Long Range Target in 308 Win

[Howa 9700]

The day may come when I'm in the market for a heavy barreled gun in 308 Win for long range target and fixed hunting. Hoping to find a gun capable of sub MOA.....after that, will be up to the shooter to take advantage of it.

Potential candidates are Ruger Hawkeye Long Range Target and CZ 557 Varmint. Tikka probably makes something similar as would Savage and ??????

Probably dozens of similar I've never heard of, which is why I'm asking.

 

[Howa 9700]

Hoping to find a poor man's (or at least one not oozing cash) version of one of these.......

https://www.gaprecision.net/the-crusader.html

 

[wst38tx]

With my developed loads and a Ruger American 308, I regularly shoot 1/2 moa at 100 yards. Haven't been to a longer range, but this is good enough for me. Not bad for a $300 rifle.

 

[JFrank]

Although I love my 308 i definitely recommend focusing on a quality action .473 bolt face and stock, being set up as a switch barrel able to go from 308 to Dasher or 6.5 x 47 Lapua for example.
to swap barrels only takes a couple minutes

 

[C-grunt]

My top two recommendations for "budget" target guns are the Bergara HMR and the Tikka T3x.

The Bergara comes with a nice adjustable stock, uses common AICS pattern mags (Magpul maks a cheap version), and is Remington 700 footprint so it accepts all of the huge aftermarket for the 700. Bergara was a very well known barrel maker before they decided to release their own rifle line. I have three close friends with the HMR, two in 6.5 and 1 is a 308. All are easily sub MOA with match ammo and even shoot cheap stuff accurate enough to hit targets out at hundreds of yards.

The Tikka T3x is another great option. Really good trigger out of the box, very accurate barrels, and extremely smooth action. The aftermarket isn't as large as the Bergara but you wont have a hard time finding upgrades if you want. The only downside to the Tikka is the mags are pretty expensive. Though aftermarket stocks and chassis will convert it to AICS mags.

The Ruger Hawkeye Long Range looks like it could be a really good rifle as well. My only reservation is the fact that it's a new rifle to the market and the aftermarket will be substantially smaller than the Bergara or Tikka.

 

[C-grunt]

Actually I forgot that another friend has the HMR is 300 Winmag. He shoots that rifle out to a mile regularly and says it will hang with his two custom built 300 Winmags.

His shooting partner has a Bergara Premiere model in their chassis ( I cant remember the name). That rifle is more expensive than the HMR and is right around 1600 dollars I believe. But when I took my AI-AT running a Gradous 6.5 CM barrel out with them, that Bergara Premiere ran right along my AI out to a mile.

 

[Orcon]

Are you wanting a heavy bench/range rifle or a general purpose rifle? Any thoughts on a semi-custom build?

 

[Howa 9700]

The concept I'm looking for goes by a lot of names. Bench.....long range target, varmint, predator, tactical and sniper? Would be shot from mostly fixed positions......out to maybe half mile. Mostly paper (recreational.....not competitive), but also varmints and deer in season. So not a strictly a target gun.

I suspect what I'm looking for can be found on a rack.

 

[Orcon]

Well in that case, don't over look the Rem 700 5R or the Savage 11 Tactical. Both are good rifles with decent fiberglass stocks for under a grand.

 

[Condor]

I have one of the Savage 12 FV specials from Cabelas ($419 when I purchased)

I upgraded with a Boyd’s stock and AICS compatible bottom metal.

It is sub MOA with 168g handloads.

 

[JFrank]

A poor mans $4900.00 rifle found on a rack ?

Awesome, please report back what you find.

 

[army_eod]

I just ordered the Bergara B14 HMR. I have a Tikka T3x Lite.

 

[C-grunt]

A poor mans $4900.00 rifle found on a rack ?

Awesome, please report back what you find.

Cabelas in Glendale Az currently has that same rifle but in 6.5 Creedmore for 4500 dollars..... SO kinda on the rack? HAHAHA

 

[LNK]

The day may come when I'm in the market for a heavy barreled gun in 308 Win for long range target and fixed hunting. Hoping to find a gun capable of sub MOA.....after that, will be up to the shooter to take advantage of it.

