Sniper Rifle

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I am thinking of getting into sniper rifles. Can someone recommend a make and model. I would like a 308 or a 7.62 round. A nice bolt action is what I am thinking of. I went to the gun store today and they recommended a savage 308. So I thought I would ask the experts before the Credit card came out. The savage was priced at 599.00 I would like to spend no more than 1K.
 
Savage is an excellent choice as well as the Remington 700. My 700 is shooting just over 1/2 MOA. I dont own a Savage but have heard very good things about their accuracy. A big advantage to the Savage is their adjustable trigger will save you from having to replace the trigger if you bought the Rem. All that in mind, I think the Savage would be the better choice.
 
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Executive,

While that is true, you can spend 5-600 and get a scope that is great to learn on. Fixed power scopes are also good to learn and are less expensive than variables. Check our www.riflescopes.com
 
the savage accu-trigger is the best stock trigger on a production gun, out of the box. I recommend the McMillan stock version.

spend wisely on rings, bases, and a scope. Don't cut corners. the leupold tactical scopes are ok, nightforce and schmidt & bender are top of the line and more than you probably need to start.

McMillan stocked savage with accutrigger in .308.
Badger rings and bases
Leupold if on a budget, nightforce if not
Federal or Black HIlls 168 or 175 grain match ammo, (non-moly)
Harris bipod w. pod lock

Bore guide, coated one piece cleaning rod, top of the line brushes, and never clean from the muzzle and it will be a tack driver for a long time.


Break it in right
 
Executive,

While that is true, you can spend 5-600 and get a scope that is great to learn on. Fixed power scopes are also good to learn and are less expensive than variables. Check our www.riflescopes.com

Very true, David. I'm a fan of Riflescopes.com and own their in-house brand fixed power Supersniper, a high quality optic at a very reasonable price.
 
The Remmy 700 trigger is adjustable also. Mine had a very crisp break just under 2lbs. Nice solid bases and rings are nice, but you don't have to spend a fortune. Burris Xtreme work very well and are inexpensive. I also second the supersniper scope, while S&B or nightforce or USO make awesome scopes, you really will not see the benifit unless you are shooting very long range, shooting at dusk or dawn or shoot at very low contrast targets. If you are going to be shooting during the day at less than 300 yards, then any scope that holds a zero and tracks correctly will do.
 
then any scope that holds a zero and tracks correctly will do.

That is the problem. There are a lot of them that fail the box test.


The remmy 700 is the standard for sniper weapons to be built on, but right out the box they leave a lot to be desired. If you want to build one, go with a remmy. If you want one right away at that price point, go for the savage.
 
Police, military and murderers own "sniper rifles". I think what you are looking for is a high powered, long range rifle. There is enough negative media...lets not feed into it.

Thanks.
 
Police, military and murderers own "sniper rifles". I think what you are looking for is a high powered, long range rifle. There is enough negative media...lets not feed into it.

Thanks.

That is one point of view. BTW, do you actually own AK-47's, or is your Avatar simply feeding into the negative media?
 
Savage makes a nice rifle, and +1 to quality optics. I would say get out and handle a few, for what I think your looking for, personal pref. will play a big role.
 
Another option that you may want to consider is a FN Special Police in a McMillan stock. They have several options available depending upon the features you like best. The link will show you the different options.

http://world.guns.ru/sniper/sn62-e.htm

I've mounted a Leupold VX III Target EFR Scope, 4.5-14x Variable, 40mm Objective, 1" Dia Tube, Matte Finish, Fine Duplex Reticle scope on it. To me, why waste money on cheaper glass just so you can go out and get better glass later on. I've used cheaper scopes and they just do not hold up. Once you buy the Leupold, you get a scope that will last you a lifetime and is covered by a lifetime warranty. Cant go wrong.

