In the ELR game, particularly the King of 2 Miles (KO2M), it’s “go big or go home”. The top shooters run large-capacity cartridges that push large-caliber, ultra-high BC bullets at very high velocities. Bullets launched by cartridges such as the .416 Barrett can sustain supersonic velocities at Extreme Long Ranges — and that’s what it takes to win. The .416 Barrett can launch a 550-grain solid bullet at 3000+ FPS.
Photo from ELR Competitor Corbin Shell.
2018 and 2019 Kings of 2 Miles Loaded on RCBS Presses
So how do you load jumbo cartridges such as the .416 Barrett? It takes a big, heavy, super-strong reloading press. We’ve learned that two recent King of 2 Miles champions, Paul Phillips (2019) and Robert Brantley (2018) both loaded their KO2M ammo on RCBS AmmoMaster .50 BMG presses. Phillips loaded .416 Barrett ammo, while Brantley loaded a similar .416 MCS cartridge.
In 2018, Robert Brantley topped the field using his custom .416 MCS cartridge. Then in 2019, Paul Phillips won the K02M competition shooting a .416 Barrett, with Brantley a close second. Both Phillips and Brantley use the RCBS AmmoMaster .50 BMG single stage press kit and RCBS .416 Barrett dies to hand-load for extreme long-range. “My ammo has been much more consistent after switching to the RCBS press and dies,” remarked Phillips, who runs the Global Precision Group. Brantley said he uses RCBS products for most of his reloading needs — from the dies and AmmoMaster, to the ChargeMaster and Brass Boss. His custom .416 MCS loads launch a 550-grain bullet more than 3,100 fps.
Loading with RCBS AmmoMaster .50 BMG Press
This video shows reloading with the RCBS AmmoMaster .50 BMG press. While this video shows .50 BMG cases being loaded, the principles are the same for loading the .416 Barrett cartridge or other big rounds. Big cases need big presses!
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Today we feature a big-caliber rifle used for the most prestigious Extreme Long Range (ELR) competition, the King of 2 Miles. This rifle was built for Derek Rodgers, a talented shooter with amazing credentials. An F-TR World Champion, Derek is the only shooter to have won the F-Open USA National Championship AND the F-TR USA National Championship. Derek also won the 2017 King of 2 Miles competition. Last Sunday GunDay we featured the 33XC rifle used by Clay Rhoden to capture the inaugural American King of 1 Mile competition. That story was quite popular, so this Sunday we offer an even more powerful rig, Derek’s .416 Barrett with a massive 40″ barrel.
Derek Rodgers won the King of 2 Miles competition in 2017, so he knows all about Extreme Long Range (ELR) shooting. While Derek won his 2017 KO2M title shooting the .375 CheyTac cartridge, Derek decided that something even bigger was in order. So Derek commissioned this impressive ELR rifle chambered for the jumbo .416 Barrett cartridge. This big round drives heavy Cutting Edge solid bullets from 475 to 550 grains in weight.
Here’s the Big Rig that delivers those .416-caliber projectiles. This monster rifle weighs 40+ pounds and sports a 40″ Bartlein barrel — more length for more velocity. Derek’s ELR rifle features a McMillan Beast 2 stock, BAT EX action, and Nightforce ATACR 7-35x56mm scope. Derek explained why he moved up to a bigger caliber: “I built a new rifle with the anticipation of seeing impacts easier. It was not just a larger caliber being more effective on hitting ELR targets, but rather hoping that a missed shot would have a much larger impact. Impacts beyond a mile become harder to see due to terrain and vegetation. So any added dust or splash erupting from the earth is a decisive benefit over an equally-accurate smaller caliber.” Here is Derek’s full report on his .416 Barrett rifle.
Derek Rodgers Campaigns a .416 Barrett
Report by Derek Rodgers Cartridge Choice — I chose a standard .416 Barrett cartridge as it allows for bullets up to and slightly exceeding 550 grains. It really does bridge the gap between the .375 variants and a 50 BMG. There are several great solid ELR bullet options from manufactures like Cutting Edge that range from 475-550 grains. These offer a variety of extremely high BC options for barrels that have different twist rates. Most loads will utilize the slowest burn rate powders commercially available. Good options are Vihtavuori 20N29, RL50, H50BMG and other powders with a similar burn rate.
Shooting the .416 — Tamer than Expected
An initial observation is that the rifle is very controllable and feels much like a larger F-TR gun. The rifle weighs 40+ pounds, balanced and stays on target very well. The recoil is manageable and linear. This seems to give a straight rearward impulse that does not affect positioning. This allows for quick repositioning into battery and faster follow-up shots.
Image courtesy ELR competitor Corbin Shell.
Rifle Details — BAT EX Action, Bartlein 40″ Barrel, McMillan Beast 2 Stock
Derek’s .416 Barrett ELR Rig features a BAT EX action with a Bix’N Andy trigger. Out front is a gigantic 40″ long, 1:9″-twist Bartlein barrel fitted with a Terminator T5 muzzle brake. The handsome McMillan Beast 2 stock combines a lower center of gravity design with a higher butt location. Given that high butt geometry, McMillan cleverly fitted the higher buttpad with a port allowing the cleaning rod to pass through (see photo below). On top is a Nightforce ATACR 7-35x56mm scope in NF rings on a +60 MOA rail, with Holland 34mm bubble level. The stock is supported by a Phoenix bipod and rests in an Edgewood bag designed for the McMillan Xit F-TR stock.
