Best Beginners Bolt Action Rifle?

[LynnJr]

Successful long range shooting is most easily achieved by pushing the highest BC bullet to the highest possible velocity while maintaining precision.*

[ar15barrels]

Successful long range shooting is most easily achieved by pushing the highest BC bullet to the highest possible velocity while maintaining precision.*

There is a sliding scale where precision lives on one of the scale and recoil lives on the other end.
All guns fit somewhere in this scale with the highest precision ones generally being opposite the highest recoil ones.
With a $1000 budget limitation, custom heavy guns that cheat recoil through massive extra weight are not an option so the OP is limited to factory offerings and that means some velocity and recoil need to be sacrificed to find a good balance of precision and shooter comfort.

[LynnJr]

Yeah that was a quote from Bryan Litz but it's been true in every form of shooting.
If a 50 BMG or 416 Barrett stomps you into the ground your not going to be accurate so the guy shooting a 300 prc beats you.
If you've never fired a centerfire rifle before starting out big will give you a flinch in a lightweight factory rifle.

I think that's why Bryan said "while maintaining accuracy"
Same thing holds true in Benchrest at 600/1000 yards. If you go bigger and faster but can't maintain accuracy you still lose.

[sigstroker]

That's why I said 6.5 PRC way back at the beginning. 1600 yard performance, less felt recoil than a .308.

[MongooseV8]

6.5 PRC has been very scarce since it hit the market. Its a cool round but bad advice for a newer shooter. A 6.5 Creedmoor does almost the same job at half the price and much easier to find post covid.

[sigstroker]

That's true enough, and I feel the pain, having bought a 6.5 PRC about when the panic started. I have found ammo here and there but it was expensive. I was mostly responding to the "farther the better" part of his request, but if 1200-1400 yards will do the trick, CM will fill the bill, either 6 or 6.5.

[JWil]

My local Big 5 sells a scoped savage axis in 30-06 for around 500. You shouldn't throw a grand at a bolt gun, you might not like it and losing 25% on 1000 sucks harder than 25% on 500.

[SmokeTheClay]

My local Big 5 sells a scoped savage axis in 30-06 for around 500. You shouldn't throw a grand at a bolt gun, you might not like it and losing 25% on 1000 sucks harder than 25% on 500.

A 6.3 lbs 30-06 as a first rifle is a recipe for disaster

[1859sharps]

Telling a beginner they need to spend 1000's is poor advice. The flip side is telling the user to not spend enough to acquire the appropriate gear.

No one needs to spend 1000s and 1000s to get started in any rifle competition. BUT they do need to be willing to spend some amount of money to get appropriate gear for their level. which even as a beginner won't be "cheap".

some competitive shooting disciplines do lend them self to just grab a gun and start participating. BUT most do not. I found it very frustrating to not have appropriate gear for the few I tried while following the "get get out there" advice with what you had/going cheap.

The one I had the most fun with, I had an appropriate rifle.

my two cents... do NOT go cheap. Be willing to spend what it takes to get an appropriate rifle. not the most expensive, top of the line...but appropriate.

Example...

https://www.remarms.com/rifles/bolt-action/model-700/model-700-stainless-5-r

skip the 300 win mag though.

Ya, I know probably not laying around on a gun shop shelf right now....but they will be in the future and you might find a used one at a fair price if you look around.

[DArBad]

OP, I was in the same boat as you are not too long ago. I consulted with all the wonderful people in this website and was given lots of useful/desirable advise.

I settled on a budget north of $4k. I worked hard to have that budget, by skimping on vacation, skimping eating out (which I love doing), and skimping on buying new clothing. Its a sacrifice to do away with several indulgences so I can meet another indulgence.

From digesting all the people's advises here, I settled on getting a new Remington 700 5R, settled on getting a Leupold glass, settled on spending in truing the bolt, spending on this and that and this and that.

I narrowed down my caliber choices to either a .308 or the 6.5 creedmore round. Those two calibers are the mainstream, the darling rounds of long range shooters back then. Sure, there are more capable rounds for sniping, but I just want the mainstream. Argument as to which is better goes back and forth.

BUT, there is a LIMITATION......your health. So, ask yourself. Are you healthy enough to go into long range shooting?? Your eyesight, are they good enough for long range shooting? Do you have the TIME to learn this indulgence??

See, this was my experience. My eyesight AND lack of time derailed my foray into long range shooting. You do need time, its an investment you cannot skimp on. The " things " are relatively easy to acquire.

Those nice, superb equipment can be acquired. Heck you can even loan money from a bank (if you have good credit) that you can easily spend north of $20K.

Just food for thought, because from your thread, you are a newbie to rifles, long range shooting, and such......as I am.

" A man has got to know this limitations "--------Dirty Harry Callaghan.

Good luck.

[LynnJr]

Dandy04
There are many different long-range disciplines out there.
Our group is one of the smaller disciplines but we shoot further than most shooters will ever shoot in there lifetimes.
I don't see your location listed but this sunday we are shooting a match above UpperLake California and you are cordially invited to shoot with us using one of my guns. Weather will be extremely hot so bring an ice chest.
Lynn 707-791-8147

[ar15barrels]

That's why I said 6.5 PRC way back at the beginning. 1600 yard performance, less felt recoil than a .308.

LMFAO.

[BucDan]

$450 for the Vortex FFP is a great start

https://www.eurooptic.com/vortex-vip...43127-new.aspx

That's a good deal!

I started with a doo-doo Vortex Diamondback Tactical and then moved up to a Razor, the quality and price are very different. If I saw this deal, I would've settled with this deal.

As for OP, Just stick with .308. Common caliber, common ammo, easy to find, and match ammo is on par with .223 and 6.5cm in price, but more common. You'll get bigger holes as well . Recoil is a satisfying punch.

[sigstroker]

That's a good deal!

I started with a doo-doo Vortex Diamondback Tactical and then moved up to a Razor, the quality and price are very different. If I saw this deal, I would've settled with this deal.

As for OP, Just stick with .308. Common caliber, common ammo, easy to find, and match ammo is on par with .223 and 6.5cm in price, but more common. You'll get bigger holes as well . Recoil is a satisfying punch.

Ahem, from the OP:

I'm looking at getting into rifles soon for long range. The longer the better.

[BucDan]

Ahem, from the OP:

You can take .308 to 1000 yards. How far does OP realistically want to go? Everyone wants a gun that can go a mile, but don't have the money or skill to do it.

If not .308, then 6.5CM