First Precision Rifle Suggestions

[Ura-Ki]

I consider .308 a "mid range" cartridge, past a grand it's gonna get pretty dicey.

My Savage 10 FCP tuned can ring steel out to around 1400 on a really good day, but it's not consistent enough to ever rely on it if I ever needed it for reals!
For more consistent results and greater reach, my TRG-42 .300 Win gets the nod, but that's a very specific tool for a very limited use!

 

[Kruel J]

My Savage 10 FCP tuned can ring steel out to around 1400 on a really good day, but it's not consistent enough to ever rely on it if I ever needed it for reals!
For more consistent results and greater reach, my TRG-42 .300 Win gets the nod, but that's a very specific tool for a very limited use!

I'm surprised nobody has screamed "Tikka" yet.

 

[tac]

'Tikkaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

How's that? Bear in mind that the OP's price point is around half the price of the suitable Tikka. We haven't even started on glass yet, nor mounts/rings, bipod, spotting scope, HORUS device...heck, we aren't even started, TBH.

 

[11Charlie]

As others have said if your goal is to go to 1000 then 308 or the creedmore will get you there. If your are looking for cost effective then look at Savage if you are looking for something more high end the there are a lot of rifles out there.

As @Kruel J mentioned a lot of us own Tikka's and love them (that was for you brother)

 

[Wombat of Doom]

My comment was in the nature of what those of us had to learn English as literal hyperbole, a comment intended to denote a deliberately over-exaggerated notion for effect, rather than a true, or even partially-true statement of fact. To make amends for my over-use of it, I have removed it from my post, hoping that it will still make sense.

Just for the record, frequently your turns of phrase have made me laugh, and your mastery of English makes me want to read your posts.

 

[Kruel J]

I'd take a Tikka over an RPR any day of the week. But if I had a pocket full of cash, I wouldn't look at either!

 

[tac]

Well, IF you think that the Tikka T3X tactical model is the one for you, here's a movie of an Australian trying it uou in 6.5 Creedmoor, at 1000 yards [he says - OZ is metric].

The only things that P me off with the video is the horrendous 'music' background, and the way he pronounces the name. In Finnish the word, which means 'woodpecker' BTW, has both letter 'k' pronounced - like TIK-KA. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

 

[Kruel J]

Just for the record, frequently your turns of phrase have made me laugh, and your mastery of English makes me want to read your posts.

It makes me google a lot.

 

[tac]

Just for the record, frequently your turns of phrase have made me laugh, and your mastery of English makes me want to read your posts.

You are very kind, Sir, to this poor old soul, trying to make his way in a combunctious and fractulous world.

 

[Kruel J]

You are very kind, Sir, to this poor old soul, trying to make his way in a combunctious and fractulous world.

Now you're just showing off. And I'm googling again.

 

[Ura-Ki]

tac can sure turn a phrase cant he!
I admit to some confunglement, and even downright confustication at times, but it sure is fun to read!

 

[Crankit4]

Wow, lots of good info and perspective here. Thank you all!

I can understand the perspective of starting with a 308, baby steps. I have two 308s but haven't really shot them long and reasonable time with 300WM. I guess one place I get caught up is the duplicate costs of buying a nicer 308 or 6.5 CM and then improving your skills. Then buying the next caliber and rifle (doubling the costs) to get where you ultimately want to go. It seems like it doubles your cost and time to the end goal. This is more of a question than a pure statement.

It is possible that once I fire a 338LM that it may just kick my but and I say no thank you... It's not like you can just demo one and see what's like. Too many things to ponder...

Thanks and still open for ideas or perspective.

 

[Crankit4]

The .338LM is a great way to spend as much $$$$ a year as you might on any other expensive thing. The cases are costy to start with, and so are even the 'cheapest' bullets - not that you'd actually BUY the cheapest bullets, because you are looking for long-range accuracy, right? Berger or JLK are the preferred option here in yUK for reloading, with factory stuff at around $625 or so per C.

View attachment 693266Quick View
.338 Lapua Magnum 300Gn 10 Round Pack - Collection Only
£49.77

In stock

They also use a LOT of powder. And as Arne K notes, you are going to need a substantial mount of lying-down-style range time to become proficient with whatever load it is that you settle on. He further notes - correctly IMO - that if you are going to limit yourself to around a thousand yards, more of less, then TBH the .338LM, as used by CoH Craig Harrison to drop a Taliban MG team at almost 3000 yards, is going to be wasted.

The 6.5 Creedmoor is an established long-range winner, is easy to load, gentle to shoot, especially from prone [and have you actually FIRED a .338LM from prone?] and around 1/3rd the price to shoot.

Of course, you might also be a millionaire - we have no way of knowing - and all our advice is just f*rting in the wind.

FYI, not a millionaire. Cost is always something to consider. I have never fired a 338LM prone or otherwise and hell, I may fire it one time and say no thank you. It is possible...

