Advice for getting into (E)LR shooting

[arghloba]

New guy here. Just wanted to see what ya'll can recommend for me.

Currently, I'm a 20 y/o with a growing interest in firearms. Last year, I bought a couple nice AR's, but I ended up selling them because I was spending so much money on ammo and optics. All in all, I don't think I ever reached out past 150 yards or so. Now I'm thinking about getting into long range shooting... I want to get some of ya'll's advice on what would be the best way to go through with it. I've been eyeing a couple 300WM and 6.5 Creedmoor rifles on the forums.

My first BIG question is; do I buy cheap rifles and learn to shoot them at long ranges and upgrade as time goes by, or do I go for the big dog $4500+ setup and let myself grow into it? One concern I have for buying cheap-ish rifles ($900-1500) would be resale. On the couple AR's I sold, I actually ended up turning a profit, but I'd say I was extremely lucky with the buyers that I found.

I know these rounds (300WM moreso) is creeping into the $2.50/round. Probably not the best investment for a young guy. That being said, I'm really wanting to make this a hobby that I can continue to do and improve on for the rest of my life and pass on to my future kids.

Hopefully some of you guys can shed some light on the subject and give a few tips to the grasshopper.

 

[Fursniper]

If you think you will be in it for the long haul I would recommend starting with a lower priced "turn key" factory tika/RPR/savage type of rig in 6.5 caliber, then spend some decent money (more than the rifle) on a really good scope (this will transfer to better & better rifles over the years). Start out with some decent factory ammo (Prime ammo for example) as you slowly learn & buy what reloading equipment you need/want and learn the process for a lifelong hobby. While you're enjoying the rifle firing factory loads & improving your shooting, you'll get a chance to discover how "far you want to go" with this, you'll meet people, you'll learn stuff here as you progress & learn the reloading process if you decide to get deeper into the sport. You'll probably be surprised how much all this all actually costs even starting out slow as it is, so no, I wouldn't recommend at age 20 you start out with a top of the line uber expensive custom type of rig, just my take on it having known dozens of people starting in this hobby over the years.

 

[blacknwhite11]

Look at a savage 12 LRP or ruger precision rifle in 6.5 creed. I've seen several of these guns shoot .5 moa. They can be found relatively cheap and high quality factory ammo is easy to find. Pair that up with a decent mid priced optic like a vortex pst and you'll be able to stretch it out beyond 1k pretty easily depending on your conditions. The whole setup could be had for less than 2k and it will serve you well for years as you grow into long range shooting. Depending on what you want out of ELR maybe later down the road you could build a big bore gun. I've seen similar setups hitting 60% at a mile with mid pack shooters.

good luck and welcome to the sickness

 

[oldRed]

Reloading the way to cut the cost on ammo. Bullets run for 23 cents to 70 cents each for 6.5 Creedmoor. Primers are 3 to 6 cents and Powder is 5 to 25 cents with new brass from 50 cents to $1.25 a round. Cases should last at least 8 or 10 reloads as the velocity 6.5 Creedmoor runs. That would make ammo cost as little as 45 cents without buying anything on sale. Ammo for out past 1,000 yards will cost more like a dollar a round to load and $1.50 to $1.75 to buy.

For accuracy you have to weigh every power charge so. You don't need anything but a single stage loading press loading accurate ammo isn't fast process. Learning to load accurate ammo was as much enjoyment to me as shooting it.

 

[WaltHer]

Consider your end game. Then buy once, cry once. The upgrading blues suck. Even if it takes longer to get there, you'll be happier.

 

[M47Patton]

As a father of a 21 year old college student, I feel compelled to say don't dig yourself into a financial hole over a hobby. I don't know your circumstances but it sounds like money is a factor. Get yourself established in a good career (unless you are already in one) first. Expensive hobby's are much more enjoyable when you can afford them

With that out of the way....

