Rifle Advice

[35WhelenAI]

Been a part of a number of threads that devolve to tit and tat nonsense recently. Own your own crap, let others own their's but respect each other to still sit at the same table. Somehow it seems like a superiority badge of honor getting flaunted on all sides at times with no regard to choosing words to show a point without taking it personal.

 

[Rob5589]

I love a lot of what you said here. Here is where I am coming from as an archer:
- I understand how critical reps/ practice are.
- I understand how critical conditions are that weigh in on the potential to take a shot. I would weigh all options before taking a shot. Obviously not going to go out and try to force a long shot standing, in bad weather, high winds, etc etc etc.
- I understand how critical a good sight is: BC calculator for yardage drop, adjusting angle range finder, making sure you are shooting level all are critical in repeatability of making good shots. BTW for others who have recommended it. I already have a quality optic, part of why I did not ask for advice in that realm.
- I believe it is best to practice primarily with the equipment you intend to use. Up for debate and willing to hear arguments here, just a generalization of where I stand. But I do not have a dedicated target and hunting bows. I have a hunting bow I use for target.

Since we are doing analogies to bows; I feel like my savage is a low end old model bow with limited adjustment and forgiveness. When I started shooting I had an old hoyt, great bow, upgraded to a Bowtech Revolt X and learned just how much I didn't know. I regularly shoot the new flagships, but nothing has jumped out at me as beneficial enough to make the switch.. Following suit with the rifle, looking to get onto a "better" platform. To your point; I don't even need a new shiny flagship: just looking for setup advice that has what I call "tuneability & forgiveness"

Not an equal analogy. Bullets are one and done, arrows can take thousands of shots without issue, unless/until you break one. I was bored and found some 7PRC ammo. It's roughly 3 bucks a round, if you can find it in stock. Put 1000 rounds down range and well, the math is easy to do. Good Manbun rounds are 2.00+. Match grade 223 is 1.00. If you truly want to get that deep, you really should reload.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Not an equal analogy. Bullets are one and done, arrows can take thousands of shots without issue, unless/until you break one. I was bored and found some 7PRC ammo. It's roughly 3 bucks a round, if you can find it in stock. Put 1000 rounds down range and well, the math is easy to do. Good Manbun rounds are 2.00+. Match grade 223 is 1.00. If you truly want to get that deep, you really should reload.

I was given a metric shitload of 223 reloading supplies and I don’t have a 223 anymore. I guess it’s a sign that I need to get one.

 

[TK-421]

Man, this poor guy picked the wrong time of the month to post on Rokslide, LOL.

 

[35WhelenAI]

Yeah, synchronized on the post-hunting season Rokslide cycle.

 

[OdinIII]

Man, this poor guy picked the wrong time of the month to post on Rokslide, LOL.

Everyone is different but I went back and reread and still don’t see anything condescending in Form’s post. I guess I’m too used to getting clear, accurate feedback at work.

 

[MaraviaDave]

Thoughts?

Seems relevant…

 

[fwafwow]

Seems relevant…

thought provoking

The guy does point out the tremendous amount of money made by forum owners - and that was probably before memes.

 

[Lil-Rokslider656]

What's your quality optic on hand? May as well hurt all your feelings at once......

@ResearchinStuff SightMark Pinnacle 3-18x44

 

[CorbLand]

I was given a metric shitload of 223 reloading supplies and I don’t have a 223 anymore. I guess it’s a sign that I need to get one.

Or I can send you my address and you can just have it all shipped to me…I would hate for you to have to go through the hassle of buying a new gun.

 

[Rob5589]

thought provoking

The guy does point out the tremendous amount of money made by forum owners - and that was probably before memes.

Wait! They're making money off our memes?!

 

[ResearchinStuff]

@ResearchinStuff SightMark Pinnacle 3-18x44

Maybe someone else has experience with that one, I don't.

Good luck on your quest. Fwiw, this year I sold off some magnums to replace them with a tikka 223 and 6.5 creed, specifically so I can ramp up my shooting volume in preps for an AZ elk rifle tag that I should draw in 23 or 24. Reduced recoil, component cost, and component availability drove that decision, supported by the terminal performance pictures in the 223 and 6.5 kill threads.

 

[MAP1]

Huge difference between a 6.5 CM and 270 at 5000 ft altitude

Rfogelman656 - Have you compared 270 Win to 6.5 CM with typical hunting bullets like the Accubond or TSX? Given your background, you'll be hard pressed to prove to yourself that the 6.5 CM will perform better on game if you look at the numbers.​

 

[fwafwow]

Wait! They're making money off our memes?!

Not "they" - I negotiated a pretty lucrative split for my memes. I'm getting a small sliver - for the dankest of my memes based on a subjective review by the mods. Weird thing is that I keep getting judged "not dank enough".

 

[Reburn]

Not "they" - I negotiated a pretty lucrative split for my memes. I'm getting a small sliver - for the dankest of my memes based on a subjective review by the mods. Weird thing is that I keep getting judged "not dank enough".

This is BS......
Your dankness over your career is batting over 1.000
I mean comeon Ty Cobb was only 0.366
I say to the pitchforks!!!

 

[Billy Goat]

This is BS......
Your dankness over your career is batting over 1.000
I mean comeon Ty Cobb was only 0.366
I say to the pitchforks!!!

