Bolt Action Builds Ep.5 | Which Team Is The Best? (Clint & Ryan vs Kaya & Matt)

Teams, calibers, and rifle line-up

The episode introduces a two‑on‑two bolt gun challenge with Clint, Ryan, Matt, and Kaya. The loose theme is “team 6.5” versus “team .308,” joking about 138‑ and 165‑grain loads and “thick boys.” Kaya runs a US Arms Azriel in 6.5 Creedmoor with an EXO Orion Dev Group suppressor, an EOTech Vudu 5‑25x optic, MDT bipod and magazines, and a J Allen chassis. Matt brings a Savage Axis II in .308 with a 22‑inch barrel, lightweight polymer stock, rubber buttpad, a Bushnell 4‑12x scope, and an add‑on Champion or Allen bipod. Ryan’s rifle is an Aero Precision Solus in 6.5 Creedmoor with a 22‑inch barrel, competition chassis, Leupold Mark 5HD 3.6‑18x scope, four‑chamber VG6 muzzle brake, and Warne precision bipod. Clint runs a Bergara B14 HMR Carbon Wilderness with a carbon‑wrapped barrel, Harris bipod, and a Riton 3‑18x50 first focal plane optic.

Relay race rules and spotting twist

The challenge is structured as a relay race at roughly 400 yards. Each team’s rifles are staged on shooting mats downrange. Shooters start at the 25‑yard line, sprint to their rifle, load, and try to get two hits on the 400‑yard steel with a limited magazine. If a shooter burns all the rounds, they must hand‑load to finish. After securing two hits, the shooter sprints back to the 25‑yard line to tag their teammate, who then repeats the process. Once both have shot their own rifles, they switch and run the same drill on each other’s guns. Magazine capacity becomes a factor, with one rifle using three‑round magazines, forcing careful shot management. A spotting scope at the start line adds a twist: the off‑shooter can call impacts and corrections but must then sprint to their rifle once hits are confirmed.

Team Ryan and Clint: early confidence

Ryan and Clint decide Ryan will start with the Aero Precision Solus, which has been performing consistently. Clint notes that earlier in the day he confirmed zero on the Bergara B14 HMR Carbon Wilderness at about 450 yards, logging 10 to 12 consecutive hits on steel with witnesses watching. That session built strong confidence in the Bergara and in the team’s overall plan. Going into the relay, they feel the Solus is “on point” and expect the Bergara to back it up. The strategy is to leverage Ryan’s reliability with the Solus to establish an early lead, then have Clint maintain momentum with the Bergara. They acknowledge some variability in Clint’s recent shooting but still trust the rifles and the initial zero work going into the timed event.

Barrel heat and the struggling Bergara

During the relay, the Bergara B14 HMR Carbon Wilderness does not perform as expected. Clint fires five shots and misses all of them, leading to visible frustration. He believes barrel heat is causing the rifle to throw rounds off target after extended strings, in contrast to the earlier cold‑barrel success. Adjustments made to the optic while the barrel was hot appear to compound the problem once it cools. Ryan then runs the Bergara and also misses all five shots, reinforcing the sense that something is off with the setup rather than just shooter error. Both shooters feel like they are “chasing the bullet,” dialing corrections after each miss without finding a stable point of impact. In hindsight, they conclude that the earlier zero should have been left alone instead of being adjusted as the barrel temperature changed.

Finishing with the Aero Solus and final score

After the issues with the Bergara, Clint returns to the Aero Precision Solus determined to at least secure hits before the relay ends. It takes three attempts, but he manages to get two solid impacts on the steel, confirmed by audible feedback. He admits rushing the shots, knowing the team is already behind on time and hit count. By the end of their run, Ryan and Clint have a total of four hits with the 6.5 Creedmoor rifles and a final time of 3 minutes and 13 seconds. They note that the Solus remains trustworthy while the Bergara appears out of tune. Acknowledging their effort, they point out that they pushed the pace hard, but the misses with the Bergara cost them both time and points. They set the benchmark: four total hits in 3:13 for the opposing team to beat, and agree that more hits should outweigh a slightly slower time if it comes to a close result.

Matt and Kaya’s game plan with Savage and Azriel

With Ryan and Clint’s score established, Matt and Kaya outline a simple, time‑focused strategy. They know the first team lost significant time trying to make the Bergara work, so they plan to avoid over‑aiming with the Savage Axis II .308, which has given them trouble before. The idea is to fire two quick shots with the Savage, then immediately sprint back to tag out, accepting the risk of misses to save seconds. In contrast, they have strong confidence in the US Arms Azriel 6.5 Creedmoor. For that rifle, the plan is to hold dead center on the 400‑yard target and make each shot count, using the Azriel to secure the majority of their hits. They emphasize running faster, minimizing time on the problematic rifle, and capitalizing on the more consistent Azriel to surpass four hits while staying competitive on the clock.