Long distance rifle advice

[300sx]

Hey guys, thought I would ask a few questions before I spend 1k on a rifle and regret my decision. I am looking to get into shoot 500-1000 yards. Probably paper for now, but want to be able to hunt as well for trips out west. Reasearch has lead me to 6.5 Creedmoor round as a really good all around. I have a feeling everyone has their preference though. Any reason not to go with this round?

Next, rifle to choose. I am looking at the Tikka T3X CTR SS 20in. This is about $1k. This is what seems to be the leading choice for factory rifle. With that price point, is this a good choice? Should I have a rifle built? Is building even close to that price range? Would the outcome be better? For my experience be minimal for long distance I am not sure I would tell the difference between custom built vs a really nice factory rifle? What do you guys think?

 

[Ggreen]

Building would be tough to come in under 1k. Your caliber and rifle should be fine. I found a good scope will cost nearly the same in my recent build, so budget accordingly lol. Then there is the ammo... All said and done I'm nearly 3500 in with a reminder 700 Magpul in 260 w/timney, optic, mount, rail, and ammo. My rifle was 800 range on sale.

 

[natdscott]

Ggreen presents a very good point: is $1,000 the budget for the rifle ONLY, or is that the whole package? It is my opinion that there are some decent scopes under $1,000, but finding both a decent rifle and a decent scope and the two not exceeding $1,000 is going to be really tough.

Creed is the current fanboi choice of the week. That being said, being the flavor of the week doesn't mean it is either the best thing ever, ORRR that it isn't a pretty damn good cartridge.

There are other rounds that can do what it does and pre-date it. There are rounds that make it look foolish in certain uses. But it IS a pretty well-thought-out casing design, and it has a lot of support right now.

Now as for HUNTING with it beyond 500 yards, the 6.5 Creedmoor will not be much more than a varmint cartridge at those ranges. It just runs out of power for any medium or large game at that kind of range. Good, bad, or indifferent, if you want to hunt large-ish game at long range, you need big rifles to do it right.

-Nate

 

[hammerd13]

Good choice on round. 6.5 Creedmoor is really taking hold in the long distance target shooting game...lots of good factory ammo available too, if you don't want to reload initially/ever. Ggreen is exactly right...the cost of the gun can become inconsequential when you add up all the other components. You can, for example, easily spend $2,500 on really good glass (not including rings/mount).

Tikka certainly makes a great factory gun. Take a look at Bergara and Savage too, if you haven't already. All of these companies have offerings in your price range. To contrast, buying a custom gun from a precision gunsmith will cost around $4,000 minimum (e.g. GA Precision, Thunder Ranch, Short Action Customs, Accuracy International, etc.).

The best advice I can give, is decide what primary role this rifle will play. Is it a range toy? Will you compete in Precision Rifle? Is hunting the most important activity? The role of the rifle will dictate many aspects of your build/acquisition, including color/finish, weight, bipod/no bipod, chassis design, cheek riser requirement, sling attachment points, magazine style, muzzle brake, optics, length of pull and ability to adjust easily, trigger pull weight, ballistic requirements, etc.

Good luck in your search and have fun with it!

 

[300sx]

Building would be tough to come in under 1k. Your caliber and rifle should be fine. I found a good scope will cost nearly the same in my recent build, so budget accordingly lol. Then there is the ammo... All said and done I'm nearly 3500 in with a reminder 700 Magpul in 260 w/timney, optic, mount, rail, and ammo. My rifle was 800 range on sale.

Yes 1k would just be rifle only. And it’s not really a must stay under budget. Just a ball park for rifle only.

 

[natdscott]

Something to consider: Buy a Remington 700 Short Action, complete. Buy a Criterion barrel in 6.5 Creedmoor, 8-twist, 26". Put the two together. Drop all of it in a take-off VLS, HS Precision, or other decent aftermarket stock purchased online as it becomes available, install with Sunny Hill stainless BDL bottom metal (WAY better than stock).

