I use the cold winter days when I'm not skiing or dealing with snow to prepare for the coming shooting and hunting season. I spent some time today reflecting on how much my hunting gear has evolved in the last 5 or six years based on what I was doing in competition. So in no particular order
Stock fit - starting with an Appleseed shoot where I added a raised leather comb to my 10-22, I have been a fan of raised combs to quickly get a good view through the scope. My PRS activities have also had me shortening my length of pull so I can square up behind the rifle more to control recoil and see impact through the scope.
Tactical bolt knobs - the large one that can either just clamped on over the existing bolt knob or the bolt handle is threaded to screw on a new one. Pretty much all of my Remington 700s have them. much faster to run the bolt.
A detachable magazine well, and AICS magazines - this started on just my PRS rifle but migrated to all my Remington hunting rifles which use PTG stealth bottom metal and for hunting 5 round mags I have modified 6 or 7 rifles this way (some are for grandsons and daughter in law, the ones for grandsons are in Boyds AT-1 stocks so they have adjustable length of pull and adjustable check riser heights so they can grow with them). I don't have a Remington left in ADL or BDL configuration.
This next one hurts to admit. I had always been a Winchester model 70 featherweight guy for like 40 years. I now seem to be a Remington 700 Heavy barrel guy. it wasn't a conscious decision, more that the Remington Heavy barrels were more comfortable to shoot 40 -80 -100 shots with at the range, so they got shot a lot more. I always start a long range session with shooting my 308 Varmint barrel hunting rifle at 500 yards, and it always delivers. When deer season rolls around I just have confidence in the rifles I have shot a lot. If I am going to be sitting in the woods, short range shooting, or hiking a lot the Winchester featherweight gets the nod.
A few things that did NOT migrate to my hunting gear. 26" or longer barrels, muzzle brakes, or PRS chassis. Just nope. Tried them, but just nope
My PRS barricade bag was an immediate add to my hunting kit. Dropped over the rail of a ladder stand, or the widow jam of a hunting house, or a limb of improvised ground blind, and it greatly improves the ability to get off a solid shot quickly. I run the Armegeddon Gear original size game changer, which runs 6 lbs and a bit. I hate the weight, but it always goes to range, matches and hunting with me. (that might change this year - more later)
For scopes things that have carried over to hunting are sunshades, speed levers for changing magnification, and one piece bases. I have always gpne for better scopes (spend all day in rain and not fog, lost a good buck once with a lesser scope once that fogged). Usually 4.5 - 12X. Now I am carrying more magnification (5-24X), but that is because my PRS scopes came with sun shades, and now I like sun shades on my hunting rifles . Frankly they are more useful hunting while sitting early morning or near sunset. I am also like the speed ring levers form changing magnification (I always have it set on lowest magnification, and dial up as wanted.) The one piece scope bases are mainly because I can change scopes around with ease, and move them forward and back on the base. Plus once I have scope leveled in the scope rings, I am done. For my hunting rifle I use Leupold aluminum bases, I haven't seen need to go extra cost for one piece steel bases that I have on my match rifles.
Hunting pack - I used ALICE gear for decades, a medium camo pack with frame. But I purchased an Eberlestock pack with internal rifle scabboard for my first PRS match, and that pack has become my hunting pack. A lot of reasons, but main one is the internal scabbard gives me a place to put rifle while gutting out a deer in the snow (which I had chance to do first three years using the pack)
Last item. I bought my first rifle chassis last year for PRS competition, as for the first time I thought a standard stock was holding me back. The chassis had a full length ARCA rail on forend, perfectly flat. One of several things that helped in PRS competition. I didn't initially like the arca rail, but over a year I am a fan. (it would take another post to explain why) This year I just bought a "gamer plate" or "gamer bag" that attaches to the ARCA rail. I thought this was just for competition, but I already see it replacing my standard (6 lb) barricade hunting in many hunting situations. The gamer plate and bag combined weight less than 14 ounces. Not surprisingly, there is now a number of companies offering bolt on ARCA rails that can be added to older competition chassis or hunting rifles. I just bought an 11inch (full length) ARCA rail to bolt on my Remington 700 factory Laminate hunting stock. I purchased one from Salmon River as it has a contour to the underside to sit on the contour of the hunting stock more securely.
