2025 NRL Hunter

[ruger35]

My NRL gun wears a nomad XC with recoilx brake. I just got a recoil X for my scythe but i'm afraid to use the scythe for 6.5x47 with PRS firing rates. Going to shoot with a brake tomorrow. Might change that up in the future.

We did a mini experiment at the range, took my NRL build which weighs 14.5lbs ready to go and shot it with my S-RR and normal Magnus S. Definite difference in recoil. I’d say add to the can collection and run the smaller braked cans. I have the Theorem S on the way with their brake to compare to the RR cans.

 

[Marty]

My NRL gun wears a nomad XC with recoilx brake. I just got a recoil X for my scythe but i'm afraid to use the scythe for 6.5x47 with PRS firing rates. Going to shoot with a brake tomorrow. Might change that up in the future.

I need to hear more about the RecoilX brake. Currently have an E-Brake on my Nomad Ti XC for when I'm feeling gamey.

 

[wind gypsy]

I need to hear more about the RecoilX brake. Currently have an E-Brake on my Nomad Ti XC for when I'm feeling gamey.

Still behaves like a can rather than abruptly stopping recoil like a brake but takes a more recoil out than the 3 port anchor brake seems to. I've never had an Ebrake but I think @khuber84 mentioned that the recoilx was a step up in recoil reduction from his.

It seems like they are working on some additional models which is good. The knurling on them for self timing is lacking on the current/original models IMO and mine was tight for quite a while but i noticed it came loose recently. They are aluminum so i think the mfr was a little worried about wrench flats and people cranking them too tight.

Edit to add: @Marty there's a running thread on the hide about these. Might want to wait to see the next gen if you want to maximize gaming performance with a can.

I’ve got a new brake for the PRS/NRL folks. I’m patent pending and done with prototyping, and on to production. I don’t have any dates for completion yet, but soon. Will only be available for the Bravo style threads. More styles will come, but only after testing/tweaking is done.(no timeline)

Testing has been done on several different cartridges, and only on the SiCo Scythe Ti or STM. 6 BR, 6 Dasher, 25 Creed, 25X47(most testing done), and 6.5 creed. I’ve been working directly with Patty Youngs on the MDT team amongst a few other team or supported MDT team members. This brake is a result of countless hours and rounds down range.

I can confidently say, with the backing of the guys that have helped design or given their input, that it’s as good or better than a traditional muzzle brake for muzzle rise.

I have folks making YouTube videos so you can get the info for yourself. But what these top 20 PRS guys are saying, is it is as flat or flatter than their brake. (You fill in the blanks for company’s) Were seeing that positional shooting is getting .5 mil, sometimes less for rise.

Sneak peak at a prototype. (Does not reflect end product, although will be very similar.)

 

[khuber84]

I use an Allen wrench inside the recoil X port to tighten it up against the jam nut(believe 3/8 fits perfectly snug in there), it's never come lose after using this protocol.

RecoilX is def 2 steps ahead in recoil mitigation over the deadair brake. The new brake cap for my Abel theorem S showed up before I went back to work. I shot it just a bit, and it performs very well, hard to say VS the nomad ti XC with recoil X, as the nomad is 1.2" longer with more volume so it has bit slower impulse. I'll be putting the TheoremS back on my lightish 65 suam. Then install the brake end and see how much difference there is. The saum is 10.2# with can and bipod, 156s at 2885 fps. It's not hard to drive accurately, but you def have to be consistent behind the rifle.

 

[Marty]

Still behaves like a can rather than abruptly stopping recoil like a brake but takes a more recoil out than the 3 port anchor brake seems to. I've never had an Ebrake but I think @khuber84 mentioned that the recoilx was a step up in recoil reduction from his.

It seems like they are working on some additional models which is good. The knurling on them for self timing is lacking on the current/original models IMO and mine was tight for quite a while but i noticed it came loose recently. They are aluminum so i think the mfr was a little worried about wrench flats and people cranking them too tight.

Copy thanks. So are they timed with washers/spacers/shims?

 

[Juan_ID]

Copy thanks. So are they timed with washers/spacers/shims?

Pretty sure they’re like most the self-timing brakes, just get the ports level then just tighten the lock ring. Currently waiting on my Hyperion brake so can’t say for sure but I don’t believe there are any shims or washers involved.

 

[khuber84]

They have a jam nut, that sets the timing of the brake at the end the supressor. Very similar to a self timing muzzle brake.

