Building a long range rifle

[dbHunterNY]

12 minutes ago, WNYBuckHunter said:

You can get adjustable cheek pieces that attach to those stocks.

nice to know. probably still lighter than the PRS Magpul version.

[Gencountyzeek]

I hunt wit a mag pul prs, i like it because it balances the rifle out with a heavy 20" barrel.

[Lawdwaz]

7 hours ago, J sin said:

Starting to give some thought to building a long range rifle. I’m leaning towards a 300 win mag. I kind of a Kimber Dork, since finally needing to buy my own guns. I want a caliber that will be readily accessible for years to come. No African hunts planned in the near future. North American only game.  All input or thoughts would be greatly appreciated. 

 

Cheers

Do you have a range to practice out to 650 yards?

Do really expect to hunt anything bigger than a deer with this gun? (maybe an elk?  If deer and MAYBE elk are reality, then something like the 6.5 Creedmoor would be a great choice.  Reloading is a snap with this and factory ammo is outstanding per range reports I've seen.  It'll easily handle most any hunting here in the lower 48 and range time would be ENJOYABLE.  And that is critical................Don't build a long range magnum gun and think you'll shoot it for fun because you won't 'cause it ain't.

PS: The Creedmoor will easily take a black bear too.

Edited July 16, 2018 by Lawdwaz

[Jeremy K]

The bushnell that i have on my 30-06 has the 600 DOA  reticle , while doing some research ,i read the scope was calibrated using bullet trajectory for a 30-06 . I can confirm it works perfectly out to 300 yards .    

[J sin]

17 hours ago, eagle rider said:

I did this twice with two custom shop guns.  One is a 270 WSM out of the Weatherby CS, the other is on a 700 Rem action made by Red Hawk Rifles in Grand Junction Colorado.  That is a 30-06.  Hands down if I were to do it again I would have built two with Red Hawk.  The quality is superior to just about anything else I have shot.  For about $2200 I have a blue printed action, cryogenically traded fluted barrel, with a Timney trigger in it.  The bolt is spiraled, the bolt handle is skeletonized.  The metal is all black oxide finished.  Stock is a B&C medalist.  I put a Monarch UCC 3-10 by 40 with Leuplod B&R.  It shoots .25 all day long with Nosler 150 gr and RL19.  I have taken many deer with it.  What I wanted was a lightweight rifle in a 30-06.  What RHR gave me was something I never would have imagined owning at 6.5 pounds.  

 

There are two other custom builders that I would look at as well.  Hillbilly Rifles in Vermont and Dixie Precision in MS. Both are making very fine custom guns for not much more than you would buy an off the shelf Mk V for.  

Thank you sir, this is great information!!

[J sin]

17 hours ago, Lawdwaz said:

Do you have a range to practice out to 650 yards?

Do really expect to hunt anything bigger than a deer with this gun? (maybe an elk?  If deer and MAYBE elk are reality, then something like the 6.5 Creedmoor would be a great choice.  Reloading is a snap with this and factory ammo is outstanding per range reports I've seen.  It'll easily handle most any hunting here in the lower 48 and range time would be ENJOYABLE.  And that is critical................Don't build a long range magnum gun and think you'll shoot it for fun because you won't 'cause it ain't.

PS: The Creedmoor will easily take a black bear too.

Yes sir, multiple areas to practice out to 650yds. I like the idea of the 6.5 for those longer than normal range days (less abuse on the shoulders.) As far as game that I will be hunting,  deer, elk, perhaps a bear or two. Maybe a 6.5 might be the way to go...

 

Thank you 

[Lawdwaz]

On 7/17/2018 at 11:07 AM, J sin said:

Yes sir, multiple areas to practice out to 650yds. I like the idea of the 6.5 for those longer than normal range days (less abuse on the shoulders.) As far as game that I will be hunting,  deer, elk, perhaps a bear or two. Maybe a 6.5 might be the way to go...

 

Thank you 

Please keep us posted 'cause there's a few guys that live this stuff and want to help, a few guys that want to learn it and probably WAY more that could give a rat's butt.

Keep the Q's coming and think out loud.

[sailinghudson25]

There are plenty of guns to shoot long range.  Any gun!  I practice with a 30-30 and 450 marlin at 350 yards, I practice with a 270 win at 500 yards, same goes with 223 and 30-06.

Long range shooters do not shoot the best out there, they practice alot.  Factory seconds, budget bulk packs, or smaller weighing common calibers are the way to go. 

The US has used remington 700's in 30-06, 308, and 300 win mag.  They used the M14.   

 

Long range shooting vs long range hunting.  You can not guarantee an animal will keep walking the same speed, you can not guarantee when he will stop, slow down, speed up, start moving ,etc......    Between what your eye see and choosing to shoot is atleast a 1/2 second delay.  Then the bullet has to get there.  400 yards is a 308 is a 1/2 sec.   A 4mph average human walking speed is 5.8ft a sec.  The moment you deciede to shoot  a deer, if he starts to move, your bullet will be in his butt.  Deer can get to walking speed very quickly.    You can misjudge wind drift too, usually you think it's too much...

 

MY hunting limit is 200 yards on a calm day.  150 yards if I havent practiced much over the past year.  

 

[wolc123]

19 minutes ago, sailinghudson25 said:

There are plenty of guns to shoot long range.  Any gun!  I practice with a 30-30 and 450 marlin at 350 yards, I practice with a 270 win at 500 yards, same goes with 223 and 30-06.

