duncansuds
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Weyburn, SK
I think the SPS and the Bushnell 10x tactical is a fantastic start....bed the action, shoot and enjoy the hell out of it!
what to buy for a first rifle
- Thread starter malkerie
- Start date
BCshooterFMJ
Regular
- Location
- British Columbia
your signature says you own a few rifles already by the way, so if you dont want people to tell you to get .22's and .308's and 300 win mags and what not, I would make that clear if I were you, otherwise half the posts are going to be telling you what your first rifle should be, not what .223 you should get
paperslayer
Regular
- Location
- Chilliwack
Asking for beginner advice from a web forum is like telling someone with a watchtower magazine that you need spiritual guidance. a good 22 is never the wrong answer for learning to shoot well, but if you have to have a centerfire and reach out there, then smaller is probably better... like a 223. Cheaper ammo and it won't hurt like hell to shoot. Brand doesn't matter. Most of the brand advice you get here is because someone wants to sell you something or because they got sucked into buying something and they want you to buy one too to validate their choice. You don't need to spend alot to have fun, and if you get hooked you will probably buy something else anyway.
He said he was "looking" I am "looking" at a lot also lol not I WANT. I wouldn't select 223 for "long range" Then again he said 400-500 so... Should read "what 223 rifle should I get for target shooting"
I 100% agree 22s are great everyone should own one, they can reverse flinches and really let you bring back the basics of shooting. A 223 for a beginner will be hard to really reach out. 308 is awesome. I personally stand by 300 win mag. Next rifle will be 338 and a pain to feed but in long distance shooting we arnt emptying mags here. So ammo price kind of levels itself out. Take 10 seconds and shoot 10 rounds or take 30 seconds and shoot one and have a much better placed shot.
A year or two ago I picked up a used Rem 700 VS with a 36x Leopold scope on it for about a hundred bucks over your budget. Something like that would probably fill your needs. You could add a faster twist barrel later...
Chris.
Chris.
paperslayer
Regular
- Location
- Chilliwack
A good lesson in "you get what you pay for" with free internet advice.
I vote sps tactical and busnell 10x tactical, in .308, i think thats probably the only decent tactical combo you will get for under 1000
There are accurate milsurps, Enfields are definitely accurate in the right hands so are Nagants the K31/Swede Mausers are more than able, the capability of the shooter will dictate the limitations of the rifle.
Tradex has CG63's/M69's in 6.5X55 swede that are more than capable of 500 yards and will still have the reach to go out to 1000 yards if need be.
.308 is great, but if you are shooting long range precision, 6.5 has less recoil than most calibers that will match its ability, better ballistics and it can reach out further when the time comes to move out.
You could buy a CG63 for under $500, that leaves you a nice chunk of change to score glass on the EE, then hit the range for some long range precision.
IMO, if you want a .223 because of ammo cost, availability, recoil and etc, I believe that the glass is going to be the biggest difference maker. Most rifles can out perform the person using them, the glass will bridge the gap. I would rock a savage axis with $700 worth of used EE premium glass, that will get you there, and many others have done this.
Keep in mind this is only the beginning ,once you start shooting at your farm range and have unknown target distances you might want to invest in quality range finder, spotting scope, bipod/rest and other equipment.
Tradex has CG63's/M69's in 6.5X55 swede that are more than capable of 500 yards and will still have the reach to go out to 1000 yards if need be.
.308 is great, but if you are shooting long range precision, 6.5 has less recoil than most calibers that will match its ability, better ballistics and it can reach out further when the time comes to move out.
You could buy a CG63 for under $500, that leaves you a nice chunk of change to score glass on the EE, then hit the range for some long range precision.
IMO, if you want a .223 because of ammo cost, availability, recoil and etc, I believe that the glass is going to be the biggest difference maker. Most rifles can out perform the person using them, the glass will bridge the gap. I would rock a savage axis with $700 worth of used EE premium glass, that will get you there, and many others have done this.
Keep in mind this is only the beginning ,once you start shooting at your farm range and have unknown target distances you might want to invest in quality range finder, spotting scope, bipod/rest and other equipment.
Agreed, if you already have rifles, take that budget money and spend it on a kestrel and decent range finder and start reaching out. From what I have heard as well there is also a decent program out there called "shooter ready" that will teach you different things you need such as wind and distance formulas to help you start getting out there. I suggest watching the sniper 101 series on youtube as well as he gives A LOT of good information.
BCshooterFMJ
Regular
- Location
- British Columbia
Very true, but if you just read his signature line, it does say he already owns 22's, no matter how great you guys think they are , it seems he already has some. And maybe you should read all the posts of this thread. He corrected himself somewhere about the "Long range" And "500 yards"
Why not start with a Steven 200 in 223 and as you go modify it to your taste? Barrel swap, trigger, and stock. That way you could start with a good scope start shooting and if you still like it, invest in quality components.
New Camper
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Lurking in the woods near SFRC.
You might already have what you need in that rifle? What type of rifle is it? I bought a used T3 that could group easily under 1moa. It has since new been modified by the previous owner (muzzle brake, weighted stock) and by me (hand made custom stock and bedding) so that it groups with a good load under .5moa. I bought a used m700 in 270win that was sloppy, but a bedding job, and it is a 1moa rifle with the right handload - and it only cost 450.00. I added a 2.5-10 Vortex Viper but 1000.00 could be trimmed to fit with used scope purchase.
What I'm saying is that if you own a bolt action rifle already, you might only need to eliminate the slop endowed upon it by the factory.
That notwithstanding, you are on the right track: 223rem is capable in the distance you mentioned, and is one of the most affordable centerfire rounds available. Keep your eyes open for a common rifle model (presuming you will improve it as funds allow) and even a m700 can be found. Even one with a banged up stock will still retain it's accuracy (my 270 is quite homely, which is why I procured it for only 450.00) Important part is that the bore and action are not damaged. On optics: For target shooting you will want exposed turrets, which unfortunately increase the price but don't think you need high magnification, fancy reticles, ffp lenses etc...(more expense) fixed 10-12x max and simple crosshairs will work for target shooting. For years I didn't have a pot to piss in, made do with an old Savage 340B (cost 300) in 222rem: Topped with a Weaver fixed scope at 1.5 or 2X I laid waste to loads of vermin up to 200yards. I have several pots to piss in now, and while I still periodically use that old beat up rifle, prefer a m700 222 with Weaver 6X, (which cost around 500-700) and now my beloved tack driving T3.
