Writer / Kara Reibel
Photographer / Kara Reibel, provided
Hopkins Automotive owner Jeff Hopkins started working at a Shell Oil gas and service station, working his way into becoming a mechanic. He worked with station owner Tom Burnell for 23 years, becoming General Manager over Burnell’s stations. Hopkins became part-owner four years before the stations were sold to corporate, creating the opportunity for Hopkins to branch out on his own and maintain a partnership with Burnell.
“I am so grateful for the experiences that I had working with Mr. Burnell,” shares Hopkins. “I learned so much, and having my own business has given me the time and resources to pursue my love of the sport of F-class long range rifle.”
Hopkins can be found in the office at his shop daily, and if he is absent, he is likely traveling for his sport. Introduced to long range rifle shooting two years ago, Hopkins took to it instantly. Precision is the key to success in this sport, and it is not surprising that Hopkins was drawn to this given his background in precision automotive repair.
“It is a lot of fun, and for someone new to the sport, you can get involved inexpensively. I got hooked fast and have lived and breathed this sport for two years,” says Hopkins.
Since joining the Central Indiana Highpower Rifle Shooters, Hopkins practices at a range located at the Martinsville Conservation Club. For practice and competition, the long range distance is 1,000 yards. The time for the projectile to hit is 1.4 seconds for 1000 yards and roughly 4 seconds for the mile-plus shot. The elements of the weather strongly impact the trajectory, as well as physics, ability of the shooter, tracking, positioning, ballistic precision, chemistry and consistency all influencing the accuracy of the shot.
“Consistency and precision are the keys to success in F-Class,” says Hopkins. “I am drawn to the challenge of the sport because it’s like 100 links in a chain, and all those links come together at that precise moment you break the shot. If one of those links isn’t perfect, it will show up on the target at that distance.”
There are applied ballistics apps for your phone to help with wind and other environmental factors. Hopkins indicates that he never used apps on his smartphone until he got hooked into long range shooting. The app is helpful as a learning tool during practice rounds, as electronics are forbidden during competition.
After his first year of competing, Hopkins won Indiana’s longest shot competition. The distance was 1.15 miles away with a 40” diameter target and based on a 5-shot consecutive grouping. All long Range 1000 yd. F-class matches are held at Camp Atterbury. Mid-range F-class is either held at Camp Atterbury or south in Borden, Indiana. Mid-range distances are 300, 500 or 600 yards. In this year’s state competition, there were 18 shooters, mostly ex-military and ex-law enforcement and civilians like Hopkins. There are no active military duty members of teams competing.
With F-class competition (the “F” stands for “Farquharson,” the man that pioneered the sport), there are five classes for NRA shooting, and a competitor moves up the scale based on performance. Beginners are unclassified marksmen until they rank as (1) Sharpshooter, then move up to (2) Marksman, (3) Expert, (4) Master and (5) High Master.
The shooter’s mobility up the scale is based on their last 120 shots for record at NRA competitions. Technically, Hopkins is ready to move up to Master level. Based on his scores at Nationals, Hopkins beat all of the Master shooters as well, receiving a medal for his efforts.
Competing at Nationals during the last week of October, Hopkins won the Expert Class F-Open National Champion and finished 12th overall.
In addition to winning the Expert class at Nationals, Hopkins won the overall aggregate for everyone shooting in the final day of competition. At Nationals, 120 competed in the F-class open, representing nine different countries.
“F-Class shooting is gaining in popularity,” says Kevin Hill, member of 2017 USA F-Open Class Development Team. “Several juniors compete regularly against us at Atterbury, and there were a couple high school teams competing in Phoenix at the F-Class Nationals.”
It is now offseason until March when competitions start back up. These competitions culminate with state, regional and nationals again next year in late October.
“It was a big learning experience,” says Hopkins of Nationals in Phoenix, Arizona. “Wind was a major factor, for instance. A one mile per hour letup or pickup may alter the trajectory of the projectile five inches in a circle.”
“Jeff is not only a great shooter, but he is a great friend that offers support in any way he can to his shooting buddies,” says Hill. “I am proud of Jeff’s accomplishments and expect that he will only get better.”
Hopkins started his business, Hopkins Automotive, over 16 years ago and has won the Angie’s List Super Service award every year since they opened. Notes of gratitude from loyal customers cover the walls of the small shop located on Binford and 62nd Street. Due to the accolades from happy customers, Hopkins has to keep his medals and plaques from F-Class shooting at home.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Central Indiana Highpower Rifle Shooters
CIHPRS.org
F-class shooting
Jeff Golay
charlesfadams2@aol.com
Hopkins Automotive
(located on the northeast corner of 62nd and Binford)
hopkinsauto.mechanicnet.com
