Were to start on building/buying a target rifle.

haha49

haha49

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So far I sold my RFB since it really wasn't for me (to small) I want to replace it with a 308 target rifle but with all the options on scope ect I'm lost on were to start. The only thing I know for sure is I want 308 caliber as I plan on loading for my m1grand in the future. Right now I have $2400 to spend on it. I was looking at the Remington 700 but its kind of confuseing to tell the diffrence between the models. I need to get rifle, scope, rings, bases, (x amount on gunsmith work?) I want a tack drive basicly.. Something thats not to heavy to carry something fun to shoot standing sitting ect. I tried going through gun nutz and looking on the ee but nothing seems just right.
 
find whatever tickles your fancy 2400$ can buy a pretty kick ass set up look at the remington r5 milspec and a nice scope sightron or leupold if you want something more custom buy a stainless sps and get a new barrel and a new stock and new trigger going the custom route you might end up being over budget and plus you have to wait for the gunsmith to find time for you
 
Not sure I see the connection between a Garand (30-06) and 308 in a target rifle. Unless you have a Garand in 308?

Anyway, the difference in loading between two different similar calibres is a set of dies ($40-$100) and some brass.

You should be able to get a decent used Remington and used quality scope for that price on EE if you look. Of course you have to have some idea of what you want....and not be too afraid to be wrong. Sometimes you think you know what you want, get it, use it and for some reason decided you want to go a different direction. That is why there is EE.

Try researching 308 vs other calibres for long range. 308 is very good....not the best....depending on what you want to do. 6mm BR.com has some good information. Also check Mystic Precision.

What sort of distance do you have in mind? Most target/tactical rifles in 308 can be good out to 1000 yards or more, but many of those are pretty heavy for standing/sitting shooting. They are more meant for prone.

If you give more details about the type of shooting you are figuring on, others may be able to guide you a little better.
 
haha49 - There are a number of options to go with if you want to stay with a .308 and within $2400. I am assuming that the $2400 includes optics so the first thing to do is set aside $1000 for a scope, another $100 for rings and $100 for a 20MOA canted rail. Scope and rings are important so don't scrimp here. Now you have $1200 to spend. Take $100 and set it aside for a box of Federal Gold Medal Match 168g ammo ( you will use this as a benchmark against which to compare your handloads) and some .308 dies. You now have $1100 to spend on a rifle. If you want to buy new, a Remington R5 is a very good choice but you may have to scrape up another few hundred; a Remington SPS Tactical is a cheaper alternative and they are currently rather good. Entry level Savages are also popular and are accurate.

Option 2 is to try and find a package deal off the EE or ask someone to build for you. I would suggest that either shopping for a used package or asking for a build will require you to kind of know what it is you are buying and I'm not sure of your knowledge base here.
 
Are $100 rails really needed. I've used EGW and had no issues but I am a newbie so I may be missing something. Similarly with rings. I use Millet Tactical (I think, maybe they were Weavers?...anyway I only spent $50.00 used) and they seem to hold just fine.

That being said, I am a budget minded guy and I am reluctant to part with a lot of cash if I can help it. Others really want to buy quality named manufacturers for piece of mind/confidence that they are getting gear/parts that will work for sure. All depends on what you want and what your priorities are. I'll never tell somebody that they shouldn't buy the higher priced/quality option.

The adage Buy Once, Cry Once comes to mind. So far I have been lucky I guess.
 
I set aside $100 for each of rings as a ballpark - you can spend less or a lot more but $100 for each isn't a bad budget. Both are 'transportable' to a new rifle down the road and will never wear out.
 
Bolivar said:
Not sure I see the connection between a Garand (30-06) and 308 in a target rifle. Unless you have a Garand in 308?

Anyway, the difference in loading between two different similar calibres is a set of dies ($40-$100) and some brass.

You should be able to get a decent used Remington and used quality scope for that price on EE if you look. Of course you have to have some idea of what you want....and not be too afraid to be wrong. Sometimes you think you know what you want, get it, use it and for some reason decided you want to go a different direction. That is why there is EE.

Try researching 308 vs other calibres for long range. 308 is very good....not the best....depending on what you want to do. 6mm BR.com has some good information. Also check Mystic Precision.

