Help me choose a LR/Precision Rifle!

[Who?Me?]

Hey folks, sorry this is kind of long, Ive tried to make it reader friendly

I just got on the forum here.
Ive shot about 250 rounds out of a RPR/Ruger Precision Rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor.
I got a nice scope-NF/Nightforce 7x-35, f1, 56mm.
The RPR is good, Im still seeing what it can do. I finished Sniper 1 and 2 courses, the group shot up to 800 yards or so. I only tried out to, but connected with target at 588 yds, but that was good for me.

I want a "better" rifle with tighter tolerances, stiffer barrel, etc. Ive done a fair bit of research on precision rifles on the web, including calling MPA/Masterpiece arms and talking with them.
Im still learning about these "better" (aka more expensive rifles), but I also have much to learn about shooting- today I researched ballistics and BCs. Sh**T , if I knew I could've just looked at a BC table to choose the better ammo, I wouldn't have stood at the ammo store for 20 minutes trying to figure out WTF to buy. LOL>

Budget: under $4000 ideally (lol)
Main goal: The best precision rifle I can get for targeting 300-700 yards. Accuracy beyond 700 yards is wanted as well, but the 300-700 yd is MOST important. This is for targets, maybe hunting, maybe competitions down the road.

But I want to keep the rifle packable for hiking, etc
Weight: around 12 lbs.
Stock: Folding only. non-negotiable
Barrel: the shorter the better for hiking. I understand 308's can go down to 18". I don't want to shorten the barrel if its hurts precision, but would like one that is maybe 20-22" Maximum. 6.5 Creedmoor are generally 24-26 inches. Maybe I should just go with 308 so that I can get the 18" barrel.

Caliber: Im totally open. I am NOT married to 6.5 CM. It has great ballistics, but Im not sure if it is heavy enough to withstand windage at 500 yards and beyond. The 6.5 Creedmoor seems too small/light. Ive only shot the 129 gr/140 grain ammo. the 140 gr did much better in light wind at the range = 1/2" Group on the bullseye at 100 yds, winds 5-10mph, changing.
Although the 308 has less ballistical competence, it may serve my purpose.

What about 6.5 PRC?
What about the 308 PRS/Precisoin rounds that are made now? Any good?
What about the 338 Lapua. the BC is WAY up there, at 0.7xxx. But is this for taking down elk? or an elephant??? I don't NEED something that big, but like I said, IM open to ideas.

What Im considering:
MPA/Masterpiece Arms?
Barrett?
The Fix by Q?
(Berraga- no folding stock)
Christenson Arms?

What other suggestions?
(I saw someone talk about XLR on the web. Good? )

THANK YOU!!!
GARY
Accuracy International?

 

[uncle_smokey]

I just got my latest build finished and it should come in right around 12# (scope will be here Tuesday to verify. 260 Remington, Manners EH1A, Defiance Rebel Sheep Port, Hawk Hill Marksman contour, Little Bastard brake, Hawkins Hybrid Rings. If you look around, you can find the parts you need cheap (check the px). My spreadsheet is at the office with actual prices (I’m trying to stay married), but it was right around 4k with me doing the leg work gathering parts.

The rifle is very handy at 22”, and the other Hawk Hill barrels I have are hammers. Totally possible for a super accurate full custom build around your price point. Hope this helps.

 

[sako17]

FWIW, there are a ton of really accurate .22's that can run into the $1000's of dollars. And that's just for the rifle - no sights! And using a scope is almost cheating in this game. When I was a kid, we shot micrometer sights at 50' and the center of the bull was 0.2" - that's smaller than the bullet diameter.

 

[Long Range 338]

APO has the Snipers Hide Edition on sale for $200 off for the 4th of July. Great chassis, Rem 700 with guaranteed QC, and you can configure it however you want (it may drive the price up of course) but that is a pretty tough deal to beat.

There are literally a ton of great options with PVA John Hancock rifle, the Black Rock, MPA, Tikka, Ruger, etc. If you think you are in the market for an AI right now may be one of the best times to find that as well.

Pick your most important features and narrow the list down from there. In my case I would look for something with lots of upgradeable options for the future and also something that holds its value as much as possible. Sometimes the cool factor is what you go with.