Note the extended Buttpad height. That helps with recoil in prone position. This McMillan Beast 2 stock includes a pass-through hole for the cleaning rod.
Derek Rodgers Wins 2017 Ko2M with 3368-Yard Hit
Back in 2017, Derek Rodgers won the King of 2 Miles Competition at Raton, New Mexico. Derek, shooting with Team Applied Ballistics, was the first KO2M marksman in history to hit the target at the maximum 3368-yard (1.91 mile) distance. Here’s that historic shot:
At the 2017 K02M, with his McMillan-stocked .375 CheyTac rifle, Derek shot brilliantly from the start. He was perfect — without a miss — at the first three yardages: 1543, 1722, and 1888. He had some misses at 1953 and 2667 yards, but then he out-shot all competitors at 3028 yards, going two for five. No other shooter managed a single hit at 3028 yards. Then it all came down to the big one — the last (and greatest) challenge, the target at 3368 yards (1.91 miles). Derek nailed it… and the celebrations began.
Here’s Derek with his 2017 Ko2M-winning .375 CheyTac rifle. Now he’s stepped up in bore size.
Gunsmithing by Blake Barrel and Rifle in Arizona
Derek’s rifle was built and chambered by Bryan Blake of Blake Barrel and Rifle in Phoenix, Arizona. The chambering was done with a Manson Precision reamer. Derek explains: “Bryan and his family have been in the machine shop business for several generations and have the expertise and equipment to handle larger barrel diameters associated with F-Class to ELR-type rigs. I tried to consider all angles and potential pitfalls that might occur during the building process. However, Bryan added his own touches to make the project his own. He truly created a work of art and supplied a turn-key rifle that is meticulously built from the inside out and looks as great as the tolerances it holds.”
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Paul Phillips is a past King of 2 Miles, and one of the world’s top Extreme Long Range (ELR) Shooters. He recently showcased one of his ELR rifles that shoots the .416 Barrett cartridge with huge, 550gr Cutting Edge bullets seated in CNC-machined RCC (Robertson Cartridge Company) brass that costs $10 per case.
Even with these giant-sized cartridges, Paul Phillips is getting remarkable accuracy. He recently went out to a snow-covered rifle range to do some testing. We include some test results in this article. Paul’s rig delivered 1.056″ to 1.748″ 3-shot groups at 500 yards. That’s .202 to .335 MOA for three shots. (1 MOA = 1.047″ at 100 yards, or 5.235″ at 500 yards). That’s very impressive accuracy for such a big cartridge with serious recoil.
Confidence is Gained from Consistent Accuracy
Report by Paul Phillips
After being retired from my 30 years of service in military and law enforcement, I started my own company, Global Precision Group LLC. We specialize in Long range shooting. I am currently doing some R&D for a new ammunition company, Ultimate Ammunition, (UA) out of Las Vegas. UA specializes in Military, Law Enforcement, and Custom ammunition.
On this particular day, it was a very cool 15 degrees F. I was testing ammunition for the .416 Barrett. Since winning the King of 2 Miles in 2019, my team has been looking at ways to make everything better. The competition is fierce and everyone is getting better and better. Finding single-digit Standard Deviations (SDs) is a must. Holding SDs under 5 FPS can be what it takes to win.
After several weeks of testing, I think I found the perfect combination for the .416 Barrett in my rifle. My optimal load runs about 3000 FPS using the following components:
Cutting Edge 550 Grain Solid Bullets with Tips
RCC Brass (CNC-machined)
Vihtavuori 20N29 Powder
RWS primers
Loaded for ~3000 FPS load velocity goal
I figure if I can keep my 3-round groups under two inches consistently, I have a chance to win on any Sunday. The average group size of these groups was 1.47 inches at 500 yards. With big bore rifles it gets very costly to test. That is why I am limiting my test groups to 3 rounds. See below:
Note the single-digit Extreme Spread and SD for all of these three-shot groups, as recorded by the LabRadar (see below). The average SD for these three groups at 500 yards was about three.
NOTE: This is an animated GIF with THREE images, alternating every 4.5 seconds.
Not just the ammunition deserves credit. I also have to give credit to the quality Manson reamer, BAT action, Bartlein Barrel, Bix’N Andy trigger, Manners ELR stock, Nightforce Optic, and Accu-Tac bipod with my new P skis. All these gear/hardware items, combined with quality ammunition, allow these kind of groups.
Products featured in this article include:
Accu-Tac Bipods
Bartlein Barrel
BAT Machine Action
Bix’N Andy Trigger
CROSSTAC Shooting Mat
Cutting Edge Bullets
Edgewood Shooting Bag
Kestrel with Ballistics
LabRadar
LongShot Cameras
Manners Composite Stock
Manson Precision Reamer
Nightforce Optics
RCBS Press and Tools
RCC (CNC-machined) Brass
Vihtavuori Powder
When Bigger IS Better — The New .416 Colossus ELR Cartridge
John Pierce, founder of Pierce Engineering revealed an impressive new cartridge developed for the ELR (Extreme Long Range) game — the .416 Colossus. This has achieved 3300 fps shooting the Badlands Precision 525gr solid copper projectile (BC: 1.20 G1, .614 G7). Above is a “big rig” designed to shoot this cartridge. This rifle boasts a custom Eliseo chassis with 20X Pierce Engineering action and Krieger barrel. John Pierce noted: “Big thanks to Gary Eliseo for building this special chassis. Pete Contacos owns and tested the rifle and cartridge. He is ecstatic to say the least.”
