Getting started with precision shooting

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kirill

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Hi everyone!

I'm a casual black rifle and handgun shooter, but I've always wanted to get into precision shooting. I don't want to break the bank on the first try, but I also don't want to box myself into a corner if I want to extend the range of my rig. I'd be doing mostly target shooting at 300y, but wouldn't mind trying some competitions at longer ranges after I get reasonably decent. The dilemma I'm facing is this: .223 or .308?

My arguments in favour of .223 are :
  • cheaper ammo
  • potentially cheaper gun
  • can use my AR15's 55gr practice ammo to hone my habits (or is that crazy?)
For the .308:
  • longer range, less affected by wind
  • more options for upgrades and accessorizing

I don't plan on reloading in the near future due to time and equipment investments, so it's going to be factory match ammo for when I need peak accuracy.
Has anyone regretted going with .223? Any advice on what to start with in the budget category (Rem700, Tikka, others)? Good optics options?

Thanks!
 
Depends what you see your longest long range goal being. 600? 1000? Beyond?

Also consider what your local rules are if you ever might hunt with this rig - for instance we can't use .223 for deer in SK.

Ammo costs will only be substantially less with .223 if you shoot surplus. That's not gonna be good cause you'll never know if it's scattered all over the paper because of the ammo, or you, or both.

Might as well get planning on reloading sooner than later. It's one of the crucial/key things.....

Heavy barrelled Tikka would be my suggestion - Varmint or Super Varmint.

-J.
 
Savage 11/12's? I think some of those are good options.

Some may not agree, but I think "cheap" ammo teaches you nothing. I've learnt that there is no point in doing anything unless you are sure of the results. That way you LEARN from results that are either positive, or negative.

If you muddy the waters, you will question everything. Trust me. There will be enough questions along the way that your input actions do not need to add to it.

Ie, don't do tests unless conditions are fit for testing. Don't use cheap mounts, don't use cheap scopes, don't use ammunition that is not accurate to begin with, etc. Don't half ass things.

Determine the range you have access to, and what your wants are. If they are to learn and conserve money, I would think .223 are excellent. If you want to stretch it further, they sky is the limit. You won't be the big boomer, but you also won't be hurting the bank account if you want to head out more often to learn things and test skills.
 
How will you know if you are improving your shooting skill if the ammo is not up to match standards? Nothing will drain you ammo piggy bank faster than buying match ammo that may or may not shoot well in your rifle. For the price of 10 boxes of match ammo, you can set yourself up for reloading and tailor match grade ammo to your rifle.

With the right twist and bullet a .223 will keep up the a .308 out to 1000 yards. As far as factory rifles go, some offer better options on twist rate. Remington offers the .223 with a 1:9" twist. This will allow you to shoot up to 75 gr bullets out to 1000 yards. Tikka offers a .223 in a 1:8" twist and will allow you to shoot 80 gr bullets. 80 gr SMK bullets are as good or a little better than a 155 gr .308 bullet out to 1000 yards. Savage offers some of their rifles in .223 with a 1:7" that will allow you to shoot 90 gr bullets. The 90's are about the same as shooting a 175 gr bullet out of a .308.
 
Unless you have it already, another dilemma you will come across is spending money for good glass. Regardless of which caliber you end up with you need a good scope. Dont go cheap on this one.


I agree with the comment on using cheap ammo. You will be chasing this at those distances. Get a match grade factory if you are not reloading.
 
Man, maybe I should stick to gongs :ninja: :ninja:

Definitely agree on the optic being the most important part of the setup. Though I'm not sure if the convention of the scope costing as much as the gun still applies. Any recommendations?

Twist rate is definitely something I'm mindful about, and looking to get at least 1:9 or faster. So far a Tikka appears to be the leading option, simply as a combination of out of the box accuracy and ergonomics.

The reason I mention cheap ammo is that fired some of my white box Winchester ammo out of a co-worker's CZ, and achieved what appeared to be a neat 1MOA 100y group. A fluke, or good enough to practice breathing and trigger control? On the other hand, choosing .223 will let me save on brass when/if I start reloading anyway.

