I've been thinking of getting into long distance shooting for sometime now. When it comes to this I am a complete noob so I need some help on a good bolt action rifle to hook up a nice scope to and just do some fun long distance target shooting. Hard to say price range, I am not looking at in the thousands I can tell you that, but otherwise really not sure on what range I am in. Obviously the cheaper of a good quality gun is always recommended

What caliber are you thinking of?  Remington r700 a good bolt action rifle and can usually be picked up at a decent price from Dick's or Cabelas

 

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Remington174-7008482-ADL-Scope-Rifle-Combo/1368627.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dremington%2B700%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=remington+700&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

Second the Remington 700.  I recently purchased a 700 SPS in .308 from here and it's great.  Very easy to shoot accurately with it and you will get MOA groups easily.  

 

If you want to go a bit higher quality there is a member here looking to part with a Remington 5r, with or without McRee stock.  If interested pm me and I will get you their contact info.  

700 with 5r is hard to beat

I hear the Remington SPS tactical models are great! You might also want to check out Savage. I hear they make some nice accurate bolt action guns.

Savage makes good bolt actions at affordable prices. 223/5.56 less expensive ammo, 308 better long range performance.

There was a similar thread just recently by "Topher" .  Because of price and the ease of changing barrels he went with Savage.

 

Price point?  You'll spend as much on good glass as you will on a rifle.

 

Caliber?  Do you handload?

 

Yep 223 and 308 are common calibers if you don't handload.

 

What's your budget for rifle and scope?

 

 

Fixed it!

Edited March 18, 201412 yr by Old School

There was a similar thread just recently by "Tropher" .

"Tropher"??? Really. After all this time??? 

 

C

"Tropher"??? Really. After all this time??? 

 

C

 

Not a name in my daily vernacular!

223/5.56 and 308 make good sense to start with even if you do reload. 300 magnum and 338 Lapua are better long range calibers but if you're punching holes in paper 223/5.56 or 308 have more than adequate power to do that and a lot more.

I was thinking about .308 but was open to suggestions on that as well.

 

I do not reload as of yet, that is another part of this hobby I want to get into.

I was thinking about .308 but was open to suggestions on that as well.

 

I do not reload as of yet, that is another part of this hobby I want to get into.

 

 

308 will be more expensive to shoot.  Take that into account

Almost all long range shooters in the 600-1000 yard range use 308.  It seems to be the best all around caliber.  The others 6mmBR, 300 WM, etc have other factors to weigh.  Most use bolt action.  Considering any competition may steer you to other things you must to into account.  Nobody goes to the range with more "stuff" than a high power shooter. Put an expensive spotting scope on that list, and a possible shooting jacket.