John Pierce reported on Facebook: “After a long two years of development and waiting to see what results could be achieved, we are very pleased. The Colossus cartridge, designed by Mark Fox and myself, is showing great [results].”
The cartridge boasts impressive velocities. John reports: “Over 3300 fps shooting the Badlands Precision 525gr .416-caliber projectiles. Zero bolt-lift issues from RCC (Robertson Cartridge Co.) brass. [We have] 25 firings on one test piece and still good to go. Big thanks to Dan Warner [at Warner Tool] for making the special, awesome dies.”
More Capacity and Higher Efficiency than .416 Barrett and .416 Warner
One Facebook commenter wanted to know how the .416 Colossus compared to other big .416-caliber cartridges created for the ELR game: “Can you or Mark share the increase in powder capacity over a standard .416 Barrett and over a .416 Warner?” John replied: “I would rather not elaborate on details of cartridge just yet…however it has a bit more capacity and higher efficiency using a large magnum primer.”
Pete Contacos, the rifle’s owner, posted: “I would like to thank everyone who made this possible: John Pierce, Mark Fox, Gary Eliseo, Jeff at RRC Brass, Jason At Badlands Bullets, Dan Warner for dies. This is an AMAZING rifle made possible by all of the above People. THANK YOU ALL… looking forward to seeing you all at the matches this year.”
Gary Eliseo (Competition Machine) is making a similar big chassis for John Pierce. Gary posted: “Yours is almost finished”, to which John replied: “Thank you for the beautiful chassis, exciting to get my Big Red.” Gary has told us that this big new chassis is a scaled-up version of the Competition Machine UMR system. The large Pierce 20X action is epoxied in the chassis, which accepts a Rem-compatible trigger.
About RCC Brass — CNC Machined Quality
RCC manufactures brass cartridges on CNC lathes and mills starting with C272 solid bar stock. RCC reloading brass cartridges are manufactured to SAAMI, CIP, or customer specifications (yes custom cartridge and wildcats can be made). The brass does not use a conventional draw process. This allows the brass to be stronger, according to RCC:
“We machine all our cases on CNC lathes and mills and our case weight, case volume, and our case concentricity are the best available in the industry. We do not anneal the case head as it is hammer-forged to a high tensile strength which gives us the same hardness for each case. Since we use CNC equipment to manufacture our, case weight is nearly identical, the case volume is too, and our case concentricity is held to a 0.001”.
Since we are not held back by the limitations of a [traditional] draw system, we are able to use higher strength alloys to manufacture cartridges. Our C272 brass alloy has a much higher tensile strength and tighter molecular grain structure than C260 brass, without losing the needed elasticity. Test results have been very positive as we’ve had reports of increased in velocity and energy and lower shot deviations versus C260 drawn brass.
We manufacture high-quality reloading brass cartridges for vintage, obsolete, hard to find, and wildcat calibers. All cartridges are made to SAAMI, CIP, or tolerances provided to us. Our unique process allows us to manufacture over 1,500 different cartridges at tolerances up to 0.0005”. We manufacture reloading brass cartridges for any firearm.
We custom fit brass to the chamber of your firearm. Our custom fit program will give you the headspace and chamber dimensions best suited for your firearm. Customers can send us fire-formed brass, a chamber cast, or the firearm for the custom cartridge. We do Wildcats too. Send us a reamer drawing, or a dimensioned drawing and we will manufacture your wildcat cartridge. There is a one time set-up fee for all wildcats and a 100 piece minimum order. We do Custom Headstamps too. We use our CNC mills to engrave headstamps. We are able to do text and some graphics too.”
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In the ELR game, particularly the King of 2 Miles (KO2M), it’s “go big or go home”. The top shooters run large-capacity cartridges that push large-caliber, ultra-high BC bullets at very high velocities. Bullets launched by cartridges such as the .416 Barrett can sustain supersonic velocities at Extreme Long Ranges — and that’s what it takes to win. The .416 Barrett can launch a 550-grain solid bullet at 3000+ FPS.
Photo from ELR Competitor Corbin Shell.
2018 and 2019 Kings of 2 Miles Loaded on RCBS Presses
So how do you load jumbo cartridges such as the .416 Barrett? It takes a big, heavy, super-strong reloading press. We’ve learned that the last two Kings of 2 Miles, Paul Phillips (2019) and Robert Brantley (2019) both loaded their KO2M ammo on RCBS AmmoMaster .50 BMG presses. Phillips loaded .416 Barrett ammo, while Brantley loaded custom .416 MCS rounds.
In 2018, Robert Brantley topped the field using his custom .416 MCS loads perfected on the AmmoMaster .50 BMG Press. This year, Brantley took a close second to 2019 KO2M winner Paul Phillips. Both Phillips and Brantley use the AmmoMaster .50 BMG single stage press kit and RCBS .416 Barrett dies to hand-load for extreme long-range. “My ammo has been much more consistent after switching to the RCBS press and dies,” remarked Phillips, who runs the Global Precision Group. Brantley said he uses RCBS products for most of his reloading needs — from the dies and AmmoMaster, to the ChargeMaster and Brass Boss. His custom .416 MCS loads launch a 550-grain bullet more than 3,100 fps.
Loading with RCBS AmmoMaster .50 BMG Press
This video shows reloading with the RCBS AmmoMaster .50 BMG press. While this video shows .50 BMG cases being loaded, the principles are the same for loading the .416 Barrett used by both Brantley and Phillips. Big cases need big presses!
