Ruger Precision Rifle vs. Remington 700 for Beginner .308?

[ASD1]

From shooting clay from 12 guauge, and #8 birdshot, there does reach a point where shooting becomes painful from my soft shoulder. I'm usually bruised the next day.

It seems as though the stock on the RPR has a recoil tube and buffer spring built into the RPR (same as AR-15), which seems to be advantageous to the standard stock on an R700?

There is NO buffer or spring in the RPR its just a tube to mount the stock

[FUBAR]

I own a Savage 24 inch heavy barrel with a Choate Ultimate Sniper stock. It's ugly but shoots like a dream. I've always wanted a chassis system and for $1000, the RPR might be my next purchase. I actually want a 20 inch barrel since I don't plan on shooting out to a 1000 yards.

[Dave626]

It seems as though the stock on the RPR has a recoil tube and buffer spring built into the RPR (same as AR-15), which seems to be advantageous to the standard stock on an R700?

Bolt Action = no buffer + no buffer spring
Bolt won't cycle from firing.

Typical Semi-Auto = buffer tube + Buffer + Buffer spring

[JMP]

From shooting clay from 12 guauge, and #8 birdshot, there does reach a point where shooting becomes painful from my soft shoulder. I'm usually bruised the next day.

A muzzle brake on either will make 308 very tame if you have enough weight in your rifle.

[JeffersonKim]

A muzzle brake on either will make 308 very tame if you have enough weight in your rifle.

Will any cheap .308 muzzle brake work for that?

[JeffersonKim]

LOL. there are some that are under $20.

[ASD1]

LOL. there are some that are under $20.

you get what you pay for

[vintagearms]

Will any cheap .308 muzzle brake work for that?

If you want cheap and works almost as well if not better than some more expensive brakes, get a Ross Schuler brake. Its $45 shipped.

http://www.muzzlebrakesandmore.com/ROSS_SCHULERS_PAGE.php

[bombadillo]

A Miculek brake is dirt cheap and very effective. Get either gun of your preference, but the more I see comments here, the more I think you would be best suited with the Ruger because it's the best factory option for something of that nature. It doesn't sound like you're going for long range precision and a 308 will get you out to 600 possibly 800 yds very effectively with that rifle if you can do your part. I think it will be the most fun to both take to the range, and sounds like it will be sitting in the safe most of the time so why waste your money on a gun you're probably never going to upgrade anyway. Get the gun that will do everything you want it to right out of the box and call it a day

[ar15barrels]

The 5R looks to start at around $1,142

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=remington+5r&x=0&y=0

The 700P looks to be about $977.00

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=remington+700p&x=0&y=0

So would you say spending $999.99 for a RPR is more "bang for your buck" of the three options?

The RPR is a better "deal" for somone who NEVER wants to upgrade it.
If you ever want to upgrade it, you basically just sell it and buy a 700 type for it's vastly larger choices in aftermarket parts.

The 700's are better if you EVER want to change or upgrade them.
You can shoot matches with a 700P as it comes out of the box and would be my recommendation if you don't want to spend the money to step up to the 5R milspec.

If you are primarily concerned with how the gun looks, but you also want to be able to upgrade it someday, get a $550 SPS varmint and drop it into a $400 MDT chassis and add a Magpul PRS stock for all the adjustability.

[LBDamned]

OP, while there are lots of experienced opinions in this thread - don't be discouraged from creating what works for you...

Example; in the car world I always heard you couldn't build a drag car that could compete on a road course and couldn't build a show car that could compete on the track and couldn't have a daily driver that could win shows... I dedicated a car that could go from a car show to drag strip to road course then to Vegas (with passengers) - and while not being the best in any, completely compete respectably in all (and by far be the best to do all)... It costs a lot of money, time and dedication - but can be done.

So, if you are looking for a rifle to fit more than one role, don't let the Internet pigeonhole you into "an" idea.

I will say, it's way easier to have multiple rifles than cars (space, money, time)... But if you research and learn enough, you can build a rifle that is respectable in multiple facets.

Having that been said. If you don't want to do the leg-work and spend a bunch of money (with trial and error and custom work)... (from what I can tell) The Ruger RPR is a decent offering... It's basically the Nissan GTR of guns. Doesn't cost a lot, isn't the best - but will compete with many that spent a lot more.

[mixicus]

"So, for a first time long-range shooter (or one that doesn't practice often enough), would I notice much of a difference between a $564 basic Remington 700 SPS .308 vs. a $999 RPR without any extra modifications?"

Remington 700 and 300 rounds of Federal Match ammo will be a much better choice.

[bsumoba]

"So, for a first time long-range shooter (or one that doesn't practice often enough), would I notice much of a difference between a $564 basic Remington 700 SPS .308 vs. a $999 RPR without any extra modifications?"

Remington 700 and 300 rounds of Federal Match ammo will be a much better choice.

Short answer is probably, not really.

You might notice the RPR has a much nicer trigger out of the box, which makes shooting groups much easier.

The RPR can be had in 6.5 creedmoor, which is ballistically much better to shoot at long range and it has less recoil. Ammo would be a little more expensive with the 6.5 creedmoor.

[milotrain]

The maximum range is around 600 yards in the Los Angeles / Orange County area that I'm at. Is that what you mean by "distance"? or do you mean like 1000 yards +?

That's incorrect. Inside of two hours you have:
Pendleton 1000 yards with pits
Cuyama 1000 yards with pits
BRRC 1000 yards steel + 600 yards pits
Ojai 600 yards pits
ASR 600 yards steel

You could shoot 600 or 1000 yards on targets with a paid puller (so you don't have to pull) once a month without driving more than an hour and a half.

[ar15barrels]

"So, for a first time long-range shooter (or one that doesn't practice often enough),
would I notice much of a difference between a $564 basic Remington 700 SPS .308 vs. a $999 RPR without any extra modifications?"

Short answer is probably, not really.

The 700 SPS he linked to was a sporter barrel model without a free floated barrel.
There would be a huge difference between it and an RPR after about 2-3 rounds fired per hour as the RPR has a heavy barrel which is free floated.
The heavy barrel helps handle the heat MUCH better so the barrel is not deflecting as much when it heats up.
The free floated barrel is generally more accurate as it it reduces the deflection from the front rest.