looking for a good 1st 500yd+ LH rifle

[deeredriver]

I've always enjoyed long distance shots with my dads .270 and now I'm thinking about getting a rifle setup for myself tht would reach out to 500+ yards. I'm looking for sugestions for a good LH platform that won't break the bank but still shoot well and be worth putting some money into as time goes on. I plan on getting a simple reloading setup so I can test different handloads so I'm leaning towards something in 308 mainly because of all the good data out there. Any input from folks who would be willing to share some knowlage would be much appreciated

 

[bpm990d]

I think you can get a lefty Savage rifle. Hard to beat for the money. If you are only going to shoot it on a range the F/TR rifle is a steal with a 30 inch barrel.

B

 

[cockpitbob]

+1 on the Savage. Reports are they have outstanding accuracy right out of the box.

For .308 at long range, you'll need a twist of 1:10" for faster. The Sierra 175gr HPBT MatchKing is a favorite with long range .308 shooters. It will stay supersonic out to 1,000 yards but needs a 10" twist to stay stable.

 

[bpm990d]

For .308 at long range, you'll need a twist of 1:10" for faster. The Sierra 175gr HPBT MatchKing is a favorite with long range .308 shooters. It will stay supersonic out to 1,000 yards but needs a 10" twist to stay stable.

It really depends on the bullet being used. A .30 cal 155gr Sierra bullet is stable out of 13 twist .308 rifle all the way to 1000. I've also shot Berger 175 vlds out of 13 twist rifles with very good results at 1000 yards. The Savage Palma is a 13 twist and the F/TR is a 12 twist.

B

 

[cockpitbob]

It really depends on the bullet being used. A .30 cal 155gr Sierra bullet is stable out of 13 twist .308 rifle all the way to 1000. I've also shot Berger 175 vlds out of 13 twist rifles with very good results at 1000 yards. The Savage Palma is a 13 twist and the F/TR is a 12 twist.

B

True. The shorter the bullet the less twist needed. I'm surprized the B.C. of the 155gr bullet is high enough to keep it supersonic out to 1,000.

My experience is mostly with the 175gr MatchKing. On a cold day I've seen .308s tumble at 900 yards in 12" twist rifles.

 

[Jose]

I'm surprized the B.C. of the 155gr bullet is high enough to keep it supersonic out to 1,000.

155 grain .308 match bullets are designed to meet the rules of international Palma and Fullbore which require bullets weighing less than 156 grains for prone competition from 800 to 1000 yards.

 

[bpm990d]

True. The shorter the bullet the less twist needed. I'm surprized the B.C. of the 155gr bullet is high enough to keep it supersonic out to 1,000.

My experience is mostly with the 175gr MatchKing. On a cold day I've seen .308s tumble at 900 yards in 12" twist rifles.

That doesn't surprise me. Cold dense air has more drag. It's good for flying but not the best if your on the south side of the speed of sound. The transonic region is kind of rough on bullets. Some more so than others.

Surprisingly enough there are actually two types of stability when we talk about spin stabilized projectiles, gyroscopic and dynamic. Gyroscopic (imparted by the rifling) is not the stability that causes bullets to tumble at long range. It's dynamic stability (actually instability) that causes things to go to hell and the bullet to start tumbling. The dynamic stability is primarily influenced by how well the bullet negotiates the transonic region. A faster twist won't impart any more dynamic stability to the bullet. Probably the best example of this is the 168 Sierra fired out of an M1A at 1000 yards. It just won't work.

The 155 is mostly fired in rifles with 30 inch barrels. The extra 4~6 inches makes a big difference. I didn't believe the guy that told me the Berger 175s would shoot out of a 13 twist. I thought he was full of it until I tried it.

B

 

[tdeon221]

As a fellow lefty, the Savage or a Remington VS. Remington 700 is the small block chevy of bolt guns and you can turn it into whatever you want it to be. An NRA XTC match rifle, a Palma gun, Long range Match rifle, or a Tactical Rifle.