Long range hunting rifle - what do you use?

[magnum]

I'm from Brisbane, Australia and I am new to this website and new to long range hunting too. I'm actual coming out of 20+ years of inactivity as a shooter and hunter.

I have a custom 308 Norma Magnum built on a M98. It was built as a hunting rifle and is weighs accordingly not much more than 9 lbs loaded. It's currently carrying a 2-7X Leupold but that will be changed shortly for a 3.5-14X50 LPS Leupold. It's not a bad shooter for a hunting rifle.

I've read of the semi-benchrest weight rifles that some long range hunters carry into the field (15-16lbs ++) and that seems a bit on the heavy side for me. I'd be done after I walked a couple of miles lugging that weight plus a pack not to mention climbed some hills or mountains.

Let me hear what you use and how they shoot.

Magnum

 

[chessman]

Hey! Another M98 fan! My preference has always been a custom M98, but last year I bought a Savage 10FP in .308 with the 26" barrel. Nice rifle, but yes it is heavy, especially after re-stocking it. I'm currently building a 6.5 x 284 on an FN Mauser action. This round really doesn't carry enough energy downrange to be an effected "long range" hunting round for very large game, but it will be effective at a decent yardage. I have another FN action that may turn into a .338 Lapua or .300 RUM before all is done. What are you intending to shoot?

 

[Dave King]

Hey guys, I'm gonna move this thread to "The Basics, Starting Out" section. Up here is for Administration announcements only.

I'll leave thhis here and copy it over, post followups at the new location.

thanks

Dave

 

[Dave King]

Looks like it made it!


I'm one of those types that carry a 16 pound rifle into the field. I like the 308 Win in a heavy barrels rifle and stick to scopes in the 10 power maximum range. I use Remington actions as a rule but have had Winchester, Interarms 98 mauser types and others. My standard is to have a rifle that will consistently group at .5 MOA and I practice with it in all conditions until I'm sure I can hit within 1 MOA of my intended Point-Of-Aim (POA) when I pick the shooting conditions.

The 308 Norna mag seems like a good chambering, buddy of mine shoots a 30-338 Win and I've always been impressed with the performance of his rifle.

 

[ryan m]

As long as we are talking about 98's..
Here is my 6mm AI. It is stinkin heavy, but not for my uses. My problem with the 98 is mounting a base on the reciever is not too simple, especially if you want a tapered base. This gun is a one hole shooter wtih b tips and is plenty for deer out a ways. For carrying, I have a worked over howa 7 mag, and am looking at a .308 or .300 win mag tactical savage or 700p.

 

[chessman]

I like it! I would recommend a Ken Farrell base - available in 20MOA taper. You can deal with them directly at:
http://www.kenfarrell.com/

 

[kmassaro]

Remington 700 LH 270 with Garrett stock, Shilen barrel, leupold 2x7 compact, 6 lbs.

Savage 11Fl 300 WSM, Burris 3x9. 7.5 lbs scoped.

I'm just not carrying a big rifle around. Too much weight for me.

 

[Guest]

ryan m, how do you get the different colors in that stock?

 

[Partagas]

k2, I have a 270 on a 700 adl action that I am looking at restocking and possibly rebarrelling. Ho did you get yours down to 6 pounds?

 

[kmassaro]

Weights are as follows, thanks to Brown Precision. If you have a magnum contour barrel, add a few oz.

Std Rem 700 BDL in 270 win

Remington 700 long bdl 2 lbs 4 oz
Standard contour bbl 2 lbs 13 oz
Stock 2 lbs 5 oz*
std 3x9 with leupold
mounts 1 lb
total 8 lbs six oz

Stock weight taken by subtracting action and barrel weight from published weight of rifle.

Now, let's put it on a diet

Remington 700 long bdl w/
aluminum follower and light
firing pin 2 lbs 1 oz
#1 contour barrel,22" 1 lb 13 oz
Glass stock 1 lb 4 oz
Leupold 2x7 compact with
light mounts 11 oz
total with scope 5 lbs 13 oz


add 3 oz for cartridges, and voila, 6 lbs.

Note, with a light MPI or Lone Wolf stock, you can get the stock weight down to a pound with pad. But a pound and a quarter is easily reasonable. Mine's an old Garrett accur-light, at 20 oz, but I don't think they even exist any more.


Weights for action and barrels are from the Brown Precision website.

 

[kmassaro]

The good thing about this project is you can do it in pieces. The bolt parts are easy, takes a few minutes to install. The stock, about $500, takes a while. The barrel is also $500 or so. The scope and mounts, easy, do anytime.

So, you can do it over 3 years or more, as I did, if you're just not wallowing in cash.

There is other work you can do to get it even lighter, but this ends the easy stuff.

 

[Karl in Phoenix]

I like a .50 BMG for long range hunting. The 600 grain to 680 grain bullets get great velocity and have a great deal of hitting/penetrating power at all ranges (even to 1 mile or more).
Just my opinion.

 

[kmassaro]

I like the 50 BMG, too, but won't carry it 2 miles to where I like to shoot elk. Call me lazy.

 

[txlongshot]

I like the Weatherby Accumark in 30-378 with a Ziess scope