Table of contents for August - September 2023 (Precision) in Ballistic

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. These words barrage my brain when I think about all the options available to the precision rifle shooter. I remember when product options were few, if not scarce. But, it was easier to narrow down what you might build and what you might outfit that build with from an accessories standpoint. Mass quantity, factory-built rifles capable of rather consistent sub-MOA precision didn’t exist either, so building was your only option. Times have certainly changed and it can be extremely difficult to wade through the murky waters of precision shooting products. Fear not, we are here to help. This year we’ve included several new rifle reviews with some of the newest and hottest options, including Aero Precision’s new Solus,…

NRL target sizes are relatively generous. The more difficult ones are typically around 2 MOA or 2 inches at 100 yards. Rarely do they go sub-MOA, so you don’t need a ridiculous level of accuracy or a huge budget to succeed. A magazine-fed, bolt-action rifle is also hard to beat for the balance of speed and accuracy. I recently spoke with Levi Sanderson, who is the TN Rimfire NRL22 Match Director as well as a NRL22 National COF and PractiScore Advisor. Below are a few “Base Class” rifles that he said are the most popular in NRL22 competition. 1. BERGARA BMR STEEL The Bergara BMR (Bergara Micro Rimfire) Steel is a new kid on the block, and NRL shooters are taking notice. The BMR fits the bill of the…

The Model 2020 Waypoint introduced the world to the bolt-action prowess of the new Springfield Armory and has been dropping big game for the past three years with an outstanding track record for accuracy. When I first tested one, I remember having to walk downrange to ensure that I had three hits on target, as the rounds were virtually in the same hole. On my way back to the firing line, I thought, “Man, I’d love to see something like this in a rimfire,” as small-game hunting and stretching out .22 LR are two of my favorite pasttimes. Well, it looks like I wasn’t alone, and enough of us have voiced our opinion for Springfield to make a move. Meet the Model 2020 Rimfire—a series of rifles chambered in .22…

After meeting with the folks at Steiner at Athlon Outdoors’ annual editorial Rendezvous in Idaho, I learned of their claim that their new Predator 8 is their most versatile and precise line of hunting optics ever made, and it features a powerful 8x system. The “8” nomenclature in the new scope line’s handle refers to the multiple of the magnification range of the three models—the 2-16x, 3-24x and 4-32x. One of the biggest weaknesses of an optic’s dedicated ranging reticle is the variability of bullet drop between cartridges and even varying loads within a cartridge’s makeup. A manufacturer can’t simply offer a limitless number of SKUs to match a limitless number of cartridge/load possibilities. Steiner’s new approach to this quandary offers a unique solution. An integrated customizable ballistic turret…

CARING IS SHARING Ancient Romans used a particularly gross mechanism to clean their butts. The tool called a “xylospongium” consisted of a wooden stick with a sponge fixed at one end. These sponge sticks were attached to the bathroom benches; people shared them and seldom cleaned them between uses. TUT SMUT King Tut’s mummy was buried with an erection. Nobody knows exactly why, but Tut is the only Egyptian ruler we’ve found so far who insisted on being mummified with a raging hard-on. BUZZWORTHY According to an Ethiopian legend, the caffeinated power of coffee was discovered when a goat herder witnessed his goats’ energetic behavior after snacking on the berries of the coffee plant. He tried some for himself and felt the same buzz-like effects. KINGPIN For his birthday in…

While the argument of what a minitruck is may never really be agreed upon. One thing is; they aren’t for everyone. Chances are you or someone you know had one of these outrageous creations back in high school. The fact of the matter is if it wasn’t for minitruckers, a lot of the car trends we take for granted nowadays wouldn’t exist. Case in point: THE SILVER SCREEN: Long before Tesla packed an iPad into the dashboard of an overpriced toaster, minitruckers were putting their dad’s 27-inch Sanyo into the back of their pickup. BOOMIN SYSTEMS: Every automobile on the road nowadays has a stereo system that rivals their home stereo counterparts, but that wasn’t always the case. Back in the day, it was the little trucks that had beds…

AS as there has been gunpowder and rifling in As long barrels, the idea of hitting a target at greater and greater distances has consumed virtually all living beings. Well, at least the living beings in the room with me. Three groups of shooters today are often looked at as the pinnacle of long-range, precision shooting: military snipers, police snipers and the Precision Rifle Series competition shooters. Their exploits become best-selling novels and Hollywood blockbusters. But even with so many similarities, there are vast differences between them. Today, we will come together at the Ballistic Roundtable to dissect and try to resolve those differences. FM: Gentlemen, welcome to Camp Perry, Ohio, home to the National Rifle Matches for more than 100 years. We are meeting today in a conference room…