 

[Steel head]

I barreled action with trigger in a chassis is a nice start.

Lots of options.
I’d study A lot before yo buy though and really hone in on features you want.

Here’s my latest build on my first custom action.

Put it together myself and I love shooting it.

The ugly bits are pieces I built myself.

 

[never_summer]

Sounds like you’ve got a nice setup as is. Maybe try your hand at reloading and working on the fundamentals with it?

 

[Bluewater132]

Custom barrel for the RPR, and a great reloading setup. I'd stick with 6.5 Creedmoor. Read up a ton on reloading and you're good to go.

 

[Lunchbox27]

Get a Bighorn TL3.

Hit up Altus, Keystone Accuracy, StraightJacket, etc, for a prefit shouldered barrel. Buy viper vice, a Bighorn action wrench and a torque wrench. Why? Spin on your own barrels.

Wanna something more powerful for a hunt? Get a magnum bolt face and run a 6.5 SAUM, 6.5PRC, 300WSM etc... and spin on your barrel.

Want a 223 trainer? Buy a 223 bolt face and spin on your barrel.

Add a chassis/stock of your choice, a TriggerTech trigger and its all still well with your budget.

 

[Mxridr]

Save your money and buy more ammo. Practice with the gun you have. 6.5 is an excellent round

 

[gsd1983]

Honest answer? That RPR will outshoot you everyday. One of the guys I shoot with has a gen 1 in .243 that is still hammering steel out to 1k consistently.

If you want something sub 12#, that’s doable. My last build in .308 is a Bighorn Origin with a Proof Carbon 20” in a KRG Whiskey3. With the optic it sits right at 11.5 pounds.

 

[Robinhood]

Have you started to hand load? If not, that is where you should start. Invest in a set of good dies (Whidden, Forster, Wilson, etc), press, scale, and so on. If you don't, you really limit your accuracy capabilities no matter what components you use.

 

[clcustom1911]

Custom barrel for the RPR, and a great reloading setup. I'd stick with 6.5 Creedmoor. Read up a ton on reloading and you're good to go.

THIS!!!!

I bought a $500 prefit barrel for my RPR and now it reall REALLY hammers!!

 

[HogsLife]

Get a Bighorn TL3.

Hit up Altus, Keystone Accuracy, StraightJacket, etc, for a prefit shouldered barrel. Buy viper vice, a Bighorn action wrench and a torque wrench. Why? Spin on your own barrels.

Wanna something more powerful for a hunt? Get a magnum bolt face and run a 6.5 SAUM, 6.5PRC, 300WSM etc... and spin on your barrel.

Want a 223 trainer? Buy a 223 bolt face and spin on your barrel.

Add a chassis/stock of your choice, a TriggerTech trigger and its all still well with your budget.

This ^^^^^^^^

But once cry once. Great action, with the ability to go from .223 to Short Mag with nothing more than a barrel / bolt head swap. Prefit barrels are available, Bolt heads run in the $125-$150 range as opposed to multiple bolts (ie Impact 737 bolt $450 each). Or multiple rifles. If the TL3 is out of your price range then go with the Bighorn Origin ($800). No integral rail or recoil lug but it is pinned. Action is smooth as glass. Just built my daughter a 224 Valkyrie Trainer with 20” Krieger M24 and a 6.5 Creedmoor with 18” Proof Carbon For Hunting off the same Origin Action. Lot of options that don’t include sending your rifle off to a gunsmith for weeks on end when you need to swap a barrel / caliber swap.

EDIT: This is not NEEDED. Your current rifle will be more than good with nothing more than a barrel swap. The custom rifles are nice to shoot, but as many have stated, money can be better spent on a barrel swap, ammo and training.

If you were to go the Bighorn Origin with Prefit Barrel Route, check out Altus Shooting Solutions. You could probably be into a Barreled action and nice trigger / brake for around the $2.5k mark.

 

[MakeSawdust]

If money is not limitless, I would put a good barrel on the rpr. Use the $4k to buy a BASIC reloading set-up and enough components to burn out the barrel. Then go out and shoot the hell out of it. Dryfire will help you improve much faster as well.

If money is no object, go somewhere like Mile High where you can fondle a bunch of different stuff. Then buy what you want, but repeat the above advice or buy a couple cases of good factory ammo and go shoot the hell out of it.

