Well, my Tactical Operations Kilo-51 arrived a couple of weeks ago and I finally got a chance to get it to the range. Conditions were rough for shooting, but I was at the range already to try and get the suppressor transfer going, so I figured I would put a few downrange anyway.
I was really pleased at how well it shot given the conditions at the range, my capabilites, and the fact that I am using factory ammunition at least a decade old that I got on discount from the CMP. I was able to shoot this 5X5 that averaged just under half MOA... I knew things were going to be good when during sight in, I shot a 3-shot group right in the same hole... to the point that I was scanning the target looking through my scope for the second hole. When I shot the third shot, I knew where it was.
I have also shot a couple of 5-shot groups in the .2's (one of them is on the 5X5). I am not posting any of these out of respect for the 5-shot rule, which I whole-heartedly support. No doubt, this rifle will shoot half MOA 5-shot groups "all day long." I am still working on producing a quarter MOA 5X5 with factory ammo. I know Mike Miller has shot a sub-1/4 MOA 5X5 with his Tac Ops rifle using factory ammo, so with a little improvement in my shooting skills and ideal conditions, I think it should be possible. Not to be a wuss about the wind or anything, but if you are trying to shoot .25 MOA groups, it becomes a factor.
Here are the specs on the rifle:
- Remington 700 action trued to Tac Ops specs
- Tac Ops proprietary ground recoil lug
- 22" 1:10" twist Krieger barrel, MTU contour
- Chamber reamed with a proprietary Tac Ops reamer designed to shoot FGMM accurately (and it does!)
- Remington factory trigger tuned to what feels like 2.5 pounds or so. It breaks likes glass.
- 2-piece base. I wasn't a fan of this at first, but talked to Mike Rescigno about it and I have to admit, it has grown on me... and given the accuracy of the rifle, I am not likely to change it out.
- McMillan A3-5 stock. Mike R said that they test the bed job for zero movement to ensure max repeatability. It works for me.
- Rifle finished with Birdsong proprietary Black-T and Green-T finish. This finish is highly durable and corrosion resistant while being very thin (much thinner than, say, DuraCoat or Cerakote). It is also self-lubricating.
I know people are going to want pics of the rifle, but I suck at pics. I prefer pics of targets to pics of rifles, anyway. But I must admit, the build quality on Mike's guns are phenomenal.
I will probably do a more detailed write-up in the future for those who don't know about Tac Ops. For those that do, here are a few things that surprised me about the rifle:
- Tight vs. Loose: A lot of people have talked about the tight tolerances of the Tac Ops impeding function. I actually found the bolt to be pretty loose, but then clamp down tighly as I locked the lugs up. I was using old FGMM, which ranged in condition from discolored to downright corroded, and the gun had no issues chambering the ammo. I haven't tried to stuff rocks and mud in the chamber to see if it will still work, but based on my very limited experience (which, given, has been on a square 1-way range), function hasn't really been an issue.
- Birdsong Finish: It is a lot darker in person than pictures may show. All pictures I have seen show a mustard appearance. The green is a true olive drab and very very flat. The black texturing was not fully flat... it seemed to have a semi-gloss to it. I think this varies from batch to batch.
- Weight: The rifle was incredible well-balanced. With a Premier 5-25X56mm scope on top and Harris bipod, it weighs around 15.5 pounds. The A3-5 stock is a little less chunkier up front (compared to the A-5), putting the weight towards the butt, which makes it very wieldy.
I will be looking forward to reporting more results as I get more time behind this rifle. For the sake of economy, I am going to be switching to handloads pretty soon, but I would like to show what this gun can do at 300, 600, and 1,000 yards with factory match ammo just for comparisons sake.
I was really pleased at how well it shot given the conditions at the range, my capabilites, and the fact that I am using factory ammunition at least a decade old that I got on discount from the CMP. I was able to shoot this 5X5 that averaged just under half MOA... I knew things were going to be good when during sight in, I shot a 3-shot group right in the same hole... to the point that I was scanning the target looking through my scope for the second hole. When I shot the third shot, I knew where it was.
I have also shot a couple of 5-shot groups in the .2's (one of them is on the 5X5). I am not posting any of these out of respect for the 5-shot rule, which I whole-heartedly support. No doubt, this rifle will shoot half MOA 5-shot groups "all day long." I am still working on producing a quarter MOA 5X5 with factory ammo. I know Mike Miller has shot a sub-1/4 MOA 5X5 with his Tac Ops rifle using factory ammo, so with a little improvement in my shooting skills and ideal conditions, I think it should be possible. Not to be a wuss about the wind or anything, but if you are trying to shoot .25 MOA groups, it becomes a factor.
Here are the specs on the rifle:
- Remington 700 action trued to Tac Ops specs
- Tac Ops proprietary ground recoil lug
- 22" 1:10" twist Krieger barrel, MTU contour
- Chamber reamed with a proprietary Tac Ops reamer designed to shoot FGMM accurately (and it does!)
- Remington factory trigger tuned to what feels like 2.5 pounds or so. It breaks likes glass.
- 2-piece base. I wasn't a fan of this at first, but talked to Mike Rescigno about it and I have to admit, it has grown on me... and given the accuracy of the rifle, I am not likely to change it out.
- McMillan A3-5 stock. Mike R said that they test the bed job for zero movement to ensure max repeatability. It works for me.
- Rifle finished with Birdsong proprietary Black-T and Green-T finish. This finish is highly durable and corrosion resistant while being very thin (much thinner than, say, DuraCoat or Cerakote). It is also self-lubricating.
I know people are going to want pics of the rifle, but I suck at pics. I prefer pics of targets to pics of rifles, anyway. But I must admit, the build quality on Mike's guns are phenomenal.
I will probably do a more detailed write-up in the future for those who don't know about Tac Ops. For those that do, here are a few things that surprised me about the rifle:
- Tight vs. Loose: A lot of people have talked about the tight tolerances of the Tac Ops impeding function. I actually found the bolt to be pretty loose, but then clamp down tighly as I locked the lugs up. I was using old FGMM, which ranged in condition from discolored to downright corroded, and the gun had no issues chambering the ammo. I haven't tried to stuff rocks and mud in the chamber to see if it will still work, but based on my very limited experience (which, given, has been on a square 1-way range), function hasn't really been an issue.
- Birdsong Finish: It is a lot darker in person than pictures may show. All pictures I have seen show a mustard appearance. The green is a true olive drab and very very flat. The black texturing was not fully flat... it seemed to have a semi-gloss to it. I think this varies from batch to batch.
- Weight: The rifle was incredible well-balanced. With a Premier 5-25X56mm scope on top and Harris bipod, it weighs around 15.5 pounds. The A3-5 stock is a little less chunkier up front (compared to the A-5), putting the weight towards the butt, which makes it very wieldy.
I will be looking forward to reporting more results as I get more time behind this rifle. For the sake of economy, I am going to be switching to handloads pretty soon, but I would like to show what this gun can do at 300, 600, and 1,000 yards with factory match ammo just for comparisons sake.
