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

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!

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.

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 ...

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!

A few weeks ago, I attended one of my all-time favorite matches: the Nightforce ELR Steel Challenge hosted by Scott Satterlee in Wyoming. It was quite the experience, with targets ranging from 720 to 2,091 yards and sustained winds over 30 mph! A few competitors measured gusts up to 50 or even 60 mph! Believe it or not, you can still hit targets in those conditions – and some shooters hit first round with surprising consistency. This Wyoming ELR match is the only match like it anywhere in the country. Because it is so unique, it isn't affiliated with the PRS, NRL, or other series, which means many shooters may not be aware of it and that is why I wanted to share an after-action report about it with my readers.

This is the last post in a series of articles focused on bullet jump research that has been conducted more than two years by Mark Gordon of Short Action Customs (Who is Mark Gordon?). In this post, I’ll provide an executive summary of what we covered and provide a few tips for how to apply this new knowledge in our load development. The first article provided a comprehensive overview of what 10+ of the most respected books and reloading manuals had to see about bullet jump and laid the foundation of what bullet jump is, along with other concepts like ...

Are you one of those guys who has been reading this series of posts on bullet jump, and thinking to yourself, “Well, my 0.020” bullet jump sure seems to be working fine. Doubt this would be any improvement over what I’ve already got!” This is the post for you! As Mark started sharing some of his bullet jump findings with a few shooters, he met some skepticism – even from sponsored shooters on his Short Action Customs team. Here is how Mark tells one of those stories:  “After we’d already done most of this bullet research, we had Solomon from ...

This post shares more of Mark Gordon’s research on bullet jump, which is very interesting, original research – and has everyone talking! This post looks at research data on the Hornady’s 6.5mm 147 gr. ELD-M and Tubb’s 6mm 115 gr. DTAC RBT bullets. Check it out!

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.

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.