I'm an avid handgun shooter, practicing at the range once or twice a week, but I don't get a lot of trigger time with long guns.
A family member wanted to help get me started with deer hunting, so a couple of years ago, he bought me a Remington 700 VTR in .308. I put a Nikon Monarch BDC 3-9x scope on it and have left the rest completely stock.
Around here, the longest shot I'll ever have at a deer is under 200 yards. The shooting range I belong to only has a 100 yard rifle range and there are no other places to shoot nearby with longer distances available. The VTR as it is now is more than adequate at these distances.
However, in January I'm moving to another state and will have access to a 1000 yard range. I have suddenly become interested in long(er) range shooting
Realistically, I realize that I'll probably be working in the 100-500yd range for a while, and if I enjoy it enough to get serious about going beyond that, I would most likely invest in a new rifle. But that's way down the road. What I'm looking for now is a way to get introduced to shooting at longer distances without being overly frustrated by inadequate equipment.
At 100 yards, I can get a .75" 5-shot group with the rifle the way it is now using my hunting load (Nosler 165gr AccuBond). Beyond 100 yards, I have no idea what it can do, but I intend to find out.
From what I have read, the Remington VTR is not particularly well thought of by those who take long range shooting seriously. In addition to that, I'm not crazy about the ported barrel due to the excessive noise (especially when hunting), and I wish the action was smoother. I'm sure there are other shortcomings, but those are the ones that keep me from liking the gun more right now. I do like that the rifle is lightweight, which is nice for hunting. The trigger pull is adequate. I'm not overly impressed with the scope... I have used less expensive scopes that gathered more light and had more clarity in low light.
If the rifle had not been a gift, I would be willing to sell it and get a better starting platform. But it was a gift and I intend to keep it. However, I don't mind modding the hell out of it. I would like it to remain a suitable hunting rifle; lightweight and rugged. What can I do to it that will make it a more suitable long range rifle without sacrificing what I already like about it? I know there are a million things that can be changed or added, but I'm asking where I will get the most bang for the buck. Assume that I'm willing to put about $1000 into it at first. If I buy a new optic, I could probably get a couple hundred selling the Nikon, so that's something to consider, too.
If it's a futile game to "redeem" the VTR for long range shooting, then I would be willing to just work with it as-is, maybe get a new scope, and save my pennies for another rifle down the road.
At this point, I'm very open to just about any suggestion and freely admit that I "don't know what I don't know." Let me know what you guys think.
hazmatt
A family member wanted to help get me started with deer hunting, so a couple of years ago, he bought me a Remington 700 VTR in .308. I put a Nikon Monarch BDC 3-9x scope on it and have left the rest completely stock.
Around here, the longest shot I'll ever have at a deer is under 200 yards. The shooting range I belong to only has a 100 yard rifle range and there are no other places to shoot nearby with longer distances available. The VTR as it is now is more than adequate at these distances.
However, in January I'm moving to another state and will have access to a 1000 yard range. I have suddenly become interested in long(er) range shooting
At 100 yards, I can get a .75" 5-shot group with the rifle the way it is now using my hunting load (Nosler 165gr AccuBond). Beyond 100 yards, I have no idea what it can do, but I intend to find out.
From what I have read, the Remington VTR is not particularly well thought of by those who take long range shooting seriously. In addition to that, I'm not crazy about the ported barrel due to the excessive noise (especially when hunting), and I wish the action was smoother. I'm sure there are other shortcomings, but those are the ones that keep me from liking the gun more right now. I do like that the rifle is lightweight, which is nice for hunting. The trigger pull is adequate. I'm not overly impressed with the scope... I have used less expensive scopes that gathered more light and had more clarity in low light.
If the rifle had not been a gift, I would be willing to sell it and get a better starting platform. But it was a gift and I intend to keep it. However, I don't mind modding the hell out of it. I would like it to remain a suitable hunting rifle; lightweight and rugged. What can I do to it that will make it a more suitable long range rifle without sacrificing what I already like about it? I know there are a million things that can be changed or added, but I'm asking where I will get the most bang for the buck. Assume that I'm willing to put about $1000 into it at first. If I buy a new optic, I could probably get a couple hundred selling the Nikon, so that's something to consider, too.
If it's a futile game to "redeem" the VTR for long range shooting, then I would be willing to just work with it as-is, maybe get a new scope, and save my pennies for another rifle down the road.
At this point, I'm very open to just about any suggestion and freely admit that I "don't know what I don't know." Let me know what you guys think.
hazmatt
