Thread: $5k plus rigs, what do you have? Favour?

On the infamous MD Poll thread re distance of last killing shot I asked @whanahuia:
"On the off chance I might one day be in the mood to spend that sort of money, what was the rig you bought?"

I'm asking from a perspective that MD would possibly applaud, when he's reinstated of course - my minimal larger game hunting experience has mostly been in the 50 -120m range with the occasional foray to 220m..this reflects my decidedly limited field experience as well as my kit which tends to feature older 2nd hand wood and blue rifles and mid-level or cheaper projectiles..however I have slowly been creeping up. Over the last few.years I've moved slowly from Iron sights to optics with my "best" being 3-9x40 in either pre-owned Leupolds, or Fullfield IIs, plus a couple of Vortex Crossfire IIs.

I do have a couple of rifles in 270Win and 308 that are capable of a lot better. So next step is a better scope and range practice to be able to hit the gong at 300+m.

I'm guessing there are plenty like me out there who will probably never go further because we already have what it takes to fill the freezer or get the odd trophy. But, just in case, it would be interesting to hear what others would spend around that $5-6k mark on if acquiring a complete rig.

Let's hear it.

PS. The question is not "what's best", rather what you liked enough to buy.

Saw your question so thought id come over and start.

Ive only ever bought one brand new rifle in my life too this point. That was a BRNO 270, and I bought it at 21 years old. Among other reasons I tuned 50 this year and thought I could shout myself another one and moving too the south island I had an idea in mind.
So I tracked down what might possibly be the last brand new Barrett Feildcraft in .270, in the world, as they stopped making them a couple of years back. On top of it I put a GPO 30mm 1.5-9x44 with illuminated dot and MIL dots.

My thinking was that Im not interested in whats now described as long range shooting. I want a set up thats great on dusk and dawn. Good in the bush. Uses a cartridge that I can get hold of anywhere in the world. Is flat shooting enough that I do not need to carry a rangefinder. And that will allow me to comfortably kill out too 400 meters if warranted. It also had to be light weight as I intend to carry it more than shoot it.
Also the 270 really had to have a 24 inch barrel to get the best out of factory ammo and make my life easy as far as reloading gos.



Reload group with 130 grain speer hot core and 53gr ar2209 doing 3100fps
It will also shoot similar groups with winchester Accubond ct 140gr factory ammo


Mondays effort.


And it works in the bush as well.


What would I change? I dont know that I needed to have the 30mm tube. I could have saved some weight and gone for a one inch tube possibly. I like the scope and its performing well but I always intended to upgrade to a swaro when I get the chance. Just to give me that bit more morning and evening ability.

From personal experience:
Howa rifle in calibre of your choice, ali chassis stock, VX3 or similar, Bipod/some type of support, range finder. Spend remainder on ammo and trigger time.

Originally Posted by whanahuia

Saw your question so thought id come over and start.

Ive only ever bought one brand new rifle in my life too this point. That was a BRNO 270, and I bought it at 21 years old. Among other reasons I tuned 50 this year and thought I could shout myself another one and moving too the south island I had an idea in mind.
So I tracked down what might possibly be the last brand new Barrett Feildcraft in .270, in the world, as they stopped making them a couple of years back. On top of it I put a GPO 30mm 1.5-9x44 with illuminated dot and MIL dots.

My thinking was that Im not interested in whats now described as long range shooting. I want a set up thats great on dusk and dawn. Good in the bush. Uses a cartridge that I can get hold of anywhere in the world. Is flat shooting enough that I do not need to carry a rangefinder. And that will allow me to comfortably kill out too 400 meters if warranted. It also had to be light weight as I intend to carry it more than shoot it.
Also the 270 really had to have a 24 inch barrel to get the best out of factory ammo and make my life easy as far as reloading gos.



Reload group with 130 grain speer hot core and 53gr ar2209 doing 3100fps
It will also shoot similar groups with winchester Accubond ct 140gr factory ammo


Mondays effort.


And it works in the bush as well.


What would I change? I dont know that I needed to have the 30mm tube. I could have saved some weight and gone for a one inch tube possibly. I like the scope and its performing well but I always intended to upgrade to a swaro when I get the chance. Just to give me that bit more morning and evening ability.

Excellent response! Thks

It's lucky MD is taking a break

I don't own a $5K rig, but it's not that much if you think about. You could easily blow $2-2.5K on a Tikka variant, $2-2.5K on a decent scope and $500 on a suppressor.

so 300rum with nikko stirling?

Sako carbon light and a Swarovski

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The only time I’ve spent anywhere close to the figure of $5k, was my mixed breed AR, with IOR scope, set up for Service Rifle open class. I got it perfected just in time to say goodbye to it.
It was quite a capable 500m match shooter.
That was the first and last time I have ever spent that kind of money on a rifle.
That being said, I’m quite interested in what fancy rigs other people have, just in case I win lotto…

I’d be lucky to have $5k of stuff in total….wonder at times s how I ever get to shoot anything….


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Shooting goats/tahr/deer up to about 250-280M is one game that I happily do with just about any rifle scope combination that will hold a reliable zero. Shooting them around 300 starts to get interesting and I like a rifle that will consistently shoot under 1.5 moa - practically any modern centrefire.

Past 350 and it's a different game, and my first thought always is to get closer, which is nearly always possible in any terrain for anyone who has spent a bit of time in the high country and is proficient in reading "the lye of the land". It's more reliable, easier and cheaper to learn to get a bit closer than it is to learn to shoot at long range.

And a rifle to do it then? Well first you're gonna have to get you head around the old adage "spend more money on your scope than your rifle" - the scope is the critical tool.. The rifle under it - just about any modern well tuned factory rifle with careful handloads along with plenty of practice will get you shooting sub MOA and that's good enough think about extending your range past 400M.

Personally, despite frequently shooting my hunting rifles to 600Y on the range, I wouldn't bother trying to shoot a deer past 400M, and that would be in extreme circumstances. Recently I watched one of the best stags I've ever seen from 360M but passed up the shot, just too hard to read what the wind was doing accross the gullies. We stalked in closer but he'd jisted it. Still better that wounding and losing it.

Originally Posted by tiroahunta

I’d be lucky to have $5k of stuff in total….wonder at times s how I ever get to shoot anything….


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I think thats the point of Mickys other threads. You dont need to spend that much too do well. The way i read this thread its about what and why people choose to go that bit further price wise.

Originally Posted by tiroahunta

I’d be lucky to have $5k of stuff in total….wonder at times s how I ever get to shoot anything….

Hey Micky! I don't think anyone is saying you have to spend $5K, but clearly there are those that can afford it and like nice toys. Where's the harm? As per my previous post, I think the $10K question would be more revealing.

You don't need to spend 5k or a rig to shoot 3-500m.

My 7mm08 xbolt was brought second hand, put a new leupold 3x9 50 cds and home loads and we shoot targets past 500m all the time

easy enough to spend 5k

Tikka t3x + Leupold VX5 + DPT suppressor + Blacklanz/MTN Bipod.

Not saying you have to, but with prices where they have gone in the past few years 5k is no longer a whole lot for a decent shooting rig.

So the thread was not intended to be about what you do or don't need to shoot this distance or that. Nor about what is best or worst. Rather it was an invitation to those who have spent large $$$ on rigs to share what they bought, maybe a bit how they have found it etc. As @whanahuia kindly did