Shooting Voodoo

Starting Out In Tactical Precision Rifle Shooting Part 1:

Rifles, Optics, and Accessories

 

By Ian Kenney

 

 

Tactical precision rifle shooting can be loosely defined as the application of specialized equipment and skills in order to accurately engage a target under any type of condition with a minimal amount of fire.  The popularity of tactical precision rifle shooting has exploded over the last ten years with features on popular TV shows and channels as well as being featured in big screen movies.  Now for those shooters that are just getting into the sport it can be a confusing and intimidating process to select the right equipment that will work but not break the bank.  Those that have been shooting for a while can attest to the fact that tactical precision rifle shooting requires a significant investment in time and materials. In this article I’m going to talk about some of the things that will help a new shooter get started such as selecting a rifle and other equipment as well as some things to be ready for if he or she decides to compete.

 

Rifle Selection:

 

If you are just getting into tactical precision rifle shooting or even just thinking about it, the first thing you should probably do is select a rifle that will fit your needs, budget, and the type of shooting that you’ll be doing. The demands placed on a tactical precision rifle are somewhat unique compared to other shooting sports so finding the right one can sometimes be challenging.  The rifle must be sufficiently accurate and extremely durable so it’s no surprise that many rifles use some of the same components as those used by militaries around the world.   I’ve been down the “which rifle should I buy” road many, many times and I hope this section of the article will help others just getting into the sport find the one that’s right for them.

 

There are a lot of things to consider when selecting a rifle but two of the first things you should think about are the intended use of the rifle and your budget.  Figuring out what you plan to do with your rifle will, of course, go a long way towards choosing a certain action type, caliber, and other features that will guide you to the right rifle.  It’s important to be realistic in your expectations and goals though such as what ranges you’ll really be shooting at and how big the targets might be.  Another thing to think about is will the rifle be pulling double duty as a hunting rifle and tactical rifle for competitions since that might influence caliber selection, barrel contour, and some other features.   Answering some of these questions is going to do nothing but help choose the right rifle for you since it will help focus your mind to the end goal.  How much money to spend is also a pretty big concern for many shooters but it’s important to buy the best rifle that you can afford.  However, keep in mind that when you are starting out in precision rifle shooting there are a lot of things to purchase besides the rifle so some compromises might have to be made.  If your budget is about $3,000 to get started then it might not be such a hot idea to jump on that $2800 custom rifle since that leaves next to nothing for optics, mounting hardware, slings and other things. 

 

Once you have what the intended use of the rifle is going to be and how much you are willing to spend on it it’s time to examine some of the finer points in order to start dismissing certain rifles.  During this process it’s important to not get to wrapped around the axle about accuracy figures like the 1/4 MOA, 3/8 MOA, and ½ MOA guarantees that many manufacturers and gunsmiths like to advertise these days.  The thing to remember is that those figures are generally for 100 yard targets and that that accuracy guarantee doesn’t mean it will shoot that well at all distances.  Once you factor in the environmental conditions, the ammunition, and the actual abilities of the shooter to consistently apply the fundamentals of marksmanship then that ½ MOA at 100 yards suddenly becomes simply MOA once you get out to 500 yards and beyond.   With so many pictures of tiny three and five round groups all over the Internet it’s hard to put the accuracy concern aside but it must be done.  Even a rifle that consistently shoots right around MOA will be good enough for most tactical precision rifle shooting competitions.

 

Before I get into the different types of actions that are predominant in tactical precision rifle shooting and some of the features to look for I want to talk a little about caliber and bullet selection.  For those shooters that are just getting into the sport I highly recommend a short action caliber such as .223 Remington or .308 Winchester for several reasons.  Even though some shooters will rail against these two calibers they have a lot going for them such as they are fairly light recoiling, do sufficiently well within their effective ranges, there are a number of good rifles chambered in these calibers ready to go for tactical shooting, and match grade ammunition is pretty easy to find.  Another advantage is that they are very versatile rounds and can be easily used for varmint and/or game hunting just by going to a different bullet to suit a shooter’s particular needs.  There are a lot of good .30 caliber bullets for long range shooting, however I don’t think any have been as proven as the 175 gr SMK and 168 gr SMK.  Nearly every reputable ammunition manufacturer has a 175 gr and 168 gr SMK load available and at a reasonable cost to the shooter.  In general, the 175 gr SMK is preferred when shooting regularly beyond 600 yards or so because of its increased ballistic coefficient in regards to the 168 SMK.  That’s not to say that the 168 SMK is completely useless though, quite the opposite in fact, inside of 600 yards and perhaps a bit beyond that depending on the conditions it can provide phenomenal accuracy.   Most of the barrel twist rates that come on tactical precision rifles will more than adequately handle these two bullets weights also.  In regards to the .223 Remington, there is also a great selection of bullets that can provide very good accuracy on target at longer ranges with weights from 55 gr to 77 gr.  The lighter bullets will suffer a little at longer ranges because of the lower BC, however how heavy you can go will depend on the barrel’s twist rate.  Most factory bolt-action tactical rifles have a 1:9 twist barrel, which is a little slow for the heavy 77 gr bullets but just right for the 69gr SMK and 55 gr bullets.  

