Interested in getting into the long range game.. Need advice

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shmitty

New member
I have interest in long range target shooting, eventually out to 1000 yds. I am in the learning phase at the moment. I need advice on getting a rifle for this purpose. Been looking at 308 v. 6.5CM for caliber. I have read elsewhere advice that said go with 308. Not the best long range round, but easier on barrels, cheaper to learn on. I am not that price sensitive, and am not adverse to spending $$ on a good rifle and optic. But, I have no idea how long a barrel lasts with 6.5CM. I'd prefer not to burn out an expensive custom rifle before I even have learned to read wind, mirage, and learn the craft.

I do realize that this is quite a process, that there's alot more to this than just the rifle. Optics, rangefinder, spotting scope, ballistics, etc. Not sure I want to handload but will learn this as well if needed. I think the complexity and science behind this is what interests me.

Thanks for reading my long winded post and any advice that follows.

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The 6.5CM is a better long range round the ballistics are better and it bucks the wind better than the 308win at 1000yds. Ask yourself whats more important hitting the target at long range or barrel life.......barrels are a consumable.
 
TXAZ said:
Look up fcsa fifty caliber shooters association www.1moa.org or www.sc50sc.com
Both start at 600 yards and go out to 2 miles.
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I appreciate those pushing the envelope with the 50. But, I am looking for something a little kinder with regards to recoil. Same reason I'm not starting with 300WM or the 338. I figure I'll start with 6.5CM most likely and add a larger caliber if/when I'm maxed out on range

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Just my two cents but I would go with a 7 mm magnum. This particular caliber will stay supersonic to 1700 yds whereas a 300 Winchester only to 1500 yds.

Once you get bored at a 1000 yards you have the capacity to go further with the same setup. I would highly recommend you get a barrel at least 24" long but preferably 26". Your scope of course should be high end, your preference will decide for you.

One of the best ways I always train for long distance is to test the limits with a 22 lr . My range only goes to 200 yards but on the windiest of days is when I shoot my Winchester 52c or my 513T Remington at 200 yard targets to study the wind and see how it impacts hits on my target. Wind at long distances will always play havoc on your shooting and I find that this is one way to learn how to read the wind. The max I have shot my 22 lr is 400 yards and my 30-06 is 1250 yards safely in my brothers land in west Texas .

Good luck on your knew endeavor and happy shooting.
 
Start small and work up.
Buy a Savage, Reminton, or Howa HB in 308 and wear it out. By that time, you should have learned what it takes to utilize a higher powered, more expensive platform.
 
You wont go wrong with the 6.5 CM. And it doesn't have to cost an arm and leg.

My wife got hooked on the 6.5 CM when I sent her to GunWerk's Long Range Shooting School so I bought her a Ruger Precision Rifle in 6.5.

I got to playing with it and was impressed. I decided to try it in a light rifle for hunting so I got the Ruger American Predator in 6.5. I put a Vortex 6X24 Scope on it and found it more then capable of extreme long range. (Well past 1000 yards). Got the rifle for about $400, another $300 for the scope. Much less then wife's RPR without the scope.

140 A-max loaded to 2700 FPS, remains super sonic to 1900 yards.

This moderately prices set up leaves you a lot of money to spend on ammo down range.

I've shot a ton of 308s in competition since the mid 70s when I started shooting for the AK NG. I still shoot it. Now that I'm also shooting the 6.5 CM I don't see the cost of 308 any cheaper then the 6.5.

Most people seem to like H4350. I tried it but didn't have much on hand, nor could I find it locally. I did have some Win 760 and figured I'd try it for the up coming antelope season. I was quite surprised. Being a ball powder, it meters well so I loaded up, not weighing each case. I found in my American Predator the 760 shoots as good as the 4350 using Hornady bullets.

This target was shot at 100 yards, to confirm the zero I got with the 4350 load. Again, right out of the measure without weighing each charge.

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I'm relatively new to the 6.5 CM but the more I play with it, the more I'm impressed. I'm also quite impressed with the budget Ruger American Predator. I'm not saying its as good as the RPR, that's yet to be seen, but at 1/3 the cost, that leaves a lot of money left over for ammo down range and that Sir, is the key to long range shooting.

Ammo down range, in all sorts of wind and mirage.
 
A great deal will depend on what course of fire you want to shoot. There is something for everybody, but some courses of fire don't allow optics. Some say no magnums. Some say .223 or .308 only(Palma using 14/15 pound, single shot, rifles.). Then you get into the cost of ammo(.50BMG ammo starts at about $4 a shot. Rifles at roughly 3.5 grand.) and where you are in relation to long range clubs. NRA will help with that.
http://competitions.nra.org/
The least important factor is barrel life though. Like Palmetto-Pride says, barrels are Class 'C' stores. Expendable, like paper clips and socks.
 
