SO like the title theres so much out there and i have no experience with any prs matches or guns. My experience is military so .308 and .300 wm and plenty of experience with them. I also had a remington 700 .308 with an ax chassis that i liked not loved because well .308.... Im looking to get into PRS style shooting and possibly start some matches after my next pcs. So tell me where i should start looking or what i should checkout to buy? preferably something turn key or possibly used barreled action and chassis etc. price somewhere in the 3k? optic being additional after that.
wanting a 6.5 creedmoor where to start?
- Thread starter Jmurph240
- Start date
Have you considdered rebarreling that 308 in 6.5? You have the chassis already so rebarreling that gun could be around $700 depending on barrel and smith.
Long Rifles Inc., Area 419, Patriot Valley, Accurate Ord, Short Action Customs are just a few that you can start checking out for that kind of work. Personally id stay away from buying a new 700 rem in 6.5 or 308 and doing work on it.
Have a look at the PX too, there is always a few 6.5 guns with plenty of life on the sticks left down there.
Long Rifles Inc., Area 419, Patriot Valley, Accurate Ord, Short Action Customs are just a few that you can start checking out for that kind of work. Personally id stay away from buying a new 700 rem in 6.5 or 308 and doing work on it.
Have a look at the PX too, there is always a few 6.5 guns with plenty of life on the sticks left down there.
Lots of good options. Lowlight partnered with Ashbury ord. And just released a rifle for sub 2000. There is a thread at the very top of this sub section.
Mpa has options in your price range. You can also check out the tika and howa offerings. Really to many to list. Everyone offers a 6.5 creedmoor
Mpa has options in your price range. You can also check out the tika and howa offerings. Really to many to list. Everyone offers a 6.5 creedmoor
You can look at companies making tailor made products for the sport. Master Piece Arms (MPA) for example would be a competitive “turn key” rifle.
I would also try to attend a PRS match as a spectator and possibly try to talk to some of the competitors about how they started/what they would recommend. They might also let you get behind their rifles to get a “hands on” feel for their setup. Quick search on YouTube and you’ll see tons of PRS match footage and some knowledge too.
Personally, I think dropping 3k on a rifle, a couple thousand for an optic (more important) and a good bit still for the gear/equipment required to be competitive seems a little much for just starting out in the sport. I understand your background and previous experience in shooting should cover the fundamentals/principles, but still... Especially considering your limited time being active and stuff.
Obviously you can do what you want, but I would reevaluate what you actually want to accomplish and adjust your budget accordingly.
Plus look around the forum, your type of question has been asked frequently.
I would also try to attend a PRS match as a spectator and possibly try to talk to some of the competitors about how they started/what they would recommend. They might also let you get behind their rifles to get a “hands on” feel for their setup. Quick search on YouTube and you’ll see tons of PRS match footage and some knowledge too.
Personally, I think dropping 3k on a rifle, a couple thousand for an optic (more important) and a good bit still for the gear/equipment required to be competitive seems a little much for just starting out in the sport. I understand your background and previous experience in shooting should cover the fundamentals/principles, but still... Especially considering your limited time being active and stuff.
Obviously you can do what you want, but I would reevaluate what you actually want to accomplish and adjust your budget accordingly.
Plus look around the forum, your type of question has been asked frequently.
I started out by buying a Tikka CTR and dropping it in a KRG XRay for about 1600.00 new. Figured I'd run that until I figured out what I really wanted for matches, then sell it and recoup some funds. As it turns out, I liked the action, trigger, and chassis enough that I just opted for a rebarrel when the time came and put the money I was gonna spend on a nicer rig into upgraded glass and ammo.
I think with a $3k budget you can get a nice entry level 6.5 CM. In turn-key, I would look at three brands:
1) Tikka (mentioned), which never really gets the credit it deserves. They make an outstanding action, and their rifles run from entry level to high-end tactial and competition. Personally, I like the Tikka barreled action in a Cadex frame, but that is another topic...
2) Bergara. These guys are new entrants into the rifle business, but their barrels are solid in the mid-market. Budget aside, I would pick a different barrel, but their barrels are damn good, and the rifles seem to be doing well.
3) Cadex. There is a new rifle out this year... or, rather a re-introduction of an old rifle, which, in the past had some issues. The Cadex team, in their normal engineering fashion, went back to the drawing board and have created a great entry-level rifle with a polymer-aluminum stock and a middle class barrel, along the lines of a Bergara barrel or Criterion, etc. All of which, as I have said, are perfectly fine barrels. Just not with the reputation and production methods of some other premium brands.
Finally, you might look at a good gunsmith and get a Remington 700 action with good barrel, and pop it into a Cadex chassis. In our shop, we are looking to do that, to find a great rifle at a great price. We are not there yet, but hope to announce something in a few months.
1) Tikka (mentioned), which never really gets the credit it deserves. They make an outstanding action, and their rifles run from entry level to high-end tactial and competition. Personally, I like the Tikka barreled action in a Cadex frame, but that is another topic...
2) Bergara. These guys are new entrants into the rifle business, but their barrels are solid in the mid-market. Budget aside, I would pick a different barrel, but their barrels are damn good, and the rifles seem to be doing well.
3) Cadex. There is a new rifle out this year... or, rather a re-introduction of an old rifle, which, in the past had some issues. The Cadex team, in their normal engineering fashion, went back to the drawing board and have created a great entry-level rifle with a polymer-aluminum stock and a middle class barrel, along the lines of a Bergara barrel or Criterion, etc. All of which, as I have said, are perfectly fine barrels. Just not with the reputation and production methods of some other premium brands.
Finally, you might look at a good gunsmith and get a Remington 700 action with good barrel, and pop it into a Cadex chassis. In our shop, we are looking to do that, to find a great rifle at a great price. We are not there yet, but hope to announce something in a few months.
Tikka CTR is hard to beat for the money and performance. Add in whatever chassis you want and you're under or around the $2k mark. Spend the rest on glass and reloading.
I have a Tikka CTR 6.5CM with the 24" barrel and it's stupidly accurate and a pleasure to shoot. Have done well in the informal matches around here that I've shot. Personally, I don't believe spending more on accuracy really helps you a ton in PRS-style competitions. A CTR with tuned handloads will shoot around 1/2 MOA, and PRS comps are not going to test the quality of your gear a ton more than that IMHO. It comes down to the shooter, whether you've got a chassis that fits you well, experience with quick elevation and wind corrections, etc. more than buying something that will shoot noticeably better than 1/2 MOA. But that's JMHO from what little I've seen. I'm no PRS expert.
Tikka TX3 Tac A1...… I shoot one in 6.5 Creedmoor. It is a laser for a factory rifle. I find that it loves the Hornady 140gr eld ammo. Action is smooth as glass and you will not recognize it compared to the Remington's that you are used to. Reasonable money to start. Trigger takes a little getting used to over the stock Remington but that's a little range time.
I'll second the T3X A1. Unless yo want a traditional stock, and the standard CTR with Manners and mini chassis is an excellent choice there, you've got a winning combo out of the gate. They sell a 16" version if you want a more compact rifle. A lot of shops can rebarrel the Tikka when you're ready for that.
