Which gun for a beginner?
- Thread starter Dave G
- Start date
garandman
Bolt Gun Bodacious
This ^^^ With a little patience, you can usualy find someone willing to take a pretty big "hit" to fund the next gun they really want.
Its a dog eat dog world, this precision rifle game.
Don't set a specific budget and tie yourself to it, especially if a couple hundred more dollars is going to get you into something worth owning for the rest of your life - verses a "lipstick on pig" situation.
My first long range rifle started as a used 6mmPPC full custom actioned rifle I picked up at a benchrest match for $1100. I haven't had a rifle shoot as tight at 100Y as that rifle did but that cartridge isn't designed for long range. I sold that barrel with the brass and dies it came with for $150. The action had a sliding extractor and a 308 bolt face so I had a Krieger put on it in 6.5-284 which I won our annual 1000Y match that year with. Back then it cost me $550 for the barrel and barrel work so I had $400 more into the project and the expense was worth every penny.
The truth is that most factory rifles will not come close to being as accurate as a custom, I already knew that when I bought that 6mmPPC from buying many factory rifles throughout the years and being disappointed. Yes once in a while a good one will present itself but that is far from the norm.
BTW, it may just be chance but I shot a Tikka TAC in 6.5Creed that shot very good! As good as my custom rifle on that day.
There is such a thing these days as prefit barrels, I paid about $380 for a new Shilen select match 6mmBR barrel that was very accurate. Get a go and no-go gauge and a few other tools to install yourself. This saves a bunch of money over time.
My first long range rifle started as a used 6mmPPC full custom actioned rifle I picked up at a benchrest match for $1100. I haven't had a rifle shoot as tight at 100Y as that rifle did but that cartridge isn't designed for long range. I sold that barrel with the brass and dies it came with for $150. The action had a sliding extractor and a 308 bolt face so I had a Krieger put on it in 6.5-284 which I won our annual 1000Y match that year with. Back then it cost me $550 for the barrel and barrel work so I had $400 more into the project and the expense was worth every penny.
The truth is that most factory rifles will not come close to being as accurate as a custom, I already knew that when I bought that 6mmPPC from buying many factory rifles throughout the years and being disappointed. Yes once in a while a good one will present itself but that is far from the norm.
BTW, it may just be chance but I shot a Tikka TAC in 6.5Creed that shot very good! As good as my custom rifle on that day.
There is such a thing these days as prefit barrels, I paid about $380 for a new Shilen select match 6mmBR barrel that was very accurate. Get a go and no-go gauge and a few other tools to install yourself. This saves a bunch of money over time.
About 2 weeks ago the fella I bought my Origin action rifle from on here had another rig up for sale. It was a Nucleus action with base, 2 barrels, 6.5Creedmoor used with very low ground count, unfired .308. The trigger was a Bix & Andy tacsport I believe.It came with an action wrench also. This for $1700.00 he had 2 stock to sell separately but if you chose one he would make a better package deal. I should have jumped on it. Best thing for me is he lives about 50 miles from me.
We did an end of season / beginner event at our club last weekend where people that have never shot beyond 100 yards before could bring pretty much any safe rifle / ammo to shoot prone at 200 and 600 yards. We used our Shotmarker ET's and the 24 shooters that attended had a blast. Many of them want to buy or build rifles to start shooting FTR or AR Tactical ( if the NRA keeps that rifle class beyond the 3 year trial ending in 2019 ) rifles so they can attend Mid Range Matches next season.
We have struggled to keep people coming back in service rifle as it takes a good amount of practice and hard work to improve shooting Service Rifle
I'm thinking may be easier to get people to stick with it shooting FTR.
One of the shooters brought a https://www.tactical-life.com/firearms/kimber-m8400-advanced-tactical-rifle-308/ with a Vortex 6-24 x 50 on it and did quite well shooting off a bipod. We used the huge XTC SR target at 200 and the MR1 at 600 and he shot a 199-11x including a 99-4x at 600 with factory ammo.
Only minor problem with it is it comes with a Muzzle Brake that the owner says would need a gunsmith to remove.
We don't allow Muzzle brakes in our NRA Mid Range Prone Matches so this will be a bit of a hassle for him to get it removed.
Has anyone else used that rifle for an entry level Mid Range FTR gun?
I don't see any online pricing for them so unsure what they go for new or used but good shape.
I'm a service Rifle shooter but I am also the governor of our 600 yard range so I plan on trying to help as many of the potential new shooters from the event we ran last week get into a decent off the shelf rifle for FTR.
I could be wrong but to me it looks like the FTR Class may be the easiest Mid Range Prone class rifle for new people to get into ?
Possible between this rifle, the Ruger Precision and the Tikka mentioned earlier on in this thread possibly 3 decent off the shelf options for those leary to go custom / used.
https://www.ganderoutdoors.com/ruger-precision-rifle-210975.html
https://www.cabelas.com/product/TIKKA-T-X-TAC-A-PRECISION-BOLT-ACTION-RIFLE/2508798.uts
Ruger Precision likely the lowest initial cost option for a beginner to get started in a 1st rifle.
