Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
As is typical this time of year, many shooters think about their new spring toy. I have been fielding many request and a common theme occurs.
Shooters always want to know what is the 'BEST' chamber, or set up, or action, or etc.
Or they have a grocery list of the latest and greatest whatever that they saw on some show or read in some article and want to know if that is the best for them.
BUT rarely do they ever start with what their goals and applications are.
Start by asking yourself - Which is better, a spoon or a fork?
If that hurts the brain a bit too much, the answer is - it depends on what you want to eat!
So, to help the next newbie along, here are some things to consider that can help you make better decisions for the best rifle for YOUR NEEDS.
1 - What do you want to use this rifle for? Competition? Hunting? LR/SR? Mag fed/Single shot? Size/Weight? The more defined you can be about this the easier it is to answer what parts to use. List as much about what you want from the rifle. The parts will typically sort themselves out quickly/easily
The more specific the end goal, the more specialised your parts lists can be. A one size fits all usually leads to a compromise of everything and nothing special for anything
2 - What is your budget? Be realistic. I have built alot of great performers with little money but I have been willing to accept certain compromises. If you have a set of goals that must occur, spell them out and budget accordingly.
Spend money on performance not fancy feel good bling unless of course that is what you want. $15,000 paint jobs never made a car go faster. Unless looking good is the whole point for you (nothing wrong with that either - just be honest SEE #1)
3 - Don't get caught up in the latest and greatest. Sure, alot of this stuff is neat and can be wonderful BUT until you define what this rifle means to you (see #1), how do you know if the new shiney bits apply? Be weary of those that offer the lastest and greatest before they even know what you want or more importantly NEED. Snake oil takes on many forms....
4 - Do you need all that bling? Magazines and the net are filled with great rifle builds. Many with the latest and greatest gizmo. Their job is to excite and sell product BUT does any of this stuff really do anything more then the old tried and true? How much of this stuff will actually improve your shooting experience? Simplify is a motto for some very smart people. See #1
5 - Can you shoot it? That includes actually pulling the trigger and enjoying the result. Is the cost and/or recoil something that you can afford to deal with. I have met a number of shooters with superb rifles that simply sit in a closet too expensive or too painful to use.
The world is filled with exotic sports cars costing small fortunes with less then 1000 real world miles on them. Maybe LESS could have lead to MORE.
Just a gloss over of the planning process. Have fun with it. The net is filled with so much info, sometimes it boggles the mind but ultimately, its you and your shoulder that has to deal with this rig.
With each rifle, have a game plan for what it will do for you. The rest is easy...
Jerry
Shooters always want to know what is the 'BEST' chamber, or set up, or action, or etc.
Or they have a grocery list of the latest and greatest whatever that they saw on some show or read in some article and want to know if that is the best for them.
BUT rarely do they ever start with what their goals and applications are.
Start by asking yourself - Which is better, a spoon or a fork?
If that hurts the brain a bit too much, the answer is - it depends on what you want to eat!
So, to help the next newbie along, here are some things to consider that can help you make better decisions for the best rifle for YOUR NEEDS.
1 - What do you want to use this rifle for? Competition? Hunting? LR/SR? Mag fed/Single shot? Size/Weight? The more defined you can be about this the easier it is to answer what parts to use. List as much about what you want from the rifle. The parts will typically sort themselves out quickly/easily
The more specific the end goal, the more specialised your parts lists can be. A one size fits all usually leads to a compromise of everything and nothing special for anything
2 - What is your budget? Be realistic. I have built alot of great performers with little money but I have been willing to accept certain compromises. If you have a set of goals that must occur, spell them out and budget accordingly.
Spend money on performance not fancy feel good bling unless of course that is what you want. $15,000 paint jobs never made a car go faster. Unless looking good is the whole point for you (nothing wrong with that either - just be honest SEE #1)
3 - Don't get caught up in the latest and greatest. Sure, alot of this stuff is neat and can be wonderful BUT until you define what this rifle means to you (see #1), how do you know if the new shiney bits apply? Be weary of those that offer the lastest and greatest before they even know what you want or more importantly NEED. Snake oil takes on many forms....
4 - Do you need all that bling? Magazines and the net are filled with great rifle builds. Many with the latest and greatest gizmo. Their job is to excite and sell product BUT does any of this stuff really do anything more then the old tried and true? How much of this stuff will actually improve your shooting experience? Simplify is a motto for some very smart people. See #1
5 - Can you shoot it? That includes actually pulling the trigger and enjoying the result. Is the cost and/or recoil something that you can afford to deal with. I have met a number of shooters with superb rifles that simply sit in a closet too expensive or too painful to use.
The world is filled with exotic sports cars costing small fortunes with less then 1000 real world miles on them. Maybe LESS could have lead to MORE.
Just a gloss over of the planning process. Have fun with it. The net is filled with so much info, sometimes it boggles the mind but ultimately, its you and your shoulder that has to deal with this rig.
With each rifle, have a game plan for what it will do for you. The rest is easy...
Jerry
