Question...Can a hunting rifle double as a precision rifle?

[arcticcathonda]

Perhaps another insight; I see the majority of guys who are complaining of weight and bush hunting reside in the East. My thought is your shot distances may also be somewhat limited. For you, I would agree a long range precision rifle is not needed for a 50 yard shot. The confidence shooting my 'target' rifle gives me is worth the weight. If I need to go light, I'll go with a bow.

 

[Diablo7101]

I've been looking around for the same sort of idea lately. Not sure which way to go. I look at factory rigs and then add in the cost to trick them out a bit and think it may be better to just have one built.
I have a few typical hunting rigs for deer, elk and moose that I'm happy with. They are just 1 moa at best but I don't typicaly shoot at game here past 300yds so they are fine. What I would like is a 1/2 moa 260 rem that I can shoot of a bench or bipod out to 800 or 1000yds (have never tried it yet) and also use on wolves at long ranges. Would like to keep it under or around 10lbs before optics and don't really want to spend much more than around $2500 before optics. Ya, but other than that, I'm not sure which way to go either but I like stainless and I like thumbhole stocks with a beavertail forend.
Still trying to figure it out.

 

[arcticcathonda]

I've been looking around for the same sort of idea lately. Not sure which way to go. I look at factory rigs and then add in the cost to trick them out a bit and think it may be better to just have one built.
I have a few typical hunting rigs for deer, elk and moose that I'm happy with. They are just 1 moa at best but I don't typicaly shoot at game here past 300yds so they are fine. What I would like is a 1/2 moa 260 rem that I can shoot of a bench or bipod out to 800 or 1000yds (have never tried it yet) and also use on wolves at long ranges. Would like to keep it under or around 10lbs before optics and don't really want to spend much more than around $2500 before optics. Ya, but other than that, I'm not sure which way to go either but I like stainless and I like thumbhole stocks with a beavertail forend.
Still trying to figure it out.

Savage 12LRV or LRP may be worth looking into. They are in 260 as well.

 

[wapitiwhacker]

I've been looking around for the same sort of idea lately. Not sure which way to go. I look at factory rigs and then add in the cost to trick them out a bit and think it may be better to just have one built.
I have a few typical hunting rigs for deer, elk and moose that I'm happy with. They are just 1 moa at best but I don't typicaly shoot at game here past 300yds so they are fine. What I would like is a 1/2 moa 260 rem that I can shoot of a bench or bipod out to 800 or 1000yds (have never tried it yet) and also use on wolves at long ranges. Would like to keep it under or around 10lbs before optics and don't really want to spend much more than around $2500 before optics. Ya, but other than that, I'm not sure which way to go either but I like stainless and I like thumbhole stocks with a beavertail forend.
Still trying to figure it out.

Have you seen the Gaillard barreled 260 in a Boyd's thumbhole on the EE? $1000 less than your max.

 

[Epoxy7]

I hunt with a T/C Icon Weathershield .308 and this gun shoot 2 first shots in the same hole and the third about 3/4" higher...I will try next time to let cool the barrel before the third shot to see...It's the best hunting gun I have tried,accuracy Wise...

A buddy of mine has one and I've seen it shoot. I was surprised. My only regret was not buying one myself. Especially when they were being fire saled.

If you leave it with the action open and take your time it will shoot very well. I saw his shoot 3 same hole but opened on 4th and 5th shot. He was shooting at 5R pace and the barrel had heated up.

 

[jeffcarr88]

Work out more = being healthier, looking and feeling better and being able to carry your MOA rig out in the filed all day.

 

[DMS1]

Here is my take on lightweight precision rifles. Posted this a while ago, but some enhancements since then:

Rem 223 action trued
Proof research 20" varmint contour bbl
Mcmillan edge carbon fill stock (devcon bedded)
CG Jackson 2 stage trigger
Bottom metal w/AICS mags
Talley lightweights
Atlas bipod

The problem is with the scope. It is ideal in every way but it is very heavy ~30ozs. It's a nightforce 5.5-22x50mm G7. Love the reticle, magnification, illumination, high speed turret, and zero stop. The whole rig weighs around 10lbs, but gets a pound lighter with a leupold scope.

Having gone down this road, I have learned that the light barrel jumps too much to watch your hits. Heavy barrels are easier to shoot accurately. If I went down this road again, I would start with a new titanium action from x-treme shooting. I use 75gr amax for target, coyotes and groundhogs, and love the gun. It's exactly what I wanted to put together. I could have purchased 5 tikka t3s for the cash to put it in perspective though.

 

[wheels]

Really?

I beg to differ.

You don't need a 1/2 MOA gun to kill any animal other than possible a field mouse!

For a deer gun MOA is more than enough, hell 2 MOA is acceptable in most cases.

I would rather carry a 8 lb, 2 MOA rig all day, over a 12-15 lb, 1/2 MOA rig!

My Savage posted above is between about 10 lbs and I wouldn't want to carry it all day. From the quad to a nearby treestand possibly but not if I'm doing any real amount of hiking.

My Xbolt Synthetic stalker w/Bushnell elite 3-9 comes in around 8lbs, and even at that I feel it after a day of carrying at the ready.

I think you missed his point. It's better to lug a heavier precision rifle around while hunting than attempt to do precision shooting with a 2-3 moa hunting rifle.

 

[factionrr]

The confidence shooting my 'target' rifle gives me is worth the weight. If I need to go light, I'll go with a bow.

Very well said

 

[j_06]

My savage 11 with only a little trigger work done to it answers that question for me. I'm pretty amazed at how well they shoot.it shoots half moa 3 shot groups using 24.7 gr. of varget under a 60 gr. v-max consistently for me out to 300.
2 3 shot groups from 100 yards.

 

[enefgee]

One thing about mil sniper rifles such as the 18 lb AI's etc. - they get carried in all weather conditions, over all terrains, for much of their service lives - between training exercises and operations. Somewhere, there's a young man picking one up to haul it up the side of a mountain, and back down the other side. Generally, the old saying rings true - it's not the tool, it's the craftsman.

 

[duncansuds]

Lots of people will get lost in the semantics, but yes, or course a hunting rifle/precision rifle hybrid is possible. I have been using a Remington LTR like rifle as just this beast for quite a while. The end result is something that is heavier than need be when I am climbing hills in the fall, and doesn't have enough barrel length or a bipod sled for "precision" shoots, but it does just fine in F-class competition out to 900m, and in positional shooting. I use the same rifle/ammo setup for all of it. The only thing that ever changes is I take the bipod off if I am hunting in brush.

Because of this, I feel that I am more confident in me using the rifle when it matters.

Excellent answer IMO, I am in the same boat, been using my semi-custom SPS 308 for all my shooting "that maters". Its a little on the heavy side according to most, but I have no issue packing it around, because I can rely in it to no end, I also use the same ammo for hunting and competition, I know my come ups off by heart now, and the rifle is well balanced and I can shoot it within 8" off hand to 300 +/- yards, off the bipod, usually under moa..... its accurate, reliable, and comfortable, all things looked for in a hunting rifle and a precision rig. So yes, double purpose is possible.