Choosing a long range caliber

[MontanaRifleman]

If you really want to play the game out to a mile, get a 300 RUM or bigger. If your good with playing to 1K or so, get a 300 WM or WSM. You can hit the rocks and steel with the other chambers, but the visual and audible feedback is not the same.

Once you've shot out to 1K a few times and get comfortable with that, you'll want to go farther.... and farther.... and farther. I just watched Broz shoot a 1/2 MOA rock @ 2270 yds 2 for 4 shots this past weekend with his 338 LRKM Terminator... that and watching KiwiGreg's 375 CheyTac shooting past 2K gets ya stirred up.

Now it's nice to have a collection of good rifles and I'm working on getting at least one of each cal from 223 up, but those big boys are....well...

 

[BCMAG2]

You mentioned starting with a Sendero, presumably for cost savings. I would advise against it. That was my thinking a couple years ago too. After sending mine back to Remington to get it to shoot within warranty, which they define as 1" for 3 shots, as measured to the closest edge of the holes (not center) and spending hundreds more having it worked on by a very well known gunsmith, I was still left with a marginal long range rifle that maybe shot 7/8" groups, still had a factory trigger, and did not have an extended magazine to allow for properly seated Berger bullets. I finally sold it and had a custom 300 RUM built with all the necessary bells and whistles--and it shoots one hole groups with Berger 230s--for about $2,350. That sounds like a lot compared to the cost of a Sendero at about $1200, but when you start adding up all the extras---Manners stock, Jewel trigger, 4" extended Wyatt mag, cheek comb riser, muzzle brake, 28" heavy contour competition barrel, etc., you are actually money ahead with the custom build. And when the rifle is done, it will shoot, whereas a customized Sendero may or may not shoot depending on your luck. Mine was built by Lane Precision Rifles of Pocatello, ID, but I'm sure there are plenty of other builders out there who can build a quality long range rifle at an affordable price.

 

[mleeber]

BCMAG2 - compelling argument! Especially after I watched those videos on truing a Remington 700 action. Maybe part of my quest should be creating a short list of gunsmiths who can build a rifle and then compare a custom vs an off the shelf. To your point it makes more sense to spend $2000 up front than to dump $1000 into a gun that needs another $1000 to make it work.

The problem is that I am as uptight as an overwound timex...I want builder who is going to do everything right and take no shortcuts. Is there such a person out there in today's half-*** marketplace?

 

[MontanaRifleman]

IMO, BCMAG2 gave you good advice. If you can afford a good custom action, go that route. By the time you gat a 700 action trued up and upgraded with after market parts to come close to the quailty of a custom action you will have spent almost as much and still just have an upgraded 700 action. You can take the budget approach to giving the 700 a facelift but you get what you pay for.

Yes there are a number of excellent smiths out there who do it right. Make sure your understanding and communication is clear.

 

[BCMAG2]

My build actually is off a Rem 700 ss action, with a 28" Bartlein barrel. Nothing wrong with the 700 action IMHO so long as the smith properly blue prints and trues it to the barrel. Mine shoots ragged one hole groups at 100 yards, and I recently shot a 1 foot group at a mile (1760 yds) just to see what it was like.

Right now you seem to be thinking that you'd never want to shoot over 1,000 yards. Erase that thought from your mind. As soon as you shoot that far, you'll think of nothing else but shooting further. Such is the nature of the beast. So I'd stay away from smaller calibers and go with a 300 RUM or 338 Edge...why not?

A good custom builder guarantees that his rifles shoot half a MOA or less at 100 yards, and sends the target to prove it. Most will actually shoot quite a bit better than that, with meticulously constructed hand loads of course.

 

[mleeber]

Ohhhhh.... Just looked up 338 Edge on Ammoguide interactive (had never heard of it). Now that has some appeal! But apparently it likes long barrels? 30+ inches? That makes for a heavy gun.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

I just did a build on a 700 and it's a fine rifle. I spent a lot of $$$$ on upgrades but it's still a 700 and not a custom action. If I had to do it again, I would get the custom action, as the only thing I have left of the original 700 action is the receiver. Just something to think about.

 

[HarryN]

Hunting something 1 mile away. I would have thought that something in the 40 - 50 cal. range would be the place to start, other than carrying it of course.

 

[Bear Camp]

My vote would be to go with the 338 Edge from Shawn Carlock at Defensive Edge. It has been one of the easiest rifles I have ever shot/loaded for. The money will be well worth it I promise! Going with the 338 Edge will be a cartridge that will grow with you as your skills improve and will certainly take game at a long way off with authority. Like another post said, it is addictive shooting long range and I feel this combo is tough to beat. I wish when I had started out in this long range game I had started off in this direction. It would have saved me lots of time and money in the long run.

 

[STGguy]

Just a thought , if you're wanting "long range on a budget " why not go with a Savage?

I was in the same boat as you- couldn't see my "splash" reliably w my 260 Rem or 6.5 cm at 1680 yd where I shoot and wanted to step up to ELR w/ my buddies who all shoot 408 Cheytacs / 33 XC etc (we can get out to 3000 yd where we shoot on private land).

I was putting a custom 33XC together and it was just just too much $ so I got a New Savage 110 Elite Precision in 338 Lapua Mag.