 

 Now if for some reason you don’t particularly care for the .308 Win and .223 Rem options that doesn’t mean that all is lost; there are a quite a few cartridges available that will do quite well.  Calibers such as the .243 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, and .260 Remington offer the shooter fantastic ballistics and light recoil, however there is not a huge diversity of factory match ammunition so that may be a factor when choosing a cartridge.  If you intend to hand load for these cartridges though, the availability of ammunition really has no bearing and you’ll find that there are a good selection of bullets and powders available that will yield fantastic accuracy.   I strongly urge new shooters to shy away from some of the big magnum cartridges like the .338LM and .300WM though because they can induce some poor shooting habits and they can be particularly hard on the shooter, especially during high volume courses of fire.  The ammunition for rifles chambered in these calibers can also be particularly expensive and hard to get, for example .338 LM ammunition can go for about $5 per round when it’s available.

 

So, with those thoughts on caliber selection out of the way, lets talk about the two operating systems used in tactical precision rifle shooting.  The first and probably the most popular type is the bolt-action rifle, which is manually operated so the shooter has to physically work the bolt to extract, eject, and chamber another round.  The semi-auto rifle has been around for decades and it holds some distinct advantages when compared to a bolt-action rifle since it doesn’t require the shooter to physically work the bolt to load another cartridge.  Which operating system is best for a tactical precision rifle is for the shooter to decide though.

 

The bolt-action rifle has been around for over a century and has been the basis for many military sniper weapon systems throughout the years.  It’s not surprising then that the bolt action rifle has been used by civilian and law enforcement shooters for their own tactical bolt action rifles given it’s simplicity, durability, and depending on the model of firearm, the wide availability of parts and accessories.  A bolt-action rifle will also tend to be a little more forgiving in the cost and accuracy department compared to a similar semi-auto rifle, which is why it is the perfect starting point for new long range shooters.  That’s not to say bolt-action rifles are cheap though, while some entry-level models can be had for less than $1,000 and do sufficiently well at tactical precision rifle shooting, some factory rifles and custom rifles can go for over $3,000.  Some people just entering into tactical precision rifle shooting might ask “why is the $2,500 FN SPR worth more than the $700 Remington if they basically do the same thing?”  The answer to that though is in the features and the quality of materials that are used in the manufacturing of the product.  A high end factory rifle will typically use a higher quality rifle stock with features such as adjustable length of pull, adjustable comb, multiple sling attachment points, and allow the barrel to fully free float.  Additionally the machining tolerances may be held to a higher standard or use better materials compared to some of the other mass produced rifles. 

 

Semi-auto platforms are becoming more popular for tactical precision rifle shooting and especially for competition use where the magazine capacity and speed of follow up shots can offer an advantage.  Despite requiring more effort on the part of the shooter in order to get the same level of accuracy as a bolt-action rifle, they can still do quite well at long range.  However, semi-auto rifles chambered in the more powerful cartridges like .308 Winchester, are much less forgiving than a bolt-action rifle if the shooter does not properly apply the fundamentals of marksmanship.  The recoil of the larger calibers is quite different than that of a bolt action rifle and it really demands that the shooter pay attention to the trigger press and follow through during the recoil cycle.  Another advantage that many semi-auto rifles have over a bolt-action rifle is that they are fairly easy to assemble from parts without the need to go to a certified gunsmith.  With the proper tools a very capable platform can be assembled in an afternoon complete with a match grade barrel, free floating forend, and an adjustable stock to get the perfect length of pull and cheek height.  The semi-auto rifle can also be made into an extremely versatile platform that can handle different roles through the use of different upper receivers and/or quick detach optic mounts.  To transition from a CQB role to a more long range precision role the shooter can quickly switch out the upper receivers to one with a longer barrel and optics that are already zeroed to the upper.   This can be an appealing advantage since the shooter can accomplish a number of different tasks from CQB to Varmint hunting with essentially just one rifle. 

