Thread: long range newbie starting out. gear wanted

If you are currently using a 2-7x then a step up to 4.5-14x or similar will be a big benefit further out. VX3 or similar will be within your budget. Then spend as much again practicing with it.
Maybe @Sarvo can help?

My little vixen 3x12 scope on a 20 rail will get my 308 to 800yds easily using Hornady 165gr or 150gr.But most deer or roos are inside 300yds.
If your animals are 600 to 1000yds out,you should be able to stalk in on them.Im also the caretaker of a 300 win mag,26 in barrel.With Hornady 180ge ssts its pretty reliable at blowing rabbit heads off at 400yds.I could easily shot deer out to 800yds with the 300, but I still got to collect them after shooting them.I do enjoy the stalk in on them.

Originally Posted by Shearer

If you are currently using a 2-7x then a step up to 4.5-14x or similar will be a big benefit further out. VX3 or similar will be within your budget. Then spend as much again practicing with it.
Maybe @Sarvo can help?

yeah i understand that but i have the set up for work i have cut the velocity back a bit and use a round nose sp projectile so when you shoot beef it doesnt pass through and down the spinal cord and out the back or neck etc. and yes you can shoot down on them or up at them to eliminate that too but they are animals and sometimes you can only get a straight on shot, it is a good rifle for what i use it for inclose in the bush and for work, but wanting to go out further and dont want to muck around re zeroing,( i dont have exposed turrets or zero stop or bdc just a duplex and i hold over) and chopping and changing ammo so i thought set up a 300win mag start at 25m and work out getting time to understand it and become capable with it. i understand what others are saying in start with a smaller caliber and get that going and step up but why not just set up one gun and spend all your time on it and not have to change it out later. just my thoughts anyway

Originally Posted by country cuts

i understand what others are saying in start with a smaller caliber and get that going and step up but why not just set up one gun and spend all your time on it and not have to change it out later. just my thoughts anyway

For what it is worth, I also have a 223 which I have set up and shoot that to over 900yds with match ammo. It's a hoot and is good, cheap training on steel. Much cheaper than 300WM to train common principles and practices.

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Originally Posted by Trout

My little vixen 3x12 scope on a 20 rail will get my 308 to 800yds easily using Hornady 165gr or 150gr.But most deer or roos are inside 300yds.
If your animals are 600 to 1000yds out,you should be able to stalk in on them.Im also the caretaker of a 300 win mag,26 in barrel.With Hornady 180ge ssts its pretty reliable at blowing rabbit heads off at 400yds.I could easily shot deer out to 800yds with the 300, but I still got to collect them after shooting them.I do enjoy the stalk in on them.

nice the long shots on deer are farm ones so easy to recover i could have brought another 308 but wanted another caliber so settled on the 300 win mag, my 308 is set up for work and the round nose soft points probably arent ideal to get out there and dont want to be mucking around re zeroing as i use it nearly every week other wise i would have put a better scope on and picked a load for the 308 to do it, what powder are you running for your 300 loads

Originally Posted by Feral

For what it is worth, I also have a 223 which I have set up and shoot that to over 900yds with match ammo. It's a hoot and is good, cheap training on steel. Much cheaper than 300WM to train common principles and practices.

Sent from my SM-G980F using Tapatalk

yeah looked at them and another 308 but never had a big caliber so was a case of have a go and learn

I don't reload,308 fmj 147gr (cheap as )for roos and rabbits and practice.I zero with on the shelf Hornady ssts 150gr and 147gr fmj has the same zero at a 100yds,good enough for out to 250 yds on roos.The 300 I only use Hornady ssts 180gr.Expensive but deadly accurate.
Don't shoot farm deer.

Originally Posted by Shearer

If you are currently using a 2-7x then a step up to 4.5-14x or similar will be a big benefit further out. VX3 or similar will be within your budget. Then spend as much again practicing with it.
Maybe @Sarvo can help?

I just mounted a Delta Titanium HD 4-24×50 SFP on my S&L 6.5
I have never used a scope with such high Mag
I am looking 4200m across bay - amazing with the SF - I can clearly see everything (not going to mention exact details :-)
I think its time I found some open terrain to hunt - the scope will not be the limiter that is for sure

Originally Posted by country cuts

yeah i understand that but i have the set up for work i have cut the velocity back a bit and use a round nose sp projectile so when you shoot beef it doesnt pass through and down the spinal cord and out the back or neck etc. and yes you can shoot down on them or up at them to eliminate that too but they are animals and sometimes you can only get a straight on shot, it is a good rifle for what i use it for inclose in the bush and for work, but wanting to go out further and dont want to muck around re zeroing,( i dont have exposed turrets or zero stop or bdc just a duplex and i hold over) and chopping and changing ammo so i thought set up a 300win mag start at 25m and work out getting time to understand it and become capable with it. i understand what others are saying in start with a smaller caliber and get that going and step up but why not just set up one gun and spend all your time on it and not have to change it out later. just my thoughts anyway

Yeah. I meant a 4.5-14 or similar on your 300WM.

