Shooter's Bible Guide to Tactical Firearms: A Comprehensive Guide to Precision Rifles and Long-Range Shooting Gear

By Robert A. Sadowski

Long range shooting in the United States is as old as this country is young. Shooters have always had a fascination with shooting at distance, whether they are plinkers, competitive shooters, or hunters. The ability to place rifle bullets in the same hole of a target or kill an animal quickly is a goal to which we all aspire. In recent years the interest in tactical precision rifles has increased, with many factory and custom rifle makers plying their art producing rifles that can easily outperform the ability of many shooters. Expert Robert A. Sadowski proves to be a masterful instructor on all aspects related to precision shooting in the Shooter’s Bible Guide to Tactical Firearms.

This Shooter’s Bible guide will help new and experienced shooters in making smart equipment purchases that range from rifles and optics to ammunition and gear. The shooting school section provides instructions for those of us who have had no formal training. For experienced shooters, having current information on hand in one place can be an invaluable resource. And no Shooter’s Bible guidebook is complete without a detailed products section showcasing rifles from all across the market.

Other topics covered include:
Top 10 long-range rifles
Precision rifle maintenance
Anatomy of a riflescope
Shooting technique, positions, and drills
And much more!

Pick up a copy of the Shooter’s Bible Guide to Tactical Firearms to learn everything you need to know about precision, long-range shooting.

Skyhorse Publishing is proud to publish a broad range of books for hunters and firearms enthusiasts. We publish books about shotguns, rifles, handguns, target shooting, gun collecting, self-defense, archery, ammunition, knives, gunsmithing, gun repair, and wilderness survival. We publish books on deer hunting, big game hunting, small game hunting, wing shooting, turkey hunting, deer stands, duck blinds, bowhunting, wing shooting, hunting dogs, and more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Skyhorse
• Release date: Jul 21, 2015
• ISBN: 9781632209351

Robert A. Sadowski

Robert A. Sadowski is a contributing writer to Gun World, Shooting Illustrated, Combat Handguns, Gun Tests, Gun Digest and several other firearms magazines. He is the author of the Book of Glock, Shooter’s Bible Guide to Firearms Assembly, Disassembly, and Cleaning, 50 Guns That Changed the World, and the editor of the original Gun Traders Guide. He resides in Hampstead, North Carolina.

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2. Anatomy of a Bolt-Action Rifle

  1. Muzzle Device: Modern tactical rifles and many hunting style rifles have a threaded muzzle that allows a user to attach a muzzle brake, flash hider, or a suppressor. Depending on the type of device, a user can expect decreased noise signature, reduced recoil, and lessening of the muzzle flash. In addition to providing sound suppression, attaching a suppressor to a barrel’s muzzle actually enhances the performance of the rifle barrel through the dampening of barrel harmonics and the increase of muzzle velocity. Many muzzles are crowned, meaning they have a raised edge that protects the rifle at the end of the bore. Some muzzles are recessed. Either way, the rifling is protected in case the rifle is accidentally dropped muzzle first.

  2. Barrel: Barrels on precision rifles are typically thicker than those on hunting rifles. The heavier weight gives the barrel a stiffness that aids in accuracy. Barrel weight is determined by the taper or barrel diameter, and ranges from 1 to 5. A number 5 taper is thick and stout; a number 1 barrel taper indicates a thin skinny barrel, such as may be found on a lightweight hunting rifle. A straight taper refers to the thickness straight from action to muzzle (such as barrels on varmint rifles); the less the taper, the stiffer and the heavier the barrel. Barrels are free-floated, meaning no portion of the barrel actually contacts the stock. Most barrels are made of either steel or stainless steel; some are made with a steel liner wrapped with a carbon fiber to reduce weight. The inside of the barrel or the bore is rifled and there are many types of rifling. Button rifling uses a spiral broach to cut grooves. When a rifle is fired the bullet is force fit into the grooves and is rotated by the grooves. A predetermined rate of twist is measured in a ratio depending on the caliber. For example, a .308 Winchester barrel may have a twist rate of 1:10" RH, which means the bullet makes one complete rotation every ten inches and it has a Right Hand (RH) rotation. Polygonal rifling forms a polygon bore and does not use grooves. Whitworth muzzle-loading rifles used during the Civil War had polygon rifling as did the German MG42 machine gun used in World War II. Rifling known as 5R uses a series of 5 lands in a twist pattern that applies a specific type of radiusing to the way the lands are shaped. This type of rifling does not deform bullets as much as grooved rifling. Some barrels are also fluted to help reduce weight and increase the cooling rate of the barrel.

This cross section of a rifle barrel shows two different rifling types; on the left is traditional groove rifling, on the right is polygonal rifling.

Notice the ridge around the muzzle; this protects the rifling. This barrel is also fluted to reduce weight and enhance cooling. Courtesy Remington Arms.

There are several factors that contribute to decreased barrel life. Poor or improper maintenance can significantly contribute to decreased barrel life, including lack of cleaning, use of the wrong chemicals, and neglecting to utilize items such as bore guides. Sniper rifles, being precision instruments, require specific materials and items to properly clean and maintain them. Not using a bore guide with a one-piece rod, or using a stainless steel chamber or bore brush will directly decrease barrel life.

  3. Accessory Rail: Modern tactical rifles typically have accessory rails that allow a user to attach tactical lights, laser sights, and night vision equipment. These are usually Picatinny or Weaver style and are located over the barrel or on the sides of the stock’s forend.

  4. Bipod: Heavy rifles require support and typically have an extra attachment point for a bipod that allows the users to quickly remove or attach the bipod.

  5. Optic: An optic is chosen to perform a specific aiming function at a certain distance, whatever the shooter’s requirement. The optic should be mounted as low as possible above the bore without the objective lens touching the barrel.

  6. Stock: Modern precision rifles have stocks that are made of synthetic materials that resist moisture and will not warp in high heat or extreme cold. There are still many manufacturers equipping hunting rifles with traditional wood stocks. Wood can, however, swell and warp making contact with and putting pressure on the barrel, which will then throw off zero and accuracy. Three alternative stock materials are fiberglass, composite, and laminated wood. Some composite stocks are made from a combination of Kevlar and graphite. Weatherby Accumark rifles use composite stocks made by Bell and Carlson which consist of fiberglass, aramid fibers, graphite, epoxy gel coats, and laminating resins to construct very lightweight yet durable stocks. Ruger’s GunSite Scout Rifle is an example of a rifle that uses a wood laminate. Wood laminate stocks are heavier than those made of synthetic material but they are strong and have a more traditional look. Fiberglass has been used in military rifles since about 1977 when the US Marines retrofitted their M40 rifles with McMillan stocks and is now the norm in US Marine and Army sniper rifles. Fiberglass stocks are less expensive than composite stocks and just as light and rugged. When a rifle barrel is free floated all material has been removed from the forend and the barrel does not touch the stock. An easy method to determine if a barrel is free floated is to slip a dollar bill between the stock and barrel and run the bill back toward the action. If the bill easily slides all the way back to the action the barrel is free floated. A free-floated barrel is allowed to vibrate as harmonic waves travel down the barrel when a round is fired. Without any interference from the stock, the barrel is free to