For about $2500

C

Creaser

Guest
I am looking for a long range hunting rifle. I do not plan on carrying this rifle around with me for a long period of time. Bascially, a rifle that I will take to my favorite spot where I can see out to 600-700yds.

I will hunt primarily deer size game but will also hunt elk but no where near as frequent as deer.

The $2500 includes scope as well. Now, what would be the best setup for the price?

So far I am looking at the Sendero II and Leupold MK 4.

Calibers is the other issue. I don't really care as long as the rifle can shoot and retains enough energy to kill out to 700yds.

What would you buy for about $2500? Thanks.
 
not to be mean, but if you dont know the answers to your own questions, you have no business even considering shooting a big game animal at those distances!
 
Amen

lefty o said:
not to be mean, but if you dont know the answers to your own questions, you have no business even considering shooting a big game animal at those distances!
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Well and fairly stated.
 
lefty o said:
not to be mean, but if you dont know the answers to your own questions, you have no business even considering shooting a big game animal at those distances!
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I am no expert at long range hunting. In fact, I have never shot at an animal beyond 300yds. However, I am willing to learn.

I guess my first step is to ask about equipment first. Maybe this is the wrong approach. Maybe you can enlighten me with the "first" step. If not, please don't bother with your comments. Oh and I am not being mean.
 
a push in the right direction

First they are right, you have much to learn. With Whitetails you need somewhere in the neighborhood of 1200 ft-lbs of energy with an appropriate bullet at impact. At 600-700 yards that puts you in the 7mm rem mag category. You will need a quality rangefinder and an accurate ballistic chart for your rifle system. You need a quality scope with target turrets.

The deciding factor in the Ethics Equation is have you developed the skill to make this shot before you attempt it in the field. The only way to develop this skill is PRACTICE and a lot of it.

Personally a rem 700 or Savage 110 in 7 Rem Mag with a 162 A-Max will get the job done.

Sam
 
Clifdweller77 said:
First they are right, you have much to learn. With Whitetails you need somewhere in the neighborhood of 1200 ft-lbs of energy with an appropriate bullet at impact. At 600-700 yards that puts you in the 7mm rem mag category. You will need a quality rangefinder and an accurate ballistic chart for your rifle system. You need a quality scope with target turrets.

The deciding factor in the Ethics Equation is have you developed the skill to make this shot before you attempt it in the field. The only way to develop this skill is PRACTICE and a lot of it.

Personally a rem 700 or Savage 110 in 7 Rem Mag with a 162 A-Max will get the job done.

Sam
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Sam,

Thanks for the response. Thanks for answering my specific question. I am certain they are correct. However, I did not ask about how to "long range hunt".
 
i think maybe we got confused by "i will hunt primarily deer sized game but will also hunt elk", and " i dont really care as long as the rifle can shoot and retains enough energy to kill out to 700yds." i really thing if you want to try this, give a shot at prarie dogs at 700yds first and see how you do before gearing up to try big game at this kind of distance. a 300yds shot in the field is a slam dunk compared to 700yds. most of the guys on this site, when they shoot longer ranges are doing it with wind flags, from a bench, and at exact known distances, and its worlds apart from taking shots at animals in the field.
 
Long Range Hunting..

I have a thread going on this exact subject on the 6mmBR/accuate shooter website under the forum subjects Hunting so I want elabore here. You also may also want to visit the LongRangeHunting dot com forum. Though there are many long range shooters on this web sight it is more geared to long range bench rest shooting. No matter the type of shooting you do the more practice and trigger time you get the better you will become as a shooter. Not only are there distance, elevation, terminal balistics issues, there is reading the wind. To be an ethical long range hunter you must do considerable research, and practice. That makes it both fun and rewarding. I shoot many deer just like I use to shoot groundhogs except I eat the deer. In eastern North Carolina we call it beanfield shooting. That gets back to the specialized rifles for this type hunting. Beanfield riles are more on the same playing ground with the 600-1000 yard light guns or the F-class rifles. This class of rifle with the right bullets will take deer readily at ranges of 600-1000 yards.
Nat Lambeth
 
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Try a 270wsm, I am having one built for the same reason. I am hunting a gasline right of way. I decided on a 270wsm as I can get the 140gr Nos. Accubonds up to 3150 from 24" barrel. Given that it will carry about 1959fps and 1193fpe. You will need a very good scope up to at least 18 power. You can figure on about 92" of drop. Also check into getting a good range finder. The reason I say this is b/c this bullet will drop about 9" in 20 yards after 700yrds. Hopes this helps you out.
 
Try a Sendero II with a VAIS brake installed. 7mm Mag or 300 Win Mag.

7mm 160gr Accubond loads with R22, 215M, and Winchester Brass. For flatter shooting on deer and smaller, try 120gr Nosler Ballistic Tips with R19 or R22 can get these 120gr flying out with .22-250 50gr trajectory.

And a nice Burris scope. The Black Diamond 8x32 is 700$ with fine plex. Although, I think the Ball Plex is excellent for hunting. But they only offer MilDot and fine plex in the 8-32x. Zeiss Conquest is nice 6-20x for 800-1000. But the turrets are more for bench and varmints. I like the lower turrets for hunting.

270 WSM is the most inefficient cartridge of the factory WSM calibers. 270 (.277) bullets don't have the nice high BC bullets like 7mm (.284) and .308.

For a few more nickels, the Nosler Custom is a nice rifle in 280AI and WSM calibers.
 
