Best Long Range Setup

[Long Time Long Ranger]

For a guy who is serious about hunting and doesn't mind spending for the best. What are the best setups you know of in a hunting weight rifle. We hear and see on forums, TV, etc all kinds of figures. Just wanted to know what all the guys on here see as the best long range rig light enough to carry on a days hunt in the hills.

I have many long range rifles but am not a guru on it for sure being an engineer by trade and a hobby gunsmith. Some of my best would be my 300 ultramag shooting the 177 grain GS bullet with a .638 BC right at 3500 fps. My favorite 338-378 wby shooting the 225 grain Rocky Mountain bullet with a .773 BC at around 3500 fps is pretty good at long range and is flat out amazing to me. I have a few others but want to know what all you guys can come up with as the best long range setup.

With all my big boomers I flat out enjoy shooting my little 243 AI's at long range. Little noise, no recoil and cheap to shoot it is just a pleasure. So it doesn't have to be a big boomer to be fun. But for large big game I guess it has to be a big boomer, or does it?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

 

[blipelt]

Sorry but long range and carry rifle don't go hand in hand for me. I have my long range rifles at 14-15lbs. Now a 5-10mile walk in the flats of ND these rifles can start to get heavy, I can't imagine what they would feel like in the hills.


Now for my main carry rifle for deer sized game I am building a 260.

Defiance action
HS bottom metal
Brux light palma contour barrel fluted 26"
Mcmillan HTG with adjustable cheek piece
Leupold VXIII CDS 4.5-14
Shilen trigger to SSG specs.

I plan on using the 260 for a carry rifle and some medium range shooting, say out to 800yds. If I like the feel of the rifle I will build one in a larger caliber for larger game, more than likely another 284 Jazz.

Brent

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

That is a good point, thanks. I think this could be interesting and informative.

 

[blipelt]

LTLR, this is one of the best threads I have seen in a long time. I can't wait to see some of the opinions. Especially since I have been struggling with which direction I should be going for my build. To late for the first one, but not for the second.


Brent

 

[TMR]

I do love the 243 Ackley. It is one of my "goto" rifles and is the one that gets used the most. It has replaced my 6.5x47 Lapua for now.

My "goto" boomers:

338 Edge 14LBS
7mm WSM 10LBS
243 one is 10lbs, one is 13lbs

With the exception of barrel lengths and contours, all rifles have the same stock, trigger, mag setup, etc. That way I can switch and they all feel the same.

 

[winmag]

I get the feeling your itching to drive the nail in a coffin, or make a point of some kind, but Ill bite.....
For now I have my 300wby, and my 338win mag for my "boomers" and they give me great "extended range", and serve well as all purpose hunting rifles that can effectivley extend my range on big critters, while still being at a reasonable weight for packing in Snake River Canyon country.
But Im torn between going the route of a 338 rum for my next L/R rig in a cary weight rifle, or going a bit heavier and having a full on custom with the 338Edge. I love L/R shooting and hunting, but I still have to have a rifle thats packable in the hills, even if that limmits my L/R capability to some degree for reaching way out there.
I found a few places this year where 1300+ would be very doable with the right rifle, and where you could even pack a shooting bench to if needed. Too bad my ability and my tools havent caught up to my immagination yet huh
But for the most part I gotta cover nasty country to get where I like to be.... ALONE with the critters, where few would consider following, to truly enjoy myself while hunting, so right now Im leaning toward the 338Rum on my Model-70 action.

 

[Oliveralan]

For me I'm building currently building 1 of 3 rifles I have (semi) planned.

Current build in progress is a 6.5mm that will push 140s to 3400fps+ in a 26" bbl should weigh in at around 8-9lb finished. This is deer medicine to 1000yards (what I will use it for) hogs and varmints to 1400 (will take spotter shots and only in excellent conditions before shooting at hogs or any large animal
over 1000yards).

For a dedicated ELR (1000yards+) a 14-17lb 375 Allen Magnum is the optimal rifle IMO. For those very long shots a couple extra pounds helps steady the
rifle and also balance out the heavy barrel.

Then a carry gun would be a 6BR build on a mini-mauser with a lone wolf stock and
leupold ultralight scope.

I also have a 13lb 300 ackley magnum for intermediate LR.

That covers most everything for my styles of hunting. I would enjoy having a selection of 7-10lb rifles as those are usualy the best balance of range vs mobility for me.

