And $600 worth of bullets.
Define “long range”.
Rem 700 has a reputation for the trigger setting itself off as you turn off the safety.
I would look for an old Remington P-17. Buy it used. Darn things were made in 1917/18 and shoot like gimlets.
What is the target?
And $600 worth of bullets.
Rem 700 in 308 is a great choice. Probably the most popular bolt action in America, so parts are readily available. The army has been using it for snipers for decades.
As for the comment above about triggers, I can only say I used to have one, and had no such problem. And if it is there are lots of after market triggers available. Plus the thing was a tack driver.
Look into the Ruger American Rifle. It comes in various calibers including 308 Winchester and 30-06
If you are going to carry the gun while hiking/hunting, you’ll probably hate yourself for buying a 20” with a bull barrel (less taper than a standard sporter barrel).
If you’re just using it for target practice or hunting situations where you hike, then sit and wait, a 20” bull barrel in .308 is a good choice.
Personally, I like the .308 cartridge because it’s a pleasure to shoot. The “kick” is more like a “push”, so it’s a good round that reduces the tendency to develop recoil anticipation.
The Remington 700 has lots of aftermarket support from stocks to trigger groups and bolts/bolt handles. The level of customization is nearly limitless if you get bored with your setup. It’s a tried and true choice.
My .308 bolt is not a Remington, but I have a 20” bull barrel. It’s hard to find aftermarket parts for, but it’s what I wanted. If you’re shooting longer ranges(600+), you may have to get a longer barrel for the highest amount of precision. I shoot mine out to 850 yards, with 500 yards being the most frequent distance.
The gun will be fine. You’ll be very happy with it. .308 Winchester is well known to be an all around great round out to 1,000 yards. I have never heard anyone complain about it’s inherent accuracy potential and the same can be said of the Remington 700. Make sure you put a quality scope on it and secure it with quality mounts/rings. I would recommend a hornady lock n load chamber gauge for finding your lands and a Redding competition seating die for seating your bullets off of them consistently. I’m currently working on a Remington 700 Sendero in 300 Winchester magnum which will be set up this way for next summer. fun fun fun.
.243’s have the best accuracy over long range, or so I’m told.
Dad bought a Remington 700 series .300winmag. That’s long range. The SEALS use a version of it for their sniper rifle.
Here is some background on the rifle (Jeff Quinn's Gunblast article).
In my experiance Savage rifles with AccuTrigger will shoot with anything dollar for dollar out of the box. I have not only owned many guns I have helped many hunters sight in their guns at the gun club.
My Savage .223 can routinely do same hole at 100 yards and 1in. at 200. I don't even consider a prairie dog shot at less than 300 yards. I am no marksman. Just a guy who bought a good gun and found a good scope and the right ammo to match the rifle.
Several of my friends have Savage in various calibers and they are all of similar quality and capabilities.
Unless I was going for a custom rifle I would not consider anything but Savage.
Remington 700 in .308 for a deer rifle is good. If you just like shooting long range go for the .300 win mag
For a rifle that is every bit as good as the Remington but a LOT less money, check out the Savage Model 11 series. I’ll stack the out of the box trigger on the Savage up against a custom job on the 700 any day.
Tikka T3 Lite. I bought mine for a shade over $500 last year and it’s a fantastic piece of equipment for the money. CZ is also really, really good.
Just bought a cheapy Savage but lots of people really like there. Remington has had some quality control issues over the last few years so I stayed away from them. Know one guy personally who’s new 700 had the bolt seize in the locked position. Couldn’t knock it out of lock with a hammer in a vice. Sent it back to them.
