[Verticoli]

Hi Everyone,


I am new to this forum and seek some advise.

I am looking to really step-up my shooting as well as caliber and pick up a great new rifle. I have spent years at the range and since I was young started with airsoft, air rifles and 22’s. Also have shot a lot of 308 and some 50 BMG’s. I really wanted to pick up a great rifle that brings the best out of me and I of it.


My budget for a rifle (not including extras such as scope etc) is no more than $5,000 USD. My ideal choice would be bolt action, 338 LM, 0.5 MOA rifle (or better) with a 26-32 inch fluted barrel and a tactical stock (I like the functionality of the Sako TRG 42)

Reason: I wanted a rifle that pushes out farther than the .308 as I for the last few months have really been studying the physics and practicing putting a bullet on target up to 1,200+ yards and am keen to get a rifle that can perform at a level above the .308 or 30-06 and if necessary push far past the 1,200 yard mark.
Bullet: Preferred .338LM (I most enjoy 250 grain) (for everyone who will quote recoil I can handle a lot shots from the 338LM no problem it is the LEAST of my concerns)
Use: 80% of the time 400-1200 yard paper punching and the 20% hunting 350lbs+ with a focus on elk, moose and bear.
Must: Bolt action / Sub 1MOA / 338 LM bullet (might be open to suggestion but range is what I am looking for and not sure I can afford the 416 or 408 cal)

I have spent quite a while searching the market for what is available in that category as well as price range but I am always open to your new suggestions.

So! If you would kindly see below my shortlist of great bolt actions that I feel would work out best. Also if you own or have used any of the below, please comment!


Sako TRG42 / .338 LM / $2,800 (my favorite so far)
Blaser Tatical 2 / .338 LM / $3,800
Barrett M99 / .416 / $3,800
Desert Tatical SRS / .338 LM / $4,500
Steyr SSG 08 / .308 Win / £5,000
(sorry if I got the prices wrong they should be accurate)

My main questions is do it pick a rifle from the above list to better my skills or do I go down the custom route and have found from my research I can get a top quality custom rifle for $4,000-$5,000 with a stock from any rifle on the above list to keep styling quite similar.


Thank you all in advance.

 

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

I'm thinking that I never had that kind of money to spend on a gun in my whole life, so i'm so not qualified to give advice on this count. Not many guys jump straight from 22's, and 308's to 338 LMs but I suppose it's done. Oh, welcome to the forum, hope you make it past 1 post. If you do stop in at the New Members thingy and tell us a bit about yourself, where you live, etc.

Alan

 

[Popeye]

Oh my! Where to start?

Do not let fantasy interfere with reality. You asked for wisdom, there it is.

It has been said that the .50 BMG is a long range matériel round while the .338 Lapua Mag is a long range personnel round. Damn! That sounds cool! Enter fantasy. Ninety percent if what is written on the internet concerning the .338 Lapua round, and rifles chambered for the round, are written by little boys trying to be big men, gun writers (sales hype), or manufacturers of said equipment (sales hype). This is not to say that the .338 Lapus round is not an effective round. It is. I am saying that most of the available information concerning this round is hype (fantasy).

You want to know what is the best round-rifle-scope combination for shooting at extended ranges? Any combination that will shoot well at 800 yards will shoot well at 1000 yards and 1200 yards. Attend 1000 yard competitions. Spend a year doing this. Take careful note of the equipment used by all of the competitors. Talk with the competitors. We love to talk. You will find that most are using some sort of a 30 caliber or a 6.5mm caliber or a .25 caliber wildcat round. Enter reloading. You will also find that most are not using 'off the shelf' rifles. Enter specialized gunsmiths.

You will also learn that the most critical part of the equation is the 'nut behind the trigger'. There is no combination that will magically make you a good long range shot! Enter wind doping and a host of other variables you've never thought about. It takes years/decades to make oneself a class long range shooter.

Now, if you want a long range rifle because its cool go right ahead and purchase the Sako you are dreaming about, top it with a high quality optical system and you're good to go. Its about a good as you can get. Its also about as cool as you can get. It will not enable you to hit your target a long range.

The above is not intended to discourage you. It is intended to educate you a little.

 

[buckhorn_cortez]

You're trying to do two things with a single round that are cross purposes. A round/rifle that is optimized for competitive target shooting is not the best for hunting and vice versa. You can get into an area where the round will work well for hunting and steel target shooting. I have a 30-338 that I've used for about 30 years. It will easily shoot 1,000 yards plus using 190 grain target boat tail bullets and works just fine for shooting steel targets. With a heavier bullet it's been used for elk.

Another round is the 338-378 Weatherby. Very accurate and will work for nearly any North American game animal. You may also want to look at Noreen ULR rifles. They come in .338 Lapua, .406 Cheytac, .416 Barrett, and .50 BMG. I'd also look carefully at McMillan as they can make a rifle that probably will come very close to a dual purpose rifle.

 

[Wag]

Plus on on the above with a huge emphasis on patience. Take your time selecting a rifle. I'm the kind of guy who needs that advice, too. I hate having $5,000 burning a hole in my bank account when there are rifles and scopes to be bought!

--Wag--

 

[sig232]

Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..................5K to spend. Wow! I would love that and go nuts trying to make a choice.

I think the 6.5 creedmore could be had for a lot less money and would do about anything you needed to accomplish.

 

[Verticoli]

Thank you all for your responses ~ I do hear a lot of great things from the 6.5 Creedmoor but I believe after some serious research I am great amazing things about the 30-378 and 338-375 Weatherby. Anyone have any thoughts on those?