Out of the Box: Best Long Range Target Rifle/Caliber/Ammo Combo?

[benchracer]

Thanks, sportmuythai . Everything I know (which isn't that much in comparison to a lot of guys on this forum) I learned from someone else. I can't think of one thing I know, when it comes to shooting, that I didn't learn from someone else. When I do learn something, I try to pass it on so other shooters can benefit the same way I did.

The real wisdom comes from some of the old heads that frequent this site along with industry guys like Bryan Litz. God Bless 'em! That is what makes this site so useful.

Just a fellow traveler trying to pick up the long range game one baby step at a time...

 

[Joe King]

delete

 

[Joe King]

Joe what Gary is trying to say is that the 243 is a good round, just not for benchrest or long fast shot strings, with its 20* shoulder and short neck, rapid firing a 243 will destroy a barrel throat faster than a 6.5x284 because over 1/3 of the powder is burned outside the case, in the throat.

That makes sense.

But that's not what I was replying to. I only replied to Gary's statement that there's something wrong with the 243. I'm not seeing where he said it's a good round

Might think of a 6mm Remington with a 1:8 twist barrel. The 6mm is a much better round than the .243, and handles long bullets way better. The basic .243 is a very poor case design that at best is always going to be a compromise. But just about anything the .243 will do the 6BR will be right on it's tail with less than i/4th the hassels
gary

I never recommended the 243 for what the OP wanted. But to say there's is something wrong with the 243 is in my experience wrong. It's never been hard to load for, always easy to shoot, always accurate, and after 30years that same little gun is still doing the same thing it always has with the factory barrel. Are there better chamberings for different purposes, yea no argument there. For the OP I recommended the 6.5-284.

 

[backwoods83]

Joe when I first joined the forums me and Gary had a few disagreements, he puts things very straight forward, kinda seems like he's stepping on your toes, but he's very knowledgable and means no harm, he just states what can be better about most things. I have a 243, 260, and 308, I also load for 7-08, they are good cartridges but like we were just saying the 243 and sometimes the 260 when heated can be hard on barrel due to their inefficency to burn the powder in the case and this becomes less of an issue as the bore gets larger, almost noexistent in the 338fed. If you ever rebarrel check out the 6mm or 6.5mm SLR, made from 243 or 260 cases, more power, all the benefits of the 6br case. The 6slr will be my next 1k yrd benchrest choice after my 6br barrel is toasted.

 

[Joe King]

Nope not stepping on my toes at all, but we do run into that when you can only read words and not actually talk the the other person, just the nature of it I spose. I know the 243 has the potential to burn barrels really fast, I knew that when I was a kid, why I never used it to for varmints much, I was only addressing that one statement, about it being a bad design. Not arguing with you at all I agree actually, just for that one statement I feel based on my experience to be wrong. Not trying to get in a debate about which 6mm chambering is better either, and for the OP's criteria that he listed I don't feel that 243 would be a good fit, infact I think compared to the 6.5-284 for what the OP wants the 243 isn't even in the same league.

 

[Trickymissfit]

the 6SLR is pretty much the samething as Bob Greanleaf's 6BG. One has a 31 degree shoulder angle and a .32" neck length, and the other is pretty much a stretched 6BR with a .352" neck and a 30 degree shoulder. Both appear to be great rounds. Another round to consider is just simply reaming the existing barrel with a 6mm Ackley reamer to head space off a .243AI gauge. Of course the .243 brass won't work anymore, but a 3/8" barrel set back should clean up all the throat and let you start all over again. Even easier would be to run a 6Vias reamer in the .243 chamber with no set back
gary

 

[cwinner]

You should take a hard look at the 6.5 Creedmoor for what the OP initially described, super accuracy, great selection of match grade ammunition high quality rifles, low recoil and will out shoot a 308 Winchester in the wind.

Im going to put some rounds down range for the first time from my new stiller tac-30 in 6.5 Creedmoor tomorrow morning ..... From what I have experienced by getting my but kicked in local tatical matches the past few months by guys shooting the Creedmoor I'm hoping for the best....my new rifle has a .5 MOA guarantee with factory ammo so I'm going out to test some of the Hornady 140 A-Max ammo and have 500 pieces of brass along with Berger, Sierra and Hornady 140 grain pills and a bunch of different powders ready to go for testing over the long weekend!!

I wonder what my wife would think if I went shooting on Christmas morning?

 

[DakotaGlockGuy]

You should take a hard look at the 6.5 Creedmoor for what the OP initially described, super accuracy, great selection of match grade ammunition high quality rifles, low recoil and will out shoot a 308 Winchester in the wind.

Im going to put some rounds down range for the first time from my new stiller tac-30 in 6.5 Creedmoor tomorrow morning ..... From what I have experienced by getting my but kicked in local tatical matches the past few months by guys shooting the Creedmoor I'm hoping for the best....my new rifle has a .5 MOA guarantee with factory ammo so I'm going out to test some of the Hornady 140 A-Max ammo and have 500 pieces of brass along with Berger, Sierra and Hornady 140 grain pills and a bunch of different powders ready to go for testing over the long weekend!!

I wonder what my wife would think if I went shooting on Christmas morning?

It's funny you mention that, because that's actually the caliber I'm leaning towards right now. There were several great suggestions, and what I did was check out some info (6mmbr.com), along with checking out the prices/reviews on the ammo for them.

So far the 6.5 Creedmoor is at the top of the list!

