PRS Bolt Gun, Inside look. The Art of Stability and Accuracy

So, you want to build a rifle and get started in PRS (Precision Rifle Series) competition? There are a lot of questions that need to be answered before getting started down that road. The first question that always comes up is budget. PRS capable rifles can range from hundreds of dollars, up to ridiculous price tags depending on how far you want to go with your build. In this article, I will go over my personal build and the equipment that I have come to land on after 4 seasons shooting in the PRS.

The second question that comes up is, what class do you want to compete in? In PRS there is Open Class, Tactical Class, Sportsman Class, Production Class, and Gas Gun. I personally shoot in Open Class which means that there are no restrictions on rifle weight, equipment used, or price tag. The only restriction on Open Class is the speed rule. You cannot push bullets over 3,200 feet per second.

So, what do we start with? Any time I set out to build a new rifle, I first decide on an action. After a few years of using a lot of different options, I have landed on a Defiance. I currently own a Deviant and a Ruckus, and I compete with both. For this build I went with the Ruckus Alpha 11 which features the Short Action Customs modifications to the standard Defiance Ruckus. One of the modifications that this action features is tighter raceway tolerances which help guide the bolt when the action is being run fast. This ensures that it will run smoothly, free of any binding when running the bolt forward to chamber the next round. Defiance actions are a true testament to what all custom actions should be. I have no plans to try anything else going forward. They are smooth, extremely accurate, and leave nothing to be desired for me.

My second step is to decide on a barrel blank. I am currently running a Bartlein 6mm barrel with a 1:7.5" twist rate that is finished at 26 inches. Over my years of shooting PRS and prior to taking the dive, Bartlein Barrels have been a staple for me. They have always delivered the accuracy and consistency that I need to get the job done. Krieger, Proof Research, Geissele Automatics, and Custom Rifle Barrels are four other companies worth mentioning in this section as well. They all produce top-notch, high-quality barrel blanks.

Something that goes along with the barrel blank is the gunsmith. We need a professional to cut our chamber, thread the barrel, and mate it to the action. For all my rifle build needs there is only one choice, Short Action Customs. They have been building my rifles for a few seasons now and they are second to none. Their chamber specs, craftsmanship, and expertise in this field make them one of the best in the business. Each and every barrel that they have chambered for me has been almost exactly the same as the one before it. They have been so close in head space that I can't see a difference. Every barrel they have spun up for me has performed better than I can shoot it and that is all I can ever ask. If you are looking to have a barrel professionally cut, I highly recommend Short Action Customs. You wont be disappointed.

Next on the list is deciding on a chassis system, or a stock for your rifle. This is something that is purely personal preference. Many things come into play here. Ergonomics, modularity, inlets for your specific action, looks (yes, this matters), and rigidity. There are seemingly endless options out there to choose from. My choice for the 2025 PRS season is the Masterpiece Arms ESR chassis. The ESR is a no nonsense, straight to the point piece of equipment that works and works very well. It has many options for modifications, as well as different weight options to add to it for tuning your rifles balance point and recoil impulse. This chassis was originally built as a government contract submission that did not end up winning the contract. Masterpiece arms decided to put it into production anyway, and I am glad they did. They took their BA comp chassis and added a longer fore end. There is room for night vision, large side rails for stability, or any other sort of accessory that you may need out front. It also has a built in ARCA rail on the fore end to attach your bipod anywhere along its length. Other notable options include the MDT ACC Elite chassis system, the KRG C4 chassis, Manners rifle stocks, and Foundation stocks.

After we have decided on a chassis, next comes arguably the most important component to any precision rifle build. The optics. Optics come in all shapes, sizes, and price points. First, we must consider our budget. There are optics that can get the job done for under a thousand dollars. Then there are optics that exceed all expectations in performance, and fit and finish. My approach is to spend as much as possible on your optics without crushing your budget for the rest of the build. I personally chose the Zero Compromise Optic 8-40 x 56mm with the MPCT2 reticle. This rifle scope leaves nothing to be desired, and is at, or near the top of modern precision rifle optics. The glass clarity, depth of field, and image color is incredible, along with having a very wide field of view making it easier to locate and engage targets. Next is the reticle. The MPCT2 is a very usable "Christmas tree" style reticle that gives you just enough in terms of hash marks and hold points. But not too much, obstructing your target. The hash marks on the reticle are in 2 tenths of a mil increments with a half mil large mark all the way across the reticle. This optic is also first focal plane, meaning that the reticle will grow and get smaller as you go up and down on your magnification rage. This keeps the reticle graduation the same across the entire magnification range. First focal plane has become the standard that everyone uses for PRS style shooting. Next, one of the most important points on any rifle scope is the turrets. The turrets on the Zero Compromise are very good. Smooth tactile clicks make easy work of finding the setting you need quickly. The turrets also track very well. Each click is a tenth of one mil, and each time, when dialing, the adjustments track true to what they should be. I have had instances in the past where an optic did not track true and when I dialed in 1.6 mils for a 400-yard shot, it actually moved to almost 1.8 mils which resulted in a hit at the top of the target. This would result in a miss over longer distances. Turrets that track true are a must have for any serious precision rifle shooter. While the Zero Compromise 8-40 is my choice, there are a few others that deserve an honorable mention. Each is very widely used in the PRS. A great budget-minded optic that performs very well is the Leupold MK4 and their next tier up, the MK5. Both are phenomenal optics at a price point that doesn't have the sticker shock of the Zero Compromise. I would also like to mention Kahles. The sister company to Swarovski. They have a stellar reputation in the optics industry. Their DLR line of optics warrant a close look. A few others to take a look at would be Vortex Optics and Nightforce Optics. Both are used by many shooters in the PRS and have middle to high end price tags depending on the model. In closing, choose the best optic that fits your needs and that falls into your budget. Something I have learned over my years of shooting; you will never be disappointed if you spent more on the optic than originally planned. Always keep in mind that this is your direct connection to the rifle and the target.

