Long Range Shooting Rifle Options

Since we’ve digressed into hunting a little bit, what do you guys prefer for a white tail cartridge? This year I’m using a 18” .308, max distance 250 yds. I have previously used Hornady SST in a 6.8spc and came away un impressed. Whole thing broke up, happened to a buddy too. I have some hornady GMX superformance in 165gr, Remington core-lokt 150gr, Federal fusion 180gr and Federal vital shocks 150gr.

Thoughts?

 

Go vegan!

 

Your Federal fusion 180gr and Federal vital shocks 150gr. will work perfect. I'm planning on shooting the vital shocks or now I think the new packing has them listed as ballistic tips out of my MPR 308 this year. my 7mm-08 likes the vital shocks a lot and was my main white tail rifle for years.

I also like the Fusion 150's. They do great on deer and hogs if you can find them and are priced right. Thats what I zero'd my garand with and dropped this 230 pounder like a ton of bricks. Yes I took the picture to make the hog look huge because I think it's funny.

 

For standard velocity cartridges I like standard construction bullets. The problem is that some people use standard bullets, Speer Hot-core, Sierra Gameking, Hornady Traditional, in magnums that cause them to fail on impact at high velocities. I lean towards the Sierra Gamekings as I have had good accuracy with them from my rifles. I am using the 375 Ruger for whitetail this year but loaded down with 270gr Gameking at 2650fps. That gives manageable recoil with basic 30-06 type ballistics, 2 high 100, zer0 at 200 and 10 low at 300. I don't shoot past 300. In my opinion and experience, the premium bullets work fine is standard cartridges but aren't necessary like they are in magnums. Of course this is just my opinion and I might be wrong.

 

Try some 150gr Barnes TSX. That is what I am loading for my 18" 308 bolt gun for still hunting. Barnes are fantastic hunting bullets(I have used them in my muzzle loader for 10+ years).

 

I know there is a tendency to look at the latest boattail this, expandable that, etc in bullets. Honestly, 400 yards and under in most whitetail calibers Remington Core lokt is hard to beat. It is available everywhere, holds consistent groups, and between me, family, and friends we have killed hundreds of whitetails, several moose, and bear with no issues. I have also used federal, Hornady, and Barnes with success but always come back to core lokt for most of my short to medium range hunting.

 

I do agree somewhat, at times I feel like good ol lead may be the safest choice. There’s always the occasional story about one of the poly tips or non lead bullets either completely passing through and not expanding or breaking apart.

 

If you are going with store bought loads, I 100% agree. If you handload then you have the option of selecting a bullet that your gun likes. The Rem core-lokt should be available as a component bullet if your rifle really likes them. Most of my rifles have shot Remington factory ammo pretty well, but not the best.

 

Core Locs tend to shoot great, at least partially because they are a flat base bullet.

 

I've never shot Core lokts because if a box is $35 it's gotta be better than a $20 right?? Well the core lokts shot the best at 100yds out of my MPR this morning. I think the rifle being super lightweight is exposing bad form on my part but it wasn't shooting near as well as my Bergara. I've got a lot more time behind my Bergara but I figured the MPR would perform better than it did.Right now it's not liking the polymer tips and barrel heat seems affect it more than my steel barrel rifles. Federal 150 gr BT's were all over the place, sig 150's shot ok, hornady TAP's all over. Gonna get some more Remington ammo and try to knock out a few other variables before I say anything more on the rifle. I had some good shots so that's why I think I just need to tune myself and some ammo to get there.

Initial impressions of the MPR is that it's going to be just fine for its purpose but it's not living up to the price tag at the moment. It's going to take more work than my $750 rifle to get shooting great, but it's super short and super lightweight and will absolutely do what I need it to do.

 

By coincidence, I just read an interesting article about boattails vs flat base bullets. It talks bout the consistency of flat vs boat because of the way the gases move around the bullets. The flat will generally be more consistent than boattails but if everything is right boattails will outperform flat when shooting long distances. Boattails will yaw and hit targets sideways or not hold as tight a group in some barrels according to the article. It had a bunch of slow mo pictures, mentioned pressures and gasses and other scientific stuff so I figured it's legit. YMMV

https://www.gunsandammo.com/editorial/boattail-vs-flat-base-projectiles/375628

 

The bullets in our Iowa-class battleships' 16" guns are flat-tailed and hit their mark out to 24 miles.
Just sayin'.

 

Yeah, but if they were boat tails, they'd be good to 30 miles.

 

...and miss by how much, unless it's perfect conditions?

 

Yeah, because a flat base @24 miles is a magical combination.

 

boattails on a boat...

 

So I just built out what I’m calling a “modern mk.12” but have run into a hiccup. I want to run a vltor a5 buffer system so that I can utilize my b5 stock. But I can’t find them in stock anywhere. So at this point I think rather just throw one of my spare carbine tubes on it and call it a day. My question is what buffer weight should I use? 18” barrel with rifle length gas system and .75” gas block.

 

I just became a member of an outdoor range that has a two hundred yard range. With smaller targets, I can double that.
With that said I’m looking for suggestions for a rifle that can reach out to 1000 yards. I’m also seeking a scope. I want the gun/scope combo to be no more than $1500. I love the idea of taking a clapped out SV and riding circles around more expensive bikes. I wanna take this idea to the range.
I’m thinking of the 6.5 Creedmoor round. But in my limited research I’d have to change barrels in about 2500 rounds. Is that true.
Thoughts? Suggestions?
P.S - I do my own reloading

 

Planning on starting simple with a Savage Precision Axis 2 in 6.5 with some standard box ammo and go from there.

Any thoughts on this platform. I plan to learn and take time to understand the game before moving on to something different. I’ll stick around sun 700yds for a while to learn well.

 

300 win. Sky’s the limit on barreled actions.