AG COMPOSITES ADJUSTABLE HUNTER AG Composites was founded in 2014 by two veteran brothers. They are siblings, not just brothers in arms—one a Marine and the other an Army ranger. Their first stock was made in 2013, and they thought it was “cool.” Now they employ some 75 people. AG Composites stocks feature several materials combined as a foundation. The shell is carbon-fiber weave and the fill, used in the inlet area and middle, is carbon fiber and other proprietary materials. This combination makes for an incredibly solid stock. AG Composite stocks deliver a great tactiletile feel and function in various weather conditionsions and environments. They are lightweight and rugged as well. If you opt for the AG Adjustable Hunter, you get a stock with the added benefit of comb…

Weatherby is a staple in the hunting rifle community and is typically associated with a hunter of discerning tastes, you might say. Most are big calibers with bullets traveling at obscene velocities and, in the end, delivering a punch that few can rival. In fact, two years ago, Ballistic was given a tour of the new Weatherby home in Sheridan, Wyoming. There, they allowed us a behind-the-scenes look at what they do and introduced us to their 6.5/300-chambered Mark V 2.0. It’s a lightweight, long-action, magnum-calibered sledgehammer that made shooting to 1,000 yards a literal piece of cake. Weatherby also offered rifles in short-action chamberings that we’re familiar with, but the action was their proprietary six- or nine-lug version that is necessary for the monster cartridges, but not so much…

My, how you’ve grown! That’s literally what comes to mind when I see Daniel Defense’s Delta 5 bolt-action rifle. The initial series launch was in 2016. Back then, it was in its infancy, an overall lightweight package with the hunter as its primary focus. This was a big deal to DD back then (not that this has changed), and lots of discussions were had about the product, its design and what should be considered going forward. That newborn Delta 5 has grown into many iterations, this one being a pro—the Delta 5 Pro. During those early discussions, my mind was on two things for the rifle—a left-handed version, which I’m still waiting on, and a tactical/practical version—one that could fill the role for the shooter who will not use the…

Precision shooting competitors are notorious accuracy junkies. So, while you don’t actually need a ridiculous level of accuracy to compete in NRL22, that’s exactly what many competitors become obsessed with. You’ll see some of them at centerfire matches, and they often don’t have as much money invested in their centerfire rifles as they’ve put into their rimfire guns. Below are a few of the most popular “Open Class” rifles Sanderson sees in NRL22 competition. 1. BERGARA B-14R STEEL Bergara’s team of experts designed and built an incredibly accurate full-size precision trainer. Their goal was to make the best production precision .22 possible for both beginners and seasoned competitors. It includes the adjustable HMR stock and a threaded heavy profile steel barrel. Full-sized “AICS” magazines also make mag changes smooth and…

The .338 Lapua Magnum has been bad guys for three decades in the →putting fear in the hearts of distant hands of capable snipers. The cartridge’s power and range with confirmed kills at more than a mile and a half is undeniable, and several commercial rifle companies have answered the call for target rifles now popular in the civilian market. Ruger stepped into the .338 long-range arena a few years back with their up-scaled Precision Rifle. The concept of a .338 Lapua Magnum has been around for well over 35 years, but it took several companies on different continents to finally tame this beast. American companies Hornady, Brass Extrusion Labs Ltd. (BELL) and Research Armament Industries (RAI) joined forces to create a new cartridge for a U.S. Navy contract but…

When Hornady released the 6.5 PRC, I like many was (and continue to be) very excited about it. The 6.5 Precision Rifle Cartridge name makes one imagine a fast, sleek, capable bullet that can deliver at extended ranges and void of a 7.62 designation as well as the 7.62 recoil. But that would be incorrect. The 6.5 PRC is a short-action magnum and delivers punch out front as well as out back. It’s not docile like its little Creedmoor brother. Putting things into context, it’s not horrible recoil but more than a .308 by 15% or so by my shoulder-ometer. It’s enough to make you pay attention, especially if you are shooting lighter-weight rifles, say ones under 18 pounds. Which is where the Mossberg Patriot LR Tactical falls. BELLY GUN…

HERE’S THE DEAL…THERE’S A PROBLEM IN THE PRECISION BOLT RIFLE COMMUNITY. There are too many custom action options and not enough information to help shooters with their decision. A custom rifle or barreled action is a serious investment with prices easily reaching the $6,000 mark before optics and accessories. With price tags like that, it’s almost naïve to buy your dream rig or upgrade your current setup with a custom barreled action and not get exactly what you’re looking for. But here’s the real question…What are you looking for, and what action manufacturer is going to get you there? Maybe it’s an ultra-lightweight hunting rig with a super light action for that once-in-a lifetime sheep hunt in the mountains, or maybe it’s a heavy PRS/NRL combo to test your luck…

