Looking to buy a rifle for 300-600 yards

[vipermd]

At Boot Camp we were taught to make sight adjustments on three round groups. But then I guess the Marines don't know anything about shooting. Or is it some folks can't get a GROUP without firing ten rounds.

I guess My Grandfather, Father, and Brother all taught me wrong, I guess it must be that they are Marines. Be Safe,

 

[AJ]

I guess My Grandfather, Father, and Brother all taught me wrong, I guess it must be that they are Marines. Be Safe,

Not everyone wears an Expert shooting badge, even in the Marines.

 

[cmansguns]

Didn't see this one on anyone's list

Not the newest, no scope needed out to 300 yds IIRC on the KD ranges 50 plus years ago.

30-06 caliber....rugged, proven, 2 legged game gatherer of yesteryear....

John C.'s finest

For those that want to slow it down a bit...there is choice 2 in my book....same fine caliber.

 

[vipermd]

Not everyone wears an Expert shooting badge, even in the Marines.

True but my brother did in 1964 after he became a Marine , at Paris Island
Thank You for your service. Be Safe,

 

[Farmer17]

I bought a Howa Hunter 1500 with walnut stock in 6.5 Creedmor for under 500 bucks and mounted a Vortex Diamondback 4-12X scope with long range reticle that was on sale for $220. I love the moderate recoil and I don't enjoy shooting an 06' or bigger off the bench. The reticle on the scope has circle marks I believe, out to 600 yards and I love shooting the gun and think it looks pretty classy for the money.

 

[AJ]

True but my brother did in 1964 after he became a Marine , at Paris Island
Thank You for your service. Be Safe,

You are welcome and thank you. I was there in 1969. Was back in 2017 to see my Grandson graduate wearing his Expert badge.

 

[TIMETRIPPER]

Heck, if the OP wants to have some real fun shooting out to 600 yards (and beyond), I suggest buying a nice old Trapdoor with the Buffington rear sight and start slinging 500 grain slugs down range. It'll be a real learning experience.

John

 

[Nevada Ed]

Why is it that everyone shows their rifles, but never any targets?

The Range officer will not let anyone go out and take pictures of the metal targets out at 300 to 800 yards.

I have some 100 yard targets some where around the house......
maybe I can find one or two ?

 

[Nevada Ed]

Here is a 200 yard target that I found.
I had one of the guys at the range walk out to 200 yards for me,
since I just got the green light from my doctor to start shooting again
and I started with my light weight 22-250 rifle to see what would happen.
Having four of my neck vertebra fused together made getting down on the stock, very interresting.
I was finally able to figure somting out and try out some test loads that I had.

I generally don't give out loading data , but hay, here is one of my targets, to make you happy.

 

[sheepdawg]

This is my 6.5X55 MM rifle. The action was made in 1902 and it was rebarreled by the Swedish government in 1966. It is an Swedish CG 63 no scope only iron sights.

I used to shoot a 1918 Swedish m41/B 6.5X55 in vintage sniper matches. 800 yards is doable but pretty tough with that 4X Ajack sitting on it. The 6.5X55 is a fantastic round.

 

[BigBill]

I was weened on a 30-06 at 18 yo.(1978). In 1994 I wanted to bump up in power. I looked and looked and the 338 win mag is for any game in North America plus thin skinned game in Africa. That's 4,000 ft.lbs @ muzzle and 2,700ft.lbs @ 200 yds. At 100 yds I put two bullets through the same hole.

1994, Remington 700 338 win mag. Winchester super x ammo.

 

[AJ]

Here is a 200 yard target that I found.
I had one of the guys at the range walk out to 200 yards for me,
since I just got the green light from my doctor to start shooting again
and I started with my light weight 22-250 rifle to see what would happen.
Having four of my neck vertebra fused together made getting down on the stock, very interresting.
I was finally able to figure somting out and try out some test loads that I had.

I generally don't give out loading data , but hay, here is one of my targets, to make you happy.

I understand the problem. After Open Heart a few years back my Doctor would not let me shoot. And to be honest I did not feel like shooting either. When I went back to shooting it was with .22 LR heavy barrels.

Asking for targets that folks say they shot, is just the evidence that they did. Lots of folks on the internet that say they do/did things, that are just talking. You see it at the range the guys shows up with a ton of high speed gear and talks big. Then can't hit the broad side of the barn. No offense was meant to those that can do it. Besides I like to look at pretty pictures!

