Budget rifle choices for long range elk

[Remington92]

Hey all after letting the pendulum swing to an ultralight backpacking rifle I'm missing having a heavier long range rifle. That being said I'm looking for more of a budget option that will be called on when needed since my Nula is my main hunting rifle.

For caliber I have a soft spot for 7mm rem mag but those are getting harder to find as are fast twist barrels from the factory. That being said I'm looking more and more at 7prc instead. Other calibers I've considered are 300wsm or 300wm.

For a semi turn key rifle the savage trail hunter looks promising for $500. 7prc, 22" semi heavy barrel, threaded for suppressor and plenty of aftermarket support. Other option would be Ruger American but there's much less support for stocks and such. How are Bergara nowdays? I thought I'd read the quality had really started to slip?

 

[Reelamin]

No good unless you specify what your max budget is. You may think 500 is a budget rifle and the next thinks 10K is a budget rifle.

 

[Remington92]

No good unless you specify what your max budget is. You may think 500 is a budget rifle and the next thinks 10K is a budget rifle.

Thinking under 700 for barreled action or 1000-1100 in an adjustable stock if complete.

 

[Reelamin]

For me its Savage....well under 1K adjustable stock and they are great shooters. Lots of models just get the Accustock/Accufit.

 

[Berrnard]

no real experience but i like the looks of the mossberg patriot. you can get them with a nice solid wood stock too
i used to work a gun counter and fingered a few when they first came out. reminds me of a savage but prettier. love the fluted bolt and it was 3 lug if i remember correctly.
for a budget, id look at that, savage or weatherby vanguard. 300wm imo. im a loader but yit happens and you should be able to find that on the shelves easily.

 

[BillLarson]

To shoot long range.... you got to take out all the variables.....
starting with the rifles accuracy.
.5 MOA factory guns are rare.... BUT..... I've seen a couple.....
Remember...... .5 MOA gun at 500 yds. 2.5" group.... without any variables.....
From what I've seen with 65 years of siting in experience....
Most people ought to stay on this side of 500 yds.....
OMHO..... let the flames roll.....

 

[Leaf Litter]

An X-bolt max LR or any of their LR series rifles will get you 8-twist in 7 RM if you're looking to stick with that chambering. $1000 for an excellent rifle with adjustable stock.

Never get a Mossberg Patriot, too many people have had too many problems with Patriots

 

[justinp61]

I'd buy a used Savage large shank rifle and install a good pre fit barrel in the caliber of my choice. Bolt heads are easily changed if needed.

 

[Wanashoot]

If on a low budget I would look at Savage. I have 3 and they all shoot good. I have one that shoots 1/2 moa and the other two are at least one moa. I like the triggers and have no complaints. I have other rifles but nothing custom and none of them shoot any better. I have a model 10,16, and 110. I have not tried the axis

 

[Ronald W Schaefer]

Hey all after letting the pendulum swing to an ultralight backpacking rifle I'm missing having a heavier long range rifle. That being said I'm looking for more of a budget option that will be called on when needed since my Nula is my main hunting rifle.

For caliber I have a soft spot for 7mm rem mag but those are getting harder to find as are fast twist barrels from the factory. That being said I'm looking more and more at 7prc instead. Other calibers I've considered are 300wsm or 300wm.

For a semi turn key rifle the savage trail hunter looks promising for $500. 7prc, 22" semi heavy barrel, threaded for suppressor and plenty of aftermarket support. Other option would be Ruger American but there's much less support for stocks and such. How are Bergara nowdays? I thought I'd read the quality had really started to slip?

Actually, for a good budget rifle (IMO), I've seen several Savage 110 mountain light weights preform very well., cost about a grand. come with Proof research carbon wrapped, threaded barrel, adjustable carbon fiber stock and trigger tech trigger which is actually pretty nice. 7 PRC would be a great Elk Cartridge, so would a plain jane 30-06. I also like the 6.5 PRC and 6.8 Western if you want a newfangled rig. FWIW, after decades of custom and higher end rifles, the most accurate rifle I now own is an off the shelf Browing X-Bolt White Gold medallion rifle with maple stock and octagonal stainless 24" barrel in 6.5 PRC. I got it just because I wanted it. Once zeroed, I tried several factory brands just to narrow down the bullet selection for reloading (I'm lazy like that). The second box of factory ammo, Winchester 142 NABLR shot a .447", five shot group turning in 2850 FPS...I called that good.

