Best up to 1000 Yard Rifle

polarisgold

I am planning on building a long range rifle, but what cartridge? I've been told by one high end gunsmith that the 6mmBR or 6mmXC



Any comments???

craig 25-06

50 BMG.
If your gonna be a bear you might as well be a Grizzly Bear.

nononsense

polarisgols,

"I am planning on building a long range rifle..."

A long range rifle to do what?

- Compete at 600-1,000 yards?
- Hunt?
- Just to do it for experience?

Do you reload or would you need factory ammunition?

I use several, from .223 Rem. up to and including .338 Lapua. Choosing a cartridge has a lot to do with what kind of shooting you intend to do.

We're living at a time where technology and available assets are combining to provide us with a wide selection of cartridges and suitable bullets for long range pursuits.

The best, all-around cartridge for target shooting up to 1,000 yards is the .308 Win. There is factory ammunition widely available and a huge amount of reloading information.

For the average person just wanting to shoot at longer ranges, I would select a slightly more powerful cartridge than the 6mmBR. There are 3 basic cartridges that will work easily:

6XC
6-6.5x47 Lapua
6mm Creedmoor

The Creedmoor has factory competition ammunition available. If you reload, the brass is relatively expensive but you don't need more than 40-50 prime cases to use for competition. One hundred cases will last you quite a while. All three are in the 47 grain to 50 grain capacity so they don't use a lot of powder either. Barrel life is excellent.

Personally, I would look at the 6.5x55 Swede as being one of the most ideal cartridges to learn long range shooting. The darling of long range has been the 6.5x284 for several years now but there are some who complain about barrel life. This is the nature of the beast. Barrels are an expendable commodity and need to be replaced. Competition barrels will usually last one season and they get changed out during the winter months. If barrel life is an immediate concern, consider the 6.5x47 Lapua.

If you want to get into the heavy guns then the selection is wide open to many of the standard cartridges such as the .300 Win. Mag., .300 Weatherby, .338 Norma and the .338 Lapua.

The current favorite for long range target is the .284 Winchester and the 7mm WSM using the 180 grain Berger VLD bullet.

No matter what you decide, be sure to save up for the best scope you can dream up. Glass is just as important as the entire rifle.

Do some reading and come back for some more discussion.

Best.

45Kimber

+1 to hwat nononsense wrote. What do you want to shoot? Do you want to be able to carry it around or just do bench shooting?

JustC

nononsense has his "poop in a group". The 6BR is a GREAT round, but you need to be able to read wind flags and mirage to adequately use that one.

Take it from me, I try my hand at 600-1000yd competitions. I am happy with finishing half way through the field. I don't have the time to chase the circuit like the older guys do, so I am somewhat disadvantaged. But, I do know how hard it is to read wind flags and mirage while under pressure to shoot your 5 record shots.

Try something like nononsense said as in the 6 or 6.5X47 lapua or 6.5x284 or even a 6.5x55. These have little recoil in a 16.5lb rifle (IBS regulations) and have very high BC bullets available. Also,..consider a muzzle break to further reduce recoil and torque.

264fan

6.5x284 or 6.5x06 BC on these bullets is unreal!

lksmith03

I would say 30-06. It'll do everything a 308 will do and then some. Because you can use heavier bullets and heavier charges (so long as your gun can handle it)

dcs shooters

I like the 6.5X284. Recoil is not bad and it will reach 1000yds easy.

sandwarrior

I know you're planning on building a rifle for this endeavor, but have you considered what's off the shelf for starters? Before you decide what long range build you want to do, a budget should be established. As noted you aren't going to get to 1k very accurately with a crummy scope. You can also easily way overspend for what you need.

So,my suggestion is, you could get one of several off the shelf rifles that shoot very well. Savage is my first choice. The FV's can be had for under $500 Accustock and hard stock models run starting from the high $500's into the high $800's. Remington produces the SPS and SPF(?) That are both good quality and fairly accurate. Personally, I would recommend a varmint type set-up with a .243. Most of the 'accuracy platform' type rifles in .243 are coming with a 9 twist so that you can stabilize the 105 gr. bullets. Lot's of 6mm bullets out there to reload with and plenty off the shelf bullets will get you to 1k without a problem. Tikka, Howa, Wby Vanguard, Marlin XL-7 also all produce good actions with barrels capable of good accuracy to 1k.
After you a basically accurate rifle you need some decent glass on it. If you still have 500 in the kitty you can look at the 6.5-24 vortex vipers. They are a very good scope for the money right now. The prices are going up on these though. Leupold and Burris upper end scopes are a good standard to use still though. Nikon Monarch is good as well.

