If a guy had a $3,000 budget for a hunting rifle and scope

[hereinaz]

? 6.5 Creedmore easily sells for twice what .308 goes for and 6.5 PRC is slightly higher than creedmore.

I would not suggest a .308 for a long range hunting rifle. That’s where we diverge in opinion.

 

[def90]

I would not suggest a .308 for a long range hunting rifle. That’s where we diverge in opinion.

But you would 6.5 creedmore?

 

[Crowmangler]

Christensen Ridgeline 7mm RM with Leupold VX5HD with CDS

 

[hereinaz]

But you would 6.5 creedmore?

6.5 creed has higher velocity and bullets with better BC to reach out further. The ballistic curve is much flatter than .308.

My recommendation was 6 creedmoor or 6.5 PRC which have flatter trajectory than both .308 and 6.5 creedmoor.

 

[hereinaz]

A 280 ai or 7 PRC would be my choice, best bullet BC and least recoil. Ammo for 280 can be hard to come by. 7 prc will only increase.

I have a buddy I load for his .280 ai and he has taken elk as far as 600 in CO several years. This was factory ammo at 630ish yards.

This was the opposite side. One bullet did the trick. It was Precision Hunter by Hornady.

 

[Article 4]

A 280 ai or 7 PRC would be my choice, best bullet BC and least recoil. Ammo for 280 can be hard to come by. 7 prc will only increase.

I have a buddy I load for his .280 ai and he has taken elk as far as 600 in CO several years. This was factory ammo at 630ish yards.

This was the opposite side. One bullet did the trick. It was Precision Hunter by Hornady.
View attachment 691270View attachment 691271

We do like the 7PRC - also the 300 WM due to availability of ammo and components. 300 PRC might be a bit much but its option 3.
Christensen, Seekins and Tikka are in the game too.
Being Mil, he gets a bit of a discount on Scopes from Leupold and Vortex. Not sure if Trijicon or Maven give the same discounts?

 

[grfox92]

? 6.5 Creedmore easily sells for twice what .308 goes for and 6.5 PRC is slightly higher than creedmore.

I don't believe this to be accurate. 6.5 CM is typically the cheapest available factory ammo anywhere i look. It should be, as it's the most popular. I can get a 50 pack of Hornady American gunner in 6.5CM for $57 just about anywhere. I actually almost traded a rifle for a 6.5CM recently specifically because of how cheap they are to shoot.

It is also significantly better for long range shooting than a .308.

Sent from my SM-G990U2 using Tapatalk

 

[sndmn11]

We do like the 7PRC - also the 300 WM due to availability of ammo and components. 300 PRC ...
Being Mil, he gets a bit of a discount on Scopes from Leupold and Vortex.

Military discount? That changes things quite a bit.

Definitely a magnum cartridge because of his training, experience, and upcoming long range classes. Vortex and Leupold are no-brainer home runs at the .mil pricing.

 

[TheCougar]

Tikka T3x SS: $800
UM Rings: $130
Maven Rs1.2, SWFA HD SS, LRHS 1 or 2, Trijicon 10mile, or NF SHV FFP: all can be found for around $1000 or less, if you shop around.
KRG Bravo or Rokstok: $500ish

At that point, you’re right around $500 left. You’ll need to chop and thread the barrel, probably get arca/pic rails, and have money left over for ammo or a tax stamp.

It’s not a sexy answer, but that’s how I would (and do) spend my money. Yesterday, without exaggeration, I slapped on a brand new Trijicon 10 Mile scope onto a brand new Tikka, went out and zeroed it in 4 rounds, then proceeded to shoot a couple of 10 shot 1.25 - 1.5 MOA groups using ELDX ammo. Completely half-assed the entire operation (Form would be ashamed) and I was hitting 2 MOA steel at 400 yards using old dope adjusted for a wild-ass guess at MV, since I didn’t have time to chrono. Really, what more can you ask for?

 

[TheCougar]

Tikka, rokstock and trijicon. Its the only accurate repeatable combo on rokslide. If you splurge put a nightforce on it. If you want a poverty scope put a swfa on it.

Don’t forget the LRHS! It’s a collectors item! Remember that time Bushnell made an awesome scope? Then discontinued it… tear…

 

[big44a4]

We do like the 7PRC - also the 300 WM due to availability of ammo and components. 300 PRC might be a bit much but its option 3.
Christensen, Seekins and Tikka are in the game too.
Being Mil, he gets a bit of a discount on Scopes from Leupold and Vortex. Not sure if Trijicon or Maven give the same discounts?

Yes trijicon, Leica, Zeiss, and nightforce have discounts for military.

 

[hereinaz]

We do like the 7PRC - also the 300 WM due to availability of ammo and components. 300 PRC might be a bit much but its option 3.
Christensen, Seekins and Tikka are in the game too.
Being Mil, he gets a bit of a discount on Scopes from Leupold and Vortex. Not sure if Trijicon or Maven give the same discounts?

Seekins and a Leupold MK 5 would be my choice in 7 PRC. Would push over the 3k probably. A used MK 5 could same skme money.

 

[TheHammer]

I’m a little different than most but idc. If it were my buddy I’d steer him towards a savage 110 of whatever flavor and caliber he likes(280 ai, 7rm, 300wsm &300wm) plenty to choose from, all should be very accurate& capable, adjustable to fit and continuously perform. Most have threaded barrels. A military discount vortex razor 4.5-22 ffp, EGW lightweight hunter rail, vortex precision rings, silencer co scythe ti… and have fun.

 

[Matt5266]

Yes trijicon, Leica, Zeiss, and nightforce have discounts for military.

So does Maven

 

[Article 4]

So he just “pulled the trigger”. Seekins PH2 in 300 WM. Local store here had it for 1700 bucks. Gonna round it out with a Leupold or Maven scope. Gonna decide which one here in the next week or two

Thanks for the ideas!!!!

 

[PNWGATOR]

Insanely horrible advice in this thread...damn.

Embarrassing actually.

Many members would benefit by reading more and typing less!

 

[idahodave]

Drink the Kool-aid or your a loser.

 

[Rich M]

i’d probably send about $1500 on ruger american and a $800 glass. No need to drop that much bling on a new shooter, let him figure out what he likes.

 

[Article 4]

i’d probably send about $1500 on ruger american and a $800 glass. No need to drop that much bling on a new shooter, let him figure out what he likes.

Appreciate the reply and suggestion but the rifle has been purchased.

We wanted something he can grow into and a person could argue he would never need anything else to take every critter in N America....that said, we also wanted a rifle that has a Remington footprint which will make any upgrade easier to accomplish, given the availability of parts. We also liked the lifetime warranty for the rifle and prefer glass that has it as well.

He is still within budget - might go over by 100 bucks with tax etc....but did very well. The rifle fits his body, his hands, and his eye. He is happy which is the biggest factor.

 

[KenLee]

Insanely horrible advice in this thread...damn.

Embarrassing actually.

Many members would benefit by reading more and typing less!

Well, since dude bought a 300wm, he wasn't listening anyway...and about to purchase an unreliable scope.