If their guns are more forgiving, why did they get beat? The last match had representation from NRL shooters, military and police. I wasn't the better shooter, I brought the right equipment and executed a plan more consistently is all. Maybe having a little more patience from experience at that range as well to get the favorable wind but tracking your miss is more important than tracking your hit. Far easier to do with a 18lb 6.5 grendel ar15 with the gas turned off (thus the technically part) than the next guy running 300 win mag r700. Which gun is more forgiving practically speaking if they both have the same potential to miss or hit every target? Which is more important, knowing exactly where you miss or having a spotter tell you "uhh there is a rock on the left and you were maybe about 4 inches from 10' o clock from it."?
I think maybe we need a baseline on where we both need to understand what we each consider an ar15. I would venture to guess you arent thinking of a heavy 28" bull barrel, over the barrel fortmeier bipod, large higher power optic, zero degree angle pistol grip, single fed, 1.5lb trigger and shot prone exclusively because it won't fit on a lot of benches comfortably and forget about off hand. Muzzle velocity, think 20-22" 6.5 creedmoor territory. Not the typical ar15 and ill push it hard if there is money on the line.
in a different format such as shooting on paper a bolt action will have an advantage. in a game where there are time limits and no record of a miss so if you dont see it yourself it basically never happened, simple simple formula of accuracy + velocity isnt enough to win and a high powered bolt action gun may not be preferable. If they did this same match again in 6 months I would re-barrel to something stupid like 6mm AR Turbo improved then run the same everything else.
I think maybe we need a baseline on where we both need to understand what we each consider an ar15. I would venture to guess you arent thinking of a heavy 28" bull barrel, over the barrel fortmeier bipod, large higher power optic, zero degree angle pistol grip, single fed, 1.5lb trigger and shot prone exclusively because it won't fit on a lot of benches comfortably and forget about off hand. Muzzle velocity, think 20-22" 6.5 creedmoor territory. Not the typical ar15 and ill push it hard if there is money on the line.
in a different format such as shooting on paper a bolt action will have an advantage. in a game where there are time limits and no record of a miss so if you dont see it yourself it basically never happened, simple simple formula of accuracy + velocity isnt enough to win and a high powered bolt action gun may not be preferable. If they did this same match again in 6 months I would re-barrel to something stupid like 6mm AR Turbo improved then run the same everything else.