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recommendations for long range rifle
- Thread starter P71pilot
- Start date
MarkCO,
If you really want an answer.
I've handled Ruger Americans, but the RPR came out after I pcs'd to Germany. And if you manage to read through this post you'll see that I recommended the lower priced Predator version because of the budget stated by the OP and that it will likely see double duty as a hunting rifle.
So why did you ask me if I had handled an RPR? No matter your reasons for asking the question it won't change the validity of anything I wrote. Unless you are trying to become someone I know who shoots a factory rifle in LR competition, then congratulations, you are now 1 of 16.
Jimro
If you really want an answer.
I've handled Ruger Americans, but the RPR came out after I pcs'd to Germany. And if you manage to read through this post you'll see that I recommended the lower priced Predator version because of the budget stated by the OP and that it will likely see double duty as a hunting rifle.
So why did you ask me if I had handled an RPR? No matter your reasons for asking the question it won't change the validity of anything I wrote. Unless you are trying to become someone I know who shoots a factory rifle in LR competition, then congratulations, you are now 1 of 16.
Jimro
Jimro, when two of the top shooters in the US first commented on the RPR, they did not have anything to say about them that was even lukewarm, but now that they have shot them (and own their own) their comments are generally praiseworthy. Are they AIs or GAPs? Certainly not. But neither will they hold anyone back and they are more than capable of, in stock trim, winning a match in the hands of a top competitor. They have open a door to a large group of people with the desire, but the lack of budget. Sure it will still take thousands of rounds of practice, good glass, excellent ammo to put it all together for most of the new owners. However, I, for one, am all for lowering any barrier to entry into the competitive shooting sports.
MarkCO,
I don't disagree with what you are saying, only that the reasons I didn't recommend the RPR include the OPs original comments on 1) price, and 2) hunting.
I am all for making the sport more accessible. Right now the entry level options from Savage and Ruger are great, but they are still pretty expensive. The Savage F/TR runs right at 1,100 at Buds, the RPR is out of stock at buds but is going from 1,300 to 1,500 on gunbroker. Even the Tikka T3 CTRs in 260 Rem are right around 1,000 on gunbroker or buds. There is nothing wrong with any of these rifles as far as accuracy is concerned, but they aren't exactly "bargain basement" budget friendly deals either.
It's an interesting point that these rifles do lower the cost of entry into long range, but so far they haven't lowered it enough to significantly change the number of competitors, although the introduction of F class as a sanctioned discipline makes it at least a growing sport. High Power is in a different boat, the new optics rule is really a desperate plea to get more people into a shrinking sport. I shot with the same people around Fort Knox for about three years and saw the same faces at every match.
A friend of mine who got stationed at Dix told me that anyone who showed up with a Savage 12 F/TR could hang as long as they could read the wind. I don't doubt that at all, but he wasn't selling his rifles built by Whidden to get a Savage either. But then again he had a couple Bartlein blanks just waiting around because he knew the price would only go up.
Must be getting old, rambling again.
Jimro
I don't disagree with what you are saying, only that the reasons I didn't recommend the RPR include the OPs original comments on 1) price, and 2) hunting.
I am all for making the sport more accessible. Right now the entry level options from Savage and Ruger are great, but they are still pretty expensive. The Savage F/TR runs right at 1,100 at Buds, the RPR is out of stock at buds but is going from 1,300 to 1,500 on gunbroker. Even the Tikka T3 CTRs in 260 Rem are right around 1,000 on gunbroker or buds. There is nothing wrong with any of these rifles as far as accuracy is concerned, but they aren't exactly "bargain basement" budget friendly deals either.
It's an interesting point that these rifles do lower the cost of entry into long range, but so far they haven't lowered it enough to significantly change the number of competitors, although the introduction of F class as a sanctioned discipline makes it at least a growing sport. High Power is in a different boat, the new optics rule is really a desperate plea to get more people into a shrinking sport. I shot with the same people around Fort Knox for about three years and saw the same faces at every match.
A friend of mine who got stationed at Dix told me that anyone who showed up with a Savage 12 F/TR could hang as long as they could read the wind. I don't doubt that at all, but he wasn't selling his rifles built by Whidden to get a Savage either. But then again he had a couple Bartlein blanks just waiting around because he knew the price would only go up.
Must be getting old, rambling again.
Jimro