( As stated, I'm just a service rifle shooter so I don't know crap about decent starting FTR rifles to recommend )
George
------ quoted from rulebook --------
(b) F-Class Target Rifle (F-TR) - A rifle limited to .223 Remington or
.308 Winchester or their commercial and/or metrification equivalents.
Chamber dimensions must not exceed the maximum SAAMI or CIP
specifications. Bore, groove, and throat dimensions may be selected
to suit bullets used. There is no restriction on bullet weight. The
rifle must be fired off a bipod, rigidly attached to the rifle’s fore-end,
and/or a sling. Any bipod, meeting the definition of a bipod, may be
used but its weight must be included in the rifle’s overall weight. Any
safe, manually operated trigger is permitted. Any sighting system is
permitted, but it must be included in the rifle’s overall weight.
The provisions of Rules 3.16 and 3.16.1 apply to this definition.
(1) The rifle’s overall weight, including all attachments such as sights,
sling and bipod, must not exceed 8.25 kilograms (approximately 18.18
pounds). An attachment also includes any external object, other than
the competitor and apparel, which recoils or partially recoils with the
rifle, or which is clamped, held, or joined 1n any way to the rifle or
which even slightly raises with the lifting of the rifle from its rest/
firing point.
(2) The rifle must be fired in the prone position from the shoulder of the
competitor using the rifle as defined in 3.4.1(b)
----------- end quote from rulebook ----
We have struggled to keep people coming back in service rifle as it takes a good amount of practice and hard work to improve shooting Service Rifle
I'm thinking may be easier to get people to stick with it shooting FTR.
One of the shooters brought a https://www.tactical-life.com/firearms/kimber-m8400-advanced-tactical-rifle-308/ with a Vortex 6-24 x 50 on it and did quite well shooting off a bipod. We used the huge XTC SR target at 200 and the MR1 at 600 and he shot a 199-11x including a 99-4x at 600 with factory ammo.
Only minor problem with it is it comes with a Muzzle Brake that the owner says would need a gunsmith to remove.
We don't allow Muzzle brakes in our NRA Mid Range Prone Matches so this will be a bit of a hassle for him to get it removed.
Has anyone else used that rifle for an entry level Mid Range FTR gun?
I don't see any online pricing for them so unsure what they go for new or used but good shape.
I'm a service Rifle shooter but I am also the governor of our 600 yard range so I plan on trying to help as many of the potential new shooters from the event we ran last week get into a decent off the shelf rifle for FTR.
I could be wrong but to me it looks like the FTR Class may be the easiest Mid Range Prone class rifle for new people to get into ?
Possible between this rifle, the Ruger Precision and the Tikka mentioned earlier on in this thread possibly 3 decent off the shelf options for those leary to go custom / used.
https://www.ganderoutdoors.com/ruger-precision-rifle-210975.html
https://www.cabelas.com/product/TIKKA-T-X-TAC-A-PRECISION-BOLT-ACTION-RIFLE/2508798.uts
Ruger Precision likely the lowest initial cost option for a beginner to get started in a 1st rifle.
( As stated, I'm just a service rifle shooter so I don't know crap about decent starting FTR rifles to recommend )
George
------ quoted from rulebook --------
(b) F-Class Target Rifle (F-TR) - A rifle limited to .223 Remington or
.308 Winchester or their commercial and/or metrification equivalents.
Chamber dimensions must not exceed the maximum SAAMI or CIP
specifications. Bore, groove, and throat dimensions may be selected
to suit bullets used. There is no restriction on bullet weight. The
rifle must be fired off a bipod, rigidly attached to the rifle’s fore-end,
and/or a sling. Any bipod, meeting the definition of a bipod, may be
used but its weight must be included in the rifle’s overall weight. Any
safe, manually operated trigger is permitted. Any sighting system is
permitted, but it must be included in the rifle’s overall weight.
The provisions of Rules 3.16 and 3.16.1 apply to this definition.
(1) The rifle’s overall weight, including all attachments such as sights,
sling and bipod, must not exceed 8.25 kilograms (approximately 18.18
pounds). An attachment also includes any external object, other than
the competitor and apparel, which recoils or partially recoils with the
rifle, or which is clamped, held, or joined 1n any way to the rifle or
which even slightly raises with the lifting of the rifle from its rest/
firing point.
(2) The rifle must be fired in the prone position from the shoulder of the
competitor using the rifle as defined in 3.4.1(b)
----------- end quote from rulebook ----
Last edited:
WyleWD
Silver $$ Contributor
+2^^^^^. Factory rifles are a crapshoot at best on getting satisfactory accuracy. And in the long run will cost you more money than a used custom rifle. JME. WD
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