I want to shoot 1000 yards

[jflqm]

First post here. Nice forum by the way.

I just purchased my first gun after I've seen on my CCTV of an attempted break-in in my house. The perps were chased away by my dog. Cops did not do anything because according to them, the perps did not take anything.

I bought a TNW-ASR 9mm for HD. And after a few rounds on the range, I realized I want more. Although I still practice with my PCC, I would like to take up long range shooting. My problem is this. I don't know anything about rifles. All I know is that I want to be able to shoot upto 1000 yards accurately. I'm not planning on shooting varmints or games. Just targets. I know it's a long and expensive process, but I have to start from somewhere.

When looking for a setup, what do you consider first, the rifle or the ammo? In order for me to work up to 1000 yards, I need to shoot closer first. I'm thinking of a rifle that can be accurate upto 500 yards. I will start at 50 yards, then 100 up to 500 yards. Anybody can suggest such a rifle and the ammo? I'm not interested with high-tech gadgets, I prefer just a simple rifle and scope. Single load bolt action rifle is what I'm looking for. Ammo should be good for the 500 yard and 1000 yard rifle as well. Reason being, so that I'll get used to recoil. Budget is around $500 for the just the rifle.

[tahunua001]

I don't know anything about rifles. All I know is that I want to be able to shoot upto 1000 yards accurately

I would like to start out by pointing out that probably 1 percent of 1 percent of shooters can actually shoot accurately at 1000 yards. they do this through a combination of VERY expensive rifles, optics, ammunition(often hand loaded themselves), and countless hours on the firing line, where they learn about reading the wind, temperature, altitude, elevation, and a half a million other variables which are necessary to shoot 1000 yards.

let's get you shooting at 100 yards then move up from there. you'll need a decent rifle in a lightly recoiling cartridge to begin with such as a Ruger american or weatherby vanguard in .223 remington, start with cheap but decent optics like a nikon prostaff or vortex diamondback scope. the whole setup should cost no more than $500. then you need to start working on dry firing, getting used to the operation of the rifle. with no live ammunition in the rifle, balance a quarter on the barrel near the muzzle, aim at a target and try pulling the trigger without the quarter falling off the barrel, do this until you can do this every single "shot". practice pulling the trigger while using absolutely no muscles except for your trigger finger in your firing hand.

then we can start setting up targets at 100 yards and get you shooting for accuracy. if you are serious about shooting out to 1000 yards you need to understand that it takes baby steps, and you'll need more than a single rifle to make the transition. starting out with a heavy, 1000 yard cartridge like 300 mag is just asking to develop a flinch and a good 1000 yard rifle will run you $1000 easy and that's before you even think about scopes which can run another $1000.

[4EVERM-14]

An inexpensive but valuable taste of 1000 yard shooting is smallbore. .22 rimfire at 200 yards at the NRA A21 target or SR 42 target.
It would be even better to shoot smallbore at 100 yards. Obtain the A25 NRA target and shoot it at 100 yards. These targets places the same challenges of long range centerfire at much reduced cost and range requirements. Wind,humidity and light conditions must be taken into account just like long range centerfire.

[Doyle]

Let me also be one to dissuade you from the idea of shooting 1000 yds. To shoot that distance (other than just lobbing lead downrange for giggles) requires LOTS of money and time. Since this is your first gun, start with something reasonable and learn, learn, learn.

[Marty8613]

I don't know how to drive yet, but I want to drive in NASCAR. :/

Yeah, work your way out, starting at 50 yards. $500 budget doesn't even get you close.

I have a bit of military training (more than normal), but not like sniper school, and 300 yards is comfortable.

[SerenityNetworks]

I was a better than average rifle shot as a youth. Then as I got good enough to shoot moving targets I migrated to a shotgun and did not shot another rifle for 38 years. A few years ago I got back into riflery. I too was interested in pursuing long range shooting as a long term goal. I figured the best way to get that accomplished was to immediately learn/relearn the fundamentals, so as not to acquire bad habits right off. I heard about the Appleseed program and attended. It was fantastic.