 

The semi-auto platform does have some disadvantages though so the shooter has to decide whether or not they are considerable enough to dismiss the semi-auto rifle as an option.   One disadvantage to the semi-auto is that when using a .308 based platform, many of the parts and accessories are specific to that brand alone.  There isn’t always a guarantee that triggers, hand guards, stocks, and bolts will work with other rifles that look similar but come from a different manufacturer.  When it comes to the rifles that are chambered in the larger cartridges there is no standard type of magazine like there is with the AR-15 platform.  Magazines for these rifles may be proprietary to a manufacturer or modified from other battle rifles such as the M14 and FN FAL .  The closest thing to a “standard” with many of the .308 semi-auto platforms is the DPMS/Knights Armament pattern of magazine that is used by several other manufacturers like LaRue Tactical, Remington, and LWRCI.  The magazines themselves are also somewhat of a limiting factor to those that want to reload their own ammunition since they are limited to the overall length of the magazine.  This can be an issue when it comes to using some bullets that are well suited to long range because they are also typically longer and take up more case capacity.  This means there will be less space for the propellant and in turn less muzzle velocity but depending on the typical target range it may not be a big issue.

 

Before I wrap this up I’d like to talk briefly about barrels and barrel length as it pertains to long range shooting.   There has been a lot of debate about which barrels and what barrel length is the best for long range shooting.  It seems that some shooters immediately replace the factory barrels for an aftermarket stainless steel barrel while others find the factory barrels sufficiently accurate. In addition to this some shooters want a heavy contour barrel because they feel that it gives them the best accuracy while another group favors medium contour barrels for their lighter weight and maneuverability.   We haven’t even gotten to the debate over which barrel lengths are better for tactical precision shooting either but you can probably gauge that all of the options can generate a lot of confusion.  Hopefully some of the information below will help clear some of the water.

 

On the barrel length issue the advantages of a longer barrel are that you will gain some velocity over a shorter barrel, however the rifle will tend to be more front heavy and unwieldy in tight, confined spaces.  The shorter barrel will loose some velocity, however many people have found the accuracy to be a little better than longer barreled rifles and also be better balanced for easy maneuverability.  I’ve found that even a little 16” .223 semi-auto rifle will be pretty effective out to about 600 yards when using the right kind of match grade ammunition.  I’ve also used a 20” barreled FN SPR shooting factory 175 gr match ammunition out to 1,250 yards with pretty good results so a 24” or 26” barrel isn’t absolutely necessary for getting rounds on target at long distances.  The barrel length that you choose for your rifle should be driven by your needs and intended use.  If you say that the maximum that you will ever target shoot is about 600 yards then a 20” barrel will be more than enough for that distance.

 

Rifle barrels and the contour of the barrel are two other topics that come up frequently at the range and on many forums.  Quite a few shooters believe that in order for a rifle to be accurate, it must have a long, stainless steel, heavy contour barrel in order to tame barrel harmonics and shifts in point of impact due to heat.  In some cases that may be true, however a heavy contour barrel can actually be a disadvantage for a tactical precision rifle.  The barrel on a tactical precision rifle must strike a balance between weight and accuracy in order for it to be effective, regardless of what material the barrel is made from.  If the barrel contour is too heavy the gun will be overly front heavy and unwieldy in improvised shooting positions.  If the contour is too light then the accuracy could suffer during multiple shot courses of fire where the barrel gets hot more quickly.  For most purposes in tactical precision rifle shooting a “medium contour” barrel such as the Remington Varmint contour strike an excellent weight balance in not being too heavy or too light.  A lot of new guys think that they need a big heavy truck axle of a barrel to shoot in this game and that’s just not true.   A new shooter has to remember that these are tactical precision rifles, not benchrest rifles, so they will probably have to be carried for considerable distances and shot in awkward positions.  Another trend that I seem to see frequently is when a new shooter first gets their bolt gun they start making plans to have the factory barrel pulled off and an aftermarket stainless steel barrel installed in its place.   I don’t recommend this for quite a few reasons but mainly because many of today’s factory rifles do very well in the accuracy department right out of the box.  The barrels that come on a number of entry-level tactical precision rifles are very good and can sometimes rival aftermarket barrels.  For example, the FN SPR has a chrome-lined barrel, which if you believe the Internet is inherently less accurate than a stainless steel barrel, however it has proven itself to be a solid ½ MOA performer over thousands of rounds.  In my opinion a new shooter should put some rounds through the factory barrel until it is either shot out or they feel that the barrel is otherwise the limiting factory in their accuracy.

