Long(er) range rifle

What caliber would you recommend for shots out to 5-600 yards?

Kind of a loaded question, hunting, target, both. Heavy or light barrel. Magnum or standard. There is a long list of calibers capable of making that shoot. Narrow it down, and you will be overwhelmed with responses from some very good people.

I know folks are concerned with 'energy' for long range shooting, but more emphasis should be given to accuracy. Any of the typical calibers will get it done at those ranges but you have to place the bullet in the right spot. I like my 308 for 400-600 yard shooting because I can drive tacks with it all day long. I bring a range card so I know my click values in 20 yard increments. It's heavy and I only use it for targets or sitting in a shooting house, not climbing trees.

I've got other guns with more horsepower, but my 308 doesn't let me down. The 168 gr AMAX bullet is great for this setup, and my muzzle velocity is only 2660 FPS.

This would be for the occasional hunt in a shooting house where I can see 1000 yards. I am a complete newbie when it comes to shooting “long range” and I know to serious shooters 500 yards isn’t that long. I’m not looking to break the bank and build a custom long range rifle. I just want something in a standard caliber with some good glass that I COULD shoot a deer at 500 yards if I needed too. I have never needed a rifle that would reach out that far but next season I will have a routine opportunity for shots at and beyond this distance.

a 7mm magnum or a 300 magnum

Bergara b14 hmr in 6.5c or 308

There can be only one answer....6.5 Creedmoor!

22WRFM

what do you have now?

My 280 Remington would handle that. That is why I built it, and can’t hardly give it away.

I'd choose the 7mm just because it's a flatter trajectory with the 140 grain ammo choices. Either would be a good choice that could double as Elk/Bear weapons if you ever decided to hunt those, in the future.

The 308, .260 , 30.06 and several others would be a fine choice, too. All of them will require some bench time to know what they do at different ranges.

One similar to mine.

Remington Sendero SF II in .300 RUM.

A dream to shoot!

Zeroed dead on at 300 yards.

It's a sho' nuff deer killa' with the 180 grain Remington Ultra-Bonded PSP Core-lokts .

My longest kill has been a doe at 530 yards.

It is my favorite rifle that I own.

308

7mm Rem Mag is hard to beat, The longest shot I ever made was only about 300 yards. Deer dropped in his tracks. It was a Savage that I sold .

300 mag and I got a good un for sale made for long range

280 Ackley is a dang good all around rifle

Surprised that hadn’t sold on the campfire already

PM sent

Most of the popular hunting choices will handle 500-600 yards.

cuz, that is a clever and simple rest. excellent ...

I've killed deer and pigs at 350 yards with my .280 and 7mm-08. They're all capable of that distance. You just have to know the gun and how you've sighted it in.

buy a remington 700 .308 drop in a timney trigger set it at 2.5 lbs .308 ammo is everywhere and cheap you should be able to find a factory load that shoots well enough to easily be in the vitals at 600 yards assuming you do your part. and the 700 will be the easiest to customize or sell later down the road if you feel the need

5-600 yards max to me is the sweet spot for the 6.5 family of cartridges shooting 140 grain bullets... in both accuracy potential with the gun as well as killing power. Very hard to beat.

Got the same in 300 wm. Had it for sale here not to long ago. They shoot

Looks similar to my 308.

.280 Ackley is the low recoil answer to this question, and I would also throw 7mm Rem Mag into the mix.

Both are over 2050 FPS and over 1300 ft/lbs of energy at 600 yards with Nosler Trophy Grade 140 grain Accubond, which is the same or better than the Hornady Precision Hunter 143 grain 6.5 creedmoor hunting load at 500 yards.

mine too

I know people that shoot 45/70 ringing dingers at that distance with iron sites. The other components are for folks who lack confidence.

I lack the confidence to hit a deer at 50 yards with iron 'sites'. I'm a blind ol Sumbitch.

That's why I put scopes on my guns.

I can attest to this, I’ve got the same gun in a 7rum and I love it.

Cause it’s a 280 If it were a creedmoor you’d have folks fighting over it even though most claim to have no use for the caliber.

I'm with Paulfish4570, what do you have now and how far are you comfortable with at the moment? A lot of deer calibers are very capable to the 500-600 yard mark if you are sighted in for 300 yards. I may get flamed, but if you are going to be shooting that far, you better be comfortable sighting in at 300.

A few other questions you might consider ----- How good are your eyes - 500 yards is a long way to see a deer in a corn field, they can blend in nicely. (I know some of you can see a knat at 100 yards, some of us can't) Do you have good glass? Do you have a range finder? That range finder will help a lot, the only ones that can tell the difference between 500 yards and 600 yards in a field are those that have practiced sighting distances a lot, have markers set up in their field to help them or have range finders. Do you have a place and a buddy to practice with in the off season? Know what your gun is going to do at 300 - 400 - 450 - 500 - 550 - 600 ------ they are all different --- Also, practice when it is raining and practice when the wind is blowing. Some of you that don't think 600 yards is much, that's because you have practiced.

Also, just because you can hit that 600 yard shot this year, doesn't mean you will automatically do it next year. There is a difference in hitting an animal the size of a deer at 600 yards and hitting a deer in the exact spot you want to hit him at 600 yards. Take my advice for what it's worth, not even .02 compared to others.

Anything over 300 needs practice drops really stat falling. over 250 holdovers in the retical are easy and fast for hunting extreme range will need to dial nice equipment is a must for extreme shoots