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Campfire 'Bwana
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A friend of mine has decided that he wants to be a long range shooter and wants me to order a Savage 110 Ultralight in either 6.5 PRC or 280AI for him. I suggest the Mauser M18 Savanna in 6.5 PRC as a less expensive alternative. His rifle budget is around $1,200.
I haven't shot either of these rifles and thought that I'd ask the experts what you think of these three choices or if you can offer a better solution within his budget.
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Long range shooting. Choosing an ultralight? Hmm. That, in my book takes one hell of a rifleman.
Well this is a fine pickle we're in, should'a listened to Joe McCarthy and George Orwell I guess.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Long range shooting. Choosing an ultralight? Hmm. That, in my book takes one hell of a rifleman. He thinks that he is a better shooter than he really is, but many people are prone to self-delusion. Years ago I went to a leadership seminar given by former NU volleyball coach Terry Pettit where he said that in his experience many men deluded themselves by believing that they had a natural GOD-given talent for driving a car, shooting a gun, and coaching a team. Coach Pettit's experience and mine are pretty much parallel.
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Campfire Tracker
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I am sure you are going to hear a lot of different idea's on what it takes to shoot well at long range, some people consider 500 yrds long range, others 800 yrds long range or 1000 yrds long range, how about 1 mile, 2 miles. let your goals help you decide what tool and Optic's to use. Also I hope you have enough reloading stuff, to shoot what ever you choose more than just a little, Rio7
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Long range shooting. Choosing an ultralight? Hmm. That, in my book takes one hell of a rifleman. +1. Is the $1,200 budget for the rifle only, or rifle and scope?
A wise man is frequently humbled.
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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With that budget, what about a tikka ctr?
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Joined: Dec 2002
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Campfire 'Bwana
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OP
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2002
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Long range shooting. Choosing an ultralight? Hmm. That, in my book takes one hell of a rifleman. +1. Is the $1,200 budget for the rifle only, or rifle and scope? Rifle only.
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Joined: Dec 2002
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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I am sure you are going to hear a lot of different idea's on what it takes to shoot well at long range, some people consider 500 yrds long range, others 800 yrds long range or 1000 yrds long range, how about 1 mile, 2 miles. let your goals help you decide what tool and Optic's to use. Also I hope you have enough reloading stuff, to shoot what ever you choose more than just a little, Rio7
My friend told me that he wants to reach to between 700 and 1,000 yards. He is a reloader, but not what I would call a precision reloader. My maximum comfort range is about 1/4 miles with a good solid rest in the field, but I've shot enough on our 600 yard range to be comfortable off the bench.
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I agree with the posters above. Start with what expectations the shooter has. How far away does he want to shoot at what size targets - elk demand far less precision than coyote. Once that is figured out then it comes down to selecting the right tool for the job.
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Everybody thinks they are Quigley until they get their ass handed to them in competition.
Politics is War by Other Means
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There’re more long range rifles than rifleman.
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I might be wrong but it sounds like a Savage LR Hunter would fit the bill.
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I am sure you are going to hear a lot of different idea's on what it takes to shoot well at long range, some people consider 500 yrds long range, others 800 yrds long range or 1000 yrds long range, how about 1 mile, 2 miles. let your goals help you decide what tool and Optic's to use. Also I hope you have enough reloading stuff, to shoot what ever you choose more than just a little, Rio7
My friend told me that he wants to reach to between 700 and 1,000 yards. He is a reloader, but not what I would call a precision reloader. My maximum comfort range is about 1/4 miles with a good solid rest in the field, but I've shot enough on our 600 yard range to be comfortable off the bench. What is he wanting to shoot? Is this to be a target/play gun or is he wanting to hunt with it? If just a target/play gun, I’d go with a 6.5 Creedmoor and enjoy less recoil and more barrel life. If hunting, then I’d concede the 6.5 PRC or .280 AI but could still be, and am happy with the 6.5 Creedmoor. I’d also go with something heavier than either choice mentioned. My hunting rifle weighs 10.6 pounds all up with scope and magazine full of ammo. Its heavy by most folks standards but I’m more than willing to put up with the weight for the extra shootability and the confidence that brings. I’ve not owned a Savage but have been around and shot a few and have never been impressed. I’ve just not observed the affordable accuracy I’ve seen so many brag about. I set up a Bergera HMR for a friend of mine and am duly impressed. My son had a Tikka CTR and that thing would shoot. Both were much more rifle for the $ than any Savage I have been around. For $1200 he could do much better than a Savage. The Howa Oryx chassis rifle would be another that would interest me. John
Last edited by Hondo64d; 09/01/21.
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
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Some folks here will poo poo the Browning X Bolt, but mine easily shoots 3/4 MOA with factory loads and my handloads. This is a 6.5 Creedmoor, right out of the box.
Do some Google searching and see if you can find any complaints vs how accurate they are.
Faith and love of others knows no mileage nor bounds. That's simply the way it is. dogzapper
After the game is over, the king and the pawn go into the same box. Italian Proverb
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While having shot steel to a 1000 plus I've no interest in shooting at animals at that range. It's both fun and frustrating . Calibers that have been used 300 Win Mag, 7 mm Rem Mag, 308 Win, 6.5 Creed and 260 Rem. 6.5 and 260 were by far the easiest to shoot for longer periods of time so made it easier to hit steel at that range.
Never take life to seriously, after all ,no one gets out of it alive.
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Last time down to visit RIo7, I surprised myself shooting long range, to me. Of course I was shooting RIO7's rifle, under His instruction, but was still surprised at the results. Good equipment and listening to someone with knowledge pays off most times. miles
Look out for number 1, don't step in number 2.
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Miles, You forgot to mention, your a dam good shot, all i did was change you to a rifle and scope, that's set up for long range, and give you some wind calls, you were shooting some very good groups at 1000 yrds, you were more suprised than i was, that was fun, we need to do it again soon. Rio7
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shooting at a 1,000 yards it is very fun but to be honest if your just playing why not just use a 6 BR no recoil , cheap to shoot , and its more accurate than most other cartridges at all distances including 1,000 yards. yes i own 6.5 Creedmoors and many other cartridges in bench rifles but that little 6 BR is a dang great little cartridge and when your shooting all day at the bench recoil does suck.
LIFE NRA , we vote Red up here, Norseman
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pete53, Almost all 6mm's are good to 1000 yards, some use more or less powder, but they almost all shoot well, out of a good barrel, optic's and shooter's, make a big difference, and almost all are low recoil, very few shooter's spend all day at the bench. YMMV Rio7
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Campfire Ranger
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Miles, You forgot to mention, your a dam good shot, all i did was change you to a rifle and scope, that's set up for long range, and give you some wind calls, you were shooting some very good groups at 1000 yrds, you were more suprised than i was, that was fun, we need to do it again soon. Rio7
Thanks for the kind words Blue. I am still blown away with my shooting, and yes, I was very surprised. Had never tried that before, and it was awesome. miles
Look out for number 1, don't step in number 2.
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