Best Sniper/Sharpshooter Rifles

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Spade305

Inactive
Hello guys I'm new here and am looking for.some help picking my first rifle, I do have a pistol which I have gotten pretty decent with but I don't have experience with rifles. And before anyone lectures me on the meaning of a sniper, no I'm not in the military nor am I looking to kill anyone but I thought I'd include the word since obviously rifles used by trained snipers must be pretty accurate.

Basically I'm looking for opinions on the best rifles that are accurate at very long distances, preferably up to 500-1000 yards which I know is hard to get to but it would be nice to have something that can do the job should I get that accurate with the rifle. So what are your thoughts? Would something like an AR do the job or would I need a bolt action?

Also if you guys don't mind I'd like to know which you guys think is the best rifle for a reasonable price and which is the best if price is not an issue. Thanks in advance.
 
Rifles used by snipers and designated marksmen are not really the best choice for long range target shooting.

The AR-10 and M1A are the closest match you'll find in the US inventory as used by both snipers and SDMs and capable of shooting to 1000 yards. Between those two, the AR-10 is more accurate. The US Army uses the SR-25 model as the M110.

Otherwise you are looking at a Remington 700 in 308 Win, as that is bolt action sniper rifle platform for the US military that is also available on the civilian market without going overkill and getting a Barrett M82.

If you are just getting started, get a Savage.

Jimro
 
Welcome to TFL.

My advice is buy a decent .223 bolt action rifle and learn to shoot it as best you possibly can. It'll serve you well to 600 yards and even beyond. Once you mastered the .223 then move on to larger cartridges that'll extend your range.
 
but I don't have experience with rifles.
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If you really don't have any experience with a rifle then get a .22 and practice a bunch.

You can learn trigger control, sight alignment, using a sling and the positions for pennies on the dollar verses a center fire gun. I emphasize-a range session firing 100 rounds of .22 will give you a lot of practice quicker and cheaper (money and wear and tear on your body) than starting out with a center fire gun.

Lots of folk think highly of the CZ 452 and 455. If you're made of money then Anschutz.



http://jga.anschuetz-sport.com/index.php5?menu=303&sprache=1

http://cz-usa.com/product-category/rifles/rimfire/
 
but I don't have experience with rifles.
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In light of this, what DaleA said. You DEFINITELY don't want to start with a .308/7.62 NATO. It's not so much that .308 is an especially hard recoiling round, but the cheapest ammo (that you would want to run through a $1500+ rifle) costs a minimum of $.50 per round. That translates into not much practice. Also starting out with .22lr helps you to learn to not develop a flinch.
 
I am no shooting/rifle expert. I certainly am no long-range guru.

So what am I doing answering this query, then?

Well, the fact that I had been (up until recently) in the very same boat as the OP. I am new to shooting and I have a decent bolt action .308, with a big ol' scope on it. I am learning.

I also have a decent .22LR bolt action, with a decent scope on it too and that is what I'd advocate getting first.

The .22 is way less intimidating, won't induce a flinch, is so much cheaper to shoot (assuming you can find ammo..:rolleyes:) and is plenty accurate enough to reward good technique and allow you to spot bad technique.

So that would be my recommendation.

But you asked about a long range rifle purchase. Firstly, don't call it a sniper rifle: I did and got lambasted for it!! ;) Lexical faux pas aside, I would suggest a bolt gun without a detachable mag if you ever plan to handload. I have one with a mag. I like it a lot, but it does mean that I am restricted in cartridge length. Not a problem if you plan to only ever buy commercial ammo.

Other than that, just get a decent quality gun: Savage seem to have a good rep', Tikka, or even the exclusivity of a Desert Tactical bolt action. My personal choice is a CZ. A great rifle, but perhaps the others above would be more refined and precise.
 
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Personally, I agree with the .22LR suggestion. Or, at least see if you can borrow a decent .22LR rifle for a little test:

To find out what you're up against, set up targets at 100 yards and 200 yards, with a 2MOA scoring ring. 2MOA is about the size of the 10-ring of the High Power Rifle Slow Prone target, shot at 600 yards. Considering HP is shot with iron sights and a sling, this is a pretty generous target if you're using a scope. Even so, you might be surprised how difficult 2MOA can be at 100-200 yards with a .22, but it's about what you'd be up against with a .223 or .308 at 600 yards.

If you're not consistently able to get most of your rounds in the 2MOA at 100 yards with a .22LR, I'd recommend getting a .22LR of your own to start with, as getting to this point with a centerfire rifle is going to be pretty expensive, especially if you don't reload your own ammo.

