Undecided - Long Range Precision Rifle - Help Please

[JFrank]

Relax. I self admitted I'm a novice to LPS. I'm doing my research and looking to the forum for help. That's all man. Just want to have fun here and make some friends.

Tough crowd today, sounds like you want to shoot Steele plates at LR. That's a little different than targets for group and score so good luck and have fun, don't let the banter send you to the curb as everyone shoots better on the internet.
See ya on the reloading page.
J

 

[MR WICK]

Tough crowd today, sounds like you want to shoot Steele plates at LR. That's a little different than targets for group and score so good luck and have fun, don't let the banter send you to the curb as everyone shoots better on the internet.
See ya on the reloading page.
J

Thanks Man. Appreciate it.

 

[Cowhide Cliff]

Someone mentioned 6.5. The ammo for it is just too expensive. I'm going to be entering into Long Range competitions soon and want as much practice

You are wanting a long range precision rifle to compete with and worried about the price of ammo? Sorry but that's like building a drag race car and worrying about the cost of gas.

Any ammo worthy of the task in practice or the real thing is not much different cost between calibers and reloading most of the 6mm or 6.5 offerings is actually less than a 308.

 

[Zerodefect]

I'm mostly trying to find a rifle for the scope I already have, for the shorter midwest ranges that I have. A stock Savage 12 LRP is overkill for my current scope and ranges.

If I was serious about 1500 like the OP, I'd get this to start with:
https://savagearms.com/content?p=firearms&a=product_summary&s=57701

I'll let y'all pick caliber. 300prc? .338?

First focal plane scope with Christmas tree:
https://www.opticsplanet.com/vortex-razor-hd-lht-4-5-22x50mm-moa-rifle-scope.html

I've seen these go 1000. No idea about 1500.

 

[JFrank]

You don't need a huge cartridge to shoot a thousand yards. I do it with a tiny 6 mm.

 

[webrx]

I have a savage BA Stealth in 6.5 and shoot steel at 1000 with it. Have not joined the local club so i can shoot targets at 1000 yet cuz the practice during the week and I work still.

for 1200 I am completely satisfied with this rifle. I have also heard good things about the RPR and have one in 22 mag for my 200 yard paper and 300 yard steel addictions.

ymmv.

 

[Zerodefect]

If I enjoy long range, I could see a 6mmBR build. But for now, I want to hear steel plates ring, and see them move.

At our 300y range, I can't even tell if 5.56 hits, half of the time.

 

[MCMXI]

The fact barrel fluting is on your list says a lot about where you are in this journey. Same with 2 stage triggers.

What does it say exactly?

 

[JFrank]

If I enjoy long range, I could see a 6mmBR build. But for now, I want to hear steel plates ring, and see them move.

At our 300y range, I can't even tell if 5.56 hits, half of the time.

PRS is dominated by 6mm

 

[AK Hunter]

At 400 yds away I can tell when I hit the gongs with my 6.5CM 90 gr loads even with my bad eyes.

 

[MCMXI]

PRS is dominated by 6mm

It's interesting that the meteoric rise in popularity of the 6.5 Creedmoor was largely driven by the PRS and similar, but it's now been largely replaced by 6mm cartridges. I don't know where the US military is on this currently but there was a plan to move away from .30 cal in favor of 6.5mm for some applications, even LMG platforms. I suppose the 6.5 Creedmoor is perceived to offer enough salient advantages over the .308 Win with sufficiently few disadvantages to make the switch worthwhile. My long-winded point here is that I doubt the 6mm Creedmoor would be such an easy sell.

 

[horsemen61]

Ignorance. 6.5 creed ammo has reached parity with 308win ammo when buying similar brands and grades of ammo.

^^ facts

 

[JFrank]

It's interesting that the meteoric rise in popularity of the 6.5 Creedmoor was largely driven by the PRS and similar, but it's now been largely replaced by 6mm cartridges. I don't know where the US military is on this currently but there was a plan to move away from .30 cal in favor of 6.5mm for some applications, even LMG platforms. I suppose the 6.5 Creedmoor is perceived to offer enough salient advantages over the .308 Win with sufficiently few disadvantages to make the switch worthwhile. My long-winded point here is that I doubt the 6mm Creedmoor would be such an easy sell.

Probably not but I sure am considering a rebarrel on my Tikka 308 to a 6 mm Creedmoor. I tried to win a Lilja barrel certificate last month but ended up DQ on my last relay' they are just around the corner in Plains Mt. Carson tells me his 3 groove barrels are very fast .

 

[C-grunt]

For 2000 dollars you are going to have a hard time beating those PRS production guns for an out of the box rifle. Even if you dont end up competing they are using good actions, good triggers, great barrels, and fully adjustable stocks. If you want to be competitive in PRS get it in 6mm Creedmoor. Ammo is available in factory loads and it does well in the sport. Ive done some PRS shooting but not at an actual match. The name of the game is spotting your own shots, so heavy rifles that are well balanced and have low recoil are what you want. It's hard enough to do well without a timer on your back.

If you want to stick with 308 for whatever reason that's fine. My rifle currently being built for me is a 308. Ill probably try and compete with it eventually as my health gets better, but I know I wont be competitive. The biggest problems with 308 in competition are going to be recoil and wind drift. You are going to have to hold for wind significantly more than the 6mm guys.

If you just want to shoot long range and competition is a secondary thing, the 308 will work well. If you are actually shooting 22 at 300 yards effectively, you'll find 1000 yards with the bigger cartridges no problem.

 

[horsemen61]

It is?

Crossed 1,000yrds off of the list with this one today. View attachment 1023232

Details please!!!

