Help me build a "starter" long range rifle

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X-JaVeN-X

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Ok, guys, I'll go ahead and admit that I'm very inept with a lot of the terminology when discussing long range rifles. With that said, I have shot rifles my whole life but mostly for hunting and mostly open sights, tho I have shot scoped rifles and am proficient enough in getting one set-up and zeroed in, etc. In short...I know how to shoot a gun, but that doesn't necessarily translate in to what I want to do now.

Anyway...I would like to get into some long range shooting for fun (read 500+ yards), but also have the option to take some larger game with the rifle and with all the overwhelming number of options out there and all the terminology that I'm not too familiar with such as the rate of twist and what/how that affects my decision making, I'm just lost to be honest.

I essentially would like you guys to build me a "starter" long range rifle. I think I want a larger caliber round (I'm thinking .300 win mag or 7mm RUM, but definitely open to suggestions there). I've never owned a caliber that large (.308 is typically what I would use for deer hunting and since this gun is more for playing...I'd like to experiment with something larger).

Secondly, do you guys have a good information source for reading up on the terminology. Maybe a long-range shooting 101 sort of link?

Lastly, my initial budget is around $2000 (can be pushed a little higher if necessary), but that is for rifle and optics. I don't know if this is feasible for what I want or not. Maybe a platform that is able to be upgraded in the future.

Give me some options, and go easy on my ignorance on the subject.

EDIT: forgot to mention that I shoot left handed, but have always used right handed rifles. I was taught to shoot at such an early age that I didn't have the dexterity to close my left eye (to shoot right handed), so I learned left handed closing my right eye...to this day, it's the only thing I do left handed...hehe. So, I don't know if I should opt for a left handed gun, or just stick to what I know...I've never had a problem shooting this way and actually think it has it's advantages when bench shooting as my trigger hand never leaves it's rest...opinions on this? I actually shoot handguns right handed (learned to shoot them later in life), and I don't have a dominant eye from what I can tell...it switches depending on if I'm shooting left or right handed. I just blink a couple times and the eye I need to be dominant takes over. Anyway...open to opinions on this as well if it makes a difference...
 
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You're going to get varying opinions and undoubtedly recommendations for some flavor of either Savage or Remington 700. I will say this, though. A hunting rifle is a hunting rifle and a target rifle is a target rifle. Trying to get one rifle to fill both rolls usually gets you a rifle that excels in neither.

In light of your budget, I'd recommend a model of Savage that fits you and your budget and that's coming from a Remington fan. I think that Savages are a better bang for the buck as far as out of the box rifles go, but if you intend to do a bunch of upgrading and build the rifle up to be something special, I'd go with a Remington.

I'd also get the best scope that you can afford. You can't hit what you can't see. With your budget, you could conceivably get into a nice rifle for about $800 and spend the rest on glass.
 
hmm.. in your post it seems like you really want something with a bit more punch than a .308.. out of what you listed the .300 winchester magnum is probably the most "available" cartridge in that range... it will throw longer bullets of higher ballistic coefficiencies downrange at very high velocities.. itll do what you need.. for your price range if you wanted even more range, you could go for a .338 lapua magnum rifle (what military snipers use)

but.. the .300 winchester magnum would be fairly easy to find, a lot of reloading resources for it if youre interested in fine tuning your own match grade ammo, tons of bullets available, plenty of rifles manufactured for this cartridge... for someone wanting an entry into magnum caliber rifle rounds this should do fine... and you can in fact down-load it to .308 energy levels for hunting deer, elk, etc, so id just go that route... and since .300 winchester magnum will be easier to find, you can use the money you save on a really good set of optics, or a match trigger for the rifle you select

also, if youre comfortable shooting a right handed rifle, in a left handed position theres absolutely no reason why you should switch... do whats most comfortable.. as for individual products, i used to be a huge remington fan, but ive been leaning more towards savage rifles myself as well
 
I, like you, also shoot right handed but am a Southpaw. However, I shoot pistols left-handed. As far as the rifle/caliber choice I'd opt for a .300 win mag if you aren't recoil shy. Remington makes some decent .300's that you can shoot the heck out of it, learn the basics, get used to recoil etc. and then buy yourself a nice match barrel. Only (or one of the few) downsides to the .300 is the recoil is pretty sharp to some people. If you aren't shy about recoil I think it is a pretty good choice. With 208 A-Max people have really pushed the round to its outer limits of 1 mile-2000 yards. If you don't want all the recoil but still want decent punch, similar trajectory, high BC bullets, and an all around nice round, I'd opt for a .260 rem. I personally don't have a rifle chambered in the .260 as of yet but I will be adding one soon. It can give ballistics similar to .300 without the recoil but you sacrifice some of the down-range punch. If you go with the .260 I'd again reccomend a Rem 700 or a Savage. As far as optics I've had real luck with Vortex 4-16x Viper.
 
