Rifle Help Please

[longrange18]

I have been searching and can't really find an answer to my question. I'm wandering what caliber options and platforms I should look into for shooting to a maximum of about 500-600 yards? However the range I would spend most of my time at is 350 yards max. I will mostly be killing paper and possibly use the rifle for deer hunting. I know many people like the 308 and that is definitely an option but I was wandering if a 223 or 243 could better suit this situation. I would want to start with a base rifle, purchase good glass for it and then shoot the rifle as much as possible to build solid technique before dropping obscene amounts of money for upgrades. So any suggestions of rifles are welcome. I would like the keep the cost of the rifle under $750 seeing as I'm a starving college student.

Thanks,
Brandon

 

[GunKnowledge]

Re: Rifle Help Please

As one deer-huntin college student to another, go with 308.

Both calibers will be fine at your distances, but the 223 will need heavy weight bullets and a fast twist rate to do well real far out, and lots(including me), would say 223 is a <span style="text-decoration: underline">very</span> far from ideal deer caliber. Your hunting bullet choices in 30 cal will be much more appropriate, and match bullets for LR shooting will be more plentiful also.

Unfortunately, starting to learn technique on a 308 has a tendency to start flinches, something to consider if this is your first rifle/centerfire. I started shooting CF in 308, got an early flinch along with a black n blue shoulder/arm for the few hundred rounds worth, and ended up shooting 223 and handloads for larger calibers to get over the flinch.

There's lots of toys/rigs you can put together for $700+, so your budget will give you lots of room for fun, but remember ammo. Despite what some ppl will woof, surplus 5.56/7.62Nato ammo is better than just fine for starting out/plinking, your bolt action will handle it just fine, and it won't hurt the rifle.

I personally don't buy into the glass must equal the rifle BS, plenty of inexpensive scopes don't hold back more expensive/quality rifles. (Have a 36x BSA benchrest scope that helps me get sub 1/2 MOA groups with my 22 rifles, cost $140)

I highly recommend Mueller, had great results with 4 of theirs, love the APV and Target models, 2 a piece.

My plan if I was doing it:

<ul style="list-style-type: disc">[*]Buy used quality model rifle ($200-400)
(older Rem 700s all day long for ~$300, I just missed an auction on a Savage 110 for $160 online last week) Cheapest used rifles are in 30-06, but other caliber deals are out there, avoid the military sporters and VERY entry level stuff, (Mossberg ATR/Rem 710/770/Savage Edge/Axis) Holds no investment value, cheap build & design)
Consider caliber change on rifles where it's inexpensive. That $160 30-06 Savage would have only needed another $150 or less to turn into a 308.[*]Reasonable quality scope ($100-300)
(Mueller, Bushnell Elite 3200/4300, Leupold Rifleman/VXI, the new Redfields, etc)[*]Lots of surplus ammo, to develop technique and ability[*]Or, if you know you're serious, 100-200 on a complete reloading setup.
[/list]

 

[Diablo]

Re: Rifle Help Please

Going to 600 on the range, and for occaisional deer hunting the .308Win seems like an obvious choice.

But many are using the .243Win and the .260Rem well beyond 600 every day on ranges, and both are good rounds for deer.

Between those two, the available variety of factory ammo is better for the .243Win (presuming you are not into handloading yet).

Having spent a lot of time shooting various .223's over the past 40 years, I still don't think of it as a cartridge to be recommended to most people for deer hunting.

But the cost of ammo is lower than about anything else you could shoot, and in your case, money matters a lot.

If you want to shoot a lot, then the .223 is the way to go.

In some states the .223 is not legal for deer, not sure about Kentucky, so check your state regulations.

 

[no7vice]

Re: Rifle Help Please

Dont lie to him about scopes being 100-300. If anything wait a few extra months to buy the scope that you really want. I paid about $450 for my bushnell 3200 3x9 and I wish that I had waited a little longer to buy a better one especially out to 500 yards. Go to somewhere like bass pro or cabelas where they let anyone finger their rifles .

 

[brand692]

Re: Rifle Help Please

There are several versions of the Bushnell 3200 3-9, and depending on which model you bought, if you paid $450 for it, you were ripped off. Honestly, I couldn't find one at Midway over 300.

A decent scope at sub 300 is not a lie. The SWFA SS 10x is an excellent example. So is the vast majority of Bushy 3200s like yours.

He is only shooting as far as 600 with the average shot at 350 or less.

 

[stefan73]

Re: Rifle Help Please

Look in the optics section. About a page or so in there is a post about Bushnell 3200 Elite for sale with mildot recticle 5-15X40mm for $300.

 

[Jerkface11]

Re: Rifle Help Please

If you can't take a deer with a .223 you shouldn't be in the woods. However .308 is better suited for 600 yard shooting.

 

[Dave308]

Re: Rifle Help Please

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Stefan73</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Look in the optics section. About a page or so in there is a post about Bushnell 3200 Elite for sale with mildot recticle 5-15X40mm for $300. </div></div>
I know of one that is $25 cheaper than that, and in like new, never used condition.

 

[longrange18]

Re: Rifle Help Please

Thanks guys. I should have added this for further information. I currently have an older .22 lr, enough parts for a complete AR(just not assembled yet), and a post 92' m70 in 30-06 featherweight. And I, like was said, feel that I have a flinch with the larger caliber rifle and I'm curious if I should let go of the featherweight and pick up a more manageable caliber in a bolt action. I also have two more complete lowers so a varmint style AR build isn't out of the question.

And in Kentucky .223 is the smallest caliber allowed for deer hunting.

 

[Heronion]

Re: Rifle Help Please

If you're going to be hunting over 300/400 yards or so, go with .308 for sure. If you're inside of that for the hunting, there's no reason you can't use the .223. I use a .308, but seeing as over 90% of my deer kills are head shots, it's really overkill.

 

[Heronion]

Re: Rifle Help Please

And for either .308 or .223, I'd recommend a Savage Stevens. You can get them for around $300. A stock upgrade is needed, so about $100-200 there. You could even upgrade the barrel. You're looking at about $700 tops.