“Long range” non custom rifle advice

[Uplander]

Tikka CTR in the venerable 308 will do what you ask....

 

[sbhooper]

My answer to the question, would be a 7 mag, or if you wanted to slow it down a bit to make for better range time and loading costs, then the 7-08 would get the nod.

I have shot 7 mags, for probably around 40 years. They have never failed to do what I needed them to do and did it with reasonable recoil. I am not recoil shy, by any means and when I read where people gripe about the recoil from the 7 mag, I kind of have to shake my head. I have killed elk out to 443 yards with a 7 mag loaded with 160 Partitions at 3000 fps. I have shot a number of elk with that load and it always does its job well. The Accubond would be a good substitute, if that is the preferred bullet.

People get all wrapped up in the long-range thing, now, because of all of the hype. It has certainly lead to some good bullet development, but chasing a long-range solution, is definitely not a replacement for good hunting skills, that get you within at least 500 yards. Within that range, the new, fancy bullets are not needed and the plain old Partitions, Accubonds, or even Interlocks will serve just fine.

I will not ever use a brake. I do not like to have to wear hearing protection when I hunt and I have been around a number of brakes on big rifles that were terrible for anybody around it. If you think that a brake is needed, then use it on the range, but recoil in the field is rarely an issue, as it is only a few shots anyway.

 

[HandgunHunter]

I don’t think you need a magnum rifle to kill elk at 500 yards.
I use a 44 magnum wheelgun to 150 yards and it’s energy is way under what even the lowly 308 would be.

muzzle brakes are a huge plus. Cutting out recoil will make you shoot better. With all the advancements in ear bud type hearing protection there isn’t really a good reason not to use them.
I wear the walkers ear buds during my entire hunt.

 

[MTGomer]

I can cover a 3 shot group at 650 with the palm of my hand with my Tikka t3 in 7mag and factory Hornady ammo.

 

[buck23]

I’m a 700 fan and I’ve been shooting the 5R with the threaded barrel. It will shoot 2.5 inch anytime at 600 with 190 Accubonds in 300 WM behind H4831. Yeah it may be too heavy for you but I only hunt out west once a year so I don’t mind the weight. The barrel has been very accurate and I have not cleaned it like previous rifles. I think I am over 80 rounds and just got back from Wyoming with a deer I shot at 490 yds. It’s still driving tacks so I’m not messing with it til accuracy starts fading. Lots of good choices in factory guns now so you got plenty to choose from. Good luck.

 

[El Oso]

So since starting this, I’ve been researching whenever I have time. Fortunately I don’t plan on buying this rifle for about another year. One rifle that’s intriguing is the savage 110 LRH. It has an adjustable muzzle break, so if the recoil is a bit much for my wife, We have the option of using it. I’ve looked at the 7mm mag and 280 AI in that rifle. The 280AI definitely has less bullet offerings, but has enough, and I do have the reloading equipment if needed. I’ve looked into the tikkas, brownings, and rem 700’s(it’s hard for me not to go this route since I’ve always had these). Calibers I like so far are 7mm mag, 280 ai, 270 wsm, and 308 and 7mm-08. It’s fun stuff learning this, but it’s made me realize I have a lot to learn.

I have the Savage LRH in 300 WM. I went through this exact same conundrum last year - except my wife doesn't hunt. I narrowed it down to Tikka and Savage. Savage won out due to a few factors. 1. I could order it from Savage in a different configuration than "stock" (stainless action and barrel, tighter barrel twist, larger bolt knob, etc...). 2. With the barrel nut and free floating bolt head I can easily change barrels to a different caliber and still use the same action. IT takes about 5 minutes on the bench to swap. Savage Prefit barrels are easy to find. Also, their Accustock is nice. Being a larger variety of human ive finally found a rifle that fits me. Regarding recoil, there isn't as much as with other 300 WM rifles. The stock has a nice recoil pad, and the brake really does it's job. I can confidently say that it kicks less than my Remington 700 in 30-06. I topped it with a leupold VX3 4-14 (watch Optics Planet for after xmas specials!). The first time out with it I sighted at 200 and then proceeded to consistently (90%) hit a 10" plate at 450 yards. Not shaprshooting by any means, but it was the first time I'd taken a shot past 200 yards since my days shooting National Match at Camp Perry 20+ years ago.