If you're dead-set on a centerfire rifle, I'd start off with a Savage bolt rifle in .223. Savages are known for their accuracy, at a good price point. Skip the cheap 5.56 surplus FMJ ammo, though, and buy some decent stuff: There's no point in handicapping and frustrating yourself with junk ammo, IMO. Be aware, though, once you start paying for decent factory ammo, a .22LR might suddenly seem more attractive. ;)
 
Bolt guns have fewer parts and thus less things that affect the harmonics of the rifle.

That said, the AR with the gas impingement system is one of the most accurate semi-automatics around. Unlike the M-14 type action, there is no moving gas piston or op rod. Second it has no bedding that can get worn out from assembly/disassembly.

Suggest you go simple with a bolt gun and learn handloading. It can save you a lot of money which you spend in with more trigger time. Take an NRA rifle course and get into long range matches. When you develop your skill, then upgrade your equipment.

Gone are the happy days of inexpensive Finnish Mosin-Nagant rifles. They were extremely accurate and the ammunition wasn't expensive back then.
 
Accurate factory rifles Rem. 40X

In factory rifles , Remington 40X, from the "Custom Shop" if price is not an issue.
Precision on Demand.
The rifles in this series are far-reaching testimony to our entrenchment in the tactical community, superior R&D and full-time commitment to augmenting a trained marksman's skills. The Model XM3 Rifle System, chambered for 308 Win, is fully rigged and ready to launch sub-MOA strikes out to 1,000 yards. Incorporating today's most advanced technologies, it is an unparalleled fusion of compact sizing, light weight, accuracy and range designed from the ground up by Lt. Col. USMC Ret. Norman A Chandler II of IBA under contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). His system starts with the legendary Model 40-X™ action platform. The receiver is mounted to a compact, 18 1/2" stainless steel (mil-gauged) Hart barrel featuring a 1:10 twist with six grooves. It is match chambered and threaded to accept SureFire's muzzle brake/sound suppressor adapter. A Nightforce NX3 3.5-15x 50mm illuminated mil-dot reticle scope is the ultimate in target detection. The lightweight stock is custom-designed by IBA and McMillan with removable length-of-pull spacers, plus forward grooves on the fore-end for a sure grip. It facilitates installation of the UNS Mount designed for night vision mounting. Proven dependable after 500 hours of saltwater testing, the Man-O-War metal finish is available in black and OD green.

Hand-built in the Remington Custom Shop on our venerable 40-X action, the fully equipped Model 40-XS™ Tactical Rifle System comes with a Harris® bi-pod, world-class Leupold optics, Turner® AWS tactical sling and swivels in a Pelican® hard case. Its 416 stainless steel, 24" barreled action is coated with our proprietary non-reflective black polymer for protection, then custom-bedded in a McMillan A5 series stock with adjustable length of pull. This rifle and our Model 40-XB™ Tactical sit firmly atop the food chain in accuracy and dependability wherever they are called to serve.
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Or - http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/tactical/centerfire-tactical/model-700-target-tactical.aspx
 
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I'm a young guy but I've been shooting rifles for over half of my life. The furthest I've shot so far was close to 400 yards without a rest. that was with a Savage 110 and kodak scope ($80 cheapy from Kmart). The farthest at the range I've shot is 100 yards. Getting started at 500 yards will be rough. Most new shooters have it rough with 100 yards. I advise you to get a cheap bolt action .22 with a cheap scope and try 100 yards. You'll have less than $200 in it. Then once you master that, try a good hunting rifle. There's no need to spend a fortune to buy a rifle.
 
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I have had to try this, long range shooting. I have a Weatherby, 300WBY, easily capable of 1000yds+.

My son and I drove a ways into BLM land and found a safe spot with way more than 1000yds to use.

I wonder if you realize what all is involved in shooting at 1000+? I thought that I did. My son and I had nice hike to set up a large target at 1000, actually we had to do it in stages, because my range finder was only useful to 900yds, so we set up my tactical shooting bench with a large stainless ice chest in front to range off of. I hiked out 500yds, ranged back to the bench, set a bucket at 500 to range for the second 500 yds.

After the hike, my son manned my 60 power Nikon spotting scope as I tried to at least get some shots in sight.

I discovered that my Nikon Monarch scope didn't have enough built in elevation to adjust to 1000yds. I ended up at max elevation using the BDC to at least get on the same elevation as the target. I finally did get some shots on what I thought was a large target, a 4 foot square piece of reinforced cardboard with a spray painted circle and X. At 1000yds that target was only barely visible to the naked eye.

We had to do a lot of shooting to get anywhere near our target. We cooled the barrel between every three shots with rubbing alcohol, applied to the barrel with a wash cloth and inside with a bore mop.

Needless to say this was more work than reward. After we admitted we weren't set up to shoot 1000yds efficiently we had to hike the 1000yds to retrieve our targets, BLM is strict about littering BLM land.

