E146: Precision Rifle Build

Precision rifles come with a lot of mystic and myth. In this episode, we sit down with famed gunsmith Ed Vanden Berg of Vanden Berg Custom.

He’s going to set us straight on all the ends and outs of what it takes to make a precision rifle precise. This won’t be a buy-this-gun or that conversation. And it won’t be a go with this caliber, trigger, barrel, or stock conversation. Instead, this will be a primer that breaks down the basics of what does and does not make a rifle shoot true.

Precision Rifle Topics Discussed:

• Are bolt-action rifles inherently more accurate than semi-auto rifles?
• How big of a role does the action play in the accuracy of a rifle?
• How big of a role does the caliber, in the sense of total cartridge package, actually play in accuracy?
• What’s so special about 260 Remington and 6.5?
• Match grade or rolling your own: Does it make a difference?
• What is internal ballistics?
• What is external ballistics?
• What is terminal ballistics?
• How big of a role does the barrel play in the accuracy of a rifle?
• What is barrel harmonics all about?
• Does barrel length play a part in accuracy or is purely about squeezing out velocity?
• What does free floating both is semi-auto and bolt-action a barrel do?
• Can a rifle sling impact the accuracy of a rifle?
• Is there a “Best” precision rifle barrel maker?
• What is barrel religion?
• Does fluting a barrel impact the accuracy of a rifle?
• How big of a role does the rifle stock play in the accuracy of a rifle?
• Does trigger weight impact the accuracy of a rifle?
• What’s the best trigger weight?
• What does a custom precision bolt-action rifle cost?
• What does a custom precision semi-auto rifle cost?
• What are the biggest myths fo long range shooting?

Resources from this episode:

• Ed Vanden Berg’s Website – Vanden Berg Customs
• Mel Tappen’s Survival Guns book