I’m looking to get into PRS and have been looking a two different rifles. The Howa HCR 1500 and the Ruger Precision Rifle. I’m also undecided between the 308 and 6.5 Creed. The club I belong to has a range out to 600 yards. I am a reloader so I would of course reload for which ever one I buy. I’m looking for the pro’s and con’s between the two. Thanks for the help.
New guy looking for help on first rifle
- Thread starter Rcflyer12
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Unless you have some particular reason for why you have to shoot 308, like your department will require 308 for your duty rifle or you already have a big investment in 308 ammo and reloading gear, I see no reason to get a 308 over 6.5 Creedmoor for PRS style shooting. 6.5 Creedmoor has a lot less recoil, making spotting your hits and misses much better, and it has about 40% less wind drift and bullet drop, giving you much more margin for error on your wind calls.
Go with the 6.5. Your success and enjoyment at longer ranges will be exponentially better and you'll be more likely to stay with this new hobby and invite others to participate.
Either rifle will be great choices. I think 6.5CM is the better option. There are a ton of threads in here discussing 308vs6.5cm and a lot of good info.
Ive had 2 buddies now that started on .308 and regret it. Usually the logic behind 308 is "The military uses it" or "ill be able to find ammo/components for it everywhere" and "its a time-proven cartridge".
Then they find out that when it comes to match ammo, (not cheap plinking ammo) there is just as much 6.5 Creed ammo and components on the shelves as .308.
Only advantage to .308 is it has nearly 2x the estimated barrel life. But to be honest, most of us will take several years to shoot out a barrel (if ever), and when/if we do, we can always get a new caliber, contour, or length. The barrel is a consumable, and isnt that expensive in the grand scheme of things. A few hundred bucks for a pre-fit barrel that lasts several thousands of dollars worth of ammo. If you get a .308 barrel (which lasts quite a deal longer) youre kinda locked in to an inferior caliber while shooters to your left and right will be shooting 6 and 6.5mm.
BUT if 600 yards is the furthest you intend to go, .308 will do just fine. I start to struggle with .308 at around the 800 yard mark.
My vote is easily 6.5 CM. Its the logical choice unless you have some sort of personal reason to go with .308.
As for the gun. If you like the chassis the RPR comes in, and you dont mind it's tank-like handling, then Id go for that one. Be sure to try handling one at a store if you can.
If you think you may want to change out the stock, go Howa or Tikka.
The RPR cannot be taken out of its chassis, you can swap some parts on it but you are stuck with the chassis. Not that its a bad chassis, just permanent.
Then they find out that when it comes to match ammo, (not cheap plinking ammo) there is just as much 6.5 Creed ammo and components on the shelves as .308.
Only advantage to .308 is it has nearly 2x the estimated barrel life. But to be honest, most of us will take several years to shoot out a barrel (if ever), and when/if we do, we can always get a new caliber, contour, or length. The barrel is a consumable, and isnt that expensive in the grand scheme of things. A few hundred bucks for a pre-fit barrel that lasts several thousands of dollars worth of ammo. If you get a .308 barrel (which lasts quite a deal longer) youre kinda locked in to an inferior caliber while shooters to your left and right will be shooting 6 and 6.5mm.
BUT if 600 yards is the furthest you intend to go, .308 will do just fine. I start to struggle with .308 at around the 800 yard mark.
My vote is easily 6.5 CM. Its the logical choice unless you have some sort of personal reason to go with .308.
As for the gun. If you like the chassis the RPR comes in, and you dont mind it's tank-like handling, then Id go for that one. Be sure to try handling one at a store if you can.
If you think you may want to change out the stock, go Howa or Tikka.
The RPR cannot be taken out of its chassis, you can swap some parts on it but you are stuck with the chassis. Not that its a bad chassis, just permanent.
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4 years ago I was all 308 to start. I'd never suggest it now unless you're tied to it via department
I'd recommend the ruger of the two. Lots of options. Though you'll spend a lot upgrading it. Buttstock, foreend, barrel, trigger etc
Id lean towards a tikka ctr but itll cost a little more to sell the stock and upgrade to a KRG bravo
I'd recommend the ruger of the two. Lots of options. Though you'll spend a lot upgrading it. Buttstock, foreend, barrel, trigger etc
Id lean towards a tikka ctr but itll cost a little more to sell the stock and upgrade to a KRG bravo
That's because it's not a chassis but an integral part of the action.
