if you could start all over knowing what you know now

[WildRose]

I'll add one more. Shooting is becoming a more and more expensive hobby every day and it's not going to get better anytime soon.

To become a PROFICIENT long range shooter it takes thousands of rounds under every sort of condition you can think of in practice.

That being the case like some others on this thread suggest getting something that is a more cost effective gun to learn on is a very good idea.

Rifle Accuracy Systems inc in Colorado can set you up with a sub 1/2 MOA AR-15 for less than 1,500.00. Amongst the calibers available are the 6.5 Grendyl which is a great round out to about 750yds, and very economical to shoot even with factory ammo.

They are also a hell of a lot of fun. Carl built one gun for me already and I'm having him build me an AR-10 right now in .260 Rem, and plan to have another upper built by him in .325WSM this summer.

 

[cuz59]

New to this. What does AI mean? Saw 223/223AI and 260AI.

 

[liltank]

New to this. What does AI mean? Saw 223/223AI and 260AI.

AI= Ackley Improved. This a process by taking a standard cartridge and opening up the chamber to take taper out of the original design and increasing the angle of the shoulder. This allows more powder and in some cartridges a much improved ballistics. Others don't benefit as well. Usually the older cartridges seem to gain from this improvement (223, 243, 22-250, 260, 6.5x55 Swede to name a few).

Tank

 

[Boman]

The simple answer is get buy the best rifle you can afford. For some that's a custom and for some it's a over the counter rifle. The place I wouldn't scrimp on is optics. Buy good binos, spotter and rangefinder. You just can't cut corners there and play the long range game. Along with that get reloading equipment and learn how to do it correctly. It can be really expensive or not so bad. You have to decide what you want to do. Listen to the guys that have done it for years they know how to do it right.

 

[kc]

I would avoid falling in love with Springfields and building sporters from them.
saved my money to buy more land
and may have moved to Canada. my second love.