What should I know for long range match?

[Remington92]

Not really sure if this is the best place for this but I'm going to try shooting in my first prs style match next Saturday and was curious if I could get some pointers from the guys that do it regularly. I'm hoping this will be good practice for shooting in non conventional positions under stress. The range that is putting it on is pretty informal so I don't have a lot of info but it sounds like its 8 stages with 8 targets per stage out to I believe 800yds (will edit when I get more concrete info). I was told guys will lend me bags are any specific gear that would make life easier but Im hoping to come semi prepared.

My first decision is rifle, both I've taken semi consistently to the 4" plate on a KYL target and the tikka I've played around at 1000yd on man size silhouette with. MK12 get interesting after about 600yds for me.
-tikka 6.5prc in stockys with 3-12lrhs and scythe ti (my hunting rifle) would definitely be good practice but expensive to feed as I haven't got the reloading press fired back up yet and has more recoil. Ammo is either factory 147eldm or 143eldx (it shoots both to same poa)
- Mk12 mod 0 with nxs 2.5-10 and OCM5. Don't shoot quite as well as the tikka but 1/4 the price and id like to see how the 77tmk does on antelope this year so more practice with it would be good as well. Ammo is probably going to be AAC 77gr OTM as I have a decent amount of it and its shoots 1-1.5"

Im assuming I need some kind of sling so planning to rig up a MS1 or vickers to get by
Have a leupold 1200yd range finder and either 10x slc or 12x razor hd binos
Harris clone bipod

I know whatever I do I'm in for an eye opening experience but trying to set myself up for even a small amount of success.

EDIT: heard a little more and the plan is out to 1500 with average being 600-900 so I believe that knocks out the mk12

 

[parshal]

You won't need a sling or a rangefinder. Most PRS-style matches are shooting at known ranges and all targets identified before you shoot. You'll just carry your rifle from stage to stage and set it down on the line with the bipod.

Use the lightest recoiling firearm you have.

 

[hereinaz]

if it is a typical PRS match, most targets are inside 600 and the 6.5 PRC is more gun than you want. Besides mags can be limitations in 6.5 PRC.

It’s not really a “long range match” that you need a big gun. 6.5 PRC is great for hunting but not positional type matches.

12x binos on tripod
Get good dope
Good front bag
Good pack to carry ammo and stuff
Sling will be to carry your rifle, most don’t require use in the match.

1) Learn to find target, set rifle down pointed at the target, and then get behind rifle and see target in the scope. Use your scope on 8-10 power for field of view. Only crank up magnification for targets prone past 700.

New shooters lose most time trying to find targets.

2 Practice varied height positions with your rifle on your front bag. Figure out how to get your wobble to stay on the plate. Take the time you saved by finding the target to build the position.

Figure out whether you need to kneel or sit for a particular height. Use your body to tell you. If a barricade is at your belt, is it kneeling or sitting. If it is at the middle of your thigh, etc.

If you have to time shots you need to build a better position or add weight to your rifle, or both.

New shooters lose points by rushing through 10 shots in crappy positions. Build your position and get off 5-7 shots and you will get more points by the end of the match.

3) Practice breaking your trigger without disturbing your rifle in the alternative positions. Dry fire a lot at home while building positions.

4) Watch videos by Phillip Valeyo, you’ll get a sense for how to create the economy of motion and break the trigger during a match.

5) Be bold on your wind call. If you miss off the plate, make at least a whole plate correction if it was wind… you’ll have to be confident in 1-3 to know whether it is wind or not.

Learn what “the pro side of the plate is”

6) Have fun at the match, ask questions, borrow gear, make friends.

I am a middle of the road or worse match shooter, and I can tell you that the things listed are what I need to practice to improve.

Just thing will teach you a lot, and in the end it gave me confidence to make the shots in the field. Matches simulate hunting to a degree, but for me, my brain/body doesn’t do well in competitions, but it can focus razor sharp with the adrenaline of the hunt.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[ID_Matt]

Some good comments already. I think you could take either gun but neither area ideal, though that is OK. If you take the 6.5 PRC just treat it like hunting practice and don't expect to get most shots off in time just focus on building a good position and trying to get impacts. If you bring the AR, you are saving a bunch of money in barrel life and ammo. 223 is plenty out to most reasonable ranges except the long stages.

If the PRS club you are in is anything like mine, guys will be more than willing to help. Go in with an open mind and ask lots of questions. I learned more about shooting in my first 2 PRS matches 7 years ago than I did my whole life before that. It is a great community of shooters who just want to grow the sport.

 

[Lawnboi]

I’d take the 223. You are not going to spot anything with the 6.5prc.

You can probably shoot nearly the whole match with a bipod and one bag. It’s not terrible idea to get a bag and practice with it.