The RPR is a whole lot closer to the TUBB2000 in concept and execution than any other rifle ever made (except by Tubb himself)
The 6.5 CM will be a little easier to drive.
Check out the Tikka TAC A1 also
Check out the Tikka TAC A1 also
don't think it'll catch on in highpower. even though you could buy 5-6 for the price of a used Tubb 2k
I don't understand why it didn't. It seems like the perfect match rifle with a new handguard with handstop slot and either a scope or apertures.
I have a .308... and I'd buy a 6.5 if I had to do it again. Thought process was I wanted a .308 gas gun, and I'd "save" by sharing calibers, and a little bit that .308 is cheaper/more available than 6.5.
Trouble is... unless you're going to compromise on OAL, you're not going to shoot the same rounds from a precision rifle and a gas gun. Even if you do, you'll either be shooting inferior rounds out of the bolt gun to save $, or shooting expensive rounds (even reloading, making good .308 precision rounds isn't cheap) out of the gas gun. About the only thing it'd save me in my case is sharing reloading tools, and being able to use cheaper & more common powder to better effect.
It's a little easier to get decent .308 cheap, but not by much... wanting good precision ammo knocks most of the .308 bargains out of the running.
I got a Tikka and went bargain hunting to build it. I think I'm in it $1800ish with my Gen 1 PST 6-24 on it. That's counting every little doodad I put on it, a chassis (MDT LSS-XL2), everything but a proper precision barrel. Just throwing that out there to show that while the factory chassis rifles are easy and turnkey, they're not necessarily the bargain they can appear. They can certainly be that bargain if you like everything about them, but changing out an expensive component or two can quickly queer the deal. Food for thought before you spend what is essentially retail price for a group of parts that you don't get to pick out.
Trouble is... unless you're going to compromise on OAL, you're not going to shoot the same rounds from a precision rifle and a gas gun. Even if you do, you'll either be shooting inferior rounds out of the bolt gun to save $, or shooting expensive rounds (even reloading, making good .308 precision rounds isn't cheap) out of the gas gun. About the only thing it'd save me in my case is sharing reloading tools, and being able to use cheaper & more common powder to better effect.
It's a little easier to get decent .308 cheap, but not by much... wanting good precision ammo knocks most of the .308 bargains out of the running.
I got a Tikka and went bargain hunting to build it. I think I'm in it $1800ish with my Gen 1 PST 6-24 on it. That's counting every little doodad I put on it, a chassis (MDT LSS-XL2), everything but a proper precision barrel. Just throwing that out there to show that while the factory chassis rifles are easy and turnkey, they're not necessarily the bargain they can appear. They can certainly be that bargain if you like everything about them, but changing out an expensive component or two can quickly queer the deal. Food for thought before you spend what is essentially retail price for a group of parts that you don't get to pick out.
Both would be great rifles to start with. It’s tough because $1000-1500 isn’t something you want to make a mistake with or have regrets. But this is your first rifle. I say first rifle and not just rifle because there will be a second... and probably a third. And, sigh, a fourth. I started with a 700 in .308 then added a 6.5. And of course, everyone needs a 5.56 SPR. Now I need a .308 gas gun just because. And of course a .224 Valkyrie is going to be in the works because one has to keep up with the Joneses...
As for .308 versus 6.5CM, lots of shooters have gone to 6.5 or even 6CM. They are willing to trade barrel life for ballistics. Inside of 600 you won’t see a big difference but if you’re getting in to long range you will eventually be moving out past 600 yards.
One reason to go with .308 that was mentioned earlier is that you may be LE and this could be used as a work rifle (probably not as it’s a personal rifle) or you want to be able to practice with a caliber similar to a work rifle. That’s a good reason. Another would be to stay in the “Tactical” division in competitions rather than the “Open” division. A lot of team matches will require that one member in the team be shooting .308/7.62 or 5.56/.223. Not sure what your plans are for the future but that’s something that’s out there. And team matches are a lot of fun.
