new target rifle search

[rdnktrkr]

I've been looking for a new target rifle and debating between a Savage Axis Precision in 6.5 Creedmoor https://www.savagearms.com/content?p=firearms&a=product_summary&s=57549
, a Howa 1500 ORYX in 6.5 Creedmoor https://www.howausa.com/rifles/oryx-by-mdt/, a Mossberg MVP precision in 6.5 Creedmoor https://www.mossberg.com/category/series/mvp-series/mvp-precision/, all these run street price between $700 and $800, I've never shot a chassis gun and don't know what to look for. Are these entry level guns something I would be throwing money away by purchasing them? Are there others that I also need to look at? I'm sticking to 6.5 Creedmoor since I already have brass and dies but if there are any in 243 I also have dies and brass for it also. Should I save up and spend twice the amount and get something better? I was going to build a AR10 in 6.5 Creedmoor so that is still on the table.

 

[Remington1911]

I was all set to pull the trigger on this, then bought a new zero turn mower, so now me playing the long range game is going to have to wait. But I can fill you in on what I know.

I had narrowed my hunt down the the savage in the MDT chassis, so I can comment on those. First off, get ready for very likely the most heavy gun you have ever picked up, you are not going to be shooting off hand with this unless your first name is Arnold.

Second I would say it depends on what game you want to play, some have a ceiling, find out what that is before you buy. Don't plan on playing any games with it, then if it was me I would really think long and hard if this is something you are really going to use. I can't stress enough these things are a porker.

All the items you listed are good for that "factory" (I forget the exact class and term) class in the game I was looking at. You need to stay (I think) under 1.2K for it to qualify.

Myself I had in my hot little hands the savage in 6.5, just what I wanted, but then learn of the Savage Impluse.....well crap I love the straight pull idea, so that is the critter I am looking at. Its price puts me over the limit for the game I wanted to play, but don't care, I don't mind coming in last.

I would say before you order it find one you can lay fingers on, and think of your real use.

Myself I wanted savage for another reason, the easy barrel swap, so if you want to go to 6, or want a custom barrel and want to see what the good ole 243 will do with heavy bullets it is a better way to go with how they do their system.

 

[hk940]

Check this guy out, he lived down the street from me in NJ. Long time bench rest shooter and gunsmith. https://theshooterscorner.com.
He has a huge list of Rifles, scopes, Dies etc.
Most reloading dies are $20-35 plus shipping./
There is a good chance you can find something someone has invested a lot in for a good price.

 

[Varminterror]

Should I save up and spend twice the amount and get something better?

Part of me wants to say yes, while the other part wants to say no.

Spending twice as much on a factory rifle may or may not actually shoot smaller than the Axis Precision. Whereas spending a bit less, buying the $800 Axis then adding a $450 barrel, might likely leave you with an exceptionally small shooting rifle.

If you’re planning to use this rifle for PRS competition, then don’t use either option above, largely because the rifle is the cheapest part of the game, and NONE of these options will be competitive. But if you want a chassis rifle for long range plinking and recreation, sans competition, then in that budget, I would look hard at the Axis and add a drop in barrel in a year or so, and REALLY wring out your money’s worth.

 

[AJC1]

I like and have multiple savages. The ability to cheaply and quickly replace the barrel yourself is a big deal if you shoot a lot, and even more so the hotter the round you choose. If your style is a bench game weight just means less felt recoil. I haven't shot the other guns mentioned so comparing them would be a paper based opinion and I'm not wasting your time.

