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What would you do over?

U

Ubaderb

Sergeant of the Hide
Full Member
Minuteman
Oct 15, 2020
131
35
#1
Hello Hide,
This is my first post here and figured I would get right to the questions. I just put a deposit down on a Bighorn Origin action and have started to collect the various pieces to complete it when it comes in. I have the optic, chassis, and trigger figured out so that's not what I'm really after. I'm looking for the other things, the things that took you way too long to buy or something that's been worth its weight in gold. To give a little background to what I'm looking for think 75% PRS and 25% shooting small things far away. Coming from the 3 gun competition world I know money can't buy skill but it sure can help a lot!
 
#2
Ubaderb said:
Hello Hide,
This is my first post here and figured I would get right to the questions. I just put a deposit down on a Bighorn Origin action and have started to collect the various pieces to complete it when it comes in. I have the optic, chassis, and trigger figured out so that's not what I'm really after. I'm looking for the other things, the things that took you way too long to buy or something that's been worth its weight in gold. To give a little background to what I'm looking for think 75% PRS and 25% shooting small things far away. Coming from the 3 gun competition world I know money can't buy skill but it sure can help a lot!
Click to expand...
Ah, prob the most important piece; what are you thinking for a barrel and its chamber?
 
#4
Chassis have arca? Something you might look at if not and get a good bipod for it and accessories for PRS matches.
 
#5
I do a lot of varmint and steel shooting.

Should have bought good range finding binoculars and a RRS 34 anvil as soon as I could afford it instead of 10 different guns.

A good rear bag and bipod are also nice to have. Partial to TBAC, atlas cal, elite iron and lra
 
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#6
Good shooting/rear bag(s), I only have two that I actually use now: a Tab Gear rear bag with the strap and a Wiebad mini Fortune Cookie. I can't imagine need any other bag for starting. Affordable and awesome.

A good bipod: So an Atlas lol... If money is a concern you can get their BT-10, if not then the CAL or one of the other nicer ones.

A decent rangefinder and/or binos... while you can use other guys ranges at comps, you can't when you're out shooting by yourself at shit far away.

A Precision Rifle based class - Learn the right way first, then practice is much easier and can be done knowing you're doing it right.

Either a good shooting/DOPE book or make yourself some good print out sheets and put em in a notebook. Record every shooting session and you'll start learning your load/ammo quicker and with better accuracy.
 
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#8
For me, the best 'big ticket' purchases have been:
  1. Quality barrel (bartlein/benchmark/other) chambered by a good smith ($800)
  2. Stock/chassis that fits me ($1,000+)
  3. Quality riflescope ($2,000+)
  4. Suppressor - TBAC ($1,200)
  5. Bipod - Atlas CAL ($235)
  6. RRS 24L with Anvil 30, or similar ($1,350)
  7. LRF Binos - Leica Geovids ($2,000)
  8. Kestrel Elite ($550)
Some small things that are easy to pick-up
  1. Data book ($7)
  2. Torque Wrench ($50 - $150)
  3. One piece CF cleaning rod, bore guide, jag, etc ($100)
  4. Rear & Front bags ($25 - $150+, each)
  5. extra mags ($30 - $70, each)
Once I had one good gun, I should have worked through that list instead of acquiring more guns.
 
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#9
I wouldn't really do anything different, but I started out by building a LR coyote rifle in 6.5 Creed that I then took to matches. After shooting matches and enjoying them so much, I ended up building a 2nd dedicated match rifle in 6 dasher. If you're going with a match rifle, make sure the barrel contour is one you like and lets the rifle balance where you want it to.

I find in this hobby that you'll always want to change something on your first rifle, no matter how perfect you think it is when you build it. After you get shooting, you'll realize things you like and don't like. Plus you'll try more gear and find things you like better.

Little extras that I'm happy I have now but I wouldn't really say they're required off the bat:

Kestrel 5700 Elite
Magnetospeed/LabRadar Chrono (You can try to true dope based on what you see in the field but a good chrono saves that headache)
Autotrickler V3 (if you reload, this is well worth it's weight in gold)
 
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#10
How important is a tripod for competition anymore? With stages requiring them to be deployed on the clock, they rarely get used, even as rear support.

I haven’t mounted my rifle to tripod at a match in years and I can think of maybe one stage this season where I used it as rear support.
 
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#12
Initial, important things:
  • Bipod. Just get an Atlas and be done. Hopefully your chassis has an ARCA rail; if so, it's hard to beat the BT65-NC CAL with RRS BTC-Pro ARCA/picatinny adapter. With that said: I also use my Harris (with PodLok and RRS HC-Pro adapter) in matches where its narrow footprint is better for props like lengthwise, narrow pipes or "benches" on which the Atlas's wide stance falls over the sides.
  • Rear bag. My GameChanger is used EVERY time I go out, whether practice or match. Other bags are convenient. The GameChanger is a necessity. Other similar bags may be preferable to you individually.
  • Good range bag. I have a big 511 one of some sort. It's large enough to carry all smallish gear you need all the time plus the little bits&pieces of crap you only need occasionally but find really nice to have when you do need them. (Note: for matches, I have a smaller bag which I "load" specific to the match du jour. This one fits more easily in my converted jogging-stroller-->shooting-cart and leaves room for bags, food/drink, rain gear, etc. Maybe you're young&strong enough to carry all your stuff - if so, good for you.)
  • Data book. I just use a 3-ring binder with heavy printer paper pages as opposed to a "real" data book with purpose-specific pages,
And, if you don't already have it and are serious about competition: decent rain gear and good boots.
 
