BAT Machine: Precision Without Compromise

This article is part of an ongoing series where I explore action companies worth investing in. Some are new. Some are legacy brands. But all have one thing in common: they build equipment that earns trust on the firing line. BAT is firmly in that category.

Bat Machine

BAT Machine isn’t just a name in the precision rifle world. It’s one of the crown jewels. For nearly three decades, they’ve set the standard for action design, execution, and long-term performance. They aren’t chasing trends. They aren’t cashing in on hype. They build actions that win world records, survive brutal match conditions, and carry the trust of some of the most demanding shooters in the world.

There are a lot of action companies out there. Only a handful ever break into the elite tier. BAT earned its way into that group through consistency, craftsmanship, and results. Ask any serious benchrest, F-Class, or long-range shooter to name the top five action makers in the world, and BAT is on that list. For many, they sit at the top. This kind of reputation doesn’t come from marketing. It comes from decades of hard-won experience and a relentless commitment to precision.

I didn’t just hear about BAT from other shooters. I lived it. My first comp rifle ran a BAT Action Elite, built by Wolf Precision

with their ACE system. I started in PRS and later shifted into F-Class Open. Same rifle, same setup, never skipped a beat. No tuning. No guesswork. It was just ready. That kind of cross-discipline consistency isn’t luck. It’s the result of smart design and rock solid execution. Spend enough time on a firing line and someone’s going to ask what action you’re running. If your setup looks a little different like mine, they want to know. It’s how shooters size each other up. When I say “BAT,” the response is always the same. First a pause. Then a look. Then a nod. No debate. No follow-up. Just respect.

That personal experience is exactly why I see BAT as a cornerstone brand. It’s not just about performance. It’s about trust. That trust comes from years of running gear that doesn’t flinch when it matters most. And it gives me a deeper appreciation for where BAT's legacy began, and how far it’s carried.

Bill Had a Terminal. Bruce Had a Lathe.

BAT Machine was founded in 1996 by Bruce Thom, a precision toolmaker with a machinist's brain and a benchrest

shooter's obsession for perfection. His path into this world mirrors the kind of early exposure Malcolm Gladwell highlights in Outliers. Think of Bill Gates. In the late 1960s, while most high schools and even universities lacked computers, Gates was at Lakeside School; a rare private school with its own computer terminal. That access was lightning in a bottle. It wasn’t just exposure. It was the foundation. It let Gates rack up time, make mistakes, and learn the system from the inside. That head start changed everything.

Bruce had the same kind of window. He grew up in his school shop, he grew up shooting, and he grew up curious. While other kids were out riding bikes, Bruce was on a lathe. He wasn’t just turning wrenches. He was chasing perfection. Tighter tolerances. Cleaner cuts. Smoother threads. While most of his peers were just learning how things worked, Bruce was already thinking about how to make them better. That early immersion creates the kind of intuition you can't teach. Gates had code. Bruce had steel.

That kind of early edge is everything. It compounds. It creates instincts you can’t teach and confidence that doesn’t come from books. And Bruce didn’t waste it. What started in a garage with a few machines and a vision quickly became a dominant force in the competitive shooting world. Through the 2000s, BAT actions were at the core of rifles rewriting the record books. IBS. NBRSA. 600-yard. 1000-yard. You could find BAT's footprint on some of the most impressive aggregate scores ever shot.

But the story didn’t end with benchrest. F-Class shooters were paying attention too. As BAT actions made their way into F-Open and F-TR rifles, they brought the same repeatable precision that had defined them in benchrest. Shooters were winning regional, national, and even international titles with rifles built around BAT receivers. It was clear this wasn't just a benchrest company. This was a precision company. Full stop.

That stronghold in the world of static long-range competition created a foundation few other manufacturers could match. It gave them the data, feedback, and reputation to make the leap into new disciplines. And when they did, they did it on their own terms.

Built to Dominate, Not Mass Produce

Bruce didn’t build BAT to be the biggest. He built it to be the most exacting. His foundation was square. Literally. BAT actions are engineered so that every critical plane, from the bolt lug seats to the receiver face to the bore line, is precisely concentric

and aligned. That level of squareness gives shooters something rare: true mechanical repeatability. When the bolt closes on a BAT, , it does so with intent. No slop. No wobble. Just rock solid engagement while somehow being the smoothest bolt you have ever run. That feel isn’t just satisfying. It creates confidence you can feel in your hands, shot after shot.

The fire control systems are no less precise. Every trigger interface and sear engagement is built with such tight consistency that switching between rifles feels intuitive. There’s no learning curve. It all speaks toBAT's insistence on machining everything in-house from top-tier bar stock. Most shops won’t even quote this level of work. It demands time, skill, and tooling most companies don’t possess or aren’t willing to invest in.

From the beginning, BAT actions were built to tell the truth. They won’t mask flaws in your rifle system. They expose them. If your bedding is off, your load is sloppy, or your barrel is questionable, a BAT action will make that clear. It forces shooters to level up. That is not a drawback. That is the point. BAT could have gone big. They could have scaled production, outsourced, and automated. But Bruce knew that perfection doesn’t survive when the process gets diluted. So they stayed small.

