Looking to get into long range target shooting. Caliber decision?
- Thread starter nhyrum
- Start date
g.willikers
New member
Did you decide on 300 yards for a particular reason?
Is that the longest distance available, or was it a random choice?
Either way, that's a very good distance for acquiring the skills necessary for your goals, whether with smaller targets or especially with .22 rimfire.
They behave very much like the more powerful cartridges mentioned but at less distances, considering trajectories and wind corrections.
Not a bad place to start.
Is that the longest distance available, or was it a random choice?
Either way, that's a very good distance for acquiring the skills necessary for your goals, whether with smaller targets or especially with .22 rimfire.
They behave very much like the more powerful cartridges mentioned but at less distances, considering trajectories and wind corrections.
Not a bad place to start.
g.willikers
New member
300 yards can be very challenging for any caliber you choose, especially on a windy day.
.22s at 100 to 200 of those 300 yards can really keep you working.
That nearby range sounds like a perfect place to begin your quest.
Good luck and let us know how it progresses.
.22s at 100 to 200 of those 300 yards can really keep you working.
That nearby range sounds like a perfect place to begin your quest.
Good luck and let us know how it progresses.
603Country
New member
I shoot a 260 these days, with a Vortex PST scope on it, and I'm happy as can be. Low recoil, great accuracy, lots of bullets to choose from. That said, I'd switch to the 6.5 Creedmore if I was more into long distance shooting. The case is better designed for long high BC bullets. As for reloading, either get into it or buy a 308. Buying factory ammo is a waste of money, compared to reloading. I'd like to say it'll save you money to reload, but no need to lie to you. Each round will be cheaper, but you'll shoot more.
There's a great deal of satisfaction in doing some good shooting with ammo assembled by you.
There's a great deal of satisfaction in doing some good shooting with ammo assembled by you.
handlerer2
New member
From your original post it looks like you have the funds for good equipment.
I own and reload for 300WBY, 340WBY, and more recently for 6.5x284. I always wanted an accurate varmint type rifle . My wife gave a Cooper MDL 22 VLM, Montana Varminter, for a Valentine, Wow! A varmint rifle that will kill a moose.
Being retired and collecting SS, I lost the joy in in the magnum pounding. I have been a reloader since 1976. I would enjoy going shooting to test up to three different reloads.
I chose the chambering because it is ballistically identical to the 300WBY. It has less than half the recoil, and uses 50gr powder compared to nearly 90gr in 300WBY. The Cooper rifle is over 10# naked, 26" HV barrel.
I scoped with the Vortex PST 6x24ffp. It's is a decent scope for the money, not as much internal adjustment as NF, and the most premium scopes, but much cheaper. Whether or not you will need elevated bases will depend on the range you shoot and your external ballistics.
I see that you are interested in the MKV. All things considered, I personally would do 300WBY as opposed to 300WM. Both are belted cases the WINMAG is cut down to fit 06 type actions. The WBY is full length magnum and has a more generous neck. You can load WBY cartridges in MKV action hotter than you will ever find in commercial ammo.
Will try to post pic of my rifle and scope. Long range shooting is a challenge that I'm still sorting out for myself. Good shooting pal.
I own and reload for 300WBY, 340WBY, and more recently for 6.5x284. I always wanted an accurate varmint type rifle . My wife gave a Cooper MDL 22 VLM, Montana Varminter, for a Valentine, Wow! A varmint rifle that will kill a moose.
Being retired and collecting SS, I lost the joy in in the magnum pounding. I have been a reloader since 1976. I would enjoy going shooting to test up to three different reloads.
I chose the chambering because it is ballistically identical to the 300WBY. It has less than half the recoil, and uses 50gr powder compared to nearly 90gr in 300WBY. The Cooper rifle is over 10# naked, 26" HV barrel.
I scoped with the Vortex PST 6x24ffp. It's is a decent scope for the money, not as much internal adjustment as NF, and the most premium scopes, but much cheaper. Whether or not you will need elevated bases will depend on the range you shoot and your external ballistics.
