FN SPR series for hunting?

jmann28

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Sep 23, 2016
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Michigan
I've been a long time target archer and bow hunter and am somewhat getting interested in long distance rifle shooting. The FN SPR series have caught my eye as the route I think I want to go. My question is, would these rifles in the .308 caliber make a decent hunting rifle as well? I'd primarily hunt deer/elk but I'm starting to put in for Sheep tags and would like a do all rifle setup. Is this a poor choice for a hunting rifle?
 
The FN SPR is rather heavy (11.5 lbs) so I would look for something lighter unless you want to lug that thing around. For the price range of the SPR you could get something much lighter be able kill at much longer ranges than you can with a 308. What are you considering long range? Check out Christensen Arms and MOA rifles. EuroOptic carries both brands and you can do a side by side comparison.
 
+1 on that being a heavy setup for an all-purpose rifle that includes sheep hunting where you want to go light as possible.



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Honestly, I'm not sure how far I'd consider long range. I don't know if I'd ever shoot at an animal past 500 yards but I can see it stretching out further as I start shooting longer distances. I kind of assumed that the 11 pound SPR was on the heavy side of things.

I've been told 7mm is probably the way to go out west, but again I'm a fish out of water here. Can anyone recommend a 7mm?
 
This would be my dream gun, if I could afford it. I was thinking it was around 7.5 pounds without the scope, but I can't find that info any more.

28 Nosler - Ready To Ship

Either way, definitely go on the lighter side and install a brake to control the recoil. My 7WSM doesn't recoil that much, but weighs 13 pounds. I regret choosing such a heavy barrel when I built the gun.

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7mm mag is a great round. You can also look at the 300 win mag, any of the weatherby magnums, any of the WSM cartridges, or any of the new noslers. Make sure you put enough money in your budget for a quality scope. Swarovski and nightforce are very popular but your going to pay for them. You can get off a little cheaper with vortex and they have one of the best warranties you can get.
 
What's the average weight you backcountry guys run with on a full setup? I'm sure it eat some crow at the time of, but I don't know if a 12-13lb setup with a sling would be that big a deal. Am I being naive?


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Last year I took my 13 pound 7WSM on an antelope hunt and it's the barrel weight that makes it hard to carry with a sling. Packing it to and from the range clued me to just how heavy it is. The rifle just keeps tilting back so you will end up with one hand on the sling. I ended up buying an Eberlestock pack with the scabbard to carry the gun. That setup worked pretty good but definitely had its disadvantages. This year I bought a Kuiu pack for our first backpack hunt for muley's. I bought the Kifaru gun bearer to hold the gun. So far it feels like it's gonna work out, but time will tell.

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Honestly, I'm not sure how far I'd consider long range. I don't know if I'd ever shoot at an animal past 500 yards but I can see it stretching out further as I start shooting longer distances. I kind of assumed that the 11 pound SPR was on the heavy side of things.

I've been told 7mm is probably the way to go out west, but again I'm a fish out of water here. Can anyone recommend a 7mm?




Flush your brain of all the nonsense that you've heard/been told, take a step back and start at the beginning.... Don't be in a rush to make bad decisions.



Hitting at at any range, let alone "long range" with a rifle is about shooting. People go way out of their way to avoid the one thing that causes success- spent primers. As a smart man has said- most hunters are waaay over headstamped, over scoped, over weighted, and under bulleted.

You need solid mechanicals, a scope that works every single time, good bullets and low recoil. Combine those and you get FUN. Fun= shooting. A 13-14lb 308 isn't the "deer/elk/sheep gun".


First- do you reload? Going to say "no" as you're not a rifle guy. That means good factory ammo that is readily available is top of the list. 223, 6.5 Creemoor and 308win.


The best thing you could do is get a fast twist .223 Remington (Tikka SL, Kimber Montana), a SWFA SS 6x or 3-9x40 scope, and a trunk full of 75/77gr ammo. Combine that with a similar light weight, low recoiling rifle (6.5Creed/260,7-08, 308 with 155's) set exactly the same, shoot until the barrel is almost worn out, then go forth and slay animals.






Heavy, high recoiling guns don't get shot. Light weight, easily handling, low recoil guns with scopes that work get worn out.
 
Personally, I would buy a Remington Model Seven SS in 308 with a Leupold 4.5-14x40. I would load it with 165 grain Partitions or Accubonds and never regret it.
 
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Flush your brain of all the nonsense that you've heard/been told, take a step back and start at the beginning.... Don't be in a rush to make bad decisions.



Hitting at at any range, let alone "long range" with a rifle is about shooting. People go way out of their way to avoid the one thing that causes success- spent primers. As a smart man has said- most hunters are waaay over headstamped, over scoped, over weighted, and under bulleted.

You need solid mechanicals, a scope that works every single time, good bullets and low recoil. Combine those and you get FUN. Fun= shooting. A 13-14lb 308 isn't the "deer/elk/sheep gun".


First- do you reload? Going to say "no" as you're not a rifle guy. That means good factory ammo that is readily available is top of the list. 223, 6.5 Creemoor and 308win.


The best thing you could do is get a fast twist .223 Remington (Tikka SL, Kimber Montana), a SWFA SS 6x or 3-9x40 scope, and a trunk full of 75/77gr ammo. Combine that with a similar light weight, low recoiling rifle (6.5Creed/260,7-08, 308 with 155's) set exactly the same, shoot until the barrel is almost worn out, then go forth and slay animals.






Heavy, high recoiling guns don't get shot. Light weight, easily handling, low recoil guns with scopes that work get worn out.

That makes an insane amount of sense lol. I actually have a really nice .223 bolt action. Maybe you're right and I should just shoot this for a while and learn the basics with a ton of range time


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Excellent advise on the "success equals spent primers". I was at the range just 2 days ago making sure everything was still dialed in on my 7WSM. I was shooting 6" steel at 300 yards right next to a guy doing the same thing. Our range has a bunch of plates set up for everyone to shoot. Anyways, the difference between me and him.... he was banging steel at 300 yards with a Ruger 10/22. Getting familiar with your gun, whatever you choose, is the key to success.

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That makes an insane amount of sense lol. I actually have a really nice .223 bolt action. Maybe you're right and I should just shoot this for a while and learn the basics with a ton of range time


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What do you have and what's the twist? Scope?
 
What do you have and what's the twist? Scope?

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My dad won it in a raffle at work. Never put much thought into it as I shoot so much target archery. I've all of a sudden started to have an itch to shoot rifles. I don't even plan to hunt with one for a while, i just think it sounds fun


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While the barrel twist isn't there to shoot the 75gr bullets, get a SWFA SS 6x scope with mil-quad reticle, try some Hornady 60gr Vmax bullets and see what it will do. There is still tons of learning that can be done.
 
What's the relationship between bullet weight and twist ratio? Why wouldn't this work with 75 grains? I think it's a 1:9 ratio on this?


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Technically it's not weight, but length of the bullet (though for lead bullets it usually goes hand in hand). The longer a bullet is, the faster the twist needs to be to stabilize it. 75 and 77gr .224 bullets really need a 1-8" twist or faster to stabilize them, although sometimes a 1-9" will do. A 1-7" or 1-8" twist .224 will stabilize and shoot all bullets from 35gr-80gr+ just fine. A 1-12" will not.
 
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