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Help me with a .308 purchase

mauer@mindspring.commauer@mindspring.com Member Posts: 37 ✭✭
edited September 2002 in General Discussion
I'm really beating myself up over this...

This is what I want, maybe someone can help me with a suggestion on what to get...

I want a .308 rifle this I know.

I want a lefthanded .308 w/ a detachable mag. ( Does someone out there make a 10rd. magazine for the remington 700? savage 110FP? Sako? or is five the max I can get?

Will I be less accurate with a M1A than a bolt action rifle...

Yeah, Yeah, I know that a bolt action rifle is more accurate than a semi but how much ( I know depending on ammo and other stuff ) but has anyone out there sat down on a bench rest and shot groups with a M1A and a Bolt action .308 side by side. To me 1MOA difference is not that big of deal at 300meters...

I would like to shoot 300+ yards this rifle
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Comments

  • DancesWithSheepDancesWithSheep Member Posts: 12,938 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Many shooters do not have the breathing and manual dexterity to take full-advantage of a less-than-1moa rifle. If you are one that can, I'd get a Steyr SSG and learn to shoot right-handed. Else, Springfield makes some very fine (read: "super-accurate") M1As.

    Often the mind believes it is thinking, when it is only passing from one metaphor to the next.
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  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    IMHO the Nat'l match, Super match, or M21 would be the only consideration if you wish to "bench" a semi auto, and be impressed. If you pick up a rack grade, I would bet that it would be more than 1MOA different at 300yds, when compared to a nice bull barreled remington 700. Take a look at the custom shop on Remington's web sight, they may be able to point your FFL to a wholesaler that stocks their rifles in left hand configurations.

    I have also seen them on the GB auctions from time to time. If it's in great shape, buy it, get the stock channeled out (to save money on an aftermarket), and put a stainless barrel by Hart, or Pac-Nor or Shillen etc on it. Then a good scope and have a gunsmith adjust down the factory trigger and you are in the game for about as cheap as possible.




    A great rifle with a junk scope,....is junk.
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  • in2b8uin2b8u Member Posts: 115 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Left handed short actions are few and far between. I have a hard enough time finding anything other than the very std. calibers in lh. Ocassionally you can find a rem 700 lh in short action. I have not handeled the Tikka whitetail hunter .308 lh but all the reviews I've come across are glowing for that firearm. I still haven't found out if that action is a short action, or a long action chambered for the .308.
    If you are really looking for a 300 yd gun you may want to consider finding a rem 700 short action and have it barrelled to the caliber of your choice. You can choose a fine bbl and stock to matte it to. Once you have the action trued and a trigger done you wont have much more than the m1a. The point is that you can have total control in putting your long range weapon together, specifically tailored for you. good luck.

    If guns cause crime, all mine are defective.
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  • beachmaster73beachmaster73 Member Posts: 3,011 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Get the Super Match M1A...it's more accurate than 99.8% of the people shooting it. The rifle can easily easily maintain sub minute of angle accuracy out to 1000 yards(you might not be able to maintain that accuracy but the rifle can!!). Also with the M1A you can enter CMP Service Rifle competitions and really match your skill up to your rifle's. Yeah it's not a true bench rest rifle with true 1/2 minute of angle accuracy....but it's a hell of a lot more fun(apologises to the bench rest crowd). Beach
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  • TazmuttTazmutt Member Posts: 862 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    With a bolt action, you'll never be able to get that "Rip off 20 rds as fast as you can and see if you can hit anything" gleem in your eye. A terrible thing to be without

    "A Fear of Weapons is a sign of Retarded Sexual
    and Emotional Maturity" Sigmund Freud
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  • mauer@mindspring.commauer@mindspring.com Member Posts: 37 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I guess that a National Match or Super Match it is....
    I'm going to look on gunbroker.com to look at price's. I have my own FFL dealer. Does anyone know of anybody w/ good bargins? You can email directly @ mauer@mindspring.com

    What about Optics and mounts @ 1000meters?

    What about ammo?
    I have had good look w/ 308 FEDERAL MATCH BOAT TAIL HOLLOW POINT GOLD MEDAL MATCH

    Should I use 150g, 168g, 175g, 180g. I know it all depends on the M1A that I do get... I'm just looking for people that have had some experience with it..
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  • mauer@mindspring.commauer@mindspring.com Member Posts: 37 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I guess that a National Match or Super Match it is....
    I'm going to look on gunbroker.com to look at price's. I have my own FFL dealer. Does anyone know of anybody w/ good bargins? You can email directly @ mauer@mindspring.com

    What about Optics and mounts @ 1000meters?

    What about ammo?
    I have had good look w/ 308 FEDERAL MATCH BOAT TAIL HOLLOW POINT GOLD MEDAL MATCH

    Should I use 150g, 168g, 175g, 180g. I know it all depends on the M1A that I do get... I'm just looking for people that have had some experience with it..
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  • PalantirionPalantirion Member Posts: 144 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I bought an M1A after weighing the same thoughts as yourself. I figure I'll get comfortable with the M1A for a while, learn to shoot properly, then decide later on if I could justify a more accurate bolt-action rifle.

    www.ebsart.com
    "Live by the three 'R's: Respect, Responsibility and Residuals."
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  • beachmaster73beachmaster73 Member Posts: 3,011 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Federal Match with 168 grain BTHP is great for across the course shooting(200-600yards). Equally good but somewhat less expensive is Lake City Match 168 grain BTHP. That stuff is sometimes available from the CMP...when it is in BUY IT!!!! Don't delay or it will be gone. For 1000 yard shooting try the Lake City 173 grain BTSP "Long Range" ammo. Its major advantage is that it stays supersonic through 1000 yards(maybe out to 1150-1175 or so). None of the 168 grain BTHPs really do that(975-1050 yards).
    Honestly for 200-300 yard shooting you can get away with decent 147 grain ball ammo(when you start shooting in the mid-90's with ball ammo in rapid sitting it's time to move up to the match stuff.) If you are young with young eyes ask for a rear sight with a .520 aperature, if you are getting up in years or expect some very low light matches go with the .595 opening. Hope this helps. Beach
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  • SunraySunray Member Posts: 773 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    mauer, quit beat yourself up. You and I shoot correctly. It's the rest of the world that's backwards.
    I've been shooting expert with all kinds of rifles left handed for years. Garands, FN's, M-14's, et al. No sweat. With respect you can either shoot or you need more practice or training. Go shoot some of the CMP matches and buy a Garand from them. You need one anyway.
    Remington makes their Model 700 in .308 left handed in several configurations. That's a short action.
    You want an M1A, buy it. You will to be able to shoot it as well as anything else.
    Unless you want to spend as great deal of money, I don't know of any bolt action rifle that has a mag capacity ot greater than 5 other than the .303 Lee-Enfield. And it'll do 300 easy.
    300 yards is not a long way, unless you're eyeballing it or hunting. In DCRA shooting, the Canadian equivalent of NRA shooting, 300 yards is short range. Done with .308 target rifles.
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