Discover the Best Shooting Sports Equipment for Precision and Performance

As a competitive shooter with over 15 years of experience across multiple disciplines, I’ve come to appreciate that precision and performance don’t just happen—they’re engineered. When I think about the best shooting sports equipment, it’s not just about the rifle in your hands or the scope on top; it’s about how every piece of gear works together under pressure. Just like in a tightly contested basketball game where a shallow rotation in the frontcourt can be exploited—think of the Fuel Masters taking advantage of Blackwater’s limited big men—the same principle applies here. If your equipment lineup has weak spots, your entire performance suffers. I’ve seen shooters with incredible skill lose matches because their rest bags were unstable or their triggers weren’t properly tuned. It’s a chain, and every link matters.

Let’s start with rifles, because honestly, that’s where most of us pour our hearts and wallets. I’ve owned and tested dozens over the years, and my go-to for precision rimfire competitions is the Anschütz 1710. The barrel harmonics on this thing are just sublime—consistently delivering groups under 0.3 MOA at 50 yards with match-grade ammo. But here’s the thing: a great rifle is nothing without the right optic. I made that mistake early in my career, pairing a high-end custom action with a budget scope. What a waste. These days, I lean toward the Vortex Golden Eagle HD for its first-focal-plane reticle and turrets that track true every single time. It’s not cheap—around $2,200—but when you’re trying to read wind at 1,000 yards, you’ll thank yourself for the investment.

Ammunition is another area where you simply can’t cut corners. I’ve chronographed loads from Eley, Lapua, and Federal, and while they all have their merits, Eley Tenex consistently gives me single-digit standard deviations in velocity. That kind of uniformity translates directly to tighter groups, especially in variable conditions. Last season, I switched to Tenex for a benchrest series and saw my average score jump by nearly 8%. Now, some folks might balk at spending over 30 cents per round for .22 LR, but in precision disciplines, that’s the price of competitiveness. It’s like having a deeper bench in basketball—you’ve got the tools to adapt when things get tough.

Support equipment often gets overlooked, but it’s where many matches are won or lost. I learned this the hard way during a prone match where my bipod slipped on a muddy firing line. Since then, I’ve sworn by the Accu-Tac BR-4 G2—its spiked feet dig in and hold, no matter the surface. And let’s talk about bags. I’ve tried everything from homemade rice-filled socks to high-end offerings from Wiebad and Protektor. My favorite? The Armageddon Gear Squishy Bag. It’s just firm enough to provide stability but molds to any stock like it was made for it. I’ve probably recommended this bag to at least two dozen fellow shooters, and not one has been disappointed.

Then there’s the personal gear—the stuff that makes long days on the range tolerable. I’m partial to electronic hearing protection, specifically the Walker’s Razor Quad, because it lets me hear range commands while blocking harmful noise. And for spotting shots without disturbing my position, nothing beats the Kestrel 5700 Elite weather meter paired with a Applied Ballistics app. It’s pricey at around $600, but when you can get a firing solution that accounts for density altitude and spin drift, you realize why the pros won’t leave home without one. I’ve used mine in everything from desert heat to mountain cold, and it’s never let me down.

What about the shooter themselves? Training and mindset are part of your equipment too. I spend at least an hour daily on dry-fire practice, focusing on trigger control and breathing. It’s boring, I know, but it builds muscle memory that kicks in when the pressure’s on. I also think more competitors should invest in professional coaching. I worked with a former Olympic shooter for six months, and she corrected flaws in my natural point of aim that I’d carried for years. The result? My hit probability on small targets at extended ranges improved by roughly 15%. Sometimes you’re too close to your own mistakes to see them.

In the end, building your ideal shooting setup is about understanding your weaknesses and covering them with the right gear. Just as a basketball team with a shallow frontcourt rotation needs to compensate with strategy and depth elsewhere, shooters need to identify where their current equipment is holding them back. Maybe it’s an inconsistent trigger, maybe it’s ammo sensitivity—whatever it is, address it systematically. After all, precision shooting is a journey, not a destination. The equipment evolves as we do, and part of the joy is in the constant pursuit of that perfect shot. I’m still chasing mine, but with the right tools in my bag, I get closer every season.