Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Think I'll give it a go! Advice needed

I respectfully request advice!

My thoughts are I'd like to setup an antelope rifle that will reach out to 600 yds or thereabouts. I believe there are enouph accurate shelf rifles out there nowadays I shouldn't need a custom nor do I really want a custom. I would also prefer to keep a setup under 8.5 lbs and less than $1200. If 600 yds is not considered long range I apologize for posting in the wrong section

PS, I do reload my own as this may influence advice. Thanks for any advice



Trystan

Ruger American AW in .243 with 105 Horn HPBT bullets and SWFA SS 10x scope. EGW 20MOA rail and Horn XTR Sig rings. Spend the rest on reloading components, and go pop some primers.

Steyr Pro Hunter in a 7mm-08 or 308 win? Put on some decent glass and have at it.

This

Yep. I might go 6x MQ though.

Not bad. I would go with 95 gr. Bergers though.
And maybe the SWFA rings......

I have a RAR .243 and this sounds like a great setup for a guy like me to get acquainted with SWFA SS, mils, etc. Any load data for the 105's, or a 95 VLD maybe?

Great thread right here. The 243 is a wonderful platform to use for LR shooting/hunting. Lots of bullets to choose from, good brass, and can shoot all day.

Just confirmed today that the SWFA 10x will clear the barrel on a RAR predator with the Talley extra lows.

Thanks a bunch for the advice fellas. I was actually thinking RAR in 243 so I'm glad to hear I was at least headed in the right direction. I researched the SWFA scopes and if the scope works as well as reviews rave it's a great bargain for the $300 price. Are any of you fellas using this scope that can validate? I have a FX3 6X42 Leopold that I was considering sending off to have an M1 turret installed. They charge $100 so maybe better to just spend $200 more and get the SWFA? Sounds like the SWFA is very durable according to reviews? Leopold would be lighter but I have no idea how well they hold up with a M1 turret?


Thank you kindly for the advice once again and it is much appreciated.



Trystan

Lapua brass, Fed 210, 105 HPBT at the lands, work up to 41-41.5gr IMR4350. I bet it shoots

Grab the SWFA SS and either sell the FX3, or keep it for a dedicated PBR lightweight setup.

My all time favorite .243 bullets (for hunting) are, in no order:

95 Berger VLD
105 Amax
87 Vmax
100 Sierra GK

The Vmax is a wonderful LR coyote bomb. I think I have convinced nearly everyone to switch from the 75 to the 87 and none heve been disappointed. 4064 is the go to powder here.

The 100 SGK I feel is one the best, and most under rated 243 bullets out there. Quite simply, Sierra nailed it with this one. It is tougher and has a thicker jacket than most realize. It holds together remarkably well even on close shots on deer. It has produced some of the fastest deer kills I have ever seen. And it has plenty of BC to take out to 600 yds and still expand reliably. It has never been finicky, in anything. And I am talking a dozen 243s. 42.3 gr. IMR 4350 has been magical in multiple rifles.

Now we come to 2 bullets I have used extensively for target shooting. But we are talking strictly from a hunting perspecrtive here. Either will take deer sized game without any trouble. The 105 Amax and 95 Berger. What I have found is that due to magazine constrictions, I prefer the Berger. It is slightly shorter and has slightly less BC. BUT you can also seat it out further and get more powder under it. Being lighter, and with a higher charge, pretty much negates the BC advantage of the 105 in a hunting rifle. Simply put, you can push it faster. It also stabilizes better in some factory barrels. And it is probably a better game bullet as well. I usually run 4350 with these bullets as well.

Lots of powders will work, and I have far too much powder on hand to try every new one that comes out. So admittedly, I have kinda been stuck in my ways as far as the 243 goes. Anything 75-90 gr. gets 4064. Anything over 90gr. gets 4350. That is really all you need to know, and will get you far.

As much as I really like all of said bullets, if I had to run one for all hunting of coyote and deer sized critters, I just may pick the 95 VLD. it is tougher than the 2 Hornady bullets and less messy, and has a better BC than the SGK, and you can get a little more speed out of it.

My current SS is a 12X with MOA quad. I prefer MOA to mil because I am, again, stuck in my ways. Have been doing the MOA thing way too long to switch now. I would suggest the 10X MOA quad here.

It is too bad Weaver has yet to make their 20 MOA rails for the American. I like their cross slot design better than the EGW, but mostly like them because they sit a good bit lower than EGWs do. I also prefer the flat tops of the SWFA rings to the rounded Burris ring tops........

Jordan, have you tried the 105 scenars on game?

I have three of the SWFAs and they are the best bargain out there in a long range capable scope. I recommend you start with the 10x. I have a 16x, but while the mechanics are superb, the eye box is very critical and the glare very bad as the sun gets lower on the horizon. The 6x, 3-9, and 10x are absolute winners. Start there. As mentioned, flip the Leupold or keep it for a non-dialing gun. Even we're it to track correctly, the reticle would leave a lot of capability on the table in terms of making corrections, etc. SWFA rings are another of those best kept secrets.

John

For those of you who prefer the 95 VLD over the 105 VLD, care to share the reason(s)? Assume because it fits the mag box confines better? (I've got a box of 500 of the 105 VLD hunting I'm planing on using)

I'd agree with a lot of that, but differ on a few points.

The 87AM is certainly a wicked pill on short-medium range coyotes and the like, and the 105AM/HPBT are awesome longer range bullets that kill deer and bigger game with aplomb. It's tough to beat the 105AM as an all-around target/varmint/BG bullet in the .243, though. The HPBT leans more toward targets and BG than varmints. Leaving the muzzle at 3050 fps from a SAAMI .243 and 3150 fps from an AI, it's tough to beat. I've got my throat cut for a COAL of 2.813" with the AM and a bit less with the HPBT, which easily fits in most mag boxes. The 95 can't keep up in those conditions. IMR4350 has been pure magic with 100+ gr bullets of all sorts.

I'll differ on MOA vs. Mil. Mil is simply much more intuitive. As a long-time user of MOA turrets and Mil reticles for many years, the mass exodus to Mil/Mil was a smooth transition with very little effort involved. Just very intuitive. The numbers are a bit easier to manage in shooting scenarios with a bit less math to worry about in the heat of the moment.

What do you use the flat tops of the SWFA rings for? The Burris XTR Sigs can't be beat for getting as much usable erector range out of those SS scopes as possible...

No, sir. Never had a reason to move away from the Horn AM/HPBT. They both shoot with wicked precision, cut atmospherics like a knife, and hammer game. Oh, and they're still pretty cheap to purchase in bulk. Nothing not to like

Mag box constraints would be the only reason, in my book.

Trystan - SWFA has a trade-in program that will give you a good price on your Leupold. You can probably get into an SS for less than the price of upgrading to an M1. Check out their site for details.