Good luck with your decision and be sure to post up pics of your first rifle when you get it.
As for .308 versus 6.5CM, lots of shooters have gone to 6.5 or even 6CM. They are willing to trade barrel life for ballistics. Inside of 600 you won’t see a big difference but if you’re getting in to long range you will eventually be moving out past 600 yards.
One reason to go with .308 that was mentioned earlier is that you may be LE and this could be used as a work rifle (probably not as it’s a personal rifle) or you want to be able to practice with a caliber similar to a work rifle. That’s a good reason. Another would be to stay in the “Tactical” division in competitions rather than the “Open” division. A lot of team matches will require that one member in the team be shooting .308/7.62 or 5.56/.223. Not sure what your plans are for the future but that’s something that’s out there. And team matches are a lot of fun.
Good luck with your decision and be sure to post up pics of your first rifle when you get it.
Either of those rifles is fine. Either of those calibers is fine.
My ranking:
Caliber - 6.5 CM over 308. There is no advantage to a 308 over 6.5 except barrel life. The 6.5 should still get 3k rounds on a barrel and has less reoil, uses less powder, has less wind drift, and is generally a little easier to load for.
Rifle - I'd get the Tikka CTR before either of those. But of the 2 you mentioned, I'd get the RPR. The Howa is a great rifle as well though - none of them are bad options.
My ranking:
Caliber - 6.5 CM over 308. There is no advantage to a 308 over 6.5 except barrel life. The 6.5 should still get 3k rounds on a barrel and has less reoil, uses less powder, has less wind drift, and is generally a little easier to load for.
Rifle - I'd get the Tikka CTR before either of those. But of the 2 you mentioned, I'd get the RPR. The Howa is a great rifle as well though - none of them are bad options.
PRS is a recoil mitigation game more than a lot of people want to admit. The ability to spot for yourself and correct fire is critical. This makes high recoil cartridges, and even a medium one like .308 a lot less desirable. Everyone runs a brake or a can even on the low recoil cartridges, and a lot of these rifles are extremely heavy to further mitigate recoil. If you can't spot your impacts and misses through your scope a split second after pulling the trigger (you can't tell how to correct) you won't do well. This is especially true when you're just learning to read and call wind.
"Anyone running a magnum? No? Good."
"Anyone running a gas gun? No? Good."
A .308 would be putting you at a disadvantage IMO if you want to play the game.
"Anyone running a magnum? No? Good."
"Anyone running a gas gun? No? Good."
A .308 would be putting you at a disadvantage IMO if you want to play the game.
A 6.5CM RPR will do ya well. Make sure to head over to your local match (if possible) or at least a gun store to handle/feel out some options in your budget before you make the final purchase.
As others have pointed out, I would pick a Tikka CTR over the other entry level options. Its the best of both worlds. Out of the box performance, lots of aftermarket parts, an action that is as smooth and as bind-free as a high end custom, a crisp trigger that doesnt need upgrading (but upgrades are available), and while the bolt lift/cocking effort is a little heavier than a Remington 700, its still comparable to an RPR.
Just throwing it out there so you have as much info as possible. Imo, for the sub $1500 gun budget: Tikka first, then RPR, then Howa. But alot of it is just personal preference.
As others have pointed out, I would pick a Tikka CTR over the other entry level options. Its the best of both worlds. Out of the box performance, lots of aftermarket parts, an action that is as smooth and as bind-free as a high end custom, a crisp trigger that doesnt need upgrading (but upgrades are available), and while the bolt lift/cocking effort is a little heavier than a Remington 700, its still comparable to an RPR.
Just throwing it out there so you have as much info as possible. Imo, for the sub $1500 gun budget: Tikka first, then RPR, then Howa. But alot of it is just personal preference.
Since it is your first precision rifle, there is always the chance that this hobby will not be for you. This might be a minor point, but certainly the Tikka, and probably the Howa, will hold their resale value far better than the RPR. I have a CTR and have had a RPR, both fine rifles.
