Appropriate budget for newbie

ceekay1 said:

Be careful... just because it looks like a chassis doesn't mean it actually does all the "chassis stuff". Half of the advantage of a chassis is that they're modular, allowing one to add stuff as needs arise and/or as they see fit.

IIRC the Oryx, XRS, and LSS chassis' don't allow one to add all the options that some others like the Bravo do... that's something you should look at before you click buy.

FWIW, I dig my Bravo as mine sits now, but I added an ARCA rail ($70), a spigot ($70), internal weight ($70), pair of buttstock weights ($50), and a pair of m-lok weights ($60), then an RRS pic/arca adapter for my bipod ($90)... so what looks like a $350 chassis can quickly become a $700+ chassis (which in reality is still pretty good considering how it performs, it's still half what an MDT ACC or MPA with all the weights costs).

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to be fair to the xrs you can add the arca, its already as long as the bravo+spigot, you can add a weighted butt spacers if you want, you can add the mlocks up front if you want. plus you can change the grip.

The bravo and xrs really are pretty damn close to one another when equally fitted.

@CybrSlydr , remember to enjoy what you are doing.
There's lots of sound advice on this thread, and you seem to have gleaned a lot of it.
Without a doubt, purchasing a shit load of electrickery will give you a firing solution.
A bubble level on your scope or rifle let's you know if your body to rifle alignment is correct.
Costs fuck all, but that little bubble will tell if brain/body/rifle are in synch.
Learning and developing a sound set of skills, with a decent rifle and good glass is very rewarding.

Welp, there it is... proof that bubble levels are left wing propaganda...

Don't forget to factor in current costs of ammo/reloading components.

Currently rocking a ruger precision with a Viper pst Gen ii. If I could do it over again I would get the Bergara HMR, take the money saved over the RPR and put it towards better glass. I wish I would have stepped up into the Vortex Razor level of glass. All that being said I dont believe my current set up is holding me back at all, I just feel like I could have spent money more wisely.

Just my .02¢ but here is how I started 3 years ago shooting prs and what I paid then. Prices on some things have come down and some have gone up.

savage model 10t-sr (factory 10 round mag for comps, threaded muzzle for a brake and aluminum v bedded system in the stock)-500ish ( was 4xx after a rebate)

vortex razor gen 2 4.5-27 ebr2c ( hadn’t made the 7c yet) shot with this scope all up until I sold my house 8 months ago and stepped up to a zco now the razor is in my spare/loaner rifle. I paid 2000 for it back then but they can be had for 14-1700.

cheap second hand muzzle brake-60

bipod (I started with an atlas after handling one and still use that same one to this day) pick your own flavor-200

scope rings-90 (I used used seekins)

rcbs master kit( or whatever they called the starter kit with press,beam scale and all that jazz)- Christmas present looking back I wish I would have gotten a forster co ax right off the bat.

I started with factory ammo but quickly started reloading. Between dies, chargemaster(def worth it over a beam but not to A&D fx120i level) press and basic reloading tools your looking around 6-800ish.

applied ballistics ap for IPhone -30

realistic budget before components to build ammo or buying ammo=about 3k give or take. I took the gun to 1315 yards in competition use effectively and also shit the gun for a year and a half til I burned out the barrel at 4,000 rounds (6.5 creedmoor)
Then sold the barreled action for 300 so almost recouped the original cost.

just my .02¢ break down. Ymmv

CrabsandFootball said:

Its about 6-7K to do a really cheap but usable setup. Bellow is a list of the cheapest you can get away with and it still be decent/reliable enough to use. Yes you can find cheaper gear but its mosty chinese garbage you will replace quickly and it will not retain its value if you want to trade up/get out of shooting.

You will need:
Rifle $1k
Rings $90
Optic $ 800
Mags $ 100
Ammo $500
Chronograph $300
Kestrel $300
Phone ballistic comp $10-30
Rangfiner $600
Binos $500
Spotter $500
Bipod $300
Shooting Bag $100
Tripod Setup $800
Tool Kit /Torque $100
Misc $300
Rifle Bag/Case $160
Bag to carry all the shit $100

There is some stuff left out but if you want to do long range shooting, this is what you will want to have. If you got buddies to shoot with, you can get away with sharing but you really should have your own shit. And all of these are lower end pieces of gear, if your shooting alot you will step up to better,lighter,easier to use gear.

