long range rifles?

[jer79]

I have the itch to put together a long range rifle. Maybe a 1000 yard at steel somewhat consistently. For you that have them, what caliber,action,stock,barrel,optic,trigger, and etc. are you using? Bonus points for pics. Curious what you guys are using, maybe some of you are getting great results out of mostly factory guns. If so which ones?

 

[SDMF]

A factory Rem 700 SPS Tactical 20" 1:12 shooting 155 Lapua's @ 2750ish. It has a Shilen trigger and is bedded into a McMillan A-3 w/adjustable cheek-piece. Yellow, Orange, and Black stock.

A Winchester action, Brux MTU contour 1:8.5 twist in 243AI shooting 105 A-max's @ 3200. It has the factory trigger with lighter springs and is bedded into a solid-fill McMillan A-3 w/screw-adjustable cheek-piece. Red, White, and Blue stock.

If I were starting from scratch today it'd be pretty hard not to just tap the easy button and chamber for 6 or 6.5 Creed. Great brass and projectiles for either are fairly easy to get and neither beats the crap out of a person or their wallet.

I'm not sure it really matters enough to notice which bbl a person orders, they're all really good. I worry more about the person doing the action/threading/chambering than the brand names on the components. I've never had a "bad" barrel, not even from a factory rifle. The only aftermarket barrel that wasn't extremely accurate with what I had decided before-hand I wanted to use for a powder/projectile combo is a Krieger 1:8 in 223AI that made me switch from R-15 to H380 for 75gn bullets.

Lately I've used mostly Lilja barrels, mostly because they have a huge assortment of factory barrel duplicate contours available on their site. You order a barrel to fit the stock you have already and there's no re-bedding or barrel-channel inletting to do. Lilja has been very accurate, they clean easy, and they'll do light-contour SS barrels some others won't, like duplicating the Kimber Montana contour.

I've given up on the 12-18Mo lead-times for components (stock, action, barrel, etc) or 'smith work. If I was starting from scratch today, I'd probably get a 700 footprint action, whichever I could find basically in-stock that I could have in no more than 3-4 weeks. I'd put it into a chassis that's also "in-stock". I'd have it set-up with a "barrel-nut" that would allow me to swap barrels myself.

 

[sweeney]

such a rabbit hole, With todays ballistic solvers and quality of optics and rifles if you get a big enough steel target almost anything can be a 1000 yard rifle. on YouTube the channel "texas plinking" has a 1 moa 1000 yard challenge, go through and watch that series and you will see that a variety of guns and calibers can make hits out that far from stock factory savage,bergaras,etc to semi custom rebarreled remington actions to full out customs. But a 10" target at 1000 yards is pretty humbling when shooting in the wind.

Me personally i fell in love with low recoil and being able to spot my misses some guys like bigger calibers and higher bc's however. I think good reliable optic, ballistic solver, rangetime, good trigger to go along with a quality barrel and ammo in any of the 6 to7mm calibers is a good start, being able to have a selection of good bc ammo and lighter recoiling rig will get you started fine. If its something you like and want to spend some serious cash before you know it you will have a pile of stuff you have upgraded to and a custom rifle from one of the reputable gun smiths around.

 

[SupressYourself]

Man... there are so many options, it's not even funny. You can get there with a million different combinations. Best I can do is offer some guidance:

- Go custom. Factory rifles are better than ever, but you'll still end up replacing stuff. Do it right from the start. Look at Rem 700 footprint actions to get the most options for the rest of the pieces (barrel, stock, trigger, etc).
- The barrel is the most important piece for accuracy / precision. Get a good cut-rifled barrel from Bartlein, Benchmark, Krieger, Hawk Hill, etc.
- Good glass is also important. Don't cheap out here. You need to be able to see the target well, and it needs to dial correctly and consistently. You're gonna spend at least $1,000. Closer to 2,000 is better. Nightforce, Vortex (Razor), Leupold (high-end), Ziess, etc.
- Caliber: This topic alone can be debated endlessly, but I would recommend something in the Creedmoor or PRC family. Hornady makes really good factory ammo, but even if you reload, it's still the easy button. I wouldn't overlook something in 6mm, like the 6 Creed. It'll get to 1,000 and then some, and lower recoil will help you keep shooting more.

 

[SupressYourself]

Hopefully you shoot right-handed. Us lefties have much fewer options, which is how I ended up with these:

Desert Tech SRS A-1
I have two barrels for it: Benchmark 6.5 Creed, and K&P 7mm Rem Mag. Everything else is factory DTA stuff.

Mutt AR-10
Yes, you can shoot long range with an AR if you have the right parts. This one sports a Bartlein 6mm Creed barrel that is a fricken laser. Geissele National Match 2-stage trigger, Magpul PRS stock, JP high pressure bolt. The other pieces are inconsequential. This is an older pic. I've since switched to a Leupold VX-6 4-24.

 

[Jiffy]

I shot my eye out...

 

[SDMF]

I shot my eye out...

Says the guy w/Shamu the sleeping 7........

 

[Jiffy]

She’s been a certified safe queen lately. Might have to knock the dust off of that one.

