I am seeking advice!!

[4xforfun]

You used two key words in in your question about long range. Practice and ELK!! This, to me, means two different guns....and reloading!!! Everyone here would agree that PRACTICE comes first. Trying to practice with a 300/338 loudenboomer is not only punishing and expensive, it could well be counter productive. You may well handle the big kickers for a few shots at the range, but shooting one for half a day , in field positions can give you a flinch. I would start with a smaller 6mm or 6.5 with heavy, LR type bullets. My practice gun, a 6-47L with 108's, has an identicle trajectory to my big boomers out to 1K. Like ALF said....BC is BC..as long as they are fired at the same FPS the drop and wind will be the same. After you get a bunch of trigger time in you will be better informed about your hunting gun.

Another option would be a switch BBL rig. Have the recoil lug pinned on a rem 700 and have a couple of different tubes chambered up. They would both need to be the same bolt face. I have a 6.5 WSSM BBL chambered up for one of my 300 WBY rifles. Low recoil and VERY accurate. Simply swap out the tube and re zero your scope.

Oh, as far as how big...for elk...at 1K?? I say no smaller than a 300 WBY. I hear the 300 RUM brass is impossible to find. 300 WBY brass is everywhere and you can get really close to RUM velocity. Use heavy for caliber bullets.....at least 210 grains in a 30 cal. I LOVE my 338 EDGE, and high quality, properly head stamped brass is available from Sean Carlock...a sponsor over at LR Hunting.com.

Good luck,
Tod

 

[Swatman05]

Don't feel "unfortunate", you're in a GREAT area! I've got close ties to my Okie homeboys!
Make your way down to that 600yd range & get a feel for it. See what other shooters are using, and I bet one would let ya take their rig for a spin if you showed any interest! I sure enjoy seeing a 'new' shooter get behind one of my rifles and make good hits!!! Surely, others do as well...

If I had to make a recommendation on rifle & cartridge, I'd steer you toward something like a 6.5Creedmore. There are several factory rifles chambered in 6.5Creed that will be accurate enough to get you started. A Savage, Tikka, or the new Ruger RPR would be a good start and not break you, financially. Also, match quality factory ammo in 6.5 Creed is readily available to feed it.

Save your brass! If you've really got the bug, I predict a reloading press in your future...

Also, you'll need a good, repeatable scope. For about $1K, a Bushnell DMR/XRS/ERS, a used Nightforce NXS or SHV, or Burris XTR will get you something reliable. Don't underestimate the importance of a quality scope! Shooting at distance requires an optic you can trust, so don't slouch on the glass. I'd sooner spend MORE on the glass, and LESS on the rifle...

I can appreciate your zeal & drive to jump into the 'deep end' of the pool. But trust me, you'll be much better served to start at the start, and get proficient with a manageable and relatively affordable 'mid-range' cartridge at 'mid-range'. Concentrate on that, FIRST! Once 600yds becomes boringly easy, then you can worry about stretching the legs a bit further...

Don't buy into the marketing hype of those 'turn-key' 1000yd hunting rifles. Without the skills required to operate them, you're no further ahead than with any other rifle.

The difficulty of distance shooting increases exponentially, so shooting @ 600yds in NOT 2x as hard at shooting @ 300yds. It's more like 10x as hard And once you get much past 700yds, you'll see how humbling even a minor shift in the wind can be! It will show you in sobering reality what it takes to even consider attempting to take an animal at that range! Heck, I didn't shoot over 20 whitetails this past season, just because I didn't feel 100% about the shot. And that was with a VERY capable rifle and proven equipment. Yes, I had just as much fun watching them walk away & hoping for another crack later on.

Experience will allow for that enjoyment, so don't ever be in a rush to shoot game at LR. Things can & will go south in the blink of an eye. That's another tip you'll hardly ever see on a LR tv show. They're in the business of selling equipment, as are some websites, always keep that in the back of your mind on your quest toward learning. Some will push you in a direction, the direction that puts $$$ in their own pockets. Nothing wrong with that, just be aware of the potential bias factor.

Start at the start, don't get ahead of yourself! Sometimes, the ride is just as enjoyable as the destination. A 6.5Creed @ 600yds will get you well on your way to your ultimate goal...

Good luck & have fun!!!

Thanks for the great reply! I'll definitely take your advice and not start with a big boomer. Is there much difference between a 6.5 Creedmoor and the 6.5x47 Lapua?

 

[Sheldon N]

6.5 Creedmoor will have more factory ammo options at reasonable costs and will also have a little more velocity by about 50fps. 6.5x47 is an excellent cartridge for reloaders since it has the very high quality Lapua brass.

 

[Swatman05]

6.5 Creedmoor will have more factory ammo options at reasonable costs and will also have a little more velocity by about 50fps. 6.5x47 is an excellent cartridge for reloaders since it has the very high quality Lapua brass.