 

To learn more about rifle barrels go HERE.

 

In the chart Below I have some rifles listed that are more than capable for beginners to tactical precision rifle shooting. 

 

 

 

 

 

Just for some clarification on the chart above, “Knights/DPMS Magazine” is listed because that pattern of magazine is compatible with a wider range of semi-auto rifles from a variety of companies and is most often preferred by shooters.   That pattern of magazine is in use with nearly all branches of the US Military and foreign governments.  The Armalite AR10 rifles use a M14 type of magazine and the Rock River Arms LAR-8 utilizes a FN pattern magazines.  Those magazines are still good magazines, just not compatible between rifles from different manufacturers like the KAC/DPMS pattern magazines. 

 

The above charts are meant to be a starting point for new shooters only, it is not meant to be a comprehensive list of manufacturer options and pricing.  The chart is to help highlight particular aspects of a manufacturer’s rifle so that it may help the new shooter focus their search to find something that will fit their intended use.

 

Optics And Mounting Solutions

 

Choosing the right riflescope for tactical precision rifle shooting is often the next stop for someone just getting into the game and is another source for debate among many.  The pros and cons of one brand over another can be argued for pages and pages and is often fueled by one’s own financial and emotional investment in a particular brand. However, the goal is to set aside that emotion and look at some of the features that are important in a riflescope meant for tactical precision rifle shooting as well as some things to try to avoid. 

 

If you are just getting into the sport I highly recommend finding a riflescope that has at least a 30mm main tube, a magnification top end of around 10X to 15X, exposed elevation and windage knobs that can be reset, parallax adjustment, and a graduated reticle.  There are number of scopes on the market that fit those criteria with price ranges from around $300 to over $2,000 so finding one that will fit your budget shouldn’t be too hard.  For brand new shooters I recommend a fixed 10X scope or a variable powered optic with a magnification range of 3-12X or 4-16X that will set them back around $1,000.  A new shooter can spend more or less than this of course but my reasoning is that the new shooter can get a good, reliable scope for that price without necessarily going over budget.   Depending on the start up budget this could also free up funds for additional ammunition and other necessary pieces of equipment.  Choosing a less expensive scope to start out with also allows the shooter to gain some valuable experience about which features he or she really needs without taking an expensive leap of faith.  For the newer shooters I think it’s financially and mentally easier for them when they realize they don’t like mildot reticles or adjustable objectives if they only spent $500 on their scope versus $2,000+.

 

Choosing an optic that has a mid-range magnification level and a 30mm main tube holds some advantages for someone just breaking into the long range shooting game.  A scope that has a top end of around 10X to 15X is going to mitigate the effects of mirage better than the higher magnification optics while still allowing the shooter to effectively use the reticle for ranging and holds.  I’ve seen a lot of guys that get into the sport buy high magnification optics in the 25X range but almost always have them down around 15X or so because the mirage is too bad on those warm sunny days.  Additionally a scope that has a 30mm main tube is almost assured to have enough elevation travel to reach the magical 1000 yard mark and there are a plethora of great ring options.  Plus if the shooter upgrades to another optic that has a 30mm main tube new scope rings will be one less thing to purchase.  Conversely if the shooter upgrades to a scope with a larger tube diameter then it shouldn’t be much selling the 30mm scope rings since it is a popular tube diameter.  Last year, I wrote an article that goes into a little more detail about optics selection that should help anyone looking for a new scope.  In addition to explaining the features that may be important there is also a selection chart similar to the rifle chart above.

 

The article is located HERE.

