First time out with new TacOps X-Ray 51

[BillyNg]

I just got this thing last week and couldn't get to the range due to work and family commitments until today. Didn't prepare well and was in too much of a rush. Didn't bring my tool kit out with me so I couldn't set the zero on my turrets. Was 5 minutes from the range (which is over an hour away from me) before I remembered that I was supposed to try to find some ammo along the way. Anyway, I had a few rounds of .308 with me and I did find a gardening/landscaping shop that had three boxes of FGMM 175 SMKs they could sell me.

First the porn:

Now the real porn:

Temp was around 70 degrees with varying wind direction, 5-7mph with gusts of over 10. All shots done prone, on an Atlas, with a rear-bag I made. It took three shots to zero the rifle, after which I cleaned it, then shot the following 5 shot group as part of break-in. I was trying to put together a decent group, but I rushed through this a bit as I really just wanted to foul/clean the barrel. This was a 1 year old lot of FGMM 175gr SMK that came in a different box than what I bought today. The BC differs from the stuff I bought according to the back of the boxes, but velocities are the same.

5 shots
FGMM 175gr SMK
100 yards
0.408"
0.392 MOA

Finished cleaning, and had three rounds of hand-loaded 185 juggernauts that were the same charge and seating depth from a test-series lot I received last year

3 shots
McCourt Munitions 185 Juggernaut
100 yards
0.228"
0.219 MOA

Next up I pulled out one of the new boxes of FGMM 175gr SMKs I picked up on the way to the range.

3 shots
FGMM 175gr SMK
100 yards
0.149"
0.143 MOA

That was good. I mangled the next group bad with a flyer, bad as in ~0.4 MOA bad. Then I put down this one. Note that the shot above this group, and the shot below this group were two out of the three shots taken to zero the rifle.

3 shots
FGMM 175gr SMK
100 yards
0.120"
0.115 MOA

Lastly, I went on over to the 300 yard line. Took a few rounds to get the come-up, but then took my time and put down this one:

3 shots
FGMM 175gr SMK
300 yards
0.513"
0.164 MOA

Obviously, I'm quite happy (f'n ecstatic is a better term) with the performance here. And I suck. I mean, I had another bolt-action for about a year between 2019 and 2020 and put a few hundred rounds down range, but other than that year, I haven't touched anything larger than a 5.56 or anything at all with a manual bolt since 2001. I read wind like I read French. Hint, I can't read French at all.

Let me know if anyone has any questions. This thing is a hell of a piece of mechanical engineering.

@MikeRTacOps, @FCS

 

[JakeM]

I’m glad it worked out great man.

 

[Gregor.Samsa]

Nice shooting and Beautiful Rifle!!!

 

[BuLLet]

Must feel great getting a rifle to shoot like it suppose to. I'm glad this all worked out for you. Mike is a great guy and I'm also glad you had him build you a rifle. Come out to Long Island one day and you can sample a few of mine as well...

 

[BillyNg]

Must feel great getting a rifle to shoot like it suppose to. I'm glad this all worked out for you. Mike is a great guy and I'm also glad you had him build you a rifle. Come out to Long Island one day and you can sample a few of mine as well...

I'm in. I still have 2 of those three boxes of 175SMK FGMM and will try to find some other match loads locally to see what works best. Will DM you to pick a date.

 

[deltawiskey]

Nice shooting, and a great looking rifle!
I sent Mike a check for one, couldn't resist any longer.. in about 6 months I will post my range report ; )
DW

 

[tacops1]

Congrats on the rifle! Everything a tacops should be, Mike is a class act. Now that you have the best rifle made the only thing to do is relax & shoot it /enjoy it or save to buy another tacops

 

[kthomas]

Nice rifle and nice shooting!

Mike makes some amazing rifles, his attention to detail is unparalleled. I've had a lot of rifle in my hands, but nothing like my TacOps.

Enjoy!