 

[Remington92]

I maybe wrong calling it prs. They made it sound like the shots will be taken from barriers and other improvised positions. They did say targets will be out to 1500yds with the average being 600-900. I know the 2 fellas that set everything up have 6 dasher prs looking chassis rifles. Does an 18" 223 have enough snort to be anywhere near consistent at those ranges?

 

[Lawnboi]

I maybe wrong calling it prs. They made it sound like the shots will be taken from barriers and other improvised positions. They did say targets will be out to 1500yds with the average being 600-900. I know the 2 fellas that set everything up have 6 dasher prs looking chassis rifles. Does an 18" 223 have enough snort to be anywhere near consistent at those ranges?

Probably not. A dasher dosnt have much out there either though.

Neither is ideal imo. The prc may be okay if there’s a lot of prone.

You could probably take both as well.

From your last description it sounds a little farther than your average PRS match.

 

[JohnJohnson]

4) Watch videos by Phillip Valeyo, you’ll get a sense for how to create the economy of motion and break the trigger during a match.

I recently stumbled across a very good (relatively) series by, surprisingly, Best of the West. And it wasn't even really a product advertisement thing either. They brought in Phillip Velayo and did a 6 part series (I'll link one part below) going through a bunch of pretty useful stuff with triggercams and explanations. Bunch of tripod shooting, prone shooting, positional hunting stuff, etc. The two guys he's doing the video with are both guys who shoot some competitions as well so they're not complete beginners either. I can't recall them trying to sell me a Huskemaw scope (lol) during it either.

 

[ShootOkHuntWorse]

Update?

 

[Remington92]

Update?

So I ran the 6.5prc. Definitely learned a lot about what I need to work on for improvised shooting positions and getting stable. Ended up shooting middle of the pack which I was totally content with. Could tell the extra recoil wasn’t doing me any favors and at 1430yds my lrhs was maxed out and still 4.5mils low. Ended up getting 2/10 hits once I figured out how low I was and walked it in.

I think I’ve got the bug though and have a ctr in 6.5 creedmoor headed my way that I’m going to build up into more a dedicated rifle!

 

[JohnJohnson]

So I ran the 6.5prc. Definitely learned a lot about what I need to work on for improvised shooting positions and getting stable. Ended up shooting middle of the pack which I was totally content with. Could tell the extra recoil wasn’t doing me any favors and at 1430yds my lrhs was maxed out and still 4.5mils low. Ended up getting 2/10 hits once I figured out how low I was and walked it in.

I think I’ve got the bug though and have a ctr in 6.5 creedmoor headed my way that I’m going to build up into more a dedicated rifle!

That's awesome man. My father's main rifle is a Tikka CTR in 6.5CM and he loves it. It's a great basis for an NRL Hunter build (though the stock is probably the weak point). Phillip Velayo did a Youtube series a few years ago where he turned a Tikka CTR into (I think) a PRS rifle via a bunch of upgrades for fun. This is like the 8th episode of it but sums it up alright.

 

[hereinaz]

So I ran the 6.5prc. Definitely learned a lot about what I need to work on for improvised shooting positions and getting stable. Ended up shooting middle of the pack which I was totally content with. Could tell the extra recoil wasn’t doing me any favors and at 1430yds my lrhs was maxed out and still 4.5mils low. Ended up getting 2/10 hits once I figured out how low I was and walked it in.

I think I’ve got the bug though and have a ctr in 6.5 creedmoor headed my way that I’m going to build up into more a dedicated rifle!

That’s awesome. Congrats.

 

[Remington92]

That's awesome man. My father's main rifle is a Tikka CTR in 6.5CM and he loves it. It's a great basis for an NRL Hunter build (though the stock is probably the weak point). Phillip Velayo did a Youtube series a few years ago where he turned a Tikka CTR into (I think) a PRS rifle via a bunch of upgrades for fun. This is like the 8th episode of it but sums it up alright.

I seen that one and ironically enough I found a decent deal on a whiskey 3 chassis used so it’ll look fairly similar to his!

 

[ShootOkHuntWorse]

Nice! I’ve been going back and forth on whether I want to dedicate my funds to hunting or matches and I think I need to start leaning toward matches. Less time away from home and I already work out of town.

 

[JohnJohnson]

I seen that one and ironically enough I found a decent deal on a whiskey 3 chassis used so it’ll look fairly similar to his!

I'm unsure what bipod you're using but if you're using an RRS SC-ARC clamp to attach it to ARCA rails, KRG's ARCA still now has R-Lock holes in it which is great. Had my bipod almost walk off the rifle on their old ARCA spigot mount which was annoying. Just ordered their new version with the R-Lock holes and never have to have that issue again. The SC-ARC clamp is expensive but it's by far my favorite way to attach a bipod to an ARCA rail. I think it attaches to picatinny rails too. I really do like spigot mounts to get the bipod further towards the muzzle and closer to the barrel too. Makes a difference for stability.