Once you get in and decide you want to stay shooting at 1k or any long range then you've got a good action to start a build off of.

If you have already done some 1k shooting, look around to see what other competitors are shooting. Lots of good bullets in 6mm and 6.5 One in .257 cal and one or two in .270 and a fair number in 7mm. In .30 you have Lapua Scenar's that are high BC, but for most of the rest of the field they aren't high BC without going extremely heavy for caliber...like 200+ grains. For that reason, I'm not fond of the .308 and even 30-06 for 1k competition. They'll do the job but not without adding recoil or extra wind will they be competitive. Remember, that's just my opinion. The .308 is certainly THE most popular round out there because it is used by the military.

Bottom line here: go out and shoot some 1k then you'll see what'll work better and why people shoot what they do. If you wanted to get out to 1k just to punch paper most any mid power cartridge or larger, will get you there. The simplest solution I see is a Savage 12 or Rem SPS V in .243 topped with a $500 scope and you have a 1k budget rifle on your hands....with room to build.

5mmgunguy

I favor the 6.5x284. But I know someone who has a 50BMG and shoots at 1000 yards...our range has banded him because our 1000 yard range isn't that wide and no one wanted to be anywhere near him because of the muzzle brake and noise. But using match bullets and handloading he could put 10 into 3 inches at 1000 yards. But the rifle weights like 30-35 pounds and its like 55-60 inches long with a 34 or 36 inch barrel. But if you want to hit things way out there, and I have seen him hit things at 1500 yards first shot, the 50 BMG isn't bad! He has hunted with it in CO, set up on a mountain and waited. Second day he got an elk at 1200 yards. Not my kind of hunting, and he only did it once.

mbsams

260 Remington

nononsense

polarisgold,

One of the great things about shooters and shooting sports is the willingness to share and teach.

You might want to consider attending a couple (or more) 1,000 yard matches to see exactly what goes on.

Shooters and match directors often take time to help new shooters or or those wanting the experience of shooting at extended ranges, by letting them get behind a rifle to do some actual shooting. This can be a priceless experience since it conveys everything all at once and no guessing. The matches I attend go to great lengths to help new folks. Contact some of the matches to see if arrangements are available or if they will accommodate you.

Besides extended range benchrest, Palma or F-Class competitions you can get involved with the tactical shooting venues which often have an 'unknown distance' component in the course of fire. Many of these competitions have a train-up day(s) before the match which are invaluable for the new shooter or experienced shooter new to that form of competing.

Check out the competitions and go to see some of the shoots, you won't be disappointed.

Best.

FEENIX

There are plenty of 1K yard capable rifles with varying configurations/set-ups and intended purposes, having to hit the intended target or humanely harvest the game is another story. Practice, practice, practice ...

+1 on what nononsense said.

BTW, welcome to the forum and enjoy!

5mmgunguy

I just saw a 416 Barrett. Shooting at 2500 yards, first shot missed the X ring by 6 to 8 inches low. Now my number one wish rifle.

n/a

quote:Originally posted by 5mmgunguy
I just saw a 416 Barrett. Shooting at 2500 yards, first shot missed the X ring by 6 to 8 inches low. Now my number one wish rifle.



It's a great cartridge...the only problem is that you are limited to one bullet. Bullet selection for this caliber is VERY limited. The one bullet that is available is a great bullet...but you are still limited.

That being said, I'd like to have one too. If I ever do, it will be a custom rig.

grady mitchell

anzio 20mm

nononsense

polarisgold,

Please check your e-mail.

Best.

Bill Jordan

O.K, I'm not going to name names, BUT, you experienced shooters know its a muzzle BRAKE , as it slows the movement, not send it in for repair.
Just a pet rant
Bill

v35

If two Presidents can pronounce nuclear as nucular then some gun nuts should be allowed to call a brake a break.