The Desert Tech SRS A1 Versus The Best Shooters in America

You saw the rifle and wanted the rifle before you ever really knew what the rifle was all about. You had no idea if the bullpup phenomenon would become a bolt-action legend but, admit it, you still wanted a Desert Tech SRS A1 Sniper Rifle long before you even pulled the trigger for the first time.

And here we are seven years after that first handcrafted, precision rifle with the revolutionary compact design and sub-MOA reputation left the shop and it’s about time we all found out if the hype is even close to the honest-to-goodness, boots on the ground, truth.

We know the SRS is sexy. But can it shoot.

THE SHOOTERS

We went out and found the best 200 or so shooters in the country to find out that answer. Well, to be exact, the Precision Rifle Series went out and found the best 200 or so shooters in the country and is, as we speak, in the middle of hosting 17 matches in 12 different states featuring an array of terrain, weather and obstacles to see who is the best long range sharpshooter of 2014.

In the meantime, Desert Tech handed out four of our flagship rifles because we, on the other hand, wanted to know how the SRS A1 would perform in the hands of these sharpshooters when pushed to their limits by their peers.

More than 14 other rifle manufacturers had the same idea because, well, there have been corporate sponsors for as long as there have been competitive matches so some companies enlisted 22 shooters, some had 15 and others had 9 or 8 and so on.

Desert Tech had four.

You know them better as Adam Roberts, BJ Bailey, Steve Elmenhorst and Tyler Frehner. On second thought, you probably don’t know them because the Precision Rifle Series is only in its third year as the first nationally-held competition of its kind and while these 200 or so shooters from the military, law enforcement, competitive and hunting ranks are recognized as the best in the business, you’re not going to see these guys gulping Gatorade on your big screen during a commercial break.

They’re just four highly-skilled guys who just happen to be running Desert Tech SRS A1 rigs against a couple hundred other guys who aren’t in the greatest product evaluation campaign the industry has to offer.

And in order to make it to the Precision Rifle Series Championship Match and prove your worth as a long range rifleman, the qualifying shooter will tally his top three scores from the various matches and rank in the top 50. And don’t believe for a second that everyone isn’t looking at what rifles those 50 are shooting.

“It’s an incredibly tough competition,” said BJ. “And it’s getting tougher as the sport grows. Without a doubt, the sky is the limit.”

THE SRS A1

The Series began at the Bushnell Brawl in Kingsville, Texas on February 21, 2014 where 120 competitors and their rifles squared off from bus, helicopter, the infamous mousetrap and more.

“You’ve got to move in and out of obstacles in timed stages,” said BJ. “And the SRS is more compact than any other rifle out there which made it much easier for me. But the biggest positive is the balance of the rifle. With the weight towards the rear, you have more control and get less side-to-side movement on your shots especially at the larger calibers. The SRS shot lights out.”

Eventually, the competitors made their way to the sixth event called the Rifleman’s Championship in New Mexico on April 26, 2014 and met with some unexpected conditions, further testing not only the shooters but especially their rifles.

“The wind picked up to 30-35 miles per hour with gusts up to 50,” said BJ. “It was a sandstorm out there and triggers were breaking as well as several other malfunctions. A lot of guys just quit. But the SRS made it through without a hiccup and if it’ll work in those conditions, it will work anywhere.”

At this stage of the series, the overall standings and point rankings started to take shape and of the hundreds of competitors running a multitude of different rifles, the Desert Tech Four were getting closer and closer to qualifying for the Championship Event with each passing competition.

At the ninth event of the series, the Rifleman’s Round Up at the Cross C Ranch in Wheatland, Wyoming on June 21, 2014, Steve finished 9th, BJ at 15th and Adam at 21st. Combined with Ty’s 12-place finish at the next event, the Quiet Riot in Park City, Utah the following week, it became very evident.

All four Desert Tech shooters had a chance of qualifying for the National Championships.

THE RESULTS

On Friday, September 26 through 28, at the Rifle Ranch in Frost, Texas, the 50 best competitive sharpshooters in the country will be invited to compete in the Precision Rifle Series Championship Match.

And if the standings hold up, all four Desert Tech shooters will be there with Adam currently ranked 24th, BJ 31st, Tyler 34th and Steve 37th, potentially making them the only team to qualify each and every one of their shooters. After so many rounds across so many different matches in a sport demanding shrinking tolerances, this doesn’t happen by chance or coincidence.

“The other day, we were practicing for the next event and Adam was shooting another rifle for fun,” said BJ referring to the Heat Stroke in Elk City, Oklahoma on July 12, 2014. “And he told me it felt kind of weird. That it was different. I asked him what he meant and he said he hated shooting any other regular rifle.”

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how legends are born.