Need Advice! Building a target rifle setup...

PaintballGuy

PaintballGuy

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Hey Guys,

I'm looking to get into the target rifle scene for the first time and I need some advice/ opinions on what would be the ideal setup. Now, bear in mind that my familiarity with rifles is average, mostly just .22's,other lower end hunting rifles, and shotguns.

So, I'm looking to get something bolt-action and high caliber (30-06 - 308) along with a good scope, but I want a setup able to reach out with a reasonable degree of accuracy past +600 yds.

My Budget for the entire setup is $1,500 - $2,000 and not opposed to used equipment. The kicker is I'm left handed.

Some questions I have:

1) What rifle model would you recommend and why?

2) Should I go with a lefty bolt and limit my gun buying options or just learn to work the action with my right hand?

3) Should or should I not buy a used: gun/scope ?

4) Free floating barrel, or is it not critical?


So on that note, thanks in advance for your advice. Any and all input is very much appreciated.
 
Savage/Stevens action, sell the barrel and stock, throw on a pre-fit Shilen/Pac-nor in your choice of calibre, add decent stock (B&C, Boyds) and a decent scope (Bushnell 4200, Falcon Menace). Done.

Buying used stuff is fine too ;)
 
rishu_pepper said:
Savage/Stevens action, sell the barrel and stock, throw on a pre-fit Shilen/Pac-nor in your choice of calibre, add decent stock (B&C, Boyds) and a decent scope (Bushnell 4200, Falcon Menace). Done.

Buying used stuff is fine too ;)
Click to expand...


Can this be done for under 2k new? Or will this involve some parts hunting?

Thanks btw
 
If you want a long range gun, 600+, look at the savage model 12 target rifles, very accurate reasonable price brand new. Top it with a nikon buckmaster 6-18x40 and have at her.
 
PaintballGuy said:
Can this be done for under 2k new? Or will this involve some parts hunting?

Thanks btw
Click to expand...

Stevens 200 in your calibre of choice = $400
Pre-fit Shilen from mystic = $450
Chambering = $75
B&C stock = $300?
Bushnell 4200 = $450
TPS 20MOA base, Burris rings = $150
Timney trigger (optional) = $200

And you can sell the factory barrel and stock to make about $125-150 back. Should be able to play under 2k. Little less if you are looking for used stuff as well.

If you go Remington 700, there are many more options in terms of parts, but add a couple hundred extra for chambering. I do have a 20" Hart 308win barrel with a few hundred rounds down that I'm willing to let go (for Remmy) for an easy sale. PM if interested.
 
shotgunjoe said:
If you want a long range gun, 600+, look at the savage model 12 target rifles, very accurate reasonable price brand new. Top it with a nikon buckmaster 6-18x40 and have at her.
Click to expand...

Humm, ok. So Savage is a good choice for precision shooting. The only Issue i have is that I've yet to see a model 12 lefty. Or did I just not see it.

Also, what do you think about the lefty situation? Should I just learn to deal with it or actively find one with the bolt handle on the left side?
 
Choose a discipline. Choose a place to shoot. Choose a cartridge. Choose a rifle. Choose a scope. Choose a load. Choose a cleaning rod. Choose a big box to carry around the gadgets and trinkets you'll accumulate.

This is not a sport for the faint of heart. The investment will be significant, and the time required to improve lengthy.

There are several Savage package rifles that will give you a good taste of what you need to learn to improve. They are new-build guns, many with synthetic or laminated stocks, and available for lefties.

Jason at Gunco doesn't have time to guide you through every decision you will make, but he is the best gunsmith in Ottawa.

Ian is a first rate source of information (and his business is making rifle stocks).

There is a small company between Ottawa and Toronto that holds coaching and shooting clinics and courses on their private range. PM me for the details, they aren't sponsors.
 
