Long Range Rifle Shooting on a budget ...

I put one of SightMarks Triple Duty Scopes with the 34mm tube on my 'Remington 700 M40 Long Range' - 300 Remington Ultra Magnum - to see how it would do before investing in a higher priced one. Its a 'SM 6-25x56-34mm TD' and so far it's doing great for a Scope priced under $300,
I had read about using the larger tube Scope's ( 34mm - 40mm ) for Long Range Shooting so I thought I would try it. My setup looks like this one pictured below.

Rem 700 Rum.jpg
 
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Cpl Austin said:
Not everyone out there has thousands of dollars to spend on getting themselves a good Long Range Shooting Rifle Setup.
Here are some suggestions :
1. Have an idea of how much you can afford to spend on your initial setup ... Rifle, Scope , Ammunition, a rest, bags or bi-pod to start with, you can always add to it as you go.
Don't spend more for your scope than you will for your Rifle . You can always upgrade your scope later.
2. Choose a Range that you can reasonably achieve at first then move out as you get better.
3. Choose a Caliber that will suit your needs.
4. Compare prices, warranties and available accessories from the different Rifle Companies.
5. When choosing a Rifle compare the features that you get for the price your paying.
6. When you're looking at Rifles stay in your price range, . some of the more affordable Rifles out there are made by very reputable Firearms Companies that have been around for a while ... Remington, .Ruger and Savage to name a few.
7. Long Range Shooting should be challenging and fun. Don't try to base your experience on what someone else says they can do ... enjoy reaching your own goals.
Click to expand...

This is an excellent post. And sound wisdom.
Thanks for starting this thread !
 
KyCarl said:
I'm disagreeing! I own 3 of the 5 scopes in post 33 and they have helped my shooting
WAY more than any rifle I have bought! The step up is like night and day!
I would not pick them in the order as in the picture but the top 3 would still be there but in another order! I would go NF..K..V..
Click to expand...

Maybe, perhaps, your budget, and my budget are widely seperate .
Which is great.
And those top tier optics are possibly worth their price.
However. I would rather spend that money on a training school to learn about all the truly important parts of long range shooting.
I can get a lot of long range shooting done with a 10 power SWFA scope that is still functioning 100% after 5 years. If I had to wait to shoot long range until I could get a high dollar scope. I still wouldn't be able stretch out.
 
KyCarl said:
Sorry but winning costs! Does Andy Dalton make as much as Tom Brady?
Can a weekend racer beat the Pettys or the Wood Bros.?
At some point skill needs a budget equal to it! When I competed at Sporting Clays
I didn't feel like I was progressing like I wanted so I hired a coach. I went from just competing to cashing checks? Every little thing adds up! And it all costs money!
Click to expand...


That is all true !!
However, long range rifle shooting is Not the same thing as competing in long range shooting competitions.

I have 0 interest in shooting competitions !
I have lots of interest in being able to shoot my rifles well at medium to long range.

Would it be easier with a several thousand dollar upgrade in rifle and optics, probably. But , that's not in the budget.
 
jarnold37 said:
In my case as I look back in time I see two things that no one has mentioned. 1.Enthusiasm 2. Experience. If enthusiasm is low and just wanting a rifle to shoot but don't "get carried away" then common sense will dictate the amount one might spend on long range hunting. This person usually sees no need for a $2k scope. Even with high enthusiasm most will start with reasonably priced equipment for many reasons. With myself the affordable aspect had little bearing, as I just saved longer for quality components. But this didn't really kick in until Experience was mixed with Enthusiasm. Now I wish I would not have purchased some of the "bargains" and just put that money to start with for top quality equipment. I found that used cheap equipment is very hard to sell. At most long range matches you will notice the best of equipment because of 1.Enthusiasm 2. Experience
Click to expand...


But a rifle match, IS NOT by definition . Long range hunting !
That's like saying in order to defend your home you NEED a $2500 . AR , MP , ect. While a basic PSA AR kit and 5 mags full off ammo will run less than $500.

For hunting. There are other things that cost also. Like getting into good game country and back out. Ect.

