While building a new rifle, most people like to focus on the major components, like the action, stock, scope and rings, barrel, trigger and a muzzle device. If it is a factory rifle they are buying, seeing which rifle off-the-shelf that meets their needs, is typically already set up with a barreled action in a chassis or stock. Importantly though, if it is precision and accuracy you are after, most tend to miss a few other items that play an important role in maximizing you and your rifle’s capability. These additional items help make you a well rounded precision rifleman.
Let’s take a look at 5 things that will make shooting a precision rifle a better experience for you. Not only a better shooting experience but it also unlocks your potential behind a rifle while gaining consistency, accuracy and speed.
1. ARCA Rail
Most new shooters, have heard about the tacticool picatinny rail and initially think that is the way to go for bipod attachments to their chassis or stock. A picatinny rail, or 1913 rail as it was originally known when designed for part of the NATO standard, is a great weapons specific, universal attachment method. Although with modern use, especially with precision rifle, it has become clear that it is perhaps best suited to permanent weapon fixtures like scope mounts and such, whereas the more versatile and quicker adjusting Arca rail is more suited to something like a bipod or bag plate which might need to be quickly moved or attached and detached.
A full-length ARCA rail on the bottom forend of a rifle stock or chassis, gives you the shooter, unbelievable flexibility and adjustability for attaching a bipod and moving forward or back, as the shooting position requires. When nothing is attached to it, it offer a flat, broad surface to rest the rifle on a shooting bag or obstacle, and does not snag as easily as a bottom-mounted front picatinny rail does.
2. Bipod
A good rifle bipod, cannot be overstated in importance and how it transform the ability of the shooter to be able to become stable with his rifles in a steady shooting position in most environments and settings. When combined with a rear rest on the shoulder, or rear bag, this gives the rifle 3 (three) effective contact points, elimination sway and offering absolute stability.
A bipod helps in prone and most modified prone shooting positions, and stays attached to the rifle, ready to deploy on a moments notice when needed.
There are many options when looking for a bipod, some great, some not so much, offering various attachment options from sling-mount, picatinny mount and the above mentioned ARCA rail mount.
3. Bubble Level
Often overlooked, the vertical alignment of the scope with the bore of the rifle, becomes more important as you shoot out to further distances. Even a small rifle cant of around 2°, becomes a shot being out horizontally by over 11 inches at 1000 yards. A total miss, so yes, keeping your rifle level and your bore horizontal is important.
The only way to truly check whether your rifle is level with every shot, assuming the scope reticle is correctly aligned with installation, is with a rifle or scope mounted bubble level.
There are many options, with some scopes even having built-in electronic or bubble levels, some scope mount having them built in, some chassis having them built in, or the cheapest and easiest method is a picatinny rail mounted bubble level.
4. Sling
A rifle sling, often explains it’s own use. A carry method for your rifle when walking, trekking or hunting with it. It is however not the only benefit of having a rifle sling to it. When trained with, and correctly used, with forward support arms wrapped in the sling before holding the bottom of the forend, a sling helps to stabilize a rifle when a off-hand shot needs to be taken in an emergency scenario both in competition or in hunting.
5. DOPE Card
A dope card. Well, not necessarily just a rifle mounted dope card, just somewhere easily accessible to check your dope during longer range shots. Some prefer having a little card in their scope cap, others a full dope card mounted on the side of the rifle, some have little distance stickers on the turret and others have their dope on a wrist-coach card. Whatever is comfortable for you, and easily readable whilst shooting will work.
But essentially having your rifle zeroed to 100 yards, you actually cannot shoot any further without knowing or having your rifle dope handy.
Conclusion
Can you be successful without any of these? Absolutely, but each of them help improve your long range consistency and accuracy, so why not get them to improve constantly.
Today, my goal is to intentionally place that bullet exactly where I want it, at any given distance. And I’m not afraid to utilize the tools that will aide me in that process.
AJ Deysel is a competitive rifle shooter in the PRS and NRL Hunter series, a lifelong hunter, and a recognized ballistics specialist whose load development expertise has been featured by industry leaders like Hornady. He is the founder and lead editor of LoadDevelopment.com. Read more about AJ or view our Editorial & Testing Guidelines.