Buy a Factory rifle you know has proven accuracy, something cheaper or used, shoot it, get to know how to reload, case prepping, save your money until you can build a true custom,
Then sell the rifle you bought,,it will cost more for a true custom,, but in the end you will have a way better rifle, and experienced enough how to maximize the rifle properly. IMHO
 
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I am also left handed and up untill last year I used all right handed rifles untill Rick at ARTS built a Left hand rifle for me and I must say I will never go back since then I have sold all of my right handed rifles and bought lefy handed. Your a lefty your should shoot a lefty rifle. Just my 2 cents
 
First of all, you do not need to go 30-06 or 308 to shoot long distances, in fact these are poor choices for starting out actually.

Secondly, a terminology clarification... "target Rifle" is actually a sport unto itself consisting of 223 or 308 rifles shot with iron sights and using a sling - no bipods.

The rifle is only part of the story: whether you reload or not and the scope you use is a vital component. There is no point spending $1500 on a rifle and putting a P.O.S $500 scope on it. It's like buying a corvette and putting cheap Chinese made Walmart tires on it - worse in fact.

Find a factory 223 you can live with. I don't care what brand, they all shoot the same. One excellent choice is the Browning A-Bolt target in 223. Another is the Remington 700 VLSS thumbhole. These are quality firearms, and in the case of the Remington, it is very upgradable. No need to buy a new stock, and above all it is the safest rifle action out there for changing out barrels and upgrading to custom.

A 223 WILL shoot as accurately (in fact more so because it will not pound the $hit out of you and produce all sorts of very bad shooting habits) as a 308 or 30-06.

You should put your pennies away for a good quality scope. THAT will last you a lifetime. It takes a weatlhy man to buy cheap scopes; cheap scopes are frustrating and detract from your ability to learn from your mistakes.
 
Obtunded said:
First of all, you do not need to go 30-06 or 308 to shoot long distances, in fact these are poor choices for starting out actually.

Secondly, a terminology clarification... "target Rifle" is actually a sport unto itself consisting of 223 or 308 rifles shot with iron sights and using a sling - no bipods.

The rifle is only part of the story: whether you reload or not and the scope you use is a vital component. There is no point spending $1500 on a rifle and putting a P.O.S $500 scope on it. It's like buying a corvette and putting cheap Chinese made Walmart tires on it - worse in fact.

Find a factory 223 you can live with. I don't care what brand, they all shoot the same. One excellent choice is the Browning A-Bolt target in 223. Another is the Remington 700 VLSS thumbhole. These are quality firearms, and in the case of the Remington, it is very upgradable. No need to buy a new stock, and above all it is the safest rifle action out there for changing out barrels and upgrading to custom.

A 223 WILL shoot as accurately (in fact more so because it will not pound the $hit out of you and produce all sorts of very bad shooting habits) as a 308 or 30-06.

You should put your pennies away for a good quality scope. THAT will last you a lifetime. It takes a weatlhy man to buy cheap scopes; cheap scopes are frustrating and detract from your ability to learn from your mistakes.
Click to expand...

This should be a Sticky:D
 
PaintballGuy said:
anysights.jpg


Hey Guys,

I'm looking to get into the target rifle scene for the first time and I need some advice/ opinions on what would be the ideal setup. Now, bear in mind that my familiarity with rifles is average, mostly just .22's,other lower end hunting rifles, and shotguns.

So, I'm looking to get something bolt-action and high caliber (30-06 - 308) along with a good scope, but I want a setup able to reach out with a reasonable degree of accuracy past +600 yds.

My Budget for the entire setup is $1,500 - $2,000 and not opposed to used equipment. The kicker is I'm left handed.

Some questions I have:

1) What rifle model would you recommend and why?

2) Should I go with a lefty bolt and limit my gun buying options or just learn to work the action with my right hand?

3) Should or should I not buy a used: gun/scope ?

4) Free floating barrel, or is it not critical?


So on that note, thanks in advance for your advice. Any and all input is very much appreciated.
Click to expand...

That is cool. I always thought palma/TR was with open sights. Shooting with a scope with sling and coat could be a hoot.

As to your question, get an action and stock layout that fits you. if you want to shoot well, you have to be comfortable.

6mmBR.com has lots of article and various rifles that cover all the popular disciplines shot in NA and some from overseas. Look up the guns of the week.

The options are pretty wide with each having their own quirks.