Anyway, I have one, love it, and don't see myself buying another rifle for a long time. Hope that helps. Good luck with the decision!

 

[davinski]

I think there are lots of options off the shelf these days. I run a Rem 700 LSS in .300 RUM that I got in 2002. All I've done (had done) to it is lighten the trigger and bed the action. I put a B&C stock on it about 5 years ago. I use a Leupold vari-x II 4-12 with turrets. I don't seek out long shots, but have taken elk in that range you list, with both the old and the new stock. I've even won a little money with it at the Gateway Dynamite Shoot, before shooting long range became in vogue and a bazillion people started showing up to those. No brake, no gee whiz barrel or sniper stock. I am a huge fan of shooting sticks of some sort and always use them whenever possible...never seen the need to tote a bipod on my rifle around the CO mountains. I think a similar setup in .300 WM, 7mag, any WSM, even .30-06 would accomplish what you seek, my buddies love their Tikkas and we hunt the same mountains. For the record, I've killed elk at bow range with it as well.

 

[OhHeyThereBen]

I have the Savage LRH in 300 WM. I went through this exact same conundrum last year - except my wife doesn't hunt. I narrowed it down to Tikka and Savage. Savage won out due to a few factors. 1. I could order it from Savage in a different configuration than "stock" (stainless action and barrel, tighter barrel twist, larger bolt knob, etc...). 2. With the barrel nut and free floating bolt head I can easily change barrels to a different caliber and still use the same action. IT takes about 5 minutes on the bench to swap. Savage Prefit barrels are easy to find. Also, their Accustock is nice. Being a larger variety of human ive finally found a rifle that fits me. Regarding recoil, there isn't as much as with other 300 WM rifles. The stock has a nice recoil pad, and the brake really does it's job. I can confidently say that it kicks less than my Remington 700 in 30-06. I topped it with a leupold VX3 4-14 (watch Optics Planet for after xmas specials!). The first time out with it I sighted at 200 and then proceeded to consistently (90%) hit a 10" plate at 450 yards. Not shaprshooting by any means, but it was the first time I'd taken a shot past 200 yards since my days shooting National Match at Camp Perry 20+ years ago.

Anyway, I have one, love it, and don't see myself buying another rifle for a long time. Hope that helps. Good luck with the decision!

It's about time someone mentions a Savage on here. They seem to be great rifles. Mine is a cheapo and shoots .5" groups no problem. I know several other people that are getting the same out of their 110s. The newer 110 High Country looks like it could be pretty cool as well.

 

[huntin24/7]

I’ve looked over and researched a bunch of different rifles. So many good sub $1000 options for great rifles anymore. I’m really leaning toward the bergara B14 Ridge in a 7mm mag. I got to handle one and try out the trigger and really liked it. I like that it’s threaded for a brake so I can find the one I like for when my wife gets one of her elk tags.

 

[Millsworks]

Yeah, I don’t particularly like the idea of using a brake, and my wife will probably use it only a couple times. That’s the main reason I like the idea of the savage 110 adjustable break or browning with the removable brake, so I don’t have to use it, but she can use it for the few hunts she might need it. I’m definitely leaning toward the 7 mag for the variety of ammo options.

I would have to agree with this reasoning. As others have said, the 270 "anything" will have less bullet and range options.
The 7mm magnum is always a great choice.
But I would look hard at the ballistics of a newer, lighter recoiling cartridge.
The 6.5 PRC.
The hell's canyon is offered in 6.5 PRC.

 

[king1886ranch]

Browning X-Bolt Hell's Canyon Speed in 28 Nosler would be a good option. Lite weight, muzzle brake and a fantastic caliber. If not, save a little longer and get a Bergara or Christensen. Whatever you get in a lite weight platform you ought to consider suppressing it at some point. Best of both worlds, protects your ears and takes almost as much recoil out as a brake.

