Transform your build for any purpose with the LSS GEN3 Chassis. Swap out grips, forends, buttstocks, and buttstock interfaces without removing your action and losing your zero.
As someone who teaches long-range precision shooting for a good chunk of the year, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to refine how I explain the key ingredients to consistent success behind the rifle. We’re just about to wrap up our fourth five-day long-range precision course this year—and it’s only mid-March. Over time, I’ve found it helps to break things down into three core components. Each one has layers and subcategories, but looking at them as a whole gives you a clear picture of what it takes to hit your targets consistently. Of course, reading about this stuff only gets you so far. Real progress happens when you’re behind the rifle, under instruction, and making mistakes in a controlled, safe environment. That’s where the lessons sink in. And yes, that’s exactly why I designed my five-day long-range precision course the way I did. But for now, let’s dive into these three critical components. Programming Your Rifle and Optic Executing the Fundamentals of Accuracy Observing and Understanding Your Impact These three phases are the framework for success in long-range shooting. Mastering each individually and together is where things start to click. COMPONENT ONE: PROGRAMMING YOUR RIFLE AND OPTIC This is where everything starts. Nothing else matters if you’re not setting up your rifle system correctly and programming your optic for the shot you’re about to take. This phase is all about dialing in your data for known distances or using your reticle to range unknown distances and make solid decisions about how to engage. Sometimes, you’re working inside a distance where your caliber and speed make holdovers quick and easy. Other times, the target’s small enough or far enough away that it makes more sense to dial and settle in for a more precise shot. Knowing when to dial, when to hold, and how to confirm your parallax and magnification before breaking a shot is key. Understanding your equipment is key to long range success. Photo courtesy of Nick Setting. If something goes wrong in this phase—maybe you dialed the wrong number, your data is off, or a piece of gear worked itself loose—you may not even realize it until after the shot breaks. Worse yet, bad shooters don’t realize it at all. They take the shot, miss, and have no idea why. And in hunting or tactical situations, that can lead to disastrous outcomes—whether it’s an unethical shot on game or a failed engagement on a critical target. One of the best skills you can develop here is knowing when not to take the shot at all. Recognizing when something isn’t right—and having the discipline to fix it before pressing the trigger—separates decent shooters from true professionals. COMPONENT TWO: FUNDAMENTALS OF ACCURACY We’ve all heard the old phrases—“steady breathing,” “smooth trigger press,” and so on. And while there’s truth to all that, I’ve found that some people either overthink it or neglect certain areas that matter much more than they realize. Over the years, after working with hundreds of shooters, I’ve rethought a lot of what I was originally taught about precision rifle shooting. Some things still hold true. Others… not so much. The trigger press is, of course, a big deal. Slow, steady, and consistent. But hand placement on the stock also plays a huge role in maintaining precision, especially as you stretch the distance. That said, the most important factor in my book is cheek weld. If you’re not placing your face in the exact same spot every single time, you’re introducing inconsistencies in how your eye aligns with the reticle. Even small shifts change your perspective through the scope, and that can translate into misses—especially at distance. The fundamentals of accuracy are important whether prone or in a hasty position. Photo courtesy of Nick Setting. It’s not the sexiest piece of advice, but mastering your head placement and making it repeatable is one of the biggest game-changers for precision shooting. COMPONENT THREE: OBSERVING AND UNDERSTANDING YOUR IMPACT This is where good shooters become great shooters. Being able to see your impact—and understand why you hit or missed—is crucial. If you’re shooting a bolt-action rifle, that often means holding your position and watching for the strike before running the bolt. If you cycle the action too fast, you lose sight of your impact and the feedback it gives you. Gas guns don’t struggle with this as much, but the principle still applies: you need to see where your round lands before you make your next move. Being able to spot hits or misses through your scope is a skill that must be developed. Photo courtesy of Nick Setting. Once you spot your impact (or miss), you need to know exactly what correction to make. That’s how you stay in the fight and stay effective. This step is a huge part of growing as a shooter. How do you learn to see your own impact? It comes down to body position, recoil management, and following through after the shot. Over the years, I’ve been exposed to a lot of different techniques—some better than others. My time in the Marine Corps, and later running high-threat contracts in Baghdad, gave me a chance to really challenge some of the old ideas and develop new techniques that worked under pressure. These methods have helped shooters of all levels become more effective in less time. When you can see your shot strike and immediately make an informed correction, everything changes. Whether you’re working a precision rifle or a belt-fed machine gun in a sustained engagement, being able to track your impacts makes you significantly more effective. FINAL THOUGHTS At the end of every failed engagement, I like to ask my shooters a simple question: “What of the three steps went right, and what of the three went wrong?” The answer is simple. A poor shooter misses and doesn’t know why. A good shooter misses and knows immediately. An excellent shooter knows before they take the shot that something’s off—and they fix it before sending a round. That level of awareness only comes from mastering all three components: programming your rifle and optic, executing solid fundamentals, and watching and understanding your impacts. This has been a deep dive, but it’s the culmination of years of experience teaching people how to shoot at distance. Whether just starting out or fine-tuning your skills, these three components will always be at the core of long-range success. And while there’s no substitute for hands-on instruction, understanding why these elements matter is a solid first step. Articles from Rob Orgel of Emergency Response Tactical Long-Range Hunting and Shot Placement Eye Dominance and Handedness Maximizing Speed and Efficiency Are You Ready for Your Hunt? Combat Readiness Regaining Mental Balance Bullet Expansion for Rifle Hunting Three Biggest Dangers During a Hunt Five Common Questions About NFA Items 5 Things to Know Before Buying a Suppressor Physical Fitness In The Military Sig Sauer SniperFest: Review and Key Takeaways 7mm Backcountry: A Promising Caliber With Potential Pitfalls Winchester 21 Sharp: Is It Worth the Investment? There Is Only One Way to Buck the Wind Check out the latest video on our YouTube Channel!