Derek Rodgers Shooting the .375 CheyTac at K02M in 2017
Another ELR ace, 2017 King of 2 Miles champion Derek Rodgers, favored the .375 CheyTac cartridge. For his successful K02M quest, Derek ran Cutting Edge Bullets in Peterson brass with Hodgdon H50BMG powder. The video below shows Derek in action at the 2017 KO2M event.
The KO2M competition is a two-day extreme long-range (ELR) match held at the NRA Whittington Center outside Raton, New Mexico. Teams consist of one shooter and up to two wind coaches/spotters, who fire on steel targets ranging from about 1,500 to 3,500 yards.
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In the ELR game, particularly the King of 2 Miles (KO2M), it’s “go big or go home”. The top shooters run large-capacity cartridges that push large-caliber, ultra-high BC bullets at very high velocities. Bullets launched by cartridges such as the .416 Barrett can sustain supersonic velocities at Extreme Long Ranges — and that’s what it takes to win. The .416 Barrett can launch a 550-grain solid bullet at 3000+ FPS.
Photo from ELR Competitor Corbin Shell.
2018 and 2019 Kings of 2 Miles Loaded on RCBS Presses
So how do you load jumbo cartridges such as the .416 Barrett? It takes a big, heavy, super-strong reloading press. We’ve learned that the last two Kings of 2 Miles, Paul Phillips (2019) and Robert Brantley (2019) both loaded their KO2M ammo on RCBS AmmoMaster .50 BMG presses. Phillips loaded .416 Barrett ammo, while Brantley loaded custom .416 MCS rounds.
In 2018, Robert Brantley topped the field using his custom .416 MCS loads perfected on the AmmoMaster .50 BMG Press. This year, Brantley took a close second to 2019 KO2M winner Paul Phillips. Both Phillips and Brantley use the AmmoMaster .50 BMG single stage press kit and RCBS .416 Barrett dies to hand-load for extreme long-range. “My ammo has been much more consistent after switching to the RCBS press and dies,” remarked Phillips, who runs the Global Precision Group. Brantley said he uses RCBS products for most of his reloading needs — from the dies and AmmoMaster, to the ChargeMaster and Brass Boss. His custom .416 MCS loads launch a 550-grain bullet more than 3,100 fps.
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In the ELR game, particularly the King of 2 Miles (KO2M), it’s “go big or go home”. The top shooters run large-capacity cartridges that push large-caliber, ultra-high BC bullets at very high velocities. Bullets launched by cartridges such as the .416 Barrett can sustain supersonic velocities at Extreme Long Ranges — and that’s what it takes to win. The .416 Barrett can launch a 550-grain solid bullet at 3000+ FPS.
Photo from ELR Competitor Corbin Shell.
2018 and 2019 Kings of 2 Miles Loaded on RCBS Presses
So how do you load jumbo cartridges such as the .416 Barrett? It takes a big, heavy, super-strong reloading press. We’ve learned that the last two Kings of 2 Miles, Paul Phillips (2019) and Robert Brantley (2018) both loaded their KO2M ammo on RCBS AmmoMaster .50 BMG presses. Phillips loaded .416 Barrett ammo, while Brantley loaded custom .416 MCS rounds.
In 2018, Robert Brantley topped the field using his custom .416 MCS loads perfected on the AmmoMaster .50 BMG Press. The next year, Brantley took a close second to 2019 KO2M winner Paul Phillips. Both Phillips and Brantley use the AmmoMaster .50 BMG single stage press kit and RCBS .416 Barrett dies to hand-load for extreme long-range. “My ammo has been much more consistent after switching to the RCBS press and dies,” remarked Phillips, who runs the Global Precision Group. Brantley said he uses RCBS products for most of his reloading needs — from the dies and AmmoMaster, to the ChargeMaster and Brass Boss. His custom .416 MCS loads launch a 550-grain bullet more than 3,100 fps.
The KO2M competition is a two-day extreme long-range (ELR) match held at the NRA Whittington Center in New Mexico. Teams consist of one shooter and up to two wind coaches/spotters, who fire on steel targets ranging from about 1,500 to 3,500 yards. The photo below show 2019 Winner Phillips with the King’s crown at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, NM.
Loading with RCBS AmmoMaster .50 BMG Press
This video shows reloading with the RCBS AmmoMaster .50 BMG press. While this video shows .50 BMG cases being loaded, the principles are the same for loading the .416 Barrett used by both Brantley and Phillips. Big cases need big presses!
RCBS is a leading manufacturer of ammunition reloading equipment for rifles and pistols, offering reloading equipment throughout the world. For more information, visit www.RCBS.com
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While 100/200 yard benchrest competitors have been drilling tiny groups at the Kelbly Super Shoot this week, other folks, with MUCH bigger rifles, have been shooting at very long range in Raton, New Mexico.
This week the NRA Whittington Center at Raton hosts the Fifty Caliber Shooting Association (FCSA) annual Extreme Long Range (ELR) Record Match. Some of the most talented long-range shooters on the planet are there, including past King of Two Miles Derek Rodgers, along with his Team Global Precision team-mates Mark Lonsdale and Paul Phillips.
Here is Mark preparing to shoot on the first day of the FCSA 1.5 Mile ELR Match with Paul and Derek spotting and calling wind. The cold bore 10″ gong was at 1,040 yards and all three men nailed it. From there the six steel targets ranged from 1,180 yards, up the side of the mountains, to over 2,600 yards.