I would suggest getting a little Marlin 795, a GI sling, some Tech Sight peeps, a bulk box of ammo, and head out to an Appleseed. Then while you are establishing solid fundamental skills you continue your investigation into the long range area.

I can't advise much on the long range aspect. My goals have since changed. I'm much more into tiny groups and game at distances from 100 to 400 yards and hopefully getting into some silhouette competition. But I do suggest the Appleseed route, for the fundamentals, while you check out the long range stop.

[jflqm]

Thanks for all the info guys. The 1000 yards is just a goal that I wish I can achieve. I got to have that goal like an inspiration to achieve it. If I say, I want to be able to shoot 100 yards, and after I do it, what next? Like you guys said, it takes baby steps. I believe it.

tahunua001 post about putting a quarter on your barrel and start dry shooting your gun (pulling the trigger) and the quarter will not fall off is a good excercise. I know I will not be able to do it today, but I will someday.

Can a .223 remington go 500 yards?

[Marty8613]

Wish you were closer. I'll be sighting in a Remington 770 this weekend. It has been some time since I shot a rifle. Apparently the owner has been missing at 50 yards. Time to teach an old dog new tricks. One old dog to another.

Man, I wouldn't miss an entire hog at 50 yards with my .45.

[jmr40]

A 223 will do fine at a lot farther than 500 yards. Not the best choice, but could be used at 1000.

Normally I'd say buy yourself a nice accurate 22 and get good with it. Normally the cheap ammo will allow enough practice to develop skills, then move up to center fires for longer range. In today's world with limited 22 availability it is a bad time for beginners. A decent quality 223 might be the best choice right now.

[tahunua001]

Can a .223 remington go 500 yards?

yes, 500 yards is an attainable goal while still working with 223 rem. my brother and I have used his Ruger M77 in 223 at 550 yards and it did great.

[4runnerman]

Contraire to what you are hearing here. 1000 yards is very do-able. Don't let these guys scare you. The last match I went to ( last Month ) while it was only 600 yards- 2 people were using 223 and 55 gn bullets, Both scored in the high 180's to low 190's out of 200. 223--Very good to 600 and not to bad at 1000,barring most wind. Rifles for shooting 1000 yards- Piles of them,308,6MM, 6.5,260, 243's. My 1000 rig is a stock Savage 6MMBR F class set up ( 1200.00 ) with a Sightron 32 power scope. I do very very well in F class shoots. Go for it and have some fun while your doing it.

[Dearhunter61]

There is some great advice here! I'm having my first custom rifle built right now with the objective of shooting 1000 yards. You do not have to shoot a cannon in order to reach out to 1000 yards accurately. My build is a 6.5 Creedmoor and when I get it back my expectation is recoil similar to that of my 22-250. I would say that you're not going to be able to reach out to 1000 yards and shoot accurately with a hunting rifle.

Good luck and have fun!

[tahunua001]

Contraire to what you are hearing here. 1000 yards is very do-able. Don't let these guys scare you. The last match I went to ( last Month ) while it was only 600 yards- 2 people were using 223 and 55 gn bullets, Both scored in the high 180's to low 190's out of 200. 223--Very good to 600 and not to bad at 1000,barring most wind

really? 600 yards makes a rifle good out to 1000? lets look at the ballistics of the 223, absolute best case scenario.

assuming a high grade match bullet traveling blazing fast 3300FPS with a ballistic coefficient of .262 and a 200 yard zero:
those 223s would have dropped 78 inches in those 600 yards.

with that same load by 1000 yards the bullet would drop 448 inches...


and that's not even factoring in wind drift. how on earth would you suggest a shooter who has virtually no experience with long range shooting cope with such poor ballistics at that range?

now consider a cartridge designed for long range shooting like 6.5mm creedmore. considering absolute best case scenario. a 120gr bullet with a ballistic coefficient of .547 traveling a blazing fast 2950FPS with a 200 yard zero.

by 600 yards the bullet has dropped 64 inches.
by 1000, it has only dropped 271 inches. much easier for a shooter who is not a complete expert to compensate for. wouldn't you agree?