110 Elite Precision | MDT ACC Chassis | Savage Arms

The 110 Elite Precision offers superior long range accuracy with an adjustable MDT ACC chassis, ARCA rail, and stainless steel receiver. Available in Left Hand.

www.savagearms.com

After load development I ended up w the load it loves - 300 gr A tip 20 thou off the lands w/ an almost max load of RL33 at 3000+ fps w it's 30" bbl .

If I do my part ll hold .5-.6 MOA all day long w that load. If you give me a flyer for each 5 shot group - it does MUCH better.- lol
I'm not seeking out "bug hole groups ) like I was in my F Class days and for smacking steel far away, it's perfect for me.

With the brake it ended up under $2k and I'm now playing at 1680yd , working on 2700 yd next.

If I ever want to rebarrel to 33/ 37XC or ?? I have basis for a nice build- a great chassis, factory Blueprinted action w a few additions (I swapped the trigger for a Riflebasix2 , added a bolt lift kit, extended bolt handle , etc just stuff I like ).

The factory bbl uses Savages Barrel Nut and we have the wrench/ bbl blocks and have rebarreled at least a dozen Savages in my Dads Basement if we want to stay w the barrel nut set up or can have it rechambered / barreled w no nut by a qualified person.

It's not as sexy as & probably not as accurate as a custom…. the caliber isn't as good as the others I mentioned for 2 miles of course like the others that I was originally looking at …..but I'm now able to hang w my ELR Buddies, I'm having a blast and for shooting steel far away, it's perfect and the base setup was under $2k.

If I ever sell it, I can always swap the factory trigger / bolt handle back and can sell them separately.

I don't see that happening any time soon and I'm super happy w it.

The MDT chassis is super flexible if you wanted to add weight or bag rider or anything else to it for your shooting style.

Just my $.02 and how I got into ELR on a budget.

 

[Wachsmann]

Going out on a limb here. The 6.5x284 is good for paper and big game to 1000 yards with the correct bullet and very good shot placement. For bench rest accuracy probably 1500 to 1800 rounds. For hunting my went to 4300 and then went totally south. For anything past 1000 yards I would be a very heavy 7mm or 30 cal with a custom twist rate or a 338 since you listed shorting to a mile. It can be done with small calibers but as everyone else has said 338 for the mile. A big 30 custom twist at least 1/9 1/8.5 for heavy 30 cal bullets. Actually just buy a 300PRC in a known accurate rifle or have one built would be the best and shoot the 225 or the heavier bullets for 30 cal. If you go with a Remington you and you want to mag feed the you need work done. Lots of items already posted but I shoot a 300RUM. 230 Berger at good accuracy was a single feed due to having to bullet seating depths. The PRC has this setup better just not as much bang and less barrel wear.

 

[Taylorbok]

By the time you pay to have a 700 action completely trued you will be at the same price as a custom, and if you chose to sell it you will recoup most of your money. The splash signature from a 338 vs 300 is undeniably much better at distance (over a mile). That would be the greatest factor in choosing between the 2.
6.5 is not a mile caliber.

 

[FEENIX]

Just a thought , if you're wanting "long range on a budget " why not go with a Savage?

I was in the same boat as you- couldn't see my "splash" reliably w my 260 Rem or 6.5 cm at 1680 yd where I shoot and wanted to step up to ELR w/ my buddies who all shoot 408 Cheytacs / 33 XC etc (we can get out to 3000 yd where we shoot on private land).

I was putting a custom 33XC together and it was just just too much $ so I got a New Savage 110 Elite Precision in 338 Lapua Mag.

110 Elite Precision | MDT ACC Chassis | Savage Arms

The 110 Elite Precision offers superior long range accuracy with an adjustable MDT ACC chassis, ARCA rail, and stainless steel receiver. Available in Left Hand.

www.savagearms.com

After load development I ended up w the load it loves - 300 gr A tip 20 thou off the lands w/ an almost max load of RL33 at 3000+ fps w it's 30" bbl .

If I do my part ll hold .5-.6 MOA all day long w that load. If you give me a flyer for each 5 shot group - it does MUCH better.- lol
I'm not seeking out "bug hole groups ) like I was in my F Class days and for smacking steel far away, it's perfect for me.

With the brake it ended up under $2k and I'm now playing at 1680yd , working on 2700 yd next.

If I ever want to rebarrel to 33/ 37XC or ?? I have basis for a nice build- a great chassis, factory Blueprinted action w a few additions (I swapped the trigger for a Riflebasix2 , added a bolt lift kit, extended bolt handle , etc just stuff I like ).

The factory bbl uses Savages Barrel Nut and we have the wrench/ bbl blocks and have rebarreled at least a dozen Savages in my Dads Basement if we want to stay w the barrel nut set up or can have it rechambered / barreled w no nut by a qualified person.

It's not as sexy as & probably not as accurate as a custom…. the caliber isn't as good as the others I mentioned for 2 miles of course like the others that I was originally looking at …..but I'm now able to hang w my ELR Buddies, I'm having a blast and for shooting steel far away, it's perfect and the base setup was under $2k.

If I ever sell it, I can always swap the factory trigger / bolt handle back and can sell them separately.

I don't see that happening any time soon and I'm super happy w it.

The MDT chassis is super flexible if you wanted to add weight or bag rider or anything else to it for your shooting style.

Just my $.02 and how I got into ELR on a budget.

I hope that the OP (@mleeber) has decided after nearly a decade long.

 

[STGguy]

I hope that the OP (@mleeber) has decided after nearly a decade long.

Lol …