will a hunting rifle compete with a heavy target

We still haven't gotten an answer on whether you're shooting for smallest group size, or some sort of bullseye (if so, what is size?), or a proximity target such as steel plate.

We have a 300m range at our club. I've found, on the international target, that a common "sporting " rifle with good handloads and a tight nut behind the trigger can run with F-class rifles and heavy varmint/target rifles on a good day, but the heavies definatly take the long term average when run by the better shooters. The shooters not in the "better" category get disgusted by being beaten by a deer rifle and go gear shopping or blame the wind. The sporting rifle in question is a glass bedded standard stock Rem M788 .308 with an inexpensive 4x12 that a guy who got sick of formal competition put together for informal shoots in Winter league only. It is a sub MOA, but not the mythical "one hole" gun with the Nos 155 handloaded, should be comparable baseline accuracy to your rifle, yours would have an advantage in wind.

@Musicianized
Have you see the heat tape that you place on the side of your barrel near the action?
I can’t remember the website maybe someone else can weigh in. Anyway it can help you maintain a heat range by displaying a color IIRC

Musicianized said:

I could switch out and get the xbolt long range just not sure if I like it for hunting and its not so.. heirloom for my girls later

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I wouldnt, given what youve described wanting from the rifle for the most part.
If anything id shoot it, see how it does, and perhaps add a cheap heavy barreled "target/practice" rifle also chambered for 6.5CM if you decide you want to do more shooting.
The CMs no barrel burner, but youll fry a tube in a few years of dedicated practice, so having a practice gun thats easy to rebarrel might be worthwhile. It will also allow you to experiment with stuff while keeping your primary hunter set up the way you want.

South Prairie Jim said:

@Musicianized
Have you see the heat tape that you place on the side of your barrel near the action?
I can’t remember the website maybe someone else can weigh in. Anyway it can help you maintain a heat range by displaying a color IIRC

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Thats an interesting one, ive never heard of that. pretty cool!

Well let me see if I can google it up
www.mcmaster.com
Temp sensitive tape
Try this one ,, hold on I’m close
Item #59535k13 lol
Sorry guys I can’t seem to find it, but there was an article on Accurate shooter bulletin about it several fellas with good reviews.

If the rifle (and you) can shoot 1 MOA you'll be competitive. You may not win, but you'll not get embarrassed either.

I may be misunderstanding the issue, but it sounds like you're trying to decide whether to get rid of your lightweight hunting rifle in order to fund a heavier, longer rifle optimized to shoot a single $5 fun match (for hunting rifles) each year?

Is the rifle intended to be a hunting rifle, or a match rifle? If it's the former I'd buy whatever will serve your hunting needs the best. If it's the latter, and you don't need a hunting rifle, I'd sell the hunting rifle and buy a match rifle, I'd also plan on shooting a bit more than one match a year.

I don't think I would compromise my only hunting rifle (e.g. replace it with something long, unwieldy, and less suited for actual hunting) just so I could win an annual hunting club $5 fun shoot.

As an aside, my X-Bolt is the most heat stable factory sporter I've had, but it's not a match rifle, and I wouldn't want it to be.

400 yards with open sights is pretty much typical on the Tundra in winter.

My M-39 Finn Mosin does a good job at that range.

Musicianized said:

The only thingnthey really have on me is a heavy barrel and custom stock. Most of these guns are savage (xps maybe) they were like 400 at cabelas. Theu just added custom stocks and some vortex scopes. Im positive I have a more accurate scope, and only being 5 shots Im hoping I dont see a big variance from the barrel getting hot. Theu have lighter triggers tho. I don't wantnto go to a 1lb trigger on a hunting rifle..

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You don't need to go to 1 lb I have mine set at 2.5 lb light enough for target work yet heavy enough for hunting.

As has been quoted here before, “It is the Indian, not the arrow.”

Musicianized said:

Hmm I jave an account with them maybe Ill check some out

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On McMaster Carr website I did notice several tension gages , you know the kind that Guffey is always talkin about?
ask if they measure in tensions

Steve S. said:

As has been quoted here before, “It is the Indian, not the arrow.”

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That’s true to an extent, And then there is a
PPC
6 BR
Even those easy button cartridges could get screwed up I suppose- if yer drunk that is !!!!
@Musicianized
Have you seen the Savage LRPV chambered in a single shot 6 br norma ?
These are excellent Varmint/deer rifles for a good price worthy of handing down.
Incredible accuracy , super easy load development

will a hunting rifle compete with a heavy target

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Depends on what the competition is, who the competitors are and what the different rifles are. Lots of variables packed in the otherwise simple question.

And as for the 300m INT target I mentioned above, the 10-ring is 3.93", or slightly larger than 1MOA. I have seen it cleaned with the above mentioned "deer rifle," and also with an AR RRA service rifle with 4.5x optic (one of my best days) and a Swedish M96 with issue Iron sights (one of my really best days, don't ask me to do it again!). Those 2 instances were 10 shots prone at 300m with service rifle sling, and unfortunately done in practice. I've seen the shooter with the sporting rifle do it on a few occasions, he also shoots sling MRP class. Most of the clean scores I've seen were with F-class or MRP optic rigs of varying make and caliber from F-class "bipods," so that's what you may be up against depending on your indians.

What size group did the winner shoot last year? If he didn't shoot 2" or better @ 400 you can take him out.

We moved a 3" steel plate to 200yrds and tried 10 shots and a friend with a 22-250 did the best with 6 hits, 5 straight then only 1 hit out of the next 5, my 30-06 Howa had 3 straight then 2 more, I don't know if it was the wind or not but I think it might have been the loose nut behind the trigger. This year we are going to try it again using different sizes of steel at different distances, we are trying for consistency at 300 to 500yrds since our property was clearcut, shots from the shed or dining room table are longer than before. I think practice and reloads will help a lot, and a fan or inflator will help cool down the barrel between shots, all we win are bragging rights for the year

A cordless fan works very well keeping the barrel heat from causing excess mirage when looking through the scope

As skill of the shooter and difficulty of target increase the advantage a dedicated target rifle will have over a good spotter will also increase.

Are the rules already set. If you make the competition standing off hand then the best shooter will win. I shoot lever action silhouette and it does not matter how much your gun costs, if your skills are not top notch its over. If he is skilled and practiced in his art and has a dedicated rifle to up his game it would seem that the loss is almost certain. If he just has money to buy the best but no skills then no problem...

Among factory barrels, you’re not giving up anything. Against a true custom rifle with a custom barrel, you are.

Buying another factory rifle with a heavier barrel will not close that gap. Spending the same money on a custom sporter weight barrel for your current rifle would come close, if not close that gap.

In other words, the advantage to be had in your particular informal game isn’t between heavy barrels and light, it’s between custom barrels and factory.

The simple answer to the original question is no.
I have about 20 different types of screwdrivers in different sizes for a reason
Same thing with my rifles and pistols.
And I have to agree that a lot of it comes down to that you'll probably have a different type of scope on a hunting rifle without turrets so unless you are like Davy Crockett was Kentucky windage best of luck.

That's sad for my personal taste I'd rather have a great hunting rifle then a heavy ass target rifle if I could only have one.
And the main thing is practice practice practice