AJ

 

[AJ]

I used to shoot a 1918 Swedish m41/B 6.5X55 in vintage sniper matches. 800 yards is doable but pretty tough with that 4X Ajack sitting on it. The 6.5X55 is a fantastic round.

I thought I wanted one of those, but could never find one. Maybe one will come into the lGS one of these days.

The action on my CG 63 was manufactured in 1902. The Swedes reuse there parts well.

Yes, the 6.5X55 MM is a fantastic round. It has been around for 127 years and the newer 6.5's don't do it any differently.

 

[brucev]

I need some input on which rifle and which caliber to buy for shooting at distances of 300-600 yards. The 6.5 Creedmore comes to mind and also the .308. I've had Remington BDL (223) varmint rifles that performed very well. I hear Savage makes a good long range rifle too. Of course the rifle would be topped with a quality 3-9x scope. Your opinions please.

From your OP and follow up I gather you want a rifle chambered for recreational target shooting, etc. Hunting not being the big issue, you will be better served with a rifle that combines a high degree of mechanical accuracy w/ a caliber that is proven to be capable of excellent performance at your stated distances.

With that in mind, look at off the shelf rifles. I would suggest a Remington 700 stainless steel rifle w/ heavy barrel chambered in 6.5 Creedmore. This offers the advantages of mechanical accuracy proven across years of benchrest competition by a multitude of marksmen using a multiplicity of calibers. The 6mm PPC would be outstanding, but it is not a common factory chambering nor does it portend excellent results at distances of six football fields. The 6.5 Creedmore is suggested as it allows you to use a broad variety of bullet styles/weight that offer proven performance at the range and of course out in the woods and fields.

Reasoning for the above suggestion is based on experience and reading. Once upon a time I started out w/ a nice Winchester Model 70 chambered in a fine little cartridge ... the .243 Winchester. With lighter bullets it was excellent on the range. Out in the fields, it was excellent on small/medium game out to maybe 300 yds. or so. It was not so useful for heavier game, i.e., hogs and deer. Hit right, deer dropped like they'd been pole axed. Muddy hogs were a different matter. Bullet weight topped out at about 108 gr. using a Speer round nosed bullet. That round nose did not offer much use at significant distance. The 6.5 CM avoids this problem. It uses the 6.5 bore, which has been proven effective ever since Mauser developed it for Sweden ... ( 6.5 x 55 MM Swedish Mauser ), combined with a casing that uses the common US standard .308 /.30-06 case head in a short-action receiver.

One further thought ... In the marksman ship triangle ... the rifle and cartridge are of course of great concern. The human factor is always variable. Under ideal conditions, you will be the deciding factor. Recoil will be a factor in your on target results. For a short run of shot strings ... maybe five groups of five shots ... it will not be a big issue. It will be a noticeable issue when (not "if") you begin to shoot 10 shot strings of say 10 groups firing at more than 100 yds. Of course this all reflects only my experience, etc. However regardless of whether I was firing a early elegant 1903 Springfield rifle striving for one MOA 10 shot groups or a hot shot be all to end all factory rifle fitted for breath taking on target results ... striving for sub-MOA groups ... recoil has a cumulative consequence on results. I have had a couple of different factory rifles w/ heavy barrels, etc., that using 52/55 grain bullets have produced five groups of five shots each that measured in the .300 - .400 MOA range. This did not happen in scalding hot summer weather. In the woods/fields ... it was very difficult to take these rifles and loads and produce groups of less than .75MOA firing from common field positions. HTH. JMHO. You know! Sincerely. bruce.

 

[AJ]

A nice 6.5X55 MM Swede is a great rifle. This an interesting article. https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2021/1/26/behind-the-bullet-65x55-swedishEspecially the part about W.M.D. Bell, W. D. M. Bell - Wikipedia.

I would look for a Swedish Model 96 or a 41 if you can find one. The local guys with Creedmores are using big scopes and I use irons, 99.9% of the time I shoot better groups.

 

[TheHobbyist]

I have shot deer hunting at 300-400 yards, with 30-06 or .308, much more then that, you better be good; otherwise, you risk wounding an animal. As they say, your mileage may vary. Need a clear picture too and experience at that distance...