Before I knew it, the coyote was gone. Spooked. And just like that, all the time and effort I had put into this hunt vanished with him. Frustration hit me like a gut punch. I glassed him moving along the ridgeline—then he paused just before the road intersection at 420 yards. At first, I cursed. That’s too far. But then I thought—is it really? Up to this point, all my military training had worked as expected. Just a couple of weeks ago, my platoon and I were hitting steel from standing at 400 yards. Confidence started creeping in. I can make this shot. I scanned my surroundings. I could drop into the prone position here. That would give me the stability I needed. If I shot from the prone, I knew I had this. I grabbed my rifle and settled in. Now, I’m not sure if the coyote was just too comfortable or completely oblivious, but he sat there, staring at me. I ran through my shooter’s checklist—an abbreviated version, admittedly. Dialed my dope for 400 yards. Checked the wind—nothing major. Slow. Steady. Squeeze. Boom. That was the moment I realized how much my range training carried over into real-world hunting. Let’s rewind. Sitting in a classroom at Basic Reconnaissance Course, I was half-listening to a lecture on concealment. Blend in with your surroundings. Match color patterns. Break up your outline. Concepts I understood but didn’t fully appreciate. Fast forward to my first deployment workup. Shooting drills. Patrol exercises. A senior operator in my platoon asked me, “If you were the bad guy, where would you attack us from?” A valuable lesson, but one I didn’t truly put into practice until I started predator hunting. I started researching coyote behavior, reading every forum I could find. What stood out? All the recommended gear—tripod, rear bag, precision rifle—I already had. It was the same kit we used on the sniper range. The only thing I needed was a coyote call and a decoy. That next weekend, I drove out to the middle of nowhere, set up, and called as loud as I could. Nothing. Disappointed but not defeated. This pattern repeated for weeks. Frustration set in. I needed to change my approach. Was I getting spotted on approach? The next time, I wore my ghillie suit top and avoided natural lines of drift. Coyotes are smart. If they sense danger, they’re gone. Once I made the connection between concealment lessons and hunting, things started to click. I started spotting more coyotes. More importantly, I started applying these tactics in real-world observation positions. Now, I knew how to stay concealed. I knew how to control their movement. But I was missing one final piece. Then, it all came together. I set up my call, got into position, and a coyote came charging in. 320 yards—ranged, checked my Kestrel, dialed. Gone. 275 yards—ranged, dialed. Gone again. 375 yards—ranged, dialed. Watched him disappear. I was furious. I should have pre-ranged these landmarks and memorized my holds. Lesson learned. This time, I planned everything: planned my concealment route, positioned my call with the rising sun at my back, found cover between two bushes, ranged key landmarks, and hung a gutted piece of paracord from my tripod to check wind. This time, I was ready. The coyote appeared on a far ridgeline, ears perked toward my call. He started closing in. 600-yard marker. 420-yard intersection. Yellow bush at 300 yards. Close enough now that I could see his ears twitching, his eyes locked on the call. I shifted slightly to get in position, but I had forgotten the call remote was in my lap. It fell—battery cover popped off—a loud clatter in the silent landscape. The coyote froze. Eyes wide. And just like that—gone. I sat there, emotions swirling. But then I saw him again, pausing at the 420-yard intersection. Was that too far? I steadied myself. Dropped into prone. The coyote just sat there, staring. Checklist. Dope for 400. Wind conditions. Slow. Steady. Squeeze. Boom. A 175-grain .308 hit center mass. That was the moment I fully grasped the connection between training on the range and hunting in the field. From that point on, it wasn’t just my training influencing my hunting—my hunting started refining my tactical skills. At work, I overheard guys calling me some kind of “tactical ninja.” Nah, dude. I’m just a coyote hunter. Final thoughts: Hunting sharpened my tactical skills in ways the range never could. Understanding terrain and concealment made me a better hunter AND operator. The best way to test your training? Take it to the field. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Steve Holland discovered his passion for shooting early with pellet guns and .22s in the Boy Scouts, a foundation that served him well when he joined the Marine Corps in 2005. After volunteering for Recon and deploying to Iraq in 2006, his skill with a rifle earned him advanced sniper training, including courses under renowned instructor Todd Hodnett. He deployed again as a sniper and team leader, later becoming a Master Instructor at the Reconnaissance Training Center and continuing to refine his craft. After returning to 1st Force Recon and completing both the Marine Corps Basic and MARSOF Advanced Sniper Courses, Steve transitioned to the Marine Corps Reserve, where he began teaching precision rifle skills to civilians, law enforcement, and military personnel. When the Recon Sniper Course launched, he was selected as an instructor and named Best Instructor during his first course. Steve retired in 2024 and now works as a firefighter in California while staying active in the hunting and long-range shooting communities. Steve also works as an instructor and safety officer for The Cadre, a training company specializing in long-range shooting.