I must add that I have been shooting all my life and thought this was doable, and while I did get hits on target, it would not have impressed anybody observing.

Do you have a convenient place, or range to shoot? If you have the land and an ATV it would be much easier to make this less of a chore.

I did learn things with this attempt, there is no substitute for proper equipment, the right scope, a good spotter, and the right target.

I have since been gifted a more suitable rifle for long range, a Cooper MDL 22, VLM, 6.5-284, 26", 1/8 twist. It is the most accurate rifle I or anyone I know has ever seen, but I shoot at Rod and Gun club and that's 300 yds, good enough for me. I shoot informal competition for cigars and have to listen to Savage rifle owners complain that my Cooper is a custom rifle, which it is not. Their just sore because I smoke $15 cigars.

Oh, we shoot ten rounds at ranges from 100-300yds.
 
^^^ now that is reality.

My experience at 600 yards is similar. After trying 600, I realized I needed to hone my game at 200 and 300 yards. Consistantly breaking clay birds at 300 yards is enough challenge for me. [ I like clay birds because I can tell if I hit them or not,,, at 300 yards I can not see holes in paper]

If I were an experienced pistol shooter, looking to acquire rifle skills, I would first buy a good 22. The CZ 455 would by my personal choice, but there are other good ones. With my eyes, I would put a scope on it, because I know I am going to scope any centerfire rifle I later get so I might as well get used to a scope. But since my 22 is going to mostly be used at 50 yards at first, I won't be tempted to put an expensive high magnification scope on it. A fixed 4X is perfect for 50 yard bullseye. When I have mastered 50 yards, I would go to 100 yards... the 22LR at 100 yards requires an understanding of bullet drop and adjusting for wind, and this is good practice. When you can shoot your 22 at 100 yards consistantly, you will be ready for a centerfire... and you will know enough about rifle shooting to know what you want and don't want in a rifle... You will probably shoot better than 8 out of 10 people at your range !
 
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I shoot a .308 up to 968 yards which is the distance to the furthest target at the range I use.

Compensating for the bullet drop is not the problem, it's figuring the crosswind as it can and does change over the distance. Generally, with the equipment I use, anything to 600 yards is relatively easy once you get the crosswind doped - and multiple, repeated hits on a 12x12 inch target are not difficult.

However, the next 300+ yards gets much harder. Just holding the crosshairs steady is a challenge at high magnification (20x+) even using sand bags - but, that's all part of the fun and the challenge. On a good day, with no wind and a steady hold, repeated hits on an 18-inch torso target are doable and a real kick when it all works.

If you want to try the "training wheels" approach with a .22 it's not a bad way to start. However, I've never shot .22's and don't own a .22 rifle as I don't like shooting .22 rim fire as I just don't enjoy it. If I want to shoot a type of rifle or pistol I just buy the gun and get to work learning how to shoot it.

I figure that I'm not that special and if I can do, then nearly anyone else should be able to do it given the proper equipment.

If you have the money for the rifle, scope, and ammunition - plus a place with long distances to shoot the rifle, there's no reason to not jump right in as you will never know if you can do it until you try.

The only piece of advice I would give you is to take copious notes every time you shoot. I generally take a compass and a hand-held meter that gives me temperature, humidity, and wind speed. Once you start making notes on the ammunition and ambient conditions you'll find that each time you go out gets a bit easier in figuring the dope for that day.

I did learn things with this attempt, there is no substitute for proper equipment, the right scope, a good spotter, and the right target.
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+1 on that comment. I use a precision rifle with a 3.8-25x US Optics scope with a lot of reticle adjustment, and never go without another shooter to spot and use steel targets for audible feedback.
 
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http://www.centraljerseyhighpower.com/
I know this does not answer the OP's question but learning the complete game of rifle shooting requires repetition. Using a standard course of fire on regulation targets enhances the process. The link explains just one way to enjoy range time and get a HighPower shooting education.
F-Class is another worthy course that could fill the OP's day at the range.
Choosing a rifle to fill either of these can ,not only, get to 1000 yards but be confident of success.
 
http://www.centraljerseyhighpower.com/
I know this does not answer the OP's question but learning the complete game of rifle shooting requires repetition. Using a standard course of fire on regulation targets enhances the process. The link explains just one way to enjoy range time and get a HighPower shooting education.
F-Class is another worthy course that could fill the OP's day at the range.
Choosing a rifle to fill either of these can ,not only, get to 1000 yards but be confident of success.
Click to expand...

The gun club I belong to has precision tactical rifle competitions once a month which is a "non-standard" course of fire as each stage is different, may include moving between shot strings, may be from a window, or simulated roof top, etc. Gives you a whole different perspective on using the rifle as it is a combination of speed and accuracy for the final score for each stage.
 
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