Hi, I'm 18 years old and I've owned and shot guns all my life. I have been playing with the idea of getting a gun to shoot long range with. My only problem is that I have a very, very limited budget. I want a gun that can shoot 300-500 yards with decent accuracy, but also has a little bit of take down power. I have recently been given a 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser that has a 24" barrel and a turn down bolt handle. The rifling is excellent. I was hoping this gun would be a good one to start out with. I'm only 18, and I will not be shooting long distances too often, I just want the capability. Is this Mauser a good start? Would it be worth buying a synthetic stock, bipod, and nice scope setup? What kind of accuracy can I expect out of it? What estimated distance will this shoot with reasonable accuracy? I looked at some long range ammo for this rifle and I think it had a 39" drop at 500 yards I think. it was about an inch off of the .223 as well as 30-06. Let me know what you think. Please remember I am only 18 so I don't have the money to be shelling out for $1,000 guns. Also, do you have any suggestions for making it more accurate than it is now? Zak.