LR first timer looking for advice

So I've always been a fairly accurate shot and would like to start getting into longer range shooting. Here is a list of what I was thinking, any suggestions or other items I may be forgetting would be much appreciated.

Rifle-Tikka t3 in 300 win mag
Stock- should I replace the factory? If so with what?
Base- seekings 20 moa
Rings- seekings
Scope- honestly at a loss, I'd like to stay at 1500 or less, but if ponying up to 2k will guarantee I don't need another then so be it.
Bipod- do I need one?

Anything else i would need?
Range book?
Wind meter?


This is all new to me, but a friend of mine was a sniper in the service and has been trying to explain it all to me. He starts talking and I go glossy eyed, so it will be a learning experience. Any help would be much appreciated.

Scope wise I really liked the nightforce my brother did a review on. Pretty sure price wise it's slightly under your budget. I would take a look at that scope, leupold has worked for me, and supposedly vortex are good but I see a ton of guys send them in for warranty work so I would steer clear of those.

Justin's review of the nightforce is a sticky in one of the forums.

Read Litz's applied ballistics, things will clear up a bit. You will need a bipod (I would get atlas), a rangefinder (I recommend Leica) and a ballistic calculator with weather station. (hd-b or kestrel) You want to reload and practice. Wind is where you will be challenged, everything else can be dialed in.

Scope - get the best you can afford. Make sure it has ballistic turrets and zero stop.

I shoot the same rifle. Mine is bone stock. With a egw 20 moa rail. Vortex matched 30mm rings. With a leupold vx3 4.5-14x40. It shoots pretty good. I load every thing clip length. So there is a lot of jump. I have 3 good loads for it. But decided on the berger 200 hybrid target. This is two that I shoot at 600

Some other things to consider before an accurate suggestion could be made.

What type of hunting do you do as far as hiking and distance? Can you pack a 10~12 lb rifle to where you need to be?

What are the largest animals you intend to hunt and what would you consider the longest shot you would take now after adequate practice? Do you intend to lengthen that distance with more time and experience in seasons to come?

Jeff

Broz said:

Some other things to consider before an accurate suggestion could be made.

What type of hunting do you do as far as hiking and distance? Can you pack a 10~12 lb rifle to where you need to be?

What are the largest animals you intend to hunt and what would you consider the longest shot you would take now after adequate practice? Do you intend to lengthen that distance with more time and experience in seasons to come?

Jeff

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As of right now, I don't intend on hunting with it other then coyotes, and possibly pigs, I'm a died in the wool archery hunter and always will be, but I've always liked shooting and the hunting aspect could change.
Weight and packing is not an issue, I'm not a fitness freak but don't struggle in the mountains either. I doubt my bow with stab and everything is much less then 10 lbs as it is.
400 yards is a shot I would have no problem taking with confidence at this point but the conditions would need to be good, I've not had the chance to shoot in a lot of wind

tipsntails7 said:

As of right now, I don't intend on hunting with it other then coyotes, and possibly pigs, I'm a died in the wool archery hunter and always will be, but I've always liked shooting and the hunting aspect could change.
Weight and packing is not an issue, I'm not a fitness freak but don't struggle in the mountains either. I doubt my bow with stab and everything is much less then 10 lbs as it is.
400 yards is a shot I would have no problem taking with confidence at this point but the conditions would need to be good, I've not had the chance to shoot in a lot of wind

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Sendero in 300 win mag. Have a JP tactical compensator brake installed. Bed the front lug, install a trigger and set it to 1 1/2 lbs. Load up some 215 Bergers with H-1000. Then install a 20 moa rail and grab up one of the deals on a used Nightforce NXS 5.5~22x 50 or 56 with a MOAR reticle or the NP-R1 or NP-R2.

Put a Harris , swivel 9~13" bipod on it and get a Red Tac rear bag.

Load the "shooter app" to your smart phone for $10, get a Leica 1600 CRF rangefinder and a Kestrel 2500.

