Getting into long range hunting

First find a Great smith that Favors your rifle , Piller & glass bed action, free float bbl, Adjust trigger to 2 lbs, if smith can't or wont , buy a great replacement trigger , Timney comes to mind, replace your stocks recoil pad, I caught your hint!, You could Melonite your factory bbl n it'll last lots longer, and last but not least do you have relation or friends that reload??? I cant STRESS the Gunsmith part enuff. thks oh the 308 is a great Cartridge to learn on and Ditto the 708 Remington, then you'd have same caliber bullets something to ponder!!!.

You really have to make a decision.
Are you going to play around with long range, or are you going to get serious. If your going to get serious, get a longe range specific rifle. Either factory or build one. If you're going to play around, then buy something cheap. I've tried it with sporter barreled cheap rifles, and yes I made hits, but it was few and far between.
A fast twist heavy barrel is used for several reasons. And it's not just barrel heat, it's also harmonics, and how a whipy barrel especially a factory barrel will show signs of it down range on target. The harmonics are more violent and you'll see vertical and some horizontal dispersion that can't be explained.

I would just be careful and not wear the barrel out plinking at long range steel. Sounds like the rifle is shooting good now and will be an excellent mid range hunting rifle. I would try to keep a rifle like that for hunting for a long time.

As said before, I have a RZ800 scope and have used it for years. It can be very good for quicker shoots at say 500 yards. Which can cover 99% of hunting situations, unless you are hunting in a location where the game is predominantly long range.

I have that scope on a 25-06 and have made shots on game from 375 to 463 with it. And that is really about the terminal limits for my 25-06.

Just about three weeks ago, I was easily popping milk jugs at 500 yards with it. Have shot still with it to 600.

tomsd said:

All a matter of how much one has to spend. For the $1,000 for that Remington 700 5 R rifle (just for the rifle) - - you can also buy a Browning X Bolt Long Range - or Savage has a long range model about that price in their lineup - and Tikka T3X as well. Very good guns all - - but the Remington 783 (with mounted - serviceable scope for around $300 -) - will shoot just fine.

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Yeah, but that Browning isn't going to be heavy enough to be a good LR target rifle. Same with the Tikka, and the 783.

LR target rifles need to be heavy enough to keep the rifle steady and on target when aiming at things far away. This is why I recommend 5R Milsepcs and Senderos and those weight barrel blanks for people who are wanting to shoot LR. At some point you have to man up and stop worrying about rifle weight if you want true LR accuracy and precision.

Rome was not built in a day.

tomsd said:

Rome was not built in a day.

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Correct, but everyone needs a good heavy .308 Win in the safe... Even if you don't shoot it every day or every week, it's an awesome gun to have handy when you do want to shoot it. Not to mention the ****-near infinite barrel life under normal conditions (not literally, but I have heard of barrels lasting over 10,000 rounds).

I'm not sure the 7mm Wthby will get you to 2000 yds unless you have a car sized target...

Sounds like you may not have the funds, but I tend to agree that a "cheap" rifle/cartridge combo for practicing might be good. My buddy picked up a 300 WM Savage Long Range Hunter for $500 awhile back, I see 6.5 creedmoor versions for for $650 in several places currently. Holiday sales and coupon codes might get you under $600.

A 6.5 Creed Savage LRH would be an outstanding starting point. Factory ammo is cheap, so you could practice until you get reloading equipment, then have a brass supply already.

Quick thought experiment. Rough and dirty calculations, but you should see the point.

$1000 dollars = 300 rounds of 7 Wthby. $1000 = Savage LRH and 300 rounds of 6.5 CM.

7WM = 0.65 BC bullet at ~3000 fps.
6.5 CM = 0.65 BC bullet at ~2700 fps.

The 6.5 drop/wind is roughly the same at 800 yds as the Wthby is at 1000. If you can hit a 1 MOA target in a 10 mph wind at 800 yds with the Creedmoor, you should be able to do the same with the Weatherby at 1000 yds. ~1000 yds with the CM = ~1200 yds with the Wthby

Basically, you can learn everything you need to know about long range shooting, for the same price as the Weatherby, but you get a FREE RIFLE in the process!

I've said for many many years (before the 6.5CM even came along), that a good accurate .308 Win. will make you a better LR shooter. Mainly because the .308 Win will make you have to learn how to read wind, and how to dial more accurately and precisely. If you master those skills, other faster cartridges will be a breeze. But as for mastering the basics and making you a better LR shooter, the .308 Win will always take the prize, in my opinion.

Ahhh - the ole Remington Sendaro - 26" barrel - righto? Just about bought one in .300 Win Mag some 30? years ago - but for some reason did not. Guys invited me to shoot one at the range - and I hit the 300 yard gong first shot. Even tho I had once been on a rifle team at the AF Academy - waaay back - '64-65 - that was my longest shot to that time. Great rifle.

tomsd said:

Ahhh - the ole Remington Sendaro - 26" barrel - righto? Just about bought one in .300 Win Mag some 30? years ago - but for some reason did not. Guys invited me to shoot one at the range - and I hit the 300 yard gong first shot. Even tho I had once been on a rifle team at the AF Academy - waaay back - '64-65 - that was my longest shot to that time. Great rifle.

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Actually the 26" short-action rifles were not Senderos, even though they looked just like it. The only difference was they were short-action cartridges used in short-action receivers, and the model was called the VSF, then later when the Sendero SF (Stainless Fluted) came along, the short-action version was called the VSSF.

The long-action versions and magnum cartridges were the actual "Sendero" model rifles.

The Sendaro I shot was a .300 Winny and I was thinking about buying one just like it. There was a 1,000 yard range in North San Diego - in Escondido - and I talked to the instructors - and they recommended that rig - with a trigger job - but again - can't remember why I didn't follow thru.

I agree with mudrunner I think a good 308, is a good teacher...I learned more with a 223 AR than just dang near anything.. I shot a lot...

VSSF= Varmit short action,stainless flutted if not rite i'm close Great shooting regardless of Caliber or Cartridge!!! Bravo ! Remington!!! and GET the Heck Back on your Feet We need You Back!!!

tomsd said:

The Sendaro I shot was a .300 Winny and I was thinking about buying one just like it. There was a 1,000 yard range in North San Diego - in Escondido - and I talked to the instructors - and they recommended that rig - with a trigger job - but again - can't remember why I didn't follow thru.

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The Sendero is a good rifle, but for the money, these days, I would go for the 5R Milspec 26" .300WM. It has a much better barrel on it from the factory...And costs significantly LESS than a Sendero in the same caliber. They also both use factory HS Precision stocks, stainless actions, jeweled bolts, BDL magazine setups, and stainless barrels, but the 5R barrel uses 5R rifling, and is a much higher quality barrel from the factory.

They're basically identical rifles, but the one with the better barrel, is $300 cheaper. Just trying to help you get more rifle for your money.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog...Bolt+300+Winchester+Magnum+26+3+1+Synthetic+H

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog...97313/Remington+700+SENDERO+SF+II+300+WIN+MAG