what rifle/cal. for me?

[cajun47]

i have a great ak47, sks, and a turkish mauser 8mm.

im gonna join a gun club with a 600 yard rifle range.

they have 30 and 100 yard ranges for my handguns and ak but what should i buy for the 600 yard?

i rather not spend too much at first, maybe around $500 on a rifle and scope. is that realistic? i just want it for fun right now. i won't be competing at first.

im thinking a bolt gun in 30-06 or .270?

or should i go and get a bushmaster(what i really want) in .223 or .308?

 

[rcmodel]

I have always found it best to get what you "really want".

If you don't, you will just end up with a rifle you didn't "really want", and still "really want" the one you didn't get in the first place.

As for a recommendation, hang around the club (after you join one), and check out what is popular there with the rest of the crowd.
Some places & shooters still frown on Black Rifles, and some don't.

And you may even find a real good deal on the club's buy & sell bulletin board that would allow you to shoot it first before you buy it.


rcmodel

 

[RockyMtnTactical]

Get an AR15 if that is what you really want. I recommend .223/5.56 though.

 

[TCB in TN]

If you are wanting to shoot 600 yards with reasonable accuracy then .223/5.56 AR's are probably not the way to go. You would be better served buying a decent bolt rifle in 30-06, or .308. While not ideal you can find a decent used bolt rifle from Savage, Remington, Mossberg, etc. in 30-06 that can get you out of 600 yards with decent accuracy for your $500 target. You are not getting a real high quality AR for $500, and also the .223/5.56 are really to light to go out to 600 with good accuracy.

 

[RockyMtnTactical]

Yeah, I missed the $500 price point originally. If you are firm on that, I wouldn't bother with an AR15 personally.

 

[taliv]

If you are wanting to shoot 600 yards with reasonable accuracy then .223/5.56 AR's are probably not the way to go.

unless you're one of the tens of thousands of people shooting AR15s in .223 in the CMP or NRA service rifle competitions each year at 200, 300 and 600 yrd lines with IRON sights

or unless you're one of the thousands of people shooting AR15 /.223 varmint guns at p-dogs and groundhogs

or unless you're one of the thousands of people like myself who shoot M4-style AR15s at steel targets well beyond 600 yrds all year round.


223 is plenty 'accurate' at 600 and even 1000 yrds. the only real disadvantage is that wind will blow it around a little more than the higher BC bullets available in 6mm, 6.5mm and 308

 

[jrfoxx]

For $500 includng scope, you'll probly have to go used, or you may be able to get a Savage package deal with scope from walmart or similar for close to that.Pretty sure I've seen the Savage package deals for close to that around here before (Wont come with the greatest scope but it should be good enough to get started and have fun).Also, I'd go with 30-06, as it shoud be able to do good at that range no problem, and is suficiant for hunting anything you want, if thats something your interested in.Lots of choices for bullets and loads, and its pretty inexpensive for centerfire rifle ammo.Also real easy to find ammo anywhere,and with a decent selection too,as its been around a LONG time, and there's a gazillion rifles out there chambered in it (practically everyone and there brother owns a 30-06 it seems).not really saying the .270 wont do all this too though,I honestly dont know that much about it,but pretty sure ammo is at least a bit more expensive and with fewer options.I alo dont recall seeing as much of it in as many places as 30-06.In the end you probly wouldn't be dissappointed with either, LOTS of people here seem to think pretty highly of both dong for just about anything, and doing it pretty well.

 

[cajun47]

http://www.rossiusa.com/products/product-details.cfm?model=R243HB&category=RIFLE

im thinking of that ^^^^. its a heavy barrel rossi single shot(crack barrel) in .243. i have a youth model rossi in .22 and its highly accurate. they may laugh at my $200 rossi but i'll put a $300 scope on it.

i would rather a 30-06 like this but they dont offer that cal. with heavy barrels.

 

[HOLY DIVER]

i own a A-15 colt h-bar
now i have to say it is pretty good at 600yds
but my model 700 remmington is better (7mm-08)
letts remember a bolt gun is better at long range
savage makes some real nice heavy barrel prob stuff now
but if i was you i'd look for a used model 700 .308 or 30-06
your prob gonna go over your $500 mark but i think in the end you would have a rifle you would be very very happy with!
as far as a scope look at a swift scope
hint hint allot of bang for the buck!

 

[oregonhunter]

unless you're one of the tens of thousands of people shooting AR15s in .223 in the CMP or NRA service rifle competitions each year at 200, 300 and 600 yrd lines with IRON sights

or unless you're one of the thousands of people shooting AR15 /.223 varmint guns at p-dogs and groundhogs

or unless you're one of the thousands of people like myself who shoot M4-style AR15s at steel targets well beyond 600 yrds all year round

And these guys are doing this with $ 500 ar's huh?????

 

[taliv]

the original post specifically mentioned bushmaster and everyone here knows those aren't $500. While low-end AR15s aren't generally as reliable as quality ones, they are generally plenty accurate, and often are MORE accurate because companies like DPMS cater to people who usually shoot off their butts/bellies and want to see tight groups.

 

[oregonhunter]

dpms rifles are very nice quality but seem to be out of the price range in this discusion

I vote, a remington or winchester bolt gun. A guy is selling a great target style m70 30-06 in the classifieds right now.

 

[rangerruck]

the mauser and the 223, bushy, will get you to 600 yds, without killing you in ammo costs.

 

[TCB in TN]

600 yrd lines with IRON sights

or unless you're one of the thousands of people shooting AR15 /.223 varmint guns at p-dogs and groundhogs

or unless you're one of the thousands of people like myself who shoot M4-style AR15s at steel targets well beyond 600 yrds all year round.


223 is plenty 'accurate' at 600 and even 1000 yrds. the only real disadvantage is that wind will blow it around a little more than the higher BC bullets available in 6mm, 6.5mm and 308

No offense intended but for the stated price the OP is looking at, and for a shooter NEW to long distance shooting the .223/5.56 is just much less forgiving. The heavier .30 cal bullets are easier to shoot for 600yards in even ideal conditions, and add in even a 3 or 4 mph wind and the smaller round really suffers.