New and needing a rifle

[.257wby]

So I have been lurking around for a while and thinking about getting into long range shooting, I think I might be ready to pull the trigger ha.

Being somewhat proficient in almost all other shooting disciplines I have decided that I would like to get into long range shooting. I don't know if I want to compete yet, I guess I really just want to be proficient in, and enjoy, long range shooting.

I am expecting to buy everything to get started, however, I do have a model 7 action that is fitted to what looks like a fairly small diameter sporting contour hart barrel (no markings for a manufacturer that I can find) chambered in 7mm-08 with a ugly painted wood factory stock and a vortex scope that I won. It looks pitiful but is a tackdriver with a decent trigger. Also I have a .243 winchester model 70 probably post 1964 featherweight that I might be able to salvage an action from.

I also have a fairly complete reloading setup.

That being said, I am just looking for some direction. I am thinking of buying a long range rifle as it is something that I have always lusted for. I want a quality firearm, I don't mind there being crappy features that I can upgrade later like a stock as long as the rifle has some serious potential. I am also not totally opposed to working with the 7mm-08 if you all think that it is worth putting some money into. I haven't reloaded much for it but I am not sure it likes heavy bullets. I have also thought of fitting the post 64 model 70 action to a shaw barrel.

I would like to get some really quality glass to match the rifle, I would like to use something to get by with until I can spend about a 1000 on a scope and or find a deal on a used one.

So,
What would you all recommend? as far as rifle, scope, ect? I am a college student and while I don't mind spending a decent amount on a new rifle, but saving money is obviously important at the moment. I have been looking at the Remington 5r. I am also interested but do not know much about the new winchester pre64 model 70 stealth that just came out or the offerings from savage.

Sorry for the long winded post, any advice would really be appreciated

 

[NOMAD]

Re: New and needing a rifle

Do it right right from the begining and you will be better off. Instead of chasing your tail and doing it half ass suck it up shell out the bucks now and you will be able to learn the sport become a great shooter and advance instead of spinning your wheels.

Get a GAP .308 rifle cap it of with a Schmidt Bender scope and shoot Hornady 178gr Superformance ammo and you will be sitting pretty!!

 

[GunGuru727]

Re: New and needing a rifle

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: NOMAD</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Do it right right from the begining and you will be better off. Instead of chasing your tail and doing it half ass suck it up shell out the bucks now and you will be able to learn the sport become a great shooter and advance instead of spinning your wheels.

Get a GAP .308 rifle cap it of with a Schmidt Bender scope and shoot Hornady 178gr Superformance ammo and you will be sitting pretty!!

</div></div>

+1

You are going to head down that route anyway whether you like it or not

GG

 

[Longshot38]

Re: New and needing a rifle

I agree with most of what has been posted above. If you start out right things will work out better in the end. That being said if on the budget a factory rifle isn't a bad way to start. However if you can swing it I'd go and buy a nice custom and top it off with some excellent glass. Were it me I would give some the smiths around here a call (LA Precision, Tac Ops, GAP, American Precision Arms, etc.....), they will point you in the right direction. For the glass the best one can buy is advisable. Nightforce is favorite around here as is US optics and Schmidt & Bender. My personal preference is Premier.

For ammo stick with handloading. It really is the only way to get the best ammo. FGGM, Hornady, HSM, and Black Hills all offer quality ammo that shoots well however handloads are the best.

 

[.257wby]

Re: New and needing a rifle

I really appreciate all the advice, that answers the first question. I'd rather just wait until I can get a really awesome rifle instead of doing things half ass. But I guess I can try to learn with the 7mil until then.

So any rifle recommendations? I know its all personal preference and everything but is there any custom or factory that is known for being best bang for your buck.

You guys know of any ranges in the Dallas or Waco area that are good for long range? I am in Dallas now but will be moving back to waco in the fall.

 

[NOMAD]

Re: New and needing a rifle

If you do some digging around this site and the sniper match results from all the main matches and you will see a trend!!

The percentage of GAP rifles placing in the top 20% of the shooters in every match is easily 90%+

With that being said I also recommend KMW rifles as well top notch and quality rilfes as well.

So those would be my 2 choices if spending my hard earned money!!

 

[targaflorio]

Re: New and needing a rifle

I suggest you have a place to shoot in mind and what long range means to you. Finding a place in waco must be easier than the east coast, but going longer than 300 yds and with higher calibers may not be a shoe in. I don't know Texas.