Recently, Hornady released the 25 Creedmoor. The 25 CM, however, isn't particularly new and has been a favorite among wildcatters for years. (In February of 2024, our Marcus Horn posted an article discussing the history and advent of the middling Creedmoor child. Check it out here.) The 25 CM bridges the gap between the 6.5 and 6mm diameters for both hunters and competitive shooters, offering favorable ballistics while minimizing recoil. For the guys at Muley Freak, the 25CM is the subject of their latest YouTube video, the ULTIMATE Backcountry rifle. The project's foundation centers around a Proof Research Sendero profile barrel. Note that it's not a Sendero-light profile, which only saves the user 2 oz. Initially, a 24" tube was selected, but Erik quickly pivoted to a 20" one to keep the overall package as compact as possible, especially when a suppressor is affixed to the muzzle. Part of the reasoning involved the choice of the MDT HNT26 chassis with a folding stock. Even with a suppressor attached, the 20" barrel and the chassis's folding stock keep everything compact when carried in a backpack while rucking in the mountains of the American West. The HNT26's feather-like weight and intuitive design make it a favorite among hunters and shooters. The chassis can be had with or without a folding stock and an integrated ARCA rail. Next is the Muley Freaks edition of Stiller Precision's Wombat action. This custom action, branded in partnership with Muley Freaks, is adorned with the Muley Freak skull and special serial numbers (and can be bought here). The action weighs 23 ounces, features a skeletonized stainless steel action body, and maintains the tight tolerances for which Stiller is known—an excellent choice for any lightweight build. After assembly, the rifle with the suppressor and Nightforce Optic attached weighs just over 9 lbs. Once assembled and with the scope mounted, it's time to shoot—this is where things get interesting. Erik has minimal experience shooting with a chassis, let alone an über-lightweight chassis like the HNT26. Erik claims that there was a relatively high learning curve. The reduced weight and slender profile do not lend themselves to small groups from a bench. He had difficulty anchoring the rifle, but his group sizes shrank once he settled in and began "driving" the weapon. This raises a larger question about shooting fundamentals (and maybe the topic of a future article!) and how they might need to be adapted to different systems (i.e., a PRS rig compared to a lightweight mountain rifle). Regardless, this gun is impressive. Its lightweight design and compactness make it ideal for grueling backcountry hunts where every ounce matters. If this type of build interests you, or if you enjoy watching epic hunts, check out the Muley Freak YouTube channel. I can't wait to see this rifle in action.