You will still need more ammo, barrels. reloading gear if you get into that, may end up needing to buy steel/targets, range fees, ect.

Its not a cheap hobby and IMO, is not worth getting into if you cant afford to do it at a basic level. There are much cheaper shooting disciplines out there that are more accessable and easier to find ranges. Most guys who are into it easily have $20K in equipment and spend much more just traveling to shoot and in consumables. Shooting twice a month could easily cost another $5K a year.

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This is pretty good advice. I will say that I started on a very tight budget. I agree that a person who is serious at long range will buy all of the stuff listed and probably more. I will also admit that I made a career change to afford to get more serious about this hobby. In full disclosure I have a $5k gun with a $2.5k optic setup and am considering buying a TT 5-25. The cost of getting the bug is real. Having said that, DON'T LET A $2500 BUDGET KEEP YOU FROM ENTERING THE SPORT BECAUSE A BUNCH OF GUYS SAY THEY SPENT $20K.

Back on track. I will go down the list of what I started with.

Rifle: $1k...bought savage 12fv on sale. Put action in HSP stock with cdi bottom metal and Criterion prefit from NSS

Rings: $100

Optic: $900 Burris XTR2 4-20

Mags: $80 for 2 Magpul aics poly mags

Ammo: I reloaded prior to shooting long range but spent about $500-600 on brass, bullets, powder for new caliber

Chronograph: I got by without one for a long time. I now have the Magnetospeed Sporter for $160

Kestrel: These are WAY overrated in my opinion. I still don't have one. I use a $35 anemometer and a $30 device that give temp and baro pressure. If I had found a good basic used Kestrel at the time for the same money I would have bought it. I believe they are a superior anemometer than the one I have. I honestly rarely use my anemometer anymore.

Phone ballistic app: I have been using Hornady 4DOF. It is free and is the best thing I have found if your bullet is in the library. Before that I used excel spreadsheet that was a reformatted version of Arthur Pejsa's free program. Once trued it was very accurate to 1000 yds.

Rangefinder: Find a used rangefinder in the PX with good reviews. You can get a new leica for around $500. This is a spot where more $ is better, but I haven't needed anything better than a Bushnell 1 mile arc to this point. With all of the ukd comps coming up I am considering upgrading this.

Binos: For a long time I used my $200 hunting binos to find targets. When I became a serious comp shooter I bought some 15x Bushnell Forge. I have seen these on sale in the $600 range. I believe I paid $800.

Spotter: I still don't have one

Bipod: You can get by with $100 Harris with podlok. When I bought a CAL2 my groups shrank significantly and it became rather easy to shoot 1/2 moa and better from my belly at 100 yds. If you can swing at least an Atlas here, I think the money is well spent.

Shooting bag: I bought some cordura, thread, and fill. Except for the fill we have enough stuff to make 25 bags. My wife sews and I cut the pieces. She has made a bunch, but I am still shooting with the original rear bag and barricade bag she made me in 2017. I have picked up several bags off of prize tables and still like the homemade ones better. I spent around $200 originally, but my entire family shoots. We have made well into $1k worth of bags if purchased from the original supplies and still have a bunch left.

Tripod Setup: I have about $500 in a tripod setup at this point, but I went without one for shooting off of for 3 years. My binos were in a very cheap camera tripod. It worked, but wasn't ideal.

Tools: $100 is pretty realistic. It is probably on the low side if you are starting with nothing. At this point I have roughly $1k in tools and am considering a lathe and a mill, but $100 will probably get the job done while you are learning.

Rifle bag/case: I should probably make an investment in this area. My gun still rides in a $30 hard case.

Bag to carry all the shit: $100 is probably a good starting point. I still use a cheap bag I bought to hunt out of. I live in Iowa where a big section is a couple miles between roads. I don't need a great pack. The bag is definitely low end. It works fine for prs style matches.

My reloading setup: When I started, I shot around 2000 rds per year of precision rifle. My reloading setup was a Lee anniversary kit with an old Oahu's 1010 from Ebay. I used lee dies and had very little trouble getting 1/2 moa with a little load development. I have upgraded some of this now for better speed, but still use a lot of stuff from the kit. People poo poo Lee stuff, but with Peterson or Lapua brass and Berger bullets (quality components) my stuff consistently shoots between .2 and .35 moa at 100 yards. Plenty good for PRS.

