NOTE: The .375 CheyTac is a proprietary cartridge of CheyTac USA. CheyTac® is a registered trademark. CheyTac® bullets, brass, and ammunition are offered by CheyTac USA, which also produces a variety of high-quality firearms for civilian and military use. See all CheyTac® products at CheyTac.com.
This Extreme Long Range (“ELR”) rifle features a massive BAT “L” Round Action, McMillan Beast Stock, 38″ Bartlein 1:7″-twist Barrel, T5 Terminator Muzzle Brake, R.A.D. Recoil Reduction unit, and a customized Cheek Riser. The “Beast” stock name is appropriate — this rifle weighs a massive 38 pounds. Including the T5 brake, the finished barrel, chambered in .375 CheyTac, is 44″ long! All the work was done by Hall-of-Fame shooter and gunsmith Thomas “Speedy” Gonzales, of S.G. Precision LLC in San Antonio, Texas. To see other rifles crafted by Speedy, visit his Facebook page.
Speedy milled vents in the fore-end. He told us: “when you’re burning 150+ grains of powder you need all the ventilation you can get to help reduce the barrel heat.”
There are many good brakes out there, then there’s the “TERMINATOR”! — Speedy
The Phoenix Bipod employs a lowering modification.
About the .375 CheyTac Cartridge
Some of the most successful ELR cartridges are based on the CheyTac family, including the .375 CheyTac (9.5×77) and .408 CheyTac (10.36 x 77). This .375 CheyTac cartridge has proven to be tough and accurate. And it is capable of winning — our friend Derek Rodgers won the 2017 King of 2 Miles (K02M) event shooting a .375 CheyTac (9.5×77).
Derek Rodgers was the 2017 King of 2 Miles. He was also the first-ever human to ever hit the maximum distance target target at 3368 yards (1.91 miles). His cartridge choice? The .375 CheyTac. Derek ran Cutting Edge Bullets in Peterson brass with Hodgdon H50BMG powder.
Q: Why did you choose the .375 CheyTac cartridge?
Derek: When I was asked to join the Applied Ballistics Team, I needed to get an ELR rifle built in a short period of time. I was under a very tight time schedule to get the project complete. In an effort to eliminate variables, I decided to keep things standard and as simple as possible. I chose the .375 CheyTac for the ease of getting components. The larger rifles are more difficult to get components quickly and I felt like the .375 CheyTac had enough attributes to be competitive at ELR distances.
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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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In our most recent Sunday GunDay story featuring 2021 QUEEN of 2 Miles Lindsey Paul, we provided a full equipment list for Lindsey’s winning .375 CheyTac rifle. Readers noted that this big rig was equipped with a Nightforce Wedge Prism mounted forward of the riflescope. Lindsey used the Wedge Prism on her two most distant targets in the KO2M finals, which were placed at 3166 (1.8 miles) and 3520 yards (2 miles). Readers were curious about the Wedge Prism and wondered how to get one.
Basically the device, which is offered in +50 MOA and +100 MOA versions, allows a major increase in elevation over what is available by cranking the elevation knob on the scope. Even with an angled rail offering +40 MOA elevation, few, if any, conventional scopes have enough elevation to put the reticle on targets two miles away. The Nightforce Wedge Prism is the answer. The Wedge Prism optically shifts the incoming image to the scope, effectively augmenting the scope’s vertical elevation travel.
Nightforce Wedge Prism — Gain Elevation for ELR Shooting
The Nightforce Wedge Prism is offered in two variants, 50 MOA or 100 MOA, that install forward of the riflescope to increase the effective elevation travel. The Wedge Prism optically shifts the incoming image to the riflescope by a precise elevation value, which directly adds to the available elevation travel within the riflescope. The Wedge Prism is designed to work optimally with 56mm front objectives. Nightforce says you can position two Wedge Prisms in parallel for maximum effect — up to 200 MOA total. These NF Wedge Prisms are pricey — MSRP is $990.00 for either the 50 MOA or 100 MOA version. However EuroOptic does currently have 50 MOA Demo models for $769.00.
