FOG HORN a Twobirds Flying Publication

The Precision Rifle

08 Nov 2010

By: Sal Palma ( Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/twobirdsflying )

I recently had a question from a reader asking, “what is it about a rifle that makes it a precision rifle.” A
great question and one that is debated, sometimes heatedly, at all levels. Sportsmen, law enforcement
agencies and the armed services struggle with the question, which usually arises from individuals and
agencies or departments rationalizing the cost v. benefit argument. In other words, do I, as a prospective
buyer, get at least a unity gain for every incremental dollar spent. This is economics at its finest.
The law enforcement community makes these assessments daily as they struggle to maximize the return
on the tax payer dollar. It is a question that's driven by the harsh reality that resources are limited and
budgets are shrinking.
In this article, I will share my opinion on what elements make for a precision rifle and is the cost justified
in light of diminishing individual and organizational discretionary funds.
A precision rifle is part of a system that consists of the weapon, ammunition, optics and the shooter. All
of those assemblies – for lack of a better word – must seamlessly integrate so that reliable and
repeatable results are achieved shot-over-shot.
It means that each component must be designed and built such that variances are minimized; thereby,
squeezing as much variability out of the system as possible. For example, we train the shooter to mount
the weapon consistently each and every time, to breath consistently each and every time and to pull the
trigger precisely the same way every time. We do this to ensure that the system performs in a reliable
and predictable manner each and every time.
It is pointless to train the marksman, if the rifle used has so many variances that he could not count on it
to perform reliably and consistently.
To achieve reliability and repeatability, builders or manufacturers, go through a painstaking process of
tightening up all tolerances. They true the action, true the bolt face and locking lugs, machine the
chamber to exacting tolerances, ensure that surfaces are lapped so there are no stresses. Builders also
select match grade barrels such as those made by Shilen, Krieger, Lothar-Walther, Rock - to name the
more prominent. The result, is a weapon system where all the critical parts are carefully matched to
eliminate or reduce any variability. The result, is a weapon that performs exactly the same way across a
range of conditions – reliably and predictably, all things being equal (ceteris paribus).

Copyright 2010, Sal Palma, dba Twobirds Flying Publication, All Rights Reserved
Two companies come to mind when I discuss precision rifles; they are American Precision Arms,
Jefferson, GA and GA Precision, North Kansas City, Mo. Both of these builders produce tactical rifles of
extreme accuracy and quality in all calibers and configurations. You can expect to pay from $3,000 to
$5,000 for a tactical rifle in .308Win 300WinMag or 338Lapua. The cost may go higher depending on
what options you choose.
Having a rifle made by one of these builders v. purchasing an off-the-shelf product, is equivalent to
having your suit made by a Savile Row tailor v. a rack suit from Macy's.
Pay particular attention to the term “ceteris paribus” because it has immense relevance. It means all
things being equal, and in our discussion it implies that the shooter, optics and ammunition must be
equally flawless in order for the system to perform. In the real world, having a precision rifle does not
guarantee precise results. The precision rifle is but one component of the system.
Now that you have a precision rifle we need to consider the other sub-systems or components, for
example ammunition.
Ammunition is critically important and not all ammunition is created equally.
Commercial ammunition is manufactured using machines that automatically prime the case, load it with
powder and seat the bullet on the cartridge. The are numerous tolerances that come into play when
assembling a round.
The actual components themselves, primer, casing, powder and bullet. Different primers, for example,
perform differently, different powders burn at different rates and shell casings differ dimensionally. All of
these factors including variances in the production equipment create variability in the results. However,
there is usually one type and brand of ammunition that when used in conjunction with your precision
rifle will yield the best results, as determined by a five shot group dispersion. Once you have established
which brand or type of ammunition performs best, you stick with it.
Suppliers of high quality precision ammunition include Federal, Ruag Swiss-P, Black Hills, Hornady and
COR®BON by Dakota Ammo. All of these manufactures produce quality ammunition to high standards
with tightly controlled vertical dispersion. Other shooters, may choose to hand-load. This approach
allows the marksman to precisely match the ammunition to the weapon.
You now have a precision rifle with matched ammunition. Our next step is to select the appropriate
optical sight. This is a topic as volatile as ammunition selection, and everyone and their mommy has an
opinion. I will give you mine.
Although exceptional clarity is highly desirable, it is not an absolute. Your first priority should be the
consistancy and precision with which adjustments are made.
Let's assume that the optic provides for a ½ minute change in the point of impact for every click. This
means that every time you turn the turret in one direction or the other, the bullet's point of impact will
change by exactly ½ inch up or down and left or right, at 100 yards. If the optic maintains that exact ½
minute change throughout its complete range, of elevation and windage, you can reasonably expect the
optic to deliver the precise adjustments needed to match your precision rifle. The best way to test that
capability is to perform a box test using a calibrated target.
Ruggedness, choice of reticle and construction are all important and add to the cost of the optic. For
example, tube diameters of 1 inch, 30mm or 34mm – the larger the tube the more light will pass and the
clearer the image.

Copyright 2010, Sal Palma, dba Twobirds Flying Publication, All Rights Reserved
Optical sights consistent with the precision rifle can range in price from $3,200 to $800. Optics from
Leupold, Horus Vision, Precision Reticle, Night Force and Vortex provide extremely good results at prices
ranging from $800 to $1,400. The European scopes are generally considered to be of extreme quality, in
all respects, as U.S. manufacturer's like U.S. Optics, but carry a correspondingly high price tag.
Optics are only as good as the hardware used to mount them to your precision rifle and consideration
needs to be given to the mounting hardware.
In my opinion, all precision rifles should include, at a minimum, a single piece Picatinny rail as the scope
mounting base. The single piece rail offers the greatest mounting flexibility and adds structural support
to the receiver that is simply not available with a two piece scope base.
In addition to selecting the right base, your next decision is your choice of scope rings. Rings are a critical
part of the mounting hardware as they attach the optic to the mounting base; like the base, rings need
to be machined to extremely tight tolerances. Here, Badger Ordnance is the undisputed choice for
ruggedness, precision and quality. Badger Ordnance has been manufacturing high performance
mounting hardware since its inception, and they are the choice for military and tactical law enforcement
application.
You can expect to pay about $600 for mounting hardware. This estimate includes gunsmith services to
true the base to the receiver; any variability here will be reflected throughout the entire system, so it is
imperative that your scope's mounting base be trued to your rifle's action.
OK, we now have a rifle matched with its ammunition and optic. Your budget has taken a hit of about
$5,500. What's left?
The shooter. You need to invest in the shooter. For example, Police Sniper engagements generally occur
at 50 to 75 yards. Candidly, at these ranges, wind, elevation and acute angles don't have a significant
impact, so sniper skill sets take a back seat to putting additional officers on the street. Yet, no one can
control a perimeter more effectively than a well placed sniper. Military and law enforcement teams need
to train for the exceptions, as well as the rule, if for no other reason than failure carries, potentially, a
very high cost.
We have now arrived at the decision point, is this worth it? Is my agency, or department, deriving
maximum benefit from the investment? I wish I could answer the question for you, but it is highly
subjective and circumstantial – It really depends. However, I think it is, because -once again- the price of
failure can be so high. But, if you're shooting at paper, or steel, on the weekend, your priorities my differ
significantly.
Ceteris paribus, I think you should opt for the Savile Row suit, you'll be glad you did.

-SP

Copyright 2010, Sal Palma, dba Twobirds Flying Publication, All Rights Reserved