I also spent some time figuring out what I spent one year. I shot around 7 or 8 one day matches. For a new barrel, components to burn it out, match fees, and travel it was around $4k to $5k. The closest match was 45 min and the furthest was about 7 hours.

If starting today, I would try really hard to put together the money to have an origin in a Bravo. I would use a Criterion savage prefit in 6 dasher or 6 br. The trigger would be a trigger tech of the best I could afford at the time. I would try to spring for an Atlas CAL. An apa lb gen3 would be my brake of choice. I would search for a good deal on an optic. There always seems to be a screaming deal on something good. Lately midway has had deals on Bushnell Elite tactical stuff. Before that Camerlandny had a screaming deal on the gen1 cronus btr from athlon.

If you watch for deals you have a really competitive setup for the $3k range. If that is too steep, the Bergara HMR is a start and you can add the TT diamond. When you are ready to rebarrel, throw an origin with a Criterion in the hmr stock and you're set. If you're lucky, maybe there will be prefit barrels readily available for the hmr by then and you could just rebarrel and continue to shoot it.

For guys that already have the bug, and have gone deep down the rabbit hole, it is easy to spend your money. While I believe it is somewhat crucial that guys know going in what this will cost, it doesn't have to cost $20k. You can start out with the basics for $2500 or really even less if that is all you have. It will be a bit more of a struggle to be competitive, but you can certainly shoot long range for recreation and place mid pack at matches. I even pulled a couple top tens at border wars matches with my budget gear.

Don't let a $2500 budget keep you from dipping a toe in because a bunch of guys are saying they dropped $20k.

sea2summit said:

$1,00 could get you started with a rifle and optic...but freaking ammo right now.

Better to just get a .22 trainer and practice...if you have a stash of .22z

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Seriously. I just picked up a bergara b14r for this reason.

CybrSlydr said:

Thoughts on the B14 yet?

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Haven’t had it out yet. I’m waiting on the rail to arrive. I will hopefully get it out this week. Then I’ll report back!

Learn to reload, but find your compnents and dies first before you get the press. Everything is in short supply and np point in wastinig funds by jumping in too fast. A major part of ELR shooting is precision ammunition and this requires a lot of practice to get good ammo. I dont consider out of the box ammo good enough for precision shooting. Might get a gun and a extremely cheap scope after you build some ammo to test it. dont jump into the mud puddle all in with big boots. there is a large learning curve to get good.

CybrSlydr said:

At this point, I'm really leaning towards the Bergara HMR Pro. Undecided on caliber, but it looks like a great gun for the money. Nowhere near decided on an optic as I'm also not decided on a budget yet.

EDIT: I'm also considering a Tikka T3X UPR, which is a little cheaper from what I can see.

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I recently picked up a Bergara B14 HMR as my first bolt gun and could not be happier with it and will likely keep it all the way until I want to go full custom.

If they made a Lefty HMR Pro however I likely would have been taking that home.

One thing I will say is that you DEFENITLY want to get a spotting scope and if you can find a buddy/sucker someone to get into the sport with you so that you guys can spot for eachother even better. It WILL make your time at the range more enjoyable and even if you are by yourself its nice to take a look without having to walk down range everytime you can't quite see something.

This is coming from someone who dumped alllllllllll their money into the guns and optics and skipped a spotter for a bit lol

I run a weatherby vanguard HB 308, which is just a Howa 1500. I have it in an MDT XRS chassis and have it topped with an SWFA super sniper. If you read this forum long enough you will figure out it is a “poor” rig. I have around 12-1300 in it. It’s dead nuts accurate, reliable and I love it. However, as some have mentioned above, this is a really crappy time to get into shooting sports, especially precision rifle. You may find yourself being anally raped by the price inflating jerks or just doing two years of dry fire practice at this rate. I wouldn’t take out a loan for this at all. Even if you pay it off you still may have all sorts of fun finding ammo and it will take the shine off of your experience.

BigKev72 said:

I run a weatherby vanguard HB 308, which is just a Howa 1500. I have it in an MDT XRS chassis and have it topped with an SWFA super sniper. If you read this forum long enough you will figure out it is a “poor” rig. I have around 12-1300 in it. It’s dead nuts accurate, reliable and I love it. However, as some have mentioned above, this is a really crappy time to get into shooting sports, especially precision rifle. You may find yourself being anally raped by the price inflating jerks or just doing two years of dry fire practice at this rate. I wouldn’t take out a loan for this at all. Even if you pay it off you still may have all sorts of fun finding ammo and it will take the shine off of your experience.

