Lessons From a Legend: Jerry Miculek's Competition Rifle How-To

Have you ever wondered what sets a competition rifle apart from a "regular" AR-15? Wonder no longer!

posted on September 14, 2022
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If you're a regular NRA Women reader, then you know that AR-15s—also called Modern Sporting Rifles, MSRs and "black guns"—are the most common platform for rifle competition. However, many shooters consider that platform as just a starting point ... and the more advanced shooters get, the more advanced their rifles. But what exactly does a competition rifle need to do that it can't do right out of the box? What kind of upgrades do you need? And can you do the upgrades yourself?

All of the above are complex questions, and who better to answer than world-famous pro shooter (and quite possibly the best shooter alive) Jerry Miculek? Smith & Wesson recently electrified the competitive-shooting world with its all-new Volunteer series of AR-15-style rifles, so what better example from which to work? In this fantastic step-by-step how-to video from S&W's GUNSMARTS series, Miculek walks you through all the bells and whistles of a competition rifle, from the buttstock, to the sling mount, to the optic ... everything your ideal competition rifle needs, and how to install it all. It's easier than you think, and you'll see and feel the difference right away!

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