Long range shooting
- Thread starter JohnnyPython
- Start date
Depends what you really want to spend, good optics are esential when shooting long range,I have a couple different ones one is a bushnell elite tactical XRS 4.5 - 30 x X 50mm FFP plus I have a couple nightforce NX8 2.5 - 20 X 50mm SFP and all of them work just fine, I have shot them out to 1400 yards
While either calibre will shoot to 1km just fine, 6.5 CM has better ballistics which become noticeable beyond 500 metres.
Given that the Sako rifle you’re looking at is fairly light weight with a medium barrel profile, 6.5CM makes more sense than .308 Win (smaller bore and less recoil).
As far as the optics recommendations, get the best glass you can afford. Good optics in LR are just as important as the rifle (if not more so).
If you state a budget for the optic, we will be better able to recommend a suitable scope for your intended purpose.
Given that the Sako rifle you’re looking at is fairly light weight with a medium barrel profile, 6.5CM makes more sense than .308 Win (smaller bore and less recoil).
As far as the optics recommendations, get the best glass you can afford. Good optics in LR are just as important as the rifle (if not more so).
If you state a budget for the optic, we will be better able to recommend a suitable scope for your intended purpose.
6.5 will be easier and more predisposed to being accurate. almost any FFP glass is fine. ~$750 for a venom gets you in the door for usable glass. Arken has good, cheap options too. I have a few DBT's and i find they are a little more blurry than i would like. although I have done 1k yards with a 20-inch 308 and a 24x DBT....
Bustercluck
CGN Regular
- Location
- Fort McMurray
I looked through one of these dnt scopes at the range the other day and was pretty surprised by how nice it was for the price. There’s quite a few decent cheap scopes on the market these days like Athlon and Arken. These dnt are both first focal plane and moa, or mils.
https://rdsc.ca/optics-mounts/dnt-o...uminated-tor-reticle-zero-stop-34mm-mrad.html
https://rdsc.ca/optics-mounts/dnt-o...luminated-tor-reticle-zero-stop-34mm-moa.html
As far as cartridge goes… I’m so far out of the loop on factory ammo that I don’t even know what’s available. Assuming you’re not reloading I’d go with what is more available for factory precision loaded ammo and what the cost looks like. The simple answer without getting technical(which is only my opinion) is get a 6.5 creedmoor to get your feet wet and figure out where you want to go after you get some experience, although either cartridge would be fine as long as you have a supply of decent ammo.
As far as rifles go, I’d lean towards something in a Remington 700 footprint. There’s plenty of clones and stuff out there that take the same triggers and stocks if you decide to upgrade along the way. There’s always stocks and chassis on the EE for a decent price. Think about how you’re going to attach a bipod to you rifle and what a rear bag is going to look like. The rifle you choose is probably more important than the difference in those two cartridges.
https://rdsc.ca/optics-mounts/dnt-o...uminated-tor-reticle-zero-stop-34mm-mrad.html
https://rdsc.ca/optics-mounts/dnt-o...luminated-tor-reticle-zero-stop-34mm-moa.html
As far as cartridge goes… I’m so far out of the loop on factory ammo that I don’t even know what’s available. Assuming you’re not reloading I’d go with what is more available for factory precision loaded ammo and what the cost looks like. The simple answer without getting technical(which is only my opinion) is get a 6.5 creedmoor to get your feet wet and figure out where you want to go after you get some experience, although either cartridge would be fine as long as you have a supply of decent ammo.
As far as rifles go, I’d lean towards something in a Remington 700 footprint. There’s plenty of clones and stuff out there that take the same triggers and stocks if you decide to upgrade along the way. There’s always stocks and chassis on the EE for a decent price. Think about how you’re going to attach a bipod to you rifle and what a rear bag is going to look like. The rifle you choose is probably more important than the difference in those two cartridges.
Max Owner
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
One of the fellas as Insite Arms (custom precision rifle builder) said “if you want to shoot well, get a 6.5 Creedmoor. If you want to learn to shoot well, get a 308”
Apparently anything in 6mm is good too.
Apparently anything in 6mm is good too.
Hey there.
Welcome to the obsession.
Long range shooting is not for the faint of wallet. The old adage buy once,cry once is tailor made for long range.
Both 6.5 and 308 are very effective cartridges out to 1000 meters plus.
Both are popular and available.
The 308 has the added advantage of being very barrel friendly with rnd counts over 10,000 in quality barrels.
Buy the absolute best glass you can buy.
Leopold, Nightforce etc are brands to consider.