Most rifles are capable of shooting under half moa with a good barrel. It is usually the shooter that is the weak link. Equipment is very good today as far as accuracy potential. Unless your life is on the line, or you're doing something where the rifle is a cheap tool in the grand scheme of things (expensive hunt, traveling across the country to shoot a match, etc.) having an expensive rifle is just a luxury. Yes, they are very nice and make the shooting experience more enjoyable, but they aren't going to make you a better shooter until you're trying to cut the last quarter moa from your groups.

The best shooters spend well over $4k on barrels and ammo every year. If your budget is limited to $4k you will improve a great deal more if you spend that money practicing. If you can spend $4k on a rifle and still have enough left over to shoot it a ton then a nice rifle will make all that shooting a little more enjoyable.

 

[Racer88]

Love my Ruger Precision 6.5CM. Still shoots sub-MOA and 1/2-MOA if I've got my shit together with 2700 rounds through the original stock barrel. I'm looking forward to putting an even better barrel on it, once I've shot this one out. I've been able to hit targets out to 1,000 yards, so far.

 

[Who?Me?]

Thanks for all the info. guys. Im just catching up.

I live off-grid, so I only have wifi/cell service once a day when I go to town, that's why I can't respond immediately, but will review the info above.

Best to everyone on this day of our country's INDEPENDENCE!

 

[Who?Me?]

I just got my latest build finished and it should come in right around 12# (scope will be here Tuesday to verify. 260 Remington, Manners EH1A, Defiance Rebel Sheep Port, Hawk Hill Marksman contour, Little Bastard brake, Hawkins Hybrid Rings. If you look around, you can find the parts you need cheap (check the px). My spreadsheet is at the office with actual prices (I’m trying to stay married), but it was right around 4k with me doing the leg work gathering parts.

The rifle is very handy at 22”, and the other Hawk Hill barrels I have are hammers. Totally possible for a super accurate full custom build around your price point. Hope this helps.

Thx Uncle, ya, good thing for you to stay married.
But I would like to see your spreadsheet, if you don't mind, either PM or post on the forum, whatever is most comfortable for you. I have no idea of the parts pieces that may be had at reasonable prices,. Your spreadsheet would give me a peak of what the costs are.
And also, how did you decide on a 22 barrel for the .260 Rem? Al at MPA told me not to go below 20" for 6.5 Cr to build up enough force and speed to keep the round fast- like 6.5 Cr are known for (2900 fps).
Thank You

 

[MACHTECH]

AI AT in 6.5cm with your 7-35 NF!!

 

[Who?Me?]

FWIW, there are a ton of really accurate .22's that can run into the $1000's of dollars. And that's just for the rifle - no sights! And using a scope is almost cheating in this game. When I was a kid, we shot micrometer sights at 50' and the center of the bull was 0.2" - that's smaller than the bullet diameter.

Thats cool. I heard that "back then" only small animals like gophers existed, so only 22's were needed-

 

[Who?Me?]

APO has the Snipers Hide Edition on sale for $200 off for the 4th of July. Great chassis, Rem 700 with guaranteed QC, and you can configure it however you want (it may drive the price up of course) but that is a pretty tough deal to beat.

There are literally a ton of great options with PVA John Hancock rifle, the Black Rock, MPA, Tikka, Ruger, etc. If you think you are in the market for an AI right now may be one of the best times to find that as well.

Pick your most important features and narrow the list down from there. In my case I would look for something with lots of upgradeable options for the future and also something that holds its value as much as possible. Sometimes the cool factor is what you go with.

Thx LR338,
I checked out the APO- Snipers Hide Edition. $1800 stock + LRS package $850= $2650 + tax, etc. You are right, there is a lot of gun there for the price. Same for PVA John Hancock. As a newbie, I only know of the big names that advertise- Ruger, Winchester, etc.

But what I'm still trying to figure out is, what is the real difference b/w my stock Ruger Precision for $1200 .....
-- and a PVA John Hancock?
-- and a APO Snipers Hide?

