Ok, I am sure this question has been asked many times and many ways, but my research in the search feature came up with mixed results, so forgive me if this has been covered numerouse times as I am sure it has. I am searching for a long range hunting rifle. I want to know who is the best custom maker, and who is the best maker for somebody who is starting out? Should I just get a Rem Senderro, and get it accurized? I am planning to save money for this purchase, and scince I want to get one rifle that will last, I don't really care how long it takes to get one. I am very new to long range shooting, but love to hunt.(the longest deer kill I have made is 400 yds) I am moving to Wyoming and want to extend this range out to 1000yds. I currently have the gear to load 7mm rem mag, and want a rifle in this cal. Any advice would be greatly apreciated!
Rifle Question
- Thread starter ShawnF
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
Shawn,
One name for long range hunting rifle: KIRBY ALLEN of Allen Precision Shooting (APS)
You want to talk to Kirby Allen (Fifty on this site). He is your man for your build. Send him a post, and he will help you out. He specializes in long range hunting rifles. He is a very professional gunsmith and has built a ton of long range rifles for guys on this site. Trust me, Kirby builds an awesome rifle.
W.
One name for long range hunting rifle: KIRBY ALLEN of Allen Precision Shooting (APS)
You want to talk to Kirby Allen (Fifty on this site). He is your man for your build. Send him a post, and he will help you out. He specializes in long range hunting rifles. He is a very professional gunsmith and has built a ton of long range rifles for guys on this site. Trust me, Kirby builds an awesome rifle.
W.
MagnumManiac
Well-Known Member
Shawnf,
I can't answer the part about who can build a rifle for you,I live in Australia,but I can give some advice concerning WHAT to build.
I do this for a living,amongst other things.
You'll want an action of very rigid design if you want it to be super accurate.Remington actions are very good but not necessarily the BEST.
Before you undertake this type of project,it is very important to speak to a few people that have had this done before,and ask them who did it for them,time it took,cost,what they purchased first in regard to action,barrel and stock.A good place to find out this stuff is your local range.
Winchester Pre '64 are preferred,but Post '64 Classic actions will do.I don't know how much money you want to spend,but there are actions from places like Dakota,Granite Mountain Arms,Kimber and Ed brown custom.
The calibre you have chosen isn't a true long range round in my opinion,depending on whether you're going to be shooting further than 1000yds,I feel you will need a larger calibre that shoots heavier bullets fast,338 Lapua,338 AM,338 Edge and 338-378 Weatherby spring to mind.
In 30 cal,300 Win Mag,300 Weatherby Mag,7.82 Warbird and 300-378 are up there also.300 RUM is an unknown quantity to me but figures support it for this type of work.
As you can see this is a big undertaking,what I have advised you is what I advise my customers.I want your business,I'm NOT the best person to ask these questions,nor is any gunsmith!
You really need to speak to HAPPY people that have got their project in exactly the way they wanted it when it arrived.
All the best!
MagnumManiac
gun)
I can't answer the part about who can build a rifle for you,I live in Australia,but I can give some advice concerning WHAT to build.
I do this for a living,amongst other things.
You'll want an action of very rigid design if you want it to be super accurate.Remington actions are very good but not necessarily the BEST.
Before you undertake this type of project,it is very important to speak to a few people that have had this done before,and ask them who did it for them,time it took,cost,what they purchased first in regard to action,barrel and stock.A good place to find out this stuff is your local range.
Winchester Pre '64 are preferred,but Post '64 Classic actions will do.I don't know how much money you want to spend,but there are actions from places like Dakota,Granite Mountain Arms,Kimber and Ed brown custom.
The calibre you have chosen isn't a true long range round in my opinion,depending on whether you're going to be shooting further than 1000yds,I feel you will need a larger calibre that shoots heavier bullets fast,338 Lapua,338 AM,338 Edge and 338-378 Weatherby spring to mind.
In 30 cal,300 Win Mag,300 Weatherby Mag,7.82 Warbird and 300-378 are up there also.300 RUM is an unknown quantity to me but figures support it for this type of work.
As you can see this is a big undertaking,what I have advised you is what I advise my customers.I want your business,I'm NOT the best person to ask these questions,nor is any gunsmith!
You really need to speak to HAPPY people that have got their project in exactly the way they wanted it when it arrived.
All the best!
MagnumManiac
gun)
linksmechanic
Well-Known Member
Get a sendero sfII best bang for the buck. I have seen 10 of them shoot way under 1/2 inch groups. Great rifle for not alot of money. For a little more than a custom barrel job you can buy one.
Moman
Well-Known Member
Shawn, I have been thinking about doing the same but want to take smaller steps. I've thought about getting a Sendero II in 300 RUM, that would probably give me the accuracy needed to improve my skills over the next few years. At that point, I figured I could have it rebarreled and accurized, maybe even the 338 Edge or something similiar.
I did talk to Shawn Carlock briefly about this and he thought it was a great idea as well. I am pretty new to this site, but from what I have read there seems to be plenty of outstanding custom builders here if you do decide to go that route.