Stock fit - starting with an Appleseed shoot where I added a raised leather comb to my 10-22, I have been a fan of raised combs to quickly get a good view through the scope. My PRS activities have also had me shortening my length of pull so I can square up behind the rifle more to control recoil and see impact through the scope.
Tactical bolt knobs - the large one that can either just clamped on over the existing bolt knob or the bolt handle is threaded to screw on a new one. Pretty much all of my Remington 700s have them. much faster to run the bolt.
A detachable magazine well, and AICS magazines - this started on just my PRS rifle but migrated to all my Remington hunting rifles which use PTG stealth bottom metal and for hunting 5 round mags I have modified 6 or 7 rifles this way (some are for grandsons and daughter in law, the ones for grandsons are in Boyds AT-1 stocks so they have adjustable length of pull and adjustable check riser heights so they can grow with them). I don't have a Remington left in ADL or BDL configuration.
This next one hurts to admit. I had always been a Winchester model 70 featherweight guy for like 40 years. I now seem to be a Remington 700 Heavy barrel guy. it wasn't a conscious decision, more that the Remington Heavy barrels were more comfortable to shoot 40 -80 -100 shots with at the range, so they got shot a lot more. I always start a long range session with shooting my 308 Varmint barrel hunting rifle at 500 yards, and it always delivers. When deer season rolls around I just have confidence in the rifles I have shot a lot. If I am going to be sitting in the woods, short range shooting, or hiking a lot the Winchester featherweight gets the nod.
A few things that did NOT migrate to my hunting gear. 26" or longer barrels, muzzle brakes, or PRS chassis. Just nope. Tried them, but just nope
My PRS barricade bag was an immediate add to my hunting kit. Dropped over the rail of a ladder stand, or the widow jam of a hunting house, or a limb of improvised ground blind, and it greatly improves the ability to get off a solid shot quickly. I run the Armegeddon Gear original size game changer, which runs 6 lbs and a bit. I hate the weight, but it always goes to range, matches and hunting with me. (that might change this year - more later)
For scopes things that have carried over to hunting are sunshades, speed levers for changing magnification, and one piece bases. I have always gpne for better scopes (spend all day in rain and not fog, lost a good buck once with a lesser scope once that fogged). Usually 4.5 - 12X. Now I am carrying more magnification (5-24X), but that is because my PRS scopes came with sun shades, and now I like sun shades on my hunting rifles . Frankly they are more useful hunting while sitting early morning or near sunset. I am also like the speed ring levers form changing magnification (I always have it set on lowest magnification, and dial up as wanted.) The one piece scope bases are mainly because I can change scopes around with ease, and move them forward and back on the base. Plus once I have scope leveled in the scope rings, I am done. For my hunting rifle I use Leupold aluminum bases, I haven't seen need to go extra cost for one piece steel bases that I have on my match rifles.
Hunting pack - I used ALICE gear for decades, a medium camo pack with frame. But I purchased an Eberlestock pack with internal rifle scabboard for my first PRS match, and that pack has become my hunting pack. A lot of reasons, but main one is the internal scabbard gives me a place to put rifle while gutting out a deer in the snow (which I had chance to do first three years using the pack)
Last item. I bought my first rifle chassis last year for PRS competition, as for the first time I thought a standard stock was holding me back. The chassis had a full length ARCA rail on forend, perfectly flat. One of several things that helped in PRS competition. I didn't initially like the arca rail, but over a year I am a fan. (it would take another post to explain why) This year I just bought a "gamer plate" or "gamer bag" that attaches to the ARCA rail. I thought this was just for competition, but I already see it replacing my standard (6 lb) barricade hunting in many hunting situations. The gamer plate and bag combined weight less than 14 ounces. Not surprisingly, there is now a number of companies offering bolt on ARCA rails that can be added to older competition chassis or hunting rifles. I just bought an 11inch (full length) ARCA rail to bolt on my Remington 700 factory Laminate hunting stock. I purchased one from Salmon River as it has a contour to the underside to sit on the contour of the hunting stock more securely.
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