Please help me select a caliber/rifle!!!

[nubcake29]

I think you are wrong as far as the hinged floor plate...ADL's are ADL's, meaning a blind mag box (no hinged floor plate). Not that it's a big deal, but to convert to a BDL style down the road, it will cost money. The SPS is the BDL style, which is why I suggested it. Here is the Remington page on the ADL Varmint: Model 700 ADL Varmint

Here's the page from cabelas clearly stating it has a hinged floor plate. Obviously one of us has to be wrong, but I think the ADLs are tricky since they were technically discontinued in 2004. I believe stores that still order them can ask for specific packages. This is the only adl at cabelas that doesn't come with a scope and the wood tech adl I know is an exclusive... I'll find out tomorrow anywho

Remington® 700™ ADL Varmint Bolt-Action Rifles : Cabela's

 

[nubcake29]

If you're scope is on a tight budget, and you need a good scope with high magnification for a low price, I recomment one of these. I have one, and am fixing to buy another one for my .308 Win range gun. It used to be on my .308, but I needed a high magnification scope for load development for my 7mm STW, so I simply swapped it off one rail, and onto the other. I have my 3 main .308 Win loads already developed, so I will be ordering another scope for it, so I can go to the range and shoot it more often.

Konus M-30 Tactical Rifle Scope 30mm Tube 8.5-32x 52mm 1/10 MIL

Same rail as before:

EGW 1-Piece Heavy Duty Picatinny-Style Base Remington 700 Long Action

These rings are little cheaper than the Vortex/Seekens rings, but they are just as good a quality.

TPS 30mm TSR Picatinny-Style Aluminum Rings Matte Low

Thank you I will keep that in mind! That's probably my favorite suggestion scope wise yet.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Thank you I will keep that in mind! That's probably my favorite suggestion scope wise yet.

I've got a few sets of those TPS TSR rings. They're awesome, especially for the money. I'd put them up there with Badger Ordinance and Nightforce rings.

 

[Kennibear]

nubcake29
You came to the right blog for info, congrats!
Now let me send you off on a tangent.

1) Buy your first rifle to learn more but with no intention of modifying it more than a trigger job and moderate scope upgrade.
2) SAVE YOUR MONEY!
3) While you are putting in your range time you will learn what works for you and make a list of "things I want on my next rifle".
4) Build a good LR rig from scratch (or from a specialty shop inventory) when you have saved enough to do so.
5) Keep your original rig for practice and teaching another neophyte about this great hobby.

A friend of mine recently got a Tikka in 7 RM and with a set of Tally one piece base/ring combos + Vortex Scope, price total was about $800. Even though it has a 22" barrel Hornady Superformance 162gr SST clocks 2989fps. The factory rings shot loose right away. I hand lapped the Talley rings in for him.
The 308 is good but the 7mm RM is better. You cannot progress down this road very far before Reloading is mandatory. Reloading erases the cost difference in ammo. The 7mm RM tosses high BC bullets faster than the 308 ever can hope to. 'Nuff said.

 

[MMERSS]

This is my opinion......your going to be spending a lot of money as you extend your range and you'll be able to shoot the 308 cheap till you get set up for reloading and generally speaking you should be able to find a good box ammo for it since there are tons of 308 choices.

The vast majority of my practice today and since first starting to shoot at 1000 has been with the 308. Sure there are better choices when hunting....but for practice shooting and reloading this is my favorite. If you train hard to consistently hit 10" targets with a 308, how much more reliable will your results be when pushing higher BC bullets with much quicker velocities when hunting? If you don't need that hunting gun "right of the bat," bigngreen has posted sound advice. LR hunting and shooting can be a big world, the 308 is a great choice to ease this transition.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

Thank you I will keep that in mind! That's probably my favorite suggestion scope wise yet.

