My Kid wants a gun...

Home | 3/3/03 | Patton

[patton]

Ok, my son is ready to upgrade from his .22 (the one my dad gave me).

His requirements are 1000m accuracy, cheap ammo.

Our deal is I buy the hardware, he buys the optics.

1000$ limit ($800 rifle, $200 optics).

Ideas?

[patton]

He has $115 toward the optics already - dang capatalist kid...

[patton]

Ping your friends - I am thinking a black powder .50

[aviator]

Would you like 1000m accuracy or would you like cheap ammo and optics?

[elbucko]

His requirements are 1000m accuracy, cheap ammo.

Don't we all.

[oldvike]

No offense, but I seriously don't see how you will meet those specs you've set forth for $1000.

1000 meters?

[oldvike]

Black powder 1000 meter accuracy? Patton, are you joking?

[patton]

Accuracy, the kid says - and I agree. He has wasted enough bricks of trash - he has to start thinking with each shot.

[CGASMIA68]

Better "AKS" Oprah!!

[patton]

LOL.

[Double Tap]

If you want 1000 meter accuracy, you don't want anything that uses black powder as a propellant.

[patton]

I can do this anyday - Blackpowder is science, art, and kentucky windage.

Actually, I am better with Black Powder.

But you have to want to do it...

[cavtrooper21]

Mauser bolt action - sturdy, inexpensive and easy to customize. Mine is dead on at 300+, has an old military step barrel. A good bull barrel will give it all the accuracy he needs. Plus he can add to it, make it truely "his" rifle... Re-loading will make for cheap and accurate ammo, but it takes time to learn (father/son time !) but will really add to the thrill of a good group.
Barrel will have to be headspaced by a good gunsmith, and a good trigger will be a must. Bruno of Cezch. is making a good action also, @ 500 clams, imported by Interarms.
Don't sell BSA or Tasco short, I have used both brands and have had great service from both.

[em2vn]

It would help to know what you son wants to shoot. Does he want the weapon for hunting or is he going to use it for competition. How old is he and what is his body build? Has he mastered good shooting technique with the .22 or is he just wanting something with more punch?

[DesertWalker]

A couple of years ago the Shotgun News ran an article about some scientists out at Dugway Proving Grounds in western Utah that tried firing old blackpowder cartridge rifles (.45-70, 50-90, etc.) at very long range to test the old stories of the extreme accuracy possible with those guns, like the Sharps buffalo rifles.

They were amazed at the results. I didn't keep the issue of SGN, but I think they claimed 2-3 minute of angle accuracy out to over a mile (!). You might do a search of the SGN website and see if the article is online.

[KriegerGeist]

Have him save up for one of these

Springfield Armory M1A Scout Squad Rifle

[Noslrac]

Good optics to shoot 1000m accurately are gonna cost far more than 200 bucks...thats a low end scope. 1000m is a large distance to go from shooting a 22lr, and btw he is gonna get some recoil with anything he plans to shoot 1000m. How old is he? and does he have a nice strong shoulder?

[45Auto]

1000 meters; the minimum is a 24-26 inch barreled .308. Even that will probably not be good at much further than 600 yards. I just built a .300 Win Mag for 1000 yard benchrest; that required about 2 years and something near $2000, less optics. I don't see any off-the-shelf $800 rifle, especially sporter weights, being more accurate than 1.5 minute of angle out to 300 yards. Optics with a power range of at least 20 will be required; probably the best scope for the money would be the Weaver V24 (6 x 24)at around $300. 1000 meters is a long distance.

[Noslrac]

oh and what is "accurate" at 1000m??? able to hit a barn?

[patton]

I like that - will look further. Thanks.

[Tailback]

If he really wants to shoot 1000 yards he needs to get more than $200 worth of optics. You can always go with a Savage 110 police sniper (errr varmint I mean) bed the stock and give it a trigger job for an inexpensive rifle. Optics are gonna cost and you may as well go with quality from the get-go.