Length/weight optimization for PRS style rifle?

[Wannashootit]

Last trip to the range, there were still some barricades up from a recent PRS match so I figured, what the hell...

I've mostly shot off a bench, and prone on occasion. Granted, I didn't have special bags to help stabilize the rifle- but damn, I felt like a fish out of water. For a guy that's used to hitting what I aim at- this was challenging to say the least. Couldn't hit shit... the barricades themselves aren't rigid, so for me this seemed more difficult than offhand with a tactical style rifle.

So now I'm thinking what the hell. Never shot competition, but I know the rifles I can build shoot better than I can and it's time to change that.
Personally, I like the PRS format over other types of competitive shooting I've looked into so that's the route I plan to take.

Trying to figure out the optimal setup in terms of weight (and it's distribution). Is typical "midpoint" balance best, or shifted either front or rear for shooting off barricades where the butt of the rifle is shouldered?

Naturally, shorter sticks will be faster handling. Is the time allowed for the stages tight enough that this would be beneficial? I've been thinking about a shorty (18"-20", maybe suppressed) but with that comes some velocity loss which doesn't help with the longer shots. Seems it's about finding the balance between low recoil, high BC pills, and enough barrel length to get the performance needed when the wind's blowing.

Trying now to look at this from 2,000 yards- so to speak; in terms of determining whether I want to build with a stock vs chassis, length/contour of barrel, etc- rather than say "I've got "XYZ's" chassis and now I'll go from there."

For those of you that do this type of shooting, as to your go-to rifle:
What do you like about it that optimizes it for this discipline?
What would you change/do differently on the next one?

 

[Mechdesigner]

Most of your top level competitors are running 20 lbs rifles with 26” barrels that balance right in front if the magwell. They are not running suppressed but running braked instead for better recoil mitigation. Name of the game is spotting shots and make quick follow up corrections to keep on the plate so heavy rifles aide in that on barricades. Loght recoiling flat 6mm cartridges are all the rage for PRS.

 

[Wannashootit]

Most of your top level competitors are running 20 lbs rifles with 26” barrels that balance right in front if the magwell. They are not running suppressed but running braked instead for better recoil mitigation. Name of the game is spotting shots and make quick follow up corrections to keep on the plate so heavy rifles aide in that on barricades. Loght recoiling flat 6mm cartridges are all the rage for PRS.

This is why I'm debating the chambering. I shoot primarily LR and ELR- I know the value of a good brake in spotting myself, but I also know that I can't spot 6 or 6.5's near as consistently as 7's and .30's (not to mention the 300 grain .338's). I get the light recoil (one of my favorite 700-1000 yard rifles is a 7-08) being desirable- but spotting hits/misses would seem to be most important.

Where we shoot, some of the steel isn't backed by a berm- so if you miss, you have no fucking idea where it ended up. Are the PRS targets always backed by a berm?

 

[Covertnoob5]

This is why I'm debating the chambering. I shoot primarily LR and ELR- I know the value of a good brake in spotting myself, but I also know that I can't spot 6 or 6.5's near as consistently as 7's and .30's (not to mention the 300 grain .338's). I get the light recoil (one of my favorite 700-1000 yard rifles is a 7-08) being desirable- but spotting hits/misses would seem to be most important.

Where we shoot, some of the steel isn't backed by a berm- so if you miss, you have no fucking idea where it ended up. Are the PRS targets always backed by a berm?

No they aren’t always backed by a berm. Sometimes the targets are skylined. In those instances you’ve got the be able to watch your trace the whole way. A 7mm or larger is not gonna allow you to do that.
there’s a reason everyone shoots a 6.5 or 6 something. Bigger calibers are a huge disadvantage.
a lot of new guys come to matches with huge for format calibers thinking it’ll be easier to see splash with a 7mm but honestly if you can’t see splash with a 6mm you won’t see it with 7mm off a barricade either.

 

[665.0coupe]

Like has already been said, overall heavy weight (26# is not uncommon in my area), long barrel 26-28" MTU or 1.25 straight taper, and 6mm are the norm right now. The balance point is right in front of the mag well.

As for barrel length for handling, short is better but 90% of stages are out in the open moving between tires and rocks and barricades. 10% are in and out of holes in a conex box wall, or in and out of a vehicle. Most of the club level matches in my area are 2 minute time limits. The 2 day matches and the harder 1 day matches are 90 seconds. The match director is always going to try and make the stage difficult but I think the weight of a 26-28" is more beneficial than the handling of a 18-20". As for velocity of a short vs long, the trend in my area is to use a Dahser/BRA/BR/GT to get a 105-110 bullet in the low 2800fps range. The thoght being that lower velocity recoils less, and has a longer flight time giving you more time to see trace or spot the shot. Having said that, the guy that won two weeks ago was shooting a .243 pushing 105 hybrids at 3050, last weekend he was lower top 10.

My advice would be to learn to get stable in every position. Rifle weight, barrel length, caliber, velocity, BC ..... none of it matters if the rifle isn't stable when you break the shot.

 

[LV Precision]

Rifle balances best about 3 inches in front of the magwell. This allows the rifle to rest on a support bag and be balanced with no input in the rifle. If it's directly in front of the magwell it tends to be rear-heavy once it's sitting on a bag.

Stock vs. chassis is all personal preference that suits your particular shooting style. A chassis is more adjustable, especially with grip distance to trigger. Plenty of people also run their hands off the grip of the rifle, and distance to trigger doesn't make a difference, so a stock works for them. Aluminum vs. carbon fiber vs. micarta also gives a different recoil impulse, which is also personal preference.

Bottom line is that there's no perfect stock/chassis, just have to pick one that works for you. I would recommend an action that accepts pre-fit barrels so you can shoot with practically zero downtime after burning out a barrel.

 

[Wannashootit]

Appreciate all the input...exactly the info I'm looking for.

A chassis is more adjustable, especially with grip distance to trigger. Plenty of people also run their hands off the grip of the rifle, and distance to trigger doesn't make a difference, so a stock works for them. Aluminum vs. carbon fiber vs. micarta also gives a different recoil impulse, which is also personal preference.

I own and shoot both, and don't favor one over the other. I've got a couple of heavier laminate stocked rifles that balance a few inches ahead of the mag, but that COG moves further to the rear in the chassis rifles. I had initially planned to use a chassis, but think I'll order up a laminate with a wide/flat sloping forend that looks like it would be a good fit for this type of shooting. I've got some Graco cheek and buttplate hardware lying in a drawer I can put to use. I can always punt to the AICS if I don't end up liking the wood.