Long Range Marksmanship

[ndking1126]

12fv

If you are going to look at the 10fp, be sure to check out the 12fv. Last time I checked, it was selling for about $40 cheaper and is basically the exact same rifle, only the barrel is 2" longer. But don't quote me on it, I have just never known anyone who knew of any other differences.

Here's a vote for the sniper central rifle. That or a Savage.

.308 is probably the caliber you want. Been shooting in 1000yrd matches for quite some time. If you were going to exclusively shoot in 1000yrd matches and reload for your caliber, there are better choices for that. However given that you are looking for a slightly more "all-purpose" I would pick the .308.

 

[Rifleman 173]

Army snipers have been using the .308 for years and years to get good range and great accuracy out of their rifles. Right now the SASS sniper rifle, an accurate AR-10(T), is a .308 rifle. Before that the M-21 series were the 7.62 NATO match (.308 national match caliber) rifles and they shot out to 900 meters with no problem. Saying that the .308 doesn't have range is silly. But also remember that it was the Army snipers who always chided their Marine counterparts about using 12 gauge shotguns loaded with buckshot for their sniper weapons...

 

[devilfrog]

Another "vote" for the Savage 10FP in .308. I have a 110Fp in .30-06 costs half as much as my Remington 700pps in .308 and shoots just as good (sometimes better) at all ranges. Get the Savage use the money you save to get a better stock and better optics, you'll still be ahead of buying the Remington.
I am not bashing the Remington by any means, its a superb rifle, but when it comes to "bang for the buck" Savage wins hands down!

 

[ForneyRider]

Savage has a 6.5-.284 entry level rifle. Not sure how much less recoil it has compared to .308 Win. There is a compromise between high B.C. and able to shoulder the gun for all day shooting. I've shot 60rounds of warm 7mm Rem. Mag loads and had a sore shoulder for over a week.

 

[ThreeStepsAhead]

Hey-Seuss,

What is keeping you from joining? I think it's silly that you mention others military experience... You're 22, it's about time to make your own story.

If you want to learn some real skills and not just *****-foot around the back yard when you're home from college, get your right hand in the air and sign that enlistment contract already-

And

Who says only Marines can be snipers? And with that, I just sent a Soldier in my platoon, with a logistics MOS to the long range marksman course here at my post...and he passed.

 

[HiBC]

Page 97 of Jan 19 Shotgun news,there is a "Ranchland Security" package,a Howa with a Nikko-Sterling scope.$479 for the rifle,699 for the outfit,MSRP

I have never looked through a Nikko,and I have never looked over a Howa,but it might be something to check out

 

[Firepower!]

I would have to say 308 Win. I am not sure how it can lack anything.

Rest are just gimmicks.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

the 308 and the .223 are both capable of doing what you want to do. differnce most is that the .308 hits with much more athourity at those ranges. A sniper not only has to hit a target but kill it quickly and cleanly. As to learning to do it to be able to hunt. Shooting an animal at long range is different then target shooing. Shooting a deer at 600 yards just to say you did it is about dumb. theres to much chance for error and its just to easy to get closer. To me its nothing but a stunt. Its about like guys buying these new handguns that claim to be 200 yard killers. its just to easy to wound an animal. I to enjoy shooting small groups and hitting small targets at long range but when it comes to hunting i put away those wanabe illusions of being a sniper.

 

[noyes]

this will help

http://www.hornady.com/ballistics/

 

[sneaky pete]

You might try Mil-Surps

old Sneaky heRe: There are a lot of Mil-Surp rifles availiable that are capable of your "LongRange" requirements and can be had generally for a very resonable price. #1--m96-6.5X55 Swedish Mauser-Known for it's Long range accuracy. #2--M1 Garand--30-06, #3 Swiss K-31.--7.5swiss #4--Czec VZ 24/47-- 8MM #5--Finish or Russian--m91 Mos/Nag--7.62X54R. Also the '03 Springfields and 1917 Enfield and other British Enfields in .303R. Except for the Garand most can be found for well under $500 and all have been used in combat sniping situations( except I'm not too sure about the Swiss K-31). I own and shoot both the 6.5 Swed and the M-1 Garand and it's really a hoot to put those old war horses thru their paces. THANX--SNEAKY

 

[johnwilliamson062]

K31!!! K31!!! $220, although GP11 to feed it is not cheap.
As accurate as any of the others. Straight pull bolt. Swiss citizens are the Rifleman we Americans like to claim to be.

 

[Stephanie B]

why not just go with a mauser and sporterize it for the time being? the 8mm round is good, you can find commercial hunting loads for it and it'll kill anything in north america. if you have some more money down the road you can always rebarrel it with a nicer barrel.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm not big on sporterizing milsurps. But you can get mounts that replace the rear sight, without permanently altering the rifle, and which allow you to put on a scope.

Another idea is to know how to spot an ex-sniper Mosin M91/30 and prowl the gunshops looking for one. The ex-snipers often shoot very nicely and, for $100 or so, the rifles are a good value. Add in that ammo goes for $4/20 for decent Czech light ball, $7/20 for Russian 7N1 sniper grade and $11-15/20 for new production fodder, including hunting rounds, and that's hard to beat.

The one drawback is that the safety is somewhat cumbersome, but as a Soviet sergeant might have said: "Is gun! Meant to kill! Safety make loud click to aid fascists in locating soldiers! No safety!" (Not original to me, by any means.)

 

[handlerer]

That the 308 lacks range is debatable. It has been used for 40 years as the cartridge for the sniper rifles issued to the Army and Marines. It is very competent out to 800-1000 yds. I does have its limitations though, at about 1000 yds it goes subsonic and accuracy deminishes as the round starts to tumble. The only reason the 308, all of a sudden lacks range, is the research and press given to the newer high intensity long range rounds being used for trully extended ranges ie, 300 WM, 30-378 Weatherby, 338 Lapua, and the 416 Barret. These rounds, 30-378, 338 LApua and 416 Barret, do have case necks long enough to allow loading of very long for caliber bullets with exceptional sd's, and bc's. These cartridges are capable of adding maybe 1000yds to the range of the 308, but that's potential range, the further distance you have to try to shoot precisely the more variables there are and more complications to allow for. The 223 correctly barreled and with the right bullet can hit out to 1000yds also, but that is with the most expensive, hand crafted solid VLD bullets of 80 gr or more. While I have done some long range shooting in the Army, long ago, 800yds is as far as I would try a shot with commercial hunting equiptment. Many popular scopes don't contain the adjustment potential in MOA's to adjust for over that range. This point is where you need specialty equipment, Nightforce, Shepard, and some others contain the necessary quantity of adjustment, vertical and horizontal, to adjust for the conditions at very extended ranges.