My Grandfather (born in 1933) was a sniper for the British Armed Forces and shot at Bisley on many occasions. He shot all over the world and once in a while, very rarely he would tell a story or two of days gone by. My family have never had anything to do with guns but now I live in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada I have interest in following his footsteps. My only interest is in technical long range shooting. I don't want to get all American if you know what I mean. Some funny stories of times gone by I would like to share about my grandfather. Whilst shooting in Africa he was stuck for a ride home and ended up laying down on the front end/floor of a bomber. He told me him and the lads took some explosives out of the armoury and went fishing, he cried with laughter but told me that one brought some heat on them all. While in Tenerife in the 90's with my grandmother as OAP's my grandmother got talking to another elderly lady from England. They got talking and realised both their husbands served.....then realised both husbands shot. Turned out the ladies husband beat my grandfather taking 1st place. My grandad said he got second because they could not confirm a separate hit and passed it as a miss. My grandfather was an honest, hardworking man...tough but fair! I believe him and respect the respect he then gave in regards to the other shooter. He said he loved beating the yanks but respected them (at times) He never did like all their shouting and wooo ha's. He once knocked a solider out for damaging his rifle after he spent a day sitting it in. He could light matches without breaking them by shooting close (I think 50yards) I wish I knew what rifle he shot with, I believe this would off been around the 50's. Sadly my grandfather passed away taking all his secrets, stories and troubles with him. He rarely spoke of his service, it was my understanding it wasn't a choice. My fondest memories are of us at the kitchen table, me making him a cup of tea and destroying the biscuit tin. I know those years have followed him in life as they now follow my brother. In the end he joked...."i've lost my legs but not my marbles!" A dear friend, grandfather, Englishman and a gentleman. Thanks to men like him I have traveled the world, lived in New Zealand, Australia and now Canada.
I've shot both high power and F class...both are great fun, both require a bit different skill but both have a great group of shooters at the matches. I think the best thing about high power is going to the national matches. There you can find yourself paired with either a brand new youth shooter who really needs coaching or the number one shooter in the country. It's a roll of the dice in most cases. I've shot with federal judges, athletes and even a movie star(R Lee Ermy).
There are VERY FEW sports where the everyday amateur weekend "player" can compete against the best in the world. Clay pigeon shooting and target shooting are the only ones that I can think of. That's why I simply LOVE the shooting sports. They are the ULTIMATE in inclusivity.
History - some 45 years ago - I worked the butts at a 1000 yds range. It was a range from 100 years + ago. FREDERICTON - NB - CANADA - I had a WW1 vet shooting my target. He was printing a 30 inch circle. Used a iron sight - 5A. Sadly i never broke the circle of them gents. I was a handgunner then - and long range provided gas $ and that was my focus. I bought someone's 7.62 Mark4 - 1955 - with a sleeved and welded barrel. It was a single shot - like F class. With crap - 197? ammo - at 400 yds and my eyes - a 5 shot group was covered by a playing card - That was the onee rifle - I wish I had never sold!! Cheers Gents
NOW at the 2:08 point is almost the same rifle i was allowed to shoot. the look of it etc etc, all anodised aluminium, custom everything :) Which costs around 8 to 10K depending on who biult it and what materials were used. Here you go guys, just a little hint to come, i was invited to the FDr class ie: 308 at a regional rifle club based in victoria australia last sunday 13th Jan 2019, now i got my snipers patch back when i was in the cadets at the age of 15 years old and have not shot a weapon since then, so thats over 35 years ago, anyway, got there thinking it was going to be a rifles from say .223, .270 or 308 and to my surprise it was really all custom built 308 or 7.62mm ( with 215 to 220 grain projectiles) rifles and my score card was 38 at 1,200 yards and with air temps over 100 degrees f or 39 to 40 degrees c with cross winds over 25 to 35Km from the north west and the range is facing the east, NOW first time shooting with these type of rifles and i am hooked, also the other guys scores were 40 to 50 at the same ranges thats with 4 men shooting in turn. So if i am lucky i hope someone with in the gun clubs will have a 2nd hand rifle for sale which i can then get it customized to suit my build and disability, due to being a amputee etc. just love the challenge of it, to get better and better at it and learn as much as i can. cheers :) Keep it in the center guys . :)
its been around since 1875 when John Farquharson from Scotland designed and patented the Farquharson rifle. Gibbs went on after the patents expired. Only Ruger and certain English makers build F-class rifles now
+BAMBI243 I thought any calibre and brand of rifle was allowed as long as it was below 8mm, though I suppose you mean that to win at the highest level, only the a select list of rifles are worth considering?
F-class rifles are built by gunsmiths and shooters from all over the world by hundreds and hundreds of smiths using a huge variety of actions, barrels and stocks. Are you thinking of something else other than F class as it is today?
BAMBI243 Originally, all it was, was him wanting to shoot when he couldn't see well enough to use open sights, so he added a scope and a rest. There's no standard "F-Class" rifle, perhaps you just mean some people still make reproductions of the rifle he happened to modify?
George invented f-class competition in Canada 120 years after John invented that rifle in Scotland. There is no connection between that rifle and current f-class shooting.
None of those guys shoot factory ammo.....if they do they are a beginner... most all f class guys reload......some even do it a little before the match! And if I remember right it had something to do with the difference between the 270wsm and the 7mm wsm cases......but I can't recall With these guys the reason is either super accurate, or super cheap and accurate 🤣
People shoot F class successfully ALL THE TIME with sub 1k rifles. It has become a sort of game, who can build the best rifle for cheapest money. Obviously the sky is the limit on pricey gear, but to call this a rich mans sport is not true.
John Cochrane himself was probably the only one to shoot successfully with a "cheap" build. A Broughton 30" barrel, A trued Rem 700 action, McMillan MBR stock, Nightforce 8-42 BR scope. That set up would have coated him 3000$ after all was gunsmithed and done with. Hell I'm building an F Class Panda, 32" Brux, McMillan MBR stock, with a Vortex Golden Eagle 10-60x and I'm in the rifle for 4850$ and that's not counting rests, bags, and reloading materials and equipment.
