Long Range Rifle/Scope/PRS question(s)

@Walkalong , that looks to be a great set up. :) Really looking forward to seeing it all put together and some hits on paper. I've never shot a PRS match either so this thread is very informative. I wish we had affordable PRS club matches up here in NW Montana, but since we don't I plan on attending the Vortex Big Medicine Precision Rifle Challenge in Dupuyer, MT in May and the Safari Challenge in Libby, MT in June (not a PRS match). Reading through all 11 pages of this thread it seems that I have almost all of the necessary gear with the exception of the fancy bags. I'm hiking from the South rim of the Grand Canyon to the North rim (21 miles) on 10/9 so have started training for that which will help with the PRS match I'm sure.

I have a NF NXS 3.5-15x50mm F1 scope on my AIAW (6.5 CM) but will most likely move the Premier Reticles 5x25x56mm FFP to the rifle in preparation for the April match. From what I can gather here, 25X is considered low end these days. I don't really have the money to buy an ATACR at this point, or at least the money could be better spent, so I'll try to make do with what I have, assuming the Premier passes the box test.

I hope you document your experience with these matches since it will both inspire and help others. Thanks for starting this excellent thread. :)
 
If you’re looking for pnw matches you should look at nrl
 
If you’re looking for pnw matches you should look at nrl

I haven’t peeked at the schedule yet to see if it’s true, but NRL should have picked up a lot of central states matches with their partnership/take-over of Border Wars. Quick fast forward for their spread Eastward from the west.
 
taliv said:
If you’re looking for pnw matches you should look at nrl

I looked up the NRL webpage and there are a couple of matches I could possibly attend but none are even remotely close to me. The closest is about 500 miles away. Given all the space out here I would expect more matches in this part of the world. Maybe the wind out here is a problem. Dupuyer, MT isn't too far from Browning and the wind howls along the Rocky Mountain Front.

@Walkalong , what's taking so long? Get that rifle and scope together and post some photos for goodness sake!
 
Given all the space out here I would expect more matches in this part of the world.

The wind isn’t the problem, it’s the ability to get shooters to trek out often enough to sustain the range. A lot of these matches are held at very well established training facilities with high traffic. The Frontier states just don’t have the folks to support that, so it’s exceedingly difficult to sustain a range capable of carrying this type of event. Matches are kinda like Easter supper - ranges break out the China and crystal for a match, but it’s not the only meal eaten on the table that year.
 
The KRG Bravo is an inexpensive chassis - which is to say it really is a plastic stock with an integral bedding block. The only complaint I have heard about the KRG bravo is the plastic feel and the short forend.

This is pretty much spot on. I am surprised the plastic part (Which is slick and cheap feeling) is two pieces. Definitely a beginner/entry level stock. Serviceable/functional I am sure, but not optimal by any means. I think the barreled action deserves a better home, but this will serve well for now. Long term I see this rifle as being replaced, even if the stock is upgraded first, but my crystal ball is broken, so time will tell.

I am going to put it all together this evening unless something gets in the way. I bought an arca spigot for the stock so I can mount my Atlas bipod on it and leave more room on the stock. I'll eventually get the KRG 12" arca rail for the bottom of the stock, as well as an arca clamp/adapter for the atlas. Need another Atlas eventually as well so I won't have to swap it back and forth. Need to pay off this adventure so far first. On a shoe string budget for awhile. (May even *gasp* sell off a pistol or two. I never shoot my Python) :)
 
Varminterror said:
The wind isn’t the problem, it’s the ability to get shooters to trek out often enough to sustain the range. A lot of these matches are held at very well established training facilities with high traffic. The Frontier states just don’t have the folks to support that, so it’s exceedingly difficult to sustain a range capable of carrying this type of event. Matches are kinda like Easter supper - ranges break out the China and crystal for a match, but it’s not the only meal eaten on the table that year.

Good points. We simply don't have much of a shooting match culture out here despite numerous firearms companies. The emphasis here for most is hunting and there are far too many that only shoot a day or two before our short rifle season opens.

What's the general consensus of MPA chassis systems? I have one of the MPA models for Remington 700s, in large part due to @taliv putting me in contact with a couple of individuals heavily involved in the PRS. To me it looks to be a really good chassis and I like many features of it. I particularly like the sliding bipod mount and the pivoting, movable stop. I haven't tested it yet and will probably have to return it at some point but if I were looking for a chassis I'd certainly consider MPA. I seem to remember @taliv mentioning something about PRS moving away from chassis type rifles.

mpa_chassis.jpg
 
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My next rifle will have another MPA. I tend to prefer a stock, just for aesthetics, or maybe rather I should say to keep my wife from complaining about the aesthetics of my rifles every time we go shoot. I have been a McMillan A3 fan for a long time, quite possibly my favorite stock ever, but the Manners are made in KS, and have some slightly advantageous attributes for games a So my latest rifle has a Manners, my next will be an MPA.

