Looking for a long range target rifle...what to get?

[aquapong]

I'm looking for something that will reach out to 500 yards and beyond as long as I'm up to the task. The use will be long range targets and quite possibly my first deer rifle. I'm happy with being able to hit a paper plate at 500-600 yards, it doesn't need to hit a pinpoint. The caliber I'm pretty sure about being .270 since it's got the flattest trajectory without going to something like a .300 Win Mag. Any deerhunting would not be done over 150 yards or so, so I'm not worried about the retained power at long ranges. I will probably have about $600-700 later this year to build this rifle, scope, mount, and rings. It'd be nice to have money to buy ammo left over.

What type of setup would you go for?

 

[charleym3]

Hitting a 8" paper plate at 500 yards is good shooting. Pulling it back in to 100 yards, you're talking 1.5 inch groups. Most any quality rifle will do that with good quality ammo. To really get what you want, you will probably have to start reloading or buy the expensive ammo.
The glass that you put on the rifle will set you back almost as much as the rifle if you buy quality.
Unless you are already invested in the .270 consider a .308 in a Savage 110 or Remington 700 PSS for long range work. If long range is the exception rather than the rule one of the light weight rifles could be a better choice. Consider the primary use and target that rather than one rifle that will do everything well.

 

[Steve Smith]

Perhaps the best way to get the info you seek is to use the THR search engine. Limit searches to the Rifle Forum and search for "long range" and "Long distance."

 

[Nero Steptoe]

Hmmmmm, believe I've heard a similar question from somebody about to get his first "deer rifle"!

 

[rdbrowning]

If you are not into reloading, give serious consideration to the 308 because you can buy match grade ammo. I know, it ain't cheap and you probably don't want to use it hunting, but it really helps track down the causes of variation when the ammo is consistant. Also there is more info on the 308 balistics to allow you to predict tre trajectory and more importantly wind drift. As the distance grows, so does the effect of varibles such as wind.

If you are into reloading there are a lot more options, especially if you don't mind wildcatting. The 6.5-284 seems to be makeing quite a stir on the 1000 yard circuits for the past several years. The 270 and 25-06 are both quite good to 500 yards and well beyond. The 260 Remington is also an excelent choice for that range. The 25-27 caliber bullets have plenty of energy and very good balistically. The 243 will go that far for paper and is a pleasure to shoot, but it is a little weak by the time you get to 500 yards for deer. The 7mm's and some of the stonger 30 calibers are flatter shooting too, but can be a bit much on the shoulder. The more it hurts, the less most people enjoy it and the less they practice. Practice is the key to long range shooting.

Good luck

 

[dakotasin]

so this is to be a dual purpose gun (deer/target)?

what does the area look like that you'll be hunting in? will a long, heavy barrel be too difficult to use, or will you be planted on a stand, or is the area wide open?

for caliber, i second the 308 nomination. also give very serious consideration to the 7-08 (very good bc's available w/ the 7 mm bullets).

i'm a remington fan, so any rifle i'd reccomend would be 700 based - while the m7 is a great rifle, it will likely disappoint on targets at longer range (when compared to the 700).

 

[Brian Williams]

If you are ooking for a reasonable accuracy and capable of easily dropping game inside of 300yds look at the 7mm-08. A lot of Metallic Silouette shooters use it offhand up to 600yds on the ram targets.