Hi to all this is my first post have been lurking around for a while but decided to join and see if I could pick your guys brains. I am looking at getting a rifle to shoot longer range with. I have shot 400 yards with my .223's but I'm wanting to get to the 800-1000 yd mark. I am looking at the .308 cartridge to start with and later will probably move on to another cartridge as I get comfortable. But my question is what is a good production rifle to start off with? I am torn between a Rem 700 and a savage model. I have looked very hard at the savage Model 10 HS precision and really like it. I like Rem's too but I have heard that they don't make a barrel that is free floated or already has a bedded stock. with the savages they do especially the HS precision. I am looking at spending $800 give or take a little just to get my feet wet. Also would I be ok with a 20" barrel? the HS precision has a 24" and I'm used to a longer barrel but the 20" would be easier to maneuver. Thanks for you guys input ahead of time!
- Thread starter cm1021
- Start date
Re: First Post/Long range .308 question
Go to your local gunshop and get a feel of the guns you suggest you like. Plus if you've been "lurking" long enough you would see that there are about 2 topics per page with this same question. I finally understand why people get so uptight with the new people. In all seriousness either rifle will do fine just figure out which one you like more and save up for the best glass you can put on it.
Go to your local gunshop and get a feel of the guns you suggest you like. Plus if you've been "lurking" long enough you would see that there are about 2 topics per page with this same question. I finally understand why people get so uptight with the new people. In all seriousness either rifle will do fine just figure out which one you like more and save up for the best glass you can put on it.
Re: First Post/Long range .308 question
get whichever fits you best, dont cheap out on optics, short barrel will get you there but long barrel will get you there better.there are much better rounds than .308 even using a .308 parent case (7mm08 or .260), if you do go for .308 use the heavy bullets. i would go savage
get whichever fits you best, dont cheap out on optics, short barrel will get you there but long barrel will get you there better.there are much better rounds than .308 even using a .308 parent case (7mm08 or .260), if you do go for .308 use the heavy bullets. i would go savage
Re: First Post/Long range .308 question
308 in either Savage or Remington would be a good choice. My personal experience has been Savage has slight edge out of the box for accuracy. I would agree with above post regarding scopes - make sure you put a good optics with quality mounts on top.
Spend some time looking at some of the used rifles here in the classifieds as a lot of good deals from stand up guys can be found.
308 in either Savage or Remington would be a good choice. My personal experience has been Savage has slight edge out of the box for accuracy. I would agree with above post regarding scopes - make sure you put a good optics with quality mounts on top.
Spend some time looking at some of the used rifles here in the classifieds as a lot of good deals from stand up guys can be found.
Re: First Post/Long range .308 question
For the price, I would snag a savage 10. Great experience with mine. Plus, once you shoot out the 308 barrel or want something new, you can just buy a prefit and put if on quite easily yourself. Hell, just buy an extra barrel, maybe 260 or something, and pretty much have two rifles.
I think most of the model 10s use the 1-10 twist, which is a good thing if you are going to use subsonics or heavier/longer bullets.
My 10 easily shot under 1 moa as far as I needed it and killed steel as far as I could shoot it here. Several deer too. Good handloads for the rifle brought lots of solid 3/4 moa group very consistently. .5 minute groups were not out of the ordinary at all.
The hs precision and mcmillan stocked models are very nice; pretty much ready to roll right out of the box.
I don't think you would be disappointed.
For the price, I would snag a savage 10. Great experience with mine. Plus, once you shoot out the 308 barrel or want something new, you can just buy a prefit and put if on quite easily yourself. Hell, just buy an extra barrel, maybe 260 or something, and pretty much have two rifles.
I think most of the model 10s use the 1-10 twist, which is a good thing if you are going to use subsonics or heavier/longer bullets.
My 10 easily shot under 1 moa as far as I needed it and killed steel as far as I could shoot it here. Several deer too. Good handloads for the rifle brought lots of solid 3/4 moa group very consistently. .5 minute groups were not out of the ordinary at all.
The hs precision and mcmillan stocked models are very nice; pretty much ready to roll right out of the box.
I don't think you would be disappointed.
Re: First Post/Long range .308 question
Thanks for all the input. I have really looked hard at the Savage's...I'm looking to put about 1200 into the whole package so if I get the savage I will hafta buy used. the reason I was looking at the SPS is for the price...I would be able to put more into my optics.
Thanks for all the input. I have really looked hard at the Savage's...I'm looking to put about 1200 into the whole package so if I get the savage I will hafta buy used. the reason I was looking at the SPS is for the price...I would be able to put more into my optics.
