Long Range Rifle/Scope/PRS question(s)

Muzzle brakes…something I don’t know a whole lot about.

Best muzzle brakes for distance shooting….and why?
 

I really like my new Ace brake, vs my Bastards, which did a good job, were just more obnoxious. :)
Oh, and this is the first time I have looked at that link since I saw for sale and then ordered my Ace brake, impressive how much inroads it has made, because match shooters of any kind tend not to change if it doesn't work better.
 
Oh, and this is the first time I have looked at that link since I saw for sale and then ordered my Ace brake, impressive how much inroads it has made, because match shooters of any kind tend not to change if it doesn't work better.

Folks were REALLY tired of getting headaches.

Doesn't hurt that Orgain makes them and he, Buschman, and Blackketter used them to win a bunch of matches.
 
Going to shoot a .22 LR match at Cavern Cove tomorrow, will be good practice for their big one on 3-23-25 by Mr Big Guns (5th year).
We haven't shot that match before, but did shoot a little one at Cavern Cove last year. The wind died down here Thursday afternoon
and so I tweaked my zero with the Banish 22 suppressor on the Vudoo (Down two clicks), then I used the Kestrel and checked dope
from 70 yards to 194 yards. Pretty well spot on, give or take a tenth here or there. I'll leave out at 5:30 AM to go meet up with Jeff.

The Vudoo with the Banish 22 and a Zeiss S3 4-25X50, great scope. The small Maxpedition Condor backpack is perfect for .22 matches.
Ready For .22 LR Match @ Cavern Cove 2-2025 Pic 1.jpg Ready For .22 LR Match @ Cavern Cove 2-2025 Pic 2.jpg
 
Whew, long day, a little over 3 1/2 hours from home to Cavern Cove, but it's a great place to shoot with an excellent crowd, second time in a row the people have been great. I did not take advantage of the OG (Old Guy) rules, and I should have, three stages where I could shoot from one position instead of four or five, and one where I could have shot from two spots instead of eight (On the eight position stage I hit the last target at 91 seconds...dang it.) It would have given me 3/4/5 more opportunities at points where I timed out on a couple of stages. I was eight hits behind the top old guy, and that would have helped, but I also had brain damage on a ten round stage where I took a mag with three rounds in it to the line, and after ting, ting, ting, sigh, but even worse my extra mag/mag pouch was in my bag and not on my hip. No excuse. Screwed the pooch. Other than that though, I mostly shot really well. I ended up 14th, Jeff was 7th out of 26 shooters. It was a great time though, except for the few seconds on that stage where I was pretty steamed with me.

It's a beautiful valley surrounded by hills.
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The 20" Vudoo in the Foundation Revelation shot great all day long. I've pretty much settled on this combination of rifle/scope/stock.
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Whew, long day, a little over 3 1/2 hours from home to Cavern Cove, but it's a great place to shoot with an excellent crowd, second time in a row the people have been great. I did not take advantage of the OG (Old Guy) rules, and I should have, three stages where I could shoot from one position instead of four or five, and one where I could have shot from two spots instead of eight (On the eight position stage I hit the last target at 91 seconds...dang it.) It would have given me 3/4/5 more opportunities at points where I timed out on a couple of stages. I was eight hits behind the top old guy, and that would have helped, but I also had brain damage on a ten round stage where I took a mag with three rounds in it to the line, and after ting, ting, ting, sigh, but even worse my extra mag/mag pouch was in my bag and not on my hip. No excuse. Screwed the pooch. Other than that though, I mostly shot really well. I ended up 14th, Jeff was 7th out of 26 shooters. It was a great time though, except for the few seconds on that stage where I was pretty steamed with me.

It's a beautiful valley surrounded by hills.
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The 20" Vudoo in the Foundation Revelation shot great all day long. I've pretty much settled on this combination of rifle/scope/stock.
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Looks like a great time!

Are you still liking the Zeiss? How do you think it compares to a Nightforce ATACR?
 
I love the S3 4-25X50, for the money I think it's a great value. I don't really care for the ATACR, adjustments are stiffer than would be ideal, don't like the reticle as well as the Tract 30MM LR or the S3. The Tract adjustments are also super smooth and easy to use quickly without disturbing the rifle. I'd buy another S3 in a heartbeat. I have already taken the ATACR off the rifle and it is sitting in the safe, might sell it, who knows. I mean it's real nice, but..........just like the S3, the S5, and the TX5I better. As far as that goes, I like the XRS II better, even though the Nightforce glass is better to my eyes than the Bushnell. I like the adjustments better and I can see the numbers/hashes on the turret better.

