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

I am super-excited about this article! I’ve actually been working on it for a couple of months, and I believe it represents some of the most interesting research I’ve come across in a while. Over the past several years, companies have started using Doppler radars to gain a much deeper understanding into the flight of a bullet. One ballistician told me recently that we’ve learned more in the last 5 years than the previous 75 years combined! In the last article, we looked G1 BC vs. G7 BC vs. Bullet-Specific Drag Models, including which of those the top-ranked precision rifle ...

“In the past 4-5 years we’ve made quantum leaps when it comes to predicting bullet trajectories.” –Dave Emary, Ballistician Ever wonder why you center punch targets at some distances, but your dope is a couple clicks off at other distances? Maybe your shots are dead on at 600 yards but off at 1000 yards, or vice versa. In those scenarios we often blame the rifle, scope, ammo, or ourselves, but is our firing solution as accurate as it should be? This article gives practical insight into some important nuances of predicting bullet trajectory, and shows what drag models the top ...

Ever wondered what ballistic app the best shooters use? Here are the answers! This article covers the ballistic apps the top precision rifle shooters are running to calculate their firing solutions for first-round hits at long range. The data is based on a recent survey I conducted of the top-ranked shooters across the country in both the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) and National Rifle League (NRL). (Learn more about the PRS & NRL). This is a very unique data set, because it includes a wide sample size (170+ shooters) who also represent the leading experts in the field. (View all ...

This article covers the rangefinders the top precision rifle shooters in the country carry in long-range competitions. This is the first year I’ve asked about rangefinders, so it was exciting to see which brands these experts trust to give them an accurate target distances. The data is based on a recent survey I conducted of the top-ranked shooters across the country in both the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) and National Rifle League (NRL). (Learn more about the PRS & NRL). This is a very unique data set, because it includes a wide sample size (170+ shooters) who also represent the ...

Over the past few months, I’ve been testing several high-end pocket laser rangefinders, like the new Vectronix Terrapin X and Leica Rangemaster CRF 2800.COM, alongside other popular, top-of-the-line models in the $1,000+ price range. I used all of them extensively, and took them out to the field to test their ranging performance side-by-side. This post summarizes those results and other noteworthy points about features on each one. An accurate rangefinder is one of the most critical pieces of gear for long-range shooting. A few years ago, I wrote a post that quantifies how much range uncertainty can impact hit probability. ...

This article covers the shooting bags that the top precision rifle shooters in the country are running in long-range competitions, which has changed a ton in the past couple years! It’s based on a recent survey I conducted of the top-ranked shooters across the country in both the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) and National Rifle League (NRL). (Learn more about the PRS & NRL). This is a very unique data set, because it includes a wide sample size (170+ shooters) who also happen to be the leading experts in the field. (View all the What The Pros Use articles) There ...

This article covers the bipods and tripods the top 170+ precision rifle shooters in the country are running. It’s based on a recent survey I conducted of the top 125 shooters in the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) and top 50 shooters in the National Rifle League (NRL), which are points-race leagues based on the biggest long-range, field-based rifle matches across the country. These results are from a wide sample of the most elite marksmen and experts in the field. (View other “What The Pros Use” articles) Rifle Bipod I’ve been surveying the top precision rifle competitors in country for several ...

This article covers the muzzle brakes and suppressors the top 170+ precision rifle shooters in the country are running. It’s based on a recent survey I conducted of the top 125 shooters in the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) and top 50 shooters in the National Rifle League (NRL), which are points-race leagues based on the biggest long-range, field-based rifle matches across the country. This data is very unique, because it is a wide sample of the most elite marksmen and experts in the field. (View other “What The Pros Use” articles) Muzzle Brake or Suppressor? Every precision rifleman faces the ...

This article will focus on the gunsmiths the top precision rifle competitors in the country are using. 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 and who I surveyed.) This data represents over 150 of the best precision rifle shooters in the country. (View other What The Pros Use articles) It’s especially important with this topic to start with a balanced perspective: If a gunsmith is on this list, they are ...

I’ve heard a couple of the most respected shooters in the world recommend the first step to make a rifle more accurate should be upgrading the trigger and after that upgrade the barrel. In fact, this week I read an interview with Daniel Horner, a guy who was on the Army Marksmanship Unit forever and won the national 3 gun championship many times. He was asked, “What’s the first modification that you’d make on any platform?” and he said “The trigger, without a doubt. Gotta have a good trigger.” The barrel has a more direct/mechanical influence on precision, but they ...