Behind Every Great Shooter, There's a Great Barrel: In a sport where every detail counts, choosing the right rifle barrel can make all the difference. From exclusive insights on barrel brands to technical details on length and contour, our latest article is a deep dive into the critical choices that contribute to superior accuracy and performance. Discover the latest trends and insight from leading experts and seasoned competitors!
Read More »Austin Buschman – What The Pros Use: Top Shooter Spotlight
This article takes a deep dive with the reigning Precision Rifle Series (PRS) Season Champion and World Champion Austin Buschman. Austin shares every single detail about the competition rifle that he used to win both of those titles. Learn which stock, barrel, scope, action, bipod, trigger, and everything else he used to get into the winner’s circle. The article also provides insight into why Austin chose the gear he did and why he feels it gives him the best shot at winning. There are several shooting/strategy tips shared, which makes this article a must-read!
Read More »Best Rifle Barrel – What The Pros Use
Barrels are deceptively simple, yet crucial to the precision required for long-range shooting. I once visited the shop of Benchrest Hall of Famer Cecil Tucker and I recognized a unique opportunity to learn from a legend. So I asked him the million dollar question: “What is the most important thing when it comes to precision rifles?” Cecil didn’t hesitate. He seemed to have been preparing his whole life to answer that elusive question, and it was on the tip of his tongue: “The barrel and the bullet.” Deceptively simple. Retired Army Ranger Sniper, Ryan Cleckner, explains “just as the receiver is the main part of the rifle for legal purposes, the barrel is the main part of the rifle for accuracy purposes. ...
Read More »300 Norma Mag Custom ELR Rifle
I’m sharing a series of posts on ELR shooting, but I didn’t want to jump from the long-range rifles in mid-size 6mm and 6.5mm cartridges that I normally talk about straight into the extreme, super-high-performance 375+ caliber rifles used to engage targets at 2+ miles. Instead of just presenting the extremes, I thought it’d be helpful to first share a rifle setup that is somewhere in between. Then in later posts I’ll get into the more specialized setups used to push the boundaries of what is possible with shoulder-fired rifles. In this post, I’ll share the details of a rifle ...
Read More »Precision Rifle Barrels – What The Pros Use
This is an exciting post, because many believe the barrel is THE most important component of a precision rifle. That’s hard to argue with, although I’m sure some would. I recently surveyed the top 100 shooters in the Precision Rifle Series (PRS), and this post reviews the barrels 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 to 1200 yards. These world-class shooters represent the best of the best in terms of long-range shooting in ...
Read More »American Sniper Rifles: 5 of Chris Kyle’s Favorite Sniper Rifles
With the release of Clint Eastwood’s movie, American Sniper, this weekend, I thought it might be fitting to look at the favorite rifles of the American hero, Chris Kyle. In his autobiography, Kyle said people ask a lot about the weapons he used as a sniper, so he talked some in the book about the specific rifles he used. Kyle described the wide range of weapons and rifle systems he used in different situations, but I wanted to focus on the few he said were his favorite sniper rifles. So, I went back and re-read his book, and scoured the ...
Read More »Rifle Barrels – What The Pros Use
This post reviews the rifle barrels the best precision rifle shooters were using in 2014. The data is based on a survey of the top 50 shooters in the Precision Rifle Series (PRS). 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 in the 300-1000 yard range. This is the 3rd year we’ve collected this data. For more info on the Precision Rifle Series and who these guys are scroll to the bottom of this article. So here is the list of the most ...
Read More »Best Rifle Barrel – What The Pros Use 2013
This post is about the rifle barrels 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. These are tactical/practical 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. 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 ...
Read More »Best Gunsmiths, Actions, Barrels & Stocks: What The Pros Use 2012
Meet The Pros The Precision Rifle Series (PRS) is a championship style point series race based on the best precision rifle matches nationwide. PRS matches are recognized as the major league of sniper-style rifle matches. At the end of each year, the scores from 15 different matches are evaluated and the top 50 shooters nationwide are invited to compete head to head in the PRS Finale Match. The info below is based on the equipment those pros brought with them to the most recent finale. This is a great set of data, because 50 shooters is a significant sample size, ...
Read More »Practical Tips to Extend Barrel Life
With the number of “overbore” rifle cartridges popular today, barrel erosion is becoming a hot topic. For example, competitive shooters using a 6 PPC typically replace a barrel after 700-800 rounds, and a 6.5-284 might also need to be replaced before the 1,000 shot mark. That means the cost to keep a good barrel on the gun could be 60-70¢ per shot before we even consider the cost of components like match-grade bullets, brass, primers and powder. In reality, short barrel life could easily double your cost per shot. So what can we do to prolong the accurate life of ...
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