 

[rdnktrkr]

I have both Savage Axis rifles and Howa 1500s, the Howa does feel smoother and they both shoot great (both 30-06), the Savages shoot as good after a little work (not the Axis IIs). The Savage I can get in 243 which I've always heard is a accurate gun (grandson has a Savage 243 also) and it is the new greatest caliber (6mm). The Savage runs about $70 more but I think I will recoup that if I ever change the barrel, barrel life is also longer on the Creedmoor than the 243, brass and bullets are cheaper for the 243 also vs the 6.5 Creedmoor

I'm to old and out of shape to be running and gunning, this rifle would be for our cook-out/shoots we have at our Cedartown property (100-1200yrds) campout/shoot we have at a friends place (100 to 2000yrds) and our bi-annual run to the CMP Talladega (100-600yrds), I have other guns for hunting/plinking/shorter target practice that weigh less, I don't expect either to allow me to shoot 2000yrds accurately (I have a Armalite AR50 but have only shot it 1200yrds) but would like to hit 1000 to 1200 consistently.

 

[AJC1]

I have both Savage Axis rifles and Howa 1500s, the Howa does feel smoother and they both shoot great (both 30-06), the Savages shoot as good after a little work (not the Axis IIs). The Savage I can get in 243 which I've always heard is a accurate gun (grandson has a Savage 243 also) and it is the new greatest caliber (6mm). The Savage runs about $70 more but I think I will recoup that if I ever change the barrel, barrel life is also longer on the Creedmoor than the 243, brass and bullets are cheaper for the 243 also vs the 6.5 Creedmoor

I'm to old and out of shape to be running and gunning, this rifle would be for our cook-out/shoots we have at our Cedartown property (100-1200yrds) campout/shoot we have at a friends place (100 to 2000yrds) and our bi-annual run to the CMP Talladega (100-600yrds), I have other guns for hunting/plinking/shorter target practice that weigh less, I don't expect either to allow me to shoot 2000yrds accurately (I have a Armalite AR50 but have only shot it 1200yrds) but would like to hit 1000 to 1200 consistently.

If poking paper or steel is your game the 6mm br is your best option. The cases are sxpensive but your barrel will last longer and have less recoil than a 243... it's my favorite cartridge

 

[d2wing]

I have decided that my next rifle will be a Tikka or Remington. I like the quality and out of box accuracy. But if you want real serious accuracy I would think about a custom rifle. You can get lucky with a factory rifle though.

 

[earplug]

Look at Bergara

 

[rdnktrkr]

I looked at Bergara, they run a couple hundred more but they are located on the other side of Atlanta from me and I thought about dropping in and seeing what they have.
I've been talking with a friend and now he wants one also and is debating between the Howa and Savage in 308

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

Knowing where you want to be and what you aim to accomplish matters most.

If your just looking to get sub moa accuracy pretty regularly or sub half minute.

Whether or not you reload or plan to buy ammo and hope for the best. If you ask me to reach a certain level there is no better way than to reload. Though some shooters compete with certain loaded ammo its not common and does not produce winners on a regular basis.

There are some levels to consider with rifle choice and expected results but good glass is not something to cheap on. $200 glass wont cut it in the long run.

My build started with a better action so that i had something to build off of. I bought a Savage 12fv for a little over $300 ( little higher now and no mail in rebates on them like they use to have). I think you can still grab them for a little over $400.

The 12FV has a heavy varmint barrel and decent accuracy for what it cost. Sub moa anyway. but the action is the gem and many people use them just for builds.

I bought a used MDT Chassis ( same as on the stealth when they came out) for $325 to my door.

The glass, mounts, and rings cost more than the rifle though and i shot it for a year or so with sub moa groups. Some days i could squeeze out sub half and others .7-.8” @100. Usually around .6” most days.

Last Year i Bought a new ( select match) Shilen barrel in 6.5 Creedmoor and its a sub-half minute gun.

After magazines and barrel and chasssis, and gauges, barrel wrench, but stock with adjustable LOP and cheek rest I am in it for close to $1200.

Then there is the glass. I didn’t get the best glass there was but i got decent glass for me and my needs. ( got a steal in the price)

So after scope, mount, rings i am a little over $2,000 into this rifle and i cant be happier.

Keep in mind i saved a lot of cash with a used chasis and around $250 on the scope. So honestly i don’t think i could have done better for what i have in it.

