VFS Rifle Recommendations

C.L. Peterson

Active member
New to VFS game.

1. What would be the perfect rifle for this game???
2. Could this rifle be designed so one could shoot group matches also??
3. Does this rifle need to be 10.5 # to make LV class???
4. Do we need 2 different caliburs (and Barrels) to be competitive in both venues???

Will be shooting 100/200 yards matches.
Have only shot group matches to date (NBRSA).

Thanks for your input
CLP
 
Doc

New to VFS game.

1. What would be the perfect rifle for this game???
2. Could this rifle be designed so one could shoot group matches also??
3. Does this rifle need to be 10.5 # to make LV class???
4. Do we need 2 different caliburs (and Barrels) to be competitive in both venues???

Will be shooting 100/200 yards matches.
Have only shot group matches to date (NBRSA).

Thanks for your input
CLP

The most prevalant VFS cartridge is the 30BR. There are a lot of other variations and iterations running around out there including the 30 PPC, 30 Grendal and others. for a dedicated VFS, I would strongly suggest a HVFS (13.5#) rather than a LVFS (10.5#), if you plan on shooting a 30 caliber. Not nearly as abusive.

But I will point out to you that you are NOT at a handicap w/ a 6PPC. You just have to be "on your game" at all times when you are shooting a 6. There is NO room for error with the 6. Ask Terry Meyer how many 2 guns and VFS matches he has won shooting a 6PPC chambered rifle all the way thru.
 
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Those are all good questions...and many BR shooters use their score gun for groups also...but if you have the funds to do so...I would recommend a switch barrel rifle 10.5 lb..6ppc Sporter/LV with a weight system in the buttstock that allows you to upgrade to a 13.5 lb..HV 30BR..
I know that you only need to call Jim Borden and have him make you one...since his Borden BRM action will extract/eject PPC/BR cases...
He makes a very nice rifle...it would be ready to compete upon arrival...:D
 
If you wanted to go 30 for the VFS, it wouldn't be terribly hard to have a switch rifle.

Swap on a HV barrel, maybe heavier scope, and some tungsten in the butt and you'd be rockin.

That's what I did...

Greg J.

PS: See that I was beat to the reply. So, I'll add that if you have a bolt that won't deal with the BR case, you can always go 30 PPC or 30 Major (Grendel necked up to 30).
 
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Clp ...

New to VFS game.

1. What would be the perfect rifle for this game???
2. Could this rifle be designed so one could shoot group matches also??
3. Does this rifle need to be 10.5 # to make LV class???
4. Do we need 2 different caliburs (and Barrels) to be competitive in both venues???

Will be shooting 100/200 yards matches.
Have only shot group matches to date (NBRSA).

Thanks for your input
CLP

Read this in total ... a few times:http: //www.6mmbr.com/30BR.html. Your answer is there and here: http://www.6mmbr.com/6PPC.html. I have a LV 6PPC for group shooting and a HV 30BR being built for VFS. Both will have been built by Stevens Accuracy: http://www.stevensaccuracy.com/. :)
 
There are a few

who shoot LV 30 BR's and do well. Personally, I don't think shooting a 10.5 rifle in 30 BR is much of a handicap when one considers lots of folks are shooting 10 LB rifles in HBR with larger case capacities and shoot big x count scores with 6 power scopes. A 30 BR Varmint Hunter rifle is a Pussy cat @ 10 Lbs.

Perhaps for shooting group when it is required to shoot 5 shots in 10 seconds or less the 30 BR might not be the best choice. They do rock & Roll a bit more than a 6 PPC. I don't think there is an ideal single rilfe. I don't agree that a 6PPC isn't a handicap for score shooting. Just look at the scoreboard. Just because one guy does well doesn't mean the multitude will.

I was in on the ground floor with the 30 BR. We were laughed loudly at everywhere. It only took one year before those scoffing admited they may be ok for 100 YDS BUT the PPC SURELY would beat them at 2 and 300. Well, the second year the nay sayers agreed that they could be competative at 200 but NO WAY were they ever going to be king at 300. It only took another year. ;) :D

The 30 BR graveyard @ Thurmont ended up being the 6 PPC graveyard in year 4. :p
 
I have an LV rifle I bought as a 6PPC. I bought a second barrel in 30BR which I use for VFS. It does kick more and must be handled different than a 6PPC but I don't feel that is a real handicap. (I can not shoot the 30BR free recoil and don't believe many others do either). As mentioned by others I would suggest using a weight system in the stock and you will have to either trim the brass or have your bolt set up to handle both size cases (which is not hard to do). I do believe you are at a bit of a disadvantage competing with the 6PPC in VHS against the 30BR. It has not taken VFS for no reason. It is any easy cartridge to load for which is not fussy about conditions. Since I had two neck spine fusions last winter I did not shoot the 30BR this year (or any other center fire rifle). I plan to go back to the 6PPC for next year because it does have significantly less recoil. Let's see how I feel about the 6PPC vs 30BR after that.
 
