The purpose of this article is to present the various models of sniper rifles designed and manufactured by PGM Precision and to clarify their characteristics and specific features in the context of sport shooting. This use includes disciplines as varied as long-range shooting on gongs for recreational or competitive purposes, F-Class, Precision Rifle Shooting (PRS), Benchrest, etc.
This article is intended as a concise guide for shooters interested in understanding PGM Précision’s offer for sport shooters and how the range of precision rifles is structured for this use. It summarizes the recommendations and advice that PGM Précision can give based on its experience and history. However, it is not intended to represent the sum of available knowledge on these disciplines or to be prescriptive: each shooter is free to make their own choice based on their personal criteria, supported by the information below.
PGM rifles and accessories are designed and manufactured in France, in Haute-Savoie near Annecy.
All PGM Précision rifles share certain features that make them the weapons of choice for sport shooting: they are extremely ergonomic and adaptable to the shooter’s physique. All rifles have a length-adjustable stock with a height-adjustable cheek rest. Their AR-15 standard pistol grip can be changed according to the shooter’s preferences to best suit their hand.
In addition, all rifles are equipped with a match-grade free-floating barrel manufactured by the German company Lothar-Walter, which is recognized worldwide for producing barrels of exceptional quality that are used in many high-precision weapons.
Finally, all rifles are equipped with a match-quality double stage trigger designed and manufactured by PGM, with adjustable trigger weight and travel distance.
With these remarkable features in common, the PGM Précision range of precision rifles is structured as follows.
The precision rifle that PGM Précision designed specifically for sport shooting, rather than for tactical use like the other rifles in the range, is the Ludis, available since 2013. This single-shot rifle with a fixed stock benefits from the quick barrel interchangeability concept (30 seconds) inherited from the PGM Ultima Ratio, and offers numerous advantages such as reduced weight (from 5.6 kg), simple and efficient operation, and exemplary build quality like all PGM Précision rifles, while being the most affordable rifle in the range.
The PGM Ludis can be adapted to a wide range of uses thanks to a large selection of eight different barrels (from 47 cm to 71 cm in length) that accept around fifteen of the most commonly used calibers in sport shooting. This multi-caliber platform without a magazine allows the use of PRC and magnum calibers by changing the barrel and bolt.
It is also a rifle that evolves with the shooter’s needs thanks to a wide range of accessories (scopes, scope mounts, grips, rails, bipods, monopods, etc.).
Depending on the caliber chosen by the shooter, the PGM Ludis is an excellent solution for shooting disciplines of up to 1,500 m that do not require a sustained rate of fire, such as long-range shooting on gongs for recreational or competitive purposes, F-Class, Benchrest, etc.
The successor to the founding weapon of PGM Précision, developed by master gunsmith Gilles Payen for RAID snipers, the second-generation Ultima Ratio, available since 2022, is a tactical weapon with exceptional qualities for sport shooting.
With over 30 years of development based on collaboration, initially with the RAID and then with numerous French and international special forces, this ergonomically optimized precision rifle is designed to hit its targets with the first shot at distances of up to 1,000 meters and even beyond, depending on the caliber and barrel length.
The Ultima Ratio offers the same advantages as the Ludis, including quick barrel interchangeability (30 seconds, 6 barrels available from 41 to 71 cm in 10 different calibers), low weight (starting at 6.3 kg), and an adjustable trigger from 0.7 to 1.5 kg. In addition, it allows for a sustained rate of fire thanks to its 10-round steel magazine and can accommodate numerous accessories thanks to an ARCA rail integrated into the handguard. One point to note is the need to use the weapon in single-shot mode, with an adapter in the magazine, for calibers linked to cartridges that are too short or too long compared to the reference .308W ammunition (for example, 6mm Norma BR and .284W ammunition).
Depending on the caliber chosen by the shooter, the Ultima Ratio is a legendary precision rifle for shooting sports disciplines such as long-range gong shooting for leisure or competition, F-Class, Precision Rifle Shooting (PRS), etc.
For sport shooters who want a precision rifle capable of repeatedly hitting targets at ranges of 1,000m to 1,500m, PGM Précision developed the PGM 338 in 2003. At the time, it was the brand’s first rifle in this caliber.
This comfortable, robust, and versatile rifle, manufactured without compromising on quality and offering the same advantages as the brand’s other rifles at the time, the PGM 338 allows you to choose between two 69 cm barrels (Commando and Intervention) for long-range shooting with .338 Lapua Magnum ammunition, whose performance and accuracy are well established. This rifle is the gateway to magnum calibers in the PGM Précision range, with all the qualities and performance that have made the brand’s reputation.
Due to its aeronautical alloy bolt receiver, this weapon cannot accommodate longer barrels designed for ELR. In this case, the Mini Hécate 2 should be considered.
The Mini-Hécate II is a latest-generation high-precision, long-range rifle. It was initially designed for military and special forces snipers who have to deal with targets located between the limits of the .308W and the .50BMG. With more than five years of development work, experience in conflicts since its creation in 2018, and great modularity, particularly in terms of bipod positions, this rifle is an exceptional tactical tool.
Used in the field of sport shooting, the Mini-Hécate II is one of the most popular weapons among finalists in major long range shooting competitions. This rifle was used by the winners of the King of 1 Mile in Caylus in 2024 and the winners of the Prince of 1500m in Caylus in 2025. It won an impressive third place at Extreme Shot Italia in October 2025, just behind two American teams. This was an extraordinary performance for this serial production weapon against fully customized rifles.
Like other PGM Precision rifles, the Mini-Hécate II is available with several barrel types, ranging from 60 to 86 cm, and several calibers from 300NM and PRC to 375 Swiss P, including the famous .338 Lapua Magnum, which is the most commonly chosen.
The exceptional performance of this rifle makes it the weapon of choice for sport shooters and TLD and ELR competitors targeting ranges from 1,000 to 2,000 meters who want power and range without the bulk of a standard tactical rifle.
The Hécate II was originally designed for long-range anti-material military use during the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. Its high accuracy, exceptional reliability, ergonomics, and lower recoil than its competitors have made it the best 50 BMG caliber weapon in the world.
This rifle is also an excellent choice for heavy class sport shooters or those competing at ranges exceeding 2,000 meters. Its ability to accept high-performance ammunition at these distances, such as the .416 Barrett in addition to the historic .50 BMG, gives it a significant advantage in competitions such as the King of 2 Miles.
All rifles in the PGM Precision range are manufactured in France and feature exemplary build quality, as evidenced by the fact that they are exported to over 60 countries worldwide. Their use by many of the world’s best elite units on the battlefield and in special operations is a guarantee of exceptional quality and service, as well as satisfaction in a sporting context.
They all feature a folding stock for easy transport (except for Ludis) and are compatible with bipods and sound suppressors from PGM Précision, which are particularly effective and can be used at multiple civilian shooting ranges, as well as many other accessories from the brand that allow shooters to adapt them to their practices.
With over 30 years of experience, PGM Précision has also sourced and selected leading partner brands to offer a complete range of products. For example, we have been working for over 20 years with world-renowned brands such as Schmidt-Bender, which manufactures exceptional rifle scopes for all uses.
In conclusion, here are the rifles and their main uses in sport shooting according to the caliber chosen:
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