Beginner needs help!

[MachV]

Great advice given but you could go the route I took.Buy a $1800 dallar 50BMG & when you find that you cant hit squat add a wissbang 375-50BMG to the arsinal(point blank to 600yards ya know)Then when you find yourself broke,confused,busted up & reciol shy you take the good advice given & get a 308.
The Ruger VLE in 308 is a lot more forgiveing,cheap,lots of info,low recoil in a 10# gun,good selection of factory rounds.I can aford to shoot it alot & that may very well be the biggest part of the long range game=pull the triger as often as you can not as often as you can aford too.Heck even the little fast twist 223 is better than wissbang if you pull the trigger more(not a problem with an AR anyway)
Gota go got a few minutes befor work to shoot a few rounds with the wind bowing=CJ

[ 10-01-2002: Message edited by: Mach V ]

MDTS,

Sako is a good rifle but I think you would be happier if you went with a Rem. or Win. you can get the jewel trigger and any good smith can tweak them any way you wish....

My 308 is deadly to 750 on deer with the 175 smk.... I shot at many a pd past 1200....

[Ian M]

The point is not to HUNT at 1000 yards with a .308, it is to use it as a learning tool to gain the skills to hunt long. Most users consider the .308 an adequate killer out to 7-800 but that might be stretching it. Fact is 600 is a hell of a long shot with most rifles.
Most guys cannot enjoy shooting a magnum a hundred or so rounds a session. Plus doing so will wear out the barrel in much shorter time than if you practiced with a .308. Really good accuracy life of a .300 Win. is probably one third or less that of a .308 - 1500-2000 vs 5-7000 rounds. Accuracy is in the eyes of the beholder, this would still be lethal sized group accuracy.
The .308 shoots very nicely out at 1000 and might be lethal but the magnums are designed to deliver the necessary energy.
The Sako is a heavier barreled rifle and a fine one. Scope mounts are a bit of a pain in the butt if you want to shoot past 6-700 unless you have a scope with a lot of "up" in the turrets.