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Cal

Cal Zant is the shooter/author behind PrecisionRifleBlog.com. Cal is a life-long learner, and loves to help others get into this sport he's so passionate about. Cal has an engineering background, unique data-driven approach, and the ability to present technical information in an unbiased and straight-forward fashion. For more info, check out PrecisionRifleBlog.com/About.
6.5 Creedmoor Muzzle Velocity

6.5 Creedmoor Ammo Test Part 3: Live-Fire Muzzle Velocity & Consistency Summary

Welcome to Part 3 of the results of a massive 6.5 Creedmoor ammo field test, where I tested multiple boxes of every kind of 6.5 Creedmoor ammo that is marketed as “match” or “target” grade. That included 19 different brands and types of 6.5 Creedmoor ammo! This article is going to cover all the muzzle velocity data that I collected over almost 1,000 rounds fired. Consistent muzzle velocity is key for long-range shooting, otherwise, bullets that leave the muzzle faster than normal could miss high, or bullets that leave the muzzle slower could miss low. While the goal is for ...

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6.5 Creedmoor Ammo Consistency

6.5 Creedmoor Ammo Test Part 2: Physical Round-To-Round Consistency

I’m so excited to start sharing the data I collected in a massive field test I conducted on 19 different types of 6.5 Creedmoor match-grade factory ammo. With the price of this kind of 6.5 Creedmoor “match-grade” factory ammo hovering around $3/round right now, it seems like this series might be especially relevant! That’s too expensive for most people to experiment with several brands and types of ammo, so hopefully, this research will help guys narrow down their search to a couple of the best-performing brands and types to try in their rifles. I know there are a ton of ...

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Statistics for Shooters – Executive Summary

Over the past 3 articles, we covered a lot of ground! Before I jump to other topics, I wanted to simply provide a bullet-point recap of key points from the end of each of those articles and publish it here as an executive summary. This might be a good overview or reminder for those that read each article or hits the highlights in case you missed one.

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Precision & Group Size

Precision & Group Size – Statistics for Shooters Part 3

This is the final article in my Statistics for Shooters series, and it focuses on the application of statistics when it comes to quantifying precision and group size. It provides practical answers to some age-old questions: How many shots per group do I need? Should I exclude fliers? Is extreme spread the best way to measure my groups? What is the most effective and accurate way to compare groups between two loads? I spent more time writing this article than any other single post I’ve ever written! It challenges some common beliefs held by some in the shooting community, so I tried to carefully present the reasoning behind that in a way that was approachable to shooters who aren’t math nerds. It also contains a lot of practical tips. I firmly believe these concepts will help a TON of people in the long-range community.

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Muzzle Velocity Statistics for Shooters

Muzzle Velocity Stats – Statistics for Shooters Part 2

Part 2 in my Statistics for Shooters 3-part series focuses on how to analyze muzzle velocity consistency, which is critical for us as long-range shooters. This article shows how to apply the concepts from Part 1 to get more insight and make better decisions related to muzzle velocity. It provides practical answers to some age-old questions: Should we look at ES or SD? How many shots do we need to fire in a string? How do we get the most value from the shots we fire at the range? I spent an absurd amount of time arduously crafting this article and creating visuals so it was approachable by shooters who aren’t math nerds because I firmly believe these concepts can help a TON of people in the long-range community.

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Statistics for Shooters

How To Predict The Future – Statistics For Shooters Part 1

Many shooters have an uncomfortable relationship with math and aren’t impressed with fancy formulas. However, statistics and probability are insanely applicable when it comes to rifles and long-range shooting in particular. I have literally spent months crafting this 3-part series of articles specifically with the math-averse shooter in mind. I invested all that time because I strongly believe that understanding just a few basics can help us gain actionable insight, make better decisions, and put more rounds on target.

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Best 6.5 Creedmoor Ammo Review

6.5 Creedmoor Ammo Test Part 1: Intro & Reader Poll

I recently tested every popular type of 6.5 Creedmoor ammo, and carefully collected data on the performance of each one. I thought it’d be fun before any of the results are published to poll my readers to see which type of ammo you expect to end up on top. What do you think will perform the best when it comes to hit probability at long-range (e.g. 600 to 1200 yards)? Cast your vote and see what other readers think will end up on top!

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Best ELR Competition Scope

Wyoming ELR Scopes & Mounts – What The Pros Use

This article shows what scopes and scope mounts/rings the competitive rifle shooters were running at this year’s Nightforce ELR Steel Challenge in Casper, Wyoming. That is a one-of-a-kind, 2-day, flagship match with 20+ stages featuring targets from 720 to 2,091 yards. The average target distance is year was 1,180 yards, with 70% of the targets beyond 1,000 yards! When you’re reaching out to that kind of distance your scope and mount must be rock-solid! This article is based on a survey of 100+ competitors and shares what brands and models these guys trusted to make first-round hits.

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ELR Caliber Comparison

NF ELR Calibers & Cartridges – What The Pros Use

Over the past few weeks, I surveyed over 100 shooters who competed in this year’s Nightforce Extended Long Range Steel Challenge in Wyoming. I know a lot of you had questions about calibers, scopes and other gear guys were using, so I put together a survey, and the match director, Scott Satterlee, sent it to all the competitors. Over 100 shooters completed the survey, including 85% of the guys who finished in the top 25 overall. Thanks to all the guys who took the time to share. One of the fun things about the NF ELR match is it has ...

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Accuracy International AI AXSR Review

Accuracy International AXSR Review

I recently spent a couple of months behind Accuracy International's new AXSR rifle chambered in 300 Norma Mag, firing almost 500 rounds. I used to cinch a top 5 finish in a flagship, national-level ELR match, but it wasn't all rosey! This is my 100% honest, full disclosure, hands-on review of the AI AXSR rifle platform, with all the details you could ever want to know!

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