I’m always glad to take time to visit the precision rifle geniuses at GA Precision while touring the massive SHOT Show floor and conference rooms. Founded by George Gardner in 1999, GA Precision of North Kansas City, Missouri, has become world-renowned for producing extremely accurate long-range rifles.
This year they had a very special rifle decked out in Multicam camouflage on prominent display. That GA Precision Gladius precision rifle in .308 caliber (7.62 x 51mm) was one of the rifles used in the movie American Sniper, by actor Bradley Cooper, playing the role of Navy SEAL Sniper, Chris Kyle. The GA Precision Gladius is pictured below, SN# RR91300B, has a confirmation letter from the Independent Studio Services.
For those of you who don’t know, Chris Kyle was a very proud owner of a GA Precision Gladius rifle. When talking about GA Precision rifles Kyle offered, “Since I’m talking about guns, I’ll mention that my current favorites are the weapons systems made by GA Precision, a very small company started in 1999 by George Gardner. He and his staff pay close attention to every detail, and his weapons are just awesome. I didn’t get a chance to try one until I got out of the service, but now they’re what I use.” Though Kyle actually used several different military-approved sniper rifles on his tours of duty, I thought it was a nice tribute to Kyle’s love for his GA Precision rifle to include a version in the movie.
It is reported that Kyle’s favorite military sniper rifle was the SOCOM Mk 13 chambered in .300 Win Mag, topped with a Nightforce scope, and the trigger tuned to 2 lbs. The original .300 Win Mag rifles had a McMillan A2 stock with saddle adjustable cheek weld. However, the rifle he used during the infamous Ramadi campaign (where he earned the title “Devil of Ramadi”) had an Accuracy International AICS 2.0 folding stock.
The last type of sniper rifle Kyle used on tour was a McMillan TAC-338 chambered in .338 Lapua, and this was the rifle used to make his longest confirmed sniper kill at 1.2 miles (2100 yards)! That rifle is pictured on the cover of his auto-biographical book, American Sniper.
GA Precision Gladius Specifications
- Caliber – .308 (other calibers custom order)
- Action – Rem 700 SA RH, completely trued
- Twist Rate – 1:10
- Barrel Type – Bartlein Stainless Steel, 5R rifling, GAP #6 1-10 twist
- Overall Length – 36″ with included soft rubber butted
- Barrel Length – 18″ with Surefire brake/adaptor
- Weight – 10.0 lbs. (unloaded)
- Stock – Manners T-2A, 1 stud 4 QD flush cups, KTM Loggerhead adjustable cheek weld
- Trigger Guard – Badger M5 DBM (Detachable Box Magazine), with one 5rd Mag (10rd mag available)
- Trigger Pull – 2.5 lbs.
- Scope Mount – One-piece Badger Ordnance 20 MOA base
- Scope Rings – Badger Ordnance 30mm (shooter’s choice of height)
- Recoil Lug – Precision ground, oversized
- Finish – Matte Black Cerakote, Multicam Dip on Stock
- Bedding – Pillar bedded with 7075 T-6 pillars then skimmed in Marine Tex
- Sling – T.A.B. Gear Sling included in O.D. Green
- Accuracy – 1/2 MOA Guaranteed with match-grade ammunition
- Options – Additional AICS 5rd & 10rd magazines; Barrel fluting – (6) flutes
- MSRP – $4,100.00.
Some may look at the Gladius price tag and be immediately turned off, but I can attest that the GA Precision rifles are among the best in the world for accuracy. These are not standard or upgraded Remington 700’s, but are truly highly customized rifles based upon the Remington 700 action.
The Author’s Experience with GA Precision Rifles
My Department has (6) Remington 700 sniper rifles in .308 caliber. One of the rifles is “The Rock”, purchased straight from GA Precision. All of the others rifles have been upgraded with GA Precision Bartlein stainless steel 5R heavy barrels, Timney triggers set at a crisp, and respectable 3.0 lbs., and McMillan M40A1 – HTG stocks. Just recently we were able to include the addition of Badger Ordnance M5 DBM detachable box magazine well and trigger guard to every rifle.
The detachable box magazine system is much more reliable than the original hinge plate system from Remington. Too often, the hinge plate would hang up inside the magazine well when re-inserting, and if not caught, would cause feeding problems. In addition, top loading rounds into the enclosed magazine created the opportunity for a round to get stuck on the metal lip on the side of the magazine well, running parallel to the feed ramp. This left the round wedged between the metal lip and the inside top of the receiver. This off-centered round was unable to feed into the chamber, and required prying to remove. Needless to say, the detachable box magazines have fixed both of those problems and are great additions!
I get to shoot our GA Precision “The Rock”, and like any good precision rifle, it can outshoot me! My Department’s SWAT snipers are able to regularly shoot 1/2 MOA groupings with their GA Precision rifles, and occasionally we can overlap the rounds on target (at 100 yards). We’ve center-punched dimes, bottle caps, and empty shotgun cases at 100 yards as well.
I’m a huge fan and believer in GA Precision rifles, and plan on owning my own custom rifle in the near future. One of my snipers won a raffle for a GA Precision The Crusader rifle in .308 caliber, with the very special police serial# GAP911.
Other noted owners of GA Precision rifles:
- FBI SWAT
- FBI HRT Team Quantico (GA Precision created a separate FBI HRT rifle option)
- ATF SRT
- Chicago P.D. SWAT
- Illinois State Police HRT Team
- Cook County (Chicago) HBT
- Coral Springs P.D., Florida
- Kansas City MO P.D. TAC
- Kansas City, KS P.D.
- Denton TX P.D.
- Richardson TX P.D.
- Dane County WI, Sheriff’s Department
- Glendora, CA P.D
- Escondido, CA P.D
- Baltimore County, MD P.D.
- Lee’s Summit, MO P.D
- Many others.