Texas company peddles high-tech rifle

By Duane Barbati

dbarbati@alamogordonews.com @DuaneBarbati on Twitter

MAYHILL -- The TrackingPoint Precision Guided Firearm is an integrated system that offers jet fighter lock-and-launch technology for hunters and marksmen to hit targets at extreme distances.

The rifle has been on the market only for guided hunt businesses since January.

TrackingPoint, the Austin, Texas-based company, hopes to sell the rifle to responsible gun owners through referrals from retail gun shop owners. But for now, it's only offered through direct-to-consumer sales.

TrackingPoint's system also includes Wi-Fi capabilities.

The company travels to two states each month and conducts shooting

TrackingPoint, of Austin, Texas, has developed a hunting rifle targeting system that helps hunters aim for targets or prey at long distances. (John Bear/Daily News )

demonstrations with the rifle. TrackingPoint conducted its most recent shooting demonstration Tuesday at Felix Canyon Ranch east of Mayhill.

The company offers a single-bolt action XS1 .338-caliber Lapua Magnum rifle, an XS2 .300-caliber XS2 Win Mag and a XS3 .300-caliber Win Mag. The rifles are manufactured and assembled by the company. Systems start at $22,500, which includes the rifle, integrated tracking scope, batteries and case.

The company also offers the more advanced long-range .338-caliber Lapua Magnum rifle with the integrated networked tracking scope, a mini iPad, Custom Pelican hard case, 200 rounds of ammunition, a Harris bipod with Larue quick-detach mount, three batteries and chargers, cleaning kit and instructions -- for about $27,500.

The system allows hunters to view post-hunt statistics such as wind speed, harvest ratio and vital zone accuracy to help users improve their precision on a variety of game. The system also records their shot via the scope.

While looking through the rifle's scope, the shooter first marks a target by pressing the "Tag" button located next to the trigger, automatically setting up the shot and persistently tracking the target, even if it is moving, with a red dot. More than 20 ballistic variables, including range, wind, target velocity, shot angle, rifle tilt, temperature, barometric pressure and the Coriolis Effect, are instantly calculated to create a perfect firing solution, represented by a blue "X". Once tagged, the shooter simply realigns the blue "X" reticle with the tag, presses and holds the trigger to turn the "X" red and arm the system, and aligns the center of the red "X" with the red dot to fire at the target.

TrackingPoint's rifle will not fire until the red "X" in the scope is aligned with the red dot on the target.

The scope and rifle use advanced imaging technology to tag a target.

Paul Franz, TrackingPoint's vice president of sales, said the only thing the shooter has to do is a wind call.

"With the wind, it can go to the 780-yard mark and go flat because of the crosswind," Franz said. "A shooter has to account for that, but there's a rocker bar for that and they can dial it straight into the computer."

He said the iPad is used only if a second person wants to see what the shooter is seeing through the scope.

"Everything the shooter wants to do is seen through the scope display," Franz said. "They can dial in the wind factor. They can override the temperature if they're sitting in a blind. It can all be directly controlled through the scope or through the iPad. It's still the human pulling the trigger at all times. The shooter is still 100 percent in charge of the fire control system."

Gary Smith, sales director for the company, said the iPad can be used by guides on a hunt.

"It would be really helpful for a guide to see what the hunter is doing," Smith said. "If the tag is off, they can tell their client to reset the tag and get the it exactly where they want it on that animal. They can also see the client make the shot. Once they tag a target, it starts to record video up to 30 seconds after the shot. The video is recorded through the scope and the iPad streams it. Hunters can download the video from the scope to the iPad.

"It's great for instructional videos. Once a shooter tags a target or animal, that ballistics solution will be calculated."

If the rifle is picked up and moved, the shooter will loose the tag. The rifle will also not fire unless a shooter has their finger on the trigger and it's lined up with the red tag.

"Once the tag is lost, it's lost for good," Smith said. "The shooter will have to re-tag the target again. It's a precision long-range rifle. The .338-caliber Lapua magnum bullet has low drag in relation to the diameter of the bullet. It's a very long, slender bullet. Its very efficient in air when it flies."

Franz said many the rifles have been sold in Texas.

"We have significant coverage around the country," he said. "We have buyers from all over. We are working with dealers on a referral basis. We're looking for customers who conduct elk hunts or guided hunts. We're looking for outfitting services to actually purchase a unit that they can let their customers use. This increases or triples their range.

"It's a much more ethical way to go hunting. It's also a confidence boost. I think the guide community will embrace this rifle system."

Source: http://www.alamogordonews.com/ci_23656785/texas-company-peddles-high-tech-rifle?source=rss_viewed

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