long range rig suggestions

[57goldtopman]

I am considering a couple of rifles for long range shooting/hunting. probably mostly whitetail, possible elk/moose in the future. planning on going on hunting trips with my son, all in the US, for all type of game. shorter ranges to long range. long range will be dictated by my experience at that time. being in the military I have shot all the way up to 1200 yards and done fine. very long range shooting really has my curiosity peaked due to the technical aspect of that style of shooting. love it. of course the larger game animals would be less of a long range shot consideration. Looking at 5 factory rifles.

1. Savage 12 Long Range Precision, 6.5 Creedmoor
2. Savage 111 Long Range Hunter, 6.5 x 284
3. Savage 10 FCP HS, 300 win mag
4. Savage 10 FCP HS, 338 Lapua
5. Remington 700 5R, 300 win mag

I manage recoil fine but not looking to beat myself too hard. I have shot heavy recoiling rifles in the past and able to handle it but....
I also reload everything I shoot.

I am not sure if the 6.5 cartridges can handle heavier game (elk, moose,bear). the 300 win mag for some reason doesn't get me as excited at the other cartridges. the 338 Lapua, although more expensive to shoot, really has my interest peaked. and from all that I have read is a really spectacular round for hunting almost anything.

your thoughts on any of these. I have owned Remingtons in the past. liked them. however I do not want to purchase a rifle that I need to send out to get bedded, trigger work, action work...etc. seems like the norm these days.

I just picked up a SWFA SS HD 5-20 scope which will be going on the rig.

 

[WildRose]

The 300wm is pretty much never the wrong answer and for your application it would be a great choice.

The 6.5's are a little light for large game beyond 600yds.

If I were looking for one "do it all rifle" these would be the calibers I'd stick with..264WM, 7mm Rem Mag, 7mm STW, and of course the 300wm.

Recoil is completely tolerable with all of them and all have adequate power to do your desired jobs at long range with the .264 and 7mm Rem being a little light for the big game beyond 800yds but still quite capable of getting it done with the right bullet selection and of course proper shot placement.

 

[57goldtopman]

as for the listed 300 wm rifles.....which would you prefer?

I do like the Rem 5R....but I never touched one. looking this rifle up online, people tend to want to change things right off the bat...different trigger, muzzle brake, bedding, whatever. is that a very good of the shelf rifle where there would be no need to upgrade?

I am curious what the recoil would be like on one of these 300wm without a muzzle brake. I used to own a Rem Sendero 300 ultra mag. very nice. very accurate. but I needed to add the brake. very sharp heavy recoil.

the Lapua seems like a great round. seems very accurate, appears to be an excellent round for taking almost any game. and in the Savage platform recoil appears to be somewhere in the 308 win vicinity.

I never understood the "overkill" concept. if it can harvest an animal quickly, humanely...then why not? isn't that what the goal is?..........

 

[WildRose]

as for the listed 300 wm rifles.....which would you prefer?

I do like the Rem 5R....but I never touched one. looking this rifle up online, people tend to want to change things right off the bat...different trigger, muzzle brake, bedding, whatever. is that a very good of the shelf rifle where there would be no need to upgrade?

I am curious what the recoil would be like on one of these 300wm without a muzzle brake. I used to own a Rem Sendero 300 ultra mag. very nice. very accurate. but I needed to add the brake. very sharp heavy recoil.

the Lapua seems like a great round. seems very accurate, appears to be an excellent round for taking almost any game. and in the Savage platform recoil appears to be somewhere in the 308 win vicinity.

I never understood the "overkill" concept. if it can harvest an animal quickly, humanely...then why not? isn't that what the goal is?..........

Of the rifles listed I'd lean towards either the 5R or 700 Long Range. They definitely gt the job done and at a reasonable price.

The reason you see so many of us immediately start doing things to increase the accuracy potential of even new rifles is just the nature of the LR game. Shave a few hundredths of an inc here and there and it adds up to tighter and tighter groups and cold bore predictability.

I've got 3 different 300wm's and three 300 Rum's as well.

The wm's are very tolerable to me recoil wise even without a brake. The Rum's (two senderos and on classic M70win and I find none of them to be much fun to shoot absent a muzzle brake.

Overkill? You can drive a 6p finish nail with both a 5lbs sledge and a 12oz finish hammer so why bother with the sledge? The sledge will be far more work and do as much damage as good.

I work very hard at one shot kills on game and I've had a lot of success achieving same over the years. I however hate seeing a beautiful animal with a hole the size of a softball or bigger on the exit side. The latter to me is "overkill" and borders on wanton waste of gam.

