Advice on my first 308

Underwhere

Underwhere

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So I am wanting a 308 for various reasons.
I don't hunt.
Looking for something that will be reliable and I can hit targets out at long distances (500+ yards)

I think that maybe the M1A and AR10 and HK91 are a too pricey for me right now.

I like the idea of a semi but I think it's out of my range.

Considering:
Savage 10 FCM scout which has a 4 round magazine
Rem 700 SPS which also have a 4 round magazine
Tikka 3 stainless wich has a 3 round mag

I'm new to non-carbine rifles.

Anyone care to give some advice or opinions?
I'm open to suggestions
 
PSS just traded a sig for chetD's SPS, he also (naturally) has a nice PSS.

i just finished my LTR build and i am looking forward to start breaking it in tomorrow at the range. having shot a few 700s before i bought one of my own i can say of your choices that's what my vote is for,
 
I will admit I had to look up "LTR" and "PSS"

Remington lite tactical and police sharpshooter?
Are those a lot different than the SPS?
 
if you come out to the leominster area some sunday i'm sure attilla and i could let you try out ours.of course that is if atilla ever breaks his in!
 
yeah, as long as i get to put the first box through mine you're welcome to give it a whirl. [smile]

you for sure going to be there sunday, PSS?
 
thetoys.jpg
 
Beansie_Time said:
Don't forget to check out FAL's and CETME's
Click to expand...

Don't know anything about it but my google search is going crazy right now.
I have a lot to learn.

In terms of accuracy how do they compare to your bolt actions?
Is the myth true that a bolt action will be more accurate?

Say one day I want to hit a target out at 900 yards. Could I do it with a FAL or CETME?
 
Go with a used rem or savage basic sporter and some good glass. If you get heavy into bench shooting from there you can always build up. If not you have a fine rifle with out a lot of out of pocket price and reasonable resale.
 
None of the semi auto battle rifles are worth a crap in the accuracy department in their bone stock state. Even when you pour thousands of dollars into them, the only one worth anything is the M1A. And at that point you could have bought two fully glassed precision bolt action rifles with what you will spend to make the M1A a sub-MOA tack driver, something bolt actions achieve rather easily.
 
Jose said:
None of the semi auto battle rifles are worth a crap in the accuracy department in their bone stock state. Even when you pour thousands of dollars into them, the only one worth anything is the M1A. And at that point you could have bought two fully glassed precision bolt action rifles with what you will spend to make the M1A a sub-MOA tack driver, something bolt actions achieve rather easily.
Click to expand...

Thanks.
Then I guess I'm going for the Bolt actions.

Off to the range. Be back on in 2 hours.
testing out my brother's piston upper
 
Underwhere said:
Savage 10 FCM scout which has a 4 round magazine
Rem 700 SPS which also have a 4 round magazine
Tikka 3 stainless wich has a 3 round mag
Click to expand...
Savages are great bang for the buck, but I wouldn't get a scout for a rifle that you want to go out to 500 yds. Check out some of their other models. They often are MOA out of the box.

Almost any Rem 700 is basically a great platform you can upgrade later. You may want to check out the 700 5R Stainless Special, a limited number of which are released each year. May be a little rich for you - $950-$1000 - but it's a great platform on a great stock with a great barrel.

The Tikka I have no personal experience with, but they do come with an MOA guarantee out of the box, so that's a plus. There are some larger (5 rounds I think) mags available for it though they are expensive and seem hard to find.

Any time you make it up to NH due N of you, I will be happy to let you try some .308 manual actions.

Also, the FAL is really not made to be a super-accuracy platform. 300Y no problem. 900Y, well... no. Some major tradeoffs for reliability (tilting bolt, for example) take away from its shot to shot consistency. I think the CETME may also have issues reaching super accuracy.
 
Jose is right on. In .308 I have an M1A w/Springfield Gen III and a Savage 10-FP (26" heavy barrel) with a Leupold Mark IV. At 100yds the M1A will group in 1" on a GOOD day. The Savage consistently delivers under 1/2 MOA and cost me about 1/2 of what I have into the M1A. My 2 cents...
 
Last edited:
Another common misconception. Good glass does not make a rifle accurate. It just allows you to see better and offers more repeatable W/E adjustments. Nothing more, nothing less.

A high quality barrel, expertly rifled and chambered, screwed onto a trued receiver with a well fitted bolt, then all bolted into an properly bedded stock is what makes a rifle accurate. Add handloaded ammo tailored to the rifle and watch out.

This was shot at 100 yards, from the prone position with a sling and shooting coat, with a 308 Win Remington M700-based target rifle equipped with aperture sights. Pardon the little bit of elevation drift. I am a bit rusty:

DSC00589.jpg
 
Underwhere said:
Don't know anything about it but my google search is going crazy right now.
I have a lot to learn.

In terms of accuracy how do they compare to your bolt actions?
Is the myth true that a bolt action will be more accurate?

Say one day I want to hit a target out at 900 yards. Could I do it with a FAL or CETME?
Click to expand...

The guys who said bolt action for this purpose are 100% right in my opinion. I love my FAL but I doubt I could hit a football field with it at 900 yards.
 
Rem 700s are great rifles. Get a bull or heavy barrel. The lighter hunting barrels are not accurate over a day's shooting as they warp with heating and cooling cycles. Also, look into the new Rem triangular barrel 700 VTR. Very nice firearm and that barrel will likely not react to heating and cooling cycles.
 
Whatever you buy, DO NOT chinse out on the glass you put on it.

I can't belabor this enough. Shooting with crappy glass is not fun.

-Mike
 
After a great deal of research I picked up the Savage 10 FCP just this week. I love the look and the feel of the rifle and while it has not much more than price on the Remington 700 which I also like, you will be hard pressed to find someone that has something bad to say about the rifle with the accutrigger and accustock in your research.

As I have read in so many post doing my own research, you have to check both rifles out and see what fits you best. I did and I liked the fluted barrel of the savage and accutrigger, compensator, accustock but more than anything the Savage for me sold from the reviews I read.

Bottom line is that their are atleast two really (newer) (non custom) good bolt actions out there at the moment and one's a Remington the others a Savage and either will shoot better than you may. Tonight I am mounting glass on the 10FCP, but I am really looking forward to some great shooting this weekend.

And yes, the glass is all important as well from what I have read as well. Good Luck!
 
drgrant said:
Whatever you buy, DO NOT chinse out on the glass you put on it.

I can't belabor this enough. Shooting with crappy glass is not fun.

-Mike
Click to expand...

Truer words are hard to find. This is the #2 reason folks get upset with their rifles. You get a great rifle that has the capability to put bullets through the same hole and then you put a cheesy piece of glass on it. I had bins full of cheap scopes...wound up giving most of them away to guys that didn't care. With eyesight sliding down the hill into the gulley as I age, I've learned to appreciate a good quality scope.
 
remmy good place to start put good optics on it us optic night force s&b some thing thats good or save up and buy a gap.
 
Beansie_Time said:
The guys who said bolt action for this purpose are 100% right in my opinion. I love my FAL but I doubt I could hit a football field with it at 900 yards.
Click to expand...

And yet my CETME puts quarter sized groups at 100 yrds easily enough make it not much of a challenge.[smile] 900 yrds is a challenge for any rifle and shooter!
 

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