I remember when Porsche started making SUVs. Being a car enthusiast and a fan of automotive editorial, I read the car rags frequently with admiration for the banter between the different contributors. But on this particular topic, I distinctly remember the comments from readers. They were much like those of gun enthusiasts when company X would release a product that left some wondering “Why?” Instead of taking a deep breath and realizing that every product that company designed and manufactured couldn’t be specifically for them, they’d lash out on the forum or social media page of choice. “How dare they?” some would say. “No one asked for this,” others would reply. Regarding the Porsche, a person said, “They should stick to sports cars, they can’t make an SUV.” With the…

You’ll also need some basic gear to compete in NRL22. For example, a bipod is needed for the prone stages, and you’re allowed up to two bags and a sling for barricades and positional shooting. SCOPES Most NRL competitors strongly prefer scopes that have the following features: holdover-type reticles in the first focal plane, target turrets that are intended for doing lots of dialing, a “Christmas tree” style target reticle, and adjustable parallax that goes down to 25 yards or less. A few popular “Base Class” options include the Bushnell Match Pro 6-24x50, Athlon Argos BTR GEN2 6-24x50 and the Arken SH4 Gen2 6-24x50. Popular high-end scope options for “Open Class” include the Athlon Cronos BTR GEN2 UHD 4.5-29×56, Trijicon Tenmile 4.5-30×56 and the Vortex Razor HD Gen III 6-36x56.…

OPTICS PERFORMANCE. It’s something that we in the precision shooting community discuss frequently and seriously, but in all honesty, we don’t have a standard of what constitutes optics performance. It’s all well and good that we peer through an optic in an effort to evaluate its glass. We manipulate the turrets to garner some sort of level of quality and precision. If we are more dedicated, we’ll conduct a tall target test, meant to verify that tracking of the optic is precise. As you know, testing and evaluating an optic goes far beyond these things, and Leupold is fully aware of that—hence they created the Leupold Training Academy. Located in northern Oregon, the facility is dedicated to the development, testing and engineering of their optics by employees and others who…

ELITE IRON is a name that many don’t recognize in suppressors. Why? Likely because they are too old school. Their roots go way back in suppression, and they were never about flash and fanfare, just serious function. I attached Elite Iron’s incredible Asset 30 suppressor to the Mossberg, and the resultant combination is a rifle with magnum punch and soft, linear recoil that kept me in my happy place throughout my session with them. Features: The Asset is a monocore design, which historically hasn’t yielded the best recoil-taming results in my experience. But Elite Iron has nailed it. The suppressor features excellent flow-through along with the option of placing a brake on the business end. This design is insanely effective and the closest thing I’ve come to muzzle brake-level performance…

1. BUSHNELL MATCH PRO ED The Bushnell Match Pro ED punches way above its weight class. Coming in as the least expensive in this group, you’ll be hard-pressed to bring an argument against it. The Match Pro ED is a follow-up to the original, but this one features ED glass on the 56mm objective and 34mm main tube. The original featured a 50mm objective and 30mm main tube. Other features include 5-30x magnification, locking turrets, 30 mils of elevation travel and 14.5 mils of windage. The original shined with a short, 15-yard parallax that carries over, along with an excellent tree-style Deploy Mil 2 reticle with a broken crosshair and excellent markings. The reticle is illuminated as well. Taking things to another level, the Match Pro ED features a rev…

The world of long-range shooting has evolved at an unprecedented speed. While an interest in the craft and tools of hitting small targets at super long distances has always existed, that interest has exploded over the last decade. This was once the arena of hardcore ballistic and gun nerds who would take a shot and then document performance. I must admit that I am part of that club. What we have seen, though, is a growth in longrange competition, which has brought a spotlight to this enjoyable part of the gun world. The growth of the PRS and other organizations has brought new blood into this world and for the better. One of the biggest perks of this new growth is the attention it has gotten from firearm manufacturers. We…

Just because I’ve shot a few different types of matches in my life doesn’t mean I was prepared in any way, shape or form to shoot my first-ever Precision Rifle Series (PRS) competition. Most people who want to shoot a competition prepare for weeks and even months. They learn how to get into shooting positions, dry-fire their gun at home, get a feel for the gun’s recoil in live-fire training and train with their gun. They typically start by shooting a few local matches as well before signing up for a major match away from their home club. Me? I prefer the hard way and decided to make my first PRS match a major, two-day shooting format competition with some 200-plus shooters that was in the great state of Texas—20…