 

[cwinner]

Well got to shoot my new 6.5 Creedmoor today and all i can saw is WOW! Its a great shooting rifle, milld recoil, and the factory ammo shot about 1/2 MOA!! I think you will be well served by this caliber for what you are wanting to do....PM me if you want specifics on my build as I dont want to hijack your thread......

 

[drwindmill]

Why not go to the store and get a 338-378 with a vortex scope and be happy you stayed well beneath your price limit.

 

[DakotaGlockGuy]

Pretty hard to beat Savage rifles for out of the box accuracy.

6BR is amazing. The accuracy is scary but at 1k it starts to loose its edge. Look at the 6.5x.284 for 1k accuracy you are looking for.
I have both and love my 6br for up to 500 or so yards but the 6.5 x284 is my long range deer and antelope rifle that is good for 1k.
Either one will shoot dime sized groups at 100 yards.

Happy New Year all!

Thanks again for all the help. I really appreciate all the input and experience.

I've been doing some thinking and comparing, and I think I have 2 of the 3 pieces of the puzzle done.


Caliber: I'm giong to go with the 6.5 Creedmoor. Like it Squirrelduster said, either a 6BR or a 6.5 will shoot a dime sized hole at 100 yards, but the 6.5 has the edge at longer distances. I think the other big thing for me is that the box ammo is so much more reasonable with the Creedmoor rounds. Getting some Hornaday Match Ammo is not just reasonable, but will give me the recipe I need for a starting point, along with some good fireformed brass for reloading later on.


Rifle: Savage Model 12 LRP. It's been echoed here many times that, box stock, these rifles are just too hard to beat in the price to accuracy ratio. They are also a good (from my limited experience and research) platform to upgrade later on down the road. It just doesn't seem like these could be a bad choice, especially since it's available in the 6.5 Creedmoor round already.


Glass: Vortex Viper PST Rifle Scope 30mm Tube 6-24x 50mm . This one I'm about 95% sure about, but we'll see with some more reseach. Again, I don't think this is a bad choice, but will do some more looking to see if there is a *better* choice as far as pricepoint and quality are concerned.

 

[DakotaGlockGuy]

Almost there!

Happy New Year all!

Thanks again for all the help. I really appreciate all the input and experience.

I've been doing some thinking and comparing, and I think I have 2 of the 3 pieces of the puzzle done.


Caliber: I'm giong to go with the 6.5 Creedmoor. Like others have stated, either a 6BR or a 6.5 will shoot a dime sized hole at 100 yards, but the 6.5 has the edge at longer distances. I think the other big thing for me is that the box ammo is so much more reasonable with the Creedmoor rounds. Getting some Hornaday Match Ammo is not just reasonable, but will give me the recipe I need for a starting point, along with some good fireformed brass for reloading later on.


Rifle: Savage Model 12 LRP. It's been echoed here many times that, box stock, these rifles are just too hard to beat in the price to accuracy ratio. They are also a good (from my limited experience and research) platform to upgrade later on down the road. It just doesn't seem like these could be a bad choice, especially since it's available in the 6.5 Creedmoor round already.


Glass: Vortex Viper PST Rifle Scope 30mm Tube 6-24x 50mm . This one I'm about 95% sure about, but we'll see with some more reseach. Again, I don't think this is a bad choice, but will do some more looking to see if there is a *better* choice as far as pricepoint and quality are concerned.

 

[Trickymissfit]

Happy New Year all!

Thanks again for all the help. I really appreciate all the input and experience.

I've been doing some thinking and comparing, and I think I have 2 of the 3 pieces of the puzzle done.


Caliber: I'm giong to go with the 6.5 Creedmoor. Like it Squirrelduster said, either a 6BR or a 6.5 will shoot a dime sized hole at 100 yards, but the 6.5 has the edge at longer distances. I think the other big thing for me is that the box ammo is so much more reasonable with the Creedmoor rounds. Getting some Hornaday Match Ammo is not just reasonable, but will give me the recipe I need for a starting point, along with some good fireformed brass for reloading later on.


Rifle: Savage Model 12 LRP. It's been echoed here many times that, box stock, these rifles are just too hard to beat in the price to accuracy ratio. They are also a good (from my limited experience and research) platform to upgrade later on down the road. It just doesn't seem like these could be a bad choice, especially since it's available in the 6.5 Creedmoor round already.


Glass: Vortex Viper PST Rifle Scope 30mm Tube 6-24x 50mm . This one I'm about 95% sure about, but we'll see with some more reseach. Again, I don't think this is a bad choice, but will do some more looking to see if there is a *better* choice as far as pricepoint and quality are concerned.

Is the mod. 12 LRP the same action as the "precision target rifle" that Savage sells? That rifle is a RBLP from the factory with a really nice target trigger and a three screw action. It only comes in a single shot bolt action, and has a very rigid reciever with the large barrel shank (30" with a 1" diameter strait contour).
gary

 

[DakotaGlockGuy]

Savage Model 12 Long Range Precision (SKU: 19137)

I think we're talking about the same model, but here's a link to the one I'm talking about...

If you go to the "Browse the models" at Savagearms.com

Then click on "Target Rifle Series"

The model I'm talking about is the 12 Long Range Precision (I abbreviated it LRP). It's SKU is: 19137 for the 6.5 Creedmoor calibered model.

It shows a 4 round capacity, and does have the AccuTrigger and the HS Precision fiberglass stock.

This one shows a barrel length of 26", so maybe we're not talking about the same rifle?

MSRP on the one I'm looking at is $1,170 but I'm not sure what I can pick one up for around here or on the net.