This rifle will make shooting to 400 no challenge at all, and is big enough to go to 1000 on any north American game. We shoot rocks to a mile with them quite often. Recoil will not be an issue and with proper form you can easily spot your own hits. The 215 Berger will make shooting in wind easier and will hit with enough authority that you will be able to see the impacts on rocks even at a mile plus.

The newer 700Long Range is also an option. But we have had some that shot and some that we changed barrels on because they were not good enough. We have never has a 300 win Sendero that didn't shoot so I would just go to the Sendero.

This rifle is throated long enough for long range bullets and the mag box will also allow the feeding of the type of bullet you will want to use for long range like the 215 Berger Hybrid.

Hard to beat this combo for the money invested.

Jeff

I've been into the LR game for about 15 yrs now. Tried a lot of routes to get where I'm at. If you're talking true LR (I believe that starts at 750 yds) then at least consider what I say. A light weight rifle is not easy to shoot LR with. Can it be done, yes. I have an 8 lb rifle that I was just shooting at 1100yds with and kept it under 1 MOA and some groups were closer to 1/2 MOA. But, it takes much more effort on my part then to do it with a heavier rifle. I have several customs and sold a bunch. Here's the advise I gave my brother who's wanting to start increasing his range but is on a budget. Buy a Sendero in 300 WM. Put a good trigger in it and have a good gunsmith true the barrel (this part may not be needed as most Sendero's shoot well as is). Get an EGW 20 MOA base, Burris Tactical Rings and a Vortex PST 6-24 scope. I love my Nightforce but my PST's have been been very repeatable and track true, the optics just aren't quite as good as the Nightforce. Buy some Norma brass, 215 grain Bergers, Federal 215 GM primers and a bunch of H1000. Start around 72 grains and work up. Will probably find the sweet spot around 75-76 grains. I'm at 75 grains and get 2950 fps. I use Harris bipods with Tactical Supply Bipod Talons. Buy a Kestrel (Humidity not necessary), Shooter Ballistic program (I have validated mine to 1780yds with my Edge), Leica rangefinder works(I'm considering the new G7 or Terrapin). Keep in mind, this is all just my opinion based on lots of experimenting on my part. Also, this is all overkill for pigs and coyotes. My rifle for this purpose is a 6.5-284 custom that was built to mimic a Sendero(also use a custom 260) . My 300WM is actually my 8lb pack rifle that I'm confident to 1000 yds with. My true LR rifle is a custom 338 Edge. Just some ramblings from someone who wishes I would have had someone to ask questions of when I started. Would have saved me a ton of money. Thanks for listening.

HAHA!! I see Broz was typing at the same time I was. Listen to him as that's where I learned about the 300 and 215 Bergers.

Jumpalot said:

HAHA!! I see Broz was typing at the same time I was. Listen to him as that's where I learned about the 300 and 215 Bergers.

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LOL, I like your post, great minds think alike.

Keep an eye on that EGW base. I have had a rash of them coming loose after the thin metal gave away under the screw hole and the rail started moving as it loosened. If you must use one for sure use the HD model and bed it properly. I choose to use the Nightforce rail for a few dollars more and bed it as well.

Jeff

Hmmm... Thanks for the heads up on the EGW base. I use Nightforce on my big rifles and the EGW on the smaller rifles. No problems so far, but will keep an eye on it.

For not much more than an EGW HD base, I'd recommend looking at Seekins Precision stuff. Their bases have a 'recoil lug' of sorts integral to the mount itself. Very well thought out feature that helps the base handle recoil without working loose...



Regardless, check your base to see if it needs bedded, If so, click on the following link for an easy "how to": http://8541tactical.com/scope%20base%20install.php

Glad to know the 215 Hybrid is well regarded for taking game. I gots a lil somethin' that's spoolin' em up to 3200, should make for a fun time of tag fillin' this year...

Good luck & have fun!