If you have a Cabelas near you, check out the Savage 12FV for $419. That rifle is a steal at that price. It's a cabelas only package, you wont find this config for that price anywhere else. You get a 26inch heavy barrel and an accutrigger. The weak spot on this rifle is the plastic stock, and honestly the stock is serviceable (and easily replaceable down the road). Get the one chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor and get a decent scope ($300-$500) and you'll end up with a legit 1000 yard target rifle, perfect for steel targets. It's a good platform to learn the long range skills on and thanks to the ease at swapping out barrels, it's a rifle that can grow with you.


http://www.cabelas.com/product/shoo.../savage-fv-varmint-rifle/1994604.uts?slotId=0

 

[3rdfocal]

I'd split the difference between a cheap rifle that may end up being a real frustration and the type of $4500+ rig you're talking about. I just looked in the for sale section on this site and 2 of the first 10 or so guns listed were a 6.5-284 and a 6.5CM both built on 700 actions, custom stocks, triggers, etc and are likely both plenty accurate and reliable.... $2500 for one and $2400 for the other. You can find those types of guns all day for those prices and sometimes well under. Plenty of decent scopes in the $1k range. You could get into a decent custom gun with a scope for $3-3.5k. I started running triathlons when I was about 20 and started out with a cheap bike, a year later it became a major limiting factor so I ended up selling it at a considerable loss and bought an $8k bike, the hobby became so much more enjoyable. So if it's something you can afford and you know you'll really enjoy it, spending a few bucks isn't a terrible idea. But don't start maxing out credit cards at 20!

 

[DAVETOOLEY]

As a 67 year old who has spent the last 40 years shooting I think I can offer some valuable advice. First be patient. You have a long time to enjoy this sport. Second consider what opportunities are in your area. Buy what's appropriate. Why have a rifle that's capable of shooting 1500+ yds. and the closest place to shoot that distance is 500 miles away. With that said learning costs money. Getting perceived or real value for your dollar is the question. A slightly used rifle is a good way to ease into shooting. That's how I started 4 decades ago. If you just want to shoot an off the shelf rifle isn't a bad place to start. It will free up some money for optics and ammo. I could go on and on but the key is to engage your brain first. I was 20 once. I did more living between 18 and 21 than most people do in a life time.

 

[CJS-6.5]

Buy cheap rifle and a 1000 dollar scope. Use the money you saved to get into hand loading. Nowadays a 400 dollar rifle will shoot sub moa with handload. Plus hand loading is fun to do on days that the weather is bad. Plus loading teaches you more about your rifle and the more you know about it the easier it is to customize it.

 

[CJS-6.5]

Oh, and shoot tons. The more you load the more you'll shoot and the better you will get.

 

[79steeler]

One piece of advice I can give is find a good spot to actually shoot ELR. I can usually find a 1,000 yards no problem without anything blocking my view, or having to shoot across a dirt road, but at a mile it's alot tougher. Have fun shooting the long distance, it's blast. Ha

 

[308Gunner]

You have to accept that this is a very fun hobby BUT a damned expensive one, with that in mind the options in factory rifles that are capable of 1/2 MOA are numerous and with a little shopping you could have a very good set up for 3K. But you still have to feed it and if you are just starting find someone in your area that shoots long range and talk to them, but do your research as you will find many a Walmart sniper that can shoot a golf ball at 1500. Good luck

 

[Clearlight]

Shoot , shoot and more shooting . Come up with a training strategy
and monitor your progress by keeping notes / diary . Buy a 22 and get
some cheap or homemade wind flags , and learn to correlate mirage
with what the flags are telling you . Set trigger weight on 22 the same as
your centre fire rifle . Same stock would be nice but not financially
expedient for some . Some guys laugh att me practising with a 22 out
to 500 meters , until I beat them by 20 or 30 points at a 100 point match .

I would advise against a magnum until you can wring the nuts out of
6.5 : actually a cheap second hand 308 will teach you to read wind
better and factory ammo is plentiful and cheap . Shoot with guys who
are experienced AND talented , if they have the time and are decent
people , they will help you .

 

[Deerhunter 28]

Get a $1,500.00 used scope and a $400.00 rifle.

Upgrade the rifle at a later date.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BDunn]

After you get your equipment, don't forget to spend money on quality instruction. Practice doesn't always make perfect, but it does make permanent. Make your practice effective by learning the fundamentals and how to turn them into muscle memory. Also, LOTS of dry-firing.

 

[deersniper]

Buy the online training here. It is worth a lot more than it cost.

Go go to mils right away.

You will appreciate the high end stuff more when you start out with budget stuff. There are deals on the for sale sections.

Dry fire. A lot.

Dont forget to budget for ammo.

 

[oneshot.onehit]

Consider your end game. Then buy once, cry once. The upgrading blues suck. Even if it takes longer to get there, you'll be happier.

Very well put Walter

Cheers
oneshot