I would not recommend a 6.5 creedmore for a training rifle but it does serve the purpose of long range shooting much better than 223.

[Fisher]

You will hear a lot of opinions on what caliber and rifle is the best for your goal of 1,000 yards. Not to mention what optics you should put on the rifle. I am not going to disagree with any of them. Instead, I will point you to a website that is geared towards helping the average shooter hit that 1,000 yard mark with his everyday gear. Read over what they say and hopefully that will help you decide on what equipment you want to buy.

There is no need to buy that custom gun if all you want to do is bang the gong.

Bang Steel

Jim

[4runnerman]

tahunua001- I did not say a 223 for 1000 yards. I said it can be done,and people are doing it. It was not in my list of rifles I would use ( read ). What cracks me up is some that say-Start at 100 yards or start with a 22. I went from 100 to 300 to 1000 and 1200 yards all in one year with one rifle. As for bullet drop--Means squat when shooting paper. Reading the wind is the only hard thing about shooting 1000 yards plus. I do it once or more a month. Compensating for the drop is done with yor scope and a ballistics program. So it drops 300 inches. Plug it in adjust scope and shoot. This is not rocket science here ok. Whens the last match you went to?. Mine was last month-We shot in a 35 MPH cross wind at 600 yards. We still scored in the 190's out of 200. I got my butt served on a platter by a 11 year old that day. The big question of the day was- How many 200's or perfect scores would there have been if no wind that day. Doping the wind is another story. 1000 yards is not hard at all. 1000 yards in the wind is.

If you shoot 1000 yards-What do you think your score would be at a indoor range?. No wind,no mirage. perfect scores would be plentyful.

I might add- The last match was a mix of 6 states, 127 people from 11 to well over 65 yrs of age. Also- FTR class is limited to 223 and 308. There are many people that shoot 223 in that class and yes at 1000 yards I might add with ease also.

[tahunua001]

it was rocket science before you were able to download the app for that. you still need to know exactly how fast your bullets are traveling, their weight, BC, wind, and to top it off you need to be a damn good shooter. you went from 100 to 1200 all in one year. well good for you, not all shooters progress that quick.

[Jay24bal]

you went from 100 to 1200 all in one year. well good for you, not all shooters progress that quick.

I would be in that boat. It took me three years of practice to reliably shoot well at 600 yards (consistently at about 1 MOA or better regardless of conditions and in a variety of positions). Granted I only get to shoot 1-2 times a month 8 months out of the year (cold winters), but the learning curve will take time, especially for someone who is new to shooting in general.

While it certainly can be done quicker than I did it, I echo most of the opinions here in that you would be best served starting with a smaller caliber and working up to longer ranges. Once you consistently shoot well at 100 yards, move up to 200 yards, then 300, then try 500.

And somewhere along the way, look into handloading. It is amazing how much difference ammo that is tuned for your rifle can help.

[Jim243]

Budget is around $500 for the just the rifle.

LOL, that's a good one (LOL).

If you really plan on shooting 1,000 yards, plan on spending between $3,000 to $5,000 on equipment. Rifle, scope, rangefinders, wind meters, wind flags, rifle rests, spotting scopes and reloading equipment and components.

But if your just looking to get started at 100 yards then you could do it for a little over $500.

Jim

If your interest is long range shooting, spend some time on this websight

http://www.6mmbr.com/index.html

[overthere]

I shot a F/TR 1000 yard match with my stock 308 Savage 11, a $500 gun, and scored 520-4X (out of 600). Stellar score? Not exactly but everything was on paper and the scores were mainly eights and nines with an occasional 7, 10 and X. Scope was a $450 Vortex 6.5-20X power so with the knock-off harris bipod and 20MOA rail it was a ~$1000 setup.

So you do not need an expensive gun to shoot 1000 yards with decent accuracy (if one considers 520 to be decent). I am certain a Savage Axis, or even better Savage Axis 2 could have produced similar results and they are $300 rifles.

However if you want to compete at 1000 yards, as in getting good scores, then a more expensive gun will definitely be the ticket.