I would say i could get a better deal on comparative glass right now but the action (starter rifle) is $100+ more now and I'm not sure if the action can be had for what i got it for ( maybe ). That might even out, but maybe not.

I did a bit of research and learned from other guys that have done it so my time payed off for me as well as the ability to swap barrels and for some that may not be something they want to consider. If you have the time, the drive, and you make good choices you can go the route i did and as many have done.

Remember what Varminterror said about where you want to be and what you want to accomplish. But it never hurts to start with a good action and build around it or up from it if your able and willing.

Some prebuilt rifles at an affordable price might be just what your looking for though. After Savage and Ruger broke Into the factory built accuracy game everyone followed suit and many people have bought one and went out and shot decent groups and shot 1,000+ yards with them. I cant say anything bad about what it done for shooters who were looking for affordable accuracy. Its a plus in my book.

I wanted to take the time to say I owe everything to this forum and some other sources. They gave me the information to get to where i wanted to go. I have learned so much. For that i am eternally grateful. Thanks THR.

 

[igotta40]

Initially there was a Ruger Precision Rifle chambered in .243 but discontinued. They are out there, preowned, if you look, that would fit your budget and caliber requirements. I have one in 6 Creedmoor and it’s a tack driver. I have the Howa 1500 HCR in 6.5 Creedmoor, also very good but it was a few hundred more. My best though, is my Savage Elite Precision, it’s from the factory in a MDT ACC chassis (6.5 Creedmoor) but it’s in a different price category, and almost double the weight of the other two.

 

[Remington1911]

Initially there was a Ruger Precision Rifle chambered in .243 but discontinued. They are out there, preowned, if you look, that would fit your budget and caliber requirements. I have one in 6 Creedmoor and it’s a tack driver. I have the Howa 1500 HCR in 6.5 Creedmoor, also very good but it was a few hundred more. My best though, is my Savage Elite Precision, it’s from the factory in a MDT ACC chassis (6.5 Creedmoor) but it’s in a different price category, and almost double the weight of the other two.

I have tried to look, but my google-fu is weak. Do you know what the twist is on the ruger 243.

 

[Remington1911]

Part of me wants to say yes, while the other part wants to say no.

Spending twice as much on a factory rifle may or may not actually shoot smaller than the Axis Precision. Whereas spending a bit less, buying the $800 Axis then adding a $450 barrel, might likely leave you with an exceptionally small shooting rifle.

If you’re planning to use this rifle for PRS competition, then don’t use either option above, largely because the rifle is the cheapest part of the game, and NONE of these options will be competitive. But if you want a chassis rifle for long range plinking and recreation, sans competition, then in that budget, I would look hard at the Axis and add a drop in barrel in a year or so, and REALLY wring out your money’s worth.

Depends on the game he wants to play and the class he wants to play in.

A mindless cut and paste.

2. UNDERSTAND PRS BASICS
There are different divisions to consider, including Open, Tactical and Production. “Open is Open — it’s any gun, optic or caliber,” Koenig said. “The sky is the limit. In Tactical, you have to shoot .308 Win. or .223 Rem. And Production is a factory-produced rifle. The manufacturer who produces that rifle has to make at least 50 per year and be considered a manufacturer. And the MSRP has to be under $2,500. The optic also has to be under $2,500. There’s a price limit so there isn’t an equipment race.”


Point is if you think you are going to want to play one of these games learn the rules before you start spending your Bennies. You don't want to be put in the open class because you put a fantastic expensive scope on your factory rifle....you might do well, but against the people in that group the odds are against you.

All I am saying figure out what you want to do, and make informed decisions to get you there.