What is your budget? You dont need an expensive scope either to acheive good accuracy. My dad just has a leupold vx-2 on his 6.5 Creedmoor and its a 1/4 moa or under rifle.
As far as caliber wise if you want a rifle that will hit with some authority at a wide range of distances then i suggest the 7Rm over the 308. If you dont want something quite that big then have you considered a 6.5mm cal? Either a 6.5 Creedmoor or a 260rem would serve that purpose well. The 6.5mm bullet has high a B.C and will carry better than the 308 at longer distances.

 

[Sully2]

Here's the page from cabelas clearly stating it has a hinged floor plate. Obviously one of us has to be wrong, but I think the ADLs are tricky since they were technically discontinued in 2004. I believe stores that still order them can ask for specific packages. This is the only adl at cabelas that doesn't come with a scope and the wood tech adl I know is an exclusive... I'll find out tomorrow anywho

Remington® 700™ ADL Varmint Bolt-Action Rifles : Cabela's

I dont care what Cabela's calls it...its a Remington SPS varminter...period

 

[jkupper]

I was talking about during the rebarreling process while it's at the smith... I wasn't talking about truing it up immediately, unless it just won't shoot. In which case, having the smith true up the action and the factory heavy barrel with a better recoil lug should help it shoot tremendously better, especially with an aftermarket aluminum bedded stock.

I have 4 700's currently able to be shot (and a couple projects in the works)...3 of which are completely stock the way they left the factory (2 have HS stocks from the factory and the 3rd has a B&C Medalist). 1 of them won't shoot...The others will shoot flawlessly.

Not all factory 700's will shoot perfect out of the box, is all I'm saying. I am as big a 700 fan as anyone else, but facts are facts.

Sorry Mud, didn't want to sound like I was getting after you. I agree, when the gun is apart at the smith and is getting a new barrel it would seem silly not to have the action trued up. I know you are a huge fan of the 700's, and I always appreciate your post. I was just trying to think of ways to save the OP money

 

[cohunter14]

I dont care what Cabela's calls it...its a Remington SPS varminter...period

That's exactly what I was thinking...the only disadvantage I can see with that gun is that you are stuck with a short action. If you get a regular SPS, you don't get the varmint barrel, but you can get a long action that allows you to swap to a long or short action round in the future.

 

[MudRunner2005]

The vast majority of my practice today and since first starting to shoot at 1000 has been with the 308. Sure there are better choices when hunting....but for practice shooting and reloading this is my favorite. If you train hard to consistently hit 10" targets with a 308, how much more reliable will your results be when pushing higher BC bullets with much quicker velocities when hunting? If you don't need that hunting gun "right of the bat," bigngreen has posted sound advice. LR hunting and shooting can be a big world, the 308 is a great choice to ease this transition.

Same here...If you're a range shooter, and you want a non-finicky caliber and easy to reload for caliber, and want excellent barrel and brass life, then get a .308 for practice. That's the whole reason why I bought another one, after my first one got stolen in '08. Once you get one that's really good at doing what it does...You will never NOT have one.

 

[Sully2]

That's exactly what I was thinking...the only disadvantage I can see with that gun is that you are stuck with a short action. If you get a regular SPS, you don't get the varmint barrel, but you can get a long action that allows you to swap to a long or short action round in the future.

Short action dont matter UNLESS your determined to shoot a long action caliber.

 

[cohunter14]

Short action dont matter UNLESS your determined to shoot a long action caliber.

Or if you want a short action caliber with the bullets loaded out close to the lands...

 

[Sully2]

Or if you want a short action caliber with the bullets loaded out close to the lands...

Depends on the caliber...and not ALL calibers need to be riding right on the lands...thats one of the things a reloader has to play with. Ive got a 22-250 here that the OA's are more than .100 over whats printed as the MAX OAL. and it still isnt into the lands...but it shoots 3 shot groups at 100 yds you can cover with a dime!

 

[cohunter14]

I understand that, I was just throwing it out there for the OP...just something to think about.