With my old eyes I cannot take full advantage of the best glass in a match. My sweet spot seems to be the Zeiss S3. Yes, I can tell at the range sighting in, or working up a load, that the higher dollar glass is a little better, but it really doesn't work out to be worth it in an actual match for me when it comes to hits. I don't regret the S5 or the Nightforce purchase, but it's highly unlikely I buy something "better" than an S3 again, although it's also not likely I will need another scope. If anything, it would be another S3, I like it that much. I don't "need" one though. The day I took everything to the range together and shot targets with all of the scopes really put the scopes in order for me. For me of course, someone else could easily range them differently because of function or reticle, but the clarity and brightness are easy to see side by side.
 
The course of fire yesterday, it was a good one. They don't list target sizes, but in general, they were fairly small. The KYL was tough in the switchy wind. I had five hits through the first six shots, then never touched the two smallest ones. No one in our squad had over a five.
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I love the S3 4-25X50, for the money I think it's a great value. I don't really care for the ATACR, adjustments are stiffer than would be ideal, don't like the reticle as well as the Tract 30MM LR or the S3. The Tract adjustments are also super smooth and easy to use quickly without disturbing the rifle. I'd buy another S3 in a heartbeat. I have already taken the ATACR off the rifle and it is sitting in the safe, might sell it, who knows. I mean it's real nice, but..........just like the S3, the S5, and the TX5I better. As far as that goes, I like the XRS II better, even though the Nightforce glass is better to my eyes than the Bushnell. I like the adjustments better and I can see the numbers/hashes on the turret better.

With my old eyes I cannot take full advantage of the best glass in a match. My sweet spot seems to be the Zeiss S3. Yes, I can tell at the range sighting in, or working up a load, that the higher dollar glass is a little better, but it really doesn't work out to be worth it in an actual match for me when it comes to hits. I don't regret the S5 or the Nightforce purchase, but it's highly unlikely I buy something "better" than an S3 again, although it's also not likely I will need another scope. If anything, it would be another S3, I like it that much. I don't "need" one though. The day I took everything to the range together and shot targets with all of the scopes really put the scopes in order for me. For me of course, someone else could easily range them differently because of function or reticle, but the clarity and brightness are easy to see side by side.
Thanks for taking the time to give your experience. I really like the reticle in the ATACR, but I agree that the controls are stiffer. That said, NF builds their stuff to withstand military use, and they need to be extra rugged.

I really like the XRS II as well, and have the G3 reticle. It works perfect in the role intended for the rifle it is mounted on.
 
That said, NF builds their stuff to withstand military use, and they need to be extra rugged.
And I expect why the Burris XTR III has such sharp stiff turrets as well. Would be perfect for a gloved hand, kind of rough on bare fingers, especially old ones. I like it though, it's a nice scope, and I have shot well with it in matches.
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I moved some stuff around today, I took the Impact out of the Matrix and put it in the Foundation Genesis, will shoot it this weekend if
we got to Alabama Precision. Gonna load up and be ready either way.
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I took the RimX out of the Manners and put it in the Matrix. A lot of folks are swearing by that combination curing (99.9%) the rim in front
of the fixed extractor issue with the RimX. In the Manners you get to the point that there is a hair of play up and down in the mag, but going
any farther you can barely release it, angle of the bottom metal catch vs the catch on the mag. I thought about modifying the latch on the
bottom metal, but I would be guessing at the new angle, so I didn't. With the Matrix catch I can get it high and tight, but it releases easily,
so that's good. The mag looks to be up higher, and the bolt is basically riding the top of the feed lips now, so I don't know how it could get
any better. I used modded feeler gauges to sneak up on tight but still locks in with the mag catch on the RimX mag. I had the Matrix latch
all the way up.
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18.5 Lbs with the Bipod. (Heavier than I would like, but....)
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Balanced with a 1 pound plus brass weight sitting on the bridge, showed 19.5 on the scale, half pound heavier than my Impact with an
MTU barrel in the Matrix with no weights.
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