A Data-Driven Approach To Precision Rifles, Optics & Gear
Home / Reviews & Field Tests / First Looks

First Looks

These are brief glances at new products related to precision rifles, optics, and gear. While they aren’t as in-depth as my typical reviews or field tests, they are meant to help us all be aware of the cool new products entering the market that seem to have potential.

SHOT Show 2018: Really Right Stuff’s New Products

Really Right Stuff SHOT Show 2018

In this post, I’d like to highlight some cool new products I saw from Really Right Stuff (RRS) at SHOT Show 2018. First, I’m not a RRS fan-boy. I’ve been using a Gitzo GT1542 Mountaineer Tripod with a RRS BH-55 tripod heads for the past year or two, but I don’t own an RRS tripod. But after seeing the new products they just introduced … I’m probably about to own a few things they offer. Some of these products may seem like minor improvements, and I’m sure lots of guys walked past the booth and didn’t get as excited as ...

Read More »

SHOT Show 2018: MPA Hybrid Chassis

MPA Hybrid Chassis

At SHOT Show 2018 MPA unveiled their new Hybrid chassis. The Hybrid is a cross between their bestselling Competition Chassis and their BA Lite Chassis. The most amazing part is MPA was able to produce a full-featured chassis under 3 pounds! While most rifle chassis are close to 5 pounds or more, this new product is now as light as any adjustable stock out there. In fact, it’s so light … the guys at MPA also released optional weights so that you can customize or tune the weight of the chassis for your application. Going on a hunting trip or ...

Read More »

SHOT Show 2018: TriggerTech Diamond Trigger

TriggerTech Diamond Trigger

Over the next few posts, I’ll share the top precision rifle products that caught my attention at SHOT Show 2018. It’s impossible to see everything at the show, but these are the items I noticed that I thought my readers might like to know about. The biggest standout product for me for SHOT Show 2018 was the new TriggerTech Diamond trigger. That is an after-market trigger compatible with Remington 700 clone actions (like those made by Defiance, Surgeon, Impact Precision, Big Horn, American Rifle Company, Stiller, etc.). The new Diamond trigger is adjustable from 4 ounces to 2 pounds, and has ...

Read More »

SHOT Show 2018: Nucleus Action from American Rifle Company

Nucleus Bolt Action from American Rifle Company ARC

Over the next few posts, I’ll share the top few precision rifle products that caught my attention at SHOT Show 2018. As always, it’s impossible to see everything at the show, but these are some of the items I noticed that I thought my readers might like to know about. The first product I’ll highlight is the Nucleus bolt action from American Rifle Company. ARC caught my attention at SHOT 2014 with their Mausingfield action (see full review). While most high-end actions are simply improved versions of the Remington 700, the Mausingfield was a refreshing design combining a couple of ...

Read More »

First Look: New Super-High-BC Flat Line Bullets

Warner Tool Company Flat Line Bullets

Over the past couple months, I’ve been working with a lot of scary smart engineers on my muzzle brake field test. One who has given me a lot of great input is Josh Kunz, whose professional background is in Aerospace Engineering. Josh recently told me about a new line of bullets he’s been working on, which have the potential to be one of the biggest leap in ballistics in recent history. The product is being unveiled this week at rifle competitions at Camp Perry. In fact, some of the bullets are being shot in competitions for the first time today! ...

Read More »

New Berger 6.5mm Bullet for PRS Shooters

Berger 6.5mm 130gr Hybrid Bullet

Berger recently released a new 6.5mm 130gr Hybrid bullet. Bryan Litz, Chief Ballistician at Berger Bullets, told me “This bullet was optimized for magazine length ammo based on the popularity of the 6.5mm cartridges in PRS competition.” 6.5mm cartridges like the 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5×47 Lapua, and 260 Remington are very popular in those types of competitions (see the full list of the most popular cartridges). In PRS events, multiple targets are engaged at each stage, often within a ridiculously short amount of time … so magazine feeding is a must. Bryan and the team at Berger created a bullet optimized for ...

Read More »

American Rifle Company – Most Innovative Product of SHOT Show 2014

The firearms industry usually advances through incrementalism … a company just improves over last year’s design somehow by making it lighter, faster, more accurate, higher capacity, more reliable, or incrementally better. It is rare to find a completely fresh, innovative design, but American Rifle Company (ARC) is a young startup that brought a new product to the SHOT Show 2014 that caught a lot of people’s attention. Theodore “Ted” Karagias is a brilliant Mechanical Engineer and President of American Rifle Company. Ted has packed so many innovative features into his new product that it can be a little overwhelming. But hang ...

Read More »