Site of Day 1 for the FCSA ELR match at Raton, NM. Targets at 2,300, 2,585, and 2,725 yards. Weather cleared up but wind was brutal.
After Day 1 of the FCSA 1.5 Mile ELR match, Derek was in 2nd place, Mark in 3rd, and Paul in 5th. Mark reported: “Today we had winds gusting well over 15 mph from 6 o’clock, but as they hit the base of the mountains, they created an updraft that caused shots out past 2,000 yards to go high. But just when you had that wind doped, it would switch to a gusting 9 o’clock (left to right) pushing bullets 20 feet to the right. A very challenging day but good practice for Ko2M next month.”
These gents are shooting big rigs with jumbo-sized cartridges. Mark is campaigning a .416 Barrett with Cutting Edge Bullets. Below is his ELR rifle, which features jumbo BAT action, Bartlein barrel (with brake), McMillan stock, and Nightforce scope. Mark posted: “Getting the .416 Barrett ready to shoot in the FCSA 1.5 Mile ELR Match. Weather is definitely warmer than yesterday’s match but wind is howling today.”
TECH TIP — Barrel Life in the ELR Game
Mark Lonsdale posted this interesting commentary on barrel life in the ELR game: “How long a barrel lasts has a lot to do with how hot you run your loads and resultant chamber pressures, but it can also be poor cleaning technique. That said, if you are into ELR or long range precision shooting, and you shoot a lot, you need to think of match-grade barrels as a consumable item — just like the tires on your car. You change your tires when they show excessive wear, so you change your barrel when the accuracy drops off. Similarly, you buy tires that best suit your needs, street or off-road, so you buy a barrel that meets your requirements for weight, accuracy and muzzle velocity.”
“Accuracy is also subjective based on the needs of the shooter. Hunting big game does not require the same pin-point accuracy as long range varmint hunting, and having fun at local club matches does not require the same accuracy as aspiring to be a national champion. With accuracy comes cost, but when compared to the cost of ELR ammo in .338, .375 or .416, a new barrel is actually an affordable consumable. Just remember, ‘the only good rifle is an accurate rifle’.”
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Today’s Sunday GunDay story features Corbin Shell’s remarkable, record-setting .416 Barrett. With a 40″ Krieger barrel secured in a massive barrel block, this is definitely a big boomer!
Last month, Forum member Corbin Shell set a new Extreme Long Range (ELR) record. With no sighters or warm-up shots, Corbin put three (3) shots on a 36″ x 36″ steel plate at 2118 yards, establishing a new Cold Bore ELR World Record. The range was verified with three rangefinders and witnessed by 20+ awestruck shooters. Applied Ballistics reports: “There is a new official ELR World Record. 2118 yards. 3 for 3 cold bore.” This was also recognized as a record by the FCSA (Fifty Caliber Shooting Association).*
This record was set at the ELR Southeast Shootout held at the Arena Training Facility in Blakely, Georgia, on March 2, 2019. The World Record attempt was made in compliance with all ELR Central Rules.
Corbin Shell (on right) stands next to Joe Burdick, match director. That’s three hits on 36″ x 36″ plate.
ELR Ain’t Cheap — $6.55 Cost per Shot
Corbin told us: “Each round fired cost approximately $6.55. The breakdown is as follows: bullet $3.05, powder $0.80, primer $0.50, cartridge case $1.00 (based on five firings), barrel wear $1.20 per shot based on 1000 rounds of barrel life. Hitting steel at distance: PRICELESS!”
ELR Record .416 Barrett Rifle Components
Action: BAT .50 caliber EX, multi-flat, with hard coat finish, extra CheyTac bolt. Barrel: Krieger cut-rifled, .416 caliber, 40″ finish length, 1:9″ twist. Barrel Block: Doyle Anglin Dixie Gunworks, integral Picatinny rail. Muzzle Brake: Ryan Pierce 5-port magnum. Stock: Designed and fabricated by Doyle Anglin, Dixie Gunworks. Obeche laminate, Indian Blanket color scheme. 48″ long excluding butt hardware. Butt and Cheekpiece Hardware: Master Class/Alex Sitman, extended rods. Scope: Sightron SIII 6-24x50mm MOA reticle item #25127. 100 MOA elevation/windage. Bipod: Duplin Rifles by Clint Cooper. Weight: One pound, 2 ounces. Gunsmith: Rifle builder was Doyle Anglin, Dixie Gunworks, Winder, GA.
If you want to learn more about this record-setting rifle, Corbin has prepared a 6-page project history describing all the components and explaining how the rifle was constructed. This Build Document also contains a wealth of information about loading for the .416 Barrett cartridge.
Conditions During Record:
Corbin tells us: “This was shot in Blakely, Georgia at the Arena Training Facility in good Ole dense Southern air. Here are the atmospheric conditions when I shot: 70 degree temperature, 29.70-29.80 inches of mercury, 82% humidity, 1211 Density Altitude (DA).”
Corbin noted that the unique barrel block with rail helps with ELR Optics: “This custom-made barrel block is drilled length wise to reduce weight. It incorporates an integral Picatinny rail which… facilitates mounting of … the Tacom Charlie/Delta TARAC prism system, without the need to bridge mount.” Charlie/Delta TARAC units effectively offset the view that comes into the scope, providing up to 625 MOA elevation.