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Hail to the Queen — the new Queen of 2 Miles, Lindsey Paul. This lady can shoot! The talented Texan beat a large field of top competitors, including many past KO2M Champions, all guys. We congratulate Lindsey on her outstanding performance, including 3 hits in 5 shots at the max distance, 2.0 miles (3520 yards). No other competitor had more than one hit at 3520 yards, and only four other finalists even had one hit at that distance. Lindsey was shooting an Alamo Precision Rifles .375 CheyTac rig loaded with Cutting Edge 400gr solid bullets in Peterson brass.
Here Lindsey shoots her KO2M-winning .375 CheyTac rifle. You can see it packs a punch even with that big muzzle brake. One side-note — this talented lady won the title with a borrowed bipod! Lindsey told us: “Unfortunately, for this video, I don’t have the Accu-Tac bipod I used in the match because it was borrowed. I’ve got one coming from them, but it hasn’t arrived yet.”
Winning the 2021 King of 2 Miles — My Success Story
Report by Lindsey Paul, 2021 KO2M Champion
Winning the K02M title was big surprise for me. I didn’t go into this match with much confidence. My barrel has been acting strangely, for example, after the last match I cleaned it and once I fouled it back in the barrel seemed to have suddenly lost speed. It went from 2985 fps to around 2955 fps. Unfortunately this is my first ELR gun and I didn’t know how important it was to keep up with my round count. I have no idea when this barrel will die but I’d been thinking for the past couple of months that it would be any day now. So, I panicked, added some powder to get back in the middle of where I’ve determined my node to be, adjusted my seating depth a bit and got it shooting at a moderately good level.
Day One went very well. I was hoping to finish the match in the top third, that was my goal. I wasn’t really even nervous about shooting, I was more apprehensive about spotting for my team-mate, Robert Waggoner. I hit the Cold Bore target at 1572 yards and I had a great run from there on out. I was a little bummed that I didn’t get just one more hit but I was still in 4th place at day’s end.
Day Two was nerve-racking. I had to spot for Robert and spotting has been something I have historically struggled with. I’ve spent a LOT of time on the spotter this year, working to improve my skills and become proficient at making quick, accurate calls on misses. Robert cleaned Target 1 and I thought we were going to have a great run. For some reason Target 2 really got the best of him but he finally had an impact and we moved to Target 3. This might be the thing I’m most proud of at the whole match. He missed, about six plates high, and I saw it and gave him a good call. It was then that he realized he hadn’t written down his dope for Target 3 and was using the dope for Target 4! He got right back on target and had a first round impact on Target 4. We will be checking each other’s dope from now on, lesson learned!
Securing Victory with Three Consecutive Hits at 2 Miles
I went into the finals in 9th place, almost 18,000 points behind the leader, Ryan Cheney. My goal was to finish in the Top Ten. Ryan had a solid final round with one impact on the 2-mile target. At that point few believed his score was catchable. I shot 12th in the order and I was concerned about conditions but they turned out to be great. Target 2 finally started to creep out of the shadows and the wind was not doing its normal, switchy stuff. Robert did an absolutely perfect job as my spotter (see photo above). I couldn’t ask for a better set of eyes for spotting misses and calling wind. I had three consecutive impacts on the Two Mile Target to earn enough points to overtake Ryan, and finish with the high point total for the match.
Editor: Lindsey came through spectacularly at the final 3520-yard distance. One observer noted: “Ryan had it in the bag before Lindsay got hot — three out of five at 3520 yards is HOT!”
Here are Results from the K02M Finals held Wednesday, 9/29/2021:
The rifle was built by Alamo Precision Rifles in North Richland Hills, Texas. Lindsey’s spotter, Robert Waggoner, is one of the owners. NOTE: The photo above shows the Nightforce Wedge Prism in place. This prism was used only for the two most distant Finals targets, at 3166 and 3520 yards.
Mirage Extended Picatinny Rail
Nightforce ATACR 7-36x56mm scope
Nightforce Wedge Prism
Spuhr Scope Mount
Accu-Tac HD-50 Bipod
Armageddon Gear Game Changer rear bag
Personal Drag Model is Important in ELR Game
I must mention the importance of getting a PDM (Personal Drag Model) from Applied Ballistics. They are generous enough to travel the country with their mobile lab and provide PDMs at no cost. Take advantage of this! It’s not completely plug and play, I had to true my velocity but once I did some testing and adjusting the PDM was within half-MOA of accuracy all the way out to the 3520 yard target.
