What are some good long range precision rifles out there for under $1000?

Question

I'd like to get into long range target shooting but I'm on a budget. I think I want a .308 but I don't know, I'm new at this type of shooting.
Any Information would be apreciated. No ignorant people please.

Answer 1

Bound's hubby here:

When you say "long range target shooting", I will presume that you mean competition shooting. This is a very interesting form of target shooting and it can be the most expensive. If you do mean competition, the respondants prior to this answer, haven't a clue of what is involved in long range target competition. What you are about to read, is not intended to scare you away from competition, but I do want to be up-front.

First, the courses of fire in competition... there are three basic courses of fire in NRA long range competition: the Palma match, 1000 yard iron sight and 1000 yard any sight. The Palma match is fired with 15 rounds for record at each yard line (800, 900 and 1000 yards) with metallic sights. The 1000 yard iron sight match is 20 shots for record in 30 minutes with metallic sights. The 1000 yard any sight match is the same as the iron sight match, except you may use either metallic sights or a telescopic sight.

The rifle: you need to have a rifle with a heavy bull barrel, anything else (for target competition) would be as effective as spitting on a forest fire. I would suggest you purchase a Remington 700 SPS Varmint in .308 Winchester (MSRP= $623). You want a .308 because you have a better selection of long range match grade bullets in .30 caliber. You may find the factory stock adequate, but after a season or two you may want to upgrade your stock.

Sighting equipment: this could be more expensive than the rifle. You will need sight/scope bases. For the front sight, you will need a 0.820 inch clamp on sight base (costs about $50). You will need a globe front sight with inserts (costs about $40). For the rear sight, you will need a long range combination scope mount/Redfield sight base [this scope base has a long range compensation for 1000 yard shooting] (cost about $110). The rear sight should be, at a minimum, a repeatable, high quality micrometer adjustable sight (cost $300 or more). For the scope, I have a Weaver KT15 (cost about $200), but I would strongly suggest something like a Weaver T10 with dot (costs about $450).

Accesories: critical accesories would include a shooting mat and a high quality 25x spotting scope (cost about $400+), a Freeland style scope stand (cost about $200), an accesory hand rail (cost about $30 plus installation), hand stop (cost about $40+), cuff-type sling (cost about $80), and a hard case for your rifle (cost about $20 or more).

Ammunition: for this type of shooting, you will want to reload. You will need a quality press (cast iron), competition or precision reloading dies, an electronic reloading scale and a chronograph. I would suggest that you use Sierra MatchKings of at least 175 grains (my Remington 700 Varmint Special prefers Sierra 175s and will shoot 12 inch groups at 1000 yards... despite what people say, the Remington 1 in 12 Varmint barrel shoots heavy bullets surprisingly well). Keep your handload muzzle velocity at about 2550 feet per second (fps). This will keep your bullet supersonic at 1000 yards, which is critical.

If you have any further questions, feel free to e-mail!

Good luck.

Answer 2

If you're looking to include a scope, you're limited. You'll need to buy a scope that'll run you somewhere in the neighborhood of $400-$600, which limits your options. Personally, for the $600 you have left, you'll find useful one of the following (you'll have to check the web sites for all the different models that might work): Remington and Savage. The Remington 700 VS would be a good choice, but a Savage 10 or 12 series rifle (10FP, with a Choate stock is probably one of the better options) will be cheaper. The million details depend on what type of shooting you'll be doing. Both of these rifles are generally spectacular shooters, but only if you have the right load. Obviously, you've got to start with the right rifle though.

About the Savage rifles: the difference between 110 and 10 series models is that 110's have long actions (for .25-06, etc.), and the 10's have short actions (for your desired .308, which is an excellent choice). The same applies to the 12 series (12 versus 112). The 10/110's are law enforcement guns, but I'm sure you can buy them as a civilian. The 12/112 rifles are basically varmint/target guns. Anything with an "SS" in the model # is stainless, which will run up the price. These Savages are cheaper than the Remingtons, and they're supposed to shoot even better. Get a 10FP Choate. Pay attention to weight!! Heavier is better for long-range, and it WILL affect how you shoot. Don't forget that the listed price is not what the rifle will actually go for -- you'll buy it for less, but you'll need to go through a dealer.

And if you $1000 doesn't include the scope, you've got a whole new beast to tame. Still, the above rifles will shoot great for a beginner. If you need something more, talk to somebody who does this every day. There are lots of them out there, and the prices can hit $1500-$3500 really quickly.

