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You guys got me thinking....yesterday I took my MK 10 308 out to the farm...can shoot to 6, but shot at 450 and 5. Wtih handloads of 168 hornady match bullets, no problems hiting my 10x10 steel target, shooting prone/bipod out the back of my wood trailer...this load shots a bit under 1 inch at 100. I also have my 7x57 on a 98. Got some 162 ELD-M`s loaded. Gonna shoot for accuracy and over the chrony. If I can get 2750 out of them, and accurcy, the load stays SS to over 1200 yrds.
I know I`ve got limited mag capacity with both, and more recoil, but would either be worth trying?
Again, would like to try these matches...don`t expect to be National Champ by August..

Thanks for all the input.

You can shoot a PRS style match with just about anything, but the way they are set up, without a certain amount of tailoring, its going to be frustrating.

308 is gonna be tough due to recoil, but definitely doable. The real killer is going to be mag capacity. Most are set up as as 10rd timed stage, and reloading or single loading will be a huge source of frustration.

With that said, give it a shot...when you are done, you will walk away with a plan for next time.

Thanks...BTB, the 7x57 gave me 3, 3 shot 3/4 inch groups this morning. To cold to fool with the chrony..maybe tomorrow.

Thanks again.

I've been shooting PRS and NRL matches for 10 years now. Even won the state championship in 2011. 6.5x47 has been my caliber of choice during that entire time though I have a switch barrel in 223 AI which gets occasional use. Getting ready to mix it up with a switch barrel 6.5 Super LR. Used to run an AI chassis and 5.5-20 NF NXS; SFP. Now, a 6-24 IOR, FFP. FFP's can really save the day with a COF has multiple targets at multiple ranges with multiple positions; saves time NOT having to dial when time if critical.

Their is a reason you don't see AR's in the hands of experienced/nationally ranked shooters....They are hard to consistently shoot well from varying positions.

MIL or MOA. Probably depends if you can easily think in 10ths or quarters/1/4's. I'm retired Army and now the MIL system but i'm also old enough to feel more comfortable with MOA/inches. I also like the fact a 1/4 click is more precise measurement than a 1/3rd click for MIL when setting my zero.

YMMV.

Alan

Also,

Don't worry about the most high tech, highest velocity, highest BC bullet/caliber out there. If you're shooting for fun, camaraderie and to better yourself, stick with something easy to load and doesn't need the stay 1/4 moa accurate or chasing the lands. The high speed/BC 22's and 6mm are flat, light recoiling but also have a shorter barrel life. The 308 works well but needs heavier bullets to have a decent BC but also provides more recoil. The 6.5's are a happy medium; 6.5x47, 6.5 Creemoor and 260 Rem. Cans are nice and hearing safe but don't provide as much recoil taming as a good brake. You might notice I mention recoil several times. We competitors are not worried about our shoulders but rather, the ability to watch for your impacts; hit or miss, so we can adjust our POA for the next 9 follow-up shots. You NEED to see that first impact so you can adjust fire. Otherwise you might just be throwing more shots out to miss after your first miss.

Heavier recoil is going to aggravate POI changes from position to position more than a light recoiling round too.

What do you PRS shooters think about larger bullets as far as being easier to spot impacts?

Interesting stuff. Thanks. I`m comfortable with either mils or moa....but have built my own drop charts to attach to my scopes dials. Seems to work. I have also used the riticule for hold over/under yardages...tho I`m far from expert. Looking forward to addending a match.

BTB...how/what do you guys practice? Used to shoot about 150 rnds per week with HP practice.
Wouldn`t care to do that much now.

Some still feel impacts are move visual with heavier bullets. Some feel they are sufficient with lighter ones. I heard recently that in some national level matches they are installing electric target hit indicators on targets waaaay out there. Can't remember what that distance is; maybe 900+.

Alan

Most matches will have hit indicators on target pass 700 yards.
I shoot PRS matches all the time. Just take what you got and go have fun. Don't over think it.

If you’re looking to invest a little money, but not much, I would look at the Ruger American Predator in 6 Creedmoor, put it in an MDT ESS chassis, and run your SWFA 10x. Weight and adjustability are your friends in a PRS rifle.

Last year I left my DMRII at home and shot a SWFA 10x, just to show guys new to the sport that you don’t need a $10k rig to compete and have fun. I placed 2nd at a one-day match that drew 55 competitors from across Canada. I had the cheapest scope of the bunch, by far. The lack of Christmas tree reticle was not ideal and cost me a few points on a stage like Alan described, but otherwise it was not a hindrance. You can be reasonably competitive without spending thousands on a scope.