 

[Old Rooster]

10 or 11 years ago on the advice from a close friend I bought a T/C Venture in 300 win mag with a 5 R barrel that shoots great even today!
77 rounds down the tube and I can still shoot a 3 shot group that all 3 shots touch if I do my part.
I helped a fellow shooter set up a T/C Icon that did the same thing.His was a 30-06 and had the same 5 R barrel and shot lights out from the get-go.

 

[Rosebud]

I agree with you on the TC. Unfortunately they are not being built anymore. Sold the only one I had to my sons friend who was getting into hunting. It was a .243, and shot as you would expect. Great ! Kinda wish I'd sold him something else now the TC is disfunk as a rifle maker.

 

[blvette75]

Hey all after letting the pendulum swing to an ultralight backpacking rifle I'm missing having a heavier long range rifle. That being said I'm looking for more of a budget option that will be called on when needed since my Nula is my main hunting rifle.

For caliber I have a soft spot for 7mm rem mag but those are getting harder to find as are fast twist barrels from the factory. That being said I'm looking more and more at 7prc instead. Other calibers I've considered are 300wsm or 300wm.

For a semi turn key rifle the savage trail hunter looks promising for $500. 7prc, 22" semi heavy barrel, threaded for suppressor and plenty of aftermarket support. Other option would be Ruger American but there's much less support for stocks and such. How are Bergara nowdays? I thought I'd read the quality had really started to slip?

Well, I bought a Ruger American Camo in 7mm PRC, my wife told me to buy a rifle for my Birthday this year (got it on sale at Sheels), got a Jard trigger for it and raised the cheek a little bit, seems like it will be a very good shooter. I purchased about five years back a Bergara HMR in 6.5 Creedmoor, is a tack driver right out of the box, with quite a few brands factory ammo it will shoot through same hole if I do my part at 100-300 yards. Savage also makes a good shooter, have a older one original 300 win mag shot well and 338 re-barrel shoots lights out. But a rifle I am interested in is the Weatherby 307, I will probably buy an action and get a barrel in 7mm Weatherby with the twist rate I want., 1:9 for the higher BC bullets. Got a deal of a Christiansen Arms mesa (was my light weight rifle, 6.5lbs) $750.00 with rebate and sale at Murdoch's a few years ago, in 300 win mag, shot so well bought a precision stock for it. Good luck and have Fun, and Happy New year.

 

[Mike Matteson]

To shoot long range.... you got to take out all the variables.....
starting with the rifles accuracy.
.5 MOA factory guns are rare.... BUT..... I've seen a couple.....
Remember...... .5 MOA gun at 500 yds. 2.5" group.... without any variables.....
From what I've seen with 65 years of siting in experience....
Most people ought to stay on this side of 500 yds.....
OMHO..... let the flames roll.....

Over the years I have pulled rifles out of the box, and within 150 rounds be shooting 1/2" or under 5 shot groups. Not that I or my brother didn't already had experience with same type of rifle in the same caliber. I been shooting centerfire rifles from age 12 and started reload at age 14. I also had rifle what wouldn't group under 2" @ 100yds. I have had people come to me over the years to shoot thei rifles, because they couldn't get their rifle to group. Most of the time it was them and not the rifle. I am talking about 3" or greater @ 100yds. Some people are happy with 3" groups @ 100yds. Times that by 5 you are somewhere around 15", and Missed a deer or wounded it. Generally would shoot theirs rifle and get grouping at about 1" @ 100yds. I have a Ruger 77, 22mag that didn't group under 3" @ hundred 100yds. Took obout 1/8" out of the forearm. Got it to about 1" @ 100yds. With that rifle it changed the POI about 15" to 18" at 100ydsI have found over the years that bedding an action was a good start, and floating the barrel did wonders in allowing the rifle to group better. I am no match shooter nor by any means a long range shooter either. Never felt I had the equipment to go beyond 500yds.
Now findly have acquired the equipment to stretch out that distance, I believe. The proof will be at the range in a few months or so and P. dogs.