Sniper rifle suggestions please?

S

smoney

New member
I am wanting to build a really good sniper rifle, or buy one which ever, i don't want to spend more on it than i would a car, so i have been looking at a TIKKA sporter/target rifle. it runs about $900 where i would get it from, i was also thinking of building one,

also, what kind of optics, i want it to be .308 caliber.

thanks

smoney
 
Try http://www.snipercountry.com

I currently don't have a centerfire bolt rifle, but a good set-up for long-range accurate shooting in .308 is the Remington 700 - VS or PSS in particular - with some serious optics mounted on top, which will cost you about as much as the rifle itself. JP enterprises (http://www.jpar15.com) will build a Rem700 with all the goodies.

-z
 
Rem 700 is a solid option. Get an older one and build it up. The money you save should be used on ammo for training.
It isnt the gun - its the shooter. You want the ultimate sniper rifle you have to first be the ultimate sniper.
Good scope? Thats a very personal choice.
Go to a shop and look at them all in person.
 
Go to ironbrigadearmory.com to see some of the finest pieces of art in the sniping catagory. Chandler builds all rifles at all prices. He has a tune up package on the 700 PSS, it is great. He can do that on a customer supplied rifle, or the option to purchase one is there too. His work is first class and the rifles work excellent.
 
I have a 700VS in .308 w/ Leupold 30mm tube 8.5x25x50mm side focus. It is by far the most upscale rig I've ever owned, and it shoots just like everyone says they do. I got around to checking freebore, and I was surprised to find that I cannot seat 168gr MatchKings out far enough to engage the rifling. Doesn't seem to bother accuracy, though. Three-tenths of an inch, when I do my part and conditions are favorable.
 
I have a Remington PSS in .308 topped off with a Leupold 4.5X14x40 mildot tactical. This rifle is way better than I will ever be and every time I shoot it I get a chill from how good it makes me look. Don't tell....
 
Get what Noban says. I doubt you will ever feel a need to replace it.

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Get your 1911s and AR15s while you still can!
 
Briefly, when we're talking "sniping", are we talking excellent accuracy out beyond 400 yards, maybe beyond 500? The key word, here, is "beyond". To me, a man-sized target inside 400 yards ain't sniping, that's just basic shooting.

Just curious, Art
 
I'm with you Art, man-sized targets inside 400yd are just askin' to get smacked by an iron sighted M-14, maybe even an M-16A2, beyond that I'll go with my PSS .308 w/Leupold Vari-X III 3.5-10x40 M3 mil-dot in Badger Ordnance rings and tapered mount. It'll ring a 18" gong all day long at 1000m, IF I read the wind right! :)

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Cry "Havoc!" and let slip the dogs of war.
 
SMONEY: You have your priorities all wrong IMHO. Your car should be worth LESS than your gun! :D That is my goal. I have only two guns that are indivually worth less than my car. Guess I need to find a cheaper car :rolleyes:

If your married you can explain to your spouse that it is sound economic sense to put the money into guns vs cars. Cars depreciate very fast. And seldom last 1 generation. While guns appreciate and usually will last at least 3 generations with just a little care, unless you shoot thousands of rounds.



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There can be only one!
 
I just bought a Rem 700 VS in .308. Basically the same as the PSS, just a slightly cheaper stock for about 100 to 200 less! I got my rifle for $710 out the door. I already had a Springfield Armory 6x40 scope so I just slapped that on it. Next I will have to buy a Leupold for it. That is the next big decision I have to make. I have assasinated many a squirrels already with that gun with the 110gr VMAX. I have yet to test it out to great reange. But if you want affordable with great quality go with the Rem 700 VS. I even adjusted my own trigger this weekend on it and...oh is it nice.
 
There are several routes.

First is a custom made gun and there are a whole late of rifle builders out there. Given the cash, I would go with Iron Brigade Armory. No detail is overlook and their rifles are meant to survive in a rough field environment. Barrels are freefloated like any other sniper rifle, but there is just enough space such that small twigs or other debris won't easily get caught between the barrel and the stock. Lift the bolt handle on any other synthetic stock rifle and see if a gap beneath the tang of receiver is exposed. IBA seals that area off. I believe the McMillan stock is pillar bedded using titanium devcon and the trigger guard is a steel Badger Ordnance M40A2 model (thicker to enhance strength and fitting). The floorplate release is recessed and requires a bullet tip to trip it; so there is no chance of accidental release. Even the scope mount is different and their lugged version is actually tigthened against the receiver ring to preclude any shifting during recoil.

There are other makers (Accuracy International, TBA, et al) who are equally skilled in building rifles, and you have to shop around. IBA charges about $3.5k for one of their rifles.

