LR gurus needed

Bocephus

aka FSJ80
2A Bourbon Hound OG
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So, after joining FrontLine Defense this past weekend, my buddy got bit by the long range bug and wants to build/buy a "budget" rifle so we can qualify for the 1000yd range (I say we but I have been trying to avoid this particular bug but think it might be a losing battle). I know next to nothing about the LR game (I have only shot out to 550 with my AR a couple of times), so I am turning to you guys for help.

I am pretty sure we are going to go with 6.5 Creedmoor at this point. Total budget is probably $1-1200, including glass. Might be talked up to $1500 but only if my resistance fails. Other than knowing Remington doesn't make a 700 in 6.5, I don't know what rifle(s) to look at and my only experience with glass is my Vortex 3-9x40 I bought to put on the 700 in .308 that I no longer own and never mounted.

What says the unwashed masses of CFF?
 
IMG_6043.JPG Your looking at 1-1500 on a decent base rifle.
Then glass is going to vary a lot in price.

I found a RPR in 308 for 800. Swapped the barrel with a LRI 6.5 (600) Vortex Viper PST I traded for, Vortex Rings, Harris Bipod.

It's about 2500 in what I got, then you figure 3699 with the suppressor.

You might be able to pull of a Savage 10 action, Shaw or whoever barrel, Boyd's Stock, and a lower line of a scope.
 
Thanks. This setup will not be used for competitions, just qualifying to use the 1000 yd range and using it. .308 would suffice, just read good things about the 6.5 Creedmoor and, since we are starting from scratch, figured we would go with something with a little better BC
 
6.5 is superior to 308 for long distance shooting, less drag and less drift in wind.

@JBoyette has a Remington 700 in 308 in a Magpul Chasis for around 1300. Then find a decent scope in the 600 dollar range, and rings. You would be able to get going.
 
I'm a huge fan of Savage rifles... So, consider this my biased advice. (I own a few remington rifles as well but they are overpriced for an SPS action by about $200-300 in my opinion)

If you want to build from scratch, a Stevens 200 in 243/308 is a fairly inexpensive donor rifle. You'll only keep the action. Any of the 10/11/12 rifles are the same short actions so if you can find a deal on one, you can use it.

My latest barrel came from Bison Gun Works (http://www.bisongunworks.com/index.html) and was a 243 built on an x-caliber blank. First time out it was shooting .75" groups and I am NOT a great shooter. The price was pretty unbeatable for a threaded built to order barrel.

A surprisingly good stock for the money is the Choate (http://www.eabco.net/Choate-Tactical-Stock-for-Savage-10110-Series-Rifles_p_14690.html) I bought one of these as a temporary stock while my custom stock was being built. Turns out the rifle shot amazingly well in that stock. I didn't even take the time to bed it.


That'll leave you maybe $400 ish for a scope. If you can bump your budget up a bit a used Sightron SIII can be had for around $600. Or, Grafs still has some SIIB Sightron scopes for the 300ish range. Those scopes use good Japanese glass with fantastic tracking. They don't have the fancy reticles that the Vortex have but they DO have better optics even with the 1" tube.

Eventually you'll want a trigger as well but that's the route I'd go if I wanted to build a semi custom rig.
 
Or:

http://grabagun.com/savage-56.html

Then get a Boyd's Pro Varmint Stock

Not a terrible option but the LRP rifles are .5"-.75" tack drivers right out of the box most of the time. The trigger is their target trigger so if you can get used to the blade, it can be set VERY VERY low. It's already sitting in an HS Precision stock. The ONLY reason to go with 6.5 creed over 260 that I can figure is if you don't reload. If anything the only drawback of the LRP rifles is that they aren't threaded. Though at 12lbs without optics, recoil really isn't much of an issue.

Someone will be along shortly to talk about the merits of Remington but so long as Savage keeps putting rifles like that out the only Remingtons I buy are Varmint Specials pre 1990s. (They are very very nice though!)
 
I am in the same boat. I have yet to find one but I am socking money away for a Bergara B14 HMR. I generally don't rush out and buy a gun when it first hits the market but I am really excited about these. I bought a plain jane .308 B14 Hunter this past deer season and it is a hell of a lot of gun for the money.

http://www.bergarausa.com/bergara_b-14_series_hmr_hunting_and_match_rifle.php
 
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