A flat shooting 17hmr is good to 300 yds and might be a perfect entry until your budget is healthy enough for a GAP 308 (or bigger)

The 5r would be my choice for a good factory shooter in center fire. if you hand load 308 and plan to shoot long, go right to the bigger pills: 175 grs.

Budget for a
lot of ammo. And maybe save some of your budget for training.

 

[.257wby]

Re: New and needing a rifle

I have a marlin 17hmr I guess I just always figured it would never stand up to the wind

 

[targaflorio]

Re: New and needing a rifle

Hmmm., that's a nice rifle. Do you varmint with it? What kind of groups and how far out have you measured?

Other than $1k for glass, you didn't give us much budget info. High end glass (us optics, premier, nightforce, s&b,) is going to be more than that budget will allow.

 

[.257wby]

Re: New and needing a rifle

I've only shot the marlin out to 100yds and it will put them in the same hole at that range. I used to shoot jackrabbits with it, I would love to varmint hunt but don't have much access to places.

Honestly, I was hoping on finding some really solid glass used or possibly selling my zeiss conquest. I guess my real question was how critical it is to spend some serious cash to get a good setup. Sounds like its pretty important to do it right and that entails at least 5k, which may be more than is wise for me to spend given my current circumstances.

So maybe I'll just stick with the .17 and the 7mm-08 for now, they're not pretty but they will both go sub .5 moa and lust for a LR setup a little longer.

Where can I find the best training materials?

 

[targaflorio]

Re: New and needing a rifle

VAPOR TRAIL TACTICAL
www.vaportrailtactical.net

Instructor
Sean Little
540 834-3864
[email protected]

or check out the S3 training forum for a place close to you.

Shooterready.com for a fun sim.

 

[fdkay]

Re: New and needing a rifle

You don't say what type of long range shooting you are hoping to get into.
While a custom rifle is certainly nice and you can't go wrong with something like a GAP, Savage makes a very fine long range rifle for shooting in F/TR matches.
As has been mentioned, the Rem 5R is an outstanding rifle and will certainly exceed your capabilities at first, and it is an excellent platform to build on in the future.
Tikka makes a very nice tactical rifle as well.

If you went the 5R route, you could top it with a Vortex or bushnell tactical scope (maybe 6-24), a good base and rings with a good bipod and be out just north of 2 kilo-bucks.
It will be a very good setup and a very serviceable base upon which to build.

There are several factory options that are quite competitive, but then having a GAP or other such custom rig would certainly be a helluva nice way to go.

For a semi-custom job, look to Shilen. They are marketing a new action that fits a Rem 700 footprint but has the barrel change and floating bolt head of the Savage. Matched with a select-match barrel, me thinks you would be good to go.
Actions are actually made by Stiller.
http://www.shilen.com/productsCompleteRifles.html

 

[EricM40]

Re: New and needing a rifle

There is no doubt that GAP makes a hell of a product, but you do not have to have a "custom built" rig to drive tacks. Get a Remington 700 SPS tactical http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire/model-700/model-700-sps-tactical.aspx to start with.

Get solid mounts from Badger http://www.badgerordnance.com/, Seekins http://www.seekinsprecision.com/index.php , ect

Then mount good optics on top anything from Leupold to S&B and USO. I would recommend Leupold or Nightforce. Super Sniper is a good route as well.

Get a Manners stock to start with, if you do not like the factory hogue. Then read up on how to bed a stock and do it in your garage, don't forget to use the PAM. You will know what I'm talking about if you do forget it.

Rifle $700
Mounts $250
Optics $600-2000 (again, depends on what you want)
Stock $500
Total $2050 on the low end

Eric

 

[JFComfort]

Re: New and needing a rifle

If you can afford a custom rifle I would do it. My custom gun in the most accurate rifle I have ever owned and it has allowed to me progress my shooting to far beyond what it was.

Custom guns get expensive fast so I think getting a Rem 700 and building it up as you progress isnt a bad idea.

 

[Red_SC]

Re: New and needing a rifle

If your choice is a 5R now or a custom later, get the 5R. It should shoot just fine, and will be a great base to build a custom on later.

