New to precision/ long range

[Supergus1]

Hi folks. I want to get into precision rifle shooting and I'm hoping to get some input. I am not new to rifles (currently have a LWRC ) but have no experience with precision rifles. My gun budget is under $2K and I'm looking for out of the box performance; I don't have the knowledge to upgrade. My total budget (gun, scope/mount, bipod/mount) is currently $3k. Right now my short list for rifle is:
Bergara HMR Pro- 6.5 CM
Savage 110 BA Stealth- 6.5 CM
Tikka T3X TAC A1- 6.5 CM
Ruger Precision Rifle- 6.5 CM
Howa M1500 HCR - you guessed it..6.5 CM
Before I narrow this list down, can you guys tell me if these rifles are "in the same league" as far as out of the box accuracy (especially w/ factory ammo)? I'm trying to narrow down my choices, but I'm not sure what characteristics to consider that would help me to do that. Thanks in advance.

 

[spife7980]

Yep, tomAto toMato. Pick whichever one suits your fancy.

 

[Supergus1]

Thanks for the reply. So you're saying that They can all be equally competitive at 1,000 yds if I do my part? What about action? Is one smoother than another? Since I don't have range access to them (save for the RPR) I feel like I need to nitpick to make the right choice.

 

[Jefe's Dope]

I would, and did, go with the Tikka. Too many great reviews and no real bad ones. My experience has been on par with all those positive reviews.

 

[Ziggy12]

I own tikka and rpr. Both great rifles out of box. Depends on your preference out of those 2. Prime factory ammo shoots great in both

 

[Supergus1]

It's funny you say that. When I checked out reviews on YT I kinda got a good vibe about it, However I just want to do my due diligence. Besides, how dorky would it be if I said "I bought this rifle 'cause I got a warm fuzzy feeling about it "?

 

[redneckbmxer24]

The Tikka is a far better built rifle than the rest with the Bergara next. My money would buy the Tikka.

 

[Tikka Tinker]

+1 For the Tikka
Action is smooth.
Has a 2 stage trigger.
NOTE: Only has a O MOA rail.

 

[slm9s]

Buy a used custom rifle with a low round count with a known accuracy record. Should be plenty of options at $2k. Way more bang for your buck.

 

[Nittynate]

A lot of companies are coming out with “budget actions” ex. Nucleus, Origin, Tenacity all $1000 and under. Slap a grayboe stock profit barrel and you are still under $2k. Some you mentioned are great (Tikka action is smooth and they are accurate) but do yourself a favor like you did w/ LWRC and get the best quality you can

 

[Forward543]

Accuracy should be the same for all. Look at trigger, magazine setup, stock, etc. Which one fits you. Get a hold of them and check it out.

 

[fdkay]

While the accuracy will likely be similar on all those listed, the savage will have the worst "feeling" action and they sometimes bind when running them hard. I used a 10PC in a basic sniper class and NEVER had this problem, but many have reported it as an issue.

 

[Fig]

I buy the glass I want first. It's not quite as fun as buying the rifle you want, but, at least for me, it ensures there is a rifle to go with it even if it takes a long time to save up for it.

Having a nice scope means finding targets and not timing out on stages while you hunt for targets, fool with your zoom, and cuss incessantly.

I would rather shoot a cheap, off-the-rack rifle with a capable scope in good mounts than a $5000 built rifle with a crappy, poorly tracking scope in vertical split rings. No question.

 

[Dthomas3523]

Just throwing another option out there.

Bighorn TL3 - 1250
Bravo with W3 backbone - 400
Savage pre-fit barrel and timney trigger from PX - Probably 500 ish

2150 for a custom rifle you can continue to upgrade.

Or:

Tikka CTR 6.5 cr - 815
Used Razor Gen II or AMG - 1650 - 2000 depending on model
KRG Bravo - 380

 

[Sogan]

+1 For the Tikka
Action is smooth.
Has a 2 stage trigger.
NOTE: Only has a O MOA rail.

Exactly this. I’d go Tikka