New to VFS game.

1. What would be the perfect rifle for this game???
2. Could this rifle be designed so one could shoot group matches also??
3. Does this rifle need to be 10.5 # to make LV class???
4. Do we need 2 different caliburs (and Barrels) to be competitive in both venues???

Will be shooting 100/200 yards matches.
Have only shot group matches to date (NBRSA).

Thanks for your input
CLP

Yes LV is 10.5lbs and HV is 13.5lbs
You mention that you have shot group matches, do you still have that rifle?
If so run what ya brung.
Other option is just spin on a 30cal barrel in 30br and you have your group/score rifle but as mentioned you may have to change the way you drive.
Have fun with your project and maybe we'll see ya at Webster City.
 
You can rebate the cases on the BR and your ppc bolt face will pull them. That was my choice and it works well.
Butch

Good point. I skipped by that. I didn't want to deal with rebating rims it. I'm such a wuss about case prep that I went to a .332 neck to cut down on the turning.
 
10.5 Pounds

I have a purpose built 13. 5 pound 30BR, and a purpose built 10.5 pound 30BR.

I built the 10.5 pound Rifle when there was the possibility that the IBS might institute LV as it's own stand alone class in Varmint for Score. It didn't happen.

I did shoot the 10.5 pound Rifle at the Texas Bluebonnet last year, (it is LV-Sporter Group Format), in the 100 yard legs. Since I shoot free recoil, it did beat me up pretty good. I made a decent showing, but unless the rules mandate it, I will shoot a HV. That extra 3 pounds is a big difference.

Some actions, such as the Stiller Viper and Diamond Back, have a generic bolt face, as long as it is not a drop port or other ejector. I built my 10.5 pound 30BR on a standard Right Bolt-Left Port Diamond Back, it will extract a 6PPC case with no problem as well as the 30BR. ...........jackie
 
You can buy some self adhesive weatherstripping that is about 5/8" wide and about 3/4" thick. It is black closed cell foam. It makes a heck of a difference on the felt recoil of a 30BR. Due to the narrow butt my Metal Mayhem stock will leave a bruise when shot as a 6mm. As a 30 with the weatherstrip recoil pad it leaves no bruise even when fired free recoil.
 
While we are on the subject of recoil in the 30BR...my biggest problem is that my 30BR torques counter-clockwise so much that it shifts the sand in my front bag and causes my rifle to tilt noticably...I have to stop after a target series and twist the stock clockwise and slide it back and forth to get the sand in the front bag to set level again..what a pain...
How do you guys deal with it...:confused:
 
??????

That is strange. Both of my 30 BR's have 1-18 twist barrels, and they exibit no torque what so ever, either with 118 or 112 grn bullets. It just comes straight back, very easy to get back on target...........jackie
 
I'd lay odds it is

That is strange. Both of my 30 BR's have 1-18 twist barrels, and they exibit no torque what so ever, either with 118 or 112 grn bullets. It just comes straight back, very easy to get back on target...........jackie

one of 2 things, too soft a front bag or a 15 twist barrel. Better than even odds on the 15 twist
 
Jackie..David...my barrel twist on one rifle is 1-18 and 1-19 on the other...
Must be a soft front bag..?
I have heard that Edgewood makes a front bag with extra reinforcement..or maybe a front bag with the ridge stitched across the face..:rolleyes:
 
Front Bag

I keep my front bag fairly legal, (check the rule book), and that seems to be about right. I actually "fluff it up" periodically to keep it from getting too packed down.


The concensus, (I think), has always been that too hard a front bag will cause more problems than one that is plyable.

I do not personally know anyone who uses a bag with that hard rib accross the middle.

What kind of stocks are your Rifles in. Honestly, most shooters I know who have gone to the slow twist barrels notice right off the bat that the Rifle has hardly any torque at all and are a dream in the bags.......jackie
 
Eww1350

My thirty has a 17 twist and I shoot it at 3010 fps. It has less torque
than my 6 ppc's. The Cordura front bag was the cause of an increasing
cant and through every group. It was also impossible to maintain
space between the ears
 
Yep...I have the Protektor "Cordura" 3" front bag...I use the Bruno/McMillan stocks on both rifles...I have a SEB front rest...and side tension on the front bag can be adjusted...I have heavy sand in the front bag...I wonder if it can be contribution to the shifting????
 
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