Look into that new video that Shawn Carlock just came out with. I called him the other day and ordered one. He seemed to be a good guy with lots of knowledge and the video may give you more ideas.
Good Luck!
I did talk to Shawn Carlock briefly about this and he thought it was a great idea as well. I am pretty new to this site, but from what I have read there seems to be plenty of outstanding custom builders here if you do decide to go that route.
Look into that new video that Shawn Carlock just came out with. I called him the other day and ordered one. He seemed to be a good guy with lots of knowledge and the video may give you more ideas.
Good Luck!
Moman, Shawn is a great Long Range Builder too. If you pick Shawn or Kirby, you will get a great rifle and two of the best smiths you will find. I have not delt directly with Shawn, however, I have heard he is a great guy.
I have delt with Kirby, and I will tell you this, he is a stand up and professional individual. He was going to build a 338 Allen Mag for me. I sent him the funds to begin the build. A couple of months later, I found out I was losing my job. I called Kirby and told him about my situation, and he sent me all the money back with no questions asked. He did not have to do that, but he did. I will never forget that, and I will always recommend Kirby everytime someone asks me if I know of anyone who can build a High Quality long range hunting rig.
Building a top notch rifle is one thing, but finding a top notch person, that's sometimes hard to do in todays world. You will not find to many people like Kirby. He is without a doubt a top notch person.
Once again Kirby, if your reading this post, I really appreciate everything you did for me. I will always recommend people to you when they want advice or want a long range rig built.
W.
I have delt with Kirby, and I will tell you this, he is a stand up and professional individual. He was going to build a 338 Allen Mag for me. I sent him the funds to begin the build. A couple of months later, I found out I was losing my job. I called Kirby and told him about my situation, and he sent me all the money back with no questions asked. He did not have to do that, but he did. I will never forget that, and I will always recommend Kirby everytime someone asks me if I know of anyone who can build a High Quality long range hunting rig.
Building a top notch rifle is one thing, but finding a top notch person, that's sometimes hard to do in todays world. You will not find to many people like Kirby. He is without a doubt a top notch person.
Once again Kirby, if your reading this post, I really appreciate everything you did for me. I will always recommend people to you when they want advice or want a long range rig built.
W.
Buffalobob
Well-Known Member
Perhaps the place to start is with the cartridge selection. The 7 mm Rem Mag is a fine cartridge and I would not say any bad things about it except that unless you are an expert it is not a 1000 yard elk cartridge. Many of us, and that includes me, have made our cartridge selection based on the fact that we had a $39.95 set of dies and some old brass that had loose primer pockets and should have already been discarded. This is very poor justification for cartridge selection. If you tell me that the reason is really just that you really like the 7mm Rem mag then that is great. Spend your money on what makes you happy. You will need to throw your existing dies in the recycle bin and get new ones anyway in case you don't know and you will need to get new brass and with a new rifle you will have to work up new loads. So there is very little that you have that will carry over to the new rifle. I am a big 7mm fan and if it was me and I was starting out all over again as a beginner I would select the 7 STW or the 7 RUM.
If you want a full custom rifle then get a full custom action. Several of the action makers are now selling "hunting" style competition actions for about the same price as an accurized Remington action. If you want a factory rifle then that is a horse of a different color.
Finally, make sure you have a good "practice rifle" because you do not want to be shooting the barrel out of your elk rifle just before elk season starts. A nice 243, 260 or 308 will provide you with many hours of practice at long range with good barrel life and low costs (plus they will actually kill animals if you get in the mood to use it for that).
If you want a full custom rifle then get a full custom action. Several of the action makers are now selling "hunting" style competition actions for about the same price as an accurized Remington action. If you want a factory rifle then that is a horse of a different color.
Finally, make sure you have a good "practice rifle" because you do not want to be shooting the barrel out of your elk rifle just before elk season starts. A nice 243, 260 or 308 will provide you with many hours of practice at long range with good barrel life and low costs (plus they will actually kill animals if you get in the mood to use it for that).
a sendero with a very good scope is a good place to start. they are accurate and the fluted ones are fairly "light" to carry. the 7mm mag is a very good round. once you practice at 500,600 ; 700 you will find what is reasonable.
Thanks guys, but with all the advice, I still need to do more research. Buffalobob, the 7mag cal. selection is actually based on a couple of things, one, is that i have found it to do alot less meat damage at closer ranges than my .300wsm (which tears stuff up, although it may have been the bullets i was using) Scince this rifle would be used for shots from 30-1000yds (my goal) I am open to suggestions, and willing to learn about other cals as well. I have done alot of hunting and shooting with the 30-06 and am really comfortable shooting out to 400 with it, but beyond that, the drop gets a little extreme, and I am not sure of how much damage a 150 grn pill will do. I am looking into the .300 7mm rum's but I have little experiance with these rounds.( not that I am afraid to try them, just don't know them.) Thanks again. The advice you guys have given has given me alot to think about.
