Episode Details

Episode 64 Show Notes

Title: To Be Precise…

Hosts/Guests: Mark Ruhl with guest Dan (Rachel’s brother)

Main Topics: Precision/custom rifles, modern cartridges, optics, reloading, ethical range, and why Western hunts shouldn’t be put off.

Overview

Mark sits down with his brother-in-law Dan—an unapologetic precision-rifle nerd—to talk about how “custom rifles” have evolved from the old days of blueprinted Remington 700s to today’s world of high-end clone actions, carbon barrels, and purpose-built setups. They bounce between hunting and competition shooting, covering what matters most (and what doesn’t) if you’re trying to build a rifle that performs in the real world.

Key Conversations & Takeaways

Custom rifles: then vs. now

Dan explains how “custom” used to mean tweaking a factory action, but now includes a massive aftermarket of 700-footprint actions (Defiance, Terminus, Lone Peak, Impact, etc.) with features like DLC coating and shorter bolt throws. The takeaway: modern custom actions are generally excellent—it often comes down to preference.

Hunting reality check: don’t wait to hunt out West

Dan emphasizes that Western tags are getting more expensive and harder to draw, pressure is increasing, and conditions can change fast (winter kill, disease, predators). His advice is simple: if you want to hunt the West, do it sooner rather than later.

Tree stand grind vs. mountain grind

A fun comparison: Dan admits he’s wired for movement, so long, cold tree-stand sits are mentally harder than pounding miles in the mountains—even if the mountain is physically tougher. Still, they agree there’s value in the quiet headspace you get in a stand.

Factory ammo is better than ever (for most hunters)

Reloading used to be about saving money; now it’s often about precision. Dan says factory ammo can be “one-hole good” at 100 yards, but handloads shine when you care about SD/ES consistency for long-range steel. For hunting at normal distances, many shooters don’t need to reload if they find a factory load their rifle loves.

Cartridges: don’t get paralyzed by the debate

They dig into why modern cartridges like 7 PRC are popular: they’re designed around long, high-BC bullets, good external ballistics, and manageable recoil. But they also stress that within ethical hunting ranges, many cartridges are plenty lethal—what matters most is practice, good bullets, and knowing your limits.

Optics matter more than people think

Dan and Mark agree: if you’re spending big money, don’t blow it all on the rifle and cheap out on the glass. Quality scope + proper mounting (rings, torque, leveling) prevents a lot of “scope problems” that are really mounting problems.

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