One piece of advice: buy the best scope you can afford. You get what you pay for when it comes to optics. Good luck. Hope this helps.

Answer 3

I really enjoy precision shooting, though I have never entered a competition. I will try not to simply echo the previous respondents. None has mentioned getting a good quality bolt action .22 the practice. You can spend $200-300 on one of these (savage, ruger, remington) including a scope and then put 500 rounds down range for $10. You can expect MOA accuracy at 50-100 yards so it really is good practice.
That said, I am really happy with my Savage 110 chambered in .308, though you should look for the 10 in 308 because a shorter action is often more accurate. The new ones have a better trigger than mine too. The Remington 700 is crazy popular and I am sure it is a phenomenal weapon, but costs a little more. Yes you should spend as much on a scope as possible but you can find great ones for $100-200.
As far as your ammo choice the .308 is my favorite and it is the most common ammo for military snipers but a .223 will knock holes in paper at 1000 yards just as well, just as accurately and is less punishing on your shoulder. There are other choices too though. Definitely check out my source. This site has build projects in their members section that sounds like what you are looking for. They also have reliable info on many rifle and ammo choices.

Answer 4

I can't think of any particular rifle off the top of my head but I have always been told to spend as much on the scope if not more than what the rifle costs. For under $1000 you can probably come up with something that will work but it may take quite a lot of looking around. Nice pick on using .308, I have also heard good about .338 Lapua Mag.

If you are already of aware of handloading/reloading please ignore the following comment.

In case you hadn't planned on handloading for your long range shoots, I would strongly recommend it. Develop a loading that your rifle likes and works well with. I have a couple of friends that do long range shooting and niether use factory ammunition.

Answer 5

I would bet that no one here has even shot a 1000 yard shot, except bound. This type of shooting is not common and very expensive. However, it is also extremely satisfying. Bound did not mention any of the numerous tactical 1000 yard matches. These "sniper" matches are even more demanding then their benchrest counterparts. Anyway, here is what you need to get started.

The Gun: Remington 700 Varmint chambered in .308 ~$600
The heavy contour barrel is important here. A sporter contour will not have enough consistency at that range. The 700 action is very reliable and pretty accurate our of the box. Also, as you progress in the sport you can spend additional money to have it trued and lapped to maximize its potential.

The Stock: This will largely be determined by you. You need to feel comfortable behind the gun. If you can do it with the stock that comes with the gun, great. If not, consider buying a barreled action only and fitting it to the stock you like. A barreled action is usually around $400 and stocks can be had for $150 and up. It would also be beneficial to bed the action into the stock and free float your barrel. This will allow for better barrel harmonics. In my opinion McMillan makes the best stocks that can be had, but they are also very expensive.

Optics: For someone getting into long range shooting, know that the scope that you buy for this gun can be used on any subsequent rifles. Its worth it to get a good one now. The scope you get will depend on the type of competition you want to do. I typically go for the tactical scopes. They are highly adjustable, and if you can use mildots for hold-offs then you are set. There are also several benchrest specific reticles. Nightforce offers nice scopes in both tactical and benchrest configurations, as does leupold. You will also want a 20MOA sight base to mount your scope on. This will allow you to better compensate for the extreme bullet drop at range.

Ammo: I would also recommend Sierra MatchKings in 175gr. The 168 will work but I think the 175's group better. Do not use anything heavier then that because the rate of twist in the Remington can't handle it. You really need to handload for this sport. You need to have control over as many variables as possible. Also, you can save some serious money. If you are going to use factory ammo, at least to get started, use Federal Match ammo, or Blackhills. They are expensive but its what you need to reach out there. Milsurp will not cut it.

Best of luck to you

Answer 6

Purchase a 20X Redfield Scope only. Rifle> Remington, Winchester. Caliber 308 or 30-06...

Answer 7

Remington 700 is a very popular choice.

There are a hundred different brands and models out there which fit the bill though.

.308 is a good ammo choice. It's very popular and you can buy milsurp 7.62x51 rounds for quite cheap in boxes from time to time which are good for practice. Other rounds around there like .300 magnum etc. are usually more expensive.

Answer 8

Winchester model 70 or a Remington model 700 in .308 is a really good place to start. a .223 would be ok as well. look at
gunbroker.com.

Answer 9

savage mod 10f is goos so are remington and winchester. Its not the gun that shoots long range but the cartridge.

Answer 10

try a bolt action 270 or 280 the ruger m77 is a silky smooth action and standard on Ruger bolt actions