SHOT 2013: Precision Guided Projectiles?

Do you suck at shooting? Me neither—but very soon that may not matter. Making long-distance precision shots used to be more of a craft that couldn’t be duplicated by anything but another well-trained shooter. Computers and gadgets could only assist you on a limited basis and it took years of methodical practice and skill building to get good enough to hit shots consistently at longer distances. At the 2013 SHOT Show, TrackingPoint is showing off their new Precision Guided Firearm, and calling it the most accurate shooting system in the world.

Called the Xact System, it solves multiple problems that long-range shooters face. The XactSystem ensures repeatable performance and accuracy even at extended ranges. Looking at the reticle, it reminds you of what Robocop sees. A high-tech looking, heads-up display that actually tells you where to aim, that takes away all the guesswork from a novice shooter.

Once in position to fire, the shooter tags their target with a little red button near the trigger. The computer system takes into account the windspeed, humidity and bullet drop. Once you start squeezing the trigger, the gun won’t fire until you line up your reticle over the tag which the computer has adjusted for you. Once you float over the perfect spot, the gun will release the trigger lock and voila—a perfectly placed shot. You just squeeze that trigger and move your aim toward the red dot.

Does this take the fun out of shooting? Maybe; but you can’t deny that giving a novice the ability to hit a shot at 1,000 yards with little or no training would raise the eyebrows of any military commander. It’s a little like bumper bowling, no matter how badly you roll that ball, you are still going to hit some pins.