Long range rifle.

F

FloridaGuy

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I am looking to start getting into long range shooting. Looking to get out to distances of 1000 - 1800 yards. Need some suggestion on a entry level rifle to start this venture with? I have heard great thinks about the 6.5 Creedmoor round for these distances.
 
Ruger Precision Rifle in the 6.5 CM has awesome reviews on utube fun to watch em Basspro had them for 1299$ Fact my nephew bought the last one they had last Saturday and it's nice eye candy.
 
"I have heard great thinks about the 6.5 Creedmoor round for these distances."

IMHO
Not nearly enough for 1000+ and only marginal for 600-1000. On a set distance range, with zero wind there's a chance but otherwise it's Don Quixote time.
 
If you had said 600-1000 yards I would have suggested going to Dicks, or Field and Stream and picking up a Savage 11VT.

Going 1800 yards is going to require a magnum.

If you like the 6.5 caliber I'd probably recommend something in the 26 Nosler, or 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum.

But realistically would probably recommend something on the order of a 300 Win Mag, or something in the 338 family.
 
If you want to plink at long range about any varmint rifle/heavy barrel bolt gun in 243 & up will do the trick & teach you much. Be sure the barreled action is in the stock properly. Have the trigger adjusted to be the best it can be. Set your rifle up with a 20 MOA base & a 20 to 40X scope. Sight the rifle 24" high at a hundred & go find some long range rocks or steel at a 1000 yards. But if you want to shoot something like IBS long range & want to nice round groups under 3" at a 1000 yards you won't do it with an entry level rifle. But fun can be had without being real serious.
 
The 6.5 CM will shoot to 1800 yards, targets, I think for LR hunting 750 would be my max.

And you CAN get there with a "entry level" rifle in 6.5 CM. The Ruger American Predator in 6.5 will work. Read the reviews.

My wife has a RPR in 6.5 CM, excellent rifle, but cost about three times what the Predator does.

After playing with wife's rifle, I fell in love with the 6.5 CM. For kicks I thought I'd try it in a light hunting rifle for deer/antelope. So I bought the American Predator, guess what, it works.

About 2 miles from the house is a abandoned gravel pit on BLM land where you can shoot 2000 plus yards. It will hold up as far as I can shoot and hold its own with my wife's RPR.

It has a lighter barrel, med, weight and will get hot and walk if you don't set it in the stock properly. Its designed to set in the stock leaving the barrel free floated. Mine wasn't. I had to re-torque it, but it was easy to do. As was adjusting the trigger to suit me.

As to precision long range shooting. My primary rifle is a Model 70 target rifle in 308, but I think the Predator would work also.

In PRS you normally shoot five to ten rounds per state, (depending on how many follow up shots you need). Then you move to another stage (or bank of targets). That gives the barrel time to cool.

Is it the best for long range shooting? Of course not. But as an entry rifle or budget rifle it will work.

I hate to see competition rifle shooting be a rich man's sport. It doesn't half to be.

What makes a long range rifle a long range rifle is the shooter. Sure, some rounds have more drop, they are effected by wind more then others. But they have little knobs on your sights or scope to adjust for drop and drift.

Learn the ballistics of your rifle/round. Long range shooting is about math more then velocity and heavy bullets.

Not to mention the 6.5 CM is a lot cheaper to load for then the magnums. Its easier on barrels, and its easier on the shooter.

I've shot a ton of 300 WM rounds when I shot for the Guard. It will beat you to death over time. I don't care how big and tough you are.

I even put a brake on my Predator, it makes it more comfortable to shoot, meaning I can concentrate on fundamentals instead of recoil. Plus a brake allows you to get back on target faster, or at distance, to see your impact.

Before you buy, read the reviews of people who have and shoot the rifle.
 
Most of the serious folks shooting long range (out to 1200 or so) are shooting 6mm or 6.5mm in a variety of cartridges in everything from RPRs to $15K customs. Those cartridges are not suitable past about 1200 yards or so. When you get past about 1200 yards, you move into the ELR (Extended Long Range) category and 300WM and 7mmMag are typically the starter rigs the CheyTacs and LapuaMags being the standards. A few shots past 1200 are not out of the question with the 6s and 6.5s, but if that is where you want to regularly shoot, better cartridges exist.

But then things change with technology. Some of the new powders and projectiles are letting guys shoot .308s out to 1400 or so with good repeatability and accuracy. Put those same bullets into hotter .30 calibers and the ELR becomes attainable without getting into the $3 to $8 per round cartridges.

I had a .340 Weatherby and found that the combination of recoil, cost per round and accuracy were not worth it to me so I sold it. My LR rigs are .243Win and .260Rem and with the heavier bullets, 1200 is the edge, 1000 is not a problem. I have shot some of the top end ELR rigs at 1400 to 1800 and with the skill of the owner coaching my position and holds, I was able to hit, but it is a whole other beast. Personally, I plan to keep working with what I have to be better out to 1200 and see where the technology goes in the next few years with ELR before I dip my toe in again.
 
