Looking into a long range precision rifle build...any thoughts?

[shooter1054]

I am starting to get into long range shooting. I am shooting a Browning Abolt in 300wsm and a T/C Venture in 243. Both of these rifles are hunting/target rifles. The 300 has the range and power to go long withough any issue. I've shot the 243 out to 300 yards accurately. I know it can go farther. I had the opportunity to shoot a highly custom 308 supressed and was amazed how this shot. I would love to do a build in 338 Lapua,(I love the rounds that thump) but at about $4 a round for cheap stuff....not so much. I am thinking about 338 Win.Mag. It seems to be a little more available and a lot more affordable. I reload so cost will not be much of an issue. Can anyone knowlegeable in long range shooting give me any advice in what I'm thinking? Where am I going wrong? Where am I right? etc. I am looking for ideas and info on all aspects of a rifle build. Rifle, barrel,trigger, optics, bipod, supressor(?) etc.

 

[sloughfoot]

I would not presume to tell you that you are on the wrong path.

My 1000 yard rifle is a 40X in 308 set up for 155's. It is a good rifle.

Lots of guys like the magnums. Not a bad choice.

No matter what you choose, you have to learn to read the conditions because there is no laser beam bullet/cartridge.

A multiple long range Indiana State champion shot a 7mm magnum one year.

If I was to advise you on a long range rifle, I would suggest a 8 twist premium barrel for your 243 and shoot the 115 DTAC out of it while you learn to read the wind at 1000 yards.

Edit to add: I just re-read your post and the T/C Venture is not a good platform for a 1000 yard rifle

 

[shooter1054]

Maybe I should clarify. The 243 and 300wsm are going to stay stock. I'm refering completely to a ground up build. Also, I live by the motto "It's not impossible. It just costs more." I'm a carpenter by trade. So I'm also looking as to what a good build might cost. Not looking to jump start the nation's economy, but not looking to just buy a rifle and scope either.

 

[sloughfoot]

For a ground up build, I would choose a good action and a premium barrel in the caliber of your choice, bedded into a good stock.

I shoot 1000 yards with iron sights. I have no recommendations for scopes.

My last 1000 yard rifle cost me $1500 without sights. Home built.

Contact Bob Working i n South Bend. He will build you whatever you want.

Get the old Visa card out. You are going to need it.

 

[42769vette]

how far are you ebner going to shoot? the reason i ask is id stear clear of the 33 cal all together if you aren't going to shoot over 1000 yds. i built a rifle off a stiller action in 260 rem. one of the things i love about it is i can shoot it all day without getting a bruse on my sholder. imo i would build somthing you enjoy shooting.

id start on a 700 or savage action, any match grade barrel will do, i like rifle basix triggers, i prefer manners stocks to the others ive tried (mcm, mcrees), i like harris swivel bipods with pod lock. i would recomend a eagle stock pack.

make sure you dont skimp on optics. best in any price range would be uso, sb. best under 2000 nf, best under 1000 bucks is the vortex pst, best under 500 is probably the wotac. under that its going to be difficult to reach 1000 yds

 

[42769vette]

pics of mine with a 110 yds group and a 700 yd group. it currently wears the nsx

 

[shooter1054]

Thanks for the input. I am still considering the 338WM. I do like the thumpers. Overcompensation? Maybe. Middle age is on the horizon and I'm not really interested in a Harley....now. I shoot my 300wsm and can do about 75 rounds a day without any ill effects, so I'm not too worried about bruising. How much of rifle building is DIY and what absolutly positively requires professional work?

 

[sloughfoot]

If you are not an experienced long range rifle builder, your role should be that of check writer and maybe bring the coffee and sweet rolls while you watch him build it.

 

[the1kidd03]

Ive been told by reliable source that the 338 RUM is closest ballistically to the Lapua....but I havent looked into them really...it may be something to consider when comparing cost

 

[Yeah]

I wouldn't go with a 338 Win Mag for any reason, and certainly not over the Lapua or RUM. A belt and lower case capacity aren't positives and Lapua has the advantage of top notch brass that can last nearly forever. I've had all of the above and were I to build another it would be a Lapua.

Pick an action (700, Stiller, Badger...there are several), barrel maker (Pacnor, Rock, Hart...again several), and smith and get it all going. Call McMillan to get an A5 going his way. Pick a scope for same. I'd dispense with the idea of throwing any DIY into the mix.

But really, really, consider distance. As above, if you aren't going a good ways past 1k you would be better off shooting another cartridge and then punching yourself in the shoulder if you need more bruising. Say the spectacular 7 WSM / 162 Amax combo...

