I have been a member of this site for a year. I dont post hardly at all, but read everything I can about what y'all write. I want to build me a long range rifle, but dont have unlimited funds to do it with. I reload and have for several years. I own several different rifles 3 rugers in 257 roberts, 30-06, and 300 win mag, 3 rems in 25-06, 30-06, and 7rm, 1 custom in 22-250, and two win m70 in 300wsm and 270. If you were gonna build a long range rifle would I be better to start with one I already have or start from scratch? Right now I shoot out to 400 yards, but would like to increase my range. I have thought about buying a sendero and setting it up for longe range, is this a good idea? I appreciate any help.
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snowpro440
Well-Known Member
Nightforce optics work very well, I use them and they have helped my shooting . Expensive , yes , but worth the wait on saving up for . As far as the shooting an setting up a rifle , check out some of the long range shooting areas or local ranges an see what works for most . The 300wsm or 300win mag will do the distance or the 7mag , its what you prefer and what you consider long range shooting . I practice with my .308 all the time and shoot my .338 lapua a few rounds a year. Like them equally but one is more expensive to shoot and the barrels don't last as long. The .308 is more friendly to shoot and barrel life is way longer as this might be something to think about but this is just my opinion.
Erik Kiser
Well-Known Member
Mostly depends on your budget. If you state that I think you'll get some great advice from school of hard knocks.
I've decided after doing a couple on 700 actions my next one will be a full custom
I've decided after doing a couple on 700 actions my next one will be a full custom
Having seen multiple videos and personal experiences and having built several rifles (by smiths, not me), I have concluded that nothing bigger than a 7mm Rem Mag is necessary for most game animals.
Now that said, I have considered doing something a bit different than what I have and that is to sell off a couple of rifles, one is a 7RemMag (I have 2), and a 300 RUM, and build a 7mm-300Win Mag and that is despite the fact that I just recently got back my 338 Edge.
I'm am a big fan of the 7mm bullets.
Now that said, I have considered doing something a bit different than what I have and that is to sell off a couple of rifles, one is a 7RemMag (I have 2), and a 300 RUM, and build a 7mm-300Win Mag and that is despite the fact that I just recently got back my 338 Edge.
I'm am a big fan of the 7mm bullets.
Erik Kiser
Well-Known Member
Nice thing about the bigger calibers is, with all things being equal, the barrels last longer
HARPERC
Well-Known Member
I've had rifles built on an action from the beginning, and I've had those I tinkered around changing lock, stock and barrel. Both can work, but I'd prefer these days to have it all done from the start. Include some of the accessories though, and a plan takes time to implement.
Most of us allow our selves to become "gun poor", and fail to maintain the discipline of saving for what we want, and buy stuff we just like. Take a critical eye and look in your safe and decide what you can live without, sell those and get the quality you wish.
The Leupold Mark 4's have worked well for me, Nightforce also. Others are out there, but I don't have first hand experience with them.
Unless a person has a generous budget to experiment with, going with standard set ups that work time after time is a better plan. I think the .300 Winchester is a very good place to start. Others work, but for LRH a good .300 is tough to beat.
The good smiths out there are behind enough, there is time to save a little bit. Of course ordering from Len's LRH store can compress that.
Most of us allow our selves to become "gun poor", and fail to maintain the discipline of saving for what we want, and buy stuff we just like. Take a critical eye and look in your safe and decide what you can live without, sell those and get the quality you wish.
The Leupold Mark 4's have worked well for me, Nightforce also. Others are out there, but I don't have first hand experience with them.
Unless a person has a generous budget to experiment with, going with standard set ups that work time after time is a better plan. I think the .300 Winchester is a very good place to start. Others work, but for LRH a good .300 is tough to beat.
The good smiths out there are behind enough, there is time to save a little bit. Of course ordering from Len's LRH store can compress that.