 

[skipper907]

Observations as an RO from the Alaska Wilderness NRL Hunter Match.

If nothing else, consider this my public “note to self.”​

• Time Management:
  • The best shooters I saw moved with a purpose but did not run into the observation position. Their eyes were up scanning for placards, targets, and references.
  • The slowest shooters were eyes down, bumbling through gear, taking out equipment that could have been stowed more thoughtfully prior to the stage starting, etc. Running into the stage didn’t seem to make a difference.
  • It varies from stage to stage but my general goal will be on glass looking at known or likely placard/target positions within 30 seconds (+/- 15 seconds).

• Gear Management:
  • I saw shooter with all the things, the minimalist, and everything in between. My big takeaway is to be practiced in how to use the equipment.
  • Shooters with the minimum equipment (say a tripod, one bag, and a bipod) performed the same as the shooters with multiple bags, 1+ tripods, triple pulls etc.
  • Shooters below that minimum gear mentioned above struggled to adapt to shooting positions designed by the MDs to deliberately make it challenge (but some still managed to connect).
  • Shooters with “all the things” fell into two categories for me: shit hot or yardsale. I think the difference is the experience to know when and how to use the right thing.
  • Glass supported. Super frustrating to watch as folks come up to the stage with all kinds of things strapped, dangling, and stowed in their pack along with tripod(s) and try to glass free hand. Supported = steady with aids in finding targets and getting a good range (thus ballistic solution).
  • For my next NRL match, I’ll have my bipod on my rifle, a tripod, and one gamechanger bag with a lighter fill, and of course my pack.

• Tripods, Tac Tables, and Bags vs. Clip Ins:
  • The pros know how to deploy a tripod, put a bag atop a tac table, then glass. More commonly, however, was folks trying to do what the pros do, and having the three components, tripod, bag, and binos, fall over. 15-30 seconds later, they’ve re-established their shooting smore and can begin to glass once again.
  • I tested myself to find what works best for me: I’ll have my binos clipped in before the stage start. After shooting multiple 5 round groups (single shot make then break position under 20 seconds) I have found that for me, a tac table doesn’t help. I got the same general results either clipped into my tripod or with a gamechanger or smedium game changer placed atop my pic/arca ball head.

• Work Flow:
  • Finding target(s), collect ballistic solution, building a stable shooting position, Watch trace and collect those points! The shooters that performed the best did these four steps smoothly and fast. Practice each.
  • Team Communication Best Practices:
    • Target Talk On: Big to small. Find something distinguishable, even if it’s outside the target area, get your teammate to see that, then talk your way to the target(s).
    • Wind Holds:
    • Do say: Center, Right/Left third, Right/Left edge OR
    • Do say: Use 1/10th of mils
    • Don’t say: the bull’s crease in it’s leg (do the conversion for the shooter!)
    • Don’t say: the wind is 6mph at the 4 o’clock (do the conversion for the shooter!)

• Fitness Matters:
  
  • Have the "Be an athlete, don't suck" (BADS) mentality.
  • Shooters that were in better shape didn't comment much on the mileage or elevation gain/loss.
  • Shooters in poor shape seemed to comment more about the physical effort required to move from stage to stage.
  • Sorry as this might come across as a bit of a soapbox stance but I feel and have seen how fitness is a component of being a lethal human.

If I could make some adjustments to match design (within current NRL hunter rules)…

• Score Card with Strip Map on back. This would help shooters understand their flow from stage to stage. Perhaps even an animal symbol and a place for quick notes during post stage reflection.
• Putting targets at increased angles. Most during this match were within 15 degrees. I’d like to see targets at 30+ degrees. This would come at the cost of increased the time and complexity for target set up, and longer delays if a target went down during the match.
• Increase variety of shooting positions. Much of this match was best shot off prone or with the use of a tripod. I’d like to include rocks, downed logs, and perhaps even an ATV or boat as a prop to increase variety. Again, this would come at the cost of increased set up time.

Other random thoughts (outside of the NRL hunter rules)…

• I’d like to see a minimum pack weight. I’d go so far as to suggest minimum mileage and elevation gain/loss but understand that’s not realistic for certain parts of the country.
• Change the time standard, number of targets, and positions. I think this would open up additional options to MDs for stage design. I can’t be the only one to crest a ridgeline, see a target animal closer than I thought and have less than 30 seconds to put a lethal shot into it.
• Retain the first round impact = two points, second round impact = one point, two misses = zero points.
• Power Factor: while I understand the original purpose, we’ve circled back to gamers with 6.5mms and even a few .25 CAL (for non-skills division). There is a big enough body of data to suggest that larger cartridges, bullets, etc to not equal an linear increase in lethality. I’d like to see rule changes to allow folks to shoot what caliber they like (including 22 CAL, 6mm’s etc.).

