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Which caliber for first long range rifle?

L

LRB45

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Minuteman
Aug 1, 2009
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Well the obvious first choice is the .308 of course. However how insane would a guy be to jump into something like the .260 Rem or 7mmWSM?

Are there a reliable source for loaded ammo for both those other calibers. I don't handload but eventually would like to start.

What I am looking at doing is long range shooting of 800 yards and in and also use it as a deer/elk rifle also.

Also can the 7mmWSM be built on a Remington 700 short action?
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

.308 Unless you are really wealthy or don't mind paying for custom loaded ammo, I would start buying reloading gear now.
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

everyone needs a .308 it will serve you well. the other two are also great, the question becomes what are you trying to do?
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

I also would choose the 308 first for the cost involved in starting with that caliber. It will serve you well for the range you want to shoot at.
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

I would say to start with a 30-06... tons of factory ammo and with handloads it'll outshoot the 308 in every category. I shot my 30-06 for the last 7 years just hunting and have taken game with it out to 549 yards and have been lucky enough to have not lost an animal with it. It's a tried and true cartridge.

That being said, if you reload I see no reason why you wouldn't jump into a ballistically efficient caliber. Some have proven to be more finicky than others but by the time you work your way through it all others will seem like a cake walk and you'll have learned more imho. Best of luck its a LOT of fun researching and gathering parts for your first rifle. I'm heading down here shortly to start assembly on my first long range setup and I'm jazzed!


Mike
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

Shoot a 308 until you learn what you are doing. Then think of a .260 or 7 wsm. 7 is an expensive gun to shoot relative to the 308. Of course, it's cheap compared to a .338 or .50, or .475 or, or, or.
laugh.gif
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

308, Tons of quality factory ammo, good barrel life, and it will make you a better shooter. You will learn more about reading wind then you will with a 260 of 7mm wsm.
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

308 is a good choice, but 223 will serve you well while you build some fundamentals and usually a bit cheaper.

260 is a good one but its more of a reloader caliber until more peeps start selling the ammo, 7WSM is also a decent one but again with the Ammo.
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Chiller</div><div class="ubbcode-body">everyone needs a .308 it will serve you well. the other two are also great, the question becomes what are you trying to do? </div></div>



yup.


And fill out your profile.
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

LRB45,

There is an old adage:

Crawl before you learn to Walk; Learn to Walk before you Run.

Now apply it to LR shooting:

Crawling: .223 Rem, .308 Win., 30-06

Walking: .243 Win, 260 Rem. 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5x47 Lapua, 7mm-08, 284 Win, 280 Rem, et al

Running: AI's on any of those calibers, 7mm SAUM, 7mm WSM, 7mm Rem Mag, <span style="font-weight: bold">300 Win Mag</span>., et al

Running as fast as your little legs can carry you: 338 Lapua, the Chey-Tac's, 50 BMG, et al

Short cuts, as trying to cut in line, don't work for most folks, and usually result in someone buying your lovingly built rifle at a substantial discount.

Progressing from crawling to walking usually involves learning to reload, and parting with money to a gunsmith/gun builder.

There is an exception to the above rule, as highlighted in bold around 300 Win Mag. You can get a good LR 300 Win Mag, off the self, and there are a number of good factory match loads, so reloading is not a must (but a lot of cash to buy factory is a handy thing to have).

But unless your one of the 10% that is truly "recoil proof", your stay with a 300 Win Mag is usually brief, after several long shot strings. Muzzle brakes help, but generally piss off anybody that has to shoot next to you, so shooting alone a lot is in the cards.

All of this is IMHO, and YMMV, but after 42 years of shooting, I've seen more horror stories than successes, when somebody tries to walk or run, before they learn to crawl. You may be the exception that makes the rule, but I would not bet on it.

Bob
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BobinNC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">LRB45,

There is an old adage:

Crawl before you learn to Walk; Learn to Walk before you Run.

