I'll definitely look into weights for it, it only weighs around 13lbs as it sits and that does seem light for it's intended purpose.
I'm definitely interested in learning more about setting up the rifle properly. Being entirely honest, I'm in the military and very used to conforming myself to my weapon vs really adjusting it to me. Even though I'm sent out to whoever needs my support as an EOD tech, the Air Force still won't let me put anything not approved by big AF on my rifle, and that list is very short. I've done quite a few shooting schools and the instructors generally shake their heads and say "I can't believe they're sending you to war with this" lol.
When I got the chassis I put every lop spacer on it, because it felt most comfortable, then adjusted the scope eye relief at 25x, then diopter and went to the range and really haven't adjusted much since. Do you have any resources you'd recommend a guy read to learn adjustments of chassis? The internet is full of such conflicting information, a recommendation is always appreciated!
I've definitely been considering loading my own ammo, but the mix of cost to get started, unavailability of components, learning a new hobby, all while hunting multiple western states (which is my biggest passion), getting into shooting matches, all while working full time and raising 3 kids all just seemed overwhelming. I think if I can find a local mentor who can flatten that learning curve a little it would help push me that way.
Thanks a ton for the response!
13lbs is hunting rig territory more so than PRS territory, most guys are running a gun that weighs ~22lbs or more and most try to set up their rig so its balance point is like ~3-4" in front of the magwell.
The weight-thing isn't so much about lessening recoil per se, it's just all about making it easier to self spot one's shots, and having enough weight in the gun to where you can even spot reliably when you're not really "in the gun", like when you have to let it "free recoil" with very little to almost no body input off sketchy barricades and such.
It can sometimes hurt to drop cash on the stupid weights because it seems like they shouldn't cost what they do for just being hunks of steel... but I think you'll find it's one of those things where it becomes worth every penny once you find out what it can do for you performance-wise.
As far as gun fitment, there's lots of info all over the Hide and on YouTube, you just have to take a dive and read/watch a bunch of stuff... the main thing is that generally these days most guys have gone to a shorter length of pull than in the past, and are using higher rings/mounts when in the past it was all about getting the scope's objective bell to nearly kissing the barrel. The general idea is to get yourself more "squared up" behind the gun to make odd positions and shooting off of obstacles easier and to keep one's head up a little more, just a less leaned over and stretched out position. In the past rings/mounts with a 1.1"-1.26" height were considered "high" whereas these days I think most would call that height range "normal".
Loading your own ammo is just a way to simultaneously stretch your budget to shoot more rounds while also getting to shoot better stuff. It's certainly its own animal, but IMHO it's well worth the effort. You don't really need a mentor any more, because again, between the Hide and Youtube, all the info you'd ever need is out there. If the only thing you get good at is just landing on a system that you can follow the same way every time you load a batch and are putting the same amount of powder in every case, then your ammo will be better than what you're used to with factory stuff just by doing that, and it'll cost half (or let you shoot twice as much, which is what most of us end up getting out of it).
The math is easy even using today's inflated prices, hypothetically, for 1000 rounds you'd need:
(1) 8lb jug of powder ~$250
(let's say StaBall 6.5 because it's the easiest to find these days and is easy to use because you won't need a fancy scale to get accurate drops - 8lbs would be enough for ~1300rds at ~42grains per round)
(1) case of primers (1000) ~$75
(2) 500ct boxes of bullets ~$400 at ~ $0.40 per bullet (some are cheaper, some are more)
(?/~$100) Brass can be free if you've saved your 6.5CM brass, or ~$1 per case for Lapua if you're buying it. You should easily be able to get 10 firings from 100cases of Lapua, so let's say ~$100 on brass.
Add in $175 for Hazmat & shipping fees (because shit sucks these days) and that gets you:
$1000 for 1000 rounds
You can get a decent single-stage for ~$100, a decent powder measure/dropper/scale for ~$250, priming tool for ~$80, a wet tumbler with pins and media separator for ~$200, dies for ~$100, and calipers and odds and ends for another ~$100. So a decent reloading set-up that'll get the job done will run
another ~$600-700.
Buying factory stuff (if you can even find it, and a vendor who'll sell you more than a few boxes at a time) you're looking at ~$2 per round, so ~$2000 for 1000 rounds (if you're lucky).
Of course, your time isn't free... but in the end, IMHO it's worth it if this is going to be something you plan on doing for a while...
Tl;DR version: $5K should buy you new glass, all the weights KRG offers, a new barrel, and all the shit to load for it and shoot it out and then some.
