[moos420]

i was looking at getting a sako 85 s/s in a .308 with a leupold vx-L 3.5x14-56mm. i am just looking to use the rifle for mid game hunting. moose would be the largest thing i would thing of hunting.(when i go to visit my relatives in Canada) i live in Australia and there is no real big game here.i would like to do some target shooting around and up to 600yrd for now.
i think that i will like to build a long range custom sniper rifle as my second rifle when i am more experienced and have more money and time to spend on it. my grandpa was a sniper for the air force and i would like to be able to shoot like he could(1000yrd+). i have around $3000 to spend on gun and scope. any advice or experience you could pass on to me would be rather grateful.

thank for your time
moos420

[cpttango30]

I will ask that you please refrain from using the term SNIPER. They are highly trained specilized fighters used in the military and police forces.

I am not one for long range hunting. If you are to lazy to stalk or wait till your pray comes into a reasonable range you don't need to be hunting in my eyes. I am mainly a varmint hunters and shoot ground hog I can pull shots off had out to 200+ yards Last summer my hit rate was 95%+ and I would not attempt to shoot deer at 300 yards. My longest ground hog shot was 250 yards. I have red misted Ground squirrels in CA at 300+ yards. That is just my view. There is a forum just for long range hunting http://www.longrangehunting.com/

You are new to the world of rifles correct. You need to realize that shooting at 1k yards is a big chore and takes some knowledge. It is simply not buy rifle go to range and shoot 1k yards and be good at it. You need to know a lot of things.

The only way your getting into the 1k game with only $3000 is to buy a savage FTR in 6.5x284 or 308 ( I would go with the latter as you are not reloading yet I assume). I love my 308 and yes it can be used for 1000 yard shooting but it is not the best at it either by a long shot. The 6.5-284 is a much better choice. Many of the 1k shooters replace barrels once or twice a season depending on how much you shoot. Then you have $2000 left you better spend every dime of that $2k on a scope if not a little more.

Leupold Mk4 and Nightforce are the lower end of the long range optics. I am Dillinger in that Smidt and Bender are the best there is and when I looked a few weeks ago they are all $2000+ for the scope.

Your best bet is to look for F-class matches in your area and go watch them. Talk to the shooters and listen to what they say. Most of the time some will let you shoot their rigs if you pay them for ammo and or bring your own.

I had a guy offer to let me use his rig in 308 as long as I brought 200 rounds of Black Hills 175gr match ammo to the match.

F-class has one groups F-TR that is limited to 308 only. This is a good place to start is makes things a level playing field as every one is shooting a 308. F-Open is a bit different and where you get into some high dollar rigs costing $4000+ just for rifles your looking at 32"+ long barrels and wildcat cartridges.

[RCHanlin]

I totally agree with you cp.. moos, (imo) it is irresponsible to hunt at such long ranges on several levels. Primarily (again, my opinion), you are most likely not going to score a kill shot at that range with most if not all standard hunting rounds leaving you to have to track your prey animal down anyway if hit at all. Leaving the animal to die a slow death because you did not want to take the time to track and get closer to get your shot off is reprehensable and cruel.

[Water-Man]

Originally Posted by cpttango30

I will ask that you please refrain from using the term SNIPER. They are highly trained specilized fighters used in the military and police forces.

I am not one for long range hunting. If you are to lazy to stalk or wait till your pray comes into a reasonable range you don't need to be hunting in my eyes. I am mainly a varmint hunters and shoot ground hog I can pull shots off had out to 200+ yards Last summer my hit rate was 95%+ and I would not attempt to shoot deer at 300 yards. My longest ground hog shot was 250 yards. I have red misted Ground squirrels in CA at 300+ yards. That is just my view. There is a forum just for long range hunting LongRangeHunting.com

You are new to the world of rifles correct. You need to realize that shooting at 1k yards is a big chore and takes some knowledge. It is simply not buy rifle go to range and shoot 1k yards and be good at it. You need to know a lot of things.

The only way your getting into the 1k game with only $3000 is to buy a savage FTR in 6.5x284 or 308 ( I would go with the latter as you are not reloading yet I assume). I love my 308 and yes it can be used for 1000 yard shooting but it is not the best at it either by a long shot. The 6.5-284 is a much better choice. Many of the 1k shooters replace barrels once or twice a season depending on how much you shoot. Then you have $2000 left you better spend every dime of that $2k on a scope if not a little more.

Leupold Mk4 and Nightforce are the lower end of the long range optics. I am Dillinger in that Smidt and Bender are the best there is and when I looked a few weeks ago they are all $2000+ for the scope.

Your best bet is to look for F-class matches in your area and go watch them. Talk to the shooters and listen to what they say. Most of the time some will let you shoot their rigs if you pay them for ammo and or bring your own.

I had a guy offer to let me use his rig in 308 as long as I brought 200 rounds of Black Hills 175gr match ammo to the match.

F-class has one groups F-TR that is limited to 308 only. This is a good place to start is makes things a level playing field as every one is shooting a 308. F-Open is a bit different and where you get into some high dollar rigs costing $4000+ just for rifles your looking at 32"+ long barrels and wildcat cartridges.

The OP didn't ask about long-range hunting. He DID ask about long-range shooting.

[RCHanlin]

Originally Posted by Water-Man

The OP didn't ask about long-range hunting. He DID ask about long-range shooting.

If that is truely the case, I appologize moos. It appeared to me and the other poster that moos was wanting a long range rifle to eventually use for hunting.

Sorry

[Gutpile]

I consider it unethical to take shoots at big game past 200 metres. Running after a wounded animal that you shot at 650 metres makes you something special. I've never shot anything outside 50 metres myself. Listening to a wounded animal like a bear wailing after its been shot will make you a believer in shooting skills while hunting. I know so many hunters that pull out their old scoped beater guns without range time year after year. Having no idea where their zero is.

[moos420]

i am sorry for the confusion i am not looking to hunt animal at long range and i agree with you and i only look at hunting tragets long range. by that i mean up to 600 yards