Just a shade over $1,000 maybe, including FFL transfer fees and shipping.

Betcha it shoots.

 

[avboiler11]

Tikka CTR is a great rifle, but seriously consider the Bergara HMR at that same price point. Howa Bravo will be another good choice

20” 6.5 Creedmoor will give one 2600-2650fps with 140-class bullets which is plenty of smash for 1000yd targets and works great for hunting, but for elk you’d need a serious evaluation of bullet selection, velocity, accuracy, max range and lots of PRACTICE.

The Rem-Age mentioned above is another good option, but it is a bit more involved than you might want to deal with.

 

[natdscott]

Oh yeah.

Howa:

https://www.brownells.com/search/in...;&r_o=-1&avs|Cartridge_1=BCC_6xzzx5+Creedmoor


Wait until Brownells has one of their free ship + $ XX dollars off $X00 sales, and grab a barreled action. Probably a pretty good shooter.

 

[300sx]

Something to consider: Buy a Remington 700 Short Action, complete. Buy a Criterion barrel in 6.5 Creedmoor, 8-twist, 26". Put the two together. Drop all of it in a take-off VLS, HS Precision, or other decent aftermarket stock purchased online as it becomes available, install with Sunny Hill stainless BDL bottom metal (WAY better than stock).

Just a shade over $1,000 maybe, including FFL transfer fees and shipping.

Betcha it shoots.

this was exactly what I was kinda hoping for! Thanks for the guidance! Who would you recommend assembly. I don’t think this is something anyone can do like an AR.

 

[avboiler11]

Anybody can do a Rem-Age...just need the right tools.

Call Jim @ Northland Shooters Supply and he can fix you up with everything you need. Biggest issue is locating the recoil lug, but NSS has a fix for that too.

(I used a Badger lug tool and a PTG stainless 0.250” recoil lug on mine)

27553 is a blued 700SA action, 27559 is the stainless 700SA.

 

[300sx]

Tikka CTR is a great rifle, but seriously consider the Bergara HMR at that same price point. Howa Bravo will be another good choice

20” 6.5 Creedmoor will give one 2600-2650fps with 140-class bullets which is plenty of smash for 1000yd targets and works great for hunting, but for elk you’d need a serious evaluation of bullet selection, velocity, accuracy, max range and lots of PRACTICE.

The Rem-Age mentioned above is another good option, but it is a bit more involved than you might want to deal with.

That Bergara sure does look sweet! Making this a hard decision. Great suggestions though!

 

[NKBJ]

Maybe a gunshow 24" barrel 788 chambered for 22-250 that no longer shoots straight, send it off for reboring?

 

[natdscott]

If you elect to do a Remage, just buy a Forster headspace GO gauge and I'll do the barreling for you.

 

[cgbills]

All of the below rifles are in the $1,000 category (do not look at MSRP). Look at features, all are very accurate. I hear great things about the Tikka, but if you do not like their factory stock you are sinking another $700 into it for a chassis. I am personally a Ruger Precision Rifle owner because of the folding and fully adjustable stock, user level barrel swap, takes some AR accessories, can use 3 different kinds of mags, aftermarket, etc. Try to get your hands on them all and see what you like best.

Ruger Precision
https://ruger.com/products/precisionRifle/models.html

Bergara B14 HMR
B14 HMR

Howa HCR
https://www.legacysports.com/catalog/howa/howa-hcr-chassis-rifle/

Tikka T3x CTR (not all the T3x's have a heavy target barrel and you can get the CTR in SS)
T3x COMPACT TACTICAL RIFLE | Tikka

Savage 10 BA Stealth
Savage Arms : Firearms : Model : 10 BA Stealth

Pick one that fits you best and you like the features of.

 

[mcapo]

I picked up one of these for a "budget" precision building and matched it with a Vortex PST refurb from AA Optics and am closing in on .5 moa with factory ammo. Just an option...

https://www.legacysports.com/new-howa-long-range-rifle-hlr-for-long-range-precision/