Loading for the Jumbo .375 CheyTac Cartridge — You Need Quality Dies and Components
The loading process is the same with the big caliber as anything else. The trick is having quality components and dies. The Cutting Edge Lazers have proven themselves over and over. They are very consistent. The biggest challenge we’ve found with these big cartridges is finding a load that is both accurate and has good ES/SD numbers. It seems like when it shoots a single hole the SD is over 10 FPS and when the SD is great, it shoots an unacceptable sized group.
Q & A with Queen of 2 Miles Lindsey Paul
Q: How satisfying was it to win the match, don the KO2M crown, and be carried in the champion’s chair?
Lindsey: I try really hard to stay grounded and humble. That said, we put everything aside and worked really hard to focus on ELR this year. This win is very satisfying because all the hard work paid off. I’m also very happy I’ve improved as a spotter. Nobody wants to be the weak half of a team.
Q: What are your training methods for Extreme Long Range?
Lindsey: We don’t often have access to long ranges to train. We had a 2000-yard range near us shut down this year so that was devastating. We did have a training day to confirm dope about two weeks before the match and I’m glad we did. I had an impact at 2 miles that day so that helped my confidence.
Q: Do you employ any special “mental prep” before shooting?
Lindsey: I did something different before the final round of KO2M that seemed to help. I sat in the truck, listened to the Rocky theme song and visualized my entire string of shots with transitions and every shot making an impact. This was something my track coach did with us in high school and I felt kind of goofy but think it helped.
Q: How has being in law enforcement made you a better shooter/competitor?
Lindsey: Yes, I think I find it easy to stay calm under pressure. I still have the ability to get rattled when things aren’t going well but for the most part, I stay focused. [Editor: Lindsey is a law enforcement officer in Texas who has worked regular duties as well as mounted (horseback) patrols.]
Q: What tips do you have for other shooters in the ELR game?
Lindsey: Stop chasing speed! These big guns hide pressure very well and you don’t need to be running on the ragged edge of pressure to get results. We learned that the easy way by ruining brass. I fear someone is going to learn it the hard, catastrophic way.
Q: What specific advice do you have for ladies who want to get involved in ELR?
Lindsey: Get a nice .22 LR (such as a Bergara) and stretch that out to 300-400 yards. It’s a great training tool to learn to make wind calls and you can see if you enjoy shooting prone at far targets without such a huge financial investment. Additionally, all you have to do is find the particular lot of factory rimfire ammo that your gun shoots well. That way you can wait to go down the “rabbit hole” that is reloading.
How Lindsey Paul Became a Champion — Talent and Dedication
Lindsey holding K02M trophy, with her Alamo Precision Rifles K02M team-mates.
I got involved with the shooting sports as a kid. My dad was a Sheriff’s Deputy so he taught me to shoot at a young age. I grew up shooting handguns a bit. My true passion is hunting so I decided to start shooting competitively to improve my rifle skills and make me a better hunter. We also shoot some .22 LR matches, a local 500-yard prone centerfire match, and I hope to make it to a few NRL Hunter matches next year. The Nightforce Steel Challenge is definitely on the calendar as well.
I initially built my ELR gun hoping to take it out to a big ranch and shoot rocks on cliff faces but after I competed with it once I was hooked. I think my police training helps me to remain calm. I’ve faced enough real-life chaos and serious situations that it’s easy for me to remember that a match is just a competition and if I have a bad day there will be another match to redeem myself.
This has been a wild year for me. We started at Clark’s Knob match and found our equipment had some flaws at the extreme distances. We regrouped, made some changes and things improved. I broke the FCSA Cold Bore world record with three consecutive shots at 2464 yards at the Spring Canyon match in August 2021 and I’ve had some solid finishes at the matches we’ve attended.
Lindsey Set a FCSA Cold Bore World Record in August 2021
Lindsey is definitely a top talent in the ELR game. Back in August 2021 she set a new FCSA Cold Bore World record at 1.5 miles (2464 yards).
If I were to start over I wouldn’t change much other than investing in a better-quality scope sooner. I am stubborn and I used an Athlon Ares ETR scope for the first couple of years, insisting that it was fine because it fit in my budget. Robert convinced me to borrow a Nightforce ATACR before the Spring Canyon match and I broke the world record so clearly the higher-quality scope with a more reliable erector system has made a difference. Lesson learned — don’t compromise on quality.