When Bruce talked about their approach, he explained that steel is never truly consistent. One heat can yield thousands of pounds of material, but that doesn't mean every inch is usable. The grain structure varies. Internal stresses show up. Distortions hide just beneath the surface. These are things most shops miss entirely, butBAT doesn’t. Bruce, with more than thirty years behind a lathe, knows how to read the steel. He knows where to look, what to avoid, and how to machine around those inconsistencies.

That knowledge doesn’t stop with Bruce. His brother Daryle joined later and quickly became a key part of the operation. He brought sharp machining skills, a steady hand, and the same relentless attention to detail that defines the company. That mindset isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s part of why BAT has built such a loyal team. Bruce pointed out that people just don’t leave BAT. It’s a company that takes care of its employees, and in turn, those employees take care of the customer. Many of them have been with the company for decades. That collective experience shows up in every action they build. This isn’t just a team of machinists. It’s a crew of craftsmen who know how to turn an imperfect raw material into something that performs flawlessly. They’ve figured out how to transform inconsistency into repeatability. And that is no small feat. Not just one perfect action, but dozens that perform the same, feel the same, and deliver the same results. That is the difference between good manufacturing and legacy-level craftsmanship. BAT figured it out. Experience like that isn’t something you code into a machine. It’s earned, one action at a time.

And that same level of care shows up in the opinions of top-tier shooters. I spoke to Corson Piper shortly after my conversation with Bruce. Corson is the number one ranked shooter in the PRS Northwest region and one of the top ten PRS shooters in the nation. As a machinist and competitor working toward becoming number one, he shares much of the same mindset as BAT.

Corson had plenty of good things to say, but two points stuck with me. First, he said it’s hard to describe the feel of a BAT action until you run one. But once you do, you know you need to own one. It’s not marketing. It’s not hype. It’s just the truth. Second, now that every rifle he runs uses a BAT action, he’s noticed something even more important. It isn’t just performance from a single rifle. It’s the consistency from one BAT to the next. Every action feels the same. Every rifle performs the same. And considering Corson's climb through the national rankings, it’s clear that consistency matters.

The PRS Expansion and More

BAT didn’t jump into PRS when it got hot. They waited. Watched the game evolve. Refined their approach. Then built exactly what was needed. Their entrance wasn’t reactive. It was deliberate. The TR was their first serious entry into competition-style repeaters. It carried all the hallmarks of BAT's benchrest roots: tight tolerances, a squared system, and a rock solid footprint. But it was also built with the realities of PRS in mind. Speed. Reliability. Abuse. The TR handled it all without sacrificing what made BAT actions legendary in the first place.

Then came the Hammerhead, a dedicated short action built specifically for the fast, gritty world of PRS and NRL matches. It features a Remington 700 footprint, a two-lug bolt with 75-degree lift for quicker cycling, machined integral out of one piece of steel to maintain zero under harsh conditions.

Corson Piper

The bolt body clearance is the same as BAT's other repeater actions. It’s .0015 looser than the max spec on their BR actions, giving it just enough room to run smooth in dust, grit, and mud. But it still locks up with the same tight, consistent feel BAT is known for. The fire control system stays the same, so shooters get a familiar trigger experience across platforms without adding anything extra to think about.

Designed for repeatable performance under pressure, the Hammerhead represents BAT's full commitment to competitive field shooting. It wasn’t a repurposed action. It was purpose-built to give shooters every mechanical advantage without compromise.

Now, BAT is developing the long-action version of the Hammerhead, built to house the larger cartridges used in ELR and magnum-class PRS rifles. It’s a direct answer to what the top shooters have been asking for. And for the 600-yard benchrest crowd, they’re working on a new aluminum single-shot with a 75-degree bolt lift. Light, fast, and built for winning.

This isn’t just product diversification. This is a legacy company, already trusted by world champions, expanding with intent into a new generation of rifle competition.

Final Thoughts

BAT Machine isn’t trying to be the flashiest booth at a trade show or the loudest voice on social media. They let their actions speak for themselves. On paper. On target. On the line. When a company this rooted in benchrest and F-Class makes a committed move into PRS and ELR, it deserves attention. It shows respect for the new disciplines and a willingness to help raise the bar. BAT is not chasing the game. They’re helping define what precision looks like for the next generation. And if you’ve ever run a BAT, you already know exactly what that means.

Postscript: The Silhouette Steps Forward

 Emi Tenkorte

Just as this piece was wrapping up, BAT quietly turned a page.

What began as a one-off for Emi Tenkorte is now an official addition to the lineup. The Silhouette made its Nationals debut at the 2025 NRA Rifle Silhouette Championships, where Emi not only directed the match but also earned his fourth national title in high power hunting rifle, his fifth consecutive Grand Aggregate Championship, and podium finishes across nearly every division.

It is a Remington 700 short action built the BAT way. For years, they resisted making a coned bolt nose Remington clone, but when the request came from the right shooter for the right reason, they built it. And when the demand kept coming, they listened. The Silhouette is now an official offering for single shot Remington 700 short actions. Coned bolt nose. Seventy-five degree lift. Squared and sleeved to lock up with purpose. No flash. No shortcuts. Just a tool honed for a specific task and proven on the biggest stage in its discipline.

The Silhouette isn’t just another option. It’s a reminder. BAT still listens. BAT still builds. And when the right shooter meets the right idea, they still know how to make it real.

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