I mean, I see brand names with PVA and APO, not so with RPR. I was at the gun shop last week, and I asked the salesman (a knowledgeable guy Ive worked with before) "what is the difference b/w my RPR and this Christenson Arms MPR/Modern Precision Rifle for $2800? he just shrugged his shoulders and smiled. Maybe he couldn't say it out loud b/c his job is to sell guns and make money.

Is he telling me that all this marketing for a "better" rifle is just BS????? I have only had a RPR, so I have northing to compare it to. But the message I got from him is that the RPR is great bang for buck, and I haven't really "maxed out" what the RPR can do in terms of LRP and accuracy. I had assumed that the stock RPR was entry level, and that a rifle that cost twice as much at $2400 would be ..... better, more accurate. Is this not the case?

 

[Who?Me?]

I barreled action with trigger in a chassis is a nice start.

Lots of options.
I’d study A lot before yo buy though and really hone in on features you want.

Here’s my latest build on my first custom action.

Put it together myself and I love shooting it.

The ugly bits are pieces I built myself.


View attachment 7106098

Looks nice (even the "ugly bits" LOL). ya Im learning that is may not be as difficult as I thought- to put a rifle together. Ive just done so much technical stuff in the past- tired of it. I wanted this hobby too be engaging, but not stressing me out with all the sh*t I need to learn!

Ive been on the MPA/Masterpeice Arms website a lot lately.
There are 3 models I'm considering, below. They are all about $3400:

1. the 6.5 BA, 3/8 MOA, Custom
2. The 6.5x47 BA, 3/8 MOA
3. The 6.5 BA Sl/Switch Lug, 3/8 MOA.

Al at MPA said, "we can build you a custom rifle" for $3400- I would choose from about 5-8 options per part,
e.g, Trigger system, Action, handle, stock, etc.

Does that sound reasonable for $3400 or so? I suppose I would be paying about $2000 for parts and $1500 labor= $3500 for a "turnkey" precision rifle.

Any other "better" deals out there with same or better Quality??
Ultimately, I need accuracy, I don't want to save money just to have a less accurate rifle!
Thx

 

[Long Range 338]

Thx LR338,
I checked out the APO- Snipers Hide Edition. $1800 stock + LRS package $850= $2650 + tax, etc. You are right, there is a lot of gun there for the price. Same for PVA John Hancock. As a newbie, I only know of the big names that advertise- Ruger, Winchester, etc.

But what I'm still trying to figure out is, what is the real difference b/w my stock Ruger Precision for $1200 .....
-- and a PVA John Hancock?
-- and a APO Snipers Hide?

I mean, I see brand names with PVA and APO, not so with RPR. I was at the gun shop last week, and I asked the salesman (a knowledgeable guy Ive worked with before) "what is the difference b/w my RPR and this Christenson Arms MPR/Modern Precision Rifle for $2800? he just shrugged his shoulders and smiled. Maybe he couldn't say it out loud b/c his job is to sell guns and make money.

Is he telling me that all this marketing for a "better" rifle is just BS????? I have only had a RPR, so I have northing to compare it to. But the message I got from him is that the RPR is great bang for buck, and I haven't really "maxed out" what the RPR can do in terms of LRP and accuracy. I had assumed that the stock RPR was entry level, and that a rifle that cost twice as much at $2400 would be ..... better, more accurate. Is this not the case?

OK, hang with me here as I may be convoluted...

APO is a well known company with the gunsmiths being a bunch of former Marine Smiths. They are known for doing a great job and have a fantastic chassis system that has been around for quite a while. APO has Remington build them barreled actions that they go thru and do all of the QC work to make sure you aren't getting a lemon and then put it into one of their great chassis with an aftermarket trigger. This gets you most of the way that upgrading a Rem 700 can get you. The accuracy is shown with their attached targets they put in with each of the rifles. Being a Rem 700 action you have the most options going into the future for upgrades.

The PVA is pretty much a custom rifle. It uses an ARC (American Rifle Company) Nucleus action and PVA spins up their own barrels. You can add more options and push the price up just as with any custom built gun. The Nucleus action is also a Rem 700 footprint so the aftermarket Rem 700 options also work for it. You can order it as a barreled action or have them put it into a chassis as well. Again you would get an aftermarket trigger.