MDT Sporting Goods Ltd. is thrilled to announce that the SEND IT GEN2 Electronic Level is now available for purchase. This latest advancement in rifle leveling technology is designed to meet the demands of today's precision rifle shooters, building on the trusted performance of the original LRA SEND IT. The GEN2 delivers faster feedback, enhanced modularity, and a compact, rugged design — all engineered to keep you dialed in on target with complete confidence. Perfect rifle leveling is critical whether you're chasing victory in a match or pushing personal limits at the range. The SEND IT GEN2 makes it easier than ever, offering direct-on-optic visibility and instant LED feedback that lets you stay fully focused through your scope. No bubbles, no squinting, no guesswork — just rock-solid, visual confirmation of your rifle's cant, right when you need it. "The GEN2 continues our mission to eliminate distractions behind the rifle," said Derrick Guay, VP of Sales & Marketing at MDT. "We've packed more capability into a smaller, tougher package so shooters can trust their equipment and focus 100% on the shot." WHY THE SEND IT GEN2 STANDS OUT Direct On-Optic Visibility: The included ocular band and fiber optic system project the LED signal onto your scope eyepiece for immediate, glanceable feedback. Instant Feedback, Zero Distraction: Quick-responding LED indicators confirm your rifle is level without taking your eye off the target. Stay Focused in Any Condition: Adjustable brightness and peripheral visibility ensure clear feedback in any lighting or environmental situation. Tailored for You: Multiple mounting options, configurable button direction, and customizable modes let you adapt the GEN2 to your unique rifle setup. Tailored for You: Multiple mounting options, configurable button direction, and customizable modes let you adapt the GEN2 to your unique rifle setup. Reliable Battery Life: Get 200+ hours of runtime from a single CR2032 battery, keeping you operational in the field or on the firing line. Consistent, Rock-Solid Accuracy: Multi-axis calibration provides precise leveling even on uneven terrain, uphill, or downhill shots. SEND IT GEN2 with the Ocular Mountain Kit. WHAT'S NEW WITH GEN2 The SEND IT GEN2 isn't just an update—it's a significant evolution: Nearly 50% smaller and slimmer than the original GEN1 Flip-configurable button for easier access in any setup New selectable LED modes: single LED, blinking alerts, and 3-LED mode Programmable auto power-off (1–5 hours or disabled) Modular bezel and housing for future upgrades Included ocular mounting kit with fiber optic line Improved battery life using a standard CR2032 battery Optional V-Mount compatibility for flexible installation The MDT SEND IT GEN2 is available now at authorized MDT dealers and online at mdttac.com.
Kota Precision engineers shooting systems for hunters, competitive shooters, and long-range enthusiasts. Each rifle system manufactured by Kota comes with a ½ MOA guarantee and the company offers tripods, suppressors, and rifle building services as well. Kota offers five custom rifle models. Included in this list of models are the "Kota," "Kota LR MZ," "Kota Comp," "Truckee," and "The Squirrel." Each of these rifle systems is offered with scope mounting and leveling with factory ammo testing, an SKB case with custom foam cutouts, range finder calibration service, and a tripod or bipod. Let's take a look at the models. The Kota rifle is a backcountry hunting rifle with 20", 22", or 24" hand-lapped carbon barrel options, a Trigger Tech trigger, and a muzzle brake. The Kota is offered in 6.5 PRC, 7 PRC, and 300 PRC, with custom caliber options available and can be ordered with an MDT HNT 26 carbon fiber chassis system! The Kota LR MZ is a backcountry muzzle loader featuring a custom action, 26" .45 caliber carbon barrel, Trigger Tech trigger, three port arrowhead muzzle brake, and funnel, custom cerakote, and additional muzzle loading tools. Load development can be purchased with the Kota LR MZ, complete with 100 loaded rounds. The rifle is available with an MDT HNT 26 carbon fiber chassis system! The Kota Comp has an Impact precision 737R action, 26" proof match barrel, MDT ACC Elite Chassis system, Area 419 match muzzle brake, Trigger Tech trigger, 10-round AICS magazine, and custom cerakote. This rifle system is offered in 6.5 Creedmoor, 6 Dasher, 6mm Creedmoor, and additional custom caliber options. The Truckee rifle offers a collapsible chassis system with 8" -16" barrel options. This makes for a small package tailored towards transportation and mobility. This rifle system accepts AICS magazines, has a Trigger Tech special trigger, and is offered chambered in .300 BLK and 8.6 BLK. These caliber options guarantee very quiet centerfire rifle performance via the use of a suppressor and certain ammo loads. Lastly, The Squirrel, or "the fun gun," is based upon a Grey Birch LDR rifle chambered in .22LR. The fun gun features a GBMFG Precision Bolt, Carbon barrel, Ruger BX Trigger, and a 20 MOA rail with ARCA compatibility. This rifle system is offered with a 12.5" or 16" barrel. If you are in the market for a custom rifle, you might want to check out Kota Precision.
Our brand new ultralight hunting bipods—the Mountain and Backcountry—If you're serious about shaving weight without sacrificing performance, these are the lightest, most capable bipods you can throw in your pack—bar none.
Our brand new ultralight hunting bipods—the Mountain and Backcountry—If you're serious about shaving weight without sacrificing performance, these are the lightest, most capable bipods you can throw in your pack—bar none.
The MDT SEND IT GEN2 is a compact, rugged electronic level for precision shooters. It gives instant LED feedback—no bubbles, no guessing. When it’s green, send it.
Are You Making These Score-Crushing Mistakes in NRL Hunter?
Pro competitor Rusty Ulmer breaks down the most common slip-ups he sees—and how to fix them. From mindset to mechanics, he shares proven tips to help you level up your performance.
The MDT LSS GEN3–the most adaptable and customizable rifle chassis ever built.
Whether building a competition rifle, dialling in a hunting setup, or putting together a tactical beast, this system lets you customize every detail without ever pulling your barrelled action.
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