#1- Decide if you are out to compete, or learn to hunt beter with your hunting rifle. This choice can change your gear selection.
I find more fun in the production class. The allowed rifles that are less than 12 lbs (fully fitted out) are few and driving them well can be a challenge. But if you want Shear performance shoot open. I've use a factory Ruger American in thier crappy green plastic stock (Paid $300 for the used rifle) and had a lot of fun. Avoid the half and half builds. (Factory Tikka in a krg stock) These push you to the open devision while still shooting a factory action and barrel. Other fellas will have to chime in on build parts as I have not gone down that road.
Choose your caliber. 6.5 creedmoor will handle 80% of North American game and makes sense to me. It's the low end of the energy and recoil spectrum but very capable at distance. We know this is a game of "spot your miss". The catch is you have to make the minumum 380,000 power factor.(bullet weight x velocity) 140 at 2725fps, 147 at 2585, or 153 at 2485 are popular bullet weights and minimum velocities. Or shoot factory 6.5 ammunition as it is always accepted regardless of velocity.
A better way to choose a cartridge is evaluating the wind capabilities since you'll need to make wind calls on the fly. 6.5 prc will have less deflection than the creed but more recoil. The only way I would drive something other than creedmoor is in an open heavy. If its a true hunting rifle you'll need to know if you want 16lbs of gun to tote around.
Less then 12 lbs = 6.5 creedmoor
Less then 16 lbs = 6.5 prc
Scopes - because 97.4% of targets are 800 yds or less 15x mag is more then enough to get the job done. A good reticle with 0.2 or 0.25 mil subtensions. The scope weight can be a big deal if choosing to run factory class because of the 12lb limit.
Vortex HD LHT line is popular for low weight.
Bushnell elite tactical is also popular.
Range finding binos are a must have. These will be the #1 item to elevate your shooting capabilities. Finding a target with binoculars and being able to range it right away is huge. Switching between binos, rangefinder, binos, rangefinder is difficult and time consuming. Binos at 10x, range finder at 4x and rifle at 14x means you'll need to "find" each target 3 times. Ya don't nessicarily need a balisitic program in the binos but it can be nice. I find the programs take to long to display the information for me so I run a different system or an arm bar.
A Quality tripod to shoot from is a big help. I prefer to run some sort of tac table with a bag on it to save time rather than clamping Into the tripod. Any of the current carbon fiber tripods on the market will work this way. (RRS, vortex, leofroto, athlon, fax boy, 2 vets) I use a pint size game changer (1/2 sand 1/2 gitlite) as a rear bag and the tripod bag. It's just enough stability and lite enough I would actually use it to hunt with.
Good arm bar for data with marker or grease pen.
Your shooting/stage process, binos, tripod, and wind calling will get you more impacts than what rifle or caliber you are running.
Rifle-scope-bipod
Ammunition
Rear and barricade bag
Range finding binos
Tripod with tac table
Arm bar with data (pen)
Go shoot a match. This is all ya need.
I find my backpack feels mostly empty compared to a prs match and that is what makes these so fun.