The difference between the APO and the other custom actions is the custom action. I don't believe that the APO Rem 700 actions are "trued". Truing isn't required with a custom action. Nothing wrong with either option but most of what you are getting from APO (cost wise) is in the chassis. Most of the cost for the John Hancock is in the barreled action.

The RPR is great for what it is, but it will never be as smooth or have as good of fit and finish as the other 2. I'm certain the others are more accurate but we are talking 3/8" accuracy instead of 3/4" accuracy, so is it worth it to you?

 

[Who?Me?]

OK, hang with me here as I may be convoluted...

APO is a well known company with the gunsmiths being a bunch of former Marine Smiths. They are known for doing a great job and have a fantastic chassis system that has been around for quite a while. APO has Remington build them barreled actions that they go thru and do all of the QC work to make sure you aren't getting a lemon and then put it into one of their great chassis with an aftermarket trigger. This gets you most of the way that upgrading a Rem 700 can get you. The accuracy is shown with their attached targets they put in with each of the rifles. Being a Rem 700 action you have the most options going into the future for upgrades.

The PVA is pretty much a custom rifle. It uses an ARC (American Rifle Company) Nucleus action and PVA spins up their own barrels. You can add more options and push the price up just as with any custom built gun. The Nucleus action is also a Rem 700 footprint so the aftermarket Rem 700 options also work for it. You can order it as a barreled action or have them put it into a chassis as well. Again you would get an aftermarket trigger.

The difference between the APO and the other custom actions is the custom action. I don't believe that the APO Rem 700 actions are "trued". Truing isn't required with a custom action. Nothing wrong with either option but most of what you are getting from APO (cost wise) is in the chassis. Most of the cost for the John Hancock is in the barreled action.

The RPR is great for what it is, but it will never be as smooth or have as good of fit and finish as the other 2. I'm certain the others are more accurate but we are talking 3/8" accuracy instead of 3/4" accuracy, so is it worth it to you?

Thx for the breakdown. Does it matter if they bed the action in aluminum or fiberglass? Any difference in accuracy?

So true about the fit and finish of the RPR vs the APO or PVA.
YA, THE RPR is a bit rough around the edges.
But is that the only difference b/w APO/PVA and the RPR? I mean, I assume the specs are tighter from APO/PVA which would account for better accuracy- the 3/8 MOA vs 3/4 MOA

 

[Who?Me?]

I barreled action with trigger in a chassis is a nice start.

Lots of options.
I’d study A lot before yo buy though and really hone in on features you want.

Here’s my latest build on my first custom action.

Put it together myself and I love shooting it.

The ugly bits are pieces I built myself.


View attachment 7106098

Thx Steelhead. Well, the “ugly” parts still look good.
Can I ask how much she ran you.?

 

[Who?Me?]

Sounds like you’ve got a nice setup as is. Maybe try your hand at reloading and working on the fundamentals with it?

You are right abou the reloading, but that is a whole new ball of wax for me.I was trying to make this less complicated, but you are right, I should start thinking about this now.

What do you use to hand load 6.5 CM?
I was reading that 4350 powder was good for 6.5 had loads.

 

[Steel head]

Thx Steelhead. Well, the “ugly” parts still look good.
Can I ask how much she ran you.?

I’d rather not know!


Probably just north of 4K as you see it.

 

[Alabusa]

Learn to shoot really well with what you have. You cannot buy ability! The best rifle in the world is only as good as the monkey driving it.

 

[Who?Me?]

Custom barrel for the RPR, and a great reloading setup. I'd stick with 6.5 Creedmoor. Read up a ton on reloading and you're good to go.

I saw a guy pop a Proof Carbon on an RPR, and customize the action , stock, etc.
I Think it might even be in the classified section for sale right now. $2600. Or one that I saw on a used rifle site. Sounds like he spent over $3000 on the rifle and customizing.

Your suggestion is wise, but I’m afraid I’m gonna want to have quality parts all the way around, and I could get more gun if buying something new like an MPA fro $3400. But I’m not made of money and I would normally take a stock product and beef it up, it in this case, when you only have one shot, I want the most insurance possible.

 

[Who?Me?]

I’d rather not know!


Probably just north of 4K as you see it.

LOL— Good idea, keep that spreadsheet in the computer so you never have to see it again!

 

[Who?Me?]