I see that you are interested in the MKV. All things considered, I personally would do 300WBY as opposed to 300WM. Both are belted cases the WINMAG is cut down to fit 06 type actions. The WBY is full length magnum and has a more generous neck. You can load WBY cartridges in MKV action hotter than you will ever find in commercial ammo.
Will try to post pic of my rifle and scope. Long range shooting is a challenge that I'm still sorting out for myself. Good shooting pal.
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What do you guys think of the ruger American? The company I work for gives us"points" on a prepaid credit card that works only at selected places and cabelas (both in store and online) is one of the places it works and with the money I have now I could almost get the American no money out of pocket. It's offered in both 308 and 6.5 creed.
What about the savage 10t?
I'm leaning heavily toward the creed for it's ballistics over the 308 and over the magnums for recoil and so my wife can give it a go as well and not come to hate shooting.
What about the savage 10t?
I'm leaning heavily toward the creed for it's ballistics over the 308 and over the magnums for recoil and so my wife can give it a go as well and not come to hate shooting.
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The Ruger American is an excellent choice for an "intro" level rifle- I put that in quotes because they shoot minute of angle or better. It would be an excellent rifle to hone your skills, and accurate enough that it will be a while before you can shoot better than it, can.
I already stated that I thought it was a better plan to start with .308 and move to the 6.5 later strictly because of ammo costs until you handload. With next to nothing invested in the RA purchase it's a no-brainer IMO.
Good luck.
I already stated that I thought it was a better plan to start with .308 and move to the 6.5 later strictly because of ammo costs until you handload. With next to nothing invested in the RA purchase it's a no-brainer IMO.
Good luck.
4runnerman
New member
Ruger's while I have never owned any one other then my 10/22's, I have heard are pretty decent rifles. I lean toward the Savage due to the ease of barrel replacement. You also get to set your headspace to your liking. If you are shooting for long range accuracy you will want a heavy barrel so you can fire more then 3 or so before you have to take a break. As tobnpr say's-The 308 is a great place to start, more then good for 1000 yard ( paper punching). The 6.5 is much better, but also as he said-More costly to shoot- If you don't reload.
If you are going to get into this game- Jump in or stay home. If there is one thing I have learned since I started-You can't half ass it and expect to excell.
Get your rifle, Press, dies and have at it. While reloading can be dangerous, it is a pretty simple, no brain thing to get into. It's not rocket science for sure. You are going to want to make the round for your rifle anyhow, so you really need to reload. I started with a RCBS Partner Press and ntill it broke last year I never saw a reason to upgrade, now I have a single stage Rock Chucker.
Press-$80.00
Good Die-$60.00
Caliper-$ 10.00
Digital scale-( personnell preferance)- $50..00
Case trimmer-$60.00
Powder, bullets and brass and primers. There is more to get, but not needed right away. You can add as you go. In the course of 1 year you will have payed for the press and everything else you got, and have a better load then you can buy.
As for calibers-( If you buy a press) I would go 6.5 Creedmor hands down over the 308. When you have to buy a new barrel there is no difference in price between the calibers. A good barrel is going to run you about $600.00. I do one a year on my 6MM. Takes abaout 25 minutes and your done. With that in mind-Don't buy a starter rifle, you just end up having to buy another better one later, Cheaper to replace barrel then buy a new rifle, Again-I lean to Savage.
I would love to tell you it is a cheap sport to get into, but I would be lying to you. I offset my cost by Donating Plasma every week, thats $320.00 a month I sink into my hobby for free. PS- Makes the wife happy too that I don't hit the bank account.
If you are going to get into this game- Jump in or stay home. If there is one thing I have learned since I started-You can't half ass it and expect to excell.
Get your rifle, Press, dies and have at it. While reloading can be dangerous, it is a pretty simple, no brain thing to get into. It's not rocket science for sure. You are going to want to make the round for your rifle anyhow, so you really need to reload. I started with a RCBS Partner Press and ntill it broke last year I never saw a reason to upgrade, now I have a single stage Rock Chucker.