You don't need a magnum. Flat trajectory isn't an advantage when shooting at known ranges. The 308 is/was a good choice in the right rifle, but the 6.5 is proving to be better.
 
Whatever your budget is- if you're serious you'd better set aside the money for a good reloading setup as part of it.

The money saved- to allow you to put more rounds downrange- is only part of it. Even if you're a gazillionaire and can afford to shoot Black Hills or FGMM all day long, it still won't be the perfect load for whatever rifle you're using.

You MUST handload, to shoot the long-range hobby seriously.

Yeah, I know there's the 6.5 Creed, and Hornady's buck a round ammo that's decent- but that's not the route to take IMO.

You don't gain any valuable experience doping wind with inaccurate ammunition as you have no way to know whether that miss 2" right was your wind call, the ammo, or a little of both.

It costs no more to reload for a wind-cheater, like the 6.5 than it does for the .308 (match grade bullets). It all comes down to budget. You MUST have a quality scope that tracks accurately- sitting on a rifle that will hold at least minute of angle. Don't worry about burning out a barrel-especially the minor difference that would exist between a .308 and 6.5- maybe a couple thousand rounds.

Barrels are like tires. Wear it out, replace it.
 
tobnpr said:
Whatever your budget is- if you're serious you'd better set aside the money for a good reloading setup as part of it.

The money saved- to allow you to put more rounds downrange- is only part of it. Even if you're a gazillionaire and can afford to shoot Black Hills or FGMM all day long, it still won't be the perfect load for whatever rifle you're using.

You MUST handload, to shoot the long-range hobby seriously.

Yeah, I know there's the 6.5 Creed, and Hornady's buck a round ammo that's decent- but that's not the route to take IMO.

You don't gain any valuable experience doping wind with inaccurate ammunition as you have no way to know whether that miss 2" right was your wind call, the ammo, or a little of both.

It costs no more to reload for a wind-cheater, like the 6.5 than it does for the .308 (match grade bullets). It all comes down to budget. You MUST have a quality scope that tracks accurately- sitting on a rifle that will hold at least minute of angle. Don't worry about burning out a barrel-especially the minor difference that would exist between a .308 and 6.5- maybe a couple thousand rounds.

Barrels are like tires. Wear it out, replace it.
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Yeah I figured as much. I have reloaded shotgun shells in the past so I'm at least familiar with that.

Its alot to really get started and I don't want to make big mistakes and have to repurchase big ticket items.

Where to start? Rifle, optic, spotting scope, rangefinder, AR500 targets, reloading supplies, etc.....

I'm going to take the advice above and look into shooting club and maybe go watch a few people who know what they are doing

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Either or but, the cred will be a flatter shooter out a 1,000 yards. I have a .308 Win but could be pretty happy using a 6.5 Creadmor or a .260 Rem in place of it. The Cred is not really a barrel burner compared to something like the 6.5-300 Wyb mag that's up to 800 fps faster with some factory rounds
 
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The advice to start out with a .308Win used to be in vogue, but it is out-dated and invalid.

A 6.5CM or .260Rem is one of the better places to start. You won't burn out a barrel, and in fact if you reload, you determine barrel life by velocity and powder choice. My trainer load in the .260 only runs 2600. My .243Win loads run from 2800 to 3150, but I mostly shoot 100 grainers at 2800.

There are a handful of factory ready precision/tactical rifles in .243, 6.5CM and .260 that will let you get into the game (read the rulesets if you want to compete) for less than $3K with glass.

Here is a Ruger Precision in .243Win with a Burris XTRII 4-20...street price a little over $2K. I used this rig to win the first three matches I entered. If you saw the episode of Shooting Gallery on Long Range, this is the rifle I was shooting in that episode as well.

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I agree fully with Kraigs post as well.
 
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Shmitty, you might join that LR club and some member might let you shoot something or may have starter rifle that you could buy. Might also help set you up reloading.
 
I am also getting into the game... 5 years now with .30 cal. Making the change to .284 (7mm) was like getting a luxury car after driving beaters. One of the 6 or 6.5's will be the same.

All your oops's are half the size they were and your scope dial goes another two hundred yards per turn.

Start studying G7 bc's and hornady's Doppler radar ballistics.

But yeah get out and shoot. I am blessed with a 500m range within 5 minutes of my house. All the challenges of 1000 yards but the math is easier.
 
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