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I spent a year learning everything I could online before i spent a dime on one piece of equipment. Knowledge is nearly free. When you dont have to ask the questions youre a7sking, that might be the time to buy....but im also a patient person.

As some mentioned, Id never take on a loan for a hobby. This can be an expensive hobby, if you cant afford the entry, youll never afford the ammo. Look up the cost of your factory ammo. 100 rounds at the range. Add that up....how many days in a 3 month period can you afford to shoot this rifle?

You might end up with a cool looking rifle you cant afford to shoot. I think a large majority of us have bought a nice pickup truck on what we have spent making things go boom. Their are a lot cheaper hobbies out there!

If youre young.....spend that money advancing you, not a hobby. In the meantime learn all you can about the sport.

CybrSlydr said:

Originally I posted in the SIG Talk forums asking about getting into precision shooting. I figured $1k would be a good starter budget, and it looks like it would be doable, but as said, buy once and cry once. Plus, I'd be concerned that I may outgrow and regret the purchase at that end of the spectrum.

What about $2k or $2.5? Is what you get at those prices (rifle/optic) worth the upgrade in budget compared to the $1k?

For a beginner such as myself, what do you think a good sweet-spot would be? I don't need a $5k gun and $3k optic.

This is purely a precision target rifle, not hunting.

Thanks!

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If I could make a suggestion. With the scarcity and price of ammo, get into reloading. Cases, some powders, bullets, primers and dies can be found with some research and shopping around. Good used reloading presses are available on sites like Craigs List, Let Go, Facebook Market and any number of firearm related auctions and perhaps even your local gun store. With calibers like 6.5 Creedmoor occasionally available but very expensive you'll be further ahead reloading your own. Plus you'll have the advantage of when you learn what you're doing making rounds considerably less expensive and more accurate. There's lots of YouTube videos and many books dedicated to the art of reloading. As with me in the off season it gets to be as much of a hobby as shooting and gives you something to do over those long, cold winter months. Just make sure to learn what you're doing. Knowledge, careful attention to detail and caution are the keys to safe and accurate reloading. I'm sure there's a wealth of information on this site alone. Good luck and enjoy!

My budget build would be a tikka t3x ctr in .308 or 6.5cm. Depending on how far you have access to shoot. Then I’d snag a used vortex vipers pst gen 2 in the px with some rings. A Harris bipod and you’re probably right at about $2k. If you drop that same barreled action in a $500 chassis it would be as good as you would be capable for years.

CybrSlydr said:

Frankly folks, I don't have the room for a reloading setup. The apartment I'm moving into at the end of April is 650sq ft single bedroom.

I also think I'm going to get my other vehicle prepped to make the trip out to Wyoming first, so all that money I was thinking of using for getting into PRS is going to go towards that instead.

I think you folks were right, that it's just a terrible time to try and get into this with the budget I'd have available.

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Its not going to get any less expensive if you wait.

CybrSlydr said:

Frankly folks, I don't have the room for a reloading setup. The apartment I'm moving into at the end of April is 650sq ft single bedroom.

I also think I'm going to get my other vehicle prepped to make the trip out to Wyoming first, so all that money I was thinking of using for getting into PRS is going to go towards that instead.

I think you folks were right, that it's just a terrible time to try and get into this with the budget I'd have available.

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If getting your second vehicle ready for a trip to Wyoming really is what you want, then go for it. Sounds like fun trip.

If everyone telling you to reload and this and that is turning you off to shooting. Don't listen to them. Buy a rifle, scope, mounts. Find some ammo and a shooting mat and go shoot. Most people started that way. Atleast I did. As time goes on you can slowly accumulate things you need. Just always do your research on what you are getting. This can save you a ton of money. Going down the buying/selling rabbit hole can really cost you in the long run.

If in M3 is going to be your daily driver then buy 2 rifles. Haha. Either way hope you get into it shooting. It's a great way to spend time.

Well, it sounds like you decided to wait in lieu of other expenditures. That said, thought I'd share my experience since I recently got in this too.

Starting off, I did a bunch of reading online. I wanted to build a budget minded setup to start but one that I wouldn't feel like I'd want to upgrade within a year if I kept with it. I'm a firm believer in buying quality gear because, as you trade-up, you get more of your money out of it. Or better yet, end up keeping some of it regardless of upgrades in other areas.

