Help complete setup

The Sawtooth arca rail for the Tac A1 forend is nice if you're going to be using a tripod. If you're not shooting on an established range with known distances you'll likely need a range finder to measure target distance. The Hornady 4DOF app is free and works great for a ballistic calculator until you decide if you want a Kestrel or something like that down the road.

First, one of the nicest upgrades you can make is to lighten/improve your trigger with either a YoDave spring or the Tikka trigger spring Eurooptic sells.
Next maybe add a couple of pairs of mlok weights up front on the handguard (out towards the muzzle) and you’ll likely be amazed how much easier it’ll make spotting impacts/splash. Buying weights can be a drag because it can feel absurd how much dumb hunks of steel/brass cost, but they do really do the trick and for most end up being worth it.

Smokeshot said:

I bought a Vortex Crossfire HD 1400 a while back. It struggles and is very inaccurate. I guess that's the quality you get for $300 these days. Can you suggest some qood quality range finders?

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I use a pair of Vortex Fury 5000 HD binoculars, and they work well enough. I don't have experience with much else. I'm sure others with more experience could recommend better options at various price points.

@Smokeshot

Great suggestions given above.

As for range finder....why do you think your Vortex LRF is inaccurate? I have a Vortex Viper LRF and it works well but I also have a Sig 2000 that I use most often (yeah, older model now its Sig 3k or up I believe) and if you get around to wanting to upgrade, I would personally suggest looking at Sig (keeping in mind that there are many, many others on this board with far more experience than me).

The suggestion to use 4DOF app is a good one. Its free and works well.

If you ever plan to reload (or just want accurate speed for your BC), you may want to add a chronograph and I would only suggest the Garmin Xero.

Now, you can shoot known distance targets at range (like 600 yds) and can back into the speed by adjusting MV until elevation matches what you see on the target (e.g. if you are high, increase MV until the BC matches what you see on the target)

Bipods....everybody has a favorite and there are lots of good ones to choose from. Personally, I like my Atlas CAL for a decent price for a good bipod.

Tripod...I have a Two Vets with an RRS Anvil-30 ball head. I'm 72 and do not compete. Perhaps if I did I would go for the more expensive RRS tripod which is kind of the gold standard.

As for evaluating performance...consider software that let's you evaluate/measure groups. I don't personally view my phone as a substitute for a computer and monitor so I don't use Ballistic X app. I personally prefer On Target for $12 for the download.


Other folks (ones that compete) will have better recommendations for bags but a good rear bag is essential (and I like @Enough Said "The Answer" for a rear bag and you can find his thread selling them on this site).

For front bag I have a Armageddon Gear Shmedium. I use it on top of a tripod, flopping over the sill of a box blind, etc. But as said, the competitors will have better insight as to what would be best for you.


Def go for the Yo Dave trigger spring. I got my cousin into a T3X TACT 1A and putting the Yo Dave spring in his rifle was a game changer for very little money ($10, I think).

Hope this is mildly helpful.

Cheers and healthy and happy new year to you.

Make sure your inputs into whatever app you use are accurate. I like the Applied Ballistics one. Always shoot on paper when possible. Make notes of enviro conditions, load details, your positions, and results for each session; for each group if you can. Zero the rifle prone or from the bench. After that, practice from field type positions; a 6’ step ladder off each rung is a handy way to mix it up.

This may sound strange but my suggestion is to take what you have and take it to the range. Start at closer ranges and work your way to longer ranges. When you come to a point that you have a problem making shots at a certain range, think of what is holding you back. Now you have a starting place as to what you need at longer ranges.

Just because something works for someone else doesn't ensure it will work for you. Everyone is different so different solutions are needed.

Smokeshot said:

I bought a Vortex Crossfire HD 1400 a while back. It struggles and is very inaccurate. I guess that's the quality you get for $300 these days. Can you suggest some qood quality range finders?

Click to expand...

I started with a similar priced 4x monocular LRF and had the same experience. I was also using a generic pair of binos for spotting that was in need of upgrading as well, and a free phone app for my ballistics calculations. So after relying on others for distances and environmental conditions, I finally bit the bullet and got a pair of 10x binos w/ LRF and AB ballistics on board. They are not cheap, but a good pair will serve multiple purposes of finding targets, ranging them, and if you set up the AB to match your load you can skip buying a Kestrel. Everybody has their favorites and there are pros and cons with each one (the more budget friendly have less capable glass, and the downside to the higher priced ones are…the cost).

Unless you’re shooting at a range with known distances, my suggestion would be to get a decent bino/LRF/ballistics solver.

I suggested mlok weights earlier (and you still might want some at some point to fine tune your balance point) but maybe before those, I’d suggest a heavy steel ARCA rail because you’ll probably want an ARCA rail at some point anyhow (I forgot a TAC A1 doesn’t come with one, and you might as well kill 2 birds with 1 stone).


Then of course you will need a bipod… and I’d suggest a non-panning Harris BRMS and a Harris ARCA/Piccatiny-adapter mount (the adapter/mount will probably cost nearly as much as the actual bipod). There are way fancier bipods you can go for depending on what you want to do, but you’ll likely never regret having a good old Harris in your pack.

@Smokeshot - forgot to add....you should really consider getting the SH Gravity Ballistics app. Its a whopping $5 (or was when I bought it).

You can use this in lieu of a standard ballistic calculator. I believe you said you have a range out to 1,100 and I assume you have steel at this range every 100 yards. If so, Gravity Ballistics will work very well for you.

Basically, it doesn't care what you are shooting or what the environment is. Its strictly based on the acceleration of gravity and time of flight.

If allowed, paint a horizontal water line on the steel....orange works well. Left/right doesn't matter....this is purely about elevation. Its very helpful to have clean paint on the steel so you can accurately see your shots and not confuse them with other splashes.

Get a good zero at 100, dial up to .3 or .4 as your try dope on your turret for 200. Shoot and see where you are...modify come up as needed to get you on the water line then enter that in as your 200 validated dope.

The app will then give you 300 yd try dope (it will actually extend this for all ranges out to 1k but try dope for further ranges will be updated as needed as you march down and get validated dope.

Shoot at 300, see where you are, modify come up as needed to get on the water line, and enter that as your validated dope.

Then to 400...wash/rinse/repeat.

Tagging Marc Taylor ( @Enough Said ) to correct any inaccuracies of mine as Marc is the person who developed this process.

Its super easy and then you can true up your standard type BC using this real world dope.

Cheers