Howdy. I'm interested in getting into long range shooting, but want to start with what I have. I already have a Remington 700 .270 win, a Winchester 70 .243, and a Remington 742 .30-06. If I were to choose one to practice with and make improvements on, which should I start with? The .243 seems to have the friendliest ballistics based on the research I did on the ammo I already own. Does anyone have a suggestion? Thanks.
Help getting started with what I have
- Thread starter Bilco1
- Start date
None of those will have a whole lot of widely regarded match ammo nor are they likely set up for massive success at distance. The 243 would be the best bet maybe but then again the 3006 is likely twisted faster to take advantage of the few heavier bullet match loading a available, better than the 243 is most likely.
If you have ammo for the 243 shoot it. Get a good zero and take good notes on what happens at distance. Good notes and measurements is what long distance is all about.
If you have ammo for the 243 shoot it. Get a good zero and take good notes on what happens at distance. Good notes and measurements is what long distance is all about.
Definitely agree if you have plenty of ammo for one in particular play with it and start learning some of the basics. Hopefully you have the right optic as far as learning it also. Download a good app like the Hornady 4dof and start learning that. Put those three together rifle, scope and ballistics and any of those rifles will at least get you learning. Use that time to figure out how serious you want to get and you’ll be on your way. Dry fire and read, take a class!
.243 with reloads will work great, look at all the other 6mm's everyone is shooting. Not much match ammo available over the counter so you'd need to reload for best results. Probably a new barrel with a faster twist as well if you wanted to shoot heavier bullets. The easy button is buy a 6.5 CM and shoot it a lot once you can find ammo.
Howdy. Thank you for your suggestions. I have a few boxes for each. The closest range only goes out to 450 yards, so I'll be progressing slowly.
I wish I had plenty of ammo. I do need a tactical optic. I guess that's a whole other conversation. I've been looking at Arken and swfa scopes.
I've thought about reloading, but supplies for reloading seem to be as sparse as ammo in general. I think I picked a bad time to start this project lol
You’ll be fine with all three teaching out to 450. I agree with above advice on reading up and practicing techniques with dry fire. Ryan Cleckner has a lot of videos that may be helpful. Especially reading wind, understanding MOA and MILS, fundamentals of properly setting up a rifle and scope, etc.
Thank you. I've watched a lot of videos and read a few articles (including Frank's here on snipershide.com) that have been awesome. I read Cleckner's Beginners guide to long range shooting as well. I ordered a .30 dry fire laser but it is taking forever to arrive.
I appreciate everyone's help so far. I didn't expect to get so much feedback so quickly! (I'm new to this forum)
If I were to buy a beginner's scope, (under $400) does anyone have a recommendation that eventually would get me out to 1000 yards?
If your questions was will a $400 scope get you too 1,000 yds the answer is yes. And the arken is one of them
You'll save yourself money in the log run by purchasing a better optic.
This is entirely true but if your budget doesn’t permit which everybody’s does not. There’s a massive diversity of what type of money is available to people on snipershide don’t be afraid of some of the quality budget friendly options. Most of what you’re after at this beginning step is in your ballistics knowledge and your finger.
I've heard that in several places. Fortunately for me, all of my current rifles have pretty cheap scopes, so as I upgrade scopes the lesser one can trickle down to one of my other rifles. I appreciate your advice though!
I'm blown away by how helpful y'all have been in less than 4 hours!!!
243 for sure. The others will beat you up a bit but.... will work.
I sight in friends 270 and 30-06 hunting rifles for them, it's silly how much they recoil!
450Y is mid range so practically any factory ammo will work. I'd go for 90gr through 100 grain ammo personally. These are in the .45 BC range but will be going close to 3000 fps.
I'd get a FFP Athlon Midas TAC 6-24x50, one of the best all around inexpensive long range scopes.
I sight in friends 270 and 30-06 hunting rifles for them, it's silly how much they recoil!
450Y is mid range so practically any factory ammo will work. I'd go for 90gr through 100 grain ammo personally. These are in the .45 BC range but will be going close to 3000 fps.
I'd get a FFP Athlon Midas TAC 6-24x50, one of the best all around inexpensive long range scopes.
Make do with what you have.