Based on the research I did, the Bergara B-14 HMR in 6.5 Creedmor was my rifle choice because it's accurate and it doesn't have a stock that I'd have to replace immediately because it held back the rest of the rifle or wasn't adjustable enough. The trigger is really good too, but I ended up replacing it anyway (more on that here in a minute). Cost: $1,000

Rifle accessories: I picked a 20 MOA Scope Mount from Seekins Precision. An Atlas 1913 4" Picatinny Rail. Cost: $130

Bipod: I already had a 6-9" Harris with a AD Picatinny Mount and a Pod-Loc. Went with that. Cost: $0 (sorta)

For my scope, I went with the Tract TORIC UHD 30MM 4-20X50 FFP MRAD PRS with their TORIC 30mm IOTA Medium Accessory Kit, which includes IOTA Medium Rings, 50mm Tenebraex Covers, Bubble Level and a MK Machining throw lever. Tons of glowing reviews on Tract's products and their customer service is amazing. The TORIC is built in Japan with Schott glass. Overall, just a lot of scope for the $$$. I had no prior experience mounting a scope on a precision rifle, but the accessory kit and lots of youtube viewing made the process relatively straightforward. Cost: $1,550

Muzzle Break: Admittedly, I could have gone without this, but I wanted to be able to see my hits and not get into bad habits. I went with a PVA Jet Blast because I wanted a self timing (read: user friendly) setup but honestly there are a bunch of good options out there. Cost: $130

Trigger: I was going to stick with the Bergara stock trigger (probably should have) but I have some experience with high end 22 Match triggers in my youth and I wanted the same for this rifle. Went with a Bix'n Andy TacSport with the optional Gator shoe. Amazing upgrade. Worth every penny. Cost: $290

So that's.. what... $3100? My original budget for the rifle was $2,500. But I'm really happy with how it turned out. And I definitely think many of the accessories will carry over to my next rifle (scope, muzzle break, trigger, etc.).

The other major investment I made beyond that was a pair of range finding Binos. I went with the Sig Kilo 3000BDX. It wasn't a planned expense but it ended up saving me from having to invest in a range finder, kestrel, and binos/spotting scope separately. Paired it with a tripod I already have and an Outdoorsman mount. Cost: $900

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I wish I could say that it ended there. But then there's a case ($150), shooting mat ($100), sling ($80), extra magazines ($100), front/rear bag ($80) and ammo (good lord the ammo prices right now). And I plan on making an investment in training this Summer ($TBD). Bottom line is that this sport is freaking expensive. Things add up. Once you have the gear, if you buy quality stuff, then you don't need to make that investment again unless you just want to. But it can be a lot of money to get started. Not going to lie.

Other posters have given you a bunch of good options. I basically did what sheepdog697 suggests. Tikka CTR in 6.5 CM. After about 6 months upgraded to an XLR chassis. Harris bipod. $10 YoDave spring upgrade to the trigger (best money you will spend). The Vortex Viper sheepdog recommends is good scope and a good value. Mine has a Bushnell DMR II scope that I think I paid about $700 for a couple of years ago and that I like a lot. Get some decent rings, but you don't need to spend $300.

And while reloading will save you money in the long run; and, if you are willing to play around with bullets, loads, etc., will get you better accuracy, you can definitely just buy commercial ammo (at least when you can find it). Relatively cheap Hornady American Gunner ammo (used to be about .75 per round) is consistently sub MOA out of my Tikka. The more expensive Hornady Match or Prime Match ammo gets that down to where I'm averaging about .7" groups at 100 with the occasional .4" of .5" just to remind me that I am still the limiting factor in the equation.

CybrSlydr said:

This will also increase my budget to something significantly better.

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Congrats. It's nice to have something good happen now and again.

Careful though, consider what "significantly better" actually is to you before you spend the extra scratch: what would give you more enjoyment and make you a better shooter right now? a fancier gun and limited amount of shooting, or one of the guns you were already looking at plus another barrel and enough ammo/components to shoot them both out without worrying about feeding it for a long time? Remember you can't shoot these things and actually learn anything just anywhere... there are a lot of "other costs like good ol' gas and range fees involved that you need to cover as well without stress in order to enjoy yourself.

ceekay1 said:

Congrats. It's nice to have something good happen now and again.