Potential candidates are Ruger Hawkeye Long Range Target and CZ 557 Varmint. Tikka probably makes something similar as would Savage and ??????

Probably dozens of similar I've never heard of, which is why I'm asking.

Subtract 8200 from your screen name!

 

[jmr40]

If geared more toward target shooting with some hunting.

Choose | Tikka

If you don't go crazy heavy with the scope weight for hunting is tolerable. Street price is about $1000 in blue, about $1100 in SS. Biggest negative is expensive spare magazines. Right around $100 each. I have seen them a low as $80.

If geared more toward hunting with some target shooting.

Choose | Tikka

Comes with a 3 round mag, but 5 round slightly extended mags are about $30 each. Street price is about $600 in blue, $750 in SS.

I have both. If there is any difference in accuracy I can't tell it, both are easily MOA with good loads. I suppose the heavier rifle should be easier to hold steady.

And I'd strongly suggest 6.5 CM over 308. Every 6.5 CM I've ever shot was more accurate than the most accurate 308 I've ever fired. Recoil is noticeably less and no game animal will ever know the difference as a hunting round. As a target round 6.5 CM handily beats 308, especially at longer ranges. The 308 starts to run out of gas at about 800 yards with typical loads and normal barrel lengths. It is just barely capable at 1000 with hot loads and very long barrels. The 6.5 CM is still going to be stable at a mile or more.

 

[Varminterror]

Ain’t a “poor man’s version, but it’s half the price.

I can tell you, these shoot every bit as small, still sub-MOA on a bad day.

 

[Walkalong]

Every 6.5 CM I've ever shot was more accurate than the most accurate 308 I've ever fired

Not knocking the choice, but you haven't fired any accurate .308 rifles to make that blanket statement. Both are fine rounds, both can be extremely accurate, ones more suited for playing at long range. The are good reasons for choosing either one, but the 6.5 Creed is far more popular right now, and in fact, when my brother wanted a play rifle that can shoot well up close as well as farther out, and recoil will be more tolerable for a range session, I recommended the 6.5, and I am a long time .308 fan.

But to infer that all 6.5s will out shoot all .308s simply isn't correct.

 

[Howa 9700]

Paying attention and liking all the advice. Tikka, Savage, Bergara (this one is new to me). Interesting nobody mentions the CZ.

ON the Remington......wondering what the status of those are today? But out of current bolt guns, 2 of 3 are Remington 700's, so there is some history there.

On the GA Precision.......would be nice!



Kid and gun are both shooters.

By coincidence, most of the shooting this new weapon would be doing is about an hour from GA Precision's HQ.

 

[jmorris]

The concept I'm looking for goes by a lot of names. Bench.....long range target, varmint, predator, tactical and sniper? Would be shot from mostly fixed positions......out to maybe half mile. Mostly paper (recreational.....not competitive), but also varmints and deer in season. So not a strictly a target gun.

I suspect what I'm looking for can be found on a rack.

Ahh the do everything rifle and list of compromises.

Bench helps, that makes it so even ridiculously heavy for carrying around as hunting rifles can play. 1/2mi is 880 yards, so no problem with the 308 there, what size targets are you intending to shoot out that far for recreation?

 

[Howa 9700]

It helps that for the hunting part, no carry farther than a few hundred yards is needed. Deer have been shot from positions no more than 100 yards from the back door.

My target shooting tends to start on paper to get gun and ammo sorted out, then switches to something "action". With an air rifle or .22, bottle caps at 50 yards, shrinking to primer end of pistol range brass. Not shooting groups, but shooting to hit small targets. So for big bore at a distance, paper to tune it and get it sighted in, then action targets at a distance. Steel plates......maybe milk jugs or soda bottles or beer cans filled with water to verify the hit. The action rewards the shooter with instant feedback. And small enough target it takes effort to pull it off. Maximum safe area I have to work with is 800 yards.

Have a small cadre of nephews and grandsons coming up. Some are shooting now, but haven't had much help from parents, who BTW, a couple of those could use a little help themselves. Never had time to help them before, but now I do.