Sounds like you’ve got a nice setup as is. Maybe try your hand at reloading and working on the fundamentals with it?

Hand loading seems the way to go, but I haven’t even decided on a caliber yet per se!
It’s kind of like putting the cart before the horse, I know, but if I buy a 6.5 CM, and decide I want a 6.5x284, then I would have to change actions/chamber I think. So I’m trying to get it right the first time ?‍?‍

I want to stick to 6.5 If I can. Like a beefy 6.5. 140 grain in CR are fine, but what about:
6.5 x47?
6.5 x47 Lapua?
6.5 PRC?
6.5 x284?

 

[Steel head]

LOL— Good idea, keep that spreadsheet in the computer so you never have to see it again!

It helped me hit steel at a bit over a mile today so it was totally worth it.

 

[Who?Me?]

AI AT in 6.5cm with your 7-35 NF!!

Sounds good!
Where can I get one for $4k?

 

[Who?Me?]

It helped me hit steel at a bit over a mile today so it was totally worth it.
View attachment 7107592

Cool, just as long as your target was a stump, and not the broad side of a hill!

 

[MACHTECH]

Sounds good!
Where can I get one for $4k?

Eurooptic. Ask for Jason and ask him for the snipershide discount. They just had a bunch of unfired showroom demos for in the $3600 range. They went quick!

 

[Steel head]

Cool, just as long as your target was a stump, and not the broad side of a hill!

To the right of that stump is a 16” steel plate.

 

[Who?Me?]

Learn to shoot really well with what you have. You cannot buy ability! The best rifle in the world is only as good as the monkey driving it.

The Monkey driving it??!!!
I’m a caveman, buddy! (See avatar). I’m at least a couple million years ahead of the monkeys!

Joking aside, I get it: the rifle is going to do what it is made to do—> and I’m the only one that can change that. However, if I have a rifle that can do 3/4 MOA with my best shooting, then getting a 3/8 MOA rifle would double my accuracy ( from 3/4 to 3/8 MOA)

 

[Who?Me?]

Have you started to hand load? If not, that is where you should start. Invest in a set of good dies (Whidden, Forster, Wilson, etc), press, scale, and so on. If you don't, you really limit your accuracy capabilities no matter what components you use.

Handloading sounds more and more the way to go ...... ugh ..... lots of learning to do.
There was an outfit that I read about that gives you the dies when you buy the rifle- MPA I think, not sure. They throat the barrel for 140 gr ....

 

[Who?Me?]

This ^^^^^^^^

But once cry once. Great action, with the ability to go from .223 to Short Mag with nothing more than a barrel / bolt head swap. Prefit barrels are available, Bolt heads run in the $125-$150 range as opposed to multiple bolts (ie Impact 737 bolt $450 each). Or multiple rifles. If the TL3 is out of your price range then go with the Bighorn Origin ($800). No integral rail or recoil lug but it is pinned. Action is smooth as glass. Just built my daughter a 224 Valkyrie Trainer with 20” Krieger M24 and a 6.5 Creedmoor with 18” Proof Carbon For Hunting off the same Origin Action. Lot of options that don’t include sending your rifle off to a gunsmith for weeks on end when you need to swap a barrel / caliber swap.

EDIT: This is not NEEDED. Your current rifle will be more than good with nothing more than a barrel swap. The custom rifles are nice to shoot, but as many have stated, money can be better spent on a barrel swap, ammo and training.

If you were to go the Bighorn Origin with Prefit Barrel Route, check out Altus Shooting Solutions. You could probably be into a Barreled action and nice trigger / brake for around the $2.5k mark.

Good idea, but I’m not looking for a switch lug/ barrel swap type rifle. The Bighorn TL3 looks solid, will keep that in mind, thx

 

[littlepod]

The Monkey driving it??!!!
I’m a caveman, buddy! (See avatar). I’m at least a couple million years ahead of the monkeys!

Joking aside, I get it: the rifle is going to do what it is made to do—> and I’m the only one that can change that. However, if I have a rifle that can do 3/4 MOA with my best shooting, then getting a 3/8 MOA rifle would double my accuracy ( from 3/4 to 3/8 MOA)

I don't know if that''s true or not. You're assuming your best ability is also your rifle's best ability. My best ability I was hitting like 3/4 moa, but I know someone with the same rifle, that'll go 3/8 moa with it, same ammo, same rifle. So until I'm at 3/8 moa, I am not sure what buying another rifle would do for me...

