Good beginner rifle?

[Toxicxk23]

Thinking about getting into long distance shooting. Where would you guys recommend I start? Caliber? Decent rifle? Just need a place to start my research and of course any tips/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[jeremyy]

I started with a Mossberg ATR for a few years then jumped to a tikka t3 ctr with real glass.

Part of me thinks that was a wise choice to learn on and shoot cheaper ammo but really should have researched it a bit more.

What's your budget for the rifle and glass?

[Toxicxk23]

I started with a Mossberg ATR for a few years then jumped to a tikka t3 ctr with real glass.

Part of me thinks that was a wise choice to learn on and shoot cheaper ammo but really should have researched it a bit more.

What's your budget for the rifle and glass?

What made you start with the Mossberg and then go to the Tikka? I haven't really thought about the budget much but on the fly, I would say probably 1k. I would be okay with something very basic to start with. With my personality, I know I will continue to upgrade no matter what.

In this case, not 100% positive long range is something I want to get into wholeheartedly but it's definitely something I'm interested in.

[LynnJr]

Come to a URSA match or any of the other long-range matches and checkout what everybody is using.
With a $1000 gun you can get a Savage 111 long-range hunter in 338 Lapua that will work straight out of the box from 100 - 2000 yards.
And since you like upgrading you can do that as well.

[kcstott]

If you're wanting to shoot to 1000 yards i recommend a .308 or a 6.5 CM In a ruger RPR or my preference a Rem 700

if you plan to shoot to 1500 yards you need a 300 win mag
if you plan to go further than that you need to follow Lynn's advice and get a .338 Lapua and a easy way to get there is the savage
Now out past 2500 meters... then you need to really pony up some effort and money.

[BRANCHER]

I would start with a 308.
Good match ammo is a buck a bullet. Recoil is not bad, so you do not get a flinching habit.

I like Remington 700s. My best friend likes his savage. loves of good rifles out there. Get a Heavey Barreled rifle (HB).

For new shooter I recommend a 5R with a 24" barrel, the new get Gen2 is nice out of the box. Has a threaded barrels so easily add brake if you want. I really like the 5R rifling. I have older 5R and a M24 (and a 700PSS... yeah PSS) . So what do I know.

See https://www.riflegear.com/p-4087-rem...ed-barrel.aspx

Get a good glass. Buy once Cry Once... took me too long to understand that!

At minimum buy something like a Leupold Mark4 low end is $1200 (I like FF but you could save some $$ without). I run a 3-10 FF Mildot M5 myself and a 6.5x20 on 5R). Found on sale (3-10x) for under $1000. Don't need super high powered to hit and mirage is exaggerated at higher powers. 4.5-14x is more than enough 6.5-20x is OK too.

Get a 20MOA base, good rings and a scope level (Trust me on the level).

Harris Swivel bipod with lock lever.

This may run you about $2500 (+tax) out the door but will be good forever.

When I am down there I run out to Piru to shoot. you'll be able to hit the 12" blue steel target at 1000 yards with this.

[mixicus]

Just for clarification: what is long range to you?

[Toxicxk23]

Great advice guys. Thank you.

Mixicus: Honestly, not really sure. I'm looking at shooting a few hundred yards to several once I get experience. Not planning on hunting or anything. Just wanna go to the range and hit far targets.

How would a .223 hold up for that?

[JohnnyMtn]

Oh, come on. Forget the bolt actions and glass. Go with 30.06 in an M1 Garand.

I'm sort of joking but am sort of serious. I think a shooter develops longer range skills better when they do it on irons and when they have to manually learn the come ups, wind corrections, etc. and everything that comes with a solid rifle with solid sights. Forget 1,000 yards. Get solid shooting irons at 300, 400, 500, 700, and so on. If you can quickly adjust your come ups between those distances and you can reliable hit the targets then you have a solid foundation that will greatly benefit you when you go to glass and 1,000+.

[ShaunBrady]

Great advice guys. Thank you.

Mixicus: Honestly, not really sure. I'm looking at shooting a few hundred yards to several once I get experience. Not planning on hunting or anything. Just wanna go to the range and hit far targets.

How would a .223 hold up for that?

Interesting question.....

If you look at it in terms of absolute distance, it runs out of steam pretty quickly. If you define long range as starting at the point where you have to hold over and can't just aim at the target anymore and ending at the point the bullet goes transonic, then it's ideal because it's a lot cheaper and requires a lot less space.

If you start with a 1:9 twist 223, you can learn a lot of things on a 1k yard range. Things you can put to making better purchasing decisions than you'll get fishing for internet consensus.

