Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles New rifle, suggestions/thoughts?

Not to pick at the OP particularly, but this question comes up so often I don't understand it. First, why does someone in the market for a new rifle want to let someone on the internet he hasn't even met pick out a new rifle for him? No personal preferences of his own? No loyalties to any brand, cartridge, style, etc....
IMO, if you want to shoot 600 yards for game (with a 1000 yard rifle, whatever that is defined as), I would think you would do some homework first. A 300 WM sounds like a great place to start if you don't know anything about ballistics, bullets, scope adjustments, etc.... but how about seeing what rifles really work at that range with the available bullets? And, if you do find a 300 WM load that is accurate enough and has a decent BC to shoot past 600 yards into a game sized target, can you afford enough of the ammo to shoot enough to become proficient to shoot game at those ranges? And if you can, will you develop a flinch or other issue during your "training period". This is a serious question- I've seen it happen and in this day when premium ammo comes pretty dearly at $60-$80 a box , it can get pretty expensive to reach proficiency with your chosen weapon.

Better choice is to do some homework to see what actually works before plunking down your money. Stick and I have had this discussion for as long as we have both been on this forum, which has been from the beginning. However, he actually has the perfect place to experiment and the willingness to do so and knows what works and what doesn't. A 308 caliber bullet with a lousy BC isn't going to go to 600 (or any other long range for that matter) any better than a . 6.5 Caliber or .284 (7MM) caliber with a huge BC and have any more energy or ballistics. And, the shorter cases will be easier to shoot, cheaper to learn on, and have more choices for rifles these days in styles and weights you want to carry into the hinterlands. The 6.5 cartridges aren't just a craze that will die out tomorrow because guys have finally caught on to the fact that bullets with astonomical BC's in the . 650 and above range are flatter and work as well way out there than their fatter cousins in many cases.

To make a long story longer, do your homework and open up your horizons and you may (or may not) decide on a completely different tool. But at least it will be YOUR choice, not some incoherent voice on the internet that may or may not hunt in the same conditions you do...

Bob

^^^Exactly what Bob just said^^^^

Lighten up, fellas, The question asked by the OP is what a forum is for. You know, to post a topic in order to engage in a conversation with like minded people and learn from their experiences.

That's exactly what a forum is for.

Lastly he, like all of us, is looking for some affirmation on his decision or decision making process.

I thought if you have to ask what to shoot to "X" yards, you shouldn't be shooting to "X" yards.


Something like that...

I never really considered shooting a thousand yards. But it would be fun. I read that the 1000 yard pro’s mostly shoot fast twist 243’s or six or six and a half Creeds. Probably some other stuff too. They apparently prefer the lower recoil for better precision. Although I’d like the idea of something a bit bigger if I was after trophy elk or moose.

Good lord! Why dont we overthink the hell out of it?...I dont know how anyone ever shot game at long range before the 6.5 Creed came along......Hb

Best to hold each of your options as you won’t hit nothing at 600 yards if the gun doesn’t fit you. I had a Tikka in 300 for years but sold it for Christensen Mesa. I have other tikkas and really like them but for the big 300 I didn’t like the tikka. But I love the Mesa in every way other than it is heavier than the tikka. Christensen gives you a lot of gun for the money in my opinion.

I agree, I have owned 2 Christensen ridgeline rifles (.300 Win and currently own one in .300 WSM) and a Mesa (.308 Win) and they are a great bang for the buck.....Hb

If $1500 is doable, a custom is well within your range. My .338WM started out as a naked action and cost me just over $1000 to build. My 6.5-06AI is a Krieger barreled custom and cost right at $1500.

I heard once that the military used 308 somethings in their "sniper" rifles. It was on the Internet.


I'd take a Rem 700 chunk, drop it in a Greyboe, SWFA MQ it, buy a 5 gallon bucket of M118, and be done. Guarentee when the bucket is empty, you'd be a shooting mofo...

Sheister, seems to me he has chosen a different tool than you would have. We are not all chasing the same thing and thats Ok.

Missing the point as usual guys. Nothing wrong with the 300- I have two of them and nothing wrong with other calibers, either. I have them up and down the ladder and use all of them. However, if you're talking about shooting 600 yards - 1000 yards- a big part of the consideration should be on the bullets you will be using to reach that magic number accurately. High BC is important as well as suitability for the purpose. Hunting bullets with high BC's differ greatly from target bullets, etc.... Also, when you know what bullets you may be shooting for the intended purpose, you can choose the rifle with the proper barrel length, twist, scope mounting options, scope requirements, etc....... ask anyone who has an early Remington with the 12 or 14 twist on their 223 or 22-250 and see how they shoot the heavy or long bullets....

Believe it or not, a little bit of research could save a lot of time, trouble, and money instead of taking someone's advice without knowing what you actually need to accomplish your goal. In my own fashion, I'm actually trying to be helpful not only to the OP but to others who may have this same question tomorrow, or the next day. Want to bet this won't be asked again very soon?

I totally get what you're saying Sheister.

