Hello new here, been lurking as a reader for a few days now. I apologize right now for any typo's or run-ons with my first post. I'm an EMT and just got back to my home for the first time since Hurricane Harvey hit SETX last Tuesday. I'm completely new to the concept of precision shooting and it's something that I only see my interest expanding upon. I would like to get some advice for getting started. I have decided that I want to start with .308. I most definitely will be on a budget at approx $1000, give or take. I have finally decided that I want to lean more towards the remington 700. I have looked at the possibility of a 5R, LE model and the SPS Tac. I'm open to the a 24" but am really considering a 20". My goals are to be able to hit 600-800 yards and eventually have the competency and skill set with proper loads to attempt to reach 1000 yards. I have done as much reading as I could during down time and the more I research it seems the more I get lost in the ever expansive universe of modifications and options for these rifles. Right now I just want to get the core rifle taken care of and then decide on the glass.
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Starting Rifle
- Thread starter Asystole
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for $1000 you can easily pick up a remington 700 5R ....and glass bed the stock....and toss on a harris bipod and have a really solid shooter thatll reach out to 800 no problem.....
the SPS tactical are also a pretty good buy....i currently have one of the 16.5" in 308 bedded into a greyboe stock that will consistently shoot 0.7-1 moa.......and that too should come in right around a grand
the SPS tactical are also a pretty good buy....i currently have one of the 16.5" in 308 bedded into a greyboe stock that will consistently shoot 0.7-1 moa.......and that too should come in right around a grand
I started with a 700 Varmint in .308 and a mcrees stock. It works. I made hits at 1000 and hit every time at 700 but if I had it to do over I'd get a tikka in 6.5 creedmoor. In fact it's currently for sale (not here) so I can get a T3x Tac A1. But if you're dead set on Remington and .308 have at it.
Do you have a good reason to lean Remington or are you going by their reputation? I threw a Remington 700 barreled action into a XLR chassis and sure its about .7-.8 moa consistently with 168 FGMM, but there are factory rifles out there doing the same if not better with better quality control. If I could do it again, I would of played with a Tikka or even rebarreled a cheap Savage.
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No, I don't have a good reason to lean towards Remington. I suppose it would be fair to say I mentioned them just due to the familiarity with their reputation. I have heard of Savage arms before and until recently never head of Tikka. I know I want a stock that's dbm to start with. I'm also looking at a Harris bipod for whichever rifle I go with.
I have shot multiple tikka t3x tac a1's and they are superb guns. They are a little over your budget, but if you just want a rifle you can buy and go shoot without the hassle of doing anything to it, thats the one. They flat out shoot from what I've seen. Ive shot a .260 and 2 6.5 creedmoors and they both shot really well with factory ammo. I think it was prime and hornady ammo.
Honestly im not to impressed with savage as of late......i personally think their QC is terrible......ive gotten a few rifles that needed work.....
everyone gripes about remintons QC but all of the rifles ive soon as of late have been fine.
everyone gripes about remintons QC but all of the rifles ive soon as of late have been fine.
Just to confirm, the $1000 is for rifle only, no optic, correct?
Ive become quite a fan on Tikka. Slightly over your budget but a Tikka CTR in an X-ray chassis is a pretty nice setup for a factory rifle.
Ive become quite a fan on Tikka. Slightly over your budget but a Tikka CTR in an X-ray chassis is a pretty nice setup for a factory rifle.
The only two I have been able to have hands on are a remington 700 police and sps tac that my buddies purchased for work. They seemed to be nice quality. They only thing i noticed is that with the sps tac when the bipod was deployed it didn't seem as though the barrel was free floating anymore.
Yes it for the rifle only. Either to purchase a rifle with a barreled action that can be switched to another stock, or one of quality that I can leave stock and add a bipod and scope to later.
