500 yard gun off the shelf?

Boogershooter

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Does any major manufacturer produce a gun that would b considered a true long range rifle? I know savage makes a bench rest model but is it comparible to a custom rifle? Do they really blue print or true the action? Shouldn't all rifles b trued when they leave the factory? I know they are not but seriously is there any rifle in production that should/could possibly b a true long range rifle straight out of the box? No limit on price! Sako, kimber, cooper, weatherby, sig, anybody?
 
If you're talking about turn-key factory rifles that'll hang with the big dogs at LR Precision matches, the two that seem to come up the most are the Sako TRG and rifles by Accuracy International. Two others I've seen mentioned are the Blaser Tactical 2 and the Unique Alpine TPG-1 and TPR-3.

CZ offers their HET in .338 Lapua and their 750 in .308.

And while not "factory", there are also a number of builders who build custom or standard LR Precision rifles. GA Precision comes to mind.
 
Didn't Savage recently win some F Class events with off the shelf rifles?

Most any rifle can be turned into a good shooter if you put the effort in
 
I can't speak for anyone else, but I have a Savage Mod. 10FP in .308 that made me give up using my Rem. 40X in competition. The only thing wrong with it is you have to install a good set of sights, if you are not planning to use a scope. Of course, you have to do that on any target rifle. Comes with a naked barrel, but is drilled for scope bases.
With the proper handload, and if I do my part, it will shoot 1/2 MOA at 300 yards, and sub MOA at 500. (with a scope)
Best bang for the buck on the market. (in my opinion)
 
Yes, Savage, off the shelf rifles have won.

But we don't know how each rifle was selected to use. If I owned Savage, I'd have several dozen checked for bore uniformity and diameters best for accuracy, then test those few that perfromed best and pick the four best ones to represent my company. We don't know if Savage did that. Savage button rifles their barrels. If they're measured for bore diameters and the smallest ones picked, then the ones with the most uniform twist are selected, they would shoot most accurate.

Does any major manufacturer produce a gun that would b considered a true long range rifle?
No, not in my opinion. But Savage probably comes the closest to doing it. Any one with an external box magazine should be avoided; they're the hardest action types to make shoot accurately. No factory uses a custom, aftermarket barrel precision chambered and fit to their untrued receivers. I've never read nor heard about any factory rifle review claiming one would shoot at least 10 shots in 7 or 8 minutes under 1/2 MOA at 500 yards or 3/4 MOA at 1000; that's what the best custom made long range rifles do with ease.

I know savage makes a bench rest model but is it comparible to a custom rifle?
Several of Savage's rifles will do pretty good, but there's a small spread in the accuracy across all of the same model and caliber.

Do they really blue print or true the action?
No. Costs too much for their marketing departments to allow.

Shouldn't all rifles b trued when they leave the factory? I know they are not but seriously is there any rifle in production that should/could possibly b a true long range rifle straight out of the box? No limit on price! Sako, kimber, cooper, weatherby, sig, anybody?
Well, if they were all trued up, half the truing details would not make any difference. And less than 5% of their customers would be able to tell the difference between a trued one and one that's not trued. The price difference would be substantial between standard and trued versions.

For the price of one of the rifles Mr. Borland mentions, you could get a used Win 70 rifle, lap its lugs then true its bolt and receiver face, have a Kreiger match barrel properly installed and chambered, the receiver epoxy bedded in a cheap but decent wood stock, put a $500 scope on it and have money left over to buy good reloading tools and a bunch of components then take your family out to dinner. It'll shoot as good as any match winning long range rifle. People have been doing that for decades.

After you get one, you'll need to reload ammo that's up to the accuracy task you'll need to equal what the winners get. But that's cheap and easy to do.

Rifles are like cars. You don't buy a NASCAR, LeMans or Indy 500 that'll "hang with the others performing the best" from a local, distant or an on-line retailer.
 
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Bart B. said:
For the price of one of the rifles Mr. Borland mentions, you could get a used Win 70 rifle, lap its lugs then true its bolt and receiver face, have a Kreiger match barrel properly installed and chambered, the receiver epoxy bedded in a cheap but decent wood stock, put a $500 scope on it and have money left over

Well, that's what I'd do, but the OP asked about factory rifles. ;)


Does any major manufacturer produce a gun that would b considered a true long range rifle?

Bart B. said:
No, not in my opinion. But Savage probably comes the closest to doing it.

Really?! You wouldn't consider any of the rifles I posted to be bona fide LR rifles? And you'd put a Savage above them? I have no experience with any of them, so I'm really asking as a student.
 
Mr. Borland, none of those rifles you linked to have any on-line track record of shooting to the accuracy level I mentioned. If there is one, please post its link.

Their basic design is mostly marketing hype in my opinion. They're not configured nor shot like the long range tack drivers winning and setting records. Nor are they made with the same type and quality of parts. Nobody shoots a fluted barrel getting best long range accuracy; they know better. I think using one you linked to is akin to buying an army tank to break records at the Bonneville Salt Flats or at the Daytona 500.
 
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We may be talking about different disciplines, Bart. I mentioned the Sako and AI seemed popular factory choices for LR Precision matches, but to be clearer, they seem popular choices for LR Tactical Precision matches. I'm guessing NRA LR matches are a 'nuther animal altogether. It's unclear what the OP wants.
 
jrhilde,

What accuracy is the OP asking for? I have not seen anything specifically desired except that a custom rifle was mentioned. Custom ones, properly built, shoot about 1/2 or 5/8 MOA at ranges past 600 yards that's typically considered long range.

