Thread: Long range rifle

I am after advice on a new rifle. I am looking at shooting out to 6-700mtrs not necessarily by choice but sometimes you can’t close the gap on an animal. I currently have a 308 and can shout out to 500m but that is probably stretching it a bit to comfortably kill an animal ethically.

I am going to put a suppressor on the rifle so am looking at a barrel length of 20-22inch (preferably 20inch) I have done a bit of research and am looking at a 300wsm mainly due to barrel length.

Any recommendations and advice would greatly help.

6.5 Creedmoor

284 if you are happy to reload

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300 is preddy average ballistics wise, the 6.5prc or 7remmag will do a better job at bucking the wind and not dropping in like artillery. ive had a few 20" remags and they go good

Rem mag for sure, with ADI2217 and a 162g eldm around 3050fps

You mention 700 metres, but you will see animals at 800 and 900 metres.

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

Rem mag for sure, with ADI2217 and a 162g eldm around 3050fps

You mention 700 metres, but you will see animals at 800 and 900 metres.

I know I will see animals out at 800 etc but will try to get closer but you are right I may take a shot at that distance.

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

Rem mag for sure, with ADI2217 and a 162g eldm around 3050fps

You mention 700 metres, but you will see animals at 800 and 900 metres.

This makes me chuckle . . . Between you and a deer at 500m you can just about guarantee there are about 5 deer closer, you are just not seeing them, all shooting at 700 achieves is ensuring there are now 7 or 8 deer between you and the one you can see. Went hunting the other day, saw 13 for the day. First at 450M, across very rough gully, left. 2&3 at 500M, gully had gotten wider and rougher. Then a mob of 7 at 700M. Absolutely impossible to retieve. Then one on our side at 350M. Then another just below us, shot at 216M. Just a different way of thinking.

Originally Posted by Tentman

This makes me chuckle . . . Between you and a deer at 500m you can just about guarantee there are about 5 deer closer, you are just not seeing them, all shooting at 700 achieves is ensuring there are now 7 or 8 deer between you and the one you can see. Went hunting the other day, saw 13 for the day. First at 450M, across very rough gully, left. 2&3 at 500M, gully had gotten wider and rougher. Then a mob of 7 at 700M. Absolutely impossible to retieve. Then one on our side at 350M. Then another just below us, shot at 216M. Just a different way of thinking.

Some here haven't aged yet, don't look for an easy carry.

Originally Posted by Tentman

This makes me chuckle . . . Between you and a deer at 500m you can just about guarantee there are about 5 deer closer, you are just not seeing them, all shooting at 700 achieves is ensuring there are now 7 or 8 deer between you and the one you can see. Went hunting the other day, saw 13 for the day. First at 450M, across very rough gully, left. 2&3 at 500M, gully had gotten wider and rougher. Then a mob of 7 at 700M. Absolutely impossible to retieve. Then one on our side at 350M. Then another just below us, shot at 216M. Just a different way of thinking.

If you are trophy hunting it doesn’t quite work like that but I do get your point.

For context

Im about 6 months away from having hunted the kawekas for 50 years, almost all our shots in the last 26 years have started at 550 yards and topped out at about 1200 yards. Since the contorta spread you can’t see that many close ones. I can easily see and shoot 1 or 2 sika a day if I look from sub alpine scrub across to the same vegetation on another ridge. To consistently shoot sika day after day in the kawekas you need long range capability, or be named Nimrod and have a great dog.

The OP asked about a long range rifle to harvest animals at 700 metres.

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

For context

Im about 6 months away from having hunted the kawekas for 50 years, almost all our shots in the last 26 years have started at 550 yards and topped out at about 1200 yards. Since the contorta spread you can’t see that many close ones. I can easily see and shoot 1 or 2 sika a day if I look from sub alpine scrub across to the same vegetation on another ridge. To consistently shoot sika day after day in the kawekas you need long range capability, or be named Nimrod and have a great dog.

The OP asked about a long range rifle to harvest animals at 700 metres.

Attachment 281567

Do you miss/lose many? Honestly keen to know what kind of percentage get away when shooting those distances.

Originally Posted by McNotty

Do you miss/lose many? Honestly keen to know what kind of percentage get away when shooting those distances.

None when ya dream big mate

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Just teasin . .

Those are serious ranges and require serious shooting. My opinion, magnum territory only. Even a 6.5 PRC is getting marginal on a big fired up Red Stag or bull Tahr at those ranges in my opinion. Assuming they are potential targets then ethically Id be looking at a 7mm or 30 cal magnum. Plenty of options there, pick one you fancy. Rem mag, PRC, WSM, SAUM etc. Tikka 7mm Rem Mag, PRC or Tikka 300 WSM at 20 - 22" will all serve your needs well without much fuss.

Originally Posted by stagstalker

Those are serious ranges and require serious shooting. My opinion, magnum territory only. Even a 6.5 PRC is getting marginal on a big fired up Red Stag or bull Tahr at those ranges in my opinion. Assuming they are potential targets then ethically Id be looking at a 7mm or 30 cal magnum. Plenty of options there, pick one you fancy. Rem mag, PRC, WSM, SAUM etc. Tikka 7mm Rem Mag, PRC or Tikka 300 WSM at 20 - 22" will all serve your needs well without much fuss.

Always go back to this thread when questions like OP are asked. I clean missed a hind at 250 yards a couple weeks ago. Beautiful prone rest, heaps of time. My cutoff point for animals has definitely reduced after reading a lot of the recent posts around the true accuracy of rifles and that’s before you factor in shooter error and weather
https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....be-vid-115415/