I have a friend that wants an off the shelf gun that will shoot out to 500ish with box ammo. All my rifles have been put together by gunsmiths and I reload so I'm not sure what to tell him. I did a small amount of research looking at stuff with in his price point and right now leaning toward a Weatherby 307 in 7PRC with a Night Force SHV and eventually having him purchase a turret once I get everything dialed in. Thoughts or suggestions welcomed. Mind you he has no ballistics knowledge and I don't think I will be able to make him much of a rifleman so trying to keep it basic.
Off the shelf help
- Thread starter ofdscooby
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Whatever he decides… He'll need to become some sort of rifleman to make ethical shots, on game, out to 500 yards. Many rifles and cartridges will accomplish this task.
Need more info:
1 moa out to 500 yards?
What's his price point?
Is he shooting targets only?
Will he shoot game as well?
Name the game…
I just purchased the Weatherby 307 ALPINE MDT in 7 PRC (22") and topped it with a Leupold VX-5HD 3-15x44. It shoots factory Hornady 160g CX and 180g ELDM sub 1 moa. It doesn't shoot other factory ammo sub moa (Weatherby 177g Hammer and Hornady 175g ELD-X)…. However, it's shooting hand loads using 160g McGuire Ballistics Copper Rose over 70g H1000 sub 0.75" moa @ 3,140 fps! This gets you way out beyond 500 yards if needed!
Need more info:
1 moa out to 500 yards?
What's his price point?
Is he shooting targets only?
Will he shoot game as well?
Name the game…
I just purchased the Weatherby 307 ALPINE MDT in 7 PRC (22") and topped it with a Leupold VX-5HD 3-15x44. It shoots factory Hornady 160g CX and 180g ELDM sub 1 moa. It doesn't shoot other factory ammo sub moa (Weatherby 177g Hammer and Hornady 175g ELD-X)…. However, it's shooting hand loads using 160g McGuire Ballistics Copper Rose over 70g H1000 sub 0.75" moa @ 3,140 fps! This gets you way out beyond 500 yards if needed!
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The name of the game is hitting in the 3200fps makes an easy 500yd rifle. That generally where I have my rifles that I use for hunting. that way I don't have to figure out what the drop is out to 500yds. they all mostly drop almost the same at those ranges.
river rat23
Well-Known Member
I have a christensen ridgeline scout in 308win that shoots factory loads very well. Top it with any scope that has a calibrated turret , and it's simple enough even I can shoot 500. That said, as mentioned above, the weatherby 307 is darn hard to beat right now for an off the shelf rifle. I'm considering picking one up to play with
NorthernShot
Active Member
I have a Weatherby Ultra Lightweight in 6.5-300 Wby mag that shoots under 1 MOA with their first run of 127 LRX that was going 3530(ish) fps. Zeroed at 300 yards it's 2.5" high at 100, 2.8" high at 200, and 7.1" low at 400 and 19" low at 500. So it's a point and shoot out to 400 yard gun with a bit of holdover at 500. If he's not going to be much of a rifleman, then something that easy would do the ticket. I only topped my rifle with a Vortex Diamondback HD 4-16x44, a Vortex rail and Vortex pro rings. Cheap setup on a great rifle and I've taken moose, elk, deer, mountain goat, and black bear with it. A new Model 307 in that chambering would be awesome for him if he's wanting a hunting rig and not a range rifle.
