A starting precision rifle

Deuce044

Deuce044

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I am looking into getting into long-range shooting, and as such I'm looking to get a rig put together.

Now, I don't know much about long range precision shooting, so I'll have to defer to superior knowledge and experience here.

I'm considering something wrapped around a Remington 700 SPS, chambered in .308.

But from there on, I'm definitely out of my element. I'm budgetting 3000$ for this, including the "base" rifle, optics, bipod, possibly a barrel, most likely a stock and the gunsmithing required.

And before I forget, I want to keep it below 10 kg/22 lbs to be compliant with Canadian F-class rules.

Any sort of help would be most appreciated.
 
Well, you sure have a realistic budget.

The remington action is a poor palce to start. It has a big openiung on boththe top and bottom of the action. You want a solid action with just a port on one side.

there are lots of used target rifles with good actions - Swing, Musgrave, etc.

You could buy a used target rifel and shoot it "as is" with a good scope. There is a class for this, so you don't have to compete against the full blown benchrest rigs.

Then, you could repalce the 308 barrel with a 6.5-284 and enjoy a better caliber and a lot more competition. I changed one of my F class rifles over to 6.5-08 Ackley (260 Rem Ackley). Getting 2950 with Sierra 142's with 5 grains less powder and maybe better barrel life.

I use a number of Super Sniper scopes. At $300 USD they cannot be beat. Will soon buy a Nightforce, but that is more than what is required to get started.

You can post a note at the ORA website that you want to buy a 308 rifle. Paul Reibin at 604 372-7030 usually has used target rifles, too.
 
For $3,000 you can get an "All done up" Tikka T3 Tactical in .308, or a heavy barreled Savage Tactical with a Choate or HS Precision stock in .308. They are both good choices and even if you go all the way and put a high end MK 4 Leupold on either of them you can come under your $3,000 total. Just a thought.

Scott
 
"...Remington action is a poor place to start..." Um, no. The 700 is a great place to start. They've been used as the basis of lots of target rifles for eons. They can get a lot of tuning for a high end target rifle though. The downside is that you usually have to buy a whole rifle just for the action.
Three grand will buy you a dandy target rifle. Used is ok. You really have to work to bugger up a modern commercial rifle. The chambering isn't terribly important as you'll be changing the barrel anyway. Any .308 based cartridge will do.
Don't forget the ammo either. There's no point spending that kind of money on a rifle then using factory ammo. If you're not reloading now, you should look into it. Think match grade bullets only. 168's for distances out to 600 yards. 175's past there. There's also the Palma style matches where a 155 grain bullet is mandatory. One thing at a time though.
Go to a few matches just to see what rifles are being used. You might luck into somebody selling a rifle that you can use to get started. Having a rifle built takes time and there's lots to learn.
 
You might want to look at 6BR also. Easy on barrels, uses 308 boltface, easier recoil for prone shooting, can be very accurate to 1K but really shines from 300-600m.

My current build cost me as follows
Remington XR-100 in 22-250 - $1000 + 13% Tax
Used 6BR barrel - $200 (Had 500 rounds down it previously)
Smith cost to blueprint action and bolt and install barrel - $340 (Your Smith costs may vary)
Used Nightforce scope - $800 (A leupold 6.5-25 or 6.5-20 would work well and they are a bit cheaper)
Henry Rempel Bipod - $420
Jewell H/V Trigger - $230 (If using for F-Class only then you can use the BR trigger and save $100)
Grand Total - $3010

See my thread with pics Here
 
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well with $3,000 all in you have quite a few options.
as i am very partial*bias* to savage actions i would look at one of the savage precision target actions. yes they do sell just the target actions now.
MSRP $504*
then spin on a nice heavy barrel *the barrel on mine was $600 installed.
once thats worked out stock it with a robertson composite stock *not sure on the price but Ian robertson is a member here so you could PM him.
for optics and mounts a Ken Farrel 20MOA base and rings. now for glass theres a bunch of differnt options there, once i get some $$ again *xmas hopefully* i will be putting one of the falcon Menace series scopes on my rig, at $400 and change plus shipping why not. you could always go US optics, Nightforce, Leupold, S&B,. depends alot on your preference
 
Who will you be shooting with and what are they using? I never did like the 308 but everyone using the same caliber helps even out the equipment race a bit. I'm making a 6mm Dasher for next year and would recommend 6mmBR to any going in open class. BTW, my 6mm Dasher will in theory out perform my 300wsm at 1000 and blow the doors off a 308.

