Best long range rifle in the best long range caliber?

Status
Not open for further replies.

BigShep85

Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2011
Messages
286
This is a question based on experience long range being 1000 yards. What is, in your experience, the best longe range rifle in the best long range caliber? I have been rolling around the idea of getting a long range rifle and 1000 yards is what I would consider long range, As always the cheaper the better. Just thought I would get some opinions before I started narrowing down options. Thanks ahead of time.

Bolt action is probably the platform I that the above applies to.
 
Not through experience, but the Remington 700 is pretty much the standard for long range bolt action shooting. I do have experience with a .308 and that is the round to go with.
 
I haven't done any long range shooting, but the people that I do know use 300 wsm and 7mm rem. mag.
 
Most of the people I've met who shoot out to 1,000 yards or more are running either custom Remington 700 rifles, AIs or Sako TRGs.

The most common cartridge I've seen being used is .260 Remington. It's much more flat shooting that .308, and has less recoil to boot.

Outside of those people who shoot Palma, I don't know that there are many long range shooters opting for .308 as a dedicated long range round.
 
it depends entirely on what you're doing. if you're shooting in a type of match, then you will be restricted to the rules of that match, which will likely put upper and lower limits on your caliber, and potentially also on the weight of the rifle.

1000 yrd matches might be benchrest, high power prone or F-class, or variable distance tactical matches. There are also caliber specific matches, such as the 50bmg matches.


if you're hunting or plinking or whatever else, then that would also change your caliber and bullet selection
 
if you're looking for a cheater caliber, for paper-only (f-class) i'd probably look at a 6 Crusader.
If you need a little energy to move steel around a bit and see impacts, but are limited to 3200 fps, i'd look at 7wsm, 7saum, 260AI etc

pretty much all of those would require reloading with a lot of brass prep, custom everything, and short barrel life.

If you want a longer life caliber with still pretty good ballistics, 6.5 is probably the way to go and zak's made a pretty good case for 260rem over 6.5 creedmoor and 6.5x47L. I'm sure you've read that article, as it's prob 3-4 yrs old now, but i don't think anything's changed.


edit: if you're on a budget, look at the savage line.
 
Honestly I would try to tip the scales in my favor and remove some of the fudge factor or wind drift etc. and go for something like a 300 win mag, 300 wsm, 270 wsm, or 7mm rem mag.
 
Go with a 243 winchester, the market is wide open for remington 700 actions and many gunsmiths can customize your rifle.
 
I read an article in which the author recommended the .243WSSM over those mentioned because of the velocity and the BC of the heaviest 6mm. bullet. 3000fps for the heaviest and 3200fps for the 100-105 gr. bullet.
 
One caliber people seem to no longer remember is the 30-06, in the right configuration it will take you out to a 1000 yards without the recoil of the magnums. Ammo is cheaper and an easy reload. Rifles are plentiful and inexpensive to purchase. IMO the recent magnum craze is totally silly. But we all know what opinions are like! LOL
 
I dont believe you can get an accurate answer to your question without information on what the intended purpose of the rifle is. What are you hunting if you are hunting. Rats or cape buffalo. Are you only target shooting in match then see the above answer, Need more info
 
I understand that Danny Biggs, high end F class shooter, is running a 7mm Something for Open. Sorry, I have been out of the game for a while and don't know the chamber.
 
You are right and I beleive the 30-06 will stay supersonic to about 1200 yards.
 
408 Cheytac? :evil:

Sorry, had to say it. Personally, I do not like the Remington 700s as much. As accurate as they are, they seem to lack character. After shooting one a few times at my range and handling one, it didn't "do it" for me. However, my groups certainly did, and I'll probably be purchasing one when I get enough money together!

The Sako seems to be a capable platform, with some class to boot. Although I have no experience with them, the Tikkas seem well-liked as well.

Good luck!
 
Target shooting with a side of hunting

I mostly enjoy the challenge and the feel of shooting targets at that range and would also enjoy the ability to go hunting in the fall, if the desire struck me, thanks for all the feedback so far very helpful and informative, I love this forum.
 
No one mentioned .338 Lapua Magnum?
Because depending on the game, it's not necessary or desirable, and maybe even not allowed by the rules. (I'm thinking the NRA "no muzzlebrakes" rule would effectively eliminate the Lapua from any prone matches.)

No personal experience to 1000 yards, but of the belly shooters I know, many run something like a .260 type chamber, a few run .308s (Palma shooters) and I know of at least one gentleman with a .284 Winchester. I've only seen maybe 2 or 3 "Magnums" show up on the line at 600 yard matches. One was a fellow running a stock Ruger 77 in .300 Winchester Magnum for his first try at 600. One was some kind of standard length 7mm I think. And once was a .30-338. Most of the local guys I know have custom Remington 700s or Savages.
 
I'm an old guy.
It's the Remmy 700 in 30-06.

Solid as a rock gun that can be modified anyway you please and a round you can load to almosy any configuration.

AFS
 
I recently re barreled one of my M70s in 260 Remington. BC on the 6.5 is quite good.

A little research on the caliber, and it didn't take much to convince me which way to go. The hardest decison (cheapest) was to take a nearly new (New Haven) 308, and pull the barrel off.

I'm running a M70 Stealth, with a 27" Lilja 3 groove, 1:8 twist. For me, a 300 to 600 yd rifle. Something to mostly shoot paper. And, the occasional deer.
 
Remington 700 R5 in 308 shooting 175grn SMKs is a fantastic starting point. Lots of information out there for the 308 and its easy to find and not terribly expensive.
 
308 using 175g smk is a great caliber to learn on.
 
If it was possible for me I would get a .338 lapua or .50 cal sniper set-up for shooting that far.Just think of the $ it would take.I'm no sniper but I would say for a .30 cal that is awful far away not that it can't be done but...you never know.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top