I wouldn't attempt a shot over 200yds with iron sight, and would prefer to be 100yds or less for that.
However, the hot/cold barrel issue you mention is alleviated by cryogenically treating a classic, lightweight barrel. It's more important with the "button-pull" rifling than cut rifling, but important nevertheless.
That "first shot" in a cold barrel will almost always hit differently than subsequent shots and the differenc3e can be dramatic...as much as 5 inches at 100yds.
You can get your barrel frozen for $250. It's worth it.
And YES, the average Joe with a $1000 rig can hit at 500yds, every time.
I stand corrected. See I think of a scope as an important accessory that always has the chance of failure at a critical moment. Which is why when I purchased my range finding Shepherd Scope to mount on my tuned M1A I left myself the option of using a see through mount so I could still acquire the iron sights if I should suffer a scope failure. This could be as simple as a dropped or bumped weapon causing the reticle to shift and lose the "zero."
A sniper rifle isn't the same as a battle rifle simply because the former is designed to be used under still and stealthy conditions, once or twice and then carefully exfiltrated from the "hide." Whereas a battle rifle has to be used with good old reliable under all sorts of extreme conditions and fired many many times in rapid or even full auto (burst or not) conditions. It might be used as a literal club or a spear with the fixed bayonet. Are you planning to use your thousand dollar rig in such a manner? Of course not. It's not a battle rifle. That's why it's not the rifle that wins battles, it's the individual rifleman and his dedication and dare I say it.... His HEROISM.
You can get your barrel frozen for $250. It's worth it.
Sorry, not interested. As I said I'm not a bench rest shooter. I'm fully capable of combat accuracy as my equipment currently stands.
And YES, the average Joe with a $1000 rig can hit at 500yds, every time.
Sorry, I call BS. Just because you have a thousand dollar rig doesn't mean you are capable in your own skills of living up to the potential of your own equipment. In fact the vast majority of shooters aren't capable of matching the performance of their normal stock deer rifles and optics. Forget about living up to ANY of the weapons on this page