Advice for a Beginner

R

RPinVan

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
7   0   0
Location
Victoria, BC
Hello All,
I have been target shooting with my family for many years but just recently got my own Restricted and Non-restricted licenses. I recently moved over to the mainland and would like to get back into target shooting, preferably longer distances. I know this is a loaded question but what kind of a rifle should I be looking at for a good all around starter firearm? I would like to be able to shoot the 300 yard targets at burke mountain and extend the distance from there as my skill increases. Something that has the ability to grow with my skills and be modified as such would be a great advantage. Cost is not a huge concern within reason, I appreciate good quality equipment that will last a long time.

Thank you for everyone's help.

Ryan
 
Any of the heavy barreled .308 offerings from Savage (FTR, BR, LE or 12 Models), Remington (SPS Varmint/Tactical, 5R, LTR/Police models) or Tikka (Varmint or Tactical) (Browning also has a "Target" rifle out in .308) would get you started nicely and still be able to reach out to 900m/1000yds when you are ready.

Just remember that it is luck of the draw with the factory rifles and either of the above listed are just as likely to be a "shooter" as the next one.

Of the companies listed above only Tikka has a 1MOA guarantee on their rifles.

More $$$ does not necessarily = More accurate when looking at factory offerings.


PS: Thanks for spelling "Advice" properly. It irks my pickle when people ask for adviSe!!!! :D
 
You could choose a rifle in the suggested brands listed above chambered in .223 with a 1:9 twist or faster. As you progress you can shoot the heavier bullets with high B.C.'s. Cheaper ammunition, cheaper to load and very capable of shooting targets 1000 yards or more. Very minimal recoil too.
 
CyaN1de has nailed most of it. I would hasten to add that you will reach a plateu very quickly with factory ammunition. While some rifles seem to be better than others at digesting factory ammo, part of the secret of ultra precision is matching the ammo to the gun, and that can only be done with reloading.

Some of the best and most plentiful match ammo available is Federal Gold Medal Match. The best stuff seems to be in .308

For as-is quality combined with future upgradability and out-of-box accuracy, do some research on the Remington 700 5R.

If you would like something that needs no adjustment or accessorizing (except for a scope) I have to give the nod to the Tikka T3 Tactical and Super Varmint models. They shoot very well indeed.
 
For an off the shelf gun I would go with a Savage Model 12 F Class. It is a bit of a brute at over 13 lbs, and is available in a 6.5x284 or 6BR. Both are a 1 in 8 twist for long range heavy bullets. The 6.5x284 will kick harder, shoot flatter, and probably wind drift less. However, barrel life will probably less than half that of the 6BR's life of about 2500 rounds. The Savage Target Action guns come with a decent trigger settable down to 6 oz. While I had some issues with mine at first, I determined they were probably user created. Mine now is set at a dependable 7 oz..

I have an LRPV 6BR model which does not have an ideal stock for Benchrest, and I don't normally shoot over 100 meters. But, during load development I did shoot a few 3 shot groups at 300 meters that measured under 0.7". So 1/4 MOA seems like it may be in reach. Not too many factory guns can do that.
 
Will you be shooting Benchrest or Prone. And if Prone... F-Class style with a bipod? -or- Target Rifle style with a sling?

Will help narrow down the field a little.
 
Hi,
Thank you all for the responses. I was planning to bench shoot as well as using a bipod at times. As I said I'm new to this so I do not know all of the different styles and types of shooting so this is just a guess.

Cheers,
Ryan
 
Buy the best you can afford. Really the sky is the limit for purchasing a new rifle and it depends on what you want to spend. Invest in a high quality piece of glass that will last you as long as you shoot and can be transferred to a different rifle if you ever choose to do so.

I personally just went through this myself and bought myself a Remington 700 SPS Tactical in 308. Haven't gotten to shoot it yet but I'm looking forward to it! My budget didn't allow me to go much further than that at this point in time so I got what I could afford!

Both Remington and Savage are ideal choices and it boils down to what fits you better and what you prefer. Both are really nice firearms and have lots of aftermarket parts available. Go to your local shop and handle anything that catches your eye and you will soon find the one that you just have to have!

Have fun while your at it, choosing a new firearm is always lots of fun!
 
