American military snipers are among the most lethal in the world, making shots at incredibly long ranges. Now comes the first “smart” optics, which make hitting a target virtually foolproof, as tested on one recent safari where a series of safari animals were routinely taken at 400–600 yards. Certainly for any soldier, this weapon will make him or her extremely effective as a combatant. But is a rifle that can’t miss appropriate for sporting purposes? The Remington Arms Company was impressed enough to partner with the new TrackingPoint technology, a union that will provide decades of outdoor experience as well as financial funding. Whether you think this is way cool or a giant step backwards for woodsmanship, Outdoorhub.com has the details, with video to match.
TrackingPoint, Inc. is stirring up quite the buzz over its “Precision Guided Firearm” (PGF) systems, especially with a recent announcement of a partnership with venerable gun maker Remington in the “Venture X” project. In a nutshell, PGF optics will allow shooters to tag a target, track it, and make first-round hits with the technology adjusting for factors such as bullet drop, wind, and other environmental variables that could affect a shooter’s aim.
“You don’t have to be an experienced shooter,” says TrackingPoint President Jason Strauble. “You don’t have to be someone who’s put thousands of rounds downrange. You can come and pick this up and within minutes master the tag, track, and exact technology that allow you to get on target.”
Like military aircraft, the PGF system provides shooters with a shooting solution for the intended target, and when the depressing the guided trigger, the firearm will fire when it is optimally aligned with the tagged item. This “lock-and-launch” technology is ruffling some feathers among more traditional shooters, but others are optimistic that the system will allow for more ethical, well-placed shots…
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