Mobuck said:
Not nearly enough for 1000+ and only marginal for 600-1000. On a set distance range, with zero wind there's a chance but otherwise it's Don Quixote time.
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You may want to consider a Serbu or AR-50 in .BMG.

Most .50 BMG shooting matches are at 1000 yards, with 1 event at 600 yards.

While a 6.5 Creedmore from Hornaday has a BC of ~ .6, a 750 gr BMG from the same manufacturer is a bit over 1.

At long ranges, BC becomes a big issue.

You might also want to lookup "King of 2 Miles". They shoot long range out to 2 miles in various increments. You'll find the rifles of choice are significantly larger than the 6.5.
 
Go to www.serbu.com and check out the RN-50, for about $1,000 you can get a .50 upper. Then go to SWFA's website and get one of the fixed power Super Sniper scopes for $300. Burris sells a set of heavy duty rings for about $40 and they'll be a good match for this setup.

You then will need an AR lower if you don't already have one. They work only as the fire control, no stress is put on the lower at all. Now for about $1,500 you have a .50 and with the right ammo can push your distance out to 2000+ yards!

I've already fondled my friends RN-50 and I have to say that it's pretty heavy duty for just an upper. Super simple design, I think the people that got on the list first got theirs for $800.

Just another idea, if you want plinking ammo you can find surplus for about $2.50 a round. Match will run you about double but if you plan on shooting long range you'll need it for any rifle as a regular bullet just won't do.
 
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Rem 700 sendero in 300rum. It will get you started and you can upgrade as you go. I hope your a handloader long range is no place for factory ammo your gonna need to be able to tune that load to your rifle. The 300 rum will get you between 500-1000 rds so set aside money for a rebarell amd think about punching it out to a 338edge when that time comes.
 
Thanks for all the information. I looked into the RPR but no local shop has one or has been able to get one. I am on the list for one at several local shops when one becomes available.

This is just going to be a starting rifle that I know I will upgrade to hit longer distances. My final goal is to be able to hit 1800 yards.
 
As Kraigway alluded to but did not flat state.

The Magnums are not to get the distance, they are to kill things way out there.

Ergo limits of the 6.5 to 750 yds hunting.

Target shooting makes no difference.

Having seen what a round of the 50 BMG does to a shooter (move him back about 1.5 feet) that seems like a painful thing to do more than 4 times!

At my age I am not even going to ask to shoot it once, I would probably hurt for the next 6 months.

If you are going to do this a lot, I would get a Savage and the tools so you can re-barrel. Remington's can be converted to that Savage setup as well.

Savage Acu trigger is far better than the Remington. I like em and don't plan to change. Some do not. Keep in mind there are actually 3 acu triggers, Hunter at 2.5, Varmint down to 1.5 and the Target down to ounces.

I would buy the chaises that best suited the desires but make sure its got a Varmint barrel on it, that dictates the trigger.

I think the RPR comes with an AR like nut, Savage has a similar (BA Stealth which comes with the segmented nut to allow barrel changes) , not up on those AR type Chaises, not my bag but they look, to make great shooters.
 
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OP, 1000 -1800 yds distances is not to be taken "entry level rifle" casually. Your talking serious long range shooting. Pick either a 6.5CM or 300 Win Mag if by "entry level" you mean "cheap". Furthermore be prepared to add a $1000+ scope to a $800 rifle to effectively reach out to 1400 yds (avg). I shot a 1000 yd instructional class and my R700 Sondero .300 Win Mag with a Sightron SIII 8-32X50 was adequate enough at full power to clearly aquire a 14" dia target. Consistiantly hitting that 14" diameter target at 1000 yds was another story and NO easy task for myself being an amateur precision shooter even with a $2400 rifle....
 
I can shoot a lot of 6.5s for what it cost for one round of 50 cal.

I've shot many of 50 cal rifles. With a brake, they are manageable, to a point. I wouldn't want to set out there and pop a couple hundred rounds.

Neither would my pocket book. I can get a lot more rounds down range for the dollar and that is where you learn to shoot, by putting rounds down range.

If you don't like the 6.5, look at the 243 Win. I load the 87 gr Berger for mine, it stays super sonic to 1250 and its works hunting (deer and antelope size critters) to 650. In fact, my wife got her muley this year at 647.
 
I will most likely be putting a Vortex Viper HS-T 6-24×50 Riflescope with VMR-1 Reticle (MRAD) on the rifle fore now. Since I already have the scope in the safe. The budget for the gun would be in the $1,000.00 to $5,000.00 range. I would love a barrett.50 BMG but the budget will not allow a $10,000.00 rifle.
 
The budget for the gun would be in the $1,000.00 to $5,000.00 range.
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That is a pretty broad range, covering off-the-shelf LR rigs like the Ruger Precision Rifle or Savage Model 12 Long Range Precision, to a fully custom target rifle with your choice of action and components.
 
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