Had a blast shooting teams division with my friend and learned a bunch ROing every other participant that came through the stages. Cheers!

This would be real funny but strange to get a boat up on that hillside just to shoot out of it as a prop

 

[Marty]

This would be real funny but strange to get a boat up on that hillside just to shoot out of it as a prop

If I had to set up that stage, I'm getting it sponsored by Alpacka rafts. No way I'm dragging a jon boat over the tundra. lol

 

[khuber84]

People talk of spotting trace.......unless your prone or shooting a pretty heavy rig, you're not going to see it. If you're looking for trace you're going to miss bullet hitting plate or what side of plate you missed on. Unless you're a pretty advanced shooter, seeing trace would be my last concern.

Shoot positional practice and get used to where your target lands inside the FOV of your reticle. Train your eye to look there as soon as you recover from the recoil. See where the bullet hits. Have a buddy spotting while practicing, call out what side the plate you think you hit, confirm with spotter. Chances are you'll be wrong, I was most the time till I got good at training my eye to quickly shift to target, you'll catch the second plate reactionary movement VS the first movement until you get good at re-acquiring quickly during recoil pulse.

I shoot a 23# prs rig(25x47), have heavy and light nrl config builds(65cm). I'd like to say my 16# braked rifle drives similarly to the 23# braked rifle, I don't have a problem spotting shots, but once you drop to 13# a 153 Berger at 2700 starts to push you around a bit, if I generally see my misses, but I don't always know where I hit on plate, prob 50/50. So if I connect, I generally send another with same hold, or use same wind bracket on the next target.

 

[Jordan Smith]

People talk of spotting trace.......unless you’re prone or shooting a pretty heavy rig, you're not going to see it. If you're looking for trace you're going to miss bullet hitting plate or what side of plate you missed on. Unless you're a pretty advanced shooter, seeing trace would be my last concern.

I tend to focus on the target as I recover from recoil, catching trace in my peripheral vision. Even with a lighter rifle, good recoil control, NPA, and a proper rifle setup makes a huge difference in keeping the rifle on target and spotting shots/trace.

 

[khuber84]

I tend to focus on the target as I recover from recoil, catching trace in my peripheral vision. Even with a lighter rifle, good recoil control, NPA, and a proper rifle setup makes a huge difference in keeping the rifle on target and spotting shots/trace.

I'm a somewhat advanced level shooter in our local quad state regional league, let's just say I typically finish above mid pack. There are a few local/ish guys that that are very competitive at the national level of nrl/prs, they use some of our league matches to stay sharp throughout the season. I've talked to them about trace, and if it should be something to prioritize of even care about. They pretty much said no, they don't look for it, sometimes you see it, usually you don't. Plate data and being able to read the plate gives way more data.

I've found weather and lighting conditions to affect seeing trace even with a high end spotting scope.

 

[Jordan Smith]

I'm a somewhat advanced level shooter in our local quad state regional league, let's just say I typically finish above mid pack. There are a few local/ish guys that that are very competitive at the national level of nrl/prs, they use some of our league matches to stay sharp throughout the season. I've talked to them about trace, and if it should be something to prioritize of even care about. They pretty much said no, they don't look for it, sometimes you see it, usually you don't. Plate data and being able to read the plate gives way more data.

I've found weather and lighting conditions to affect seeing trace even with a high end spotting scope.

For sure. I’m with you there. Lighting conditions make a big difference in seeing trace. I always watch for it out of my periphery, but I don’t always see it. Like I said, I focus on the target, as spotting the POI is certainly more valuable, but I’m not going to ignore trace if it’s there.

 

[FrankieP1988]

Anybody go from using an MDT Ckye Pod Triple Pull to something else after shooting some matches with it, if so what?

I have shot a few matches with the triple pull but can't say that I totally love it. It has come in handy here and there for some stages, but I sometimes find myself spending a lot of time fidgeting with it to get it setup correctly.

Anyone else have similar experiences?

 

[parshal]

I bailed on the triple and use a single or double. You've really got to practice, a lot, with the triple to use it efficiently under duress.