long range rifle what to start with

[adubbert]

thinking about getting into long range shooting.My ultimate goal is to increase my ability and confidence at longer ranges for hunting if I need to take longer shots.I am thinking that the max distance I would eventually want to reach would be in the 600 yard mark.The following list are the rifles I already own.

-96 mauser in 7 x 57
-wincester model 70 classic featherweight in 280 rem.
-P-17 eddystone rechambered to 300 win mag
-coey model 71 bolt action in 243
-remington bdl in 338 win mag

would any of these rifles be a good starting point for a long range hunting or would another rifle be better(if so what)(rifle primarily deer and elk.)
next what do I need to do to rifle and what would be a ballpark price for modifying rifle to make it do what I want it to do?

 

[Glock4ever]

All first 4 of your rifles are a good starting point but if you are talking about shooting long strings you might want to get a heavier barrel. If all I had was you got right now I would go out and set up some tgts and start shooting. Your 300 Win mag will comfortably take you to 1000-1200m (Depends on your load). On the other hand if you are looking to get a rifle dedicated to LR shooting - get either the Savage LE2B(McMillan) or a 700P in .308 Win - it should do the trick nicely and won't break the bank.

 

[PEI ROB]

600 yard hunting requires a serious amount of precision shooting and field practice with a precision rifle. I see no point in using a nice hunting rifle to start with so if your M70 or 700 is not a clunker leave it alone. Turning a P-17 into a tactical rifle doesn't make much sense nowadays and the 96 isn't suitable nor is the 71 because its a short action.

You'll need a good scope with lots of power, 24X minimum IMO and a suitable stock, which may be a long wait to get and won't be cheap.

If you can reduce your distance to 500y and under, buy a Savage with the McMillan or HS Precision stock or a Rem 700P, either in 308 win.

 

[Ganderite]

If I read your request corerctly, you want to be able to take a 600 yard shot at an elk one day.

To hit at long range you need an accurate rifle/load; a very accurate way of calculating the range and a lot of experience at reading the wind and knowing how much to hold off or click the scope.

A hunting shot is only one or two shots, so barrel heat is not the issue it is in target shooting.

Your Remington 338 looks like the best rifle for the task. It should be given to a good gunsmith to be tuned up a bit. I would start with a good bedding job and a barrel crowning.

You will need a lot of shooting practice before being good enough to take a long range hunting shot. You can join your provincial rifle association and shoot all summer in the F Class competiton. You don't have to learn how to shoot using the 338. I suggest you load a long spitzer for your 243. It should be able to shoot a 95 to 100 grain spizter or match bullet. So long as you don't shoot too fast, barrel heat should not be a problem. F Class shooting is often done with 2 shooters shotting alternatly at the same target. This translates to about one shot every second minute. Not a fast pace.

F Class is shot 300 to 1000 yards. Some ranges only go back to 600, so all your shooting might be a short range.

My M70 280 feather weight is only a 2" rifle. If yours is better than that, you could use that instead of the 243, but the low recoil of the 243 would be a big plus.

I have competed against a guy at 1000 yards shooting an Accuracy International sniper rifle in 243. He kicked my ass big time.

I watched a canadian beat all commers at Bisley (also back to 1000 yards) shooting a 6BR, which had less horsepower than a 243.

So I suggest you get a lot of trigger time and your 243 would be a great training rifle, as is.

If you are in Southern Ontario, I can get you onto the range for a day of long range shooting in mid october.

 

[adubbert]

the 338 is already glass bedded and free floating.It still has factory crown.Why does it need to be recrowned?Right now I am shooting three shot groups of 3\4 in @200 yards.what else do I need to do other than shoot shoot shoot.Also I do reload and was planning on using the 243 for practicing.(cheaper to shoot and easier on my shoulder.)Unfortunately I live in manotoba so that won't be possible

 

[Yehen]

243 for practice. 300 or 338 for LR hunting

 

[Ice-Pick]

Put a good glass on top of the .338 and practice.

 

[Ganderite]

Sounds like your 338 is good to go long range hunting (with a good scope). Start shooting F cass with 243 and each year of experiecne will get you another 100 yards of confidence.

I had suggested bedding the remington and crowning the barrel because that is the usual treatment to improve accuracy until the barrel can be replaced.

 

[kombayotch]

The 243 will likely not have a fast enough twist barrel to launch the heavier .234 bullets. Plus the action is an oddball.

The model 70 is a good action for long range that you will be able to find more parts for if you want to upgrade. You'll be able to find some very high BC 7mm bullets that will likely be perfect for the twist rate of the existing barrel and you should be able to make excellent brass for it by necking down Lapua 30-06.

It'll do the job on deer and elk and won't be as punishing or expensive to shoot as the 338 Mag.

 

[Boomer]

I began real long range shooting with a M-17 Enfield in .30/06. The particular rifle I owned, (Remington manufactured) was very accurate, and 12" steel plates at 850 yards was no problem. I shot that rifle successfully out to 1500 yards (according to a topo-map), however, once ranges exceeded 700 yards I didn't have enough adjustment in my hunting scope and needed an aiming target above my impact target. The bullet drop I observed at 1500 yards with the scope topped out was about 20' and the group as I recall was about 2'. I had fun, burned up lots of ammo, and learned about trajectory, wind, and mirage. My long range rig cost be $500, including the scope and mounts. Today I have an expensive custom long range out fit with blue printed Remington 700 action and Kreiger barrel bedded into a McMillan A-5 stock. There's the mandatory Jewell trigger, S&B 34mm scope mounts on a 20 minute Badger base, a S&B PM-II scope, a slope angle indicator, and a PH bi-pod which locks into an Anchutz rail. I don't have any more fun now than I did with the Enfield. I'm embarrassed to say how much I paid for this rig and because it's so big and heavy I don't shoot it as often as the Enfield, that was my daily carry rifle, and some days I don't shoot is as well.

The .280 is an excellent cartridge, and if the M-70 is a proven shooter I would begin with that. It will give you the trajectory similar to the .300 magnum without the recoil. Recoil might not be an issue when shooting under normal field conditions, but long range shooting often involves shooting long strings. Heavy recoil can become tedious in a sporter weight rifle when you are facing a 100 round day. You might want to refine your handloading techniques, and acquire a long range scope, but you don't need to dump a pile of money into the project until you've developed your skills.