Careful though, consider what "significantly better" actually is to you before you spend the extra scratch: what would give you more enjoyment and make you a better shooter right now? a fancier gun and limited amount of shooting, or one of the guns you were already looking at plus another barrel and enough ammo/components to shoot them both out without worrying about feeding it for a long time? Remember you can't shoot these things and actually learn anything just anywhere... there are a lot of "other costs like good ol' gas and range fees involved that you need to cover as well without stress in order to enjoy yourself.

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I agree with most of this. I don't know if significantly better is needed until you see what you like and don't like. 90% of the time what you thought you wanted might be different than what you feel most comfortable with. Action and optic are the two places I'd splurge. Barrel you don't need more than a raggedbarels wilson blank for $170 and it's expendable and plenty accurate. Stock id still stick with a KRG Bravo until you try some others and see what you like. The rest id spend in ammo and a few training classes. Do your research and use some of the budget to travel if it's needed to find a great class. In the end you'll spend less, get better quicker and end up with what you'll really want after a few months. Resale on a bravo is still really good, not much loss and initial investment.

Nice to have a bit more cash.
Take it steady, like others reckon.
No need for top dollar gear till you know what you are going to like.
Hope it works out for you

db2000 said:

First off, welcome. Next, you need to declare if you’re a poor or not.

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Lol, that's too straightforward man.

What type of shooting and at what distances do you plan to shoot?

1. Farthest distance u have regular acess too? Makes a diff w caliber

2. Triggertechs play nicely with Zermatt; get the Diamond

3. Get a Vortex Razor G3 or other scope; buy once, buy better

Any of those calibers will do what you want to do. I would probably lean toward something in the 6.5 range. 6.5 Creedmoor ammo is available off the shelf so that would be one to look at. Hard to argue with using a TriggerTech but they make several different models. Personally I like a two stage but a lot of people prefer the single stage variety.

For 700rds I'd say 308 or even 223. Both calibers will touch 1200 fine the few occasions you might go there. 223 and 308 will be cheaper for box ammo and you won't have to fight the guys shooting 6.5 for projectiles if you load later on. You'll also learn more about wind (although still minimal at 700) with either.

6.5 Creedmoor would be a little easier to shoot than .308, and ammunition is available.

For myself, I'll probably "soonish" get a rifle in .308, though. I rarely have a chance to shoot beyond 300 meters.... barrels last even longer, and the availability of reloading supplies is slightly better where I live.

CybrSlydr said:

Here's what my math is coming up with (all in 6.5 Creedmoor):

Proof Elevation MTR - $3400

Custom -
Origin Action: $900
Proof Research SS Barrel: $649
Triggertech Special: $200
MDT XRS: $550
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Total: $2300 + assembly

Bergara Premier HMR Pro: $1800
Bergara Squared Crest: $2000

I'm open to something cheaper on the chassis, like MDT's Oryx or the KRG Bravo, so I can save some money there too.

I don't see how the gunsmith could cost anywhere near $1000 to build from those pieces, especially since the barrel is pre-fit for the Origin action. I'd like the TL3 action since you can get DLC, but I don't think it's worth the extra $400 or so, even with an integral recoil lug rather than pinned.

Of course, I still need an optic, ammo, bag rests, cleaning kit, carrying bag/case, etc.

If you had around $5k to buy a rifle and an optic, what would you go with?

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If I had 5k I'd buy a used Tac ops rifle. Have buyer send it to Mike for inspection before final payment and have one of the most accurate rifles consistently built.

As for gunsmith charging you $1000? It's been awhile since I had one built but
Bedding $300
Chamber barrel $300
Thread barrel $150
Cerkote all metal parts $300
Action trueing $100-200
Shit adds up quick and needs and wants are two different things. My prices are from what I remeber and more of a ballpark. Different smiths have different costs but not by much. But the lists of parts you mentioned look like plug and play so your specific rifle that you want built may cost you less.

CybrSlydr said:

The $5k is all-in, meaning the optic is coming out of that budget too.

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Missed that. I thought it was 5k for your rifle only.

Just target, get the 6.5, less recoil, gets to 1K better than the .308. Don't need the extra recoil and speed of the PRC. Before prices went up you could find CM ammo just as easy as .308 and just about as cheap. There's also more options for better quality ammo. Your list is good, otherwise I'd get a Tikka CTR and a bravo chassis. You can get shouldered prefits for the Tikka, trigger doesn't need to be changed IMO. Change the spring and it's about 1lb. I'd suggest looking at the Burris XTRIII, just a bit more than the vortex, better glass better FOV.