I really appreciate the advice. My point of starting this thread was less about blindly following peoples advice and more about experiences with the rifles I mentioned(and maybe some that didn't make my list that I overlooked/etc).

I already have two creedmoors... when I thought of picking up a 300, I wanted something different. I want a hammer!

As far as bullets go, I was thinking either the 210 berger or 200/212 eld-x.

Because the CLUELESS haven't the faculties,to garner a FIRST Fhuqking Clue and are the first to poke pointy heads in the sand...which is why this schit is sooooooooooo reliably fhuqking funny! Hint.

A 300 Winny "HAMMER!",will spit the 210 Booger at 2900fps,in most configurations,with it's "whopping" .625 BC and "only" using 30+ grains more powder to arrange same. At the vaunted 600yd line,it certainly drifts more,yet retains only 100fps of impact velocity advantage. The 7-08/180 ELD at a paltry 2600fps launch,nets the wind drift advantage inside the 200yd line(never losing same),yet recoils less at all distances...while retaining the mechanical advantages cited prior.(grin)

There is a "whopping" 12fps impact speed difference betwixt the 210 Booger/2900fps launch and the 180ELD/2600fps launch,which makes it a REAL fhuqking "hammer". LAUGHING! At 1200yds,the 180 arrives at greater velocity and with a foot less wind to boot. Hint.

Plus they're purty.(grin)




And no slouch in 7-08 SALAMI,AYE-EYE or Whizzum...which makes the 6.5 Kreed/147 ELD tremble,as well as 162 'Max/BTHP's/ELD's. Laughing!




Facts and Physics reliably confuse THE Dumbest Of Fhuqks and I rather getta kick outta watching the Drooling Dumbfhuqktitude. Though in fairness,the OP to her credit,KNOWS better than try to attempt that which matters and nicely skirted twist,throating and COAL latitude,while fretting all of the schit that do NOT make a fhuqk.(grin)

Bless their hearts.

Bullets still matter wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy more than headstamps,despite nobody having an inkling to them constants. Easy for me to say,if only because I shoot it all and then some.

Hint.

Laughing!......................

Read what Stick has to say in this last post and you'll see what I'm trying to say. Bullets matter a lot, matching the rifle to the bullet is secondary if you understand where you're trying to get to. Larry is the only person I know who has studied enough and shot enough to verify every conclusion he posts on this forum. Nobody here is even a close second IMO. Wearing out a few ballistics charts and reloading manuals is a lot cheaper and effective than buying (several) rifles that may or may not be up to the task.

Bob

Found this comparison on another thread. Great way to compare and research different cartridges - not just the ones listed in this comparison. Scroll down to the 6.5 Creed/308 Win/300WM comparisons-

https://rifleshooter.com/2016/02/6-...ngth-on-velocity-cutting-up-a-creedmoor/

Bob

BS Master does not mention what is most important in 1k and beyond besides the obvious. Vertical Dispersion. He is not the smartest but tries....

You've got to start somewhere or nobody would be shooting out to 600. We're not born knowing how to do it.

The OP started by asking questions of guys who've given him some things to think about.

Completely agree with stick on this one. If you have $1500 to spend a Barrett Fieldcraft would be my choice. And just like he said if you reload the 7mm08 if not the 6.5 Creed I’ve been doing a lot of reading and studying lately for my next rifle purchase in a few months and if you can get past his harsh tone everything he says is spot on. Bullets, barrel twist and mag length

If I may enter some thoughts on long range shooting. I used to shoot 1000yd matches years ago. In order to be competitive & accurate to make such long range shots I fired 500 or more rounds a month at least. Me & those around me would buy our bullets in lots of 5000. Powder , at least 4 8 lb kegs at a time. Primers the same way. It was necessary so that all your bullets , powder etc were of the same lot for consistent accuracy. Our goods were delivered by freight truck. The bullets some times 50,000 ( for several shooters) were on a pallet & had to be unloaded by fork lift into a pick up bed. I was spending all my money on components, but necessary to be competitive. All my spare time was devoted to shooting. If you really want to be a long range shooter you have to shoot at least 200 to 300rds a month. Minimum. Shooting on the range is completely different than say shooting across a high mountain canyon. Across the canyon you can have mutable cross winds of 10 to 30 mph no problem & you can't see them. They can be at any angle plus up & down drafts. Swirling wings that are constantly changing. Also an unsteady rest. You have to consider you are shooting at a live animal & it is your responsibility to place your shot accurately& not wound. On the target range you are shooting over a flat surface with wind flags at least every 50yds. You have the advantage of a dead steady rest & lots of time to shoot. .A spotting scope to dope down wing flags. Completely different than being in the hunting field. With the 300mag you have to consider the recoil you will have to put up with firing many practice rounds. Spend a day shooting a 300 mag & you will notice your accuracy dropping off after just a couple hours practice because of recoil. There is a reason that competitive long range shooters shoot milder recoiling cals. . Not trying to talk you out of any thing just want you to be aware of what you will encounter. Also consider replacing your barrel at least once a year. If your not your not shooting enough.