I'm looking to get into long range shooting with my next gun and so I was wondering if anybody else shoots long range (500+ yards).

If so what are you shooting- make, caliber, optics, etc..

Also any suggestions on what I should get as far as a factory rifle goes. I can't swing the money for a custom so I'm going to get a factory rifle. I'm looking at savages and remingtons in .308 and the .300s calibers

I just built a poor man custom with a Rem sps tactical 308. I went 308 cuz I dont reload and match grade bullets are easier to find.
You could look at 308,260,300wmag, and 338 lapua.
Get a good scope

Thanks BIL. I don't reload either so that is a definite factor.
I like what I've heard about the .338 calibers but finding one in a factory rifle that doesnt cost 3 grand is a problem. If I had that kind of money I would be getting Kirby Allen to build me a .338 edge

SCOPE SCOPE SCOPE! thats where you need to spend your money.

I shoot a .300 win and love 500 yard targets. But, I also want knock down power, so thats my weapon of choice. If you're just shooting target, not live animals, I think 25-06 or 308 flies quite nicely.

For scope I figured a minimum of a 14x in a zeiss, swarovski, or similiar brand in a model made for long range shooting

Remington has a PSS in 338 lapua now. Bullets are stupid expensive. I went with a 6.5x20 leupold tactical with a mark4, tmr illum. retcle. The scope is good stuff. If you want to shoot it like you want I would do the 308. I have found some hunting bullets that shoot like the match grade. I shot a deer with match grade this year and it killed it pretty dead.

Check out the Remington 700 XCR in 270wsm or the Rem 700 Alaskan Wilderness in 300wm/wby.

I havent seen the Alaskan Wilderness but since I'm leaning toward a .308 the XCR tactical is the main remington I am considering. I'll check the Alaskan out though
Thanks for all the help so far guys

don't know about the 308, but the reloads in the 270wsm can bust milk jugs full of water at 800yds sporting a 4.5-14x50 Leu. VX3.

The 700 AWR in 300wby (w/ 6-24x56 Zeiss) will reach out to 1K.

Savage 10FP with Leupold Mark 4 4-14 in 308 will get there fine with a lot less overall costs and investment...

And Savage has 338 WinMag factory guns from just over $500...

Bud if want to get into the long range game,Look in the back of your N.R.A. magazine,and look under areashoots,then look under the silhouette shoot's.visit one.You will get more information than you can walk away with,These guy's will help in more way's than you can shake a stick at.Such as rifles,calibur's,scope's,down range energy,ect.we shoot games out to 1200yd's.And it's all free hand,I don't know if i can on here,send me a p-m and i will give you a site on the silhouette game.

bmc3@peoplescom.net

you can also PM NTRP, he is on here and teaches long range shooting at his place in the metroplex.

Step one is start with a scope, you should spend more on it than you do with the rifle. a good savage or remington 700 will do just fine. i would go with the 260, better BC than the 308, but you have a wider bullet selection in the 308. You can find you someone to handload for you though, and thats really the only way to get serious about it.

Get a Remington Senderro in 264 win mag as flat shooting as you wil find.

Im also .264 lover and shoot some 500 yard stuff but good luck with ammo if you dont reload.

300 win mag keeps winning 1000 yd matches buy it in a savage and you cant go wrong if you cant afford to build a rifle.

Beware some ranges won't allow the .338 Laupa.

I use my Rem. 700 .300 WBY w/ a Leupold 4.5-14x40 w/ added ballistic reticles and crosshairs for my load. I can break clay pigeons all day long at 500yds. I never shot for a group and bought the rifle for hunting only. I've shot bowling balls at 1000yds also. It will get the job done, but a lighter caliber is better for only targets IMO. I'd take a look at the 6.5 Grendel (sp) would be a good choice for a reloader.

A .308 w/ a 168 or 175gr bullet will work good. Some factory rifles will do the job w/o a doubt. I never did anything to mine except for setting the trigger. Never had the barrel off to bed it or the action and it shoots better than some that have been bedded.

Just remember you don't need a lot of velocity to get the bullet down range.

A trip to the range as recommended would be best to see what you might like. Heck you may get to take a crack at the target w/ their rifle if ya ask politely.

WRONG. 284 cal has the best BC . or get a 6mm br.there easy on recoil.

the 6BR is also cheaper to reload. brass may be harder to find tho

He doesn't reload......so the 6MM BR is out.

Yeah I don't reload so that is why I am looking at common calibers. I want to reload eventually but since I don't yet I am leaning toward the .308 due to a wide range of quality factory ammo at cheaper prices than that of .300 win mag or similiar calibers.
I'm also just getting started into long range shooting so I want more of a starter gun at first. Later once I start reloading and know what I'm doing at long distances then I will move up to a gun capable of shots in the 1000 yard range.

One gun I am considering is the Savage model 11 long range hunter due the fact it has the AccuStock. Does anybody have any experience with this gun?

.308 is a good choice. Like other posters have said, don't scimp on your scope - get a good one. You can do alot of things to tweak more accuracy out of your rifle, but your scope will never be any better than the day you buy it.

how about a 22-250? or is that alittle small for 500+ yards. also the military uses alot of the .308 so it has to be a good choice for the distance shooting.

22-250 will get to 500 but the wind really affects it at long range. The .308 will reach further isn't as much of a barrel burner

I often shot my 300 win at 500 at the range in KS. I have only shot 2 animals at that distance. 5 football fields is a long axx way. I know I can, but doubt I ever do it again. If I was planning on it, I would stick with the 30 caliber mags. Winds really start to become noticeable at that range.