What's a good twist rate for a variety of bullet weights? I'm looking at Mullerworks Barrels

 

[Swatman05]

You used two key words in in your question about long range. Practice and ELK!! This, to me, means two different guns....and reloading!!! Everyone here would agree that PRACTICE comes first. Trying to practice with a 300/338 loudenboomer is not only punishing and expensive, it could well be counter productive. You may well handle the big kickers for a few shots at the range, but shooting one for half a day , in field positions can give you a flinch. I would start with a smaller 6mm or 6.5 with heavy, LR type bullets. My practice gun, a 6-47L with 108's, has an identicle trajectory to my big boomers out to 1K. Like ALF said....BC is BC..as long as they are fired at the same FPS the drop and wind will be the same. After you get a bunch of trigger time in you will be better informed about your hunting gun.

Another option would be a switch BBL rig. Have the recoil lug pinned on a rem 700 and have a couple of different tubes chambered up. They would both need to be the same bolt face. I have a 6.5 WSSM BBL chambered up for one of my 300 WBY rifles. Low recoil and VERY accurate. Simply swap out the tube and re zero your scope.

Oh, as far as how big...for elk...at 1K?? I say no smaller than a 300 WBY. I hear the 300 RUM brass is impossible to find. 300 WBY brass is everywhere and you can get really close to RUM velocity. Use heavy for caliber bullets.....at least 210 grains in a 30 cal. I LOVE my 338 EDGE, and high quality, properly head stamped brass is available from Sean Carlock...a sponsor over at LR Hunting.com.

Good luck,
Tod

Thanks! I wish I had guys here like you guys!! I really appreciate all the input and things you guys have told me! I'll probably start with a 6.5 Creedmoor and put a Mullerworks Barrel on it. What would be a good length for that caliber and twist rate for a variety of bullet weights?

 

[Sheldon N]

8 twist is the most common and should be fine for stabilizing bullets up to the 140g Berger Hybrid.

 

[Swatman05]

8 twist is the most common and should be fine for stabilizing bullets up to the 140g Berger Hybrid.

What would you recommend for barrel length?

 

[Sheldon N]

24-26" is good for a general purpose gun that you can move around with.

 

[Swatman05]

24-26" is good for a general purpose gun that you can move around with.

Thank you good sir!

 

[Swatman05]

Do any of you guys have experience with the Savage Model 12LRP in 6.5 Creedmoor? I'm thinking that'd be a good gun to be introduced into long range shooting with. Any information would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[fredo]

A friend of mine has a Savage LRP in 6.5Creed, and its a real decent shooter. This gentleman is VERY well to do & has several high dollar custom rifles, yet got that LRP for a fun & easy 'range rifle'. He's quite pleased with it...

Although I'm not personally a Savage guy, I think you'd be well served with that rifle to get you rolling. Grab a case of factory Hornady match ammo & get after it!!!

If you're looking for a decent scope, there's a new kid on the block: Athlon Optics. The FFP Argos and SFP Midas scopes have been well received by shooters who've tried them. I've actually got this Midas on the way, to try for myself:
http://athlonoptics.com/product/midas-btr-4-5-27x50-aplr1-sfp-ir-mil/
Hoping it makes for a reliable varmint/target plinker scope, the HD glass is posta be quite good. I just want it to track reliably...we'll see! If it does, the $599 street price will be more than worth it...

Good luck!

 

[Swatman05]

A friend of mine has a Savage LRP in 6.5Creed, and its a real decent shooter. This gentleman is VERY well to do & has several high dollar custom rifles, yet got that LRP for a fun & easy 'range rifle'. He's quite pleased with it...

Although I'm not personally a Savage guy, I think you'd be well served with that rifle to get you rolling. Grab a case of factory Hornady match ammo & get after it!!!

If you're looking for a decent scope, there's a new kid on the block: Athlon Optics. The FFP Argos and SFP Midas scopes have been well received by shooters who've tried them. I've actually got this Midas on the way, to try for myself:
http://athlonoptics.com/product/midas-btr-4-5-27x50-aplr1-sfp-ir-mil/
Hoping it makes for a reliable varmint/target plinker scope, the HD glass is posta be quite good. I just want it to track reliably...we'll see! If it does, the $599 street price will be more than worth it...

Good luck!

Thank you good sir! I found a brand new one for $997. Cheapest I've found so far. If I can sell my 357mag rifle, I'll put that money towards my new gun.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Get a savage in 6br if youre going that route

 

[Swatman05]

Get a savage in 6br if youre going that route

Is there a big difference caliber wise?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Big difference brass wise

 

[Swatman05]

Big difference brass wise

What would something in 6BR cost?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Im not a savage guy- no clue. Somebody will creep thru and let you know

 

[fredo]

Im not a savage guy- no clue. Somebody will creep thru and let you know

OP stated he doesn't reload.
That's why he's getting recommendations focused around keeping things as easy and economical for him, as possible...

 

[Dgd6mm]

The Savage 6.5 Creedmoor fits his demands for starters. Very accurate with factory ammo, decent barrel life, and a barrel change down the road is simple for a do it yourselfer.

 

[Dshooter]

^^^^agreed. You will not be disappointed with the LRP