 

[Wall-eyes]

I used to shoot different classes of competition, really depends on what you want to do with the gun.
Some of nicer factory guns do shoot pretty good, depends how picky you are and how accurate you would like it to be. I have alot of different factory guns for hunting etc and custom built ones for better accuracy. 1,000 yds you will need a good gun. Back in day we shoot 6BR/ 6 dasher which lop bullets in bulls eye no recoil. Things have changed now days heavier bullets to slip the wind in 284 size of some type or bigger 300 depends on how heavy gun is built recoil wise. I have all of them and really like 284 or heavier with new longer heavier bullets to beat wind. I really like my 338 edge built by Defensive Edge shooting 300grain. Another one is my 7mm caliber shooting 175 to 180 and all custom built to shoot those specific bullets. DO a lot of research there is few guns smiths around state are good or order online. Really is wide open question, it is a very fun sport enjoy and have fun. To me go custom prices all over board to pay. Back in day we took 700 action had them trued and all work done custom barrel shoot very good. Now days with all custom actions just makes more since labor wise to go that route. I hope you reload that makes big difference too. I have some guns built light weight to hunt and pack and some heavy for bench shooting or on tripod of some time, or on ground. It is a fun sport shooting steel, rocks or animals. Dont have pictures the web is full of great ideas and builders. G.A. Precision, R&D Precision Rifles. Straight Shot Gunsmithing, Center ND great local boy and on and on. The few I had done to shot f class was built by Kelby and Don Geraci moons ago. Some local shoots to check out Badlands Steel Challenge, Dakota600series, Yellow Stone Rifle Club, Billings MT. Is great guy in Dickison ND has business Dakota Rifle Company.

 

[guywhofishes]

Rifle enthusiasts on NDA (not me BTW) are damn lucky to have these gurus to bounce questions off of.

What an easily dismissed benefit of NDA.

 

[1lessdog]

I had a 6.5 x 284 built 6 or 7 yrs ago. It just seem like and rifle built with 284 Win cartridge shoots great. Mine shot so good I had another one built. They both shoot the Hornady 143 gr ELD X in tiny little groups. It is a 1000 yd rifle, weather it's a 6 x 284 or 6.5 x 284 or just a 284 Winchester. You can't go wrong with any of these.

 

[SLE]

I agree with the others, if your main premise is a 1,000 yard gun for hitting steel it's hard to argue against the 6-7 mm calibers. Great balistics with reasonable recoil. My prefrence is in the PRC's but even a good 308 or 7mm08 will do the trick if setup right. There's lots of great factory guns that are pretty damn accurate these days and like others have said, you probably need to spend about as much on the scope as the gun, atleast to a point. Lots of guns will accurately shoot to a 1,000 yards, but if you don't have a good dial-able scope that tracts reliably and accurately, and has enough zoom and clarity, then it's all for nothing.

Not long ago I had a similar goal, 1000+ yard gun for steel, but I also wanted light weight (<10lbs) to be used as a long range hunting rifle. Something that would be good for deer and antelope out to 700-800 yards and 500 or so for elk; and I know I'm not a re-loader, so wanted to be able to do it with factory ammo. Ended up with a Fierce Firearms Carbon CT with a Nightforce NX8 4-32x50 in a 6.5 PRC shooting 147 ELDM's. It's exceeded all of my expectations and has made it fun to target shoot after many years of shooting big calibers with lots of recoil that drove me away from the range. It's also brought a new level of meaning to spot, stock, and sniper when I'm hunting. It's far and away my favorite gun in the arsenal.

Along with that one, I have a cheap Rugar American in a 6.5 creed with an inexpensive 4-16 power Vortex diamondback scope and also a 7mm08 Xblot with a 5-25 Vortex Viper PST. Both are fun to shoot. The creed has exceeded all expectations for a gun that I don't have much more tha $800 into. Zero issues at 500 yards, after that my eyes need a better scope but I think the gun is capable of more. But for a cheap rifle/scope package, it's a great gun that shoots 143ELDx very well. The 7mm08 is deffintely a much nicer higher quality setup, however, it's been a little more chalanging find good factory ammo that shoots reliabily. Just got that one last summer for the kid so and as it sits its a reliable 500-600 yard gun. I believe I setteled on nosler trophy grade 140 grain accubonds as the best factory pil for that gun towards the end of last summer. Hopeing stretch that one out to a 1,000 yards this summer.

 

[Rowdie]

Not to hi-jack this thread, but I'm interested in an accurate small-caliber rifle. 22mag or 17. I want cheap bullets but accurate out to 200 yds. Semi-Auto preferably. Can't break the bank just asking if anyone knows whats good.

 

[Kurtr]

Got a custom 6.5 creed built by a smith in Jamestown he has since moved about 12 years ago. Started with the 140 amax and now 143 eldx. Topped it with an early votex hslr . Its a 12 pound gun i have toted it all over I shoot it good. The last 4 years have not shot much getting into running the dog has taken the spot of shooting comps

 

[Rowdie]

If you wanna get rid of it I'll give you a hunerd fity

 

[SDMF]

Not to hi-jack this thread, but I'm interested in an accurate small-caliber rifle. 22mag or 17. I want cheap bullets but accurate out to 200 yds. Semi-Auto preferably. Can't break the bank just asking if anyone knows whats good.

Volquartsen is top of the heap. Magnum research is a reasonable choice in semiauto.

If going bolt action today I believe I’d start w/Bergara or Tikka T1x.

 

[AR-15]

Nothing Fancy, not Expensive but I have a Mossberg Patriot in 308 Cal. that's fun to shoot long range, fun even on a windy crosswind day, also have Vortex Diamondback

 

[fj40]

I have a Savage model 10 predator with a rifle basix trigger and a bushnell elite in 6.5 man bun. It will shoot better than I can.

 

[Kurtr]

If you wanna get rid of it I'll give you a hunerd fity

That would not pay for the rings. I have a strict policy i never sell guns other than mossberg i would sell those turds as fast as possible. 835 ultimag worst gun ever not even a good fence post

 

[SDMF]

On the “Play-Toy” side of shooting @ distance, I have a Lawton 7WSM w/30” Brux in a McMillan Shehane Tracker pattern that shoots .625 BC A-Max bullets @ just under 3400fps. But, it’s 19#, doesn’t balance worth a darn in your hands, and I’m not hauling it very far from something motorized.