I have a Tikka T3X CTR and the action is butter smooth. I don't have all the advances that the custom actions have, like swapping bolt faces, quick swapping barrels, tuning throats, etc... but if this rifle, stock, with factory ammo, can pull out 3/4 moa, I don't know what I'm trying to chase after.

For those trying to pull out 1/4 moa and less, custom actions, barrels, tuned to very precise handloading is it's own other hobby. But if your goal is to shoot out to 1000 yards consistently read wind etc... 1 moa, 3/4 moa, 3/8 moa, it really is all going to be the same thing...

 

[Who?Me?]

I don't know if that''s true or not. You're assuming your best ability is also your rifle's best ability. My best ability I was hitting like 3/4 moa, but I know someone with the same rifle, that'll go 3/8 moa with it, same ammo, same rifle. So until I'm at 3/8 moa, I am not sure what buying another rifle would do for me...

I have a Tikka T3X CTR and the action is butter smooth. I don't have all the advances that the custom actions have, like swapping bolt faces, quick swapping barrels, tuning throats, etc... but if this rifle, stock, with factory ammo, can pull out 3/4 moa, I don't know what I'm trying to chase after.

For those trying to pull out 1/4 moa and less, custom actions, barrels, tuned to very precise handloading is it's own other hobby. But if your goal is to shoot out to 1000 yards consistently read wind etc... 1 moa, 3/4 moa, 3/8 moa, it really is all going to be the same thing...

Thanks for your comment. let me clarify- I’m not assuming I have those shooting skills down to 3/8 MOA. I’m saying that the rifle itself is made in such a way, and with such quality, that it is possible to hit 3/8 MOA. But I will say this, I’m hitting 1/2” MOA at 100 yds with the RPR, and as my skills improve, so will my MOA.

And ya, 3/8 MOA vs 1/2” MOA is. It a big difference at 100 yds, it that adds up as we go up to 1000-1500 yards. No, I’m not a perfect shooter—> that’s why I want a rifle that can shoot as small an MOA as possible — to help me

 

[Long Range 338]

Thx for the breakdown. Does it matter if they bed the action in aluminum or fiberglass? Any difference in accuracy?

So true about the fit and finish of the RPR vs the APO or PVA.
YA, THE RPR is a bit rough around the edges.
But is that the only difference b/w APO/PVA and the RPR? I mean, I assume the specs are tighter from APO/PVA which would account for better accuracy- the 3/8 MOA vs 3/4 MOA

If you put any action into a stock it needs to be bedded. If put into a chassis you may want to bed as well depending on the tolerances but typically most don't bed a chassis.

The difference between the RPR and the other mentioned barreled actions is that they are custom. Being custom they demand more money and are better quality as they are practically hand made and the QC is much tighter. Its like a Mustang vs a Ferrari, which one do you want to drive?

 

[pewpewfever]

Since you mentioned you might want to use it fir competition down the road, then I wanted to add that I don’t think the .338 is allowed in PRS type competition. Not sure about other long range competitions.

My friend has a stock RPR in 6mm creedmoor and he can shoot 1/2 moa no problem. I tried his RPR and I get more like 3/4moa with it, but he was an army sniper. With my $4000 custom rifle in 6mm creedmoor, I shoot 1/2 moa and he shoots 1/4. At 100 yards, his group looks like one hole. But my rifle weighs almost 20 pounds. And I think most custom rifles will tend to weigh more, but I don’t know for sure. Most PRS competitors seem to go either RPR, Tikka, or custom. I hear about other brands online, but if I’ve seen them at a match, I didn’t realize it at the time.

 

[never_summer]

Hand loading seems the way to go, but I haven’t even decided on a caliber yet per se!
It’s kind of like putting the cart before the horse, I know, but if I buy a 6.5 CM, and decide I want a 6.5x284, then I would have to change actions/chamber I think. So I’m trying to get it right the first time ?‍?‍

I’m not gonna bullshit you and pretend I can shoot half as good as most of the people on this site. Just recommended reloading as a way to get more accuracy and consistency with what you already have without dumping more money and possibly getting the same results. If you are getting 1/2 moa groups and having difficulty connecting at 800, then you might need to work on fundamentals or maybe your load doesn’t group at range. I went all in on an expensive rig to me (sotic/Minox) only to almost get smoked by a guy in a class with a used $500 setup.
Just getting my hands dirty in precision reloading for the 6.5 cm and gonna use rl-16 with 140 eldm.