 

[G_Stines]

338 Lapua costs you 4$ a shot to reload? That doesn't sound right. *Does Math* You could buy .338 Lapua brass, 300gr match grade bullets, and H1000, and put the maximum load in them for 2.65 a round. After you have the brass, that would drop down to 1.06 a round. While it is significantly higher than most reloads, its a heck of a lot cheaper than the 4-5$ a round for Sierra Matchking ammo I found. By the time you reload 1k rounds, you would have saved 2+ grand off the top and paid off most if not all of what it would cost you for the build. I have shot a .338 Lap custom built for long range that my uncle has and it is phenomenal! I am unsure what he has in it off the top of my head, but if you are looking for a custom build that you want a guns smith to do, I am going to throw out the name that I usually do.

Mark Penron
Penrod Precision
312 East College Avenue, North Manchester, IN
(260) 982-8385

In my extremely biased opinion, there are VERY FEW custom built rifles that haven't been built by Mr. Penrod. His quality, personality, and customer service are Bar-none. But he isn't the cheapest gunsmith either. I have had him work on several, never a complete build, but things here and there, and I have never regretted the money I paid, and I have never heard of anyone else regretting the price for the quality either.

Side notes on .338 Lap: The caliber was designed to arrive at 1000 meters with enough energy to penetrate 5 layers of military body armor and still make the kill. The effective range of this caliber is about 1 mile (1600meters) and in the right shooting conditions, it could come very close to the 2000 meter mark, provided you have the right rifle/ammo/optics/shooter/spotter combination. Realistically, 1200 meters is well within the average experienced long range shooter. Also, GET A MUZZLE BRAKE!! I let my uncle talk me into firing it without one, and it was "Sweet Jesus Mary and Joseph" after the first shot. Just my tidbits.

ETA: If you never plan on going past the 1k mark, I would suggest a ought six, in case you hadn't thought of that already. It was the military go to long range round for a long long time. Probably a cheaper build, and definitely cheaper to reload.

 

[wabash]

ETA: If you never plan on going past the 1k mark, I would suggest a ought six, in case you hadn't thought of that already. It was the military go to long range round for a long long time. Probably a cheaper build, and definitely cheaper to reload.

and possibly easier to sell

 

[teddy12b]

Can anyone knowlegeable in long range shooting give me any advice in what I'm thinking? Where am I going wrong? Where am I right? etc. I am looking for ideas and info on all aspects of a rifle build. Rifle, barrel,trigger, optics, bipod, supressor(?) etc.

Here's my question for you. Are you wanting to shoot long range because it puts a big grin on your face and the satisfaction of a well aimed shot at quite a distance or are you looking into a competition gun or something to show off to friends?

Are you ever going to hunt with this rifle? The reason I ask is because you need to know what you want your bullet to be able to do at long range. Are you just wanting to punch paper, take out a ground hog, put a mark on steel, flatten a 12pt buck, drop a bull elk, disable an enemy vehicle? That kind of things come into play here.

The impression I'm getting is that you just want to shoot long range for the love of the sport and I commend you for that, but I'd advise against all the hype of needing a custom this or that. You really don't need a custom gun, expensive scope, or a whopper of a caliber to shoot long range. Don't get me wrong, a custom gun, a $1500 nightforce, in a 338lapua aren't bad things, but there just not as necessary as the internet makes them sound. My advice to guys just getting into to long range for the first time is to avoid all that stuff and just buy a simple setup. You need to crawl, walk, and then run if you truely want to understand the game of long range shooting.

No matter how carried away I get with big calibers, or heavy bullets, the long range rifles that I always come back to are 223's. I currently have a 10FP-SR in 223 that I bought for $405 new, wearing a bushnell 10x that I bought for $150 new. That rifle is scary accurate out to 700 yards, and maybe a little bit further. The ammo is so cheap and I shoot 100 rds of ammo for the cost some people pay for 20 to 30 rounds of 338lapua. All that extra shooting gives me more practice and makes me better than I would be if I was only shooting 20 - 30 rounds, and I need all the help I can get.

 

[Yeah]

Floating the idea of building a custom 30-06 in 2011 for long range shooting is brilliant misdirection.

 

[shooter1054]

Here's my question for you. Are you wanting to shoot long range because it puts a big grin on your face and the satisfaction of a well aimed shot at quite a distance or are you looking into a competition gun or something to show off to friends?

Are you ever going to hunt with this rifle? The reason I ask is because you need to know what you want your bullet to be able to do at long range. Are you just wanting to punch paper, take out a ground hog, put a mark on steel, flatten a 12pt buck, drop a bull elk, disable an enemy vehicle? That kind of things come into play here.