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This lady can shoot! Lindsey Paul is now officially the top ELR ace on the planet. The talented Texan beat a large field of competitors, including many past KO2M Champions, all guys. We congratulate Lindsey on her outstanding performance, including 3 hits in 5 shots at the max distance, 2.0 miles (3520 yards). No other competitor had more than one hit at 3520 yards, and only four other finalists even had one hit at that distance. Lindsey was shooting a .375 CheyTac cartridge with Cutting Edge 400gr solids.
K02M runner-up Ryan Cheney was leading the field most of the event, being the only shooter to hit ALL his targets (without a miss) at 1692, 2097, and 2376 yards, along with 4 of 5 at 2727 — the best at that distance. But Lindsey came through spectacularly at the final 3520-yard distance. One observer noted: “Ryan had it in the bag before Lindsay got hot — three out of five at 3520 yards is HOT!”
This was an impressive year, proving that the ELR game continues to evolve, with ever-greater overall performances by the ranks of talented shooters. Match Directors posted: “Every year we get more hits at Two Miles and this has been the best ever — 3 of 5 from Lindsey and five shooters hitting the 2 mile target: Lindsey Paul, Ryan Cheney, Jay Dvorsky, Peter Renwick, and Curtis Roman”.
Here are Results from the K02M Finals held Wednesday, 9/29/2021:
FINAL RESULTS FROM 2021 KO2M
NRA Whittington Center, Raton, New Mexico
27-29 September, 2021
Congratulations to all shooters, spotters and teams that drove to Raton from all over the USA and even more to those that hit the targets. Special thanks to the sponsors that made the prize table possible.
A special mention to the King (Queen) of 2 Miles 2021 Lindsay Paul, along with Rei Hoang, and Jaclyn Bryan. [They] proved that women can be as good or better shooters than men. I hope that each year we have more and more women shooters.
Congratulations too for Ryan Cheney who shot so well that he nearly made it to King.
A special mention to all the spotters that drove their shooters to the targets and are always there in their shadow. They all deserve an applause.
We have proven the point, once again, that hits at 2 Miles are possible and not just luck.
Thanks to all for being at KO2M
King of 2 Miles Team
The Queen of 2 Miles Thanks Her Team and Sponsors
Here is Lindsey’s Report on her Achievement — being the first woman ever to win the King, oops, make that QUEEN of 2 Miles Competition.
“I don’t even know where to start! What a wild ride this year this has been. First and foremost thank you to my amazing guy Robert for being the best spotter I could ask for. He is responsible for making most of this happen with his great wind calls, corrections and support. Thank you to the rest of my team.
Jeff had tough conditions with shade on targets for his final round making spotting misses impossible but still finished with a super-respectable 6th place. Shane has come a long way in a short time and did great as well with a 19th place finish, just below the cutoff for the finals. I’m really proud of my performance as Robert’s spotter. He forgot to write down his dope for target 3 and I still managed to help him get on target and he finished in 26th. Jay we missed the hell out of you and hope you are back to 100% soon!
My Applied Ballistics PDM (Personal Drag Model) was nearly spot on out to two miles. Your contribution to shooting sports is beyond remarkable. We couldn’t do what we do without your support.
I was concerned about switching to an Accu-Tac bipod right before this match but I’m dang sure a believer now! I picked up a Nightforce scope of the prize table which was just what I needed as I was borrowing one. Thank you to them and all of the other sponsors who stepped up to support this match and the shooting community.
Lindsay added praise for her competitors: “Congratulations to all the shooters, NRA Whittington Center is my favorite place to shoot but it can sure be challenging. Ryan Cheney made me work for it, congratulations man, you shot excellent! Rei and Jaclyn how awesome was it to have three ladies in the finals?! Congratulations to both of you!”
Lindsey Set a FCSA Cold Bore World Record in August 2021
Lindsey is definitely a top talent in the ELR game. Back in August 2021 she set a new FCSA Cold Bore World record at 1.5 miles (2464 yards). Lindsey posted: “WHAT A DAY! I set a new cold bore world record with 3 impacts at 2464 yds! I’m so thankful for an awesome team and my damn fine Alamo Precision Rifles .375 CheyTac. The 400gr Cutting Edge Lazers shined as usual!”