 

[M77]

Bloody awesome , they are special

 

[pmclaine]

Wait, your gardening stores sell FGMM 175?

That's the real story here.

TacOps shoots great is common knowledge, Old Hat.

 

[pmclaine]

Nice shooting, and a great looking rifle!
I sent Mike a check for one, couldn't resist any longer.. in about 6 months I will post my range report ; )
DW

Dude, why did you do this to me?

You know I try to keep up with you.......WWDWD? is my guiding principle.

 

[deltawiskey]

Dude, why did you do this to me?

You know I try to keep up with you.......WWDWD? is my guiding principle.

I'm getting even for the Model 70 project you "made" me do
DW

 

[Stevo86]

Dude, why did you do this to me?

You know I try to keep up with you.......WWDWD? is my guiding principle.

My Delta 51 is almost finished…. Go ahead and give him a call…

 

[BillyNg]

Wait, your gardening stores sell FGMM 175?

That's the real story here.

TacOps shoots great is common knowledge, Old Hat.

I was waiting for someone to pick up on that. That was definitely an oddity. I'm 10 mins from the range and pull over to Google for "Gun shop". A place shows up on the road I'm on that I was going to pass. I thought that was strange since I've never noticed a gun shop on the way to the range.

I pull into the parking lot and it's a landscaping company. No signs whatsoever of the gun shop or store or anything at all. There's a parked pickup though with a Punisher sticker on the back window, so I think we may be on to something. I walk into the little shop they've got, first thing I see is shovels and gloves and all kinds of gardening crap, but then I catch it ... PMAGs behind the counter.

I asked the guy if he had any .308 expecting that he might not know what I was talking about, instead he opened a dinky little cupboard. I took that as a 'yes' and asked if he had any FGMM. He pulled out one box of 175gr SMKs and uttered his first ever words to me, "How many?" He was a man that chose his words very carefully.

 

[pmclaine]

I was waiting for someone to pick up on that. That was definitely an oddity. I'm 10 mins from the range and pull over to Google for "Gun shop". A place shows up on the road I'm on that I was going to pass. I thought that was strange since I've never noticed a gun shop on the way to the range.

I pull into the parking lot and it's a landscaping company. No signs whatsoever of the gun shop or store or anything at all. There's a parked pickup though with a Punisher sticker on the back window, so I think we may be on to something. I walk into the little shop they've got, first thing I see is shovels and gloves and all kinds of gardening crap, but then I catch it ... PMAGs behind the counter.

I asked the guy if he had any .308 expecting that he might not know what I was talking about, instead he opened a dinky little cupboard. I took that as a 'yes' and asked if he had any FGMM. He pulled out one box of 175gr SMKs and uttered his first ever words to me, "How many?" He was a man that chose he words very carefully.

Guy have an Italian accent? They ask if you want cement shoes with that? Perhaps the means and the disposal method in one store?

 

[JMGlasgow]

Was it this guy?

 

[BillyNg]

Was it this guy?

Oh, so you've been to gardening shop too. Yeah, he was great wasn't he?

 

[Nate87]

Great shooting! Nice to see it like 175's as well. You typically see him recommend 168's.

 

[The D]

Wait, your gardening stores sell FGMM 175?

That's the real story here.

TacOps shoots great is common knowledge, Old Hat.

When I was buying my R700 the “gun store” we did the background check at was in the back of a Napa auto parts store. The guy I bought it from used my cash to buy a Sig pistol of some flavor

 

[pmclaine]

When I was buying my R700 the “gun store” we did the background check at was in the back of a Napa auto parts store. The guy I bought it from used my cash to buy a Sig pistol of some flavor

My "Honey Hole" gun store in front is a package shipping facility.

Little old ladies can go n and mail teapots.

When you go out back it is like this....

 

[The D]

My "Honey Hole" gun store in front is a package shipping facility.

Little old ladies can go n and mail teapots.

When you go out back it is like this....