I shoot Fclass in the Open class so I focus on rifles to accomplish a certain task. I also do alot of LR plinking.

A SR BR rifle will have its own needs.

As was said, decide on what and how you want to shoot and the type of options you would like down the road. No rifle is a final product so see it as a stepping stone to a future goal.

Don't like it change it, sell it. There will always be other choices to get.

If you are interested in LR shooting, I have a series of articles on my website that should help you along. I am a huge Savage fan and find them easy and SAFE (had to throw that in) to work on and set up. Lots of accessories and you can make some very good shooting rigs for low dollars.

Quality optics, if you decide you want to shoot with a scope, is a must. Same goes for rings and bases. However, the cost of top notch stuff is actually going down. I am really enjoying the new gen Sightrons in its many forms. Great optics, mechanicals for moderate pricing.

Not a company that has made much headlines in the competition shooting ranks but that is quickly changing. Good stuff.

I like the idea of getting a Savage in a 223. They are plenty accurate, once bedded, to give you a good grounding in shooting technique and just as importantly, reloading.

Whatever your budget, you really need to include the cost of reloading if only to make better, more consistent ammo. Garbage in, garbage out.

You don't need to spend a fortune here either but there are things your gear must do for you - lots of info in those articles.

As you get a better idea of what your needs should be, let us know and I have sure there will be plenty of options discussed.

Jerry
 
So general question here,

Guns like the Tikka T3 tactical and the R 700 target tactical- Are they basically 100% out of the box? I'm really not at the stage of doing a bunch of custom modifications at this time. I don't mind doing minor stuff, but I'd rather buy the setup complete than to do it myself.

Edit: Ok I just read all your replies and thanks for commenting, gonna get to the replies/ quotes in a sec. ty ty ty!

Just to clarify, I didn't use the right terminology for what I wanted to do. I'm not looking at a "target rifle" but a rifle to shoot at the range. :D
 
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My expereince with Tikka is they are some of the most consistently accurate factory rifles. I have owned a few and they were all excellent. The Target Tactical Remington is a dog's breakfast and is far more expensive than the sum of all its parts. I love Remington Actions, but that gun is over-priced. You can build that rifle with a Remington action, the identical stock and a WAY better barrel for less money.

You can make them both better with bedding and trigger adjustments, but they are as good as any factory gun.
 
maple_leaf_eh said:
Choose a discipline. Choose a place to shoot. Choose a cartridge. Choose a rifle. Choose a scope. Choose a load. Choose a cleaning rod. Choose a big box to carry around the gadgets and trinkets you'll accumulate.

This is not a sport for the faint of heart. The investment will be significant, and the time required to improve lengthy.

There are several Savage package rifles that will give you a good taste of what you need to learn to improve. They are new-build guns, many with synthetic or laminated stocks, and available for lefties.

Jason at Gunco doesn't have time to guide you through every decision you will make, but he is the best gunsmith in Ottawa.

Ian is a first rate source of information (and his business is making rifle stocks).

There is a small company between Ottawa and Toronto that holds coaching and shooting clinics and courses on their private range. PM me for the details, they aren't sponsors.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this info!

I;ll look into that clinic a bit more, but I know someone who has offered to teach me everything he knows, so for now I'll be learning from him.
 
Those two rifles as you mentioned are almost at factory modified custom, so for me I would look throught the EE and look for something,, that is a little less money.
Rem VLS,, Tikka Varmint,,Rem VSF, VSSF I or II, XR-100 you have a lot of options, many times all a gun needs is bedding and a tuned trigger.
I like buying a used gun, chances are you will be told what type of accuracy the rifle has,, instead of taking a chance on a New one,, but like Obtunded said,, you need good optics.
 
noneck180 said:
Buy a Factory rifle you know has proven accuracy, something cheaper or used, shoot it, get to know how to reload, case prepping, save your money until you can build a true custom,
Then sell the rifle you bought,,it will cost more for a true custom,, but in the end you will have a way better rifle, and experienced enough how to maximize the rifle properly. IMHO
Click to expand...

Ok so look at a factory rifle to start, sell it, and then when I'm more experienced go for the more expensive setups?
 
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