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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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Buell’s Beast with Massive 35 Inch Barrel
A few seasons back, Our friend Darrell Buell built a new Beast — a monster 64-inch-long .375 CheyTac that weighs more than 70 pounds! Designed for ultra-long-range shooting (two miles and beyond), this beast represents the state-of-the-art in extreme long-range rifles. NOTE: to see more details, click the two images above to open Full-Screen Photos.
Darrell reports: “This rifle is pretty much purpose-built to shoot 2+ miles extremely accurately. It is a .375 CheyTac (lengthened) built on a BAT 2.5″ action. The custom 35″, 1:10″-twist Brux barrel is a fat, 2″-diameter ‘straight taper’ with fluting. A custom 5″-long muzzle brake is fitted at the end. All barreled action work was done by R.W. Snyder Custom Rifles. The stock was created to fit the build by PDC Custom, and the massive muzzle brake as well.” The “bridge” at the end may look like a barrel block, but it’s not — the barrel completely free-floats. (The Picatinny rail on top of the bridge allows use of an overhanging bipod as an alternative to the JoyPod).
Darrell has lots of elevation on tap: “With 150 MOA in the Ivey rings, another 20 MOA in the scope rail, 55 MOA in the Nightforce Competition scope, and 10 MOA in the FCR-1 reticle, there’s an impressive +235 MOA available.”
Counter-Weighted SEB Joy-Pod Up Front
The bipod Darrell will be using for his ELR sessions and the ‘King of 2 Miles’ match is a custom counter-weighted JoyPod crafted by Seb Lambang. With the counter-weight, Darrell says his monster 70-lb gun “adjusts as smoothly as an F-T/R rig”. The glass is a Nightforce 15-55x52mm Competition scope carried in Ivey +150 MOA rings, which in turn are mounted to a +20 MOA BAT scope rail. Darrell says: “It’s been a heck of a couple months, getting this monster built in time, thanks particularly to Southern Cerakote, which turned it around in less than 24 hours.”
Buell’s Beast runs 350gr solid bullets at approximately 3250 fps. Check out the massive .375 CheyTac cartridge compared to a .308 Winchester:
This one-of-a-kind “JoyPod” was produced by Seb Lambang specifically for Buell’s big .375 CheyTac rifle. Darrell needed a JoyPod that wouldn’t sink under a heavy load. Seb explains: “This is the world’s first JoyPod equipped with an adjustable counterweight, to balance his 75-lb gun. I did some experiments and put some weights ranging up to 60+ lbs on the top, and I found that the joystick action works like a regular one….it’s smooth, light, and precise. In addition, the counterweight can be bent down to not interfere with the bottom of the barrel. The counterweight is secured into the front center shaft by a thumb screw, and there is a tightly fitted pivotal joint on the counterweight to allow angle adjustment.”
Darrell is happy with his customized coaxial bipod: “In addition to the adjustable counterweight system on the front, this JoyPod comes with a longer, solid joystick. These additions will make for extremely smooth, precise adjustments, even if the rifle weighs in at 75 pounds or more. Not including the counterweight, the actual structure of this bipod weighs in at a mere 1.09 pounds — exactly what the standard JoyPod weighs. It is extremely strong, however. Seb has pictures of himself standing on the pod … and he weighs 150 pounds!”
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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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The King of 2 Miles (KO2M) event has gone global. This past weekend, in France, talented long-range marksmen competed at the first-ever Euro version of K02M. The King of 2 Miles in France was conducted April 20-22, 2019 at Camp de Canjuers, a French military zone in Southern France, west of the city of Nice.
The Finals targets were placed at 2657, 3038, and 3576 yards. The longest distance is a bit more than two statute miles (2.0318 miles to be precise), so this was a genuine two-mile competition. During the Finals, conditions were extremely tough, with heavy winds. Hitting the Finals first target (at 2657 yards) on a cold bore proved impossible for most of the shooters. But French shooter (and new King) Bruno Put prevailed, scoring two hits at 2657, and one each at 3038 and 3576.
K02M in France winner Bruno Put (center) with his match-winning rifle. We are told this is chambered in .375 Snipe-Tac, a .408 CheyTac case necked down to .375 caliber and shoulder blown out to 35°.