 

[JFrank]

I've been looking for a new target rifle and debating between a Savage Axis Precision in 6.5 Creedmoor https://www.savagearms.com/content?p=firearms&a=product_summary&s=57549
, a Howa 1500 ORYX in 6.5 Creedmoor https://www.howausa.com/rifles/oryx-by-mdt/, a Mossberg MVP precision in 6.5 Creedmoor https://www.mossberg.com/category/series/mvp-series/mvp-precision/, all these run street price between $700 and $800, I've never shot a chassis gun and don't know what to look for. Are these entry level guns something I would be throwing money away by purchasing them? Are there others that I also need to look at? I'm sticking to 6.5 Creedmoor since I already have brass and dies but if there are any in 243 I also have dies and brass for it also. Should I save up and spend twice the amount and get something better? I was going to build a AR10 in 6.5 Creedmoor so that is still on the table.

For what it’s worth , none of these really scream precision, imo

 

[rdnktrkr]

For what it’s worth , none of these really scream precision, imo

what does it take to "whisper" precision? I'm retired and on a fixed income and the wife wants new floors in the house this year (happy wife ...) but I have talked her into a couple grand total for a (toy).

I reload and have learned to match loads to guns, I have just started working on OAL for my 2 Howa 30-06s and Rem 700BDL CD 30-06 and have found that OAL DOES make a difference more so with the 700 (I don't know why). Whatever I buy I will probably only shoot reloads and try to fine tune it at a 100yrd range that is close then hit a longer range monthly

 

[JFrank]

A few years ago I ordered one of these in 308 cal from a dealer for just under $900, I added a 8-32x56 Sightron scope and shot 600 yard Benchrest at a local range and did well in factory/varmint class.
I still have the action yet it’s in a different stock rechambered to a 6 br Norma

https://savagearms.com/content?p=firearms&a=product_summary&s=01269

 

[Varminterror]

Depends on the game he wants to play and the class he wants to play in.

Not any more - again, these rifles aren’t competitive, even in production class, because production class isn’t designed with these rifles in mind…

Point is if you think you are going to want to play one of these games learn the rules before you start spending your Bennies.

It also helps to understand the way the players play the game, not just understand the rules. The typical new PRS shooter’s perception of the rules will get their asses kicked in the score cards. Don’t misinterpret that article to mean these “Production Rifles” listed above can actually compete in Production Class.

A mindless cut and paste….

2. UNDERSTAND PRS BASICS
There are different divisions to consider, including Open, Tactical and Production. “Open is Open — it’s any gun, optic or caliber,” Koenig said. “The sky is the limit. In Tactical, you have to shoot .308 Win. or .223 Rem. And Production is a factory-produced rifle. The manufacturer who produces that rifle has to make at least 50 per year and be considered a manufacturer. And the MSRP has to be under $2,500. The optic also has to be under $2,500. There’s a price limit so there isn’t an equipment race.”

What your quote here hasn’t included is the fact that PRS Production Class IS an equipment race, and has been for several years now.

5-6years ago, Production Class only allowed specific rifles and optics on a List, largely focused on $1500 and under production model rifles and $1000 and under optics. Ruger Precision Rifles ruled Production Class. Then the optics limit was raised ~4yrs ago, and the rule book changed to allow any “production rifle” rifle under $2000 which was listed on the manufacturers website - this ended the supreme reign of the Ruger Precision Rifle… And then the next year, it was expanded to $2500… A “Production class” shooter with a bespoke rifle - which was under $2500 and listed on the gunsmith’s website - placed in the top 5 at the Finale that year in Overall standings… But it was found it was the only rifle the smith had ever produced of that kind - so the next year, the “minimum 50 units produced” limit was added.

So in 2017-2018 and prior, a shooter could place well in production class with a Savage, Howa, Ruger, Remington…

But the game changed. Today, you’re shooting those big brand rifles against “Factory Custom” rifles from GA Precision, MPA, Badrock/Defiance, Seekins, etc which are purpose designed for the class, and to the price point. These are built on custom actions like Defiance Tenacity, Curtis Axoim, or Seekins actions with Custom barrels, TriggerTech Specials triggers, Manners stocks, or chassis’ from MPA or KRG…

Big brand factory rifles in low cost stocks don’t play anymore… Even Doug Koenig’s RPR he placed with 2 years ago wasn’t actually a Production Rifle - other than his ability to have a Ruger Custom Shop rifle disguised as a catalog item… and of course, he’s a long time pro shooter, not a newbie trying to make a go of a new sport…

GA Precision made Pinnacle Production Rifle


MPA made PMR Production Rifle


Badrock (Defiance) made Southfork Production Rifle


Seekins Bravo and HIT Production Rifles

 

[Varminterror]

what does it take to "whisper" precision? I'm retired and on a fixed income and the wife wants new floors in the house this year (happy wife ...) but I have talked her into a couple grand total for a (toy).