Re: First Post/Long range .308 question
Dont forget about Tikka!
Dont forget about Tikka!
Re: First Post/Long range .308 question
I was in the same position a few months ago and went with the Remington 700 5R Milspec in 308 for a little more than you mentioned. They all seem to shoot well to start with and you can upgrade it over time to perform even better. Check out JGB's post here on how has done basically the same upgrades as I am and how it has performed:
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthre...803#Post3331803 http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthre...803#Post3331803
I was in the same position a few months ago and went with the Remington 700 5R Milspec in 308 for a little more than you mentioned. They all seem to shoot well to start with and you can upgrade it over time to perform even better. Check out JGB's post here on how has done basically the same upgrades as I am and how it has performed:
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthre...803#Post3331803 http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthre...803#Post3331803
Re: First Post/Long range .308 question
As far as the barrel length question, the 5Rs come with a 24" barrel and you are unlikely to notice any advantage to a shorter barrel because you probably are not going to be taking this into any real combat situations where a small difference in mobility matters but they do offer a shorter threaded barrel.
As far as the barrel length question, the 5Rs come with a 24" barrel and you are unlikely to notice any advantage to a shorter barrel because you probably are not going to be taking this into any real combat situations where a small difference in mobility matters but they do offer a shorter threaded barrel.
Re: First Post/Long range .308 question
I started out when I got into LRS a Rem 700 SPS .308 26" Varmint HB. I picked up a EGW base, Warne rings (lows), and a Vortex 6.5-20X44. Bought everything new, had $1200 in whole setup, and proceeded to go out and group 3/4" MOA all day long with it. Those came putting Hornady 168's BTHP down it. Even with (150 to 180 grain) Rem Core Lokt, Winchester PP and Fed SP put down it, still groups 1" or better.
Now that I've spent considerable time behind it (couple years), and I finally changed out stocks to a B&C M40, it is just one hell of a setup, that is fun to shoot, and extremely accurate. You add in the small amount of $$$ I have in the entire setup, and dollar for dollar, hard to beat. With the B&C, I have less than $1500 in it, including glass.
I just recently picked up another Remington 700, this one in 7MM Rem Mag. I pikced it up just for the action so I can do a LR build off of it. I paid $369 for the rifle, and decided to take her to see how accurate it was. I was thinking that for $369, no way in hell was this thing gonna shoot for shit.
I picked up anotehr EGW base for a LA, and slapped my Warne Rings and Vortex off my .308 on it, and took her out. It wasn't anything to write home about as it grouped @ 1 1/2".
However, I think with more time behind it (was 1st time shooting a 7MM), I could've gotten those down closer to 1". but, I was just curious to see what a $369 rifle could do, so i called it a day.
Reason I bring that up is, they offer that rifle in other chamberings (I THINK .308 as well) and I bet ya you could get it to be an accurate rifle with some seat time, maybe bed the action, free float the barrel, etc..
For $369 (Rem 700 ADL), I just dont think you can find a cheaper ($$$$) rifle, new, for that.
Actually took her out yesterday to stretch her legs some. This is 200 yards out, 3 shot Hornady 168 BTHP:
This is a 5 shot, Hornady 168 A-Max. I got cocky after placing 3 shots in same hole, and decided to take her to 5 shot, which of course 4th opened it up. Stll cocky, decided 4th was a flyer, and would place 5th back in my group, and 5th flew a little bit more. So, either a pretty good 3 shot, or so-so 5 shot from 200:
Here she is:
I started out when I got into LRS a Rem 700 SPS .308 26" Varmint HB. I picked up a EGW base, Warne rings (lows), and a Vortex 6.5-20X44. Bought everything new, had $1200 in whole setup, and proceeded to go out and group 3/4" MOA all day long with it. Those came putting Hornady 168's BTHP down it. Even with (150 to 180 grain) Rem Core Lokt, Winchester PP and Fed SP put down it, still groups 1" or better.
Now that I've spent considerable time behind it (couple years), and I finally changed out stocks to a B&C M40, it is just one hell of a setup, that is fun to shoot, and extremely accurate. You add in the small amount of $$$ I have in the entire setup, and dollar for dollar, hard to beat. With the B&C, I have less than $1500 in it, including glass.
I just recently picked up another Remington 700, this one in 7MM Rem Mag. I pikced it up just for the action so I can do a LR build off of it. I paid $369 for the rifle, and decided to take her to see how accurate it was. I was thinking that for $369, no way in hell was this thing gonna shoot for shit.
