Same journey here on the ARs. I also ended up with a lighter barrel and slim rail with far less doo-dads. I’ve drifted however away from ARs in general which is a whole other discussion. Mine is currently set up for “precision under 250yds” which I think is a good place for it. I’m sure I’ll uncork a whole storm with this comment, but (in general) you’re never going to get “true precision” from an AR. If I need that, I grab a bolt gun.
I’ve slimmed down the bolt guns too. I dumped the chassis off both my .308 and .300wm and replaced with the factory HS stocks. While not so critical with the Winmag (it’s a heavy beast to start with) the .308 (Rem 700 MilSpec) has become MUCH more portable since it went on a diet. I put a Triad stock pack on it which contains drop tables, and tether for the Kestrel Drop. That, along with a small rangefinder is really all that’s needed.
The one good thing from the past 6mo is that the useless stuff is getting culled quick.
Also agreed on checking the zero. Windgate IS often the culprit for whatever reason. It seems the vertical usually ends up pretty close, while the horizontal is where the errors show. Having an app such as Ballistic has really added a lot of versatility into the mix. By playing with the numbers, you can maximize the PBZ distance and see exactly where you need to go when sitting down to zero a particular rifle. Calculate the table using relatively benign conditions (under 300yds atmospherics for general use are pretty easy) print it out and stick it in the grip compartment or tape it to the rear stock. There is never a question on where to aim anymore...nice.