 

[vikingload]

I’m looking at getting a new rifle in the next year, and I’m looking at increasing my shooting distance. This would be mostly for elk, and when I say long range, I mean around 500-600 yard max. I’m well aware that good ammo, lots of shooting practice, and good optics are as important as anything. That being said, any recommendations for the best rifle in the $1000ish price range. I’ve looked into the browning stalker and hells canyon long range, particularly the .300 win mag w/muzzle break, as my wife will be shooting too. I’ve always been a Remington fan too, but I’m open to different rifles and calibers. Any thoughts?

Browning I feel makes a very solid gun and with the right optics you can do long range shooting on that platform no problem. Practice also helps and can really build the skills for that 500-600 yard shot.

 

[Browning Rifles]

Browning xbolt 270 wsm. All you will ever need.

 

[Browning Rifles]

150 grain Berger VLD

 

[huntin24/7]

I ended up getting a Remington 700 AWR in 7mm mag. I’ve been reloading 160 accubonds and 168 Berger’s. It took a bit of work but I found some good loads for the berger vld’s. I put in a trigger tech right away. It’s a nice shooting gun and very manageable recoil. I just need more time to shoot and get a drop chart developed.

 

[FLS]

Good choice and smart move upgrading the trigger.

 

[huntin24/7]

Just a little update on this one since a lot of these posts don’t get much for updates. If you read 2 posts up, that’s the setup I settled on. First off, it’s a nice shooting rifle. I changed the trigger immediately to a trigger tech and that’s the only change made. Recoil was a bit of a concern because the plan was for my wife to use it when she draws elk tags too. She’s only shot it a few times, but the recoil doesn’t bother her and she shot it well. It was a bit fussy finding a load, but not terrible. I’ve found good accuracy with H4831 about 40 thousandths off the lands. 2 straight groups with 60 grains are right at about 1/2“ at 100 yds. 61 and 62 grains were nothing special, but then 63 grains was again right at 3/4” I’m going to shoot that charge one last time and then make a decision on powder charge. I don’t have a chronograph, but using a ballistics calculator Shows 60 gr at somewhere around 2700-2750 FPS and 63 gr being around 2850-2900. Curious what other guys here would do if the higher powder charge repeats the results from the first attempt. 1/2” at 2700ish FPS or 3/4” at 150-200 FPS faster approximately?

 

[Wyohunt]

Please practice if you are going to shoot that far. I know a lot of guys who think they are the white feather and I have been present three times for long range shots that resulted in gut shot and lost animals. I was not impressed. i will get off my soap box now and say the tikka is the best bang for the buck. I own four of them. They are accurate and light. The triggers are good and adjustable to 2.5 lbs. the 7mag I own shoots reproducible groups between .3 and .4 no bs. Get a limb saver pad and you are golden. Good luck!

 

[Borny1]

I have a T3 Tikka in the 270 wizzum. It's light, recoil and price aren't bad, and 140 gr. Accubound kills elk just fine. People overthink this rifle/caliber thing way too much.

 

[cahunter805]

Just a little update on this one since a lot of these posts don’t get much for updates. If you read 2 posts up, that’s the setup I settled on. First off, it’s a nice shooting rifle. I changed the trigger immediately to a trigger tech and that’s the only change made. Recoil was a bit of a concern because the plan was for my wife to use it when she draws elk tags too. She’s only shot it a few times, but the recoil doesn’t bother her and she shot it well. It was a bit fussy finding a load, but not terrible. I’ve found good accuracy with H4831 about 40 thousandths off the lands. 2 straight groups with 60 grains are right at about 1/2“ at 100 yds. 61 and 62 grains were nothing special, but then 63 grains was again right at 3/4” I’m going to shoot that charge one last time and then make a decision on powder charge. I don’t have a chronograph, but using a ballistics calculator Shows 60 gr at somewhere around 2700-2750 FPS and 63 gr being around 2850-2900. Curious what other guys here would do if the higher powder charge repeats the results from the first attempt. 1/2” at 2700ish FPS or 3/4” at 150-200 FPS faster approximately?

I would test 60gr and 63gr at 400 or 500 yards. Also you can try loading .3gr higher/lower of your charges and see if that helps tighten them also as I assume you loaded in 1gr increments to test powder.