking my hat off when he shot .

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That is a courtesy, and to a larger extent safety issue. Brakes are just flat bad news at these types of match, too much of a chance of debris thrown up by, or even the blast itself actually hurting someone. For this reason I i'm pretty sure none of the clubs hosting F-class (or F-class like) matches within driving distance of me will allow brakes at all. There IS a limit to the idea of "bring what ya got".

It's one thing to accomodate a shooter with a non-standard (for the sport) rifle, it's another to let someone shoot a rig that is a danger to the other shooters.

i always bring extra ammo with me and have let other people who come to watch try it out (i bring 3 rifles ) as a way to get more people into the sport when our club started holding these matches we had about 9-15 shooters show up. at todays match are at 38 registered shooters. the match director has kicked around the idea of making a blast shield and keep it out there so if it happens again we can put it between him and another shooter.

When I first got into F-Class about 6 or 7 years ago or so F-TR was referred to as "tactical rifle" Then the next year or maybe it was two later when the NRA officially adopted the F-Class rules then F-TR was "target Rifle"
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