Probably the .243 is the best option for practising your technique.
Don't rush it.
Lots of great information on this site.
The SH videos are great.
Body alignment, sight picture, breathing, trigger control, these are all basics that you can practice on any rifle.
All the best.
Probably the .243 is the best option for practising your technique.
Don't rush it.
Lots of great information on this site.
The SH videos are great.
Body alignment, sight picture, breathing, trigger control, these are all basics that you can practice on any rifle.
All the best.
If you reload that helps. Which rifle is the most accurate? Which rifle do you enjoy the most? Which has the best scope on it? Those might be factors. Also remember that some of these rifles can be rebarreled and everything changes. I had a .243 and rebarreled it to a .308 if I recall correctly. The action and magazine work for the cartridge (someone please check as my memory might fail me). Now I have a 308 that is super nice to shoot and a caliber for which there are tons of bullets and information. If you do go down that road a 1 in 8 twist should be great. I'm sure several here can expand on that. I liked the .243 but my barrel was worn out and thin.
Factory twist rates will be slow for heavier bullets but make do with it and get a good shooting base and notes.
That 270 with a remage barrel and twist for Berger EOL’s and a scope with some elevation might surprise you at how far it would shoot.
Arken scopes rock. I recommend a first focal plane scope with MIL reticle and turrets. That way you can get into PRS shooting later on. Oh, and go see some matches first. People will be really friendly and helpful.
I think all 3 of mine have a 1 in 10" twist rate. Rebarrelling the 243 is tempting, although I'd like to have a light recoil gun around for the wife and kids. I eventually do want to pick up a .308, but I don't think now is the right time. I'll have to go to a PRS match. Do they allow spectators?
It has been 15 years since I actually shot the .243. I've taken the .270 to the range several times. I'm still getting comfortable shooting it at 200. I've only shot the .30-06 at 100. It was my grandpa's, which my uncle handed down to me at Christmas (and I don't have much ammo for it).
It has been 15 years since I actually shot the .243. I've taken the .270 to the range several times. I'm still getting comfortable shooting it at 200. I've only shot the .30-06 at 100. It was my grandpa's, which my uncle handed down to me at Christmas (and I don't have much ammo for it).
Personally, I would take Grandpas 06 off the list. Those guns can't be replaced. I've got a Mauser 98 in .257 Roberts that was my Dad's. I'll shoot it, it isn't a PRS gun for sure.
I vote .243. Ammo is kinda around. Put some decent glass on it and go shoot. Speaking from experience I would avoid the paralysis from analysis. I have not gotten any better talking about shooting.
No jabs intended. Just my thoughts.
I vote .243. Ammo is kinda around. Put some decent glass on it and go shoot. Speaking from experience I would avoid the paralysis from analysis. I have not gotten any better talking about shooting.
No jabs intended. Just my thoughts.
I would pay attention to steelhead and spife7980 those bastards always drop knowledge.. I’m not discounting anyone else here...
All your rifles will teach you something
The 30-06 might teach you a thing or two about recoil management for example.
A fixed 10x, with target reticule and turrets, will be enough.
Depending on your proficiency level, you still might learn a lot at 100 yds. Even with hunting scopes.
Focused time behind the rifle will teach you the most, searching for what gear to use will not.
The 30-06 might teach you a thing or two about recoil management for example.
A fixed 10x, with target reticule and turrets, will be enough.
Depending on your proficiency level, you still might learn a lot at 100 yds. Even with hunting scopes.
Focused time behind the rifle will teach you the most, searching for what gear to use will not.
If this becomes your hobby, you will be reloading. If all 10 twist, the only barrel suited for heavies will be the '06, but I'd try to get reloading components for a 6 creed or other 6mm and then rebarrel the 243. The 243 case has enough capacity, but if you have to rebarrel due to twist, might as well choose your cartridge. If you have 243 ammo, could stick with the cartridge and save the brass for the new barrel as well. If you want a more capable cartridge, rebarrel the 270 to 284 or 280ai, 6.5x284, or even 284 shehane, with some extra freebore - seat them out in the long action...