I reload and have learned to match loads to guns, I have just started working on OAL for my 2 Howa 30-06s and Rem 700BDL CD 30-06 and have found that OAL DOES make a difference more so with the 700 (I don't know why). Whatever I buy I will probably only shoot reloads and try to fine tune it at a 100yrd range that is close then hit a longer range monthly

Any of those rifles will suit for long range “balling on a budget.” None will really be any more precise than the standard, non-chassis models, and they may only be slightly more shootable for you since some have adjustable chassis’ and cheek risers. But they’ll shoot.

 

[igotta40]

I have tried to look, but my google-fu is weak. Do you know what the twist is on the ruger 243.

Twist rate on the RPR 24 is 1:7.7

 

[webrx]

I have the savage BA stealth mdt chassis. 6.5cm. I don’t compete as my day job does not allow me the time to practice at long range on fridays. it has shot .4 to 1 MOA with factory hornady 140 grain at 100 and 200 and will ring steel at 300 to 1000. I paid $1000 for mine and another 800 for a vortex pst gen 2 scope.

it is probably considered an entry level precision rifle but I am happy.


I love mine and it didn’t break the bank.

d

 

[rdnktrkr]

Thanks everyone for their input, I placed my order for a Howa 1500 today, after playing with my Howa, Remington and Savage (Axis and 110) rifles I liked the action on the Howa the best. I researched and there are a couple of companies making prefit barrels for the Howa with a nut to set headspace that I will look at in a few years.
Now to look for a scope, I'm thinking 6x24 FFP or so and saw a 8x32 that made me rethink, (I currently have 4x14 and 4x16) and look for some more brass, I have 200 new Hornaday brass and about that much mixed/ Hornaday on hand but am thinking about another hundred or so. I'm hoping to receive it and get it scoped before mid April when we head to the CMP range at Talladega.
I have about 500 Hornaday 140gr ELD I'm hoping shoots well, on my Axis I found it liked them just off the lands but I've been reading about jamming the lands but that's something I've never done.
Now for the journey down the rabbit hole searching for the never ending smaller pattern (I've done a little but the 1 moa or so has always been my goal and now I think this will make my goal shrink).

 

[d2wing]

That will probably work well. After seeing Rat107's post about shooting a stock factory Remington 700 a mile using factory ammo and a cheap scope, my faith in mankind is revived.

 

[rdnktrkr]

Picked it up last night, first impressions are good, things I have noticed,
1. There is no mlok on the side, I have a bipod that mounts to side mlok
2. There is no instructions about the chassis, screw torque, stock adjustments, cleaning suggestions
3. The bolt handle is one piece so no oversized knob
4. Very well floated barrel, the 30pg owners manual slides easily under the barrel
5. The plastic and grip feel good, not like cheep AR stuff
6. The plastic mag doesn't impress me
7. The bolt is a little stiff at closing but I think it's because it is unfired
8. It came without a scope rail that was shown in the pics
9. The trigger feels good, a little too much take-up, clean break, I haven't looked at the adjustments but found some aftermarket 1.5lb springs

Overall I am excited, waiting on a scope and mounts, today I will disassemble, clean, check the chamber with 140gr bullets for OAL and get it ready for our trip to the range

This was my first internet gun purchase and I lost sleep worrying about it but it went flawlessly and ran into old friends at the LGS

 

[rdnktrkr]

Complimentary pics