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

The HOG Saddle represents a new kind of shooting rest that has entered the market, made for extreme precision. It was designed by Josh Stabler, a Marine Scout Sniper and Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran, who knows a thing or two about demanding field conditions and surgically precise shooting. When Josh was a scout sniper in Iraq, they came up with all kinds of homemade rifle rests to help them get a steady shot when the location didn’t allow them to layout prone (like the one shown below). In fact, Josh said in his experience the majority of shots can’t be ...

Update: The field test is now complete, and all the results are published. Click here to view the overall results and ratings for each scope! In a few weeks, I’m starting a large field test for popular tactical scopes in the $1,500+ price range (plan to test $500-1,500 scopes later this year). Like my rangefinder field test, I plan to have a very objective, data-driven approach using a series of empirical tests that focus on: Optical Quality (resolution/clarity, contrast, brightness, etc) Mechanical Precision & Repeatability (tracking, return to zero, internal adjustments, etc) But before I start testing, I thought it’d be fun to ...

This review on the Vectronix Terrapin rangefinder is based on a 3 month long field test. It reflects the thoughts of 3 different precision rifle shooters as they used the product to observe and range hundreds of times. The full field test consisted of 8 different rangefinders, so we have a very wide view of what to expect in a good rangefinder. This post is compiled from our notes of what we specifically liked or didn’t like about the Vectronix Terrapin compared to the rest of the models out there. Pros: Extremely accurate and reliable Ranges small targets out to ...

This review on the Bushnell Fusion 1 Mile rangefinder binoculars is based on a 3 month long field test. It reflects the thoughts of 3 different precision rifle shooters as they used the product to observe and range hundreds of times. The full field test consisted of 8 different rangefinders, so we have a very wide view of what to expect in a good pair of rangefinder binoculars. This post is compiled from our notes of what we specifically liked or didn’t like about the Bushnell Fusion 1 Mile binoculars compared to the rest of the models out there. Pros: ...

Surgeon Rifles has teamed up with a few manufacturers to offer up an amazing rifle package that is valued at over $12,000. The package will be raffled off on March 17, 2014, and proceeds will go to benefit the U.S. Marine Corps Scout Sniper Association. I talked to Surgeon Rifles about this raffle a few weeks ago at SHOT Show 2014, and they said the money will be primarily used to to assist the families of fallen scout snipers. So not only will you have a chance to win this amazing rifle setup, but you could help worthy families in ...

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 ...

This post is about the shooting bags and rests the best precision rifle shooters are using. These are referred to by a lot of different names, including shooting rest, rear bag, sniper bean bag, sniper sock, stock sock, squeeze bag, and others. It is based on what the top 50 long-range shooters nationwide brought with them to the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) Finale a couple weeks ago. For more info on who these guys are, and why you should care what they think scroll to the bottom of this article. Update: These are results from the 2013 PRS Season. The data for 2014 ...

This post is about the suppressors and muzzle brakes the best precision rifle shooters are using. It is based on what the top 50 long-range shooters nationwide brought with them to the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) Finale a couple weeks ago. For more info on who these guys are, and why you should care what they think scroll to the bottom of this article. Update: These are results from the 2013 PRS Season. The data for 2014 is also published. Click here to view the results from 2014. Suppressor or Muzzle Brake? The chart below shows whether the shooters at the finale ran ...

This post is about the bullets, powder, and brass the best precision rifle shooters are using. It is based on what the top 50 long-range shooters nationwide brought with them to the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) Finale a couple weeks ago. Target engagements for a PRS match can range from 25 to 1,200+ yards, but there is definitely a focus on the “precision” rifle part regardless of the range. For more info on who these guys are, and why you should care what they think scroll to the bottom of this article. Update: These are results from the 2013 PRS Season. The ...

This post is about the rifle stocks the best precision rifle shooters are using. It is based on what the top 50 long-range shooters nationwide brought with them to the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) Finale a couple weeks ago. This is the major league of sniper style matches with target engagements ranging from 25 to 1,200+ yards, but there is definitely a focus on the “precision” rifle part regardless of the range. Virtually all of the matches require competitors to carry their rifles over miles of rough terrain and fire from improvised, positional shooting positions. This means rifle stock selection is ...