In that price range I would take a serious look at the Bergara HMR. Not shooting down the Tikkas. With the Tikka you just don't have as many aftermarket options. There are plenty of options for 700's. The Bergara comes in .308 or 6.5. and is a 700 footprint so it will work on a multitude of aftermarket stocks if you decide to change. They also use 700 bases. Comes with a very nice adjustable stock for length and comb with a mini chassis built in, accepts AICS mags. Comes threaded. large bolt knob. Also has a nice adjustable trigger and is again compatible with 700 triggers if you decide to change it later. Still in that same price range. Also I know you are looking at .308. I'm not by any means saying you are wrong. My preference would be 6.5. The .308 is pretty much on any ammo shelf in the country. But i'm assuming you are setting up a precision rig. Which means you will pick a quality ammo that performs well for you. Pretty much anywhere you can get match .308 you can also get match 6.5 for nearly the same price. My 2 cents, just something to think about. Welcome to the Hide! [IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/www.interstateguns.com\/pub\/media\/catalog\/product\/cache\/3\/image\/420x536\/e9c3970ab036de70892d86c6d221abfe\/b\/1\/b14s351-1.jpg"}[/IMG2]
https://www.interstateguns.com/berga...8-b14s351.html
Interstate Guns is selling these for 910.00.
https://www.interstateguns.com/berga...8-b14s351.html
Interstate Guns is selling these for 910.00.
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I am fairly certain all of the SPS tactical rifles come with a plastic hogue stock.....so it will flex and touch the barrel on a bipod....this stock gets replaced 90% of the time....its crap.
but good quality replacement stocks can be had for pretty cheap......B&C makes some affordable stocks..and so does Greyboe.......and then there are coundless chassis options MDT makes some nice chassis as does XLR ....and they can be found in the $300-500 range
Thank you for welcoming. I started reading into Tikka, and that's the conclusion I have come to is the some what lack of aftermarket options available. However it could also be to my own ignorance I just don't have a lot of knowledge of precision rifles. I just learned about glass bedding and the process as well as aluminum bedding. Now Bergara is a company I have never heard of so I'll do some reading up tonight. Have to add that to the bulletins of tabs I have open! The HMR does look enticing. I did weigh in on the option of Creedmoor and not 100% against it. One of my friends does a LOT of reloading, so eventually I want to start maximizing the performance when I have acquired the skill set and competency. Occasionally I will be using the rifle to help the same friend who reloads clear out hogs on some land he owns.
Its definitely a trade off. I was going to go the 700 route on my last rifle but heard too many stories about them needing aftermarket work to shoot with the accuracy I wanted. I was also turned off by the fact that you have to send them to a gunsmith to even change the bolt knob.
The Tikka for sure has less aftermarket options but IMO also needs less work out of the box and the action is smoother than the 700. Mine shoots half inch with handloads and all I did was change the stock.
The RPR is a good entry level rig too. I've heard the Bergeras shoot well but they aren't as proven yet. The good news is that you aren't going to go wrong with any of the options thrown out so far. You just have to decide what's most important to you.
I was a big fan of the Remington 700, until recently.
The Tikka T3x is a better option, and is every bit as customizable as a 700
The Ruger Precision Rifle is a great out of the box rifle, add scope and drive on.
Both these rifles have better barrels (generally speaking) shorter bolt throws, and huge upgrade potential.
Remington has several missed a beat, in more than a couple ways. Needless to say, they have dropped a few notches to these other guys.
The Tikka T3x is a better option, and is every bit as customizable as a 700
The Ruger Precision Rifle is a great out of the box rifle, add scope and drive on.
Both these rifles have better barrels (generally speaking) shorter bolt throws, and huge upgrade potential.
Remington has several missed a beat, in more than a couple ways. Needless to say, they have dropped a few notches to these other guys.
I agree Frank. I have several 700's in various calibers and configurations. they are great guns, but Remington has really lacked in innovation and costs have gone up with little improvement. if I were starting out, the Tikka or the RPR would be my go to. I have an RPR and I absolutely love shooting it because I get so much return on the investment. for 1200 bucks for the rifle and the 1200 I spent on a Bushnell its a win. Ive heard nothing but good things about the Tikka. don't get me wrong, I love my expensive toys like the GAP and an AI, but I expect the kind of accuracy I paid for from them. I was blown away by what the Ruger does out of the box for 1200.
If I am not mistaken, as an EMT, you can get a RPR at a first-responder price... which is about $850. A total steal. The Ruger Precision Rifle is an amazing starter gun... not quite as smooth as a Tikka or a Remington... but out of the box accurate as all get-up. Game changer for an entry-level precision rifle.
Just something to think about.... My review on Scout disappeared... but I shot one from Ruger not long after they were introduced and was impressed as he**. They gave me an out-of-box, random rifle and I put my own optic on it and shot it with their production engineer at a range in NH. It simply floored me in terms of accuracy for price. It performed on par with my Sako TRG that day.... and I shot both at the same time to make sure that I was not having a good or bad day.