View attachment 493282

 

[TAArrowood]

Wow.. Lots of good advice and commentary here so I won't review it all, but add my two cents.. If I were the OP and I was many years ago I'd keep it pretty simple.. I too have been an archery hunter since the stick bow was your only option... If I had the funds ( OP), I'd do the following.. I'd buy a Tikka superlite in .223 with fast 1/8 twist.. I'd Then buy a Tikka T3x Veil in the caliber I intended to hunt with.. The 270 6.5, etc, etc (make sure ammo is available for your choice).. I'd put PIc rails on both. I'd buy one higher end scope Leupold Vx5, VX6 , Nightforece, etc, etc with the intent of swapping the scope between the two... I'd shoot the crap out of the 223 up until a few months of my hunting.. I'd varmet hunt with the 223 to get real hunting time in.. If anything is capable shooting out of the box it is a Tikka.. The superlight will force you to develop good shooting form/habits... Move the scope to the Veil a few months before your hunt and shoot it exclusively... Also if you buy Leupold and have CDS caps made for both rounds it's a simple change for the new round.... That way you'll have two rifles that you can use for different purposes, but look, feel the same with the same scope.. A lot of long range shooting is YOU, the rifle, cartridge, scope all working together in the conditions at hand.. The main thing you learn from all this shooting is to know your own capabilities/limitations under as many shooting situations as possible. My longest elk kill was 760 yards and I know I can kill out to 800, but the first thing I do as I consider pulling the trigger is to take into account factors that I can't control and to know how much my range has been deminished (only experience van teach you that). I've hunted many times when I would have taken a 600yd shot in the morning, but limit myself to 200 in the afternoon because conditions were different. This process has worked very well for me in the past. I do the same thing with my bows.. I have two that are setup exactly the same. I can shoot them interchangably and have in a few cases on trips out west... There are a lot of really good comments on this thread.. Do yourself a favor and try to take something positive from it.. I don't think (from my experience) anyone wants you to fail at your goal of making long range kills, we just don't want you to have to learn things the hard way.. Ultimately, the sport we all love will suffer if we make bad shots and wound game that we should have killed quickly and humanely.. Once you pull the trigger everything else that happens is on you. (Good, bad, so-so).. Last thing we want to do is give anti-hunters ammo. All the best and good luck as you put your plans together...

 

[Lawnboi]

I’ll echo a lot of what’s been said about getting something easier and more affordable to shoot.

Another positive Iv not seen yet doing this is the ability to easily spot shots during practice. Easy to see what you’re doing wrong with a rifle thats easy to spot shots with. Added concussion of a braked magnum doesn't help either with processing in your brain and IME takes quite a bit of trigger time to mentally block that out.

 

[Lil-Rokslider656]

@Map 1 @J Batt

I hear you both on the 6.5 not being an entirely better long range cartridge in terms of terminal performance. I'm not as stubborn as some in this thread would like to think . I think the 6.5 out shines the 270 in 2 places: 1) higher BC reducing wind drift 2) affordably of ammo. If I go the route of having only one gun for both practice & hunting, this may be it. Even if this means reducing my max effective range.

I'm keeping the .270, and will always have it. And if I am adding another gun, I think there are some more benefits to have by adding a different cartridge

To expand a bit more before I get hammered; as @J Batt and others have mentioned. The wind has made a fool out of me a lot and is a heavy consideration on my overall cartridge choice. Maybe the wind is still even making a mental fool of me as I mentally weigh cartridges based minimizing the effect of the wind. The thought here is this is a consideration of what I consider a "forgiving" setup. In the field I'm a hold over for wind guy. This does not mean I will ignore wind and take shots I think are bad or high risk. But in a light wind scenario, I think there is a greater benefit to a higher BC round. Anyone; feel free to tell me I'm wrong here.

I also hear the argument that without that 2000+- shots a year, I have no business in the 600-800 effective range. Loud and clear. I understand that a setup alone does not get me there, and that I have a ton of practice to do before I consider this range. But I want a setup to work my way towards that goal.

To those that recommend a two gun approach: .223 and an another cartridge. I hear you, it is a consideration. My hesitation is that I do want a pistol grip style chassis system. I shoot my AR a lot and think my shot process is much better ( more comfortable). Just a preference. Because of cost, its less feasible to put together two "identical" setups. Again I would prefer the 1 setup or 2 identical setup approach; but what are some issues with the majority of practice with an AR? Maybe shooting a few hundred through the AR for every 20 from the hunting rig, or shooting a couple thousand through the AR; then switching solely to the hunting rig a few months out?

 

[BigSky]

Everyone is different but I went back and reread and still don’t see anything condescending in Form’s post. I guess I’m too used to getting clear, accurate feedback at work.

I agree with you 100% Odinill. Having said that, everybody first and foremost, needs to recognize the post came from a Junior Member. That doesn't mean he is less knowledgeable, it just mean he has no familiarity with the members, their personalities or demeanor.

We also need to recognize that he was not expecting the responses he got and was therefore, looking at answers from a completely different angle or perspective. Everybody needs to be patient and, for the most part, was here. It's natural to be defensive as a new guy on the forum when one is not, from one's own perspective, a rookie hunter.

Finally, to anybody reading this who is getting into "longer" range hunting (not directed at the OP) one needs to realize that "a reliable scope and rangefinder do not a long range hunter make".

No matter what any of we "chest thumpers" and "modern snipers" think or say, a 300 yard shot is a long shot, especially on live game. It only becomes "easier" with extensive practice. If you are one who can hit the 1000 yard gong 1000 times out of 1000 shots, it doesn't change the fact that a 300 yard shot is still a long shot. It just changes the fact that said 300 yard shot has become extremely easy for you.

Practice, practice, practice. Oh, and enjoy.