Now apply it to LR shooting:

Crawling: .223 Rem, .308 Win., 30-06

Walking: .243 Win, 260 Rem. 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5x47 Lapua, 7mm-08, 284 Win, 280 Rem, et al

Running: AI's on any of those calibers, 7mm SAUM, 7mm WSM, 7mm Rem Mag, <span style="font-weight: bold">300 Win Mag</span>., et al

Running as fast as your little legs can carry you: 338 Lapua, the Chey-Tac's, 50 BMG, et al

Short cuts, as trying to cut in line, don't work for most folks, and usually result in someone buying your lovingly built rifle at a substantial discount.

Progressing from crawling to walking usually involves learning to reload, and parting with money to a gunsmith/gun builder.

There is an exception to the above rule, as highlighted in bold around 300 Win Mag. You can get a good LR 300 Win Mag, off the self, and there are a number of good factory match loads, so reloading is not a must (but a lot of cash to buy factory is a handy thing to have).

But unless your one of the 10% that is truly "recoil proof", your stay with a 300 Win Mag is usually brief, after several long shot strings. Muzzle brakes help, but generally piss off anybody that has to shoot next to you, so shooting alone a lot is in the cards.

All of this is IMHO, and YMMV, but after 42 years of shooting, I've seen more horror stories than successes, when somebody tries to walk or run, before they learn to crawl. You may be the exception that makes the rule, but I would not bet on it.

Bob
</div></div>That's a pretty damn good summary, Bob.
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

Most of the stuff Bob takes the time to type would make good stickies on their pertinent subjects!
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

+1 on the 223 cheaper lighter recoild and you will learn the wind quicker because it has more drift
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

Well this helped my out. I was going to keep my new but unfinished build as a .243 but figure I might just rechamber it to a .223 then later something else. Since its a savage, later on I can have two barrels and change them out at will.

Flyingbullseye
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

Well thanks to everyone who has given advice here for me.

I currently have an AR-15 so I have the .223 covered. It's not set up as a precision rig but it does teach me trigger control and plus you can get a lot of shooting in.

Someone mentioned I should fill out my profile, how does one do that?

I'm leaning heavily toward the .308 just need to settle on which gun I want. More than likely a Rem 700 but don't know which one to get quite yet. The SPS Tactical, 5R, or the PSS.
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

Get the 5R. I have shot five of them (308) and each shot under 1/2 inch (5-shot) at 100 yards w/black hills and fgmm.
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

I would start with the .308, or maybe go with a long action and employ a .30-'06.

Later, as the barrel becomes tired and my handloading skills are up to speed, I would rebarrel the .308 to .260, or the .30-'06 to .280. Each of these chamberings pairs the case capacity with better BC bullets in a manner which employs the case capacity to a significantly better LR efficiency.

For deer, the .260 is addequate, for elk too; but the .280 does each better.

Heavy hitters aren't really best suited for long strings of sustained fire. Muzzle energy only really pays off when terminal energy is an issue. Personally, if the non-overbore chambering won't do the job, I'm hunting beyond my system's effective range. The answer to that problem does not involve more energy, it involves hunting from a more realistic distance. Being able to make the hit proves marksmanship skills, bringing in the meat proves hunting skills.

Another point to consider isn't that the gun makes the shooter better, it's that the shooter makes the gun better. For starting purposes, a really premium rifle is sure dandy, but for most folks, something in a box off the shelf is very likely to deliver the very same results. If it ain't broke, usually it's good enough to cut your beginners' teeth on. Save the extra bucks for that .22LR trainer (a very basic rifle will probably do best) and ammo.

Greg
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

I've made a lot of mistakes that Bob describes. If I could start over again I would purchase a good used gun off the Hide. Would have saved me alot of time and money. There are some really good guns available on this site.
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

Have to agree that starting with 308win or 30-06 would be the way to go. 308 for match grade factory ammo. 30-06 for larger case capacity. If you reload then 260rem. 7WSM has more recoil, and would wait on that until you get your technique down.
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

I'm in a similar boat. I have been leaning toward a 7WSM as my first custom bolt gun (since I already have two .308s) but am unsure whether I can really maximize the utility of the chambering. If I decide I can't, it will be a .260.
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

7wsm is a more expensive gun to shoot than a .308 and can shoot a mile. If you can't shoot tight groups at 600 and a 1000 yards, there is now sense in moving that direction until you can.
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

.22LR

It only makes sense to spend the most ammo intensive learning on the least expensive rifle to feed. Add to it the fact it will take a long time to burn out the barrel on a .22LR.