Above suggestions all have merit... And I love Tikka's. But for starting out... don't forget the Ruger.
Cheers,
Sirhr
Just something to think about.... My review on Scout disappeared... but I shot one from Ruger not long after they were introduced and was impressed as he**. They gave me an out-of-box, random rifle and I put my own optic on it and shot it with their production engineer at a range in NH. It simply floored me in terms of accuracy for price. It performed on par with my Sako TRG that day.... and I shot both at the same time to make sure that I was not having a good or bad day.
Above suggestions all have merit... And I love Tikka's. But for starting out... don't forget the Ruger.
Cheers,
Sirhr
FYI since it is being asked of me privately
I have very little experience with the new Begara rifles, the B-14 HMR / BMP, I know even less about the Premier Series LRP.
I do have an older Begara rifle here that I had them drop the barreled action into a Cadex and it shoots very well, I have no complaints.
It's a fine option, but I feel you get a bit more out of the Tikka and Ruger vs the Begara. It's really a tiny difference and it comes down a few dollars.
We have a bunch of choices, a bunch of options, I just feel for me, the Tikka & Ruger are the best bang for the money, the Begara is still a viable option that will serve you well
I have very little experience with the new Begara rifles, the B-14 HMR / BMP, I know even less about the Premier Series LRP.
I do have an older Begara rifle here that I had them drop the barreled action into a Cadex and it shoots very well, I have no complaints.
It's a fine option, but I feel you get a bit more out of the Tikka and Ruger vs the Begara. It's really a tiny difference and it comes down a few dollars.
We have a bunch of choices, a bunch of options, I just feel for me, the Tikka & Ruger are the best bang for the money, the Begara is still a viable option that will serve you well
From what I have heard/read, 2000-2500 if you like to reload screamers, 3000-4000 on factory ammo. Some supposedly had over 4k without the accuracy degrading to the point of retiring the barrel with conservative reloading.
.308....well, assume you will upgrade to a 6.5 before you shoot a .308 barrel out. 10k+, I don't know the correct answer.
Go with the .308 to start. Perfectly good accuracy... and the benefit of lots of brass, data, loads, etc. Once you are established, go with a 6.5 or something more exotic. Get the rifle... and start handloading. By the time your first .308 is worn out, you will know far, far more about choices... and will be closer to shooting a 6.5 to its potential.
Just my two percent of a dollar. YMMV. As Seen On TV. Offer not Valid in Rhode Island.
Cheers,
Sirhr
Just my two percent of a dollar. YMMV. As Seen On TV. Offer not Valid in Rhode Island.
Cheers,
Sirhr
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I started getting into practical long range shooting in 2009. At the time scope selection and action selection outside of customs was nowhere near what it is now. I went with a 700 5R, to which i eventually had bedded into an McM A5, then added an APA bolt knob and DBM with the intention to compete, though i'm not sure if PRS was even a thing then. It was still very much practical rifle matches of the likes of the Hide Cup and Blue Steel Ranch Safari matches, etc. There really wasn't a factory option to just buy into PRS and scopes were pretty much limited to Leupold, Nightforce, USO, and S&B.
I ended up putting most of my budget into a quality optic and later attempting to upgrade the rifle as i saw fit whilst shooting it. By the end of it i had sunk nearly 1400$ into a factory barreled action with no upgrades other than a bolt knob, not to mention the cost of the 5R itself being 900-1000$. I easily could've built a custom for what i've put into that gun. As most have noted Remington hasn't at all bothered to keep up with the evolving (rather exploding) precision rifle market. With the RPR and Tikka out there is no reason to buy a 700. By the time you upgrade it to have desirable features of most actions this day in age it ends up becoming pretty expensive.
308 i used to recommend as well, though other than barrel life in its favor, this day in age i'd say just skip it and go straight to 6.5CM. It's widely available at moderate prices and there is plenty of load data on it. Granted there is no substitute for practice and you will get more practice out of a 308 before barrel change. 308 is fine if it's more readily accessible and the subsequent barrel change associated with the 6.5 or 6mm cartridges doesn't bode well for the budget. Again an upside the RPR is that you can start with 308 as desired and later grab a barrel from LRI and change it yourself, rather than building another rifle.