Lol, awesome

 

[308Gunner]

There used to be a pharmacy in Sweetwater Tx that had guns in barrels, I bought a Winchester 101 pigeon gun that I made a shit load of money with. He had 10 or so Sharps and lots of cool old guns.

 

[MikeRTacOps]

I just got this thing last week and couldn't get to the range due to work and family commitments until today. Didn't prepare well and was in too much of a rush. Didn't bring my tool kit out with me so I couldn't set the zero on my turrets. Was 5 minutes from the range (which is over an hour away from me) before I remembered that I was supposed to try to find some ammo along the way. Anyway, I had a few rounds of .308 with me and I did find a gardening/landscaping shop that had three boxes of FGMM 175 SMKs they could sell me.

First the porn:

View attachment 7677990

View attachment 7677991


Now the real porn:

Temp was around 70 degrees with varying wind direction, 5-7mph with gusts of over 10. All shots done prone, on an Atlas, with a rear-bag I made. It took three shots to zero the rifle, after which I cleaned it, then shot the following 5 shot group as part of break-in. I was trying to put together a decent group, but I rushed through this a bit as I really just wanted to foul/clean the barrel. This was a 1 year old lot of FGMM 175gr SMK that came in a different box than what I bought today. The BC differs from the stuff I bought according to the back of the boxes, but velocities are the same.

5 shots
FGMM 175gr SMK
100 yards
0.408"
0.392 MOA
View attachment 7678000

Finished cleaning, and had three rounds of hand-loaded 185 juggernauts that were the same charge and seating depth from a test-series lot I received last year

3 shots
McCourt Munitions 185 Juggernaut
100 yards
0.228"
0.219 MOA
View attachment 7678030

Next up I pulled out one of the new boxes of FGMM 175gr SMKs I picked up on the way to the range.

3 shots
FGMM 175gr SMK
100 yards
0.149"
0.143 MOA

View attachment 7678010

That was good. I mangled the next group bad with a flyer, bad as in ~0.4 MOA bad. Then I put down this one. Note that the shot above this group, and the shot below this group were two out of the three shots taken to zero the rifle.

3 shots
FGMM 175gr SMK
100 yards
0.120"
0.115 MOA

View attachment 7678025


Lastly, I went on over to the 300 yard line. Took a few rounds to get the come-up, but then took my time and put down this one:

3 shots
FGMM 175gr SMK
300 yards
0.513"
0.164 MOA

View attachment 7678029


Obviously, I'm quite happy (f'n ecstatic is a better term) with the performance here. And I suck. I mean, I had another bolt-action for about a year between 2019 and 2020 and put a few hundred rounds down range, but other than that year, I haven't touched anything larger than a 5.56 or anything at all with a manual bolt since 2001. I read wind like I read French. Hint, I can't read French at all.

Let me know if anyone has any questions. This thing is a hell of a piece of mechanical engineering.

@MikeRTacOps, @FCS

Thank you for the kind words and I am pleased you are over the moon Happy
Let me know when you get the green light from the wife to get another one lol ... jking

I'm here if you need anything...

Mike R.

 

[BillyNg]

Thank you for the kind words and I am pleased you are over the moon Happy
Let me know when you get the green light from the wife to get another one lol ... jking

I'm here if you need anything...

Mike R.

Shit Mike. How'd you know I was already working that angle?

 

[MikeRTacOps]

Shit Mike. How'd you know I was already working that angle?

Other previous customers have told me they’ve bought beautiful Roses for their wives and had taken them to an amazing dinner. When they returned home gave them an unbelievable tongue massage for about 3 hours then asked for a 2nd or 3rd Tac Ops. Try that its possible it could work in your favor lol

I’m sure a few guys in the Tac Ops thread did just that and they know who they are lmao

Mike R.

