Best Value Long Range Hunting Rifle up to $5k

[DanTheMan]

Fabulous advice here but I might add a suggestion to see what is on the used market. Lots of long-range guys where I live build a new rifle every few months and the old ones end up sitting around or getting sold. It would cost half as much and leave you plenty of room for a reloading setup, fantastic optics, a suppressor, or whatever your heart dreams of.

I picked up a 15 year-old custom rem 700 a few weeks ago and my first loads are already consistently inside of 0.300" at 100 yards. I got it for less than I've spent on some factory guns. Barrel almost shot-out? Who cares? There's plenty of budget left to rebarrel & rechamber.
Guys that make them often have leads on really great used guns for sale.

.300 Win Mag is an excellent choice, but to really maximize the potential of any rifle. handloads are a huge piece of the equation.

Great advice. I'd have to do the load development to optimize the gun like you said at least until I can learn the reloading part. Thanks.

 

[DanTheMan]

Hey 375 JFJ. Sorry if I was repeating that video. Really bad T Storm here. I thank my phone was freezing up and I didn't know my replies we're going threw. I went the gun smith route to build my guns. They are like half the price of Best of The West, McWhorter, EOL, Gunwerks rifles. When you buy a rifle from those 4 places I mentioned you not only have to pay for the rifle but you also have to pay for their advertising. I thank Gunwerks is the only one who makes their own action. The other ones use like Defiance, Stiller, and Surgeon and just have them put their own name on it. Then they will ask a barrel company like Benchmark, Broughtin, to make barrels for them and make a deal with them saying they will only by barrels from them. Then they have their in house gunsmith put it all together. So by this time the price of that gun is like $8,000 for the rifle only. Another gunsmith I use is Texas Brigade Armory he is in Mingus Tx. Ask for Mike Lau (254) 968-5894. If he is backed up his son is a gunsmith too. They both are very good at what they do. Supper nice. It does take Mr Lau a while cause he does everything himself. His son has his own shop. I thank it took Mr Lau 8 months To finish mine. But not all his faul. He had to wait on certain parts. ( Back orders )

Great explanation of everything and appreciate the referrals- someone else recommended TBA and Mike Lau on here. Thanks!!

 

[DanTheMan]

Hey 375 JFJ. Sorry if I was repeating that video. Really bad T Storm here. I thank my phone was freezing up and I didn't know my replies we're going threw. I went the gun smith route to build my guns. They are like half the price of Best of The West, McWhorter, EOL, Gunwerks rifles. When you buy a rifle from those 4 places I mentioned you not only have to pay for the rifle but you also have to pay for their advertising. I thank Gunwerks is the only one who makes their own action. The other ones use like Defiance, Stiller, and Surgeon and just have them put their own name on it. Then they will ask a barrel company like Benchmark, Broughtin, to make barrels for them and make a deal with them saying they will only by barrels from them. Then they have their in house gunsmith put it all together. So by this time the price of that gun is like $8,000 for the rifle only. Another gunsmith I use is Texas Brigade Armory he is in Mingus Tx. Ask for Mike Lau (254) 968-5894. If he is backed up his son is a gunsmith too. They both are very good at what they do. Supper nice. It does take Mr Lau a while cause he does everything himself. His son has his own shop. I thank it took Mr Lau 8 months To finish mine. But not all his faul. He had to wait on certain parts. ( Back orders )

Great pics btw!

 

[DanTheMan]

The single target that looks like 1 hole is 10 rounds @ 100 yards. The 2 Orange targets is a 4 shot group at 2300 yards in Brawley California. I have some video of it with my family watching me make those shots. The cameras were not working the greatest. It was like 115-120 degrees out there. Felt more like 150 degrees. Man it was hot. You could not even keep your hands on my truck for more than 3 seconds.

Incredible shots!

 

[DanTheMan]

Man all of you guys are amazing with all your excellent advice and taking the time to help me out!! If I ever win the Powerball all you guys are in good shape. Thanks again!

 

[daka]

Get a good Custom. Not a doubt in my mind.
Good custom action like Kelbly, Defiance, Stiller, Lone Peak
Bartlein, Brux, Kreiger steel barrel, or even a Bartlein or Proof CF wrapped
Manners or McMillan stock
TriggerTech, Bix N Andy or Timney trigger

Not needed to say any more...

 

[im338]

Can check Gre-tan rifles. Makes great rifles. Not sure how soon you want your rifle. With Greg it would be a year or two. My self I like the three lug actions. Sako, Fierce and Terminus actions all have the 60° bolt lift. Don't know if you worked the actions on any of them they are great. Enjoy your build.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I recommend the McWhorter.
There are a few getting around here, I have shot them and they are impressive for the price.
I build several customs a year, mainly switch barrel hunting rifles on Win Model 70 actions and Rem 700's.
McWhorters are mostly custom actions, but you can ask for a blueprinted Rem 700, these shoot just as good as mine do.
I use a local barrel maker that button rifles and laps, or Bartlein for my target customs. Have used one of their 5R barrels and it is fantastic in finish, yet to shoot this one though due to lockdown here.

Cheers.

 

[P7M13]

Lot of great advice, well earned recommendations and gee whiz.
Doesn't sound like you've done much shooting.
Recommend you take a LR shooting course. Most require you to bring your own rifle, Gunwerks provides them for the training, and there are probably others too.