I didn’t really love the barricade blocks, but their system is fantastic. Same with the Area419 barricade block system, and really, any barricade block system - if you’re shooting free recoil and the targets aren’t straight out from the barricade, the rifle tries to steer back to perpendicular. A bag doesn’t do that. Lots of guys use them and like them, but they aren’t for me. They also can take too long to adjust on some stages with a lot of positions, if the barricade isn’t perfectly uniform thickness at each position. I practice with my blocks just enough to be able to use them when I need them for small portholes where a bag won’t work, but usually I just throw down my Cookie and run. Great tool to have in the bag, but it’s not my primary trick.
 
unless something gets in the way

I got started after work, put the Spigot and rail on for the bipod, and had just started on the rings and scope when my wife got home and reminded me we were going out to dinner..... so I am not finished.

The rings are snugged down on the rail, not fully tightened, and I think I have it close to where I want it front to back. May move the rear ring forward one notch. May turn them around as well. They are slightly more bulky on the screw side. Tomorrow I will finalize that, square it up, and torque everything down. I need to recheck the focus on the eyepiece, but may have it correct already.

Putting it Together Pic 1.jpg Putting it Together Pic 2.jpg
 
@Walkalong , I like how the bulk of the scope color seems to be a close match to the stock. I'm looking forward to seeing how it shoots since I haven't seen many reports on the Havak.
 
@Walkalong

How are you managing the diplomacy on the home front with all of this equipment coming in at one time?

My wife is very subtle about it but the signs are obvious when I’ve made one too many purchases in a too short of a time frame. I went way over the line last year. Lol.

WAY over
 
She is fine with it. I told it it was going to be pricey, and she said she wasn't worried about as I don't often spend a lot of money on myself. She means it too. Besides, it will come out of my play money over the next little while as I pay off my Visa bill where I charged it all and not her play money nor our joint savings/bill paying account, although we are also on each others play money accounts. Right now I am on a "strictly needed" (Gas, lunch...) budget until I pay it off. I'll likely sell a pistol or two as well to speed things up so I can add an item or two and do a couple of small projects on the property sooner. I normally carry a zero balance on my CC, pay it off every month, and don't buy stuff I can't do that with. They haven't made any interest off of me for quite some time. Last time was the Sturdy safe.

Getting into Benchrest way back when was a different story, being young married kids with two small children, I asked her permission for that one. About half of what I spent this time, but much bigger proportionally to us back then.

Finances are one of the biggest killers of marriages. At 35 years we are still doing well. :)
 
Got you by one year. I like hearing that your finances are an open discussion. My wife and I are there, too, and it makes things sooo much easier. Sounds like you got a good one!

(Wife, I mean ...) ;)
 
Finances are one of the biggest killers of marriages. At 35 years we are still doing well.At 35 years we are still doing well. :)

We crossed the 20 year mark this year and have a great relationship.

I will say that where I fell short on my recent gun expenditures was probably a close 2nd in marriage pitfalls: communication

I told her what I was doing, but wasn't as transparent as I should have been with how much it was going to cost. For instance,

Me: "hey dear, I'm going to get a new scope for that rifle we talked about".

Fast forward 30 days

Her: "....question for you, what's this $2,300 charge to some place called "Sport Optics"?
 
I just tell/remind my wife —> the rifle is the cheapest part of the game. Matches, ammo, other gear, travel... the rifle starts looking REALLY cheap!
 
This is true. I shot 10 matches last season I was competitive and paid for 12. At $250-300 per match just the match fees would cover a decent custom rifle or high end scope. Not counting travel which was at least as much. And ammo figure another $1 per round
 
Got it put together, forgot about the brake before taking a couple of pics. Just use your imagination. With the Seekins low rings there is just enough room for the scope cover, a bit higher rings would be fine and give a bit more heads up position. Seekins said they all use the low for up to 50 (Maybe 56?) MM objectives, and as far as fit to the rifle it is perfect.
Seekins Havak Bravo (Modded Pic) THR Size.JPG Bushnell 4.5-30x50 XRS II on Seekins Havok Bravo (Original Pic) THR Size.JPG
 
13.5 pounds (scale rounds to the nearest .5) on the bathroom scale with no brake, no mag, and no ammo.
That’s pretty awesome. Hope it’s not raining this weekend
Thanks, we have some bad weather coming in Sat, plus I have some work I need to do, so we'll see. Anxious to put a few rounds downrange though.
 
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