Welcome to the obsession.
Long range shooting is not for the faint of wallet. The old adage buy once,cry once is tailor made for long range.
Both 6.5 and 308 are very effective cartridges out to 1000 meters plus.
Both are popular and available.
The 308 has the added advantage of being very barrel friendly with rnd counts over 10,000 in quality barrels.
Buy the absolute best glass you can buy.
Leopold, Nightforce etc are brands to consider.
What do you consider to be "long range?"
Inside of 1000 yds, both 308 and 6.5 will work fine. As noted above, the 6.5 tends to have less recoil and a higher BC so it shoots a bit flatter but the 308 can come close to that performance using 155gr VLD type bullets.
You will need to reload to really take advantage of either cartridge for true long range shooting.
There are lots of intermediately priced optics that are just fine for long range shooting. I went out to 2000 yds with a $500 Tasco Super Sniper and am currently using a $750 Burris Match Pro 6-24x FFP. I really like the Burris, so of course they discontinued it.
A virtual certainty is that the majority of people advocating to spend huge dollars on optics have never shot all that far.
What do you consider to be "long range?"
Inside of 1000 yds, both 308 and 6.5 will work fine. As noted above, the 6.5 tends to have less recoil and a higher BC so it shoots a bit flatter but the 308 can come close to that performance using 155gr VLD type bullets.
You will need to reload to really take advantage of either cartridge for true long range shooting.
There are lots of intermediately priced optics that are just fine for long range shooting. I went out to 2000 yds with a $500 Tasco Super Sniper and am currently using a $750 Burris Match Pro 6-24x FFP. I really like the Burris, so of course they discontinued it.
A virtual certainty is that the majority of people advocating to spend huge dollars on optics have never shot all that far.
Perhaps not long range but medium range. My club only goes to 300.
Bustercluck
CGN Regular
- Location
- Fort McMurray
308 is still the go-to ftr cartridge, so not quite obsolete, but there’s better options if you’re not shooting ftr. They have a pretty specific crowd with specific barrel options like length and twist rate.
Bustercluck
CGN Regular
- Location
- Fort McMurray
I’d go .223 remington with a minimum 24” 1-8” twist barrel.
If its only 300 yards for your long range then I will suggest a totally different route.
Grab a nice 22 rifle, a T1x, Cz, or build custom one that will get the job done.
Spend the extra on glass. Then save a tonne of money by shooting that 22 between 200 and 300. Your going to put a lot of rounds through and learn a lot at those distances with the 22. I reload but if buying a box of 6.5 eldm it looks like its $55 now, the target match 22 that my tikka loves is only $5.50 a box, so I can shoot 500 rounds of it for the price of 20 in the creed.
If you build a custom one like a zermatt rimx or ibi deuce 2.0 those use a full size rem 700 footprint, meaning when you can shoot further or want to, all the custom stocks, chassis etc will just be a swap if you buy another full size rem 700 action.
If your going to be going the 6.5 or 308 route at 300 either will be the same. Its only when you start to stretch them out further do they start to separate.
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B ULLSH1T !
308W is plenty capable to around 1200 yds with the right bullet and load.
I have shot both 6.5CR as well as 243W and 6BR to long / longish ranges. They are all good. Some are better than others in various ways but they are all capable.
308W has excellent barrel life as well as a massive variety and range of projectiles available.
I applaud your enthusiasm, but 300yds ain't long range by any metric. For that kinds of distance, a smaller cartridge would be a better choice. You burn less powder and smaller projectiles are less expensive. Someone suggested 223, which would be a good option.
I have recently been playing with a 338 Lapua. In the end, decided I didn't like it much. The big Lapua is a 1 mile + sort of round. Burning all that powder for anything short of 1200+ yds is just a waste of money. There are way better options for distances inside 1200 yds.
The problem inherent in long range shooting, is that it takes a lot of practice and that means a lot of ammo. The more ammo costs and the more the rifle recoils, the less you will want to shoot .... which is a problem when the only way to gain the experience is to shoot a lot.
Either calibre will be great for a beginner especially if you do not reload. 308 & 6.5 CM are #1 & 2 in stock factory ammo. 6.5 gets the slight edge for less recoil and flatter trajectory.
As others have said, do not cheap out on the scope! Research carefully and spend as much as you can afford. Also buy quality mounts and rings then install them correctly with the recommended torque
As others have said, do not cheap out on the scope! Research carefully and spend as much as you can afford. Also buy quality mounts and rings then install them correctly with the recommended torque
