What’s the difference between a Hunting and Precision Rifle?
Question by louis: What's the difference between a Hunting and Precision Rifle?
Yet another Curious question... I don't know much about weaponry or guns, but is a Hunting Rifle a Rifle without a Scope and is a Precision Rifle a Rifle with a Scope? Once again, a curious question.
Best answer:
Answer by Mikeeh
Hunting rifles are usually lighter for humping around the woods, usually with a lighter, lower zoom scope. A precision rifle will have a heavier contoured barrel, probably a longer barrel for higher velocity, and a heavier, higher zoom scope.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
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September 3rd, 2010 - 08:10
A scope can be put on any rifle. Precision rifle= target or match grade or some refinements are made for accuracy. Most hunters use scopes and think in terms of accuracy not precision. Jesse
September 3rd, 2010 - 08:27
A hunting rifle doesn’t have to be as accurate as a precision rifle. Precision rifle is an odd term that needs a better definition. Most people think of a precision rifle as a rifle that has been accurized. These would include, a free floating bull barrel that will not change point of impact as it heats up, a refined trigger that breaks cleanly and at a light pull, a fiberglass or kevlar stock that won’t swell or be affected by the environment, usually it would be a bolt action with the lugs lapped. It would also have a high quality scope in the 3-18x range or higher with windage and elevation turrets that are marked in MOA or Mil Dot and the scope would probably have a mil dot reticle as well. Depending on the application a precision rifle needs to be able to put 5 shots inside less than an inch at 100 yards.
A hunting rifle is not held to the same accuracy standards as a precision rifle nor does it need to be. A hunting rifle will be lighter than a precision rifle so it is easier to carry.( a hunting rifle will weigh between 5-10 pounds whereas a precision rifle will often weigh 10-20 pounds)
A precision rifle is generally shot from a bench rest or the prone position. A precision rifle is used by those who compete in target competitions such as the bench rest competition. It is also used by military and police snipers. A precision rifle is also used by varmint hunters or long range hunters who need a rifle that can hit small targets, such as ground squirrels, prairie dogs and ground hogs, at long ranges.
Both hunting rifles and precision rifles often have scopes. A precision rifle will generally have a scope with a higher magnification and better optical quality than your standard hunting scope.
Notice, this is what my aproximate definition of a precision rifle is. Others may have slightly different standards but they will probably be similar.
September 3rd, 2010 - 08:49
Precision Rifles are usually set-up with match grade components such as a heavy weight air-gauged barrel, match grade trigger, HS-precision or Mcmillan stock with aluminum bedding, along with very high quality optics.
A hunting rifle can be the above, but is usually not unless it’s military grade and meant for running around in the woods. A hunting rifle can shoot accurately, but won’t be as accurate as Precision rifles.
September 3rd, 2010 - 09:13
As a very general answer, hunting rifles are rugged, and precision rifles are precise.
If you put a hunting rifle and put it next to a precision rifle and brench-rest shot it in perfect, non-windy, consistent humidy, flawless ammo into a target at 200 yards, the precision rifle will mop the floor with the joe-average hunting rifle in terms of accuracy.
But now take these 2 rifles and lug them out into the wilderness, bump em against some trees, slap the sights against some things, drench em in rain and mud, and then taken them back to the benchrest… The precision rifle will perform FAR worse than it did, while the hunting rifle will maintain its joe-average accuracy.
You can have a super accurate rifle that misses if you blink the wrong way next to it, or you can have a gun that you can hammer nails with without missing the deer, but you can’t have both.