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.
Okay I have a Ruger percision in 6.5 CM and shoot Hornady 147gr ELDM with a night force NXS I think 5x22 50. Sight in at 100 yd with 5 shots coveedr by a dime that you could not see any paper tears at the edges.
And 500 yards is a 'chip shot', now will admit it ain't a mountain gun. Fairly hefty weight. But as one of the other guys has mentioned if they have never shot before they will need time behind it to shoot well.
The last three Turkey have been 272 yd,120, and 260, all neck shots. It is a very capable set up.
And 500 yards is a 'chip shot', now will admit it ain't a mountain gun. Fairly hefty weight. But as one of the other guys has mentioned if they have never shot before they will need time behind it to shoot well.
The last three Turkey have been 272 yd,120, and 260, all neck shots. It is a very capable set up.
Allen Lone wolf
Well-Known Member
I recently bought a Savage ultralite in 7mmprc set a Quigley Ford scope 5x20 on top shooting federal premium 175gr.eldx @3000-3010 muzzle velocity. The scope is etched from 200-1000yds. I've shot it at 750yds and it produces 3 inch groups. I took my neighbor with me who has just got into guns ,gave him a little instructions and had him hitting that 12" plate. Works for me.your mileage may vary.
DLJ6
Well-Known Member
Tikka or Sako s20 in 7 Rem Mag or 6.5 PRC would be my suggestion.
Gary in MD
Well-Known Member
I'd go with a Tikka and that Night Force. The stock Tikkas are plenty accurate for 500-yard shooting.
Plenty of cartridges will be fine out to 500+
Plenty of cartridges will be fine out to 500+
Montanaatheart
Member
If he's not much of a shooter then a lighter recoiling caliber would be better. Since it's hunting, I'll guess (same state as you?) it'd be antelope, deer and elk? So my next question might be what light recoiling caliber gets to the 3200fps you're wanting to match of your stuff? Though I'd suggest he just get 4DOF on his phone so he can do his own dope. That opens your options not needing 3200fps in factory offerings. Sorry I'm not naming a rifle for you, but with your original ask, finding the caliber doing 3200fps seems to be the first find then looking for a rifle offered in that caliber would be next step.
I would look in to the Springfield waypoint in a 7m 0r 7PRC and vortex strike eagle 24x56 it's a great scope the money Europtics has them on sale around 700.00 my son 2200 for his 7m. And it shoots 2-1/4" at 600 yds. With Hornady 162 gn it don't matter if he shoots steel or hunting it will get the job done good luck and happy shooting
med358-boise
Well-Known Member
If he is not much of a rifleman, he is going to need to practice and recoil (real and perceived aka muzzle blast) is likely going to be a problem.
I am going to make a bunch of assumptions:
I doubt he is going to be a reloader.
I doubt that he is going to want to "invest" time and money trying to find which factory ammo shoots the best in his rifle and if the answer is none of it shoots sub moa he is in a bad spot because 1.25 MOA is is 6.25 @ 500 and that means he has already eaten up 1/3 of the vitals with mean dispersion.
All of that leads to a 308 Win. with 22 inch bbl In expensive practice ammo and lots of factory options to choose from for hunting.
With respect rifles - in budget friendly order Ruger American, Ruger American Gen II Predator, Tikka T3X.
With respect to scope - I would shy away from hi-end dial capable scopes. (again I am making an assumption he does not what to spend $3k for a rifle scope combo). I would like at Leupold 4-12 Freedom with creedmoor reticle. If he zero's that 308/165 @ ~220 yards and uses the the top of the picket (7.8 MOA) he can hold top of the back (but on the hair) and is going to be in the center of the vitals. Of course his exact zero will depend on the ammo but those numbers are pretty close.
The above set up rifle, scope, rings is to be under $1000.
I am going to make a bunch of assumptions:
I doubt he is going to be a reloader.
I doubt that he is going to want to "invest" time and money trying to find which factory ammo shoots the best in his rifle and if the answer is none of it shoots sub moa he is in a bad spot because 1.25 MOA is is 6.25 @ 500 and that means he has already eaten up 1/3 of the vitals with mean dispersion.
All of that leads to a 308 Win. with 22 inch bbl In expensive practice ammo and lots of factory options to choose from for hunting.
With respect rifles - in budget friendly order Ruger American, Ruger American Gen II Predator, Tikka T3X.
With respect to scope - I would shy away from hi-end dial capable scopes. (again I am making an assumption he does not what to spend $3k for a rifle scope combo). I would like at Leupold 4-12 Freedom with creedmoor reticle. If he zero's that 308/165 @ ~220 yards and uses the the top of the picket (7.8 MOA) he can hold top of the back (but on the hair) and is going to be in the center of the vitals. Of course his exact zero will depend on the ammo but those numbers are pretty close.
The above set up rifle, scope, rings is to be under $1000.