Then again, it seems like no one gives the .22LR the credit it deserves as a classroom.
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

If you decide on 308 I'd get a good used TRG 22 for the hide rifles for sale forum. With the right ammo like Federal GMM with 168 or 177 grain ammo you shoot consistantly un 1/2" if you do your part. The cost is not that much more than a new 5R. You'll never be sorry.
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

Remington/Savage in .223 with heavy barrel/fast twist.

Since you already have an AR15, you can also get into reloaded the .223 a lot cheaper than other calibers and also have the equipment needed when you upgrade/switch over to longer range calibers.

But I agree that the .22LR would be a good option to practice adjusting scope/wind values/etc for cheap also...
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

LRB45,

There is an old adage:

Crawl before you learn to Walk; Learn to Walk before you Run.

Now apply it to LR shooting:

Crawling: .223 Rem, .308 Win., 30-06

Walking: .243 Win, 260 Rem. 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5x47 Lapua, 7mm-08, 284 Win, 280 Rem, et al

Running: AI's on any of those calibers, 7mm SAUM, 7mm WSM, 7mm Rem Mag, 300 Win Mag., et al

Running as fast as your little legs can carry you: 338 Lapua, the Chey-Tac's, 50 BMG, et al

Short cuts, as trying to cut in line, don't work for most folks, and usually result in someone buying your lovingly built rifle at a substantial discount.

Progressing from crawling to walking usually involves learning to reload, and parting with money to a gunsmith/gun builder.

There is an exception to the above rule, as highlighted in bold around 300 Win Mag. You can get a good LR 300 Win Mag, off the self, and there are a number of good factory match loads, so reloading is not a must (but a lot of cash to buy factory is a handy thing to have).

But unless your one of the 10% that is truly "recoil proof", your stay with a 300 Win Mag is usually brief, after several long shot strings. Muzzle brakes help, but generally piss off anybody that has to shoot next to you, so shooting alone a lot is in the cards.

All of this is IMHO, and YMMV, but after 42 years of shooting, I've seen more horror stories than successes, when somebody tries to walk or run, before they learn to crawl. You may be the exception that makes the rule, but I would not bet on it.

Bob



+1 Very well put Bob
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

Lovain, interesting concept.

LRB45, my recomendation is this.

Start with a .308 if you think this is within your grasp... Get a decent action, custom if you can, if not just stick with something like a remington.

.308win is easy to handload, and has shit loads of information floating around.

Once your over the .308 it can easily be changed into a Bench rest type calibre by a smith with a simple rebarrel.

Once you master that, and feel that 1000 yards is not enough, try out one of the bigger rounds... .338LM, .338 Edge, .375 Cheytac etc
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

There really is no specific caliber. Lots of factors such as availibility of ammo, components if you reload, any possible recoil sensitivity, cost of it all, distance you plan to shoot...ect. Usually you dont want to delve into wildcat rounds, or something that requires heavy research on loading. The more common, "run-of-the-mill" rounds is usually .223, 22-250, .243, .260, 7mm-08, .300winmag/wsm, .308, and 30-06 are common and ammo is fairly available. Other rounds to look at are 6.5 x 47 lapua, 6.5 creedmore, 300rum/rsaum and any of the listed cartridges in Ackly Improved. Heavy, larger bore rounds like .338 Lapua, .338 edge, .375/.408 cheytac, and .50bmg pretty much make the sky the limit, but can be costly of an investment.

Regardless of the cartridge you pick, make sure its one that fits your needs, and you are willing to commit to becoming proficient with the weapon you plan to use it in. You cant go wrong with a good .22 and 2k rounds either. Gives you good practice, trigger control, and bolt manipulation.
 
Re: Which caliber for first long range rifle?

I started out on a R700 BDL Varmint Special in 223 years ago and learned to reload for this rifle first.That is one gun I never should have sold.I lost track of how many different bullets,powders and primers I tried.I started out chasing velocity until a couple of experienced friends set me straight that the fastest was not always the most accurate.I spent almost all my spare time either loading for it or shooting it.A 223 may not be the most glamorous but it sure is a lot of fun and relatively cheap to feed even with the good stuff.
 
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