Appreciate the advice!
 
kirill said:
Man, maybe I should stick to gongs :ninja: :ninja:

Definitely agree on the optic being the most important part of the setup. Though I'm not sure if the convention of the scope costing as much as the gun still applies. Any recommendations?

Twist rate is definitely something I'm mindful about, and looking to get at least 1:9 or faster. So far a Tikka appears to be the leading option, simply as a combination of out of the box accuracy and ergonomics.

The reason I mention cheap ammo is that fired some of my white box Winchester ammo out of a co-worker's CZ, and achieved what appeared to be a neat 1MOA 100y group. A fluke, or good enough to practice breathing and trigger control? On the other hand, choosing .223 will let me save on brass when/if I start reloading anyway.

Appreciate the advice!
Click to expand...

I have a couple reccomendations for you regarding optics.

1. Viper HS LR 6-24x50 Riflescope FFP p/n: VHS-4315-LR
2. Bushnell Elite Tactical 6-24x50 G2 reticle FFP p/n:ET6245FG

Both of these scopes are under $1500.00 and feature great glass, first focal plane magnification and they both have a variant of the Horus H58/H59 reticle, which works very well in variable wind conditions.
BUSHNELL-Elite-Tactical-3-12x44-Riflescope-G2DMR-Reticle-FFP-ET3124FG-Pic1.jpg


As far as the rifle goes, you can spend some time at as many gun shops as possible to try out the fit and ergonomics of the many different precision rifles out there. It really comes down to what is right for you. .223 and .308 are very popular and have a broad spectrum of reloading components available to them. They are both capable of long range accuracy with the .308 arguably nudging out the .223 at longer ranges.
Other than that, get yourself some good bags and/or a good quality (sturdy) bipod.
As far as reloading; save all of your brass and when you get into it (because you will), you will have one less thing to acquire.
Cheerz and good luck!
 
If you're shooting at 100-200m then the .223rem is a perfect choice. Plenty of match ammo out there. Hornady even makes the steel cased match ammo for a budget shooter in mind. Canada Ammo is even bringing in IMI match 72gr I believe. As far as rifle choices? Remington, Savage and Tikka all make great models, so you can't go wrong with any of the countless possibilities with those trusted manufacturers.

For glass, freedomintheskies recommended some great options. I find vortex is always a great product backed by a unmatched warranty. Their standard Viper line in the 5-20 magnification will handle anything that the 223 will be able to do. https://www.vortexcanada.net/product/viper-6-5-20x50-pa-riflescope-dead-hold-bdc-reticle-moa/ you can usually find these in the 450-550 range.

At the end of the day just get a gun that suits you, don't let people sway your decision, learn the basics and get out and shoot!

cheers, Matt
 
Gunneegoogoo said:
The scope typically costs more than a good factory rifle. Custom builds may be a different story.
Click to expand...

My factory rifle costs more than my scope, so that's not saying much.

Glass should be your first investment, worse case you upgrade the rifle but you should be able to keep the glass ontop. I went from a zeiss to S&B to TT. If I could have went straight to the TT would have saved 6k. At least now I'm at the end of the road for high end glass. For now....
 
7 twist 223...learn to load quality 80gr and even 90 gr bullets and shoot..lots...

Learn to read wind and mirage..plot every shot fired...and understand why the shot went where it did..
 
liberty said:
7 twist 223...learn to load quality 80gr and even 90 gr bullets and shoot..lots...

Learn to read wind and mirage..plot every shot fired...and understand why the shot went where it did..
Click to expand...

Good info.

If you aren't learning, you're throwing money into the wind.

Understanding results is key to progression.
 
Wells, I took the plunge. Bought a used Tikka T3 Tac with a 20" barrel in .223 and a new scope and bipod. Lucked out to catch a sale at the local gunstore and came in under budget. For a first precision rifle, I couldn't be happier. The bullet holes are touching at 100yds with match ammo, and the cheapo bulk rounds are sufficient for gong practices.

The setup definitely isn't perfect, but for what it's been able to do so far, I think I got it for a song. If I were going to shoot longer distance or start to outshoot the gun, I'll most likely choose another caliber. Until then, it's silly grins after shooting this bad boy :)
 
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