I'd look at the RPR or Tikka T3, given your budget the RPR makes more sense to me. It's ready to go out of the box, other than putting an optic on it, you don't have to worry about DBM or an adjustable chassis/stock. If that EMT discount applies it's even more true.
In short if i was starting now, i'd have a RPR and the best optics i could squeeze at the perceivable time. Run the hell out of it.
My .02 cents.
I ended up putting most of my budget into a quality optic and later attempting to upgrade the rifle as i saw fit whilst shooting it. By the end of it i had sunk nearly 1400$ into a factory barreled action with no upgrades other than a bolt knob, not to mention the cost of the 5R itself being 900-1000$. I easily could've built a custom for what i've put into that gun. As most have noted Remington hasn't at all bothered to keep up with the evolving (rather exploding) precision rifle market. With the RPR and Tikka out there is no reason to buy a 700. By the time you upgrade it to have desirable features of most actions this day in age it ends up becoming pretty expensive.
308 i used to recommend as well, though other than barrel life in its favor, this day in age i'd say just skip it and go straight to 6.5CM. It's widely available at moderate prices and there is plenty of load data on it. Granted there is no substitute for practice and you will get more practice out of a 308 before barrel change. 308 is fine if it's more readily accessible and the subsequent barrel change associated with the 6.5 or 6mm cartridges doesn't bode well for the budget. Again an upside the RPR is that you can start with 308 as desired and later grab a barrel from LRI and change it yourself, rather than building another rifle.
I'd look at the RPR or Tikka T3, given your budget the RPR makes more sense to me. It's ready to go out of the box, other than putting an optic on it, you don't have to worry about DBM or an adjustable chassis/stock. If that EMT discount applies it's even more true.
In short if i was starting now, i'd have a RPR and the best optics i could squeeze at the perceivable time. Run the hell out of it.
My .02 cents.
Ok, I have been reading specs, reviews and watching some videos. I have managed to narrow down the rifles which I believe will be the purchase for me. I have narrows it down to the Bergara HMR and Tikka T3X CTR and possibly the TAC A1. However, with the TAC A1 it's over what I have budgeted myself and would require additional saving.
I'll add another vote for the RPR in 6.5CM.
It is not smooth as a Tikka, but it is set-up for precision very nicely right out of the gate. While 6.5CM barrel life is a little shorter than that of the 308, by the time you have spent that much money on ammo, the cost of the barrel is not a huge thing. Besides, with the RPR it is very straightforward to replace the barrel yourself.
For me, the ability to swap out components (like barrels) without ever having to send the rifle to a gunsmith is really important, hence the recommendation of the RPR instead of the Tikka.
With Savage, swapping barrels is also not difficult, but I have been seeing a fairly steady though decline decline in quality ever since Savage was purchased. While I would still take it over the R700 overall, both TIkka and RPR seem to be more consistent at the moment.
ILya
It is not smooth as a Tikka, but it is set-up for precision very nicely right out of the gate. While 6.5CM barrel life is a little shorter than that of the 308, by the time you have spent that much money on ammo, the cost of the barrel is not a huge thing. Besides, with the RPR it is very straightforward to replace the barrel yourself.
For me, the ability to swap out components (like barrels) without ever having to send the rifle to a gunsmith is really important, hence the recommendation of the RPR instead of the Tikka.
With Savage, swapping barrels is also not difficult, but I have been seeing a fairly steady though decline decline in quality ever since Savage was purchased. While I would still take it over the R700 overall, both TIkka and RPR seem to be more consistent at the moment.
ILya
Forget the Bergara. Good rifle, limited customization. Stick to the Tikka if you have already ruled out the RPR.
I've shot three Tikka CTRs and all have been 1/2MOA rifles. Personally I'd just get the Tikka CTR instead of the TAC A1. If you feel the need to re-stock the rifle down the road you can choose between a variety of aftermarket stocks.
I think I have decided I want to go with the Tikka T3X CTR BL model in 6.5. Still weighing the option on the varmint model. However I do intend to hunt occasionally and this is one reason why I am still leaning towards the ctr. Decisions, decisions. I was looking at the velocity difference between 24 and 20. I would like to eventually hit 1000-1000+ yards at some point as my competency increases. I"m going to call around some local shops tomorrow on the availability.