 

[taliv]

What does it say exactly?

it mostly says you don’t view barrels as a wear item and are willing to spend $$ on features with value so low it’s prob not measurable. Sure if you’ve got the kind of money where you have your bubble gum monogrammed, knock yourself out.

after a few years of competition I was going through so many barrels I wouldn’t even pay for cerakote. Just krylon it.

however I disagree about 2 stage triggers.

 

[Nature Boy]

A 308 will get you to 800 yards, but 1000 yards is pushing the limits.

Nonsense

 

[taliv]

Like many threads this one suffers greatly from a mix of expectations.

some just want to hit a target at 1000 yards and don’t care if it takes 20 tries to do it. Upon success they’ll scratch it off their bucket list and go on to something else. Others want to be effective, and have a very high probability of first round hits. Still others may have expectations around terminal performance.

can you eventually hit a 1000 yard target with a pistol? Sure. Short barreled 308? Yes. Thompson contender? Of course. Black powder? Yep. Is it fun? To some (personally I find hitting targets is a lot more fun than missing) but there’s a reason no outcome-focused shooters use these for long range.

Shooting 22lr at 400 yards is fun and challenging. Is it effective? No. Would I recommend it to anyone? No.


If you’re a new shooter with a lot of disposable cash and you want to shoot targets at 1000 yards get a factory rifle in 6mm or 6.5mm and scope marketed toward PRS or fclass competition and go shoot.
If you don’t have lots of disposable cash, go rent a gun for an afternoon and scratch your itch.

 

[irishlad]

I would give the Bergara B-14 HMR some serious thought. Can be bought for under $1000.00

 

[MR WICK]

What does it say exactly?

Fluted Barrel: Refers to the removal of material from a cylindrical surface, usually creating grooves. This is most often the barrel of a rifle, though it may also refer to the cylinder of a revolver or the bolt of a bolt action rifle. Main advantage is weight reduction.
- Ounces equal pounds, and pounds equal pain. Very rough estimate here, but fluting a barrel could get you about a 35% weight reduction, 45% loss of rigidity, and a surface area increase of about 65%.
- Increasing the surface area assists in the heats convection process, meaning the heat has much more cooling surface to dissipate from the barrel into the surrounding environment

 

[MR WICK]

Thanks for all your helpful replies everyone. I've decided on the Ruger LPR in 6.5 Creedmore.

 

[Varminterror]

What does it say exactly?

This:

it mostly says you don’t view barrels as a wear item and are willing to spend $$ on features with value so low it’s prob not measurable. Sure if you’ve got the kind of money where you have your bubble gum monogrammed, knock yourself out.

A new LR shooter concerning themselves with fluting is chasing irrelevant aesthetics rather than attributes which actually influence precision. Sure looks cool, but won’t make your rifle shoot smaller. Demonstrably, fluting either does nothing functional for precision, or degrades precision. Looks super cool and costs a lot though.

For example, our neophyte in question, @MR WICK’s response here extolling (dramatically exaggerated) stats about barrel fluting, rather than spending his time researching something which will actually influence his long range journey.

 

[Varminterror]

however I disagree about 2 stage triggers.

Fair, but in the context of a new LR shooter researching a limited number of topics, I have to say, on the other side of that fence, I don’t think I would prioritize any of these 6 parameters, with the exception of free floating barrels, as the highest priority a shooter should be researching:

I have been researching barrel lengths, rate of twist, barrel fluting, two stage triggers, 5R rifling, free floating barrels, and more.

We know some options for barrel length and twist rate can make life easier or more difficult, and we know some folks really like two stage triggers, but I’m pointing out the fallacy that these are top priority parameters to get there. Short barrels, slow twists, single or two stage, 5R vs. 4 groove vs. 6 groove vs. gain vs. polygonal, fluted and non... any of these can reach 1,000, even 1500 yards without really complicating life too much.

Cartridge, ammo quality, optic capability, support method, and skill are much, much more influential, “bigger knobs,” than any of the above parameters.

 

[Varminterror]

Did ya hit anything ?

A few targets jumped in front of our bullets.

Varminterror I'm liking that stock in your striker.

Thanks! I picked it up this spring, it’s a Jim Rockwell. Much, much better feel and balance than the original Tupperware, and doesn’t look too bad doing it. My son picked the color, but I grew up in an orange and black school district, so I wasn’t hard to convince. The factory stock couldn’t come close to holding that Proof Competition Contour.

Details please!!!

It’s a Savage Striker 516SS which originally left the mothership as a 243win in a polymer grip. Replaced the barrel with a 15” shouldered (eliminated barrel nut) Proof Competition Contour 1:7” twist chambered by Schur Customs in Bennington, KS in 6mm Creedmoor, Area419 Hellfire brake, Jim Rockwell laminate stock, Nightforce 20moa rail, Burris XTR Signature rings with 40moa shims, FFP Bushnell DMR II 3.5-21x50mm with G3 reticle, trigger spring replaced to total 1lb 10oz, bolt lift kit, and extended bolt handle, knock off Harris bipod until I get the 8” Area419 Arcalock rail installed. Shooting 112 Matchburners out of it for now until 105 Hybrids become more readily available.

 

[troy fairweather]

Thanks! I picked it up this spring, it’s a Jim Rockwell. Much, much better feel and balance than the original Tupperware, and doesn’t look too bad doing it. My son picked the color, but I grew up in an orange and black school district, so I wasn’t hard to convince. The factory stock couldn’t come close to holding that Proof Competition Contour.

Looks like it will be a real shooter, 6cm will be nice in one. Really wish I had my pistol permit, my dad had more then a few bolt pistols. He had two strikers, a 243ss and a 7wsm that one he shot his bison with. He had à few xp100s my favorite was a xp100R that was a 35rem he reamed to 358win, had the nice stock to McMillan of manners I can't remember. The 7wsm was great fun we reached out a few times with it.