That may be true. I've never experienced shooting out a barrel I don't think and I doubt I ever will in my lifetime. I just don't have the time to shoot that much anymore. Replacing a barrel, however, is not something I consider when choosing a caliber. If I shoot one out, then I would replace it and enjoy the newly barreled rifle all over again.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
Greg if you can consistently shoot MOA or better with any of what you have you are already well on your way. Caliber is less important than proper bullet placement in most cases.
There's not a reputable smith in the country that cannot take a long action 700 and turn it into a precision rifle for you if you have the time, money and patience.
While I'm personally a huge fan of the 7mm STW if all I could afford was one rifle to do it all with including Elk, Moose, and big bears at long range I'd go with either the 300wm or 300wsm. There's nothing in North America you can't handle with confidence and authority with the venerable 300's. If Big Bears are not part of the equation, then the STW is more than enough gun to get the job done out to 1000yds.
If Elk are not part of the equation then the 260 Rem and .264wm along with the 6.5x284 are certainly quite capable and very economical to shoot along with having a fantastic variety of high BC bullets to run through them.
As for glass budget is the deciding factor. The Vortex Viper PST's are great scopes for the money. Next in line would be the VXIII and VX3 Leupolds. Next would be the Mark 4 Leupolds and IOR's and then the Nightforce scopes.
For what it's worth I own all of the above except for the NF's but have shot them as well and I'm quite happy with the performance I get from all of them with my favorites being the IORs.
benchracer
Well-Known Member
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Excellent advice! I would add this:
If you don't already reload, use your resources to get started loading your own ammo. That is critical for both long range precision and keeping costs down far enough to permit affordable practice to hone your skills.
Apart from that, put good (not top of the line) optics on one of your existing rifles, develop a good load for it, and work with it until the rifle becomes the limiting factor in your long range shooting, rather than your skill level. When your equipment starts to become the limiting factor, then consider a custom rifle and the best optics you can afford to put on it.
If it were me and I wanted to do that in a budget kind of way I'd take one of my Remington 700's and get in on the longrifles inc. group buy for accurizing and barreling the you can find on snipershide. Get a barrel in your chosen caliber from bugholes, grizzly, brunos shooters supply and send it in to Longrifles. If you want one in the sendero profile then buy one that says Remington varmint profile, it's the same profile as the sendero. Their group buy accurizing and barreling prices are a good deal and he's turning them out quick. Get them to put a good trigger on it, they're installing jewell's for $225. Then get a decent stock and have the barreled action bedded in it. Mount a good scope and go shoot.
cohunter14
Well-Known Member
I'm with WildRose on this one...with that collection of guns and seeing that you already reload, do you have a rifle or two that are sub-MOA rifles? If so, you could already have a long range machine. The only reason for a custom rifle is the accuracy, but there is nothing saying you cannot get the accuracy out of a non-custom. If you have one in a solid caliber that is sub-MOA, invest in a decent scope for it, if it doesn't already have one, and go shoot it.
I have worked up loads for my rifles that are sub-moa or very close to it. The load for my ruger 300wm is very accurate. My rifles I sight in 2 to 2.5 inches high at a hundred which gives me a point blank range out a little past 300 yards depending on which one I'm shooting. In all honesty I don't hunt a place where I would have the opportunity to shoot a deer at 600 yards +. I just want to set up a rifle that is able to do it. Yote hunting I can shoot that far. I kinda wanted to stay away from wildcat calibers and stick with a cartridge where brass is easily obtainable, if that's possible these days. I'm in awe at the ranges you fellers shoot game at. I realize that this wont happen over night, but I would like to start trying to put a rifle together that is able to do that. I really appreciate y'alls comments and advice.
cohunter14
Well-Known Member
If you have done that already, there shouldn't be any need for a full custom. Hopefully you have chosen some bullets that are heavy-for-caliber and have higher BC's. Do you have decent scopes on those rifles? If so, all that is left is to stretch them out. Use the G7 Ballistics Calculator located in the upper menu and start plugging in your information. Then get out and shoot at some of those longer ranges and see what happens.
