Help with choosing a first long range rifle ?

[7mmaniac]

I'm left-handed. I've been studying on building a custom LR rifle for a long time now. After reading many many threads on multiple websites, I'm going to take some 'good' advice given to countless newbies. 308 win. I have 2 options best I can tell. A Rem 700 SPS Varmint or VS rifle and a Savage model 12. Which do I choose and why? The 700 needs a 'smith to do anything to it later, the Savage can be worked on quite a bit cheaper. I still have plans for a custom, just want to play with a factory gun first..it maybe help decide weight, cartridge, LOP, etc..
I'm performace driven at this point. Plan to shoot out to 800.

 

[britz]

I am no expert and am just in the planning stages of my first semi custom rifle. I would have steared you towards a Savage because of the versatility in changing barrels but I don't think you can get the 12 in a left hand 308. You would have to buy a 22-250 and then add a 308 barrel to the mix. Remington seems to be the option left - and they are very good rifles.

 

[travis anderson]

.308? ......why

hopefully your not hunting with it.. if you are id say that the downrange balistics of a .308 would limit most ethical hunters to a shorter range or small game animals.. nothing wrong with a .308 though, just not the best choice for most people..

 

[Rustystud]

First Long Range rifle for South Paw...

Model 12 Savage in left hand. Action bought from Jim Briggs at Northlander.

Trigger from Rifle Basix Sav-2, 4oz.

Stock from Kevin Rayhill, at Stockade Rifle Stocks.

Barrel from Broughton, Krieger, Rock Creek, or Lilja. Forget the Prefit barrels.

Scope bases and Rings from Ken Farrell.

Scope Sightron, Lepould or Nightforce.

100-600 yds 22 BRX, 6mmBR, 30BR Robinett

600-1000 yds 6mmBRX or Dasher

You could do a .308 or 6.5 X .284 if you want to shoot F-Class.

Any of the above will shoot with any Remington, or Winchester.

Rustystud

 

[Buffalobob]

The 308 is a great practice cartridge because it is very accurate and easy to load for. You can run 20 rounds down the barrel in 15-20 minutes and not ruin your barrel. It has great barrel life. If you pour the case full of Varget and grab a rock and hammer in a Sierra 175 MK it will stay supersonic past 1000 yards. At those distances it is sensitive to the wind so you get really great practice trying to read the wind and make good shots.

When you build your custom rifle you will be ahead of the game because you will already know how to judge wind at long range. Of course, I did it backwards and have used the 308 as a Remedial Shooting 101 course after I discovered I did not know as much as I thought about shooting in the wind.

I do not know anything about the factory rifles to give you any advice about them.