The action isn't super important when starting out. The barrel and smith are. Send an action to guys like Leeper, Sorenson or Gaillard and you'll sleep comfy at night. You don't need a $1400 stock to shoot small groups but any stock must be fit for you as well as properly installed to your barrelled action. Spend the rest of your money on optics, DO NOT get a 3200.

Cheers
 
By the time you invest in a barrel, chamber and gunsmithing, a stock and optics it would be tragic to have it all hanging on a flimsy repeater action.

A good single shot action runs from $500 to $1000. A good used target rifle might get you an action and a good useable stock. If you want to shoot 308 class (may as well for a year or two, until the barrel gives out) the used target rifle only needs optics and load development.

Try the 155 and 175 Sierra for starters. Or the lapua or berger or Noslers.
 
Tell you what...

**Get a Remington XR-100 in 22-250 (308 bolt face) Cost = $1000 plus taxes
**Order a custom Gaillard barrel (or I can help you find a Krieger) in a heavy varmint contour - your choice of calibre, if you like 308, go 308. $350 +25 shipping
**custom scope base such as Farrel, $150 to your door
**Take it all over to a gunsmith - and there are several to choose from, I can also suggest a couple, and get him to accurize the action, tune the trigger and mount/chamber the barrel. Top it off with a bedding job and you are (Smithing and bedding will likely run ~$ 800 for all this)

You will have a serious tack drivin' laser beam capable of winning a match. The rest is up to you.

I have a couple, CyAn1de has one, Gun medic has one, Steve B has one and I know of three more not on this board that all compete with the same rig I have mentoned.

Here is one in 6BR

IMG_0160.jpg
 
There are three F classes. F(F), F(M) if you are in ON, and F(O). F(F) is conducted with a scoped rifle that would otherwise qualify as a TR -Target Rifle, with iron sights. Easiest way to get into this is to buy a used TR, and scope it. This will almost invariably be .308, with a remote chance of .223. F(M) involves an essentially stock out-of -the-box production rifle. Your Remington SPS would be in this class. Calibre is your business. F(O) is practically unlimited. Serious custom rifle required.
There are very few F and O class rifles built on commercial sporting actions seen in competition at major events.
The first thing you should do is determine exactly what type of competition you wish to try.
 
You might want to give these people a call ask for Scott,
http://www.rockymountainrifles.com/custom_work.php
My friend is ordering a stainless Rem 700 action with stainless barrel fluted,, trued action, trigger adjusted to 2lbs app: with Mcmillan stock cost under $2000 plus gst will have it before Jan 2008. I have delt with these people bought two Nightforce scope best price I could find and great people to deal with, send them a email with what you want
 
Why not just pick up a Sportco for $400 to 600, put on a quality scope and learn how to shoot?

don't like that, a Savage F(O) or F/TR rifle is around $1000 leaving lots of budget for optics and reloading/practise.

Many factory varmint/target type rifles will shoot 1/2 MOA with a bit of tuning and handloads. That will be a while before you can outshoot that level of accuracy.

Spend money on optics and ammo.

Jerry
 
I'd agree with all those who mentioned getting a 6mm of some sort. They're just so much more enjoyable to shoot all day long than the 308. Less recoil, less drift (with the right bullets), better sight picture (you can see what you're hitting), and cheaper. They burn less powder, and the bullets cost less. And they generally shoot quite a bit flatter than the 308.

