PRS

[sfl_gunner]

I'm really interested in learning PRS but honestly don't know much about it. I have a few questions?
What are the divisions?
How much should I be looking to spend on a rifle and optics?
What calibers are popular and successful?

 

[Hoser]

Pretty much there is one division, Open. You also have Tactical and gas gun but not many play there.

A good baseline is 3-5K for a rifle and scope.

The top of the heap is using 6mm somethings based off the 6BR case. You can also do well with 6.5 anything. You dont want or need anything like a 7 mag or 300 mag to do well.

 

[mavracer]

I bought a gen 2 Ruger Precision in 6 Creed and put a Vortex HST 6-24X50 on it. I have about $1500 in it and I have found it an excellent learning tool. One of the things I've learned is my skills and time availability really don't warrant a more expensive set up.

 

[mcb]

If the PRS entry price is too high you can look for an NRL22 club. It is a very similar sport using 22LR rifles instead of center-fire and can be much cheaper to get into and shoot. It uses many of the same skills, position building, adjusting for range and wind. It's an excellent stepping stone into PRS.

 

[sfl_gunner]

Thank you everyone. Would a Bergara B14 HMR in 6.5 CM be a good place to start? What power scope should I be looking at?

 

[Stevie-Ray]

I'm just starting too, but that would be an excellent place to start. My 6.5 CM is of the Savage 110 Tactical variety, but I won that, so it was free. I chose an Arken SH4 6-24x50 for my scope, but have yet to really wring it out. Now that Steel Challenge is ending and Sight-In days are nearly upon us, I plan to get it to the range more often.

 

[StuntHeavy]

I’m just getting started too, but I’m still trying to hunt down the tikka I want.

hoping to see this thread take off with info!

 

[rbernie]

If the questions are oriented around equipment, there's a long-running thread in Rifles that may be of interest:

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/long-range-rifle-scope-prs-question-s.845206/

 

[mattmcg]

I've been in the PRS game for quite some time (even before the PRS was born, we called it "Tactical Practical"). Super fun and you will learn your equipment, ballistics, and mental and physical conditioning if you take it seriously. There are long range clubs all over this country (I frequent NCPPRC in CA) which is a great place to start to learn the ropes.

Like others said, a high quality bolt action rifle will run you $3K-$5K. Find a good gunsmith like Spartan Rifles in Idaho. Then double that cost with a high end scope such as Schmidt & Bender, Nightforce, or similar.

It is super fun and you'll be amazed at what targets you can hit at a very long distance. I confidently shoot out to 1K and beyond regularly now. Try it out!

 

[Walkalong]

One thing I learned shooting PRS the last couple of years is that a million things will hold down your score more than the rifle/caliber/scope you choose as long as it's a decent set up. A $1500 rifle/scope setup can compete. Naturally there is nicer stuff out there, and a lot of people have it, but the better shooters will beat you with skill and experience, not because your set up didn't cost as much.

Get something, sign up, go shoot, have a blast, and then go do it again, you'll learn what others use, what you like, and what changes you might make in the long run.

But like the Nike ad used to say, just do it.

 

[Walkalong]

I'm all loaded up to shoot a one day match at Altus tomorrow, I'm very lucky to have a buddy here (actually work with him), that shoots PRS too. He started a few months before me. We met through PRS.

I'll be shooting an Impact action in a Matrix stock. Love them both. Oh, and a Bushnell XRS II scope. The scope is all that's left of what I started with. I don't shoot any better with this setup, but I enjoy it more.

 

[sfl_gunner]

I'm all loaded up to shoot a one day match at Altus tomorrow, I'm very lucky to have a buddy here (actually work with him), that shoots PRS too. He started a few months before me. We met through PRS.

I'll be shooting an Impact action in a Matrix stock. Love them both. Oh, and a Bushnell XRS II scope. The scope is all that's left of what I started with. I don't shoot any better with this setup, but I enjoy it more.

Nice setup. What cartridge are you shooting?

 

[Walkalong]

6 Dasher

Post below is copied from other thread:

On the way home, one word, brutal.

My buddy Jeff and I have now shot all five Altus one days this year, today being the finale. We were 20th and 21st coming into today. He shot fairly well, I did not, not consistent enough. Would have cleaned the second to last stage for our squad, but was a fraction of a second late with the last shot at 840, a small circle, very small. Al said he made the course tougher for the finale, top shooter, unless something changed with the last squad shooting, dropped 17. Jeff dropped 35. I haven’t seen mine yet.

Wind was switching back and forth, dying at times. Good shooters getting 2s and 3s.

 

[Varminterror]

The Bergara is fine, but I’d look in 6 creed instead of 6.5, do yourself the favor of reduced recoil as you’re starting.

There are a lot of classes in PRS, but really only Open matters. There’s gas gun, production, Tac, and Open as equipment classes. Gas gun is obviously gas guns. Tac is 223 and 308win only. Production is $2500 and under rifles and optics, with the rifles being factory options with over 500 units produced. Open is everything else. Then there are shooter classes for Junior, Senior, Open, Ladies, and Mil/LEO. Among Open, there are also shooter classifications, which are Amateur, Marksman, Semi-Pro, and Pro, which are largely meaningless.

Just for fun, these pics illustrate the entirety of what I pack for PRS/NRL matches.

 

[Walkalong]

Pack full of stuff:
Ammo, 12 Rd mag (10 rounder in pic is in my pocket), earmuffs, Kestrel, pint sized and schmedium game changers, readers, dope cards, magic marker, painters tape, extra AAA/AA batteries, mesh bag for brass, poncho, waterproof rifle cover, compact 8x32 binoculars, rangefinder, small allen wrenches, small torx wrenches.

15X binoculars
Tripod
Rifle with bipod