Transformation: Black to not so black

I purchased this gun a few years ago with the intention of doing some long range work with it. I was shooting long range practical competitions with a .308 at the time and was looking for a calibre that would better suit my needs, a more flat trajectory, better ballistic coefficient and therefore the ability to dial in less elevation when shooting at long range. Just better all round...Because I wanted to perform at my peak.

I was on a budget, as always, so instead of building something custom I decided to pick up a Ruger RPR in 6.5mm creedmoor (the calibre), which offered excellent performance at only around $3,000 for the base rifle. I added a precision Nightforce ATACR scope, an Atlas bipod, Accuracy 1st scope level and I was away. You can see me below giving it a workout prior to a big interstate match and on that day it hit 1331m (1455 yards) repeatedly. I took it to the competition and it performed flawlessly, and better than I did myself, finishing 4th of 55 shooters from all over the country.

The rifle hasn't changed much in the few years I've owned it. I've tuned up the load I use for it, the ammunition, through load-development, making it more accurate, replaced the Nightforce scope with a Kahles 624i 6-24x56 scope with the SKMR3 reticle and have added a second scope level, as a back up. I also added a Timney trigger. I had a mate give it a three colour paint job using cerakote, a tough ceramic coating that requires baking. It's a very tough coating, but is all about the look, not performance really. I decided to use a battle-worn finish meaning that it is designed to look worn and used.

The second image below shows a closer view of the rifle and the worn parts which he achieved using a pretty complicated and ingenious method, a ladies emery-board nail file thing in a process of paint-bake-paint-part bake-emery board-bake! The idea of it was to wear the parts of the rifle that would actually wear in battle or field use. It's difficult to demonstrate it in images but in real life I can say that my mate nailed it.

The rifle owes me a lot of money, over $10,000 now including all the actual bits plus the paint work, however I've used it to good effect many times so the cost is vindicated. I don't shoot it much anymore though, but really miss doing so. I have built a new rifle which is lighter and more suited to what I do now but I'm probably going to give the RPR a little workout in a couple of weeks as I'm heading to one of my long range properties. It's a pleasure to shoot and I always feel I'm a little more accurate with this gun as it's a bit of a laser out to great distance. Makes me look better than I am? Nah, I like to think it compliments my skills.

I have picked up and shot stock versions of this rifle and to be honest they all shoot well, but the combination of my load-development work on the ammunition, the very accurate (and stupidly expensive) scope and a degree of comfort make mine feel better and more accurate to me. It may not be in reality, but it increases my confidence when shooting my own rifle and if that makes me shoot better, then so be it.

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