Now, the cheapie route for those on a budget is to simply buy a Remington 700 VSS. Before anyone laughs, remember, it is the man behind the gun and not the gun which makes the difference. The NVA snipers equipped with WWII Mosin Nagants M91/30s (really a pre-WWI design) were quite accomplished and one gave our own legendary sniper, Hathcock, a run for the money.

As far as glass is concerned, I'd go Leupold. The Mark IV is excellant but more cost effective for the budget minded are the Long Range Vari IIIs which Leupold introduced a few years ago. Consider the 3.5x10 Long Range with mil-dot reticles as a viable scope.
 
smoney

If you are serious about a rifle that will shoot accurately, check out H-S Precision. The 1/2 minute claim is not an idle boast! Mine shoots 1/4 minute.

For a custom-type rifle, you can't beat the value or the quality. Last I heard, they were running $1650. Just add scope and shoot.

To keep up with this rifle, YOU need to have a good day! :D
www.hsprecision.com

Rick

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I prefer armed combat to unarmed combat. It's easier on the knuckles.
 
There are so many options it will make your head spin. You have more people making "sniper rifles" today than ever before. The market is completely flooded with them and everybody's is the latest greatest on the market.
I may over simplify things here, but…$4000 for some of these rifles are just way too much. Today's "out of the box" production rifles are very close and cost thousands less. There are a few companies out there (as previously mentioned) that will build your rifle on your action.
Get a good sound action, I prefer Remington but that is because I have been using them for many years and they "feel" very familiar. I keep trying others but this one works for my needs. So take your action, send it to someone like HS (as mentioned), they will barrel it, true it, lap it, stock it, etc. for around $1500. If you don't already have an action, you can buy a dirt cheap Remington 700 rifle (youth model) for around $400. Sell the stock to someone with a "youth" and get another $50 to add toward the "upgrade." This is the same process that the $4000 rifles go through except they supply the action and charge you the extra money.
Now, of course there are companies out there that build their own actions, and/or barrels, and complete rifles around those components. For something specialized you can and should expect to pay more. But for a supped up Remington, I can not see spending $4000 when I can get out the door for $2000 or less.
Shop around, there are a few companies offering this "upgrade" and the results are outstanding. We are getting benchrest accuracy out of our tactical rifles these days.
 
Smoney, Tikkas are top accurate out of the box, just like Sakos, because Sako makes them both in the same factory. Tikkas are very good guns for the money, a little less finesses than in Sakos, but the same quality.
If you want something even better (but more expensive) Sako TRG has been just modified according to military's requirements, and the new model is called TRG-22 (TRG-42 in .338). Sako's homepage is www.sako.fi

Ossi
 
Should have mentioned that you can still get Russian made M91/30 sniper rifles which are equipped with the 3 power PU scope for about $600. Empire Arms has them (stay away from Sarco which sold out and for the same amount of money, will sell you a mismatched rifle and scope combination).
 
HAHAHA! the TRG in 308 is about $2,400 the one in magnum calibers is about $2,600 to $2800

I want a good rifle, but i am a college student, and have heard a few complaints about the TRG, i don't plan to put quite that much in a rifle, maybe close but damn thats a lot of money for a gun that i can do the same thing with my T/C encore, or a nice rem 700. only problem with my encore is that its a single shot.

thanks and keep up the good replies.
 
If you want to do this on the cheap, smoney, I'd recommend:

Remington 700 VS .308 ($600.00)
Tasco SS 10X42 ($300.00)
Leupold MK IV rings + base ($200.00 lapped)
Harris Bipod ($75.00)

Total: $1175.00 (may differ in your area)

Spend the rest of your budget on Federal, Norma, or Black Hills match ammo.
I have never shot a 700 VS, VSS, or PSS that wouldn't do 3/4 MOA or better after 100 or so rounds have been down the tube to smooth out the barrel. I don't mean some laborious break-in routine either. Just take it out of the box, clean it, and then start shooting 5 shot groups, cleaning between groups.

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Cry "Havoc!" and let slip the dogs of war.
 
I want to be economical to some extent not to the extent that accuracy will suffer, i think between $800-1,200 is ok for a really good rifle, unless its totally custom made, then its over priced in most cases if higher

TASCO scope, first off, i dislike tasco, they just aren't that good of quality, some of the higher end scopes are good, but most are junk.
Harris bipods are around $55 here. a harris bipod is a definite. i plan to reload my ammo, once i accumulate some brass. and i plan on that being LAUPA for competition (did i spell that right?) i want a pistol type stock, i just like the feel better than a regular strait stock, especially from prone position.

Thanks glad to see so many quality replies, and more to come hopefulle
 
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