Here’s my list (and yeah, I bought too much stuff this year):
1.) RRS Anvil. As
@Diver160651 says, there are few problems you can solve by just spending money. Now, tripod shooting is one of them.
2.) User-installable barrels. The Criterion Howa system came out this year. Mine is pretty close to my Gucci TL3/Proof/XLR rifle, but weighs a lot more.
3.) The sub-$1000 custom actions (caveat: this is the one thing on the list I don’t have, but I would have gotten an Origin instead of a TL3 if they’d been out).
4.) The Nikon 4K is shockingly good for the price.
5.) The Terrapin-X is shockingly good with a Kestrel. Period.
6.) The Foretrex 701 with a Nikon 4K is a lot less expensive than a Kestrel Elite and a Terrapin-X. Even adding a less-expensive Kestrel comes in at a lower price. If you’re not on a tight clock, that’s a great setup.
7.) Peterson Brass. It’s close to Lapua, less expensive, made in America, and comes in that neato box.
8.) Saracen bag: a game-changer that works on tank traps.
9.) Abel Table: get all that shit in one place!
It seems like a lot of people here are loving the $1500 scopes (Athlon, Burris, PA Platinum?). I’ve mostly skipped that tier, but I will say that the Viper Gen II at $1000 sits quite nicely amongst my AMGs and Razor Gen II. I don’t feel hindered with it compared to those (but they’re definitely better).
I agree that Josh and the Warners deserve some recognition. The 160s turn a 308 into a 6.5, the 198s turn a 300 NM into a 338 LM, and the 121s take a 6.5 to a mile. Maybe the justification could be that people started using solids more this year?