308 a very cheap rifle to feed,depending on yr choice of ammo,targets and animals.

@country cuts.
Seems to me after reading your thread that you are quite experienced with short .308win out to 200 or so. The 300 magnums are very good for longer range but there are considerablely more severe external ballistics factors you need to be aware of. Stresses on action and barrel and the vibrations / harmonics generated on bedding and stock ad well as much more heat generation all mean a heavier action, stock and barrel will allow more precise shooting. Relatively heavy action bolts and barrel such as in schultz and larsens will serve you better than "lite" models. Various barrel lengths and muzzle diameters are options for these and similar high end brands of rifles. As far as scope are concerned, strong bases and rings are mandatory in order to get best performance from your chsen scope. As others have mentioned a Leupold 4.4-14*40 will get you out to 800 easily. Once you get competent at condistently shooting groups central on aiming mark not exceeding 8" @ 800 or 5" @ 500 yards you will be in a situation of enough confidence to perhaps upgrade your equipment even more. However, long shots at animals are generally very difficult. Personally, I have done a lot of shooting at game and targets (now in mid 70's) and would think very carefully even now, before attempting a kill shot at 500, wind etc considered, even with .30 mag hunting rifle.
Pricewise your probably looking at (new gear):--
Rifle $2500-$4500.
Mounts and rings; $250-$300+.
Scope--$1200-$2000.
Add to that you dies, brass, powder etc. As for bullets, I have found the tried and true Sierra sbt gameking 180's just as accurate ad all the great new tipped long blah blah stuff; just a little higher trajectory is all, and not so fussy to sort for a good load. Good luck. Get the heaviest action and barrel you can bear to hunt with.

Just another point. The leupy 4.5-14 has a b&c varminter option. This has finer crosshairs and hokdover graticles and allows more precise aim than standard duplex reticle.

Originally Posted by Woody

@country cuts.
Seems to me after reading your thread that you are quite experienced with short .308win out to 200 or so. The 300 magnums are very good for longer range but there are considerablely more severe external ballistics factors you need to be aware of. Stresses on action and barrel and the vibrations / harmonics generated on bedding and stock ad well as much more heat generation all mean a heavier action, stock and barrel will allow more precise shooting. Relatively heavy action bolts and barrel such as in schultz and larsens will serve you better than "lite" models. Various barrel lengths and muzzle diameters are options for these and similar high end brands of rifles. As far as scope are concerned, strong bases and rings are mandatory in order to get best performance from your chsen scope. As others have mentioned a Leupold 4.4-14*40 will get you out to 800 easily. Once you get competent at condistently shooting groups central on aiming mark not exceeding 8" @ 800 or 5" @ 500 yards you will be in a situation of enough confidence to perhaps upgrade your equipment even more. However, long shots at animals are generally very difficult. Personally, I have done a lot of shooting at game and targets (now in mid 70's) and would think very carefully even now, before attempting a kill shot at 500, wind etc considered, even with .30 mag hunting rifle.
Pricewise your probably looking at (new gear):--
Rifle $2500-$4500.
Mounts and rings; $250-$300+.
Scope--$1200-$2000.
Add to that you dies, brass, powder etc. As for bullets, I have found the tried and true Sierra sbt gameking 180's just as accurate ad all the great new tipped long blah blah stuff; just a little higher trajectory is all, and not so fussy to sort for a good load. Good luck. Get the heaviest action and barrel you can bear to hunt with.

thanks for that might look into a graduation in glass was going to buy a good scope and cry once but budget isn't going to allow by the looks these are the tips etc to help me out

Good choice for the long range stuff (300 WM) my 300 wm has a 4x16 Vortex HS and find it fine and reliable which won't break the bank ( bit over a thousand these days)
I think some of the cheaper high magnification scope when using them at over 20 power can get a bit fuzzy and that is where the more expensive brands come into there own.
I have only shot steel at long range and don't think I would take a shot at an animal at around 600 yards unless the conditions were right. 600 yards is a bloody long way in my books .
I would be inclined to use at least the 200 gr bullet in the 300 WM for long range shooting. I use the 200 gr ELD X and RL 26 powder for about 2900 fps.
Plenty of practice will get you there, and start shooting at animals at 300 then 400 yds as your confidence in rifle, reading the conditions and your personal ability and you won't go to far wrong.

@country cut. Here is a link that hold some insights. Both the Canadian and Danish army have adopted this colt as a sniper rifle. .308 win. 18" bbl. Proven reliable .66 moa groups over all ranges and conditions. But note the weight. 18" bbl; empty mag; without scope or suppressor fitted. 9.1 pounds. Those specs tell us something about solidity of action and bbl as well as the proven 7.62*51 cartridge. They're using velocity of only around 2600fps.
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/...-sniper-rifle/