The real answer here is whichever shoots the ammo you have on hand better, between the 243 and 270. At 450 yds long range ballistics won’t matter, you need a rifle that will group preferably MOA or better. It is harder to learn with an inaccurate rifle. Find a used 6x or 10x SWFA, some 30mm rings, and base and get started.
The 243AI is the clear winner. Keep the brass from the 243, add a touch of capacity while aiding the case stretch the 243 is known for.
All excellent advice. You can google “proper scope install” and follow that to the “T”. You might consider bedding the rifle action while your scope is on order. Follow the torque specs for rail, rings and action screws, this will help you with rifle consistency while you improve on your shooting fundamentals. Good luck and keep us posted.
Maybe after I wear out my current barrel I could rebarrel to the Al. I took the 270 and 30-06 last weekend and shot at 300. I zeroed the 270 for 300 but left the 30-06 at 200 in case I get an invite to hunt. I did order an Arken scope. It will be here in July. My dry fire laser came in so I am going to practice with that like crazy. I need to get better at timing my breathing. I need to get the 243 from my dad and take it to the range. 15 shots each from 270 and 30-06 bruised me a little. It was a fun challenge though. I appreciate all the feedback. I never dreamed I'd get so much help!
The next adventure will be getting into reloading. Are the supplies out there right now?
The next adventure will be getting into reloading. Are the supplies out there right now?
Screw that, cancel that scope order,(you don't have any assurance it'll even be here by then)(been down that road before.....) buy something else, put whichever scope that is on your 22rf, and practice with it. That is if you have any 22rf ammo or can get some. Get a Athlon Argos BTR G2 6-24x50, it's a decent beginner scope.
You can learn 95% what you need to about "form" and "fundamentals" with a 22rf. And about wind, holding off, etc, too.
Heck I learned on PCP air rifles and later in life went on to win long range centerfire championships. Even now I have expensive scopes on some of my PCP's and 22rf's, why??? it's because I use them more, especially my PCP's.
See why I and others suggested 243 now! Those frikken light weight high recoiling hunting rifles aren't practice rifles.
You might have to shop around, which yes can be annoying, but reloading stuff is out there.
Howdy again. I want to thank you all once more for the great advice. As I keep shooting, researching, and reading, I will come back to this post. Some of your advice went over my head. Other advice will have to wait for down the road. I appreciate all of it though!
Just a small update: I stretched out to 300 with the 270 and 30-06. I still have work to do as far as being comfortable behind the rifle and breathing control go. I haven't made it out to the range as much as I would like.
I did find a 10x swfa mil scope. I plan to put that on the 270 and move the 270 scope to the 22lr.
I'm saving up to start reloading. Hopefully I can begin that project in the next month. I found a YouTube channel that did a 270 reloading project. The method was great, if not the execution (he kept trying to use 160 grain bullets, went through 5 different rifles, but never went faster than a 1 in 10 twist???).
Upgrading a barrel seems intimidating to me. Is there a good resource on finding everything I need to know about barrel length, taper, twist, mv, stiffness, deflection, etc.? I've had little luck finding information on my own (modern info, at least).
I didn't intend this post to be so long. Sorry about that.
Just a small update: I stretched out to 300 with the 270 and 30-06. I still have work to do as far as being comfortable behind the rifle and breathing control go. I haven't made it out to the range as much as I would like.
I did find a 10x swfa mil scope. I plan to put that on the 270 and move the 270 scope to the 22lr.
I'm saving up to start reloading. Hopefully I can begin that project in the next month. I found a YouTube channel that did a 270 reloading project. The method was great, if not the execution (he kept trying to use 160 grain bullets, went through 5 different rifles, but never went faster than a 1 in 10 twist???).
Upgrading a barrel seems intimidating to me. Is there a good resource on finding everything I need to know about barrel length, taper, twist, mv, stiffness, deflection, etc.? I've had little luck finding information on my own (modern info, at least).
I didn't intend this post to be so long. Sorry about that.
^^All the info you seek is right here!
Also play with some calculators - Berger has both a barrel twist calculator and ballistics calculator - play with them both and things start getting clearer - gives you topics/ specifics to search for and/or ask about here.
Also play with some calculators - Berger has both a barrel twist calculator and ballistics calculator - play with them both and things start getting clearer - gives you topics/ specifics to search for and/or ask about here.
