Good plan for getting into long range precision shooting?

[buzz_knox]

As some will recall, I posted a while back about getting a precision rifle. Well, after much thought and research, I've come up with a battle plan. I figure I'll get a Rem. 700 VS, get the best possible scope I can afford and start learning how to do things properly. At the same time, I'm planning on putting a downpayment on a Texas Brigade Armory M40A1. That way, my dream rifle will be built while I'm working up my skill level to be worthy of it. When it comes in (in about 12-18 months), I'll drop the scope on it and either sell the VS or keep it for hunting, conversion, etc.

Thoughts? Recommendations? Suggestions?

 

[Bogie]

How much precision do you want?

How much do you want to spend?

I'd suggest contacting Bill Shehane - He makes a nice little wildcat of the wildcat 6.5/284 that just flat out nails 'em. Bill is a consistent entry on the equipment lists of the top 1000 yard benchrest shooters.

Personally, I'd go for a 100% custom rifle over a reworked Remington 700... If you want to start with a Remington, go down to Wally World, and spend the $400. Then strip it out of the stock, and send it to someone like Speedy Gonzales or Daryl Holland, and have 'em true it up and put a new match-grade heavy stainless barrel on it, then stick it in a better stock (you can probably do your own bedding job). Total cost will be about $1,200, a few hundred more than the "premium" Rem700, but you'll have a considerably better chance of getting a genuine "shooter."

If you want a "starter" accurate rifle without a lot of hassle, get a Savage 12BVSS-S. Trust me. Single-shot receiver (poor man's 40x), and the company makes some good barrels. The laminate stock is VERY nice, and odds are you'll want to keep shooting it after you get a "nice" rifle.

Oh yeah - a match grade "heavy varmint" barrel will cost about $400 after you pay someone (who knows what he's doing - I'm NOT talking about your average smith) to chamber it and fit it to your action. Figure on shooting one barrel out just learning REAL accuracy.

Oh yeah - Spring for a Jewell trigger for the Remington or custom piece...

 

[Rob01]

Buzz, a couple of suggestions. Go with George Gardner at GA Precision. You will get a rifle that is everybit as accurate in 3 months vs almost 2 years as TBAs wait is now. You can check him out at www.dennysguns.com and click on precision rifles. He can do anything you like and just e-mail him with questions. He's very easy to talk to. I've heard of some quality control problems with TBA lately because of the massive orders but have never heard a bad word about GA Precision. If you do buy the VS and practice with it then you can send that to him and he'll take money off the price of his rifle which is actually cheaper than TBAs. TBA doesn't do any particular magic to their rifles. They do everything everyone else does but they market themselves better.

Reworking a VS isn't a bad idea. I had mine about 7 years before I had it all done and now it shoots like a dream. The best 3 shot group I got was .198" with most 5 shots around .4". You could actually buy the VS and then get it rebarreled and trued when you have the money. And then have the a McMillan stock put on a little way down the road with a Tactical Stocks floorplate. It looks like a M40A1 style but is one piece which gets rid of the bedding problems and latch lock up problems of the two piece Winchester Mod 70 floorplate. Check them out at www.tacticalstocks.com under tactical products. Tactical Stocks also has a good selection of McMillan stocks with no wait. In 18 months you'll ahve a rifle just as good as a TBA but you just had it built along the way when the money was there and you kept shooting and practicing.

I would actually steer you towards my regular smith who would rebarrel and true up your VS receiver for about $450 but he doesn't have his shop up and running yet. He just moved. He'll be up and running around October if you're interested.

As for the Savage, why? You want a customized Remington. Don't waste money on something you can't build up from. Get the VS you won't be sorry. It's a great starter gun. I should know becasue that's what I started with.

Jewel triggers are very nice but a little costly. Shilen makes a very nice trigger for about a 1/3 of the price. Personally I just tuned my Remington trigger to 2.5 lbs with no creep. Not to hard and any smith can do it. That's what the Corps does. They use the stock trigger.

As far as scopes, get a Leupold. They are relitively inexpensive for a good tactical style scope. The new 3.5-10x M1 and M3 LR models are very nice. You can find them used too for a small savings and with Leupold's lifetime warrenty buying second hand isn't an issue. if it breaks, send it to Leupold and they'll fix it.

Sounds like you're on the right track but rmember to practice, practice, practice!