So, after all this, what's left? There are a few key pieces of the rifle that are left to consider. First on that list is the trigger. As with everything else, there are a lot of options here. I have been running a Trigger Tech Diamond single stage Pro Curve trigger for 2 seasons now and I couldn't be happier with it. Trigger Tech offers a lot of adjustability in pull weight from 4oz-32oz. I tend to run around a pound or 16oz. They also offer their Diamond series of triggers in single or double stage. Mine is a single stage with one of the cleanest "glass rod" breaks that I have ever experienced in any trigger that I have used. The Trigger Tech Diamond checks all the boxes, and it is one of the most popular triggers available today in the precision rifle community. A few others to mention are Bix & Andy, Timney, and Rifle Basix. All make good quality triggers at different price points. As with everything else pertaining to precision rifle, you get what you pay for in your trigger.

The next piece of the rifle that needs to be mentioned is the muzzle device. Again, countless options can make this a difficult decision. In PRS, one of the biggest things we try to accomplish is to either eliminate all recoil or tame it down far enough to see where our shots land down range. Since we do not have a spotter to tell us where our misses are landing, seeing your impacts is critical. The muzzle device plays a big part in taming recoil so that we never lose sight picture through the optic. As a result, we can see our misses and where the rounds land on target. This makes it possible to make on-the-fly adjustments for the next shot. Personally, I shoot with a suppressor. The Otter Creek Labs Polonium 5.56 to be more specific. The suppressors don't mitigate recoil as much as a muzzle brake does but it does kill a lot of the noise and muzzle blast that is battering you all day as you shoot. The Polonium 5.56 is a great suppressor for PRS style competition. It is small, very quiet, and the recoil impulse that it produces is very smooth and easy to shoot. A quick side note, the Polonium 5.56 would seem to indicate that it is for .223 and under. Well, the Polonium 5.56 is designed to be used for .223, but it is bored for .243 (6mm) diameter bullets so it can be used for any of the popular 6mm cartridges used in the PRS today.

Another option aside from a suppressor that is probably more popular are muzzle brakes. Muzzle brakes do an excellent job of mitigating recoil and muzzle rise during the shot. The downside of a brake? They are extremely loud and produce a lot of muzzle blast out the sides of the brake. Over the course of the day, dealing with the noise and muzzle blast can cause fatigue and even headaches depending on how aggressive the muzzle brake design is. Prior to switching to a suppressor, I shot the American Precision Arms FB 5 port brake. These muzzle brakes are among the most effective for reducing recoil. There are 5 ports on each side to eject gas sideways and back away from the muzzle of the rifle. These ports and their design are what make a muzzle brake more, or less effective than the next. If you decide to shoot with a brake, I highly recommend the American Precision Arms line of brakes. They have been around for a very long time and have always been at the top of the list for me.

This brings us to the end of our rifle build with the main components to put together a competitive precision rifle. With all these parts that we have used also comes the endless list of accessories and gear that goes along with it. Before you set out to build your own, I would highly suggest speaking to some experienced shooters in your area. Talk to them about what they use and why. Most will also offer to let you try their setup. If they do, take them up on that offer. It can provide you with some valuable insight into what you like before spending the money. Accessories and other equipment like weights, bubble levels, data card holders, shooting bags, side rails for the chassis, etc. can get very expensive, very fast. The more information and experience you can gather prior to purchasing the better. This can really save you a lot of money in the long run with your finished setup. If you ever have any questions regarding rifle setup or caliber selection for shooting and competing in the Precision Rifle Series, don't hesitate to reach out to us at customersupport@petersoncartridge.com. We are always glad to help in any way we can.