The main issue with low cost rifles for 1000 yards F/TR (and at 1000 yards F/TR a low cost rifle means a 308, a low cost 223 will not get you there) is the barrel length. Mine has a 22 inch barrel which means you have to work to get the needed velocities to stay supersonic out to 1000. In my case that meant 155 grain bullets loaded somewhat warm.

Handloading also helps if you are going to shoot 1000 yards. Especially with a low cost rifle. Staying supersonic vs. not makes all the difference and with handloads you can know for sure.

[SerenityNetworks]

Originally Posted by 4runnerman

What cracks me up is some that say-Start at 100 yards or start with a 22.

I'm sticking that starting with a .22 is a very good idea. Trigger time is invaluable both in learning fundamentals and in progressing in skill. Dry fire only goes so far. I for one don't have the budget for private lessons, but Appleseed taught me solid fundamentals using a .22. I don't have the budget to put a hundred centerfire cartridges down range, but a couple hundred rimfire isn't an issue.

[JohnKSa]

I will start at 50 yards, then 100 up to 500 yards. Anybody can suggest such a rifle and the ammo?

That's a good first step. Honestly, I'd probably go with .223 for this first step. You'll save a lot on ammunition, and there's no sense dealing with any more recoil than you need to during this phase.

Later on, when you have to step up in caliber to get all the way to 1,000 yards, there are practical ways to deal with the recoil given that you'll only be target shooting.

[tahunua001]

I'm sticking that starting with a .22 is a very good idea. Trigger time is invaluable both in learning fundamentals and in progressing in skill. Dry fire only goes so far. I for one don't have the budget for private lessons, but Appleseed taught me solid fundamentals using a .22. I don't have the budget to put a hundred centerfire cartridges down range, but a couple hundred rimfire isn't an issue.

22 fire only goes so far as well, you also missed in the OP that he already has a pistol caliber carbine which offers the exact same practice that a 22 does without the added headache of trying to locate 22lr ammo.

I believe that of available, in stock 22LR the average cost per round for regular standard velocity is about 10 cents a round, people are loading 9mm for cheaper than that.

[hartcreek]

The OP has no trigger time. I would suggest you find a shooting club locally and find someone to help you. First off you do not know how much recoil you can handle. You need to find that out first and then go on from there. If you were close to me I would take you out as I have plenty to choose from and I have a .308 that I need to site in at 300m and my old 721 that I need to get sited in at 600m.

Once you get the caliber decided then you can start looking but there is no reason you should not pick up a decent scoped .22 and start practicing untill you find something suitable for distance shooting.

You did not state what accuracy means to you. Some of these guys consider it hitting a 10 inch plate at 1000m that is not me any more but hitting a deer and dropping it at 600m is. I played that game a long time ago and it got boreing.

[Unlicensed Dremel]

That budget is really stretching it. You're gonna want a used Savage, if you can find one - that's probably your best bet. Check the auction sites. Yes, the single shot Savages are known for accuracy. The right-bolt, left-port ones are nice. But I dunno how many people actually part with them on the used market, so without upping the budget, you might be looking awhile. Chambering.... if new I'd say 6.5-284, but used, I'd go with less of a barrel burner - .308 or .260 rem or 6.5 creedmoor. Those the chamberings in factory Savages of late. Recommendation wold be different for rifle & chamberings with different budget.

Come to think of it, even on the used market, a target version of Savage would exceed that budget, so I dunno. In that situation, I'd probably want a T/C Venture new or used (about $425 or so new) in 6.5x55 or 7mm-08 - that may be your best bet for stellar accuracy. Or a used Tikka T3.

And in my personal experience, cops still don't do jack crap even if the the burglars do take stuff.

[AllenJ]

The large guns stores such as Dick's Sporting Goods often have sales on heavy barrel Savage rifles, some with scopes, that should keep you close to your price range. Savage rifles have a well earned reputation as being very accurate right out of the box and there is a lot of after market parts available (in case you catch the long range bug and want to pursue it further). As for chambering I would look very hard at the 308 Winchester. It has some very accurate ammunition on the market that is decently priced and there is a lot of not so accurate but very cheap ammunition out there just for plinking.

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