 

[Who?Me?]

Since you mentioned you might want to use it fir competition down the road, then I wanted to add that I don’t think the .338 is allowed in PRS type competition. Not sure about other long range competitions.

My friend has a stock RPR in 6mm creedmoor and he can shoot 1/2 moa no problem. I tried his RPR and I get more like 3/4moa with it, but he was an army sniper. With my $4000 custom rifle in 6mm creedmoor, I shoot 1/2 moa and he shoots 1/4. At 100 yards, his group looks like one hole. But my rifle weighs almost 20 pounds. And I think most custom rifles will tend to weigh more, but I don’t know for sure. Most PRS competitors seem to go either RPR, Tikka, or custom. I hear about other brands online, but if I’ve seen them at a match, I didn’t realize it at the time.

Great examples, helps me understand just how little of MOA differences in conjunction with skill level that we are talking about.

So if I need a $4k rifle to shoot 3/8moa, so be it, I accept that. Spending a little more on a good rifle might just be the “insurance” I need to shoot smaller groups.

 

[Who?Me?]

I’m not gonna bullshit you and pretend I can shoot half as good as most of the people on this site. Just recommended reloading as a way to get more accuracy and consistency with what you already have without dumping more money and possibly getting the same results. If you are getting 1/2 moa groups and having difficulty connecting at 800, then you might need to work on fundamentals or maybe your load doesn’t group at range. I went all in on an expensive rig to me (sotic/Minox) only to almost get smoked by a guy in a class with a used $500 setup.
Just getting my hands dirty in precision reloading for the 6.5 cm and gonna use rl-16 with 140 eldm.

Sure, my skills will only get better with practice. But reloads seem to be the gold-standard for Precision shooting. I’m not sure why they are so much better than Match grade.

Or put another way, if Match is the best round, but reloads are better, why can’t manufacturers make more accurate Match ammo?

 

[SD Carpenter]

I believe some people have shot the RPR pretty darned far on this site, honestly I would say perfect practice would help you tremendously.

 

[Luvman]

Eurooptic. Ask for Jason and ask him for the snipershide discount. They just had a bunch of unfired showroom demos for in the $3600 range. They went quick!

This! Pick up a non folder AI AT in 6.5 CM. Shoot it for a while and save up for the AX stock. Or if the standard stock works for you then pick up a standard folding stock from someone who did the AX conversion.

You may bust your 4K budget when it’s all said and done but I doubt you’ll regret it. I didn’t.

 

[Codiekfx400]

Have you thought about calling a smith such as TS customs. $4000 is a lot of money to spend on a rifle. If your going to make that commitment you should at least use a smith that you can get on the phone. A Bighorn TL3 with a quality barrel chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor would be a nice rig.

 

[never_summer]

Sure, my skills will only get better with practice. But reloads seem to be the gold-standard for Precision shooting. I’m not sure why they are so much better than Match grade.

Or put another way, if Match is the best round, but reloads are better, why can’t manufacturers make more accurate Match ammo?

That statement right there is a reason to start looking at the reloading section information. Match ammo can vary lot to lot, there’s no guarantee it’ll be a good pair for your rifle, and you could get some real ugly standard deviation/ extreme spread in your velocity but shoot good groups at 100yds. Instructor was shooting Hornady match in 6 creed that he normally runs prime in, and that lot was giving him an es of 100 FPS. He had hell on the targets further down range

 

[abn31c]

I have a gen 1 rpr in 6.5 cm, timney trigger and titanium bolt sleeve. Its wearing its 3rd barrel, a Krieger. I bought a mpa ba comp in 6.5 cm switchlug. I love the mpa but its at mhs getting bedded and the sl removed and new barrel. I truly hope it shoots as well as my rpr when its done. I'm not knocking anything, just saying dont underestimate the rpr.