Long Range Shooting School | Gunwerks

Long range shooting classes to ethically equip every hunter.

www.gunwerks.com

 

[Upsidedownjack]

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking to purchase the best rifle possible up to $5k (I could go higher if it met my goal explained below or half that amount in a very comparable rifle). I figure if I am going to mostly be using 1 main gun for a very long time then spend the money now and get the best. But with spending a lot of money I'm looking for the absolute best value in that price range. I'm also open to non traditional hunting rifles like reasonably weighted ELR or MPR if need be with my goals in mind. I believe these are considered more accurate typically?

Like I also stated I'm open to paying around $2500 on a factory rifle if that rifle was incredible value and very, very comparable to a much higher priced rifle. I'll give you an example with Christensen Arms brand. I know the Ridgeline or Traverse are excellent factory rifles at around $2300 and they also offer the MPR for $2400 which might be more accurate and I've read that rifle could cost double that amount for what you get. I've seen Proof Research custom rifles that range from $4k to $7k range. This again is an example of what I'm processing with any brand and trying to make the best decision on (is that extra money worth it and which brands and guns people recommend for both price ranges).


I'm set on the .300 Win Mag for my hunting needs and for that distance range so not looking for any other caliber advice. Id like to have a 26 or 27" barrel. I'm looking for the best of the best in accuracy as my main goal. I don't mind a slightly heavier gun with an ELR or MPR.

Thanks in advance as I greatly appreciate everyone's experience and taking time to respond!

Dan

Bought a HMR-PRO in the 300 WM factory gun just added a Break. Very good trigger and heavy enough to help with the recoil

 

[Bighorn191]

I'll second that. I've got an MPA 65 Competition in 6.5 PRC, and truthfully, I am stunned how accurate that rifle is!

Just got a 6.5 PRC as well, setup with a NF scope and was shooting off a RRS tripod sitting - hits at 1060 were easy. At 100 the thing is stupid accurate. I'm so impressed with it, it's likely to become my new hunting rig for almost everything.

 

[Nevrsummr]

Check out Fierce Rifles

I had a custom built this year, exactly what i wanted for around 5k. Also bought my wife a fierce. I absolutely love both, but for the price difference i think buy Fierce and use the money you save to learn to reload and shoot well.

 

[Bullmark]

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking to purchase the best rifle possible up to $5k (I could go higher if it met my goal explained below or half that amount in a very comparable rifle). I figure if I am going to mostly be using 1 main gun for a very long time then spend the money now and get the best. But with spending a lot of money I'm looking for the absolute best value in that price range. I'm also open to non traditional hunting rifles like reasonably weighted ELR or MPR if need be with my goals in mind. I believe these are considered more accurate typically?

Like I also stated I'm open to paying around $2500 on a factory rifle if that rifle was incredible value and very, very comparable to a much higher priced rifle. I'll give you an example with Christensen Arms brand. I know the Ridgeline or Traverse are excellent factory rifles at around $2300 and they also offer the MPR for $2400 which might be more accurate and I've read that rifle could cost double that amount for what you get. I've seen Proof Research custom rifles that range from $4k to $7k range. This again is an example of what I'm processing with any brand and trying to make the best decision on (is that extra money worth it and which brands and guns people recommend for both price ranges).


I'm set on the .300 Win Mag for my hunting needs and for that distance range so not looking for any other caliber advice. Id like to have a 26 or 27" barrel. I'm looking for the best of the best in accuracy as my main goal. I don't mind a slightly heavier gun with an ELR or MPR.

Thanks in advance as I greatly appreciate everyone's experience and taking time to respond!

Dan

I have owned quite a few custom hunting rifles over the years.....built by a number of different top shelf folks. I can say without question that McWhorter rifles are consistently as good as I've seen.
They will build custom off your specs and/or advise based on Your preferences. They also have a fairly wide selection of rifles in a range of calibers that are already built and load developed.
Ive bought "off the rack" and ordered up my own set of specs. Of the 4 centerfires and 2 smokeless muzzleloaders that I bought the worst performing was still amazing and grouped under .5 MOA......and that was the worst.
I will say their listed price will be a bit above 5k but if u call and talk to Allan Rovig and tell him your limit he will come down. They use the best components.....Hart, Bartlein, Brux barrels, Borden actions, jewel triggers to name a few.
If u want the name of a **** good guy in Illinois I'll send u his info. He built me a .280AI last yr and she's a beauty......I've had to develop my own Load and I learned a lot. But I've got it shooting well under .5moa and gun is spectacular......and all in was around $4300.
I'd go with McWhorter if u want a turn key rifle that is arriving ready to hunt along with several boxes of your hand loaded ammo.

 

[5.56×250]

Jarrett beanfield rifles are worth a look too. They probably had as much as anyone to do with the custom rifle craze we are enjoying today. He has even started making his own barrels now because he is so picky about quality. I dont have any first hand experience with customs, so my knowledge on Jarrett rifles is purely second hand. I like screwing my own rifles together and have had great luck building remage barrel rifles . Sub 1/2 moa accuracy is very doable . Just get a good 700 action and pick out the barrel , trigger, stock , and optics that you want , bolt it all together and either work up a load or have one of the custom ammo outfits work one up for you . Building your own rifle makes those tight little 5 shot groups look that much better