 

[6brshooter]

Other previous customers have told me they’ve bought beautiful Roses for their wives and had taken them to an amazing dinner. When they returned home gave them an unbelievable tongue massage for about 3 hours then asked for a 2nd or 3rd Tac Ops. Try that its possible it could work in your favor lol

I’m sure a few guys in the Tac Ops thread did just that and they know who they are lmao

Mike R.

Damn, must be my technique, wife only greenlighted a savage.......axis with a bsa scope, lol

 

[BuLLet]

Ut oh, this might preclude me from getting another!

Other previous customers have told me they’ve bought beautiful Roses for their wives and had taken them to an amazing dinner. When they returned home gave them an unbelievable tongue massage for about 3 hours then asked for a 2nd or 3rd Tac Ops. Try that its possible it could work in your favor lol

I’m sure a few guys in the Tac Ops thread did just that and they know who they are lmao

Mike R.

 

[Rocketmandb]

When I was buying my R700 the “gun store” we did the background check at was in the back of a Napa auto parts store.

Not too unusual to see something like this. A friend of mine is a dealer and uses the back of his uncle's furniture store as his place of business. All firearms are sent to his house, but, for obvious reasons, he doesn't want to do transfers there.

 

[pmclaine]

Other previous customers have told me they’ve bought beautiful Roses for their wives and had taken them to an amazing dinner. When they returned home gave them an unbelievable tongue massage for about 3 hours then asked for a 2nd or 3rd Tac Ops. Try that its possible it could work in your favor lol

I’m sure a few guys in the Tac Ops thread did just that and they know who they are lmao

Mike R.

WTF?

When she wants to buy new shoes she just buys shoes.............where is my tongue massage?

 

[BillyNg]

This has quickly turned into the best thread on the hide in a while.

 

[BillyNg]

So, the thread title is a little misleading at this point since this post is about the third time out with the new TacOps X-Ray 51.

We had some delays. First, I have a different scope I want to mount on this thing. She's running a Leupold Mark5-HD 5-25 right now with their traditional mil-dot reticle in a Spuhr mount. I want to mount my Leupold Mark5-HD 7-35 with the Horus reticle on it, into a set of TacOps/Leupold Birdsong-dipped rings. Also, I really wanted to finalize on a specific catridge/load so I could bulk up and start to put some DOPE down in the book.

Couple of things happened. I went on vacation for two weeks, the rings took a while to get dipped in the bird bath, and I still can't really find ammo. Rings arrived finally this past Thursday, and I happened to schedule some time to bring two of my high-performing employees out for a range day.

Lots of fun. Shot clays, couple hundred rounds of pistol, some sporting rifle out to 100 yards - good stuff. Finally brought them over to the 300 yard line and brought out the X-Ray. One of the boys, Nova, is an ex-submarine weapons officer with the Navy. He has some interesting military weapons experience, torpedos are very interesting. Jorge, the other one, has only ever shot firearms once before, a few years ago, on a previous range day with me.

They each had about 12 rounds to get acclimated with the rifle, to teach them about parallax, keeping the rifle level, proper body position, and how to effectively use the rear bag. Each shooter was given time to set up the ocular focus to their eye as well as adjust the cheek piece to get comfortable. We then each got 3 rounds to put together the best group we could. I whipped out a fresh box of 168gr FGMM, loaded 3 each into 3 different mags, and handed them out.

Jorge had a flyer, which is a shame because his first two shots were on point. With the flyer, he put up a 2.036" group which works out to 0.705 MOA at 300 yards. Considering this was his 13th, 14th, and 15th rounds EVER prone or through a real rifle, not too bad considering.

Nova put a nice little string together. 0.971" which is .311 MOA.

And the boss, that's me, threw down the one in the upper left. 0.465", 300 yards, 0.149 MOA. Best part was that Nova was looking through a Vortex spotting scope and insisted that I missed shot #2 (I just smirked, I knew where it went). It wasn't until I put shot number three into the target that his eyes went large, he looked over and asked, "Are all three touching?" My smirk got real big.

Damn I love this rifle.