Ballistic August/September 2022

There was a time when precision rifle shooting was cloaked in mystery. At least I would have said that. And after discussions with so many of you, it’s evident that I wasn’t alone in that sentiment. But thanks to revolutionary developments in rifles, ammo, optics, rangefinders, ballistics solvers and the like, that time is no more. While these advancements have been monumental as a whole, the single largest factor in making precision shooting an attainable and progressive skill set has been the sharing of information. It was the lack of information and, likely more accurately, the reluctance to share it that hurt shooters the most. It was a threat, if you will, despite the technologies of the times. Our biggest threat now is boredom. We literally have everything at our fingertips.…

1. Alpha Munitions OCD Technology: The 6mm GT is going to be one of the most sought-after cartridges. Therefore, brass is needed to not only help it survive but to help it reach its true capabilities. When optimizing a caliber’s performance is necessary, there’s hardly a brass manufacturer that can hold a candle to Alpha Munitions and their OCD (Optimized Case Head Design) technology. OCD Technology is, in short, cases that are perfect in their hardness. This is achieved by using specific brass compositions as well as extensive testing and QC processes. It all starts with the appropriate brass cups, and Alpha has focused its attention and efforts here. With OCD technologies, shooters can run much hotter loads than with other brass—this is good and bad. We always recommend you adhere to the…

“The PRS has an MSRP of $2,500, which makes it eligible for production-class competition.” As much as the bolt-action market has exploded, thanks to a nationwide, if not a worldwide resurgence in the platform’s popularity, the platform hasn’t really changed all that much. I like to think that some firearms have developed into the modern era. After all, we have “modern combat pistols” with red-dots and compensators, as well as inner and outer workings that help deem them as such. And we’ve seen and continue to see many modern semi-automatic platforms modernized by design enhancements or complete reengineering, breaking the molds of previous platforms. But that hasn’t happened much with the bolt-action rifle. Remington 700 clones still rule a majority of the market with several companies making the tried-and-true design, many…

Many rifle shooters began their journey on a .22 bolt-action rifle. It’s likely a parent, close family member or other mentors wisely determined that this platform would help the young student develop shooting discipline and instill the necessity for accuracy. If you were one such person, think back to your reaction when you missed a shot. You likely wanted to send another shot as quickly as possible to mentally negate the miss. On a semi-auto platform, this could quickly develop into a “spray and pray” mentality—a detriment to the proper development of a rifleman to be. Many young learners can’t wait to move on beyond the diminutive .22 LR. The lure of the big rifles is strong, and the perception is that the centerfire rifle is more capable than a rifle…

The world of precision longrange shooting is unlike any other sector of the firearm world. It demands manufacturing quality and tolerances that most of our hand-sized blasters will never need. These incredible demands on performance get cranked up when the military enters the room and starts asking about a new precision rifle for its troops. This is exactly what happened when the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) started shopping for a new long-range solution. This decision was made after reviewing after-action reports from the Global War on Terror combat missions. What they found was that the target interdiction requirements of modern shooters in this application exceeded the capability of existing equipment. The new rifle would be required to allow snipers to “interdict enemy personnel, positions, and non-technical vehicles out to 1,640…

What’s your farthest shot? If you are asking an Extreme Long-Range (ELR) shooter, you might be asking in units of miles instead of yards. When I hit my first shot at 1,000 yards, I was hooked on long-range but when I hit 2 miles, it was a whole new level. So, what is the dividing line between long-range shooting and extreme long-range? That question has been debated for years, as there is not yet an overall governing body to define that. Most would agree that ELR shooting starts at 1,500 yards and beyond. There is also extended long-range, which is the distance between long-range and extreme long-range, but that will not be discussed in this article. ELR EXPLAINED When shooting miles, many factors need to be considered. It is not just point…