PrecisionRifleBlog.com A DATA-DRIVEN Approach to Precision Rifles, Optics & Gear

The goal of this field test was to quantify the temperature stability of the popular Hodgdon H4350 and Varget powders and compare those to IMR’s new Enduron line of powders. To do this we carefully measured muzzle velocities of meticulously loaded ammo over a huge range of temperatures. This test was conducted by Patrick Middlebrook. Patrick is passionate about the art of precision rifles. He’s a great shooter who has competed in numerous local matches, and several national PRS matches. He is also a 5-star handloader. I’ve learned a ton from him! Patrick has become a good friend of mine (Cal, ...

Lots of people have asked what I’ve been working on, and I’m excited to finally be able to tell you guys about a huge project I’ve invested a ton of time in over the past several months. Last year, Bryan Litz and team over at Applied Ballistics ask if I’d be interested in contributing to Volume 2 of their Modern Advancements in Long Range Shooting series. I have immense respect for the work those guys have done and the huge impact they’ve had on me and the rest of the shooting community, so I was honored to even be asked. ...

A few months ago, I introduced Flat Line Bullets (view post) designed by Josh Kunz and made by the Warner Tool Company (WTC). These new monolithic, lathe-turned bullets claimed some crazy-high Ballistic Coefficients (BC). BC defines how efficiently a bullet is able to cut through air and retain its velocity down-range. If you’ve been shooting long-range for any length of time, you know BC is one of the most important performance metrics for a bullet … and you’re also well-aware of how common it is for manufacturers to bloat the BC numbers they advertise. So everyone was anxious to know, are ...

Very few rifles have received the hype and fanfare like the Ruger Precision Rifle. With an MSRP of $1399, we all want to believe in a budget precision rifle that is match-ready out of the box… but does it deliver? This post tries to give you an honest and straight-forward review of what we experienced out of the box. Guest Author & the Best Christmas Gift Ever Recently a close friend asked me to help surprise her husband with a rifle for Christmas. She had heard him mention one rifle in particular, and asked if I recognized what kind it ...

I’ve surveyed the top 100 shooters in the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) for the past 4 years, and published what gear they’re running in my annual “What The Pros Use” series of posts. This year, I also asked a few questions about their ammo loading practices and how much they practice. When handloading there are a thousand operations and details you can spend time trying to perfect. It’s easy to get caught up trying to do them all, or spending a ton of time focusing intently on a couple of aspects and completely miss other important steps. But I was ...

Great ammo is a cornerstone of competitive shooting. Once you master the fundamentals of marksmanship, the quality of your ammo can become a differentiator. Want to know what bullets, brass, primers, and powder the best precision rifle shooters in the country are running? That’s what this post is all about. I recently surveyed the top 100 shooters in the Precision Rifle Series (PRS), and this post reviews the reloading components those élite shooters were using in 2015. The PRS tracks how top competitors place in major rifle matches across the country. These are the major leagues of sniper-style competitions, with ...

A flood of shooting bags have enter the market over the past 5 years. Honestly, this could be one of the fastest changing aspects in the sport of precision rifles. We’ve clearly departed from sand-filled tube socks! These are no longer just squeeze bags under the butt of the rifle, they’re now helping shooters build more stable shooting positions. It’s clear how dramatically they’ve impacted the sport when you watch several guys struggle on a stage, only to see the last shooter clean it and make it look EASY, all because they’ve mastered the art of using bags. I recently ...

Trying to pick between a rifle suppressor and muzzle brake? Or are you trying to research good options for a brake or suppressor? See what suppressors and muzzle brakes the top 100 precision rifle shooters in the country are running on their rifles. I recently surveyed the top 100 shooters in the Precision Rifle Series (PRS), and this post reviews the rifle suppressors and muzzle brakes those elite shooters were using in 2015. The PRS tracks how top competitors place in major rifle matches across the country. These are the major leagues of sniper-style competitions, with targets typically from 300 ...

For the first time ever, I’ve collected data on what triggers the best precision rifle shooters in the country are running! There are some innovative designs out there I wasn’t even aware of until this data came out. Very interesting stuff! I recently surveyed the top 100 shooters in the Precision Rifle Series (PRS), and this year I included a question to capture what trigger these elite shooters were using in 2015. The PRS tracks how top competitors place in major rifle matches across the country. These are the major leagues of sniper-style competitions, with targets typically from 300 to ...

There has been more innovation surrounding rifle chassis and stocks in the past 5 years than any other component of precision shooting! A large part of that was driven by competition and R&D for military contracts, like the Precision Sniper Rifle contract, but now the precision rifle community is benefiting from the hard work companies continue to put in that direction. It’s an exciting time to be shooting precision rifles! It seems like cool new chassis come out every year, and 2015 was no exception. I recently surveyed the top 100 shooters in the Precision Rifle Series (PRS), and this ...