I am looking into building a benchrest rifle that is capable of 600-800 yards and I am wanting some opinions. I am looking at the Savage Model 10FCP Mcmillan in 308. I am new to this long range shooting as I have shot pistols for the last 4 years and now I am just wanting something different. This is gooing to be my first long range rifle and i am on a budget. I also want to make sure that I am going to enjoy this before I go spend alot of money on a custom rifle. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Is it a good place to start
- Thread starter NISTECH95
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Michael Eichele
Well-Known Member
308's and Savages are always a good place to start. Benchrest rifles are a whole nother breed of cat especially at 600-800 yards. I guess it depends on your expectations.
You see the whole idea behind bench rest shooting is to shoot as small a group as possible. Now alot of this has to do with shooter skill, consistency and reading the elements as they change and compensating for those elements. At 600-800 yard you will be looking at wind direction, wind speed, mirage, lighting, temprature, pressure and humidity changes AND how they will affect where your next bullet will hit. For a target shooter, these things are of concern but not nearly on the same scale as a BR shooter. At 600 yards for a match shooter the 10 ring is 12". A shooter can shoot a 12" group and win the match with a 200/200 points. A BR shooter is looking for as tight a group as he can get. At 600-800 yards a good BR guy is looking for 2-3" groups on a bad day.
The 308 is capable of astounding accuracy when conditions are good. It falls short of 600-800 yard contention simply due to its slower qualities. This will cause more wind drift than a 300 WSM or RUM. If you missjudge the wind a bit, there goes your 800 yard 2" group. For a match shooter, that is ok. We can ussually judge well enough to keep a bullet in the 10 ring. then again the 10 ring is very forgiving. A 2" group is not forgiving.
Ask your self what your expectations are. You will see some excellent groups from your 308 at near and far ranges. The nice thing about a 308 is they are easy to load for, cheap to operate and barrels have a good long life. This all amounts to being able to test, experiemnt and practice. This is what will lead you to good groups. Not shooting the lates big boomer. Shooter skill and knowledge of how to use his tools is always the most important part of hitting what you want whether it be a 2" 800 yard group or an 8" target with the first round.
Good luck and welcome!
You see the whole idea behind bench rest shooting is to shoot as small a group as possible. Now alot of this has to do with shooter skill, consistency and reading the elements as they change and compensating for those elements. At 600-800 yard you will be looking at wind direction, wind speed, mirage, lighting, temprature, pressure and humidity changes AND how they will affect where your next bullet will hit. For a target shooter, these things are of concern but not nearly on the same scale as a BR shooter. At 600 yards for a match shooter the 10 ring is 12". A shooter can shoot a 12" group and win the match with a 200/200 points. A BR shooter is looking for as tight a group as he can get. At 600-800 yards a good BR guy is looking for 2-3" groups on a bad day.
The 308 is capable of astounding accuracy when conditions are good. It falls short of 600-800 yard contention simply due to its slower qualities. This will cause more wind drift than a 300 WSM or RUM. If you missjudge the wind a bit, there goes your 800 yard 2" group. For a match shooter, that is ok. We can ussually judge well enough to keep a bullet in the 10 ring. then again the 10 ring is very forgiving. A 2" group is not forgiving.
Ask your self what your expectations are. You will see some excellent groups from your 308 at near and far ranges. The nice thing about a 308 is they are easy to load for, cheap to operate and barrels have a good long life. This all amounts to being able to test, experiemnt and practice. This is what will lead you to good groups. Not shooting the lates big boomer. Shooter skill and knowledge of how to use his tools is always the most important part of hitting what you want whether it be a 2" 800 yard group or an 8" target with the first round.
Good luck and welcome!
Buffalobob
Well-Known Member
The term "benchrest" implies a certain type of competition shooting. There are other forms of competition.
If you go to the "Home page" Ed Shell has a good article on "tactical" competition. Also on the home page there is some yoyo who wrote an article on "F-class" competition.
Getting Started In Tactical Rifle Competition
F-Class Competition As Training For The Hunt
A 308 would not be the caliber of choice for "benchrest" but it would be fine for many of the other forms of competition. It has an extremely good barrel life and what components make it accurate are well known.
If you go to the "Home page" Ed Shell has a good article on "tactical" competition. Also on the home page there is some yoyo who wrote an article on "F-class" competition.
Getting Started In Tactical Rifle Competition
F-Class Competition As Training For The Hunt
A 308 would not be the caliber of choice for "benchrest" but it would be fine for many of the other forms of competition. It has an extremely good barrel life and what components make it accurate are well known.
J E Custom
Well-Known Member
I would recomend that you go to as many different types of matches that you can and look
at the equiptment being used and the skill level required to be competitive (You can't expect
to win at first but it is nice to make a showing).
There are a lot of different competitions and equiptment used that will best fit your skill level
and bank account.
Everyone normaly starts with something a little easer and works up, so don,t jump in to deep
and spoil the fun.
Just a suggestion
J E CUSTOM
Thanks for the advice guys. I guess what I am really looking to do is come up with a rifle that has the capability of shooting 600-800 yrds. I am really not interested in competing at this time. I have a good friend that has a 308 savage model 12 that has had extensive work done on it and I love the way it shoots. I do have some experience handloading the 308 cartridge for hunting so that is why I thought about building a rifle of the same caliber( I shoot an old rem. 788 that my dad gave me). I have done some research on these actions and from what I understand they are a little weak, that is why I thought maybe the Savage. I am still doing my research and reading all the posts on here that I can to gain as much knowledge as I can before I jump in head first on this thing. Thanks again for all your help.
J E Custom
Well-Known Member
From what I have heard the 788 was the preferred action for benchrest shooters because it
is larger in diamenter and stronger than the 700.
I have not measured one my self so maybe someone will chime in that knows for sure.
I do know that the action will handle the 308. so if you want to put it to good use then
build on it.
J E CUSTOM