King of 2 Miles France Results: Click chart photo above to see large version.
Frenchman Bruno Put Wins K02M France
Hail to the King! We congratulate Bruno Put, the new King of 2 Miles in France. Bruno dominated the Finals, scoring hits at all three distances to finish with 25,368 points. He got two hits at 2657 and one each at 3038 and 3576. We are told Bruno was shooting a .375 Snipe-Tac rifle with Warner 361gr Flatline bullets in Peterson brass (according to sources). Conditions were challenging and Bruno was the only finals competitor to score hits at 3038 yards and 3576 yards. Paul Phillips got one hit at 2657 yards, but no other competitor (except Bruno) managed ANY hits in the Finals. K02M founder Eduardo reported: “We had very difficult conditions with fish-tailing winds that complicated hugely the shooting. But even in these conditions Bruno Put was able to reach the 2 miles target.”
Benjamin San Marco during qualifying stages at Camp de Canjuers. Photo by Target Shooter Magazine.
For those who’ve attended the North American K02M at Raton, New Mexico, there was a familiar face in France — Paul Phillips of the Global Precision Group and Team Applied Ballistics. Paul finished second overall, with a Finals score of 19,954 points.
Paul was shooting on the three-man Team BCM squad with two Italians, Gian Molina, and Gianfranco Zanoni. The trio did great in the prelims, placing first (Molina), third (Phillips), and fifth (Zanoni). All three team members made the Finals — a very impressive collective performance. Their final places were Phillips 2nd overall, Molina 3rd, and Zanoni 6th.
Paul reported: “After a long day of shooting, the top ten qualifiers [moved on to] the Finals. Due to inclement weather rolling in, [match directors held] all qualifiers in one day. The wind was pretty much a tail wind all day which benefited the faster shooters greatly.”
Many leading companies have helped Paul Phillips and his team: Applied Ballistics LLC, Bartlein Barrels, Barrett, BAT Machine, Bullet Central, CROSSTAC, Cutting Edge Bullets, Edgewood Bags, Garmin, Holland’s, Kryptek, McMillan Fiberglass Stocks, Nightforce Optics, Peterson Cartridge Co., Vihtavuori Powders.
Our friend, Texas gunsmith Richard King, recently posted some images of a new .50 BMG target rifle he built for a customer. Equipped with a beefy McMillan stock, this rig has shown some impressive accuracy — even during break-in. Check out that target. Using On Target software, we measured this 3-shot group at 0.476″ or 0.454 MOA. Not bad for a beast with some very serious recoil. Do you think you could beat that 0.476″ with your AR15 shooting puny .223-caliber bullets?
Compare the dimensions of that massive 50-Cal action to a Rem 700 action in the middle. When you’re shooting a Fifty, size matters!
On Facebook, some folks were surprised a guy could wring that kind of accuracy out of a monster .50 BMG. One wag posted: “Yikes! He will need flinch therapy after shooting that beast.”
Another Facebooker joked: “When shooting a .50 BMG you say…In your best Crocodile Dundee voice…that’s not a gun, THIS is a gun!”
Richard King responded that this customer has quite a bit of experience with jumbo-caliber rifles: “Remember this is the guy that shot a .338 Lapua in a two-day F-Class match. Recoil might actually be easier on this 50, given the fact that it has more weight and a brake.”
Before this rifle was completed, Richard King showed us the monster 13-lb BAT action at the 2018 Berger SWN. Honestly, the big BAT .50 BMG action was HUGE — with the bolt fully extended it was the size of your forearm (to the finger tips). Richard joked “This weighs almost as much as an F-TR rifle (before optic) all by itself”.
Specialty Tools for the Big .50 BMG
Yes, the .50 BMG is one huge cartridge. Thankfully, there are some special tools for loading the jumbo-size round. Giraud Tool makes a specialty comparator for 50-Cal cartridges. The double-ended comparator is quite versatile. In one orientation you can measure base-to-ogive bullet length and also measure cartridge OAL from rim to bullet ogive. When reversed, you can use the comparator to measure cartridge headspace. The Giraud 50 BMG Comparator gauge is constructed of 303 stainless and fits most any vernier, dial, or digital caliper. CLICK HERE for more info.
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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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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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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*.