Press-$80.00
Good Die-$60.00
Caliper-$ 10.00
Digital scale-( personnell preferance)- $50..00
Case trimmer-$60.00
Powder, bullets and brass and primers. There is more to get, but not needed right away. You can add as you go. In the course of 1 year you will have payed for the press and everything else you got, and have a better load then you can buy.
As for calibers-( If you buy a press) I would go 6.5 Creedmor hands down over the 308. When you have to buy a new barrel there is no difference in price between the calibers. A good barrel is going to run you about $600.00. I do one a year on my 6MM. Takes abaout 25 minutes and your done. With that in mind-Don't buy a starter rifle, you just end up having to buy another better one later, Cheaper to replace barrel then buy a new rifle, Again-I lean to Savage.
I would love to tell you it is a cheap sport to get into, but I would be lying to you. I offset my cost by Donating Plasma every week, thats $320.00 a month I sink into my hobby for free. PS- Makes the wife happy too that I don't hit the bank account.
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I have a good friend that has all I need except brass and bullets (when something in reloading becomes hard to find he buys it by the thousands. Literally... He's sitting on thousands of rounds for mosin negant, thousands of .223 tracers and regular rounds at that, and thousands of large rifle primers) all I need is dies and brass, bullets and powder
4runnerman
New member
You half way there then, Go get the rifle and have at it.
See if your local Cabela's has any of these:
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shoo...-12-FV-Bolt-Action-Varmint-Rifles/1994604.uts
That rifle in .308 is a smokin' deal for an entry level LR rig.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shoo...-12-FV-Bolt-Action-Varmint-Rifles/1994604.uts
That rifle in .308 is a smokin' deal for an entry level LR rig.
My "local" Cabela's is 5 hour away, social be ordering online. The FAQ's say they will ship to a local ffl dealer so that's what I'm going to do
And as I'm looking for a 6.5 as Im reloading and the superior bullet design
4runnerman
New member
You did say 6.5 Creedmor-right?. Of the 6.5's that one has the best barrel life.
Thing to think about when you start buying barrels once a year
. With the Savage it is a 20 minute job to swap barrels out too. Which one you going for?. F Class or Bench?. Both will impress you very much.
Thing to think about when you start buying barrels once a year
. With the Savage it is a 20 minute job to swap barrels out too. Which one you going for?. F Class or Bench?. Both will impress you very much.Yeah 6.5 creedmore. Right now I'm looking at a 10t as i can get a new one with little cash out of pocket.
I haven't decided if I will go f class or bench. Since I don't hunt and won't be able to enter comps due to scheduling conflicts (they're almost always on Sunday and that's a no go for me)
I haven't decided if I will go f class or bench. Since I don't hunt and won't be able to enter comps due to scheduling conflicts (they're almost always on Sunday and that's a no go for me)
4runnerman
New member
Don't need to shoot comps to have fun though. Long as you have a place to go and stretch it out is all the fun a guy needs. Good luck and shoot straight
Agreed. Just letting you know that my setup isn't limited by a class. Can't wait to get my rifle!
I picked up a ruger American at my local Cabela's store and I must say, I didn't like it one bit. Bolt was sloppy and rough and I could see the turning marks on the bolt. The rifle was way too light for my liking as well (it was the 22-250 version though) so now I'm definitely leaning more towards the savage now. Let's hope I don't have to make a 6 HR drive and Cabela's ships to other ffl's
tric3imagery
New member
If your wife's picky like mine, 6BR, from a rebarreled 22-250 very soft inherently accurate, brass last >10+ reloads and low powder usage, just my 2 cents ,I sure shoot my 308 alot with my buddies
She's not picky, just only been shooting once. .22lr 380 and. 223. She liked the 380 a lot. The good thing is before that she said I had to wait till we buy a house (we're relativity newly weds. a year and a half) but now she's changed her mind XD