Tell me- on that custom, do you want a 26" barrel or a 20" barrel? A McMillan A5 stock, a Manners MCS-T5A, or an AICS? MTU contour, or a medium Palma contour? I started out with a PSS, and the KMW .260 I got a year or so ago doesn't even resemble the rifles I lusted after when I first got started. By the time you wear out that 5R barrel, I bet you'll have shot many different people's rifles, and you'll KNOW what you want.


BTW, I'm still shooting that PSS, too. The barrel is chopped off and it has a Badger bolt knob, and Hooper has it right now putting a DBM on it, but otherwise it still does just fine. I've shot several matches with it, and the weak link has never been the rifle.

 

[.257wby]

Re: New and needing a rifle

Red_SC, that is why I was really keen on the 5r, plus the fact that it is cheaper

fdkay-or anyone from tx-are there any ranges that allow long distance shooting in the dallas or waco area?

Thanks so much for all of the help guys, I really appreciate it!

 

[427Cobra]

Re: New and needing a rifle

Go to www.tigervalley.com, look for open shoots in the calendar, there located off of hwy 84 on the way to Mexia.

This is the same advice I got when I joined
Rem 700 in .308
*Harris 6-9 swivel with notched legs
*TAB sling
*Pod-lock
*Badger Ordnance 20moa base, and Rings, hieght depends on scope
*Rear Bag, TAB or RedTac
*Data book, Impact or Storm
*Mildot Master
Everything with a "*" can be had from TriadTactical.com
Now if you shot your wad get a 10x Super Sniper scope(low rings) from SWFA, if not get a 3-15x50 Nightforce(medium rings) with MLR reticle and .1 MRAD knobs, its very important that the knobs match the reticle
Now just shoot 175grain ammo, and shoot the shit out of it.

 

[Red_SC]

Re: New and needing a rifle

Great advice. I would lean towards Seekins base and rings personally, but it's spot on.

 

[shortround38]

Re: New and needing a rifle

Check out Surgeon Rifles web site build a 308 or maybe a 300 win mag.Night Force NXS 8x32x56 scopes are very nice.

 

[deadly0311]

Re: New and needing a rifle

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: shortround35</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Check out Surgeon Rifles web site build a 308 or maybe a 300 win mag.Night Force NXS 8x32x56 scopes are very nice.
</div></div>

why on earth would you want a 8x32 on a tactical rifle....those really aren't the scope to throw on top of a tactical rifle.

 

[B.Morgan]

Re: New and needing a rifle

+1 on KMW and remember to be patient. Watch the for sell items on here and there are some great deals but you better be quick on the trigger.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: New and needing a rifle

I think that by the time you get done doing all the building, you will have spent as much as a decent factory Savage costs, and will have a rifle that may outshoot the Savage, but can you?

Me, the time's as important as the money. The Savage is pretty much ready to ship when you're ready to buy it. I would suggest a factory Savage mod 12BVSS .308. It will let you get the job done, and when it no longer does, it's very marketable. Weaver V-24 for similar reasons. 20MOA base and Burris Signature Zee rings.

The best is for the best. When you're one of them, buy the best. Until then, the current crop of Savage/Weaver/etc., is very capable.

Oh, and a Savage MKIIF .22LR and Tasco VAR624X42M 6-24 Mildot as a trainer.

More than this is neither cost/time effective nor necessary at this point.

Greg

 

[ryanjay11]

Re: New and needing a rifle

Practice is the most important factor. Get a 700 or a Savage and top it with a good scope. Shoot some local competitions (F-class) and take a class if you can. Some of the advice about starting out with a $6K rig seems ridiculous to me. You can learn the basics on a setup costing less than $2000 and make your money back (especially if you buy used on this site). You would think some of these guys learned to drive Ferraris.

 

[Blueprinted]

Re: New and needing a rifle

I have been shooting tactical shoots, I also shot bench rest. Not saying that GAP does not build one hell of a rifle. I would get a Remington 700 SPS and put it in a quality stock. Most of my money would go into glass and bullets. Tactical matches can won with a gun that is consistant and glass that repeats and tracks. The guys winning with GAP rifles know how to drive them. They would also be up there with a basic set up. Guys that win all the time are guys with SOLID equipmant that make the least mistakes. Learn how to make straight ammo. Learn how to read wind and mirage. Know how to calculate and make corrects for a 20 degree jump in temp with a 8 mph full value wind change and you will be the man. Not cause you got the most expensive rifle on the line.