This rifle is more accurate then I'll ever be. I've been able to shoot 1 MOA or better at ranges of 200 and 300 yards. For me that is damn fine shooting. It's also has some excellent reviews by GUNS magazine and in Sniper Country's web site as well as other placed. Give it a look before you make your decision. Just add a quality bipod and you will have a great platform to reach out and touch something exactly where you want to.
 
Police, military and murderers own "sniper rifles". I think what you are looking for is a high powered, long range rifle. There is enough negative media...lets not feed into it.

Thanks.

I see nothing wrong with using the term "sniper rifle". In fact I think making a distinction between that and "high powered, long range rifle" is necessary in order to get a better grasp of what the OP is looking for.

"High powered, long range rifle" could mean anything from a Weatherby in .300 Win mag to an M1 Garand, whereas "sniper rifle" usually means any combination of... a rifle manufactured with an exceptional degree of accuracy, built to better withstand abuse and the weather, chambered in only a few calibers and equipped with high quality optics.
 
Not to " Pile on " ... But.

Police & MIlitary are generally not a pair I group with Murderers.

And my 2 favorite rifles - a Bushmaster & a Wasr10 are weapons to kill people with. I just happen to use mine for perforating paper targets or dimpling metal plates.
 
Arnot Says: Dat Vas A Gud Von....

That is one point of view. BTW, do you actually own AK-47's, or is your Avatar simply feeding into the negative media?

LOL - snappy comeback...[laugh2]

I don't own either, but have trigger time on both. The Remington was a sweet, sweet rifle, but it had to be tweaked to get there. The Savage was sweet out of the box and I was fairly amazed at what a nice rifle it was for the dough. Trigger was sublime and I'm not sure when Leupold became known as "budget optics" - that's a head scratcher for me, but the Leupold Vari 4.5-14x50 was stunning. I guess we're all entitled to opinions, but I found the Leupold to be a sublime optic and made me a much better shooter than I am.....
 
LOL - snappy comeback...[laugh2]

I'm not sure when Leupold became known as "budget optics" - that's a head scratcher for me,

It did, when I bought a schmidt & Bender PM. You are correct, leupold will work fine. I have had the pleasure of shooting Nightforce and S&B and leupold just doens't stack up against them.
 
OK, you all have talked me into the savage. The reason I wanted a 762 or a 308 is I like the feel and sound of one going off. I will pick up the savage this Thursday when I pick up my Arsenal AK. Now the search for a nice scope. But It will be a little while before I head out side again to the ranges.
 
If you intend to shoot it at any great distance, make sure to get a base with an angle built into it.

B
 
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while we are on the subject what would be the recommended power scope to reach out to say 1000 yards? And what style scope would you consider? I'm new to scopes and long range shooting but I'm not really sure how you would go about zeroing a rifle like a savage in order to shoot it from 100-1000 yards without adjustments?
 
IMO the scope is almost more important than the gun itself. A lot
of bolt actions floating around out there are very accurate out of
the box, but the biggest problem is people put junk glass on them and
it basically ruins the experience of the rifle. Rem/Savage/FN/CZ
all make some great bolt guns for under a grand, but they're nothing
without good glass. One should be trying to get a Super Sniper
on the thing at a minimum.

If I ever "build" up another rifle like the Savage FP10 that I had, I'm
going to buy the scope before the rifle!

-Mike
 
IMO the scope is almost more important than the gun itself. A lot
of bolt actions floating around out there are very accurate out of
the box, but the biggest problem is people put junk glass on them and
it basically ruins the experience of the rifle. Rem/Savage/FN/CZ
all make some great bolt guns for under a grand, but they're nothing
without good glass. One should be trying to get a Super Sniper
on the thing at a minimum.

If I ever "build" up another rifle like the Savage FP10 that I had, I'm
going to buy the scope before the rifle!