I picked up anotehr EGW base for a LA, and slapped my Warne Rings and Vortex off my .308 on it, and took her out. It wasn't anything to write home about as it grouped @ 1 1/2".
However, I think with more time behind it (was 1st time shooting a 7MM), I could've gotten those down closer to 1". but, I was just curious to see what a $369 rifle could do, so i called it a day.
Reason I bring that up is, they offer that rifle in other chamberings (I THINK .308 as well) and I bet ya you could get it to be an accurate rifle with some seat time, maybe bed the action, free float the barrel, etc..
For $369 (Rem 700 ADL), I just dont think you can find a cheaper ($$$$) rifle, new, for that.
Actually took her out yesterday to stretch her legs some. This is 200 yards out, 3 shot Hornady 168 BTHP:
This is a 5 shot, Hornady 168 A-Max. I got cocky after placing 3 shots in same hole, and decided to take her to 5 shot, which of course 4th opened it up. Stll cocky, decided 4th was a flyer, and would place 5th back in my group, and 5th flew a little bit more. So, either a pretty good 3 shot, or so-so 5 shot from 200:
Here she is:
Re: First Post/Long range .308 question
Get the rifle that fits.
Remington does a better job at consistant accuracy, savage tends to wander about when going from clean to dirty. I'm not a fan of the stock savage chrome barrels. The stainless stuff is in a different league.
The glass stocked savages and remingtons are usually attached to a bedding block and floated.
Pick the rifle that fits, spend a few bucks on a reliable scope and tons of money on ammunition. Don't worry about super gay latest tred paint jobs or the latest farkles, just go shoot the rifle with folks that are 10X better than you.
Welcome to the long range game.
Get the rifle that fits.
Remington does a better job at consistant accuracy, savage tends to wander about when going from clean to dirty. I'm not a fan of the stock savage chrome barrels. The stainless stuff is in a different league.
The glass stocked savages and remingtons are usually attached to a bedding block and floated.
Pick the rifle that fits, spend a few bucks on a reliable scope and tons of money on ammunition. Don't worry about super gay latest tred paint jobs or the latest farkles, just go shoot the rifle with folks that are 10X better than you.
Welcome to the long range game.
Re: First Post/Long range .308 question
I would get the savage, I have a savage 10 24" barrel with a choate stock and a sightron SIII 6-24x50 and it shoots just as good or better than both of my rem 700's ( 20" tactical with a B&C stock and a $1650 rem 700 Target Tactical 26" triangular barrel 1/11.25 twist B&C adjustable stock ) BTW for some reason I get more velocity out of the savage 24" than the rem 700 TT with 26" barrel.
I would get the savage, I have a savage 10 24" barrel with a choate stock and a sightron SIII 6-24x50 and it shoots just as good or better than both of my rem 700's ( 20" tactical with a B&C stock and a $1650 rem 700 Target Tactical 26" triangular barrel 1/11.25 twist B&C adjustable stock ) BTW for some reason I get more velocity out of the savage 24" than the rem 700 TT with 26" barrel.
Re: First Post/Long range .308 question
Love my sps tactical .308
Love my sps tactical .308
Re: First Post/Long range .308 question
I went through the same thing. Picking up a new R700 in 308 SPS in Stainless. It was sent off to be rebarreled. While waiting for it to be rebarreled, I pick up a McRee stock and a Vortex PST.
Its only been back from the gunsmith for 2 weeks. I spent the time to brake in the barrel as the mfg states. Its shoots far better then I thought it would, its just with the good smiths it can take awhile to get the work done.
I went through the same thing. Picking up a new R700 in 308 SPS in Stainless. It was sent off to be rebarreled. While waiting for it to be rebarreled, I pick up a McRee stock and a Vortex PST.
Its only been back from the gunsmith for 2 weeks. I spent the time to brake in the barrel as the mfg states. Its shoots far better then I thought it would, its just with the good smiths it can take awhile to get the work done.
Re: First Post/Long range .308 question
I would go with the Savage over the Remington and not think twice.I own a model 10 fcp and a sps tactical, the Remington isn't even in the same league. The build quality,fit and finish,trigger,stock,and accuracy is better than the Remington hands down.
My 0.02
I would go with the Savage over the Remington and not think twice.I own a model 10 fcp and a sps tactical, the Remington isn't even in the same league. The build quality,fit and finish,trigger,stock,and accuracy is better than the Remington hands down.
My 0.02