If you don't want to go custom just yet (and I wouldn't suggest that you do till you get some practice), then I'd suggest looking for a heavy barreled 243. Or a 260 or a 7mm08 if you can find one. Or even look at the centerfire 22 class of rifles - but make sure to get a 1-7 to 1-9 twist so you can stabilize those heavy long range bullets. Avoid varmint 223/22-250/220 Swifts that have 1 in 12 twists. And avoid the 204's and 17's - they're great to about 300 yards in light to no wind, but not so great further out especially when there's wind.


Personally, I recently put a 28" heavy match barrel on one of my Savages in 260. My goal was to be able to shoot a VLD (very low drag) bullet heavy enough to make a good impact on a gong a half mile away, but light enough to be able to shoot lots without too much barrel heat and recoil.
 
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A while back, I acquired a brand new Shilen #5 weight barrel 1:8 twist, chambered with a tight neck .243 reamer. Set it up on a 700 in a 40X prone stock. Neck turned a batch of Lapua cases. Thought it might be good for the 300m ISSF match, using 105/107 VLDs. ISSF is 60 rounds, plus sighters. After 15 or 20 shots, the barrel was really hot, decided that 70 odd shots in an hour and a half might not be a good idea. Interesting rifle to shoot, never have tried it at long range.
 
The first rifle I built for "F" class was based on a 1965 model 70 Winchester action. I won quite a bit with it and always placed well. I can still compete using this rifle and have a decent chance of winning, Today, while practicing, I fired 15 shots, 15 x's on the 300M ISSF target. It's still OK.
I got the action for 200 dollars.
The barrel was 300.00
the stock (MacMillan Marksman)was 300.00
The Weaver 6-24 scope was 326.00 Mounts 40.00
If I paid my self 600.00 for labour, I would have a total of about 1800.00 into this. I don't care for bipods so saved a few bucks there!
A Remington 700 action is just fine; open bottom and all. I think I would find it easier to make a competitive rifle on a 700 than on the M70. I have made real 1/4 moa capable rifles on M700 actions.
I am impressed with the Savage "F" class rifle. If I didn't build my own, I would buy one. Regards, Bill.
 
You will get alot of people with different preferences telling your different things and in some way or another they will all be correct.

A friend of mine who has been varmint hunting and long range shooting for years is going to be building a precision rifle on the new savage action. People say it is a strong action and is an excellent basis for a precision rifle. But then again there are alot of other great actions out there.

The same friend mentioned above uses a 700 VLS for varmints (.243), and is extremely accurate to 300 yards, but his most accurate rifle is a humble Ruger 77 MK II in 300 Win Mag. He simply installed a timney trigger, and free floated the barrel and he is now making one ragged hole at almost any distance. All on handloads of course.

Maybe find a good gunsmith, sit down and talk to him getting his opinions on the matter. I am sure if you found a good smith he will would be able to tell you whats worked for his clients in the past and build you something he knows will work.

I am no sub moa shooter, but I'm bored and at work and thought I would give my 2 cents. I am sure the guys on this forum will be able to provide you with ample information as they always do.

Thanks,


Neil
 
Millennium action, trigger, trigger guard and bedding block included. No blue printing or trueing required. $1600
McLennen Heavy Palma Contour barrel fitted to said action $550.
Paul Reiben Laminated prone stock fitted with said bedding block and trigger, rail, adjustable cheek peice ready to drop the action into. $800
$2950 all in for a full custom rig. Just add sights/glass.
Why piss around with a off the shelf factory action when you can go full custom for a few bucks more?

If you were to go with something like a Musgrave or Swing you also have to think about getting replacement parts for actions that are no longer in production.
 
My attemp was a Savage 10FP LE2B in 308. McMillan stock. 25 MOA base and rings from Near Manufacturing. Leuopld MK 4, 4.5X14 scope.

About $3300 into at the time but the rifle and scope have come down in price.

Rifle is stock.

While shooting different brands of factory ammo and grains of bullets, I was able to hit a 4 litre plastic milk jug size chunk of wood at 1,035 yards consistantly. At the last Summerland shoot.

Pretty happy with that.
 
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