Last edited:
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#17
lennyo3034 said:
How important is a tripod for competition anymore? With stages requiring them to be deployed on the clock, they rarely get used, even as rear support.

I haven’t mounted my rifle to tripod at a match in years and I can think of maybe one stage this season where I used it as rear support.
Click to expand...

What I have learned is that at a PRS style match, you spend way more time planning what you are going to shoot than actually shooting it. I spend a lot more time looking through my binos than my rifle scope. Having a good tripod setup helps me see what the wind is doing and where other peoples hits and misses are going.

Having a good gear set-up with a tripod shelf helped me stay organized when moving between stages. I always know where everything is and it allows me to focus on prepping for the stage and not searching for gear.
 
#24
Folks above have presented great ideas. You are limited only by your ability to pay for them. I have always been a strong proponent of good tools. You can spend a lot of money on good bench bench tools. Personally, I focused on my range bag and bought a Borka Torque Tool Kit and a Borka Tool Bag with good collection of bits and torque limiters. I also invested in an excellent set of Grace screwdriver bits with a wooden handle (24 bits I believe). Really a small nice set. Keep coming back to us, we can help you spend your money. Good luck!
 
#26
Lessons, binos, kestrel/garmin, learn to shoot off one bag only

Lessons: obvious

Binos: you’ll become a better shooter spending as much time as you can on binos when not shooting

kestrel/garmin: works in all weather. Keeps you from dicking around with your phone

One bag: while everyone else is fumbling around trying to get their bipod perfect or 3 bags or a tripod, you’re cruising through the stage with plenty of time to make good clean trigger presses
 
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#27
Get some formal training. Worth its weight in gold.

Went to a long "1000 yard range day" locally recently and watched hundreds of rounds go down range from expensive guns shot by people with zero training. Very few of those shots hit. My friend and I who both have a lot of training worked as a spotter/shooter pair and cleaned all the long targets in crappy conditions without many wasted shots. Then we both did it again with my $800 AR-10 in 6.5 Creedmoor that I bought before the pandemic.

Yes, having good optics does help. The gun is less important - a 1" group gun like a Ruger Precision is just fine. Training and time behind the gun is critical - take a two day course. If you have the time/money - then take a 5-7 day course like the PR7 course at Gunsite. Ideally find a course that teaches you to work as a spotter/shooter pair - you learn more from spotting than shooting actually as the spotter is the person who does the hard work on ranging, dope and reading the wind. Its almost impossible to get good dope without a spotter, and reading the wind is an art form that's hard to learn as the shooter because you can't see the mirage or watch the bullet go in to the target while the gun is in recoil.
 
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#29
Buy one gun and learn how to shoot it. Even if it is a 308 factory rifle " which I wouldn't do but...". Learn everything about it even how to fix it. Run the crap out it till u can't anymore. Don't get caught up in to many calibers on this and that action, just buy one good one and get some training from a person highly recommend in this field. Learn how to train right, not fucked up. I wish I would have listened to myself right now.
 
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#31
An important lesson to learn or know is soft to hard or hard to soft. Use some sort of pig skin or barrier on your frame to mitigate the bounce or recoil off a barrier. Never place a hard surface of your gun on a hard surface of a barrier or support surface. A bag, a rubber bipod leg pushed against a wall, a pig skin on your stock, the back of your hand, someones head, what ever........

Your gun will recoil differently and your ability to call your shot will be effected. Never under estimate the low cost or low thought options on a quality shot.
 
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#33
Ubaderb said:
Hello Hide,
This is my first post here and figured I would get right to the questions. I just put a deposit down on a Bighorn Origin action and have started to collect the various pieces to complete it when it comes in. I have the optic, chassis, and trigger figured out so that's not what I'm really after. I'm looking for the other things, the things that took you way too long to buy or something that's been worth its weight in gold. To give a little background to what I'm looking for think 75% PRS and 25% shooting small things far away. Coming from the 3 gun competition world I know money can't buy skill but it sure can help a lot!
Click to expand...
When choosing a cartridge I would value availability/ease of access over performance (to a certain degree)
 
#34
Skip 6 Creedmoor and either do a 6 BR based case or a 6.5x47. If factory ammo, 6.5 Creedmoor. Scope that tracks and you can see small things far away with.

Buy a shmedium sand-filled gamechanger.

Above all, buy once, cry once.
 
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