Long range shooters do not shoot the best out there, they practice alot.  Factory seconds, budget bulk packs, or smaller weighing common calibers are the way to go. 

The US has used remington 700's in 30-06, 308, and 300 win mag.  They used the M14.   

 

Long range shooting vs long range hunting.  You can not guarantee an animal will keep walking the same speed, you can not guarantee when he will stop, slow down, speed up, start moving ,etc......    Between what your eye see and choosing to shoot is atleast a 1/2 second delay.  Then the bullet has to get there.  400 yards is a 308 is a 1/2 sec.   A 4mph average human walking speed is 5.8ft a sec.  The moment you deciede to shoot  a deer, if he starts to move, your bullet will be in his butt.  Deer can get to walking speed very quickly.    You can misjudge wind drift too, usually you think it's too much...

 

MY hunting limit is 200 yards on a calm day.  150 yards if I havent practiced much over the past year.  

 

My long range rifle experience is extremely limited.  My 30/06 bolt-action with a 3-9X scope got the job done one time at little past 300 yards with a 150 gr bullet, but it took (3) shots to hit that deer.  I am about 90 % certain that it was a branch strike that caused my first miss from a good rest.   My second shot was rushed offhand, when the buck was moving (slow), so it is no wonder that one missed.  Fortunately, that one got his attention, and he stopped walking just as I reached a tree to rest the heavy rifle on.  The third, well-rested shot struck right on the mark, dropping him dead in his tracks.

That experience has taught me to only take a shot, at that kind of range, at a standing deer, on a calm day, from a good rest, and across an open field.   The deer moving when the super-sonic bullet is in the air is of absolutely no concern to me.   As long as it was still when the shot was fired, there is minimal chance of that deer getting out of the way before it strikes.   I definitely have to thank the good Lord that those two misses did not cost me any venison, just a couple little pieces of lead.   I am also thankful that I learned, a long time ago, to assume every shot is a hit until PROVEN otherwise.   Without that lesson, I would have never taken the second and third shot at my first and largest Adirondack buck.    

[Hock3y24]

We were shooting .308 on a 1'x1' target 750 yards on sat. Remington 700 aluminum bedded. This was with factory Superformance loads. 

[Lawdwaz]

4 hours ago, Hock3y24 said:

We were shooting .308 on a 1'x1' target 750 yards on sat. Remington 700 aluminum bedded. This was with factory Superformance loads. 

That’s a good poke, how did it go?

[Hock3y24]

59 minutes ago, Lawdwaz said:

That’s a good poke, how did it go?

A few hits on the 1x1, hits on the 3x3 steel were quite easy. 

[sailinghudson25]

I ADK hunt or big woods walk style in PA for most of the days I am out.  Most of the practice I do is with a similar 22lr rifle at 50 yards offhand.  The same scope, the same weigh rifle, and similar trigger feel.  I have tuned the trigger to match.  I also have hollowed out the stocks to put in lead shot and polyeurathane.  Sometimes I make a drill hole in the stock and cast a lead cylinder to fit it.   MY limit is 100 yards offhand, which is  long ways for most folks offhand shooting.

I'd keep with the 30-06 you got.  Just make it have  good scope, better scope mounts, make the stock fit you too.  150gr is just fine.   I use 180gr just incase I win a Moose tag in NH or go west to elk hunt.  I reload, but use 180gr remington cor-lokt bullet heads and make the bullet velocity close to factory rounds.

I help friends out with their guns.  Mny poor performance issues surround cleaning practices.  Some clean, but do not clean the copper out.  I also have noticed folks swapping ammo types and brands tend to foul out their barrels sooner than others.  

I use good old stuff.  Hoppes #9 to clean powder fouling, then I use a patch of rubbing alcohol to remove oil residue before copper cleaning.  I use ammonia based old school cleaners.  I run a patch or two wet, let it sit a minute or two.  I then push a plastic bristle brush with a bit of the copper cleaner on it.   I let that sit a minute or two.  Push a dry patch or two.  I then push a water wet patch to removeany residual ammonia.  I repeat until the patches almost come out perfectly clear with no blue.  The plastic bristles do not react with the ammonia.   Most of my guns start to decline performance noticeably after 30-50 rounds.  

200 yards is not much of a workout for my 30-06's, so I hunt with them clean  A small change in impact on a clean vs dirty gun wont matter much.

[J sin]

Ok, quick update. Thank you to everyone for their input. Except the spitball poster(J/K.) I took the time to really think about my immediate wants/needs when it came to hunting and shooting. I did fall into lust with the Weatherby 6.5-300 but once I found out how much a box of ammo was that lust diminished. I knew last year going in late MZ season I needed to upgrade my old black diamond MZ...and I didn’t. So I carried my crossbow and most likely gave up a couple opportunities for a late season freezer filler. So I went out and picked up a CVA Acura and will mount my Nikon in-line on that for the upcoming MZ season. Then in conversation with a colleague I mentioned that I was looking for a new rifle to start shooting a little distance with. He just happened to have a Howa 1500 houge 6.5 that only was shot a dozen times. Good deal and it will fit the bill. I ditched the stock scope on it for a Vortex HsLR 4x16x50. Prior to this  my wife tells me she wants/ desires a better carry gun while running and biking.... Here comes a Glock  43.

So needless to say I just spent a couple nickels and took care of a few wants/needs. 

 

Again thank you all for your suggestions.

 

Cheers

Jsin