A Data-Driven Approach To Precision Rifles, Optics & Gear
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What The Pros Use

This is hard data on what gear the best precision rifle shooters in the country are using. Each year, we ask the top-ranked precision rifle competitors about what equipment and gear they run (like cartridge, scope, stock, barrel, gunsmith, and a bunch of other items). These posts are the results of those annual surveys, along with deep-dives from some of the top shooters.

Custom Rifle Action – What The Pros Use

Custom Rifle Action

I recently surveyed the top ranked shooters in both the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) and the National Rifle League (NRL) to learn what gear they’re running in long range rifle matches. (Learn about the PRS & NRL.) This group of over 150 competitors represent the best precision rifle shooters in the country. This post will focus on what they chose for the foundation of their rifles: the action. (View other What The Pros Use articles) Most Popular Rifle Action The action is the heart of the rifle. In the precision rifle game, you’ll shoot out barrels and replace them over ...

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Best Scope Mount – What The Pros Use

Best Scope Mount

I’m currently publishing a series of posts that highlights the gear the top ranked shooters in both the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) and the National Rifle League (NRL) are running in long range rifle matches. (Learn about the PRS & NRL.) This group of over 150 competitors represent the best precision rifle shooters in the country. My last post focused on the rifle scopes this group of shooters was running, and I intended to also include what scope mount/rings they were using … and one of my astute readers noticed I forgot. My bad! This post will quickly cover scope ...

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Best Scope – What The Pros Use

Best Long-Range Scope

I recently surveyed the top ranked shooters in both the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) and the National Rifle League (NRL) to learn what gear they’re running in long range rifle matches. (Learn about the PRS & NRL.) This group of over 150 competitors represent the best precision rifle shooters in the country. This post focuses on the optics these guys ran, along with some advice they gave related to long range scopes. Most Popular Scope Brands Lots has changed since the last time I published info on what scopes these guys run. In 2012, 2013, and 2014 Schmidt and Bender ...

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Rifle Caliber – What The Pros Use

Rifle Caliber

Welcome to “What The Pros Use” 2018 Edition! I recently surveyed the top ranked shooters in both the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) and the National Rifle League (NRL) to learn what gear they’re running in long range rifle matches. These guys represent the best precision rifle shooters in the country, and over the next several posts I’ll be publishing the results. Learn more about the PRS & NRL. Most Popular Rifle Caliber I can remember a time when there was a battle between which caliber was most popular: 6mm or 6.5mm? That battle appears to be decisively won at this ...

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What The Pros Use 2018!!!

What The Pros Use 2018

Back by popular demand: Welcome to What The Pros Use 2018 Edition! I recently surveyed the top ranked precision rifle shooters in the country to learn what gear they’re currently running in long range rifle matches. I’ll be publishing the results over the next several posts. I’ve done this for a few years, although I skipped last year. This year there will be a few new, exciting twists! Results for PRS & NRL First, I surveyed the best shooters in both the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) and the National Rifle League (NRL), so it’s based on an even larger, more widespread ...

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What The Pros Use – King of 2 Miles Edition

Best Extreme Long Range Rifle

Earlier this week I traveled to watch the King of 2 Miles rifle competition (Ko2M) at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, New Mexico. It’s one of the few matches where great shooters from across the country gather to push the limits of what is possible with small arms as they engage targets out to 2 miles (3,520 yards). It was interesting to see what the top shooters were using in terms of equipment and gear, and I’ll share a summary of that in this post. In subsequent posts, I’ll go into more detail on some of the issues these ...

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Advice From Top PRS Shooters

Advice From Top PRS Shooters

Earlier this year, I asked the highest ranked shooters in the Precision Rifle Series a simple question: If you could just give one piece of advice to a new shooter wanting to get into this sport, what would that be? Their answers are packed with hard-earned wisdom. I personally learned a lot, and this advice has changed my approach and how I practice. I’ve shared a few of these quotes in previous posts, but I just wanted to share the full list with all my readers, because it is so helpful. Although these guys each completed the survey individually, it’s ...

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Favorite PRS Matches & Tips from Top Match Directors

Best PRS Match

New precision rifle matches seem to be popping up everywhere. Several years ago, there were only a handful of major precision rifle competitions in a given year, and now we have options in every corner of the country a couple of times a month. Each match is unique, with varying courses of fire, distances, format, etc. With the number of matches growing so quickly, I wanted to ask a large group who shoot lots of matches to see what their favorite was. So earlier this year, I surveyed the top 100 shooters in the Precision Rifle Series and asked them. ...

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Custom Rifle Actions – What The Pros Use

Custom Rifle Actions

I recently surveyed the top 100+ shooters in the Precision Rifle Series (PRS), and this post reviews the actions those guys were running on their custom rifles. For those not familiar with the PRS, it’s an organization that tracks how 2,000+ competitors place in major rifle matches across the country. PRS matches are tactical/practical long-range rifle matches shot in the field conditions. Typical ranges for steel targets are from 300 to 1200 yards, and they are engaged from prone and improvised positions, often under extreme time pressure. It is one of the fastest growing shooting sports, and has attracted some ...

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Precision Rifle Gunsmiths: Who The Pros Use

Best Rifle Gunsmith

I recently surveyed the top 100+ shooters in the Precision Rifle Series (PRS), and this post reviews the gunsmiths those guys trusted to do work on their match rifles. For those not familiar with the PRS, it’s an organization that tracks how 2,000+ competitors place in major rifle matches across the country. PRS matches are tactical/practical long-range rifle matches shot in the field conditions. Typical ranges for steel targets are from 300 to 1200 yards, and they are engaged from prone and improvised positions, often under extreme time pressure. It is one of the fastest growing shooting sports, and has ...

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