 

[Rick Richard]

If you are primarliy going to use for medium size game with the possibility of an elk, then the 300 WM is the obvious choice.

The 338 is a 'romantic' round, but unless it is going to be a dedicated long range rig and large game, then the expense and over kill is a waste.

Either Remington 5R or the LR Savage would be a great choice.I own both and they are both great shooters for factory rifles.

 

[roninflag]

rem 700 sendero, 5-r, 700 long range. also savage model 12, why not .260 or even better a 6.5-284?

 

[FEENIX]

Savage 110 FCP HS, 300 Win Mag would be my personal choice, esp. when loaded with 210/215 Berger VLDs. gun)

 

[57goldtopman]

for quite a while I was seriously considering the 6.5-284. problem for me is that it does not come in the style rifle Savage is currently making. I really like the model 12 LRP or the 10 fcp hs. I had a lot of interest in the 111 Long Range Hunter and did not mind the brake but I have not read any really positive reviews on that brake since it appears to lock up with some use. also read about the barrel not being floated on that model. I wish I could get more positive reviews.

I wish I could find more on the Rem 5R and Savage 10 FCP hs in 300 wm. not much of anything on those two online. I really like either/or.

as for hunting long range, I highly doubt I will go beyond 500-600 yards on whitetail. so maybe the Creedmoor will be really good for what I want to do. I also really like the Savage Long Range Precision.

I also recently noticed a new shooting competition which I may eventually start taking part in. Tactical Practical Precision shooting. looks like fun and would definitely refine my skills. it is very hard to figure out what gear is recommended for that type of shooting. again...maybe the Creedmoor?

I am looking to be a one-rifle-guy that gets to know that rifle/round and use it effectively. I am probably asking too much of one rifle.

so, on goes my delema.

 

[Rick Richard]

I think you are getting closer to your real intent for use. With that said, I would suggest the Creedmoor as mentioned before.

As for as the Savage LRH and the brake, either keep it open or close and be done with that decision or be preparred to clean the brake after every shooting session....and, I mean EVERY session. Savage recommends a brake pad aerosoil spray cleaner.

 

[Greyfox]

If your primary game is whitetail out to 1000 yards, and you keep your shots at large game under 600 yards, the Savage LRH in 6.5-284 will do the job right out of the box. Also owning a 5R in 300WM, I find the 6.5-284 gives up very little, if anything in terms of effectiveness on game, and can be a more manageable rifle for a wide range of practical hunting situations, still getting the job done at long range. IMO.

 

[57goldtopman]

guys, I really appreciate your inputs. before this deployment I was dead set on the 6.5-284 Long Range Hunter. the nice guy that I am, I will also be setting up a long range rig for my son (25 yo, experienced hunter). he dreams of a 7mm rem. now starting to re-consider and going with a matching pair of 111 Long range hunters in the above cartridges.
I have already purchased the scopes (SWFA 3-15 and SWFA 5-20). same reticle. we can both learn to use those scope together.
any other advice?

can't wait to get home to get this project underway...

 

[MudRunner2005]

guys, I really appreciate your inputs. before this deployment I was dead set on the 6.5-284 Long Range Hunter. the nice guy that I am, I will also be setting up a long range rig for my son (25 yo, experienced hunter). he dreams of a 7mm rem. now starting to re-consider and going with a matching pair of 111 Long range hunters in the above cartridges.
I have already purchased the scopes (SWFA 3-15 and SWFA 5-20). same reticle. we can both learn to use those scope together.
any other advice?

can't wait to get home to get this project underway...

You could get him a Rem 700 Long Range in 7mmRM, and get you the same, but in .300WM, or get you a 5R Milspec in .300WM.

You will want to replace the triggers immediately. Almost all factory rifle triggers these days are junk that are designed for avoiding lawsuits, and not for how good they feel or how smooth they function. That even goes for the Salvage Accutrigger. It's very easy to swap triggers in a 700, but you will want a professional to adjust them. I'm sure someone at your local small gun shop can oblige with that service (don't go to a Cabelas or any place like that...They hire any idiot off the street).

Also, thanks for your service. And if you have any Remington questions feel free to PM me.

 

[roninflag]

i have a matching pair of senderos- krieger barrels , shilen trigger 6.5-284, and 7mm mag. they work.

 

[roninflag]

a matching pair of rem long range would be easy; just spin the barrel off of a 30-06 or 25-06 ; have 6.5-284 threaded on . and buy a 7mm.