ELR Cold Bore Shot Record Rules
Congratulations to the new ELR World Record Holder Corbin Shell. The record now stands at 2118 yards. This record was shot under a very specific set of rules established by ELR Central and industry leaders. For more ELR record information, go to ELRCentral.com. All ELR World Record results can be seen on the ELR Central’sEvent Results Page.
* Prior to Corbin Shell’s GA record, David Tubb shot a 2200-yard, 3-shot group that has been recognized as a FCSA record. However, because David had made a same-day attempt, within minutes, with a different rifle, this did not comply with the ELR Central Rules. So, at this time only Corbin Shell is recognized as the ELR Central World Record Holder.
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Competing at Camp Atterbury in mid-July, Paul Phillips of Team Applied Ballistics won the 2018 NRA Extreme Long Range (ELR) Championship. Shooting a McMillan-stocked .416 Barrett rifle with 550-grain Cutting Edge Bullets, Phillips won convincingly, finishing with 62627 points. Runner-up, shooting a .375, was Chase Stroud (56744 points).
Paul Phillips (holding rifle) with wind coach/spotter John Droelle. Rifle components included: McMillan ELR Beast Stock, BAT Action, Bartlein Barrel, Nightforce ATACR 7-35×56 mm scope, Phoenix Precision Bipod. Cartridges shown are similar .416 Barrett rounds used by Derek Rodgers in 2018 K02M event.
Caliber and Cartridge Choice:
Paul Phillips, shooting the .416 Barrett, was the only shooter in the Top Ten running a .416-caliber rifle. There were eight .375-caliber rifles (mostly .375 CheyTacs) and one .338-caliber in the Top Ten. Overall, there were 36 competitors registered for the Match, 30 of whom scored points. Fourteen of the 30 scoring competitors, nearly half, shot a .375-caliber cartridge. The .338 (mostly .338 LM) was the next most popular caliber choice.
Course of Fire — Three Extreme Yardages:
The 2018 NRA ELR Event included three stages, at progressively longer yardages: 1500, 1760 (mile), and 1961 yards. At each distance, starting at 1500, the competitors fired five (5) shots at a 36″x36″ steel plate. There were no sighters, practice shots, or ranging shots allowed. This meant the competition put a premium on precise ballistic solutions, and very consistent ammo.
Notable Competitors: There were 36 competitors registered for the match including some big names — David Tubb and Brian Litz. The field included F-Class aces Dan Pohlabel and Jeff Rorer. Capstone Precision President (and former Sinclair Int’l President) Bill Gravatt helped spot for Paul Phillips. Notably, both David Tubb AND his son-in-law Nate Stallter finished in the Top Ten shooting the new .37XC.
Successful Event with Many Sponsors: Shooting Sports USA noted: “Though only the second of these events, the match has experienced a real surge in popularity, well attended… and sponsored by some of the best in the business. Cutting Edge Bullets, Nightforce, McMillan Fiberglass Stocks, Holland’s Shooters Supply, Applied Ballistics, Vihtavouri Powder, and Crosstac, all of whom played a role in Paul’s big win, were also major sponsors of the event. Below is a banner listing all of the match’s sponsors.”
Images courtesy Tactiholics (Facebook).
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Current F-TR World Champion Derek Rodgers is also the reigning King of 2 Miles champ, so he knows something about Extreme Long Range (ELR) shooting. While Derek won his KO2M title at Raton shooting the .375 CheyTac cartridge, Derek decided that something even bigger was in order. This season, Derek will be shooting a .416 Barrett. Last week we showcased his impressive .416 Barrett ammo, with massive Cutting Edge bullets.
Now we can show the Big Rig that will deliver those .416-caliber projectiles. This monster weighs 40+ pounds and sports a 40″ Bartlein barrel — more length for more velocity. Derek’s new ELR rifle features a McMillan Beast 2 stock, BAT EX action, and Nightforce ATACR 7-35x56mm scope. Derek explained why he moved up to a bigger caliber: “I built a new rifle with the anticipation of seeing impacts easier. It was not just a larger caliber being more effective on hitting ELR targets, but rather hoping that a missed shot would have a much larger impact. Impacts beyond a mile become harder to see due to terrain and vegetation. So any added dust or splash erupting from the earth is a decisive benefit over an equally-accurate smaller caliber.” Here is Derek’s full report on his new .416 Barrett rifle.
Derek Rodgers Campaigns a .416 Barrett
Report by Derek Rodgers Cartridge Choice — I chose a standard .416 Barrett cartridge as it allows for bullets up to and slightly exceeding 550 grains. It really does bridge the gap between the .375 variants and a 50 BMG. There are several great solid ELR bullet options from manufactures like Cutting Edge that range from 475-550 grains. These offer a variety of extremely high BC options for barrels that have different twist rates. Most loads will utilize the slowest burn rate powders commercially available. Good options are Vihtavuori 20N29, RL50, H50BMG and other powders with a similar burn rate.
Shooting the .416 — Tamer than Expected
An initial observation is that the rifle is very controllable and feels much like a larger F-TR gun. The rifle weighs 40+ pounds, balanced and stays on target very well. The recoil is manageable and linear. This seems to give a straight rearward impulse that does not affect positioning. This allows for quick repositioning into battery and faster follow-up shots.