What accuracy does the CZ 750 have through 1000 yards? 10-shot groups; for realistic significance.
 
Bart, forgive me for not having the articles at hand to pull up----
Series of articles awhile back that the woman [the President of CZ USA ], and her top people decided to build an out of the box rifle capable of 600 yard MOA shots that was still reasonably affordable--- she had stated in the full story that with modern technology and with most of the current gunmaker's skills, this was not something that couldn't be done, so the CZ design team built a rifle capable of this kind of accuracy ---- she had also stated that it would of course, cost more, but it would be available for the real long range shooters --- I think the 750 is the current design for this concept, but if I remember correctly, the original was wood and blued steel, but a special build for extreme accuracy from the CZ custom shop---
It's possible that the article might have been in an issue of The American Rifleman, but don't hold me to that ----I'm old and so is my memory----John
 
Just wanted to know if there was any options for a man to run down to the local gun shop and order something that would shoot pretty good at longer ranges! Something comparible to a custom gun! The shop I was looking into to build me a rifle is swamped right now and said it would b a few months before they could get started! I'm not a real patient person for things like that! So my options are to go with something factory or find another builder!
 
I'm not shooting matches and never plan too! Just a couple buddies that like to get out on the lease do some cooking and shooting! We have started shooting more and more at 500 yards! I have surprised myself with a couple of deer rifles but want something a lil more consistent at those ranges! My old sako forester in 243 shoots great at 500 but I don't want to wear the barrel out! Hoping my kids will make plenty of memories hunting with it! 300 weatherby accumark does ok but not fun to shoot 20 rounds thru! My ruger target model in 220 swift does ok if there is no wind blowing at all! Im learning here so any help is appreciated!
 
jrhilde, 1 MOA 600 yard accuracy has been quite normal for factory target rifles for decades. Winchester 70's and Remington 40X's have done that with good handloads with bullets sized for the barrels. But what's missing in so many factory accuracy claims is the details of the standards they advertise.

One MOA claims for commercial enterprises are typically the average of some low number of few-shot groups. The extreme spread of the composite of all those groups is typically twice as big or more.

2 MOA at 600 yards grows to about 3 MOA at 1000 if you count all shots fired. To shoot all shots inside 1 MOA at 600 means you've got to keep them all inside 1/2 MOA at 100.

The OP referred to a custom rifle; the good ones will shoot inside 1/2 MOA at 600 and inside 2/3 MOA at 1000 for a couple dozen or more shots in a row.
 
As Bart B ,Mr Borland and myself can attest there is a great difference between competition accuracy and the casual mid range shooting many folks enjoy. The hand fitting of a custom gun greatly increases the accuracy potential but a higher cost. Factory rifles can be a good start. A friend tested 12 Remington PSS rifles for a state LE agency and found all to shoot MOA and less out to 300 yds. Against NRA mid range paper a wind savvy shooter could clean the ten ring. The custom gun with the right handloads would shoot all X's. F class targets are smaller making the refined rifle more desirable. The bottom line seems to be deciding how the OP wants to use the rifle. Depending on that answer the factory 'long range' question can better understood.
 
I have a Sig SSG 3000 that I purchased over a year ago. I believe it was around $1,300 or so. I have been thoroughly impressed with it's accuracy and ease of shooting.

700 yards is rather boring with it, start getting pass that and wind really becomes critical, of course it is chambered in .308. That being said, like anything you get the windage dialed in and 1000 yards is not all that hard (12" x 12") steel gongs.

I've also entered some sniper matches with it, even tying for first on one occasion against some very expensive rigs.

It has become my go to rifle for long range plinking and groundhog hunting. I smacked this groundhog last spring on our farm at 535 yards, first round hit. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1420394269.533489.jpg


I also had a custom rifle built this past fall by Short Action Customs out of Wellington, Ohio.

This thing is an absolute dream to shoot, Bighorn Long Action, Bartlein barrel, Jewell trigger, McMillan stock. SAC is an excellent rifle builder and custom shop, they turn out some very very nice weapon systems.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1420394474.154224.jpg

Www.shortactioncustoms.com in case your builder is booked too far out.
 
Bart B.,

No factory uses a custom, aftermarket barrel precision chambered and fit to their untrued receivers.

There is an exception to that rule, but not much of one.

Boots Obermeyer made the original 5R barrels for the Remington M24. Not exactly a competition style rifle, but as far as I know the Rem700 actions used on the M24 are not blueprinted at the factory before being sent out.

Of course those rifles were government contract, and not offered for retail sale.

Jimro
 
We have a 24 inch round gong hanging at 525 yards! Any hit at on the gong is a victory for me but I'd like to try to keep them in half that! A 12 inch group or better is what I'm trying to achieve! I don't know how good my skills are because a lack of equipment! All of my deer rifles shoot 1 inch or better at 100 yards but trying to hold most of them steady at 500 is not easy! Some of my scopes didn't have enough adjustment to shoot that far so I hav'nt tried them all yet! Think I may try to ruger heavy varmit in 6.5 creedmore! Or a savage if someone has a suggestion for them but if not I will wait and have Dixie custom build my 264 win mag!
 
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