IME, .224” bullets launched from an AR just don’t move the plates enough to let the spotters reliably call hits. You may give up a few points because you made the hit but the spotters couldn’t discern it. I find that 6mm bullets are the threshold for reliably seeing impacts. Because they also offer less recoil than larger calibers, those 6mm chamberings are about ideal, and are dominantly popular. Yes, barrel life is shorter than with a 6.5 or 7mm, but barrels, like powder and bullets, are consumables. It’s the cost of doing business in this game.

I can’t emphasize enough the importance of what Alan mentioned regarding recoil. You have to spot your own misses and hits, and call your own corrections, so you NEED to be able to control recoil and spot the shot. A good brake is extremely helpful here. The Badger FTE is very effective, although very loud and concussive. The PVA Mad Scientist is effective at reducing recoil and not nearly as concussive. The Insite Arms Heathen is similar.

I agree with dakotagun on the 10-round mags, rear bag, Gamechanger, bipod, etc. But for your first match, don’t worry about all the bags, guys are usually very generous with new shooters and will likely let you borrow a bag or two for stages where they’re an asset.

Practice shooting off of various barricades, and natural but uncomfortable supports, as much as possible. Learning to shoot accurately from awkward positions is the name of the game here. Dry fire helps a lot. Google IOTA and you can practice in your basement with a printout of a field of targets, scaled appropriately, available online if you look around.

Hey Jordan,
Why not a Ruger PR? I've seen those for <$1,000.

Those work, too, I just prefer the ESS. But I have a friend who grabbed a used RPR with Criterion 6XC barrel for $1200 (a steal of a deal, here in Canada), and it’s been great for him. He’s a new PRS shooter, and the rifle certainly is not what’s holding him back.

Ideally, a great budget gun would be a Rem 700 with Criterion prefit in a MDT ACC with TT Special trigger, but the RAR-P/ESS or RPR is a cheaper way to get into the game.

Anybody shooting any tube guns? Like MAK or Eliseo?

I never see any tube guns.
I just finished shooting the NRL’s Brawl here in South Texas. I’ve been shooting these types of matches at places like Rifles Only long before the birth of the PRS. I think these types of matches really help your marksmanship abilities especially when hunting. When your in the field Hunting other than in a blind, when have you ever had a perfect shooting position to shoot from. I’d say probably never, you make the best with what you have. This type of shooting translates directly with hunting.
All shooting hobbies cost money. FYI: the trend to shoot calibers other than the .308 is a old one and pre dates the PRS and invention of the creedmoor. We’ve been looking at a way to cheat the wind for a long time and have used calibers such as the .260, ..260 AI, 6.5x47, 243, .243AI, 7 WSM, etc....I would stay away from any of the semi-autos to start. I don’t own one but I think the Ruger rpm is a pretty good way to start and could easily be upgraded. I’d also find a used Bushnell Elite Tactical scope and a case of bullets.

I can’t emphasize this enough, find a good reputable trainer and get some training. Rifles Only, Frank Gali, Gunworks, Etc....Good luck, I hope you get started.

That's very interesting Chance. I come from 3-P and in my view from the outside looking in, it seems like the two would have a lot of needs in common, especially the need for equipment adjustability. In my ignorance it seems like there should be a lot in common, rifle-wise anyway. (Except I see more of a trend understandably towards higher capacity cases in PRS.)

I competed at a small local PRS shoot for a few years. At least it USED to be small. It was always 8-12 guys, done by noon, we all had a great time. And then it got popular. Now there's 50 guys and it takes all day. I'd rather drive up in the mtns and shoot with a buddy or two than sit on my ass for 10 hours for 10 minutes of shooting.

My setup was a DPMS LR260 with a NF 5.5-22x50. But there were guys with the whole spectrum of rifles, even an old guy with a bdl Rem 700P in 308 loading from the top!

If your match doesn't handicap semi-autos, there's nothing wrong with a large frame AR IME. 243, 260, 6.5cm.

Thinking about it, I have seen a couple of tube guns in the past, if you consider the Tubb 2000 a tube gun? David Tubb once competed with one in a match down here in South Texas several years ago.

Yes, tube guns were pretty much modeled after Tubb guns in an effort to overcome the cost and unavailability of Tubb guns.

Too bad David was too early for PRS, would have been interesting to see what he could have done in the sport in his prime.

ttt