That's a good point on optics. Later when ur hand loading and starting to shoot long distance you will understand what u want in optics and drool over $1500 scopes like a night force.

Until than the bushnell elite 3200 is a great starter scope @ $300 until down the road when u know what u want.

Personally I went with a bushnell 4200 6x24x50 on my 5R 308. And that was $800. in a dream world I would have used a NF or US Optics but gota try and get the best you can afford.

On that note. One thing about the Remington 700 is upgrading parts are good prices. I think I paid $100 for my Timmy trigger that's set @.5lb
 
I picked myself up a Rm 700 SPS Tact in .308 and I do love it. The overmoulded stock is a bit meh, but the rest of it is spot on. I have a Vortex Viper 3.5x12x40 on it, and a 3-6 bi-pod. I haven't realy stretched it out to see what it does yet, but I have no issues whatsoever with it so far. Recoil is a tad higher then I was expecting, but nothing you dont get used to affter about 3 groups. And as far as I can tell, there is no aftermarket part that you can't get for a Rem 700! They are kinda like the Honda Civics of firearms in that respect.


All in cost breakdown

Rifle: $660
Scope $390
Bi-pod:$60

Less then $1200 after taxes got me a rifle that should be able to reach out and touch my target at 500m+ eventually.
 
All great advice here and I believe you may want to pay special attention to what Obtunded mentioned regarding reloading.

If you do not reload I don't believe there is much point in spending a fortune on a rifle. It will still only be as good as the ammo you shoot. My understanding is that the 223 and the 308 are the most common found factory match ammo out there.

I don't reload and I am in the process of picking up a SPS tactical in 223 and having it put into an AICS. It will be bedded and the trigger tuned and should get me to about 0.5-0.75 MOA with match ammo and a little luck.

If you want more than that, then you may want to look into reloading.
 
If I was to buy a .308 I believe I would go the route of the Remington 5R. If the money was available I would top it with a Near mfg. 20 MOA rail and alphamount, alongside a Nightforce NXS 5.5-22x56mm with an NPR1 reticle.

Beyond that I would invest in a good reloading setup, some berger/SMK leads, and a plethora of powder/primer combinations. From what I've experienced with Lapua brass that would have my vote hands down..

I've always tried to go the route of holding off until you can afford what you want, as to not purchase twice in the long run. For a starter rifle the .308 will give you the most availability and flexibility out and beyond 1k yards. Good Luck!!
 
When I got my first new rifle I shot alot of factory ammo and had a great time learning how to use it. Once I was really comfortable with it, I stepped up to a relatively inexpensive reloading setup with some good components, and really opened up a whole new world of enjoyment.

There is something exceedingly satisfying about sending a little chunk of metal that you assembled into a cartridge, laid your mug right next to, detonated, and sent it screaming downrange at supersonic speed and crashed it into a tiny little target.

Enjoy the journey and be safe.
 
Thank you all, after discussing a lot of options and prices I think i'm going to go with the Remington 700 5R with a Bushnell Elite 4200 6-24 x 50mm. This should provide me with a great firearm to start shooting with and lots of room to improve in the future. Once again thank you for all of your help, I look forward to being a part of this community.

Best Regards,
Ryan
 
Hey ! That's my exact setup !

Good choice !


I got a timney tactical trigger and custom muzzle break but...... Same deal. You will be happy! Pm me If u wana talk ammo and dope

The 4200 is a good scope but if u can afford a night force it would be a good match
 
Last edited:
RPinVan said:
Thank you all, after discussing a lot of options and prices I think i'm going to go with the Remington 700 5R with a Bushnell Elite 4200 6-24 x 50mm. This should provide me with a great firearm to start shooting with and lots of room to improve in the future. Once again thank you for all of your help, I look forward to being a part of this community.

Best Regards,
Ryan
Click to expand...

If you want to go the tactical look route, then that one will certainly fit the bill. If you want the best accuracy, then perhaps not.
 
Ron AKA said:
If you want to go the tactical look route, then that one will certainly fit the bill. If you want the best accuracy, then perhaps not.
Click to expand...

Your talking our ur ass. It's a stainless barrel to start. Not very tactical ..... As for accuracy.... I guess everyone shooting consistent 1/2 moa and better is fluke.
The 5R @ $1400 is a good rig.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom