1,000 yard rifle

[Ghost]

I've gone more high tech for the long range stuff. I use a kestrel for cross wind and DA then I can plug it into ballistic AE on my iphone. I don't shoot competition and I shoot in a pasture or cornfield so everything is by my own rules.

[Erud]

Yeah, the Kestrel is a good tool and I have one myself. It is limited by the fact that it can only tell you about the condition where you are, though.

[UnaStamus]

The first thing you have to figure out is whether you want to function in a benchrest-only format, or if you want a more precision tactical setup. If you are looking at FN SPRs, the answer is most likely precision tactical. There are tons of rifles that will accurately shoot out to 1k without a problem if you do your part. The issue comes in to whether you want a package that is fine on its own, or something that is functional but will need to be upgraded as you progress. Off the rack Remington and Savage rifles are good starter rifles that do their jobs well, and leave room for improvement and upgrading (stock, trigger, bolt, etc). There are then rifles further up the food chain like the Tikka T3 CTR, Remington 700 MDT or any of the FN SPRs that are sort of the "factory premium/custom" realm. They're factory rifles that are built like the premium custom rifles. After those you then have the premium custom rifles like the aforementioned Surgeon Scalpel .260. It all comes down to where you want to enter into the arena.
How you configure the rifle is dependent upon what you're looking to get out of it and what you plan to shoot through it. The big debate usually comes down to barrel length. What caliber you shoot, as well as what ammunition will help solve that issue. For .308, 20" barrels are a great balance between overall length weight, and muzzle velocity. The twist rate is also something to take notice of. The most common for .308 are 1:12, 1:11.25, 1:11 and 1:10. For 6.5mm/.260 you'll typically see 1:8.5 or 1:8. The heavier the bullet, the longer the bullet, the tighter/faster you want your twist rate. For .308, 1:12 can handle everything up to around 175gr or 178gr. As you decrease the barrel length, you generally want to tighten it up, which is why factory barrels under 20" are all 1:10, 1:11 or 1:11.25 twist rates. 20" is the shortest you want to go, but 20" is more than capable at 1k. If you plan to shoot factory loads at or under 178gr, you're fine with really any length or twist rate. If you want to hand load to shoot heavier bullets or slower burning powders, you generally want longer barrels and tighter twist rates. The difference between 20" and 24" or 26" barrels is minimal for .308, but for faster and higher BC loads like 6.5mm or 6mm, you generally want the longer barrels to take maximum advantage of the loads.


Optics is another part of the equation, and you should spend some time behind various optics if you are not familiar with the optical quality or features. There are different pricing levels that you can sit in, but basically consider them to be >$500, $500-$1k, $1k-$2k, $2000+. As price goes up, features go up. If you are below $500, the best option is to buy a fixed power scope for best overall quality. The "sub-$1k" category has several options in it, but the top contenders are SWFA, Vortex Viper PST, Bushnell Tactical, Weaver Tactical and Burris XTR-II. All are exceptional values, but the Burris XTR-II is the new kid on the block and since they were bought by Beretta, they share a lot of technology with the much higher quality Steiner scopes. There's a lot to be said about that. SWFA offers great value, and Bushnell Tactical has been stepping up their game big time. In the higher pricing categories, it gets more complicated and you have to select based on what you want for options and features, what kind of magnification you need, and what you are willing to spend.
One comment that does need to be made is that if you are not building a benchrest only rifle, don't use a benchrest scope. Nightforce makes excellent scopes, but their benchrest scopes are not shockproof and will not handle "field use". They are not built to the same durability standards as their NXS, ATACR and BEAST scopes.

Some thoughts on scopes:
SWFA SS 3-15x42 is on par with the Vortex Viper PST 4-16x50 in terms of features, quality and durability. The only thing you don't get is illumination with the SWFA. If you don't need the illumination, the $699 SWFA is better bang for you buck than the $899 PST.
If you look at Leupold, stick with the Mark 6 and Mark 8 lines. The Mark 4 line is antiquated and short on features. Less expensive options offer equal optical quality with better features.
As I stated above, the Burris XTR-II line is sharing technology with Steiner. There are lots of positive reviews of it by top level precision rifle shooters and trainers.
Steiner scopes rifle are among the best of what you'll find on the market, which is what you would expect from Germany. Steiner now has a line of scopes coming out called the T5Xi, which are made in the US to the same specifications as the German M5Xi line. The T5Xi line uses the same German lenses and coatings, but being made in America cuts a massive chunk off the price. Now you have a US-made $1800 scope that is the same quality as a $2900 German-built scope. The T5Xi line should be hitting the shelves any day now.
Vortex has new offerings in their Razor HD Gen-II line. The Razors are an entirely different animal than any other scope Vortex makes, and the optics are phenomenal. If you want a good deal, you can find new and used Razor HD 5-20x50 (Gen 1) scopes for amazing deals.


For a mount, don't use a QD mount on a bolt rifle if you don't have to. Many sit too high for normal rifles, and you need to have a raised comb to allow you to use the optics easily. There are also issues with mounts like the LaRue mounts, which were never designed for scope use. The mounting was only meant for red dots, and the LaRue scope mounts were one of the first to fail US Army durability tests due to the poor durability and minimal engagement surface of the locking levers. The GDI and Alamo Four Star mounts were among the strongest and most durable for QD mounts.
Using good quality scope rings on a picatinny rail is a proven winning combination. There are tons of good options, but Badger Ordnance components are tough to beat for quality. There are numerous less expensive options that are also good quality, like from TPS and Seekins.

The Harris bipods are bulletproof and a long standing industry favorite. I have started switching over to Accu-Shot Atlas bipods, which are a lot more expensive, but a better overall option with all that they offer. Either works fine.

Also consider that it's good to invest in shooting accessories and tools, like a Kestrel weather meter, a spotting scope, ballistic computer/ballistic smart phone app, chronograph, etc.

[PHATSPEED7x]

I just put this on layaway at L&M in Mt. Iron MN...



Kimber 8400 Tactical in .308

[Bearcatrp]

I just put this on layaway at L&M in Mt. Iron MN...



Kimber 8400 Tactical in .308

That is one sweet rifle. My wallet hurts just looking at it.

[PHATSPEED7x]

I just put this on layaway at L&M in Mt. Iron MN...



Kimber 8400 Tactical in .308

That is one sweet rifle. My wallet hurts just looking at it.

Like I said. Buy once. Cry once. But layaway with 90 days to pay is a really nice way to buy guns too. And I got a decent deal on the gun. The little new models with the Fluted barrel Retail for $2400. I paid $1599 plus MN sales Tax. $350 down started my layaway.

[Ghost]

I just put this on layaway at L&M in Mt. Iron MN...



Kimber 8400 Tactical in .308

That is one sweet rifle. My wallet hurts just looking at it.

Like I said. Buy once. Cry once. But layaway with 90 days to pay is a really nice way to buy guns too. And I got a decent deal on the gun. The little new models with the Fluted barrel Retail for $2400. I paid $1599 plus MN sales Tax. $350 down started my layaway.

Now $2500+ for a scope and you'll be good to go.

[PHATSPEED7x]

Now $2500+ for a scope and you'll be good to go.

I'm looking at the $600-$800 price range for Glass. Leupold, and Vortex are brands I'm researching.

[shooter115]

This might help make your choice on glass. I have a Leupold VX3LR 6.5-20x50 with the target dot reticle. This is on a custom built 7mm Mag, cost was around $900.

I also have a Vortex Viper 6.5-20x50 with a target dot reticle on a custom 6BR. Got this on clearance at SWFA for $300.

Both scopes have 30mm main tubes and side parallax adjustment. They are dead on spec for spec. But when I put the 2 side by side, the Vortex has better glass. The Leupold has a more positive feeling on the Turrets, by the Vortex tracks just a well as the Leopold. Truth be told the Viper is a better buy for the money.

[PHATSPEED7x]

I also have a Vortex Viper 6.5-20x50

This is the scope I've been hearing some really good things about. Can you post a photo of your setup?

[yuppiejr]

CameraLandNY has the Zeis Conquest 6.5-20x50mm AO <side focus> (Z-plex reticle) on special for $599 shipped: http://www.cameralandny.com/optics/zeiss.pl?page=521450

They also have the Vortex Viper 6.5-20x44mm AO <side focus> for $325: http://www.cameralandny.com/optics/vort ... per6-20x44

Both are well reviewed optics with lifetime warranties. If you look at the "sold" auction prices for the Vortex model on eBay it holds it's value very well, should be able to recoup 90%-%100 of your investment if you end up selling it later (without ring marks or other obvious signs of abuse). Might not be a bad place to start while you get your feet wet, put the extra money into ammo for now. Good luck.

[shooter115]

Great piece of glass for the Money. Midway recently had them on sale for $330. I'm still kicking myself for not grabbing another. Here's some pics of my 6BR wearing a Vortex top hat.

[PHATSPEED7x]

Great piece of glass for the Money. Midway recently had them on sale for $330. I'm still kicking myself for not grabbing another. Here's some pics of my 6BR wearing a Vortex top hat.

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Now that is a great looking precision rifle!

[shooter115]

Thanks, but it's really nothing special and built on the cheap, definitely not a high end target rifle. Its a Savage model 10 action, a Shillen Select Match barrel in 6mmBR Norma, SSS trigger and a Choate Ultimate Varmint stock. The Vortex Viper 6.5-20x50 is in Burris Signature Zee rings. It's meat and potatoes, but it works.

[UnaStamus]

Take a hard look at the SWFA SS 3-15x42 for $699.

If you want a tactical grade of scope, skip Leupold unless you:
a.) are willing to shell out the money for the Mark6 or Mark8
or
b.) are buying a USED Mark4.
There is a big step between the Mark AR Mod1 line and the Mark 6/8. The Mark 4 is in the middle, but a very old design and not worth the money brand new.