The impression I'm getting is that you just want to shoot long range for the love of the sport and I commend you for that, but I'd advise against all the hype of needing a custom this or that. You really don't need a custom gun, expensive scope, or a whopper of a caliber to shoot long range. Don't get me wrong, a custom gun, a $1500 nightforce, in a 338lapua aren't bad things, but there just not as necessary as the internet makes them sound. My advice to guys just getting into to long range for the first time is to avoid all that stuff and just buy a simple setup. You need to crawl, walk, and then run if you truely want to understand the game of long range shooting.

No matter how carried away I get with big calibers, or heavy bullets, the long range rifles that I always come back to are 223's. I currently have a 10FP-SR in 223 that I bought for $405 new, wearing a bushnell 10x that I bought for $150 new. That rifle is scary accurate out to 700 yards, and maybe a little bit further. The ammo is so cheap and I shoot 100 rds of ammo for the cost some people pay for 20 to 30 rounds of 338lapua. All that extra shooting gives me more practice and makes me better than I would be if I was only shooting 20 - 30 rounds, and I need all the help I can get.

I'm looking to shoot with "this" rifle dedicated to the range. And yes there is a big stupid grin when shooting For hunting, I have my 300wsm and/or 243. The only "possible" hunting I might do with it (if I can get accurate enough) could be prarrie dogs just for a little fun. probobly not. The more information I get on this, the more I think that the term "custom" might be a little off the mark. What I think I've ment all along is a rifle that I can customize easily. Something like a Remmy700 or a Savage. My understanding is that these 2 are the ones with the most readily available aftermarket parts and pieces. And Savage seems to be the easiest to work on. Have I been told right or did my leg get yanked on?

 

[Iluvguns]

I'm looking to shoot with "this" rifle dedicated to the range. And yes there is a big stupid grin when shooting For hunting, I have my 300wsm and/or 243. The only "possible" hunting I might do with it (if I can get accurate enough) could be prarrie dogs just for a little fun. probobly not. The more information I get on this, the more I think that the term "custom" might be a little off the mark. What I think I've ment all along is a rifle that I can customize easily. Something like a Remmy700 or a Savage. My understanding is that these 2 are the ones with the most readily available aftermarket parts and pieces. And Savage seems to be the easiest to work on. Have I been told right or did my leg get yanked on?

you are correct in that savages are easier to change barrels. all it takes is a a few tools and and 10 minutes of your time.

As far as aftermarket accessories go there are more options for Remington, but savage is catching up



if your still not set on caliber and are wanting to shoot long range, take a look at the 6.5 creedmor or the 260. Both are great long range calibers

 

[42769vette]

If you are not an experienced long range rifle builder, your role should be that of check writer and maybe bring the coffee and sweet rolls while you watch him build it.

+1 it really depends on how comfortable you are. you could do the trigger, bedding yourself but everything else requires a machinest. the above rifle was built by aj brown. personally if i were to have another rifle built i wouldn't even call around, id have aj do it.

on my second build i did a 358bfg. i did it myself with the help of a buddy who is a machinest by trade. but it is a hunting gun so 1.5 moa would have been fiine for it. i ended up with .75 moa gun wich is even better. i trued the action, not that thats required for a hunting rifle but i wanted the experiance.

my next build will be done by aj. it will be a 22lr and i dont want to screw with headspacing a rimfire. aj wont do the whole thing but he will pet together the barreled action and ill do the bedding and trigger.

 

[DRob]

Going loooong

I don't shoot long range but I frequent a forum (yes there really is another one) that has several members who go WAAAAY LOOOOONG. One of them has a range where he can shoot up to 1 mile. He shoots from his farm to a friendly neighbor's farm and posts frequently about other forum members shooting at his place. Most of them shoot custom built rifles in some variety of 6 or 6.5 MM with March or Nightforce scopes. The target of choice is "Chuckie", a life-size steel woodchuck. I don't mean to say they hit Chuckie with every shot but they do hit him. That's certainly one way to go if money isn't an issue.

That said, I agree with previous posters who suggest you may need look no farther than right here. Savage Arms > Firearms > Browse Models
Take a look at the Centerfire "Target Rifle Series". Still not cheap but way less than you might spend for a custom.

 

[gunman41mag]

Try a McMILLAN 300 WIN. MAG, Mine shoot great & it'll reach 1,000 yards

 

[IndyGunworks]

I am a Long range savage shooter by choice. this can be build for under 2500 dollars and will be as good of a long range shooter as any beginner to intermediate shooter can run it. it shoots sub MOA to past 800 yards.
its a savage 10 that i reheadspaced the barrel on for the ammo i shoot
cdi bottom metal for 10 round detachable ai mags
SSS trigger set to 2 pounds
manners stock
uso scope
pillar bedded by yours truely.
roller bearing system in the bolt for easier bolt manipulation
new bolt handle.