First Bolt Action Rifle/Long Range

[krb]

[acourvil]

.308 is great to start with. If you get really into long range shooting, you will eventually want some thing else, and reloading gear, etc., but starting out .308 is a great choice.

[krb]

Thanks. I kind of want to buy once cry once. You think I’ll be happy two years from now with 308? I’m hoping only to buy one.

[ar15barrels]

While cheap ammo SEEMS like a reason to pick a cartridge to buy the rifle in, you will soon learn that the cheap ammo does not shoot very well.
If you want to hit really small targets at longer distances, you will want to be shooting match ammo.
Once you start pricing match ammo, you will find that 308 and 6.5 Creedmoor are not far apart in cost.
308 barrels will last longer, but 308 recoils more.
6.5 Creedmoor shoots flatter and recoils less, but the barrel life is shorter.

My recommendation for a first longrange rifle is to go with a 308 and start reloading.
308 is a really easy cartridge to develop great loads for.

[stevemac]

Get a .308 and dope the scope!

[NorCalFocus]

I got a .308 as my first long range gun and after 3 years I'm not tired of it. In fact I just bought a new barrel for it and I'm going with .308 once again.

You can reload .308 ammo for about $0.50 a round. It will take about $300-$500 to invest in your reloading setup. The more you shoot, the faster you recoup your cost of the reloading equipment.

[krb]

Thanks A LOT guys. I think the 308 I'm looking at is a great rifle for a great price and I really wanted it but just wanted to make sure 308 wasn't ... obsolete isn't the right word ... a caliber I would grow out of. Thanks a lot!

[Socalmp5]

Get something you can re chamber in 6mm or 6.5mm later on.

[NorCalFocus]

Thanks A LOT guys. I think the 308 I'm looking at is a great rifle for a great price and I really wanted it but just wanted to make sure 308 wasn't ... obsolete isn't the right word ... a caliber I would grow out of. Thanks a lot!

What rifle or budget are you looking at?

[FourT6and2]

I got a .308 as my first long range gun and after 3 years I'm not tired of it. In fact I just bought a new barrel for it and I'm going with .308 once again.

You can reload .308 ammo for about $0.50 a round. It will take about $300-$500 to invest in your reloading setup. The more you shoot, the faster you recoup your cost of the reloading equipment.

Can you give a breakdown on the handloading setup that only costs $300-$500? You need brass prep stuff (tumbler or sonic cleaner and related supplies), trimmer dies, scale, funnels, priming equipment, a press, seating dies, calipers, etc... I've been thinking about getting into handloading but to me, the initial investment is on the order of thousands, not $300. And the cost of brass, primers, powder, and bullets is well over the cost of match factory Ammo. So I don't see how people say it's more economical. Add into that the cost of ones time and it's even higher.

Im not arguing against handloading. I'd really like to start doing it. But it seems like a lot of moving parts and a lot of money.

[NorCalFocus]

Can you give a breakdown on the handloading setup that only costs $300-$500? You need brass prep stuff (tumbler or sonic cleaner and related supplies), trimmer dies, scale, funnels, priming equipment, a press, seating dies, calipers, etc... I've been thinking about getting into handloading but to me, the initial investment is on the order of thousands, not $300. And the cost of brass, primers, powder, and bullets is well over the cost of match factory Ammo. So I don't see how people say it's more economical. Add into that the cost of ones time and it's even higher.

Do you really want a break down or are you pointing out my cost are off. Cause I'll gladly get you links to a bunch of things. But you can easily dump $1000 into a reloading setup if you wanted to.

I have lots more into my reloading setup than that cost now, but I started with a Lee kit at $120. Added dies for $50, tumbler $50, a Lee Trimmer pilot for $5, calipers for $15 and a electronic scale for $20. Yes that doesn't include bullets and powder. But to me that not a cost of setting up for reloading. Thats your ammo budget being switched to compoments.

[FourT6and2]

Do you really want a break down or are you pointing out my cost are off. Cause I'll gladly get you links to a bunch of things. But you can easily dump $1000 into a reloading setup if you wanted to.

I have lots more into my reloading setup than that cost now, but I started with a Lee kit at $120. Added dies for $50, tumbler $50, a Lee Trimmer pilot for $5, calipers for $15 and a electronic scale for $20. Yes that doesn't include bullets and powder. But to me that not a cost of setting up for reloading. Thats your ammo budget being switched to compoments.

No I really wanted a breakdown. I'm not arguing with you.

[NorCalFocus]

So here is the base items. This will get you started, but over time your going to want to upgrade as you increase volume. Also shop around the net for these items for the best prices.
-Base Kit http://www.midwayusa.com/product/423...nniversary-kit
-The entire shell holder kit or just buy one at a time http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/786...ArexoCu43w_wcB
-Dies, I really like Forster, but you can buy whatever you'd like http://www.midwayusa.com/product/454...308-winchester
-Electric Scale http://www.midwayusa.com/product/175...grain-capacity
-Case Prep Multi Tool http://www.midwayusa.com/product/135...rep-multi-tool
-Case Trimming, now the Lee kit comes with their trimmer and all you have to buy is the $5 cartridge tool for each round. But I prefer a universal trimmer like this. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/795...-with-9-pilots
-Tumbler, this is really nice as you get the seperator as well I do have this tumbler and 100 pieces of 308 fit in it easily. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/414...rator-110-volt
-Case Lube This stuff is great http://www.midwayusa.com/product/758...-lube-4-oz-tub
-Calipers http://www.midwayusa.com/product/604...tainless-steel

Shell Blocks you can make from wood or I use plastic 2 qt paint pails from Home Depot for my bulk brass processing.

This right here will get someone up and running for rifle reloads. As you learn, you'll find what works for you and what doesn't. Sure you can spend more and get a Chargemaster for a scale, you can upgrade the press kit to a Hornady or RCBS. You may find that you need a powered case prep center. But all the stuff I listed you'll still be able to use even after you get all that.

For me the slowest part of reloading is priming the cases. This is on my want list...but its $200. So its an investment. But the point is, you can spend as much as you want.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjKtr_uh47SAhVMxoMKHd-kDOYQFggaMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.primalrights.com%2Fequipment%2Fbase-cps-lite&usg=AFQjCNGl4w_dB658I7o_CzZVSDv8P_a0Pg&sig2=hc5IB4Kks-mrnS1KjQivBg&bvm=bv.146786187,d.amc

[diver160651]

you can easily dump $1000 into a reloading setup if you wanted to.

oh God... isn't that the case! I have many many thousands invested... there is no real limit.

[Horrendo Revolver]

I started reloading pretty cheaply but about a year in to it invested in a chargemaster combo. It made reloading so much less painful. The only thing I want to upgrade now is my case trimming setup. I'm still using the Lee system with different pilots for different cartridges. I want to get a power trimmer such as the Lyman.