**RIFLE VANITY** Long-Distance Shooting and Hunting

12/17/2011 | Moi

[rabidralph]

I am looking to buy a rifle that would serve two purposes: primarily a long-distance shooter and secondarily a larger game taker downer :-)

I like to shoot beyond 600 yards and I want a rifle to suit that purpose. From info I've gathered, I should get a larger-calibered rifle, with at least a 24" barrel. I would like to keep the rifle below 10lbs because I also want to hunt with it some day. I am interested in hunting elk and moose, eventually. So I am thinking of a .308.

[Polynikes]

“But I want one rifle that can serve two purposes.”

30-06 comes in a wide variety of weight and chambered by virtually all manufacturers. It always was the workhorse for hunting and is plentifull and relatively cheap. Keep the range back to 150 yd max as another FReeper said. In practical terms most shots worked out to about to 80-100yds. Good hunting skills coupled with carefull shot placement goes a long way.

[yarddog]

Since you are not going to shoot game beyond 300 yards and want an accurate rifle for long range target shooting, just about any high powered rifle rifle should do the job.

I think the .270, 30-06, 308 and even the 6.5 Swedish Mauser would do the job. If you don’t mind a bit more recoil then the 7mm Remington Mag, all the .300 mags, and the 8mm Remington would all produce more than enough power.

[Glennb51]

I think you and I are the only ones who prefer the 165 grain bullet. Almost everything I have read says use the 180. I use the 165 fro exactly the reasons you describe. Good hunting!

[rabidralph]

Thanks, I’ll check into it.

[Smokin' Joe]

Consider a Savage 110 in .30-06. The round is cheap, the rifle accurate, yet inexpensive, and .30-06 will take down any North American game with the right bullet. There is also a wide range of components available for reloading including different bullet weights and compositions.

[rabidralph]

Thanks. I do plan on learning reloading at some point. I have a few friends who are willing to show me how it’s done.

[Designer]

rabidralph; no offense, but if you can't afford to get a 600-yard target rifle, my advice is to keep saving up until you can.

Most of the cartriges mentioned already will perform adequately, but it is ultimately the rifle that dictates accuracy.

You should strive for a top-quality bolt action that is built for accuracy, and that means custom, not off the shelf.

Then you need to work up the best-performing handload for that particular rifle.

This is assuming that you can do your part, which usually takes considerable practice.

As far as taking a large animal, I don't know why anyone would take a target rifle out in the weather and subject it to casual handling.

[rabidralph]

Apologies accepted :-)

[Uri’el-2012]

I prefer Savage for long range precision shooting.

6.5 - 7 mm for flat shooting.

[Errant]

I think you and I are the only ones who prefer the 165 grain bullet. Pretty much my favorite as well for a .30 caliber round.

[rabidralph]

Those Fins sure think a lot of their rifles :-)

[rabidralph]

Thank you for responding and for relating your personal experiences with that model.

[Joe Boucher]

Vacationed at Priest Lake, Idaho once.
Guy there hunted Grizzley Bears with a bow and arrow.
I said, “ No problem, just have a Desert Eagle strapped to your thigh”.
He said Oh no, you can have a knife but NO firearm during bow hunt season.
I thought, Whoa.
I kinda like that 300 yard shot with a cannon.

[rabidralph]

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate your reasoning about the .300WM. My friend’s rifle is a 7mm and it was comfortable for me to handle. I will not be shooting game beyond 200 yards. I just want to target practice at long distances.

[American in Israel]

Just bought a nice rifle, with hunting as a secondary object. It was a Springfield M1A. Not exactly what your looking for. But I did ask a lot of hunters up here in Alaska about the .308 and the general consensus was that the .308 was adequate for moose and black bear at the lower end of things. More than one hunter uses that round. It however is all in the shot placement.

I was thinking more like 50 yards for zombies, 150 for moose and target fun beyond that. So I added the semi-auto function to service the 50 yard range. By the way, a charging Griz is a zombie in my book.

Rifle is 9.3 rounds unloaded with a medium weight match barrel and synthetic stock. Love it by the way.

[seton89]

Nobody has mentioned Vasily Grigoryevich Zaytsev.

[rabidralph]

Thanks for the recommendation. I will not be shooting at game I don’t intend to eat, unless my friends invite me over for varmint hunting. I do plan on shooting at game at 250 yards and fewer. I appreciate your advice.

[rabidralph]

Thanks! I didn’t know that. I would have to go out of state to hunt moose and elk anyway.

[satan69]

Also check out the 7.62 before you buy, They are cheap and will do the job you are asking for!

[Lando Lincoln]

I recently picked up a .25-06 Ruger Model 77 with a bull barrel at auction. It had never been fired and I bought it on impulse (fellow gun owners know what I mean, I’m sure). I want to put better optics on it but what a shooter! It will do most everything you want. I guess it weighs about 9 lbs with the heavy barrel.