Scope Mounting Advice - Long Range Rifle

[BlueLineIPSC]

Gentlemen:

I have always wanted to set up a serious long range rifle, but could never justify spending the amount of money it takes to do so. Long story short, i came into a bunch of 300 win mag ammo for free and now definitely have the need lol. I know it's ass backwards to set up a rifle and hope it eats the kind of ammo that i have, but hey it's worth a try.

I purchased a Remington 700 Sendero (300 Win Mag) and a Swarovski Z6 5-30x50 that i plan on getting ballistic turrets for. Now that i spent all that money i don't want to skimp and get some Leopold rings and bases. My question is what kind of mounting hardware do you all suggest? I spend a lot of time in west texas and plan on learning to shoot some long distances. However, i have zero experience with setting up rifles like this. Any help is appreciated.

TLDR: What kind of scope mounting hardware would you use for high end rifle/scope for a long distance rifle? Not the regular old Leopold stuff...

 

[DaSouthernYankee]

How far is long range to you? Got a rough distance in mind?

Generally for long range you will want a scope base with some MOA slope in it already but depending on how far you are planning to go you may not need it. Aside from that just get some quality rings and lots of practice.

Nice choice in glass however I personally am very hesitant to say a stock rem 700 will be accurate enough for any kind of long range shooting. I’ve not been hearing many good things about their QC for the last several years. Tbh I think you should return the Remington and get a Savage. And even if a savage does not shoot as well as you would like they are very easy to change barrels out. (Not saying rems can’t be accurate but out of box savage tends to have an advantage, mostly my concern is poor QC as mentioned but ymmv)


Sent from an unidentified bayou mobile device

 

[Ritten]

You won't go wrong with Seekins rings and bases. Get a proper in/lbs torque wrench to make sure they're on there properly as well. Badger also makes good hardware that won't let you down.

 

[SpeedRacer]

You can also take a quick ride over to see us at Interstate Guns in Hammond and we can get you all set up with the right hardware, and get you properly mounted and boresighted.

 

[Bmash]

I like LaRue mounts. Put a 20moa rail. I have a Swarvoski Z6 and since that is a very good and expensive scope, I use Quick Disconnect mounts and use the scope on A deer rifle and then a varmint rifle. Mine is on a stock Winchester 7 mag and it works great with ballistic turrets. I dialed up to 600 yards and was impressed how close their program that calculates clicks up was.
(I also use night force rings which use a bolt which I torque as Ritten suggests. They are also easy to change from one rifle to another.)

 

[Stonehenge]

If you're that serious like others have said, proper torque, and don't forget locktite not just on the bolts but also loctite the mounts to the action. And if you're super duper serious have the mounts lapped one they're on the gun.

 

[BlueLineIPSC]

Thanks so much guys. Longest distance i would say is 600 meters or so... It's going to take some time for me to get comfortable shooting anything past 300.

 

[Stonehenge]

300 isn't really all THAT far, and really midrange equipment can get you to 600 fairly easily. Like someone else said I think, finding the right ammo for your particular rifle is probably the single biggest factor in shooting for any sort of distance. Sometimes off the shelf stuff works freaking great, sometimes you have to go to hand loads. But I'd say get yourself sled, and spotting scope. Take yourself out of the equation until you know your setup is working as you want it to, then use it to test and build your own skills.

 

[Request Dust Off]

I would not get a sled.
I would put that money toward a good spotting scope, bipod and rear bag.
Eventually handloading will give you the control over your loads.

 

[BlueLineIPSC]

I should say it will take a while for me to get comfortable shooting at an animal past 300 yards. I want this to be a 600+ meter rifle. Just gonna take some time for me to learn it and get comfortable.

 

[TheBigRServices]

It seems to me a lot more precision rifles are being set up with the one piece scope rings, mine included. Check out MPA's mounts, or Nightforce has a 20moa version. That way you dont have to worry about bedding or lapping rings.

 

[Barney88PDC]

300WM is a really bad caliber to "learn on". You are going to learn many bad habits with that increased recoil.

But to answer the question I would choose a NightForce 20 MOA base and NightForce rings.

 

[Ritten]

300WM is a really bad caliber to "learn on". You are going to learn many bad habits with that increased recoil.

Not to mention the money that you'll put out for ammo.

 

[La Rebel]

A friend of mine got a lead sled and put his newly built 8mm Rem mag in it and within 6 or 8 shots cracked the stock. After seeing that I went and bought a Hyskore rest that has a hydraulic damping cylinder that does not transfer all of the recoil energy into the rifle. I would never put any gun of mine in a lead sled after seeing that.

 

[Stonehenge]

A friend of mine got a lead sled and put his newly built 8mm Rem mag in it and within 6 or 8 shots cracked the stock. After seeing that I went and bought a Hyskore rest that has a hydraulic damping cylinder that does not transfer all of the recoil energy into the rifle. I would never put any gun of mine in a lead sled after seeing that.

I think if a rifle has enough recoil to damage itself in a sled then it's a problem with the build of the gun. It should have no problem pushing the sled back before it cracks, I'm of the John Browning mentality when it comes to guns, make it strong enough then double it. If the rifle was bedded properly, the recoil lug was properly located "if needed for caliber" and the grain orientation of the stock was correct, then a sled should never have cracked it. A sled is just a bunch of dead but movable weight behind the butt pad, not much different than a person.