Bolt Action Builds Ep.4 | Shooting Long Range Position Roulette

Course overview and position roulette rules

The episode opens with Clint introducing episode four of the Classic Firearms bolt gun series, joined by Ryan, Matt, and Josh from US Arms Co. The featured rifles are from Savage Arms, Bergara, Aero Precision, and US Arms Co. Josh lays out a 450-yard “position roulette” course of fire: two rounds from the bench, two from a seated position, and two from a standing position off a tripod. Shooters must maintain a natural point of aim, especially in the less stable seated and tripod positions. Each shooter fires six rounds total, running the bolt to the rear while moving between positions. Scores are based on total hits, with time as the tiebreaker. Josh expects misses and emphasizes squaring the shoulders to the tripod and settling in before breaking shots. Early on, the group also notes the importance of properly torqued scope mounts after discovering loose optic screws in earlier shooting.

Clint runs the Bergara through the course

Clint takes the first run with his Bergara bolt gun. From the bench, he slows down compared to previous episodes and manages one solid hit at 450 yards, but pulls the follow-up shot. He enters the seated stage confident, believing he has the most experience in that position, yet fails to connect there and admits the position did not go as expected. In the standing tripod stage, he recovers with better hits, avoiding a complete repeat of earlier poor performances. His final result is three hits in 57 seconds, the fastest time of the group, but not the highest hit count. Clint reflects that speed alone cannot compensate for misses and that overconfidence in the seated position hurt his performance despite the Bergara’s capability.

Ryan shoots the Aero Precision Solus

Ryan follows with the Aero Precision Solus bolt gun. He notes that Clint was very fast with the Bergara and wants to keep pace while maintaining accuracy. Ryan feels confident about the bench and tripod stages, especially after prior instruction from Josh on proper tripod technique, but expects the seated position to be his weak point. On the clock, he confirms that prediction: the seated stage causes the most difficulty, and he later describes it as what “killed” his run. He also misses his second tripod shot after rushing the follow-up instead of slowing down. Ryan finishes with three hits in about 1 minute and 8 seconds. He emphasizes that the Solus rifle itself is performing under half-MOA in testing and that any misses are on the shooter, not the gun. The course forces him out of typical prone or simple bench shooting and highlights how positional changes affect breathing and stability.

Matt’s run with the Savage bolt gun

Matt takes his turn with the Savage bolt-action rifle, which had already surprised the group in a previous challenge. This course adds complexity by forcing transitions between bench, seated, and tripod positions instead of staying on a bench. During his run, Matt has to consciously avoid muscling the rifle and instead let it rest naturally, applying one of Josh’s key coaching points. He slows down to reset his position when needed rather than forcing shots. The approach pays off: Matt ends with four hits in about 1 minute and 41 seconds. The group jokes about the “little Savage that could” and how a basic hunting-style rifle can still deliver acceptable accuracy when the fundamentals are applied. Matt notes the mental shift required to move quickly between positions, then immediately slow down again to build a stable shooting platform at each stage.

Ka and the US Arms Co. Azrael heavy rifle

Ka represents US Arms Co. with the Azrael, described as a heavy rifle compared to the others. He is not worried about the bench or tripod stages but expects the seated position to be the most challenging because of the rifle’s weight. During his seated string, the rifle feels wobbly and difficult to hold steady. Ka knowingly sends his first seated shot off target rather than waste time trying to correct a bad hold, then times the second shot as the wobble crosses the target and manages a hit. He is believed to be the only shooter to score a seated-position hit. Across all positions, Ka finishes with five hits out of six shots in about 1 minute and 23 seconds. He credits the Azrael’s performance but acknowledges that the heavy platform demands more control in unsupported or semi-supported positions, especially when shooting seated at 450 yards.

Results, coaching takeaways, and rifle performance

After the runs, Josh recaps the positional roulette results with the Classic Firearms team. Ryan records three hits in roughly 1:08, noting that the seated stage and elevated heart rate made tripod stability harder. Clint posts three hits in 57 seconds, the fastest time, but again sees that accuracy matters more than pure speed. Matt’s Savage rifle delivers four hits in about 1:41, reinforcing that a modest hunting-style bolt gun can still perform well when fundamentals are applied. Ka leads with five hits in about 1:23 using the US Arms Co. Azrael, including a rare seated-position hit with the heavy rifle. Josh highlights how changing positions forces shooters to alternate between moving quickly and then slowing down to build a natural point of aim. The group thanks US Arms Co. for the Azrael, Bergara for the B14 Carbon, and Aero Precision for the Solus, and hints at upcoming episodes involving night vision and team-based bolt gun shooting.