-Mike

A big +1 here. If your going to put together an accurate platform you have to spend the money to get the right glass. Go to a place that sells a number of different optics. Look through some of the cheaper scopes and then through the expensive scopes. You will immediately notice the difference in clarity and how sharp your target looks. Also, you have to remember that each shot is going to throw a jolt through you scope. The cheaper ones tend to give out after a low round count or have problems keeping zero after many shots. You will hear some say that their $100 scope has functioned without a problem. That would be the exception and not the rule. Even if you do have a problem with an expensive scope, most quality optics will give you a lifetime warranty and that in itself is worth every penny.

For me I trust Leupold. Some swear by Nightforce or Zeiss. There are several quality optics to choose from with all kinds of optics. The reason I trust Leupold is how it functions on my two bolt guns. One, the FN has several hundred rounds and it's never had a problem. The second is on my 50 BMG. A most punishing rifle on optics. Several hundred round through it and my Leopold Var III 6.5x20x50 Target scope has stood up to the punishment without a hiccup.
 
while we are on the subject what would be the recommended power scope to reach out to say 1000 yards? And what style scope would you consider? I'm new to scopes and long range shooting but I'm not really sure how you would go about zeroing a rifle like a savage in order to shoot it from 100-1000 yards without adjustments?

Depends on what you are doing. You can shoot accurately at 1000 yards with iron sights as long as the target is large enough to see and aim at. At High Power matches they shoot at enormous targets that are usually quite visible. However if the target is indistinct, you need something optical to make it big enough to see. The power is really irrelevant, as long as it is enough to reliably see that target, but with any type of optic on a rifle you can aim more precisely with more magnification. The quality of the glass makes a big difference when you move up in magnification since the good quality glass will typically be brighter and clearer than lower quality stuff.

As far as zeroing, you do it just like you would any other rifle, but you need to make adjustments unless the optic has some type of ballistic compensating reticle.

The range of adjustment is not really critical if you are just shooting at long ranges. You can mount the scope on a base so that it is near the center of adjustment and you have plenty of windage. Conversely you need more adjustment if you are shooting at a variety of ranges from 100 - 1000 yards. Not just for elevation, but for windage as well. The scopes tend to run out of it at the extremes.

B
 
That makes sense, I have a leupold 3x-9x -40mm, I might use for now then. I have been itching for a 308 bolt for a while, got the ak,ar,12ga, a few handguns. I'm trying to build my collection to have a wide variety, basically one of everything[grin]
 
The US Army and Marine Corps have been getting by just fine with 10X fixed power scopes from Leupold (Army) and Unertl (Marines). The Marines adoped the S&B Police Marksman II (can't recall the magnification) about two years ago to replace their Unertls.

IMO, get affordable but reliable gear, find a mentor, and get some serious trigger time at distance if you are serious about shooting a long distances (beyond 300 yards). Wasting money on gucci gear and shooting crap ammo at 100 yards from a bench is OK if you are after the Chicks Dig It factor, but not if you are serious about becoming an accomplished rifleman.
 
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I have to agree with Jose here, what good is a $1000+ scope if all you can afford is Crap ammo. Hey, look my 3moa group is crystal clear.

Money is better spent on trigger time and finding the correct load for your barrel, squaring the action, bedding the stock, replacing the barrel, then it is on a high end scope. I have had tasco scope with alot a round through them, the track perfectly, hold zero and are clear enough for 300. I have a higher end Luepold that had a nice 3 degree cant to the reticle. I know run a super snipe, that is clear, holds zero and tracks correctly

Nightforce, S&B, USO all have there place, they are top notch glass and build like tanks, They are made for people who's live and others live depend on them to hold a zero when drop, have the clarity to distinguish friend from enemy at 1000+ yard and have the brightness to take critical shots in low light. The are overkill for punching holes in paper at 100 yard.
 
Well, even though it seems you've made up your mind with a Savage, I LOVE my Remington LTR in .308.

As others mentioned, I spent more on the scope than the rifle, and went with a Leupold Mark IV 4.5-14x50 with Illuminated Mil Dot reticle.

It's a tack driver!

LTR-2.jpg
 
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