A Data-Driven Approach To Precision Rifles, Optics & Gear
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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.
Bullet Jump Load Development

Bullet Jump: Is Less Always Better?

This landmark article shares new, primary research that Mark Gordon from Short Action Customs has compiled over the past 2 years. He tested a wide range of bullet jumps in several rifle/load configurations, and this post shares the analysis of that data. Mark used a similar approach to the Audette Ladder Test and OCW method, but the goal was to not find the most forgiving powder charge weight, but the most forgiving bullet jump. He wasn’t looking for the specific bullet jump that grouped the best, but the largest window of bullet jumps that provided a similar point of impact. That means the rifle would be more consistent from the start of the match to the end of it or could shoot a particular kind of match-grade factory ammo really well for a longer period of time. Mark’s findings may seem counter to conventional wisdom when it comes to bullet jump, but a few national-level precision rifle competitors also support the idea, which I highlight in this post as well.

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how fast does a barrel wear

How Fast Does A Barrel Erode?

This article focuses on how quickly the lands of a rifle barrel usually erode, especially for mid-sized cartridges that are popular in precision rifle matches. It also explains how many shooters try to manage their seating depth and bullet jump over the life of the barrel. These are topics don't seem to get much attention and are rarely discussed in any comprehensive format, so hopefully it provides some useful information and tips. The article also poses some questions that might make us rethink priorities when it comes to managing bullet jump, at least when applying the concepts to some specific shooting disciplines where you might fire 100-200 rounds over the course of a weekend.

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Bullet Jump and Seating Depth Reloading Best Practices

Bullet Jump & Seating Depth: Best Practices & Conventional Wisdom

With so many events canceled and stores closed, what a great time to do some reloading! Over the past several weeks, I have been working on a series of posts that I'm very excited to finally share with you guys! This article provides a comprehensive overview of what most professionally published books and reloading manuals suggest about bullet jump and seating depth when it comes to precision rifles. I have a big stack of books on the subject, and I tried to combine the most relevant info from each of them when it comes to fine-tuning the seating depth of your ammo.

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Best Dope Card Holder

Dope Card Holders & Heads-Up Displays: Viewing Your Dope While On The Clock

A few months ago, I published an article about the devices and apps the top precision rifle shooters were using to calculate their ballistics. We saw that 76% used a Kestrel Ballistic Weather Meter, and 22% used some kind of phone app (see the data). However, most shooters don’t ever touch a Kestrel or their phone while they’re on the clock shooting a stage at a rifle match. Match directors create stages with tight time constraints and/or barricades to intentionally induce stress. Fumbling with buttons and electronics under stress is not a great plan, and inevitably that’s the kind of ...

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Crowdfunding Ammo: Will Price Win?

Here is the question: If you could save 15-20% on match-grade ammo, but you had to wait 4 months for it to be delivered – Is it worth it? I wanted to let my readers know about a unique opportunity for low-cost match ammo, and what I think is a very interesting social experiment – and potentially a new buying model that could save us all money. Frankly, I love disruptors! Most companies play it safe and simply make incremental improvements – but then there are a few disruptors willing to take risks, set a new course, and they push ...

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6XC Load Data

6XC Load Data – What The Pros Use

The 6XC has been a popular choice among top-ranked precision rifle shooters since they first started having long range precision rifle matches. This past year there were 3 shooters using a 6XC in the top 25 in the PRS, and 4 in the top 25 in the NRL. It’s clearly a very capable round in the hands of a good shooter. This article shares the 6XC load data these top-ranked shooters are reloading in their match ammo.

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