If I need to choose between a target rifle and a hunting rifle...It would definitely be a target rifle. I have other rifles that I hunt with. Also, I would definitely want the option to upgrade the rifle in the future. Are there any companies that you guys know of that do custom rifles on either savage or remington 700 platforms? I'd like the rifle to be capable of sub MOA out of the box and as mentioned, I can go a little higher than $2000 if necessary.
 
to say a rifle cant be a target rifle and be used outdoors is insane.. what do you think military snipers carry through the sticks and mud?.. sure isnt a typical hunting rifle, nor is it a bench rest, its a well tuned machine thats also made to be rugged and durable... no reason he cant start with a savage or remington action, probably a stainless steel barrel with dark matte finish with a bedded stock, free floated barrel, sling mounts, bipod mount in the front with a universal padded cheek rest, longer rubber butt plate installed to fit his length and some quality, durable optics, and essentially build what we'd expect a military sniper rifle to be?
 
to say a rifle cant be a target rifle and be used outdoors is insane
Click to expand...

I don't think that anyone said that a target rifle can't be used outdoors. What I said was that getting one rifle to fill both rolls would leads to compromises on both ends. Who wants to hump a 15lb rifle around when hunting? On the other hand, who wants to target shoot with an 8lb rifle? My target rifle, with bipod, loaded 10 round mag, scope and mount, weighs in at just under 17lbs. For a target rifle, heavy is good. For a hunting rifle, not so much.

jason, have you ever hefted one of the rifles used by military snipers? They ain't light.

To the OP, what caliber you should get is going to depend. If you decide to go with a target oriented rifle, I'd suggest a .308, for a few reasons. There is a wide variety of ammunition and components to choose from. The recoil is very manageable in all but the lightest rifles and you'll get a good long barrel life out of it. I usually shoot about 500 rounds a month plus matches and I'm looking at a set back or rebarrel about once a year.

With a magnum round, you might only get about 1/3 of that life before the throat is blown out. I like the .243 as well. Relatively light recoil and it shoots straight and flat, but you get about half the barrel life as compared to a .308.
 
The M40 is a heavy 16+ pound target rifle that marine snipers have to carry through the brush. A heavy hunting rifle typically would be closer to 9 or 10lbs. I would recommend a 25-06 with a #4 or #5 contour Lilja or Douglas barrel on a Remmy M700 action and McMillan stock.
 
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Savage LRP is less than 1k. Mine gives me less than 1/4 moa accuracy with handloads. Forget the calibers you mentioned as it is not neccessary to beat your shoulder to shoot long range. The 6.5 calibers out perform the big boys on paper anyways. I would suggest picking up a 6.5 Creedmoor if you do not reload or a .260 if you do reload.
 
Go to longrangehunting.com . They have tons of resources for the beginner, including budget builds. All kinds of how-to articles and resources and a great forum.
 
the most important part of shooting long range is learning to read the wind and shoot in various conditions. that takes a lot of practice. so the most important considerations in picking your first long range rifle would be:
1. relatively cheap match grade ammo
2. relatively light recoil
3. good barrel life

i'd suggest staying with 308win. picking one factory gun over another is always pot luck. seems some years one brand is shooting better than another then it reverses.
 
Thanks guys for the info thus far. I still think I want a larger round...I originally wanted to a .338 lapua, but after seeing how expensive the ammo was, and the fact that I don't reload (however, it is something I've always thought about doing, but never knew enough to take the plunge...the though of making small explosives by trial and error never seemed like a smart idea to me lol and I don't know anyone that does it to get a quick lesson), makes the lapua an expensive pill to swallow. I can handle $2 a round...but that lapua ammo is $4-$5+ a round if my memory serves me correct from the last time I looked at it.