Rifle Details — BAT EX Action, Bartlein 40″ Barrel, McMillan Beast 2 Stock
Derek’s .416 Barrett ELR Rig features a BAT EX action with a Bix N’ Andy trigger. Out front is a gigantic 40” long, 1:9″-twist Bartlein barrel fitted with a Terminator T5 muzzle brake. The handsome McMillan Beast 2 stock combines a lower center of gravity design with a higher butt location. Given that high butt geometry, McMillan cleverly fitted the higher buttpad with a port allowing the cleaning rod to pass through (see photo below). On top is a Nightforce ATACR 7-35x56mm scope in NF rings on a +60 MOA rail, with Holland 34mm bubble level. The stock is supported by a Phoenix bipod and rests in an Edgewood bag designed for the McMillan Xit F-TR stock.
Note the extended Buttpad height. That helps with recoil in prone position. This McMillan Beast 2 stock includes a pass-through hole for the cleaning rod.
Gunsmithing by Blake Barrel and Rifle in Arizona
Derek’s rifle was built and chambered by Bryan Blake of Blake Barrel and Rifle in Phoenix, Arizona. The chambering was done with a Manson Precision reamer. Derek explains: “Bryan and his family have been in the machine shop business for several generations and have the expertise and equipment to handle larger barrel diameters associated with F-Class to ELR type rigs. I tried to consider all angles and potential pitfalls that might occur during the building process. However, Bryan added his own touches to make the project his own. He truly created a work of art and supplied a turn-key rifle that is meticulously built from the inside out and looks as great as the tolerances it holds.”
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Our friend Derek Rodgers is the current F-TR World Champion AND the current King of 2 Miles, having won his KO2M crown at Raton last year. Shooting with Team Applied Ballistics, Derek delivered a dominant performance at the KO2M event, scoring nearly twice as many points as his nearest rival, Ronnie Wright. And Derek was the first KO2M marksman in history to hit the target at the maximum 3368-yard (1.91 mile) distance.
Derek topped the K02M field last year shooting a .375 CheyTac with Cutting Edge 400gr LazerMax tipped bullets. That’s a really big cartridge, but apparently not big enough for Derek. Mr. Rodgers has hot-rodded his long-range rig, fitting a barrel for an even bigger cartridge, the mighty .416 Barrett. Derek tells us: “The .416 is rolling now. I am preparing for initial load development and working out tooling kinks on the bench.” He is loading more Cutting Edge bullets with a selection of slow powders. For his .375 CheyTac last year, Derek used Hodgdon 50 BMG. He’s trying something else this time…
Breakfast of Champions:
Watch Derek Rodgers hit 3368-yard target at 2017 K02M Competition:
At the 2017 K02M, Derek ruled. With his McMillan-stocked .375 CheyTac rifle, Derek shot brilliantly from the start. He was perfect — without a miss — at the first three yardages: 1543, 1722, and 1888. He had some misses at 1953 and 2667 yards, but then he out-shot all competitors at 3028 yards, going two for five. No other shooter managed a single hit at 3028 yards. Then it all came down to the big one — the last (and greatest) challenge, the target at 3368 yards (1.91 miles).
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March Scopes (from DEON in Japan) has unveiled a remarkable new riflescope, the likes of which has never been seen before. The new Genesis ELR Scope has more elevation travel than has ever been packed into a scope before — 400 Minutes of Angle. That’s four or even five times as much as most other optics. This will allow the Genesis to get you on target, with no special external mounts, at three miles with a .416 magnum cartridge*.
For other popular cartridges/calibers, this is the range you can shoot and still have sufficient elevation travel with the Genesis. This is with the built-in elevation alone, no need for adjustable mounts, tilting rails, or prism systems:
.224 Cal to 2450 yards** | .308 Win to 2950 yards | .338 Lapua Magnum to 4000 yards
Take a good look — we bet you’ve never seen anything like this before (Big PHOTO). The new Genesis was unveiled at the IWA trade show in Germany this morning. The video below shows the Genesis being unveiled by Mr. Fumio Shimizu of Deon Optics and UK/Euro Distributor Gary Costello. Thanks to Vince Bottomley of TargetShooter.co.uk for the report from IWA.
NOTE: Click the Speaker Icon to hear audio.
How Much? Global Price for the March Genesis isn’t finalized yet, but March USA just took the first order at $5000.00 USD, without accessories. March expects to start shipping in four (4) months.
Claimed to be effective up to three miles with popular large, magnum ELR cartridges, the New Genesis sets a new benchmark in the Optics field. This won’t be cheap — posting on Facebook, a March representative said the the price is “still to be determined” but will be “approximately $5000 to $6000″. One of our Forum members just placed the first order in North America, and was told the base price (without accessories) was $5000.00 plus $50.00 shipping.
The All New March Genesis 6-60x50mm ELR Rifle Scope
The new March Genesis represents a revolution in scope technology/design — the dawn of a new era for ELR (extreme long range) shooting. The Genesis concept began in late 2016 when a group of world-class shooters asked for a scope that could be used effectively at ranges of two miles and beyond…
The chief engineers of DEON Optical Design took on the challenge and produced several prototype designs, tested extensively on three continents. Eventually DEON produced a truly ground-breaking optic — a new beginning in scope design. The Genesis ELR rifle scope offers up to 400 MOA of elevation, which will allow the shooter to shoot from 10 yards out to 3 miles*.
The unique design of the Genesis allows the shooter to always see through the central part of the lens, producing clarity, definition, and minimal chromatic aberration. This holds true even on 400 MOA! On other scopes, when the extremes of elevation are used, you won’t get the same performance — you may seen distortion and darkening. Also incorporated into Genesis is the proven DEON ‘High Master’ lens system — super ED lenses with high-refractive glass offering very high resolution and natural colour right to the edge of the image.
