Sport shooting is one of the most ancient sports, dating all the way back to ancient Greece. If you’d like to get involved in shooting sports, you’ll need a competition rifle, determination, and a place to practice.

When you’re choosing a rifle, what should you look for? If you don’t know anything about guns and ammo, it can be very difficult to find the right gun you need to enter a shooting competition.

Let’s take a closer look at how to find the right rifle for you!

What Caliber?

When choosing between competition rifles, you may be limited to a certain caliber by your competition. If you have a selection to choose from, you may be wondering whether to go for a larger or small caliber.

We’d recommend that if this is your first time shooting that you start on a smaller caliber like .22 LR. These are easier to handle and have less recoil, which means you can refine your accuracy at the range.

When choosing your caliber, you should also consider your physical size and strength. A .338 Lapua round is going to have much more recoil than smaller rounds like 5.56 mm bullets.

Will You Use This Rifle for Anything Else?

While this gun’s primary use may be to help you win a shooting competition, will it be used for anything else? Do you want a gun to take out hunting or for shooting varmints?

If you want a versatile gun, you’ll need to pick a rifle that has a versatile caliber rather than either extreme such as .22 LR or .338 Lapua.

Semi-Automatic or Bolt-Action?

Would you like a semi-automatic rifle or a bolt-action? There are advantages and disadvantages to both: let’s take a closer look.

Pros and cons of a semi-automatic:

  • Pro: can usually hold more rounds
  • Pro: are easier to use for newcomers
  • Pro: higher rate of fire
  • Con: are more likely to go wrong
  • Con: slightly less accurate

Pros and cons of bolt-actions:

  • Pro: slightly more accurate than semi-autos
  • Pro: easier to maintain and less likely to go wrong
  • Con: more recoil

You’ll need to weigh up the pros and cons of both of these before you make a decision.

How Does the Competition Rifle Feel in Your Hands?

The only way to know whether a competition rifle is right for you is, ultimately, to hold it in your hands and if possible, take it to a range. You want a gun that is easy for you to use, which you don’t need to stretch your hands too much to use.

You also want a gun that handles well and that you feel confident with. The best way to do this is to hold it, feel its weight, and fire it.

Ready to Choose?

Choosing a competition rifle is the most important decision that goes into sport shooting. Follow these tips and you’ll be well on your way to success!

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