Not that top tier gear isn't GREAT. But if you can't use that gear cause of its high cost.

I'de rather spend 10 grand on a new Viking, Skandic, or BearCat so I can get out chasing wolf packs so I can use my long range skills and equipment to put some calf eaters in the sled.
 
Last edited:
Cpl Austin said:
Not everyone out there has thousands of dollars to spend on getting themselves a good Long Range Shooting Rifle Setup.
Here are some suggestions :
1. Have an idea of how much you can afford to spend on your initial setup ... Rifle, Scope , Ammunition, a rest, bags or bi-pod to start with, you can always add to it as you go.
Don't spend more for your scope than you will for your Rifle . You can always upgrade your scope later.
2. Choose a Range that you can reasonably achieve at first then move out as you get better.
3. Choose a Caliber that will suit your needs.
4. Compare prices, warranties and available accessories from the different Rifle Companies.
5. When choosing a Rifle compare the features that you get for the price your paying.
6. When you're looking at Rifles stay in your price range, . some of the more affordable Rifles out there are made by very reputable Firearms Companies that have been around for a while ... Remington, .Ruger and Savage to name a few.
7. Long Range Shooting should be challenging and fun. Don't try to base your experience on what someone else says they can do ... enjoy reaching your own goals.
Click to expand...


Great post.

I'll add that while shopping and comparing platforms, don't discount the upgrade potential of a platform. Rem700s are very buildable. I wouldn't think twice about buying an SPS Tactical, Sendero, Long Range or 5R variant to launch myself into long range shooting.
 
If I was in the market to start out again.
I would find a sub 300 buck Savage Edge or Axis or RAR in 243 Win, 308 Win or 6.5 Cm . 20 moa rail. Set of 30 mm rings . 10 power SWFA SS MRAD scope. A 9-13" Harris knotched leg bipod . a Kestrel wind meter and a shooting matt. A Mildot Master . and a couple thousand Nosler CC bullets from Shooters Pro Shop.

Then go out and start the adventure of long range shooting with as much help ,advice and good instruction as I could find. And practice, practice , practice.
With correct practice, by the time this 2k bullets were shot up . 700 yards wouldn't seem that far. And working up to understanding and shooting to the rifles potential at 800, 900 or further would be well on its way.
And the ability to eliminate calf eaters from the food chain. Or fill the freezer would be there as well.
 
We have a new shooter on our provincial fourm.

He's not going to buy used since he dosen't know what to look for,,, so one of our fellow shooters has offered up his rifles for the young fellow to go out and shoot at his private range... This is where things will take off for this new comer.

He dosen't have to buy a rifle off this shooter,,, but he's offering a few fully dialed in units with optics for $850 to $900 Cnd funds,,, about $650 ish and change in Usd cash.

The benefits for the new fellow is a chance to try a swack of different units,,, and see how to set up off the bench or prone off the bypods... He's lucky to have a competitive shooters show him the ropes right off the batt...

Something he will remember for his shooting adventures,,, he'll get a chance to shoot frugal units,,, mid priced and the upper quality rifles,,, all of us know that the pricey units are the go to units,,, that's not saying that a frugal unit wouldn't work either,,, the task for him is finding one that fits,,, and doesn't blow him out of his socks if he decided to plink with it at the range.

6.5 something,,, 7mm-08,,, 308,,, 30/06,,, 270 and the others in the middle mix...

Koodoos to our fellow shooter friend to help get him up to speed,,, I offer this same thing at our range,,, nothing like reviving pointers for those in need or enjoy learning something new that improves their odds.

Ha,,,.after reading this thread I took it apon my self to put a drop shot on a wolf at 92 MOA,,, the boolit landed 4 ft-low at the 1435 meter mark. LOL.

Funny how 100 meters makes it possible to miss,,, like my team leader said,,, """ hopefully I miss alot of long shoot targets,,, that way I'm given the option to learn what not to do.""" Ha

I call it schooling my self before the F Class stuff gets underway.

I hope I'm in the line up of those that struggle like my self... That way we don't have to explain the brain farts when our boolitz miss the 6 ft target down range. LOL
 
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