Burris Blk Dia, 8x32

comes in Fine Plx and BMD. The Ballistic Mil Dot is not a true Mil Dot reticle.It has Mil dots for windage R/L and Above center X, but below center it has Hash marks (-) unevenly spaced to aproximate impacts @ different yardages (200,300,400,500,600) depending on bullet speed/design/caliber. It is a good reticle for it's intended purposes. Go to the Burris website and look under scope specs to get a better idea of the reticle substensions.
 
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You will

probably need a new benchrest quailty barrel and chamber to be able to shoot out to seven hundred yards with enough accuraccy to humanly consider shooting animals at that range. The seven mags will probably be a lower limit of cartridge. The are several non-belted cartridges that would work. Any that have similar powder capacity to the 7MM Rem should work. A large .30 caliber would give you better bullet choices for good balistic co-efficiency with the weight to hit hard at long range. But consider a non-belted cartridge to be able to fit the cartridge to the chamber better than the belted varity. Go to the long range web sites as suggested for more information. Max
 
If I'm the only one that considers this entire thread like trying to tell a two year old child about how to drive a truck with a five speed manual transmission, then just say so.
 
700 yds???

IN my personal opinion it is unethical to try and take game at that distance. I have hunted lots, and the only time I would shoot at game that far is if the animal is already wounded. I don't think the "average" hunter could hit a bus at that distance on the first shot.

Kurt
 
With the Bullet drop compensating reticles, lots of practice, excellent equipment and steady rest, the long shots in hunting can be done.

When caribou hunting in Lake Iliamna area, I wish I had more scope and practice at longer ranges, as the herd never got more than about 200 yards away, and those were the scragglers. The 7mm Mag was plenty for that distance. My dad's 375H&H had way too much drop and his Redfield 2-7x was not enough. My 2 animals were taken at 200 and 300 yards. Even the 7mag, has lots of drop after that, and the 500 yard shot we needed to take to get our bag limit were not in our capability at the time.

Of course, when we were conked out in the tent, they actually walked up to the tents.
 
I have been watching this thread and started to type my two cents several times then deleted it and walked away.

Last year, I got the hots to make a video of me killing a deer at over 1000 yards. On the third day one finally showed up at the right spot. She was 1006 yards and it was a clean kill heart shot. The video turned out fairly good.

Now I could stop with the story at that point but that wouldn't be fair and it is not what bothers me. You see, in my mind it was a stupid self stroking of my ego that was completely irresponsible. I didn't realize that until later but it is clear in my mind now.

How's that you might ask. Well, I was determined to do everything it took to make sure it was a clean kill. I was shooting a $6000 rifle and scope (300 win mag). Had wind flags and a laser rangefinder along with ballistic pda. I even had a spotter with me. I had the best equipment, loaded to benchrest standards, even shot that morning on a steel plate to make sure. It was a proven shooter, proven load, proven weapon system, as well planned of a setup as you can get and it was stupid, stupid, stupid (I speak for myself not for you).

The fact is that there is always one thing you can't calculate or control...the deer. Flight time on my 210 VLD Berger was 1.3771 seconds. Do you have any idea how much/far a deer can move in 1.3771 seconds. Also, how often do they really stand still. Mine was eating grass and during the flight time moved her left leg just a little, moving her head a little to get to the next bite of grass. Just that little movement caused enough body twist to change my perfect shot to a different angle. Now I was lucky, it still went through the heart and came out the front left shoulder. But it could have gone very bad if she had taken a step forward. It was and is not a question of me being able to make that shot, it is a question of whether the deer will let you make the shot.

In the end every man has to determine for himself what is responsible and what he can live with. I am sure there are people who view deer like rats and don't care about the risk. For me, I would hate to wound a rat and see him suffer. I would never do it again and I should have never took that shot.

Once again this is about me and not you. I just wanted to share my experience so you might consider it in your actions.
 
The thing that all ways gets me about taking these long range shots is how many much closer shots could you have taken waiting for the perfect (to meet your requirements) could you have taken? Where I hunt caribou, getting set up for yardage is one thing doping the wind (and there is always wind) Is a whole different ball game. Shooting for one particular bull does not stop all of the other to whom it may concern caribou from moving in front of your bull and you just shot another cow. The further away like in the other post makes the chance that much more likely for this to happen.

I have switched over to better wind bucking bullets today after trying out a lot of other calibers and ctgs. Today I shoot a semi-auto rifle in 6.5 on a PPC case, it works out the best so far, I try to keep all my shots at or less than 300 yards, I have made longer shots out to 500 yards but only when I get a well separated bull and on a rise. The wind can sure give you lots of problems when you stretch your shots.
 
ForneyRider said:
With the Bullet drop compensating reticles, lots of practice, excellent equipment and steady rest, the long shots in hunting can be done.

When caribou hunting in Lake Iliamna area, I wish I had more scope and practice at longer ranges, as the herd never got more than about 200 yards away, and those were the scragglers. The 7mm Mag was plenty for that distance. My dad's 375H&H had way too much drop and his Redfield 2-7x was not enough. My 2 animals were taken at 200 and 300 yards. Even the 7mag, has lots of drop after that, and the 500 yard shot we needed to take to get our bag limit were not in our capability at the time.

Of course, when we were conked out in the tent, they actually walked up to the tents.
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I don't know what loads your dad was shooting, but my 375 H&H has about the same balistics of a 30-06 with 180's, maybe a little better. Sighted in 3.3 high at 100 it would be approximately +2.6 at 200, -4.2 at 300, -17.3 at 400 and 37.3 low at 500. The biggest deficit at that range would be his scope.
 
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