March Genesis 6-60x56mm Specifications:
– 400 MOA of total elevation travel with Zero-set feature (300 up, 100 down)
— 6-60X Power First Focal Plane (Highest FFP zoom ratio and magnification sold)
— 150 MOA of total windage travel (75 MOA left and right)
— 50 MOA per turn, 1/4 MOA clicks
— Wide-angle eyepiece with 25 degrees apparent field of view
— Eye relief 67-82mm and exit pupil 3.3mm at 6X to 0.93mm at 60X
— Six-step illumination module with on/off clicks
— Integral Picatinny mounting-points on the main frame.
— High Master ED lens system with 56mm objective.
— Side-Focus Parallax from 10 yards to infinity.
— FMA-MT MOA-based Reticle for ELR (MIL-based reticle coming later)
— Central gimble system and slider bearings with main frame (worldwide patents pending)
— Weight 1.5 Kg
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* March says there is 3 mile range with a “.416 Cheytac”. Well, there is a recognized .416 Barrett cartridge and a .408 Cheytac. March says the .416 Cheytac is a “special wildcat … developed due to licensing needs for Norway.”
** March lists “.224 Cal”. We assume this refers to the .223 Remington cartridge, but it could be something completely different, such as a 22 Nosler, or .224 Valkyrie.
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In this video Bryan Litz of Applied Ballistics offers tips on Big Bore shooting (i.e. .338 caliber and above). Bryan offers advice on bullet selection and he explains the challenge of handling the blast, noise, concussion, and recoil of big boomers such as the .416 Barrett and .50 BMG.
Bryan goes big … very big, shooting a monster .50 BMG bullpup.
Watch the recoil pulse shove Bryan backwards at 1:40 time-mark:
Big Bore Basics — Tips for Shooting Big Boomersby Bryan Litz
There are some unique things to consider with big-bore shooting. One is bullet design. For long-range shooting you want high-BC bullets. You get high BC from heavy bullets and bullets that have low drag. The interesting trade-off in big calibers is that there are a lot more lathe-turned solid bullets in copper and brass available than there are in the smaller calibers. You’ve got bullets that have slightly lower drag profiles but they are made of materials that are slightly less dense (than lead) so they are relatively light for their caliber. With that trade-off, the BCs might not be as high as you think for big calibers, although the bullets are heavy enough that they carry a lot of energy.
Energy really has a lot to do with shooting these big-caliber rifles. As with any kind of shooting, the fundamentals of marksmanship are the most important thing. However, it can be hard to maintain good fundamentals (e.g. trigger control and sight alignment) when you’re burning 100 grains of powder. There’s a lot of concussion (you want a muzzle brake no matter what your cartridge is above .338). It certainly can be challenging with all the muzzle blast and all the energy coming out of the barrel.
For long-range shooting with big bore rifles, you are still looking for the same things that you want with smaller-caliber rigs. You want a high-performance bullet, you want consistent ammunition, and you want a good fire solution to be able to center your group at long range. Basically you’re just dealing with the challenges that the high energy brings, and being smart about your bullet selection.
In the video above, Bryan is shooting the DesertTech HTI bullpup. This rifle can shoot four (4) big bore chamberings, with barrel conversion kits for: .375 CheyTac, .408 CheyTac, .416 Barrett, and .50 BMG. These can be quickly swapped in the HTI chassis, which employs an internal barrel-clamp system.
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If you’ve been lusting for a serious, ultra-long-range big-bore tactical rifle, check out this special offer from Barrett Firearms. Purchase any Model 82A1 chambered for the .416 Barrett and get 200 rounds of ammunition from Barrett as a free extra. That’s right, get 200 rounds of .416 Barrett ammunition FREE with your purchase of any configuration Model 82A1 .416 rifle. The retail cost of 200 rounds of Barrett-Brand .416 ammo exceeds $1000.00.* That’s a nice incentive, but remember that a Barrett Model 82A1 rifle costs a jaw-dropping $8,900.00 without optics. CLICK HERE for Barrett Price List (PDF).
If you can afford it, the Model 82A1 in .416 Barrett is a great ultra-long range performer. The chambering is also legal in jurisdictions that ban the .50 BMG or other .50-caliber cartridges. To qualify for this free ammo deal, head to your local dealer and ask them to use Promo Code FILL20MAGS when purchasing directly from Barrett. That will entitle you to 200 rounds of .416 Barrett ammunition, with your new rifle. That ammo’s worth over a thousand bucks. Take a look at the size of the cartridge, and you’ll understand why .416 Barrett ammo is so pricey.
After several weeks of testing, I think I found the perfect combination for the .416 Barrett in my rifle. My optimal load runs about 3000 FPS using the following components:
After Day 1 of the FCSA 1.5 Mile ELR match, Derek was in 2nd place, Mark in 3rd, and Paul in 5th. Mark reported: “Today we had winds gusting well over 15 mph from 6 o’clock, but as they hit the base of the mountains, they created an updraft that caused shots out past 2,000 yards to go high. But just when you had that wind doped, it would switch to a gusting 9 o’clock (left to right) pushing bullets 20 feet to the right. A very challenging day but good practice for Ko2M next month.”
The chief engineers of DEON Optical Design took on the challenge and produced several prototype designs, tested extensively on three continents. Eventually DEON produced a truly ground-breaking optic — a new beginning in scope design.
The Genesis ELR rifle scope offers up to 400 MOA of elevation, which will allow the shooter to shoot from 10 yards out to 3 miles*.
