Recommendations for starter/budget "long distance" rifle and optic?

[Aeonstar]

ok so 650 for the gun
amazon knockoff bipod 23$
amazon knockoff base 30
amazon vortex mounts 15$
amazon vortex crossfire scope 219

after dros you are right at 1k boom 1/4 groups at 3k yards all day long

disclaimer i am not a fan of amazon knockoff china crap...... but gota get the boy under 1k

[jwfire25]

OP is your 1000 dollar budget including a scope as well?

Seems like it is, so many people's suggestions above won't work for his price range.

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[ar15barrels]

ok so 650 for the gun
amazon knockoff bipod 23$
amazon knockoff base 30
amazon vortex mounts 15$
amazon vortex crossfire scope 219

after dros you are right at 1k boom 1/4 groups at 3k yards all day long

disclaimer i am not a fan of amazon knockoff china crap...... but gota get the boy under 1k

OP is your 1000 dollar budget including a scope as well?

Seems like it is, so many people's suggestions above won't work for his price range.

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A completely crappy complete rifle package could certainly be put together for around $600.
The OP would end up throwing almost ALL of the parts away including the barreled action when it's time to upgrade.
That's why it's better to spend around $1200 right from the start and get an acceptable quality package that will last a few years of learning with only minor upgrades as desired but not actually needed.

[Imageview]

Just to be sure, what do you mean by long distance?

[morrcarr67]

Multi-part question, looking to do it on a budget but also have room to grow if I get better and more into it. Savage Axis and Remington 700 seem to be pretty good as a something to start on that can be built up over time as I get better.

Any recommendation on caliber also taking into consideration cost? 6.5 creemoor is what I was looking at previously but don't know how this would compare cost wise or if its a good beginner caliber.

No clue on optics any help here is appreciated.

Is the OP talking long range, like 1000+? Competitive shooting? Or just plugging steel for fun?

A savage 12FV gets you a long, heavy barrel thats already free floated. Its got a decently light trigger. If you wait for sales, its about $300. The stock sucks, but it'll get you on the range and shooting. Get lucky on a used, decent scope somewhere around 10 power. You'll have no problem accurately shooting out to 500ish yards with that. Theres plenty of aftermarket barrels if you want one. Enough stocks to get a good one. You might not build a competition ready gun, but you'll get something you can enjoy shooting for fun at long ranges, for cheap. I've never wanted something for my savage and not found it to be available.

But advice for the person like me who enjoys tinkering and shoots as long as possible off a crappy plastic table and some sand bags, is different than someone trying to win a contest in a more formal setting.

Tom, I was wondering the same thing.

I don't do much rifle shooting and I just got my first true scope for my 10/22 redux. I wanted a nice rifle to try to shoot out to 300 yards, that's long for me. I also wanted to keep it under a $1000, and wanted it to be "cheap" to shoot.

Luckily I work in the industry so I can get some pretty good discounts. I picked up a new Savage Axis II Precision rifle for less than $600 in .223. Though I'm still waiting for it to show up at my dealer's place for transfer. Savage cashed my check the 6th of May so it should be any time now.

I'm going to pick up a GGG knock off for $35 and a 2.5-15X50 for $135, these are wholesale price. I should have a really nice learning piece for well under $1000. If I get into it I can pick up the same rifle in .308 or 6.5 Creedmoor for the same price. And then maybe step up to a nicer scope.

Here's what my soon to be long range to me rifle looks like.



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[sigstroker]

Is the OP talking long range, like 1000+? Competitive shooting? Or just plugging steel for fun?

A savage 12FV gets you a long, heavy barrel thats already free floated. Its got a decently light trigger. If you wait for sales, its about $300. The stock sucks, but it'll get you on the range and shooting. Get lucky on a used, decent scope somewhere around 10 power. You'll have no problem accurately shooting out to 500ish yards with that. Theres plenty of aftermarket barrels if you want one. Enough stocks to get a good one. You might not build a competition ready gun, but you'll get something you can enjoy shooting for fun at long ranges, for cheap. I've never wanted something for my savage and not found it to be available.

But advice for the person like me who enjoys tinkering and shoots as long as possible off a crappy plastic table and some sand bags, is different than someone trying to win a contest in a more formal setting.

The stock is not that bad, it's perfectly usable. The trigger is better than probably anything else under a thousand bucks. Mine is 2 pounds out of the box. A fixed 10x from SWFA is $300.