What sort of distance do you have in mind? Most target/tactical rifles in 308 can be good out to 1000 yards or more, but many of those are pretty heavy for standing/sitting shooting. They are more meant for prone.

If you give more details about the type of shooting you are figuring on, others may be able to guide you a little better.
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I shoot pop cans at random distances it would be nice to move them our further right now I do a .22lr out to around 200 yards is my normal shooting range. Its fun to knock them over at that distance. I just want somthing to have fun with Im not competing or anything like that but I knowing the bullet ends up were I want it. (I do iron sights mostly)

I can also stretch my budget up to 3400 so I can move up and down I just have to see a reason to go for the hire price. I had an RFB that just wasn't for me If Im going to shoot 5 rounds then I want something that is a bolt not a semi..

My Grand is 308 and right now I have 500 rnds of brass so far. I don't reload yet but I plan on getting into that next pay cheque. The question is 45acp or 308 first after that.
 
Buy a r5 and if you're only shooting 200 yds get a Elite 4200 scope or something else in the $600-800 range. Then buy some accessories, a press, dies and load your own. My r5 rocks on re-loaded or high end ammo...the cheap bulk stuff sucks (to be expected).

With the r5 you've got a SS action, reasonable trigger and good stock and barrel that will last you until you're ready to customize....then all you've really got to do is throw an aftermarket barrel on it and you've got a real shooter without having to invest in an aftermarket stock, etc that you need if you go the SPS route.
 
My next question is what makes the R5 so much better then the other remingtons for the price? Im torn between the R5 and the XCR. I wan't the longer barrel and I don't like shiny guns.

Another question would be could you install a muzzle break on a heavy barrel?
 
If you don't like shiney don't bother with the r5, go with a heavy barrel version in blued. the r5 rifling is suppose to be better, not honestly sure if it is or not.

Yes you can put a muzzle brake on a heavy barrel, can get one machined on......have to admit I put one on my 308 r5 when I had the bottom metal put on (didn't cost too much and I only use it on "shoot the chicken" nights when we're going for number of hits on metal targets vs precision. Takes a bit of the bite out when you're shooting 40-50 rnds in an evening.
 
Looks like you may wish to take a closer look at the EE - there is currently up for sale a very nice R5 ( not shiny ) in an AICS 2.0 - an excellent stock - with brake all for a good price. I'd buy it myself but for the fact I have 4 precision 308's
 
I think I will just get the r5 and have it coated I didn't like the stock on that one on the ee rather have the factory stock to be honest..
 
Stock selection is almost all personal preference. I have the AICS 2.0 and 1.5 and very much like them. I also have the McM and, of course, the Sako TRG and can seen pro's and con's of all. The only one I didn't 100% like was the factory stock on the R5 as it was a 1/4" too short in the pistol grip - interestingly the 700P stock is a perfect fit for my hand. In fact, the 700P may be the rifle you are looking for - all black so no need to re-coat :)
 
Tomochan said:
Stock selection is almost all personal preference. I have the AICS 2.0 and 1.5 and very much like them. I also have the McM and, of course, the Sako TRG and can seen pro's and con's of all. The only one I didn't 100% like was the factory stock on the R5 as it was a 1/4" too short in the pistol grip - interestingly the 700P stock is a perfect fit for my hand. In fact, the 700P may be the rifle you are looking for - all black so no need to re-coat :)
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I don't mind recoating if it shoots better... Thats part of the fun.. Now I have to pick an optic to go with the rifle
 
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So far I decided on a 5r Milspec. So that leaves me 1200 for the scope rails ect. Then I decided to get the detachable mag so take 300 more off. The 20ma rail another 100 off. that leaves me 800 left. I decided thats not enough for a scope and rings so Im bumping my budget up to cover the rest. I'm willing to spend 1500 more that leaves me 2300 to play with agian. I do want to change the bolt knob so that will cost another 200 and add a muzzle break another 200. Then I just need rings and a scope with 1900 left to spend

Distance I want to shoot is between 200yards and 1000 yards (Id be happy just to hit paper at that distance)

I also plan on having the stock beded and refinsh the mil spec since I don't like shiny guns
 
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