need advice on long range setup

[gphil]

I am just starting out with getting setup for long range shooting and I need some advice. I have a handful of questions that I need help with. I jut bought a Remington xcr 338 win mag. Its totally stock, and it has a 26 inch barrel. I hunt in northern Idaho, I encounter ranges from 20 yards to 1000 yards and i would like to be capable of shooting elk, deer, and black bear out to 400-500 yards. i bought a nikon monarch 4-16-42 with leupold mounts and bases. I have been reloading hornady 225grain sst with 70 grains IMR 4350. I havent got a chance to chronograph it but i believe it should be somewhere between 2800-3000fps. I also need my rifle not to be too bulky and packing friendly.

1st question
is this setup adequate to shoot out to 400-500 yards ethically?

2nd
I have heard that the in cheaper scopes the MOA adjustments arent accurate and might not come back to zero does anyone have any experience with a nikon monarch?

3rd
I have thought about getting a stock I'm not too sure on what to get yet. My price range is around $300. Whats your gies opinion on a hogue stock?
how does pillar or block bedding compare to full length aluminum bedding? does the vertical grip on a tactical style stock help accuracy at long range? How is a tactical style stock to shoot offhand?

4th
does a muzzle break rob velocity?

Thanks for the advice ill take all that i can get!

[AJ Peacock]

1) Yes, very capable out to and past 500yds.

2) For your usage, you won't need perfection when it comes to 'counting clicks'. Just about any reasonable scope will perform well enough. I'm sure folks with Nikon experience will chime in.

3) I've seen a LOT of rifles that shoot like a house a fire with their original stock, sometimes with just $25 worth of materials and an evening of elbow grease to make sure it was bedded correctly. If the stock is comfortable and the gun shoots, there is no reason to change it, unless you "want" to.

Edited:: If you don't NEED a different stock, take the money and buy a better scope. Remember, rule 1) Buy the best scope you can afford. Rule 2) use the rest of you money for a rifle.

4) No. But don't forget to wear hearing protection "EVERY TIME" if you hunt with a muzzle Brake. For the 338 Win Mag, I wouldn't add a brake if it didn't have one already.

AJ

[roninflag]

i prefer a brake on all my mags. i believe the xcr comes with a very stable stock from the factory.

[gphil]

Thanks for the advice everyone Ill take your advice into consideratin. I plan on looking into getting my rifle glass bedded this winter and practicing out to 500 yds now that hunting season is over. I ask about a muzzle break because i was layin down shooting up hill at a nice buck this winter and the gun dinged me in the forehead twice and and made me bleed and I missed haha so this winter im going to get some serious practice in. Thanks for the advice!

[royinidaho]

The brake, if a good one, will stop rearward motion at around an inch of travel. (never measured).

The longer the eye relief the better I like it.

The 338 RUM, 10 # rig, Holland QD brake, 300 SMKs @ 2730 touches the bill of my cap every time. Last setup step is raise the bill a bit.

[liltank]

Nikon's in my opinion are very reliable. I owned 2 Buckmaster scopes. One is the 4.5-14x40SF and the other was the 6-18x40 w/ SF and Target dot. Both returned reliably to the zero. I still have the 4.5-14. I sold the 6-18 for a Vortex Viper. The Monarch is suppose to be a better quality scope than the Buckmaster. I would use it and use it well. Make sure you get a 20MOA base. Nikon's don't have a lot of elevation for some reason. There is plenty to get to 500, but to get to 100 depending on how flat your rifle shoots, you will want the canted base. Make sure you get your trigger worked over to about 2-2.5# pull.

Tank

[gphil]

lil tank im not real sure what you mean by a 20MOA base, is this just a higher mounting base? and im not sure what a canted base is either.

I hear alot of talk on hear about sightron and vortex. how do these two brands stack up against leupold or the europeans or nikon? Are they around the same level as a leupold? or are they considered better?

Could a good gumsmith get my factory trigger below 3lb pull? I have a rem. 700 xcr I believe its the newer style trigger.