Someone mentioned earlier having a more military style gun made...that is sort of what I had in mind. Something durable/weather resistant (don't really care about weight...would actually prefer it if it helps in reducing felt recoil). I typically opt for synthetic stocks for weather resistant aspect, but I don't know much about the other materials available (fiberglass, laminate, etc). How do these other materials affect the accuracy/durability of the gun? I don't plan on dragging this thing through the mud or anything, but I don't want it to melt if a little water gets on it from getting caught in a quick rain shower.

Thanks also for the link mentioned above, I'll check them out and do some reading.

On barrel wear...I don't get to shoot as much as I'd like...just don't have the time...if I shot a 100 rounds a month from this rifle I'd be surprised, so wearing out the barrel too fast isn't a big concern, especially if wearing it out means I have an excuse to upgrade it lol.

Are there any options other than savage and remington actions for the build or are these pretty much the only options in this price range? I think I also saw Howa actions (not familiar with them at all)...how are they in comparison to the current savage or rem 700 actions?
 
My suggestion:

Remington 700 5R 300 Winmag. Should run about 1200 bucks.
Leupold Mk4 rings and bases I believe run about 150-200 bucks.
Vortex Viper PST 4-16 FFP mil runs right at 900.

That combo will run you a little over 2k but will reach out to well over 1000 yards reliably once you learn the trade. I agree with the above posters and suggest you get a 308 which can be had in the same rifle.
 
My new shooter is a Remington SPS Varmint (26" Barrel vs. the Tactical having a 20")
Osprey 10-40X50 Glass
Nightforce 20 MOA base
Nightforce 30MM rings
Still stock hunting but I was shooting sub MOA at 200 yards today while breaking it in, and my range only allows to shoot out to 300 and we couldn't do it today.. I am confident this rifle even with the crappy factory stock could shoot MOA out to 600 yards.

I was with my dad and a friend, my dad was on the spotting scope finding rocks or mushrooms on the backstop and I was hitting 1-3" rocks or tiny mushrooms at 200 yards with a hot barrel.. The R700 is a great rifle.
 
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Javen, if you are only going to be shooting 100 rounds or so a month, then roll with what makes you happy; but unless you are just naturally talented (I am not), it takes a lot of practice to be proficient at extended ranges and squeezing the trigger is not all there is to it.

As mentioned, you NEED to learn to read the wind. If you plan on shooting off of a bipod, that is a skill in itself. Not to reverse gears on you, but I think that you need something that will allow you to send lots of lead downrange and not break the bank or your shoulder.

Shooting a .22 can teach you a lot. Savage makes a nice little tactical model. I wouldn't call it a tack driver, but it's good enough for government work. If you get to where you can consistently hit a target the size of a brake rotor at 300 yards with decent ammunition, you'll be doing pretty good. I know that shooting rimfire has helped me immensely with shooting centerfire.
 
Long Range Rifle - Why not have a Choice?

I was in a similar position to what you describe (except for being left-handed and right eye dominant). I wanted something with a little more "juice" than my .270 Ruger hunting rifle.

I ended up (lucky!) finding a Savage 7mm WSM that I bought NIB for $450. I liked the fact that it is a short action, and even more that the Savage would allow me to acquire a .300 WSM barrel (fitted by Savage) for $240. That meant I could shoot the 7mm WSM, and easily swap upward to .300 WSM if I wanted.

I was able to put a cheap scope on the gun (NIB BSA 5-16x50, got it for $50 on EBay) - just to test and see what expensive glass I should buy. Turns out the scope holds zero, has an illuminated mil dot reticle, and works fine for now. I put the rifle into a Bell & Carlson Tactical A2 stock - got rid of the Savage tupperware canoe paddle with cement recoil pad - for another $230. I added a Harris bipod, just for fun ($102).

The gun and I together shoot 1/2 moa; I suspect that the rifle shoots better than that. At 66 years old, with poor vision, I am probably the limiting factor on group size.

I also have discovered that with my handloads, the 7mm cartridge has more kinetic energy at long range (500+ yds) than a 300 WSM, due to better Ballistic Coefficient.

My total sunk cost is $832 for rifle, scope, stock, and bipod. If I want to have the .300 WSM option as well, make it $1,072.

Savage no longer offers the 7mm WSM, but you could go to .300 WSM and work backwards with an E.R. Shaw or other barrel to get to 7mm (if you wanted to).

-Just my experience, and another way to look at it.

But in summary: I have my long range "fun rifle."
 
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