You won't have a problem hitting 1k with a 20 inch barrel and you won't be disappointed with the CTR
RPR, CTR, HCR, HMR. I almost forgot XYZ. Lol. I have a 6.5 RPR that I'm itching to get to the range. The CTR is a better feeling action than the Bergara. The howa isn't bad either. As others have mentioned, the Ruger is notorious for having a zipper sound when you cycle the action but it's already getting better on mine with a lil dry firing. The only thing I see as a set back with the CTR is the stock. The others come set up for dbm for around $1k. They can all shoot better than me. That's for damn sure.
The 20" barrel will definitely get the job done, and force you to make better wind calls due to some velocity loss which is what you wanted out of the .308. In the end, you won't even notice the missing fps.
I've seen all of the above doing well as shooters. All of them will work fine for you to do everything you want. The Bergara shoots well, as does the CTR. The TAC A1 is a great option and well worth the money, IMO.
In the end, choose which one appeals to you and your perceived needs. You won't go wrong no matter which you choose.
One man's opinion.
I like the Savage 11VT from Dicks Sporting Goods. I own one chambered in .308, another in .223. I am currently having some trouble finding it in stack on the 'Net.
I have owned several Rem 700's and never had any issues. My .223 VLS is my only rifle I would consider as nearing its bore life limit. It's been gifted to my Son-in-Law for use as a Chuck rifle, for which it should serve ably for another several years.
None of my 700's were built in this century, and all of them have been gifted to family as I divest the bulk of my unused rifles. I did this just prior to my move to AZ in mid-2016; otherwise the trailer probably would never have survived the trip. In other words, I considered the Remingtons as being my most expendable rifles.
Greg
I have owned several Rem 700's and never had any issues. My .223 VLS is my only rifle I would consider as nearing its bore life limit. It's been gifted to my Son-in-Law for use as a Chuck rifle, for which it should serve ably for another several years.
None of my 700's were built in this century, and all of them have been gifted to family as I divest the bulk of my unused rifles. I did this just prior to my move to AZ in mid-2016; otherwise the trailer probably would never have survived the trip. In other words, I considered the Remingtons as being my most expendable rifles.
Greg
Just to toss my 2cents in here on this. I was in the same boat as you at the beginning of the year. I ran into some financial troubles and ended up selling my dream rifle off to pay bills and knew I wanted to still play around at the range and maybe go to some fun local matches. I looked at and played around with some RPRs and they were fine, but just didn't make me think I had to have it. Only got to get hands on a Tikka in the store and unfortunately the one I was eyeballing was out of my price range. I got to handle one of the Bergara HMR rifles and was sold because right out of the box it had the adjustable stock, flush cups for sling, and accepted AICS mags. There wasn't anything that I needed to do or wanted to do with the rifle to make it "better" for me in my eyes. So that sort of made my decision easier for me to get the Bergara HMR. Mine is the 6.5 Creedmoor and I love it. It runs great and shoots amazing. I like how it is patterned after the Rem700 also. I replaced the factory trigger only because I prefer a straight trigger and added a 20moa scope base to it. It runs with a Gen1 Razor HD and silencerco omega. The shorter 22" barrel still gets me a little over 2800fps with 130gr ELDM or 130 AR Hybrids, groups under a half MOA consistently, and the slightly shorter barrel makes it balance well and toss in a pack easier. It's definitely a great buy and worth the money. It feels better to me than the RPRs I played with and fit my budget perfectly.
Ok, today I "pulled the trigger" (pun intended) on my rifle purchase. I ordered a Tikka T3X CTR 6.5. It should arrive at my FFL next week; I have to say, I'm very excited. Now it time to start looking at some accessories. I really like the Atlas bipod over Harris; however, Atlas would require me to add a picatinny section to the bottom of the rifle stock. I absolutely do not trust my craft skills for that at the moment. I may opt for the Harris because of the simple installation. I'm super stoked!!! Think I may go buy some ammo so I can look at it while I wait lol.
https://rifleshooter.com/2014/09/bipod-rail-installation-atlas-bipod-adapter/
It is easier to install a pic rail than one thinks, even if it doesn't look fun. I run an Atlas on my SRS, and a Harris on my other rifles.. I prefer the Atlas.
It is easier to install a pic rail than one thinks, even if it doesn't look fun. I run an Atlas on my SRS, and a Harris on my other rifles.. I prefer the Atlas.