 

[trebark]

In a 9-10lb rig, the 'medium' long actions work nicely. Mine is a 280. Although it will carry the energy farther than 600, I'm confident with it at that range.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f53/my-280-updated-32771/

For long-range targets and varmints...260....

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f53/my-260-mcr-59628/

For a 'boomer', I'm having a 300RUM built that will look just like the 260. At 14ish pounds, the 260 and 300 are a bit heavy for a carry rifle, but for the looong shots, it's the platform that I'm most comfortable with.

 

[kustomkoatings]

What kinda 6.5 you building 3400 fps with 140 thats pretty impressive.

 

[Oliveralan]

And that's low end velocity. Also doesn't require custom dies. I will reveal it soon. Just remember, Beware the Voodoo. gun)

 

[trebark]

And that's low end velocity. Also doesn't require custom dies. I will reveal it soon. Just remember, Beware the Voodoo. gun)

ooooooooooh I can't wait!

 

[royinidaho]

Ok, I'll chime in and start with some initial considerations.

Back in 2007 I went on a 31 day hunt with a fellow LRHr. I wasn't in the best of health figuring that sugar was the problem. However I still managed to walk way more miles than I would have figured. Some walks were very steep, up and down, some were along ancient roads. From that year to the 2009 season things went down hill to where I could only hike the 30 min hike to my favorite hide only carrying a bottle of water and some snacks. Son in law carried the pack and the rifle.

After removal of one important organ and another lesser one things are on the up side but I have aged those 3 years.

So what have I learned since then?

Carry-Long Range Rifle #1: After the arrival of Berger Hybrids, the butt ugly REM 700 LH with a Holland QD brake, Holland recoil lug, Rem 338 RUM sporter take off barrel and a 20 MOA cant on the Weaver 4.5-14 weighing in at under 10.5 pounds. The rig as shown by a young fella by the name of Crofoot is coyote accurate to 1177 yds. (no more mil-dot hold overs. Just clicks good for further that I should ever shoot at anything but rocks.

Carry-Long Range Rifle #2: 270 Allen Magnum build on a Rem 721 action, 30"-8 twist, fluted 3-groove Lilja bbl, self-modified B&C cheapie stock, Zeiss 6.5-20 Conquest w/heavy duplex reticle weighing in at 12.5 pounds. Shooting 150 Noslers she's good for coyote size animals out to 1472 yards, my longest first shot hit on a coyote size rock. With 169 WC she's good for deer at least that far. With my own creation of 160gr higher bc bullets she'll be good for maybe a mile.

I can carry these two rifles, when carried properly, over any terrain that I ever could carry anything. Only slower

Long rang rifle, no carry for very far: 375 Allen Magnum. Bat action, 30/31" pac-nor barrel, jewell trigger, Mc A5 stock, the largest APS PK Brake, a couple of sets of Night Force rings, a Simmons 3-9 gold ring scope........... gotcha on that one. Actually NXS 6.5-22X56 NPR1.

If this sucker needs to be carried, my LTB (Less Than Bright) 6'7" 275 # son-in-law or a donkey is gonna carry it.

This rig should be here very shortly.

BTW, I didn't care about the 16 lb limit on the 375 AM, as Gov. Otter played right into my hand, by screwing the woofers. The 16 pound limit is for big game only. So the woof not any longer being big game........

AND, if I were limited to any one of these rifles for all around work, long range, short range, carry, ambush, etc. Hands down it would be the 338 RUM.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

I assure everyone I have no motive and just reading and learning like everyone else. This is great stuff and does prove we have some very knowledgable contributors to this forum. I to want to see this oliveralan 264. I really like that about having all the long range rigs built the same way so they feel the same when shooting. I have never seen that or mentioned it but i have 20-25 identical rifles built in every caliber from 22-358 except the 8mm. Identical 28" #4 barrels, Sako actions and Mcmillain stocks. They all feel the same and give me that comfort zone. Long range shooting is as much mental as anything and the smallest of factors can help. About like golf.

 

[LRSickle]

Funny you should post this thread today. I was just out getting my new Vortex on my 300 Weatherby sighted in for Alaska and the little woman ask me which, if I had to pick one, of my guns would I choose. I said this 300 Accumark right here. It's not the fastest or the most accurate but it's a great semi-longrange gun, I can carry it all day, it'll kill ****-near anything on the planet, it's about the most I can handle without a brake and I shoot it well.
I have a 15lb Edge, a 20lb 6.5x284.....etc, etc, but my 300 Roy is my go-to carry gun.