 

[Crankit4]

Another thing to ask, you mentioned the energy of each round at range... are you looking to just target shoot or accomplish some long range "wet work" during elk (or other large game) season?

Good question. I was just thinking of a 300WM but then you read a bunch of junk suggesting forget the 300WM and go to the 300 PRC. One of the reason for the Christensen Arms is that it is light enough to hunt with and at 330 PRC should be good enough for all North American game. Then it is an easy jump to the 338LM...

 

[tac]

Good question. I was just thinking of a 300WM but then you read a bunch of junk suggesting forget the 300WM and go to the 300 PRC. One of the reason for the Christensen Arms is that it is light enough to hunt with and at 330 PRC should be good enough for all North American game. Then it is an easy jump to the 338LM...

Bear in mind, please, that I'm n old f**t with sixty-six years of shooting behind me, with all kinds of guns. Any gun that is light enough to hunt with and good for ALL North American game [and that includes the Grizzly Bear, right?] is going to lay you flat on your butt in .338LM. The British Army's service sniping rifle in .338LM weighs in at around seventeen pounds or so....

Anyhow - read -

Re: .338 LM recoil... What's it like?

My .338LM is actually pretty mild when it comes to recoil; the Badger FTE brake, combined with 18lbs of rifle weight, really takes off the edge. It feels kinda like shooting "magnum" slugs from my Mossberg 590. The muzzle blast from the brake is obnoxious, though.

I guess you really need a generous shooting buddy who has one so you can have few shots 'just to see'.

Just as a bit of information - the 300WM was THE US Army calibre of choice for the longer range engagements that did not merit using the .50cal, which was actually employed as an anti-matériel rifle. My bet is that the person recommending that you 'forget the 300WM etc, is just blowing smoke...for the .300PRC you had better be a reloader.

Please read this - A lot of new things have happened with the 300 Win Mag over the past few years. The US Army has made a major push to adopt it for their new versions of the M24 SWS and as such a new emphasis was placed on making it an effective cartridge for 1500 meter engagements. The 300 WM is an outstanding cartridge for military sniping, but as you might imagine, it offers a lot of power and penetration, which limits its role in Law Enforcement. The Secret Service does use the .300 WM, but they're situation is rare and unique and they do not typically have to be concerned with hostage situations. They just need to insure that the possible assassin is stopped, and the .300 WM is a good caliber to do that. The .300 WM is also a great round for going through media in order to hit the target. With the new heavier loads the .300 is very capable of extending well past 1000 meters reliably. One big criticism of the .300 WM is the amount of recoil that the round produces and how hard it is on barrels. Yes, it can punish the shooter but with heavy tactical rifles and even potentially the use of effective muzzlebrakes the recoil can be managed. Proper training can help as well.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I never found the .300 mag to be harsh in recoil, even in a light hunting rifle, but recoil is a very subjective topic and the stock will have as much to do with felt recoil as the actual impulse from the cartridge discharging! Keep in mind also, that a good muzzle brake can really tame the recoil, or better yet, a suppressor and this will help you spot the the shot all the way through to the target!
The .300 is also a pretty easy round to reload, there is tons of load data out there for it, and an abundance of very good performing bullets available, and the costs are reasonable compared to big boomers like the Lapua, powder alone will set you back quite a bit more then a loaded .300 mag!

Another really accurate shooting/long range cambering that doesn't get much lovin here in the states ( despite it being developed/perfected here) is the incredible 7 mm Rem Mag! For bucking the wind and difficult shooting conditions that are less then perfect, the big 7 is a real dream come true!

 

[Arne K]

Ever watched Ryan Cleckner's videos? He offers a lot of good perspective on long range shooting and gear.

 

[P7M13]

and the way he pronounces the name.

Does it ever bother you how us Yanks pronounce "Lapua?"

Any gun that is light enough to hunt with and good for ALL North American game [and that includes the Grizzly Bear, right?] is going to lay you flat on your butt in .338LM.

Having owned and shot the parent cartridge, 416 Rigby (which is not loaded to the same power level), I can say if it knocks you over, your form sucks.
However, 10 shots out of a Rigby and I would have a big bruise on my shoulder and a smaller one on my cheek.
Shooting 338 LM or 300 WM with a muzzle brake and no hearing protection is a great plan to acquire tinnitus and permanent hearing loss.

 

[Crankit4]

Ever watched Ryan Cleckner's videos? He offers a lot of good perspective on long range shooting and gear.

Ok, that was very useful. At some point just buy something and start shooting.

 

[tac]

Problem is, ANY .338LM worth having is going to cost around $3K + $2K for glass and mounts, plus $300-500 for the bipod.................and then around $4 per shot. It might not be the same as ocean raving, but it sure as ++++ isn't shooting on a limited budget.

Note than in the British Army, the AI barrels are swapped out around the 750 shot count.