 

One thing that I didn’t really talk about in the above article though is selecting the right mounting solution for the rifle so that it can effectively become a long range shooting system.  Without the right mounting hardware the shooter will not be able to use the optic and the rifle to their fullest extent.  For many rifles and cartridges the use of a sloped base and heavy-duty rings made from steel or alloy materials is necessary.  The sloped base allows the scope to obtain a close range zero and have as much internal travel as possible so that the shooter dial in enough elevation to engage distant targets.  A 20 MOA sloped base is the most common for tactical precision rifles because it is compatible with most of the popular tactical riflescopes that are on the market.  Depending on the scope’s total internal elevation travel a more aggressive taper of 30, or even 45 MOA, can be used to get the most elevation adjustment out of the riflescope but they aren’t always necessary.  As a general rule the amount of taper on the base should not exceed one half of the total elevation travel of the scope.  This will ensure the scope can obtain a close range zero without bottoming out and have as much elevation travel as possible. It’s important though too to try to get the scope as low as possible to the centerline of the bore since this will help with maintaining a proper sight picture and cheek weld.  For a bolt-action rifle the ring heights can vary from .823” to 1.0” while still allowing the shooter to maintain a good sight picture and cheek weld.  The ring height will be dependant on the scope’s tube diameter, objective diameter, scope base height, and barrel contour.    Some riflescopes are limited to certain ring height options though due to larger tube diameters so that is something to keep in mind when searching for rings.  Several manufacturers such as Badger Ordnance, Nightforce, Seekins Precision, and a host of others it create mounting solutions that can withstand time, drops, being dragged, and just about anything else that a tactical rifle shooter can throw at it.

 

If the shooter selects a semi-auto platform then a couple of additional considerations should be made when selecting the right mounting solution.  Most semi-auto platforms have a receiver with 0 MOA of taper such as a majority of the AR-15 and AR-10 platforms.   Some optics don’t have enough internal elevation to get a close range (100 yd) zero and dial all the way out to extended ranges when attached directly to the 0 MOA receiver.  This is fine if the engagement range will be relatively short, say within about 600 yards or so but if targets lie outside of that distance it could require different mounts.  Companies such as Nightforce, LaRue Tactical, and Badger Ordnance manufacturer mounting solutions for AR-15 and AR-10 rifles that provide some amount of taper so the scope can utilize more of it’s internal travel for flat top receivers. 

 

To learn more about rings and bases check out this article HERE.          

 

Rifle and Optics Accessories

 

After you’ve purchased the rifle, optics, and mounting system there are a few additional things you should think about purchasing prior to hitting the range.  These are things that aren’t really necessary but they will make life a lot easier, especially if you plan on competing in tactical matches.  There is a vast assortment of accessories for precision rifles though, which are designed to aid in shooter efficiency and comfort, as well as protect your investment.  I believe new comer would do well to stay away from all but the basics until they have gotten some experience in shooting and have determined what they do or don’t need. 

 

There are three items that I highly recommend every new comer to tactical precision rifle shooting get that is for themselves and their rifle.  Those items are a rear bag (AKA Sand Sock), a good shooting sling, and a good quality bipod.  Those three items have been staple accessories for tactical precision rifle shooters for years because they are multipurpose and can aid in the shooter’s stability for long range shots.  Many companies manufacture high quality versions of these accessories and I’ve listed a few of them below.   Try not to get too hung up on which sling and rear bag is best versus another, I've used many of them and they all perform about the same.  When choosing a bipod, stay away from the cheap immitations no matter how tempting the prices are because they will eventually fail and you'll wish you've spent the money on a Harris bipod or Atlas.  A quick note about the Harris bipods, I would only recommend getting a model that has notched legs and the swivel feature to help get level on uneven ground.  The notched leg versions are very easy to adjust on the fly with one hand while you are in the prone position. 

 

 

 

Rear Bag

 

Red Tac Gear Bean Bag

TAB Gear Rear Bag

Triad Tactical Tapered Rear Bag

 

Shooting Sling

 

Tactical Intervention Specialists Slip Cuff and Quick Cuff

Mountain Shooter Sling

Turner Saddlery Biothane NM Sling

TAB Gear Sling

 

 

Bipod

 

Harris Engineering Bipods (6"-9" or 9"-13" versions)

Accu-Shot Atlas Bipod