Your lessons on wind will be magnified.
You'll learn a lot about the use of a ballistics calculator and conditions in general.
You can do your initial long range ammo loading lessons on the cheap and just shoot more in general. There are 77 grain commercial loads out there to get you started.
You'll learn that 77 grains is 223 code for "I just fit in an AR magazine" and they stabilize with a 1:9 twist while a 75 grain bullet might not.
You can try the 80's and see what happens if you don't run enough twist or light varmint bullets to really get the connection between wind drift and BC etched into your psychy.
You can learn shooting through the transonic isn't a big deal with some bullets, a train wreck with others, and why each are in the group they're in.
You could learn that magazine length and twist rate are just as important as the cartridge. 223 becomes a completely different animal when it's let out of an AR magazine and given a 1:7 barrel.
You'll run into optic travel limitations sooner and have to get after finding ways around them.
It'll be easier to find places to shoot, and shooting there will be a lot easier.
You'll have more money left for reloading stuff, your own targets, a spotting scope and the rest of the things needed to get good.

A 6.5 will get you to 1K faster but won't do nearly as good a job of preparing you for what's next.

[ElvenSoul]

In the end you could have just bought a Remington 5R!

[kcstott]

Great advice guys. Thank you.

Mixicus: Honestly, not really sure. I'm looking at shooting a few hundred yards to several once I get experience. Not planning on hunting or anything. Just wanna go to the range and hit far targets.

How would a .223 hold up for that?

well a .223 with 90 grain bullets and a 1:6 twist won the state championship

[NorCalFocus]

If your looking at shooting out to a max of about 500-600 yards a .223., max 1000 yards, .308, if you want to go 1000 easier and get out to maybe 1500, 6.5 creedmoor.

As other stated a heavy barrel rifle with a 24"-26" long barrel. For starting out, don't get super caught up in twist rate of the barrel.

I personally would go with a Ruger Precision, Remington 700, or Howa 1500. I like the Howa option as you can buy a barreled action and then buy what ever stock/chassis you want. All for under $1,000.

[kcstott]

If your looking at shooting out to a max of about 500-600 yards a .223., max 1000 yards, .308, if you want to go 1000 easier and get out to maybe 1500, 6.5 creedmoor.

As other stated a heavy barrel rifle with a 24"-26" long barrel. For starting out, don't get super caught up in twist rate of the barrel.

I personally would go with a Ruger Precision, Remington 700, or Howa 1500. I like the Howa option as you can buy a barreled action and then buy what ever stock/chassis you want. All for under $1,000.

You can do the same with a Rem 700. and a Remington is easier to work on.

[Toxicxk23]

Interesting question.....

If you look at it in terms of absolute distance, it runs out of steam pretty quickly. If you define long range as starting at the point where you have to hold over and can't just aim at the target anymore and ending at the point the bullet goes transonic, then it's ideal because it's a lot cheaper and requires a lot less space.

If you start with a 1:9 twist 223, you can learn a lot of things on a 1k yard range. Things you can put to making better purchasing decisions than you'll get fishing for internet consensus.

Your lessons on wind will be magnified.
You'll learn a lot about the use of a ballistics calculator and conditions in general.
You can do your initial long range ammo loading lessons on the cheap and just shoot more in general. There are 77 grain commercial loads out there to get you started.
You'll learn that 77 grains is 223 code for "I just fit in an AR magazine" and they stabilize with a 1:9 twist while a 75 grain bullet might not.
You can try the 80's and see what happens if you don't run enough twist or light varmint bullets to really get the connection between wind drift and BC etched into your psychy.
You can learn shooting through the transonic isn't a big deal with some bullets, a train wreck with others, and why each are in the group they're in.
You could learn that magazine length and twist rate are just as important as the cartridge. 223 becomes a completely different animal when it's let out of an AR magazine and given a 1:7 barrel.
You'll run into optic travel limitations sooner and have to get after finding ways around them.
It'll be easier to find places to shoot, and shooting there will be a lot easier.
You'll have more money left for reloading stuff, your own targets, a spotting scope and the rest of the things needed to get good.

A 6.5 will get you to 1K faster but won't do nearly as good a job of preparing you for what's next.

All jibberish to me but it's something I want to eventually learn!

If your looking at shooting out to a max of about 500-600 yards a .223., max 1000 yards, .308, if you want to go 1000 easier and get out to maybe 1500, 6.5 creedmoor.

As other stated a heavy barrel rifle with a 24"-26" long barrel. For starting out, don't get super caught up in twist rate of the barrel.

I personally would go with a Ruger Precision, Remington 700, or Howa 1500. I like the Howa option as you can buy a barreled action and then buy what ever stock/chassis you want. All for under $1,000.

I was looking at maybe a Remington 700 ADL 24" in .223. Pretty cheap and seems to be a reputable rifle. I think this would be a good start for me, someone who has NO idea/experience in distance shooting.