Heavy barrel, long action, rifle choices?

[ochadd]

I shoot 2-3 days a week and anywhere from 20-300 rounds at a go. The field I shoot in can get me back to around 3/4 of a mile or 1200 yards. Most often it's .223 and .243 and 99% of the time it's prone.

Trying to make use of the range I've got available is difficult with my equipment and/or skill level. Try to do my part putting in range time but the .223 and .243 go subsonic far short. Would like something in 7mm or larger.

What are my choices for Sendero like rifles that I could put 200 rounds a week through? So far I've seen:

Remington Sendero
Tikka T3 Tactical
Armalite AR30
Savage 110FCP-K

Sako TRG, Accuracy International, etc might be great guns but way out of my price range. Something in the $1000 range would be nice.

 

[jbech123]

rem 700 police in 7mag or 300 win would do the trick. As would a savage and still get under 1K budget.
260 rem is great if you reload, same effect on targets as above with less recoil.
WIth the right bullet your 243 will get you to 1200 though...

 

[rangerruck]

I was gonna say, if you handload, a vld type bullet, 105 to 115 grains, in a 243, will do 1000 yds. If you are looking factory ammo, and not a ton of money, then 308 or 30.06 is the way to go, or even a 7.08, and then there is allways the 6.5 swiss, with milsurp ammo. I know milsurp is supposed to be crap, but not swiss made milsurp...
Not sure of cost, but I think I would first do a 270 wsm round,140 grainer or bigger if they make it, over a 7 mag, for 1000 yds.

 

[USSR]

...there is allways the 6.5 swiss, with milsurp ammo. I know milsurp is supposed to be crap, but not swiss made milsurp...

There is the 6.5 Swede, and there is the 7.5 Swiss.

Don

 

[MCMXI]

Sako TRG, Accuracy International, etc might be great guns but way out of my price range. Something in the $1000 range would be nice.

You're ok with paying for 200 rounds a week, over 10,000 rounds a year of a fairly expensive caliber, and yet you only want to spend $1000 on the rifle. If you reload, the ammunition is going to cost you upwards of $7,000 per year and if you don't, probably closer to $10,000 a year assuming you shoot as much as you say you do. Now factor in the new chamber/throat every 3,000 rounds and possibly a barrel and your plan really doesn't make any sense at all ... unless you inherited a 40' container full of ammunition.

As for shooting at ranges where common calibers are no longer supersonic, if you can't consistently put 30 rounds into 1MOA at 600 yards under a variety of conditions, I wouldn't even bother going out beyond that.

 

[ochadd]

You're ok with paying for 200 rounds a week, over 10,000 rounds a year of a fairly expensive caliber, and yet you only want to spend $1000 on the rifle. If you reload, the ammunition is going to cost you upwards of $7,000 per year and if you don't, probably closer to $10,000 a year assuming you shoot as much as you say you do. Now factor in the new chamber/throat every 3,000 rounds and possibly a barrel and your plan really doesn't make any sense at all ... unless you inherited a 40' container full of ammunition.

As for shooting at ranges where common calibers are no longer supersonic, if you can't consistently put 30 rounds into 1MOA at 600 yards under a variety of conditions, I wouldn't even bother going out beyond that.

It's not about quantity over a years time. It's about how many rounds I can put down it before I'm twiddling my thumbs or shooting another rifle while something cools down.

I would rather have five $1000 rifles to play with vs. one $5000 rifle. It's for my enjoyment the same as going back to 1000 or 1200 yards casting lead at a piece of paper or prairie dogs. And I do reload.

 

[browningguy]

Savage 12 F-TR in .308, about your price range, and if you can't shoot at 1000 yards it's not the rifles fault.

 

[Jim Watson]

I agree. A big 6.5 or 7mm would reduce the wind effects somewhat but you would be buying a new barrel about once a month at your stated consumption of 200 a week.

 

[Sunray]

"...1200 yards..." If you're shooting that far, you need meticulously loaded match grade ammo. Exceptionally good sights, trigger and a bedded rifle. Typical 1,000 yard match targets are 8' x 8' with a 20" bull. Wind is always an issue.
A .300 Win Mag with 190 grain match bullets will do it, but not with a hunting rifle. Sendero's are hunting rifles. Rem 700 Police rifles in .300 Win Mag sell for around a grand with no sights.

 

[Zak Smith]

If you're going to shoot 10,000 rounds a year and are on a budget, you better be shooting .308, just so you only have to rebarrel every 6 months or year instead of every 2-3 months.

 

[JpSnareGuy]

How much money are you willing to spend. Anually ?

 

[lefteyedom]

Get a .308 Sendero. Then spend till it hurts and a little more and buy a GREAT SCOPE/MOUNTS and RINGS. If you spend $1000 on the rifle spend $1500 on the scope.

 

[wcoats]

.260 Rem would probably be a good choice. It's known for great long range ballistics and will have a lot less recoil then a .300 Win Mag, which would probably be nice for shooting that often.

 

[Txhillbilly]

.260 Rem would probably be a good choice. It's known for great long range ballistics and will have a lot less recoil then a .300 Win Mag, which would probably be nice for shooting that often.

Why does somebody always say a 300 Win Mag has a bunch of recoil? Yes,My Ruger #1 does have some recoil,without the muzzle brake. My heavy barreled Savage 110FLP has No,Zero,Nada,Nothing when it comes to recoil. If you set it up correctly to fit you,and as much as they weigh with a decent stock and the heavy barrel,they don't have any felt recoil. I bet most of the 260's & 6.5x284 setups have more felt recoil than my 300 Win Mag!

 

[USSR]

If you're going to shoot 10,000 rounds a year and are on a budget, you better be shooting .308, just so you only have to rebarrel every 6 months or year instead of every 2-3 months.

+1.

Don