CybrSlydr said:

Well, I'm back folks! lol

Two years later, and two promotions later (grade increases), I'm looking back into getting a precision rifle. My Jeep will be paid off beginning of February, so along with my promotion and other legal income buffs, I'm going to have a good amount every month that I can put aside to save up for a rifle.

So I'm back to see what I've missed in the last 2 years. With my new budgetary flexibility, I'm considering the following:

- Zermatt Arms TL3 w/DLC
- Proof Research Barrel (open to suggestions)
- MDT Oryx Stock
- Vortex Viper PST Gen 2 5-25x50 (open to suggestions)
- Trigger (???)

I'm mainly back because I have no idea about triggers or what I should want/look for. I would love some recommendations! My local gun range/shop has an armorer, so I figure I'd be taking everything to him to build for me since I don't have the tools to do so myself.

I'm also still debating caliber. I'm torn between three of them - .308, 6.5, and 6.5 PRC.

I'm heavily leaning towards .308 because I'm expecting that ammo will be cheaper/easier to find than either flavor of 6.5. But I look at the 6.5s and think, "If I was entering a race, it makes more sense to get a car designed to do that than try and re-purpose something else". Since I won't be reloading, I'll only be shooting factory loads, which to me makes .308 even more desirable.

I appreciate everyone's input in the original thread - figured I'd just resurrect this one rather than make another to keep clutter on the forum down.

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The best part of a good custom action are the prefit barrels, which negates the need for a smith. Instead of 1K for a smith, budget 50-100 bucks for a go gauge. Spend more money on the stock/chassis and scope. An Oryx is for a 300 dollar Howa you found at a gun show, and a PST G2 is just a depreciating bridge into the next tier. Trigger: TT Diamond or Bix Tacsport Pro. Cartridge: of the 3, Manbun for your purpose.

Steel head said:

I’d skimp a bit on the rifle to get a bit better scope.
My first LR combo was a $500 rifle and $500 scope.
I learned a lot with that setup.
$1000 scope on sale or used and $1500-2000 into the rifle will kick ass nicely.

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This^^^^ my first rifle was a $400 308 R700 BDLVS and a $300 SWFA 10x. Thing shot amazing. Had no issues accuracy wise. Would shoot consistent .3’s -.4’s with hand loads.

Spend the moneys on decent glass. Glass / Repeatability makes all the difference in the world. If you can’t trust
Your optic, you may as well go home.

Start that way, then gradually upgrade. Barrel, true action, trigger, DBM, stock / Chasis etc. do it over time as you can afford it. No reason to go broke right out the gate.

R700 PSS or Milspec 5R would be a good start

CybrSlydr said:

This is just getting frustrating.

"Buy a cheap gun and get a good optic" Ok - Savage 110? AXIS II? Ruger? "Oh, those are garbage guns, I wouldn't shoot my worst enemy with them"

Ok, then how about a Bergara? "Spanish guns suck, get a cheap Remington 700"

Well, then how about going with a custom build? "Start cheap, don't do it"

I mean... It's like nobody wants me to get anything. Always something wrong with everything. As if choice paralysis and market segmentation wasn't making it difficult enough to make a choice.

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Wait... You have been looking at getting a rifle for 2 years now?

CybrSlydr said:

This is just getting frustrating.

"Buy a cheap gun and get a good optic" Ok - Savage 110? AXIS II? Ruger? "Oh, those are garbage guns, I wouldn't shoot my worst enemy with them"

Ok, then how about a Bergara? "Spanish guns suck, get a cheap Remington 700"

Well, then how about going with a custom build? "Start cheap, don't do it"

I mean... It's like nobody wants me to get anything. Always something wrong with everything. As if choice paralysis and market segmentation wasn't making it difficult enough to make a choice.

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Nothing wrong with Bergara. Great guns. I wouldn’ spend a cent of my money on a savage, or a Ruger.

I Didn’t say a “cheap” Remington either. I said PSS or MILSPEC 5R. Tikka as well
as Bergara are other great options.

If you have the money to go full custom right out the gate then go for it. I didn’t think that was the point of this post thought.

CybrSlydr said:

Yes - I ended up getting a SIG P229 EE to compliment my P227 and went with a used camera and lens instead for my first big purchase.

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Nice!
I love my 226! What camera?