[Aeonstar]

umm randall i was kidding,

the funny part is the gun is not exactly the most expensive part of long range shooting. when you factor in time, ammo, targets, gas to drive to shoot it all adds up to a lot of money. like most people they will buy it, shoot it twice and in a gun case under a bed it will go forever.

[ar15barrels]

Just to be sure, what do you mean by long distance?

NRA's definitions are used for most types of competitive rifle shooting and would certainly suffice as non-competitive rifle distance definitions as well.

Shortrange is 200yds and under.
Midrange is 200 to 600yds.
Longrange 600+ to 1000yds.
Extended Longrange is beyond 1000yds.

[jwfire25]

A completely crappy complete rifle package could certainly be put together for around $600.
The OP would end up throwing almost ALL of the parts away including the barreled action when it's time to upgrade.
That's why it's better to spend around $1200 right from the start and get an acceptable quality package that will last a few years of learning with only minor upgrades as desired but not actually needed.

Agreed.

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[ar15barrels]

I picked up a new Savage Axis II Precision rifle for less than $600 in .223.

If I get into it I can pick up the same rifle in .308 or 6.5 Creedmoor for the same price.

After you run that action for a few hundred rounds and start getting extraction problems and then feel a 700's action, you will understand why people get 700's.

[hermosabeach]

OP
Tell us about your long range shooting experience?

For many newer shooters I’m more focused on classes and getting to know other long range shooters.

Since money is never free, long range is expensive.

If one does not have a lot of shooting experience past 400, the .308 is a great place to start

Buy one and learn to shoot to the limit of the rifle.


If the rifle can only shoot 2 moa, learn to shoot to 2 moa to 800 with the rifle

So a simple 16” group at 800

308 match is cheap
308 match brass is cheap
Lots of cheaper .30 cal match OTM projectiles

If you get the bug to go better, rebarrel to a better match caliber and upgrade other stuff too.

[1859sharps]

Under $1000 for sure, way under $1000 preferred.

using Midway and Buds for ball park pricing, if you were to buy new something along the lines of what Randall is trying to suggest...

700 5r Gen 2 Model 8198 6.5 creed (didn't look for 308, was just going ball park numbers) buds has their cash price at $997. Buds tends to be a good gauge for what you might end up paying on the low end of a specific gun.

Then for a scope, Vortex Optics Razer HD Gen 2 3x18 $1700

now...NOT saying these are the exact items Randall would advise, just close for ball park pricing as I understand his advice.

when you factor in dealer transfer/dros/shipping/tax etc. you are basically 2000 just for rifle and scope. This does not include bases, rings, trigger, carry case, ammo etc.

My advice...patience. In my opinion often the reason that people have lower than realistic budgets for something like this...they got the bug to do it all now. can't wait, must have now.

don't spend your 1000 "today", set is aside, add to it a in set increments for however long it takes to reach a realistic budget. Not easy, but I have followed my own advice twice now. And I have a couple rifles I never thought I would be able to own.

[Imageview]

NRA's definitions are used for most types of competitive rifle shooting and would certainly suffice as non-competitive rifle distance definitions as well.

Shortrange is 200yds and under.
Midrange is 200 to 600yds.
Longrange 600+ to 1000yds.
Extended Longrange is beyond 1000yds.

Yeah, just verifying that's what the op meant.

[ar15barrels]

buds has their cash price at $997.

Then for a scope, Vortex Optics Razer HD Gen 2 3x18 $1700

now...NOT saying these are the exact items Randall would advise, just close for ball park pricing as I understand his advice.

when you factor in dealer transfer/dros/shipping/tax etc.
you are basically 2000 just for rifle and scope.

I'm pretty sure that $997 and $1700 ends up close to $3000 with tax and shipping/FFL fees.
Maybe $2000 was a typo?

If someone can afford $3500, a 5r and a Gen2 Razor is a great way to go.

[mmlook]

probably a better question would be what are your shooting goals

plinking steel?
paper practice?
hunting?
bench rest?
f-class?
PRS/NRL style stuff?
ELR?

I definitely agree, "long range" is such a specific rabbit hole,
there really is no budget friendly stuff, much less a do it all

best to figure out exactly what you want to do,
then choose a gun/caliber than best suits the application.

.308 is a nice starting point,
but it kind of sucks at everything.

I personally don't own any .308's,
and would never suggest it to anyone unless there was a reason.