If you want a rifle on the cheaper side with out the need of an instant follow up shot, you cant beat a remington 700. It is one of the most accurate, off the shelf rifles you can buy for under a grand. It will even shoot with rifles way more expensive, its a great rifle. The Army bases the M24 on a 700 action for a reason. Although now the Army is switching over to the M110 (based on an AR10) because of the current need for higher capacities and quick follow up shots.

 

In the early 70's Remington, in its need to make a economy sporter rifle , made a rifle that unmodified, it would shoot better than the unmodified 700's. It was Remington 788. It was so accurate mainly because of the beefy reciever. A weak reciever is a weak link in most factory rifles to obtaining precision accuracy...


I was king of the factory class 200 yard "Lollipop" matches with my Rem 700 22.250 HV back in 1982. A guy sat down one sunday on match day with a out of the box , Rem 788 - .223 and whipped us all like stepkids. And the next sunday, and the next sunday he did so..

All the 700's got shelved and the 788's .223 filled the firing line benches. They are all gone now, just a few around gun shows maybe. I took my 22.250 - 788 and put a custom 6x250 barrel on it. It has won me a few matches in the modified hunter class...

 

In my not so humble opinion, Remington ended the life of the mdl 788 because it was so popular and accurate. Not to mention a lot less expensive than the 700.

An old friend (may he R.I.P.) had a mdl 788 in .30-30 Winchester that he dearly loved.

 

The first purpose built Sniper rifle was the Springfield Model .03-A3.

Adobe Walls: The hunters were camped at Adobe Walls, and during the night, the lodgepole snapped.

The hunters were in the midst of repairing it, when one went outside and noticed the Kiowa on a hillside.

Billy Dixon borrowed the Sharps rifle from another hunter to make that shot. What caliber it was, I dunno, but I've heard "Big Fifty" or 45 caliber.

Because the Kiowa's Medicine Man had told the warriors that the "white man" bullets couldn't hurt them at that range, after one was hit in the arm by Dixon's famous shot, the Kiowa rode off.

I can just imagine what the Kiowa did to that Medicine Man.

Beside Billy Dixon, there was another hunter there that is famous today: Bat Masterson.

The Panhandle-Plains Museum has facts about the Second Battle of Adobe Walls.

 

Yep, Adobe Walls, different sources cite anywhere from 250 to 500 indians attacked. Masterson was also a lawman, if I remember correctly.

 

Buffalo hunter, lawman in Wichita and Dodge City, "sporting man" in Tombstone and other western towns. Masterson later became a sportswriter and died at his desk in 1921.

There are dozens of "original" Masterson owned Colt SA's.

When someone asked Masterson if he had any of the guns he used "back then" Masterson would tell them he'd see what he still had among his possessions.

What he actually did was go to a pawnshop, buy one, and then resell it.

Wyatt Earp did the same thing late in life to augument his meager income.

He had an Colt SA in an old holster hanging over a chair arm. When a visitor would ask Earp if he'd sell it, Earp said sure. After the happy visitor was gone, Earp would go to the local pawn shop and buy another.

Earp, a friend of Masterson's since 1869, died in 1929.

 

I was raised on salvages 110s chambered for 30-06. They are some good rifles. If back when the bolt rifle was created{and I believe salvage built the first bolt action} if salvage was'nt so dang ugly they would be the most popular today. Right out the box they are good. I take coyotes at 265 or so yards all the time and thanks giving morning I took a 7 point whitetail at 325 yds, BTW that would be my fursthest shot ever taken on any animal or target for that matter. My second furthest is 291 yds on a coyote. My second furthest on any whitetail is 230 yds.
However I also have a salvage 111 that I'm not that kine on. I dont really like the box even though its a good idea that you can load it put it in your pocket then just load the rifle once you get where your going.
I think the 7mm and 300 are so good loads also. I stick w/ the 06 cause you can buy ammo at any mom and pops, wal-mart or any body that sells ammo. The 30-06 might just be the most popular round of all time. They had to create the 300 to out do it. It does shoot flatter and keeps more kentic further but at the price of the shooters shoulder. Just my .02 worth.

 

US Center Fire Bolt Action Rifles.

Savage Model 110 bolt action rifle: Introduced 1958.

Savage Model 20 bolt action rifle: Introduced 1920.

Remington-Keene bolt action rifle (with exposed hammer!). Caliber .45-70: Introduced 1880.

Winchester-Hotchkiss bolt action rifle. Caliber .45-70: Introduced 1879.

 

I did'nt think that remington or winchester had a bolt action pryer to 1920 oh well like I said "I believe". But I bet that if savage had'nt waited untell 1958 before it got rid of that ungly stock it would be what everybody is talking about now. That is what killed the popularity of the savage 20. When the 110 came out nobody really gave it much thought. Alot of folks jumped on the 110 ship in 1966 with its adjustyable trigger. I'm not sure if this is when savage fixed the problem with the access to the tigger's adjument. My dad bought his first savage in 62 witch he still has. He bought another in 66. And since then between both of us we have bought a few rifles.
But they are my favorite I just had to add alittle flavor to the thread.

 

Back when I was varmitting, I bought a Savage 112 V (may be wrong number am using ) it shot pretty good, but couldnt stand up with the competition from the Rem 700/788/Win,70's. rifles. Now the Sako HV back then, that baby would shoot gooood.

 

Really? You should have taken that baby back and got another one or something. Cause the 112 was the kickass in its day. You could'nt buy its equal for under a grand and to match it your grand would end up on someones bench getting tuned.
This will be the first time I've ever heard anybody say thats shot bought or all 3 brands felt the rifle did'nt standup. The only reason the savage is'nt so popular is like I said before the ugle factor and then their marketing stragy is almost none. Theres buches of folks thats never even heard of it.
I have a Rem 700 chambered in .243. This rifle costed close to $800. Theres nothing wrong w/ it. Man can it shoot. I bought my savage 110 w/ accura trigger for $345 and the savage 111 for $285. Both these rifles are chambered 30-06.I have less in these 2 rifles than the Rem 700 and they shoot as good or better.The pour Reminton does'nt ever get taken out to field its only shot on the range.

 

Cant believe I've missed this thread.

I'll stick with my Armalite AR-50, it only holds a single .50 BMG, but if you hit your target its toast. I have it fitted with a Bushnell Elite scope. Once I got it dialed in at 300 yards I was able to get my last few rounds within a 3-4 inch box. The only draw back with the 50 cal is ammo is quite expensive. Its a blast to shoot but I'll run through 75 bucks worth of ammo in a afternoon.

Before I bought the 50 cal I had a Armalite AR-30, basically the same gun, but in .308 and it held 5 shots. I sold it to a buddy who absolutely loves it. I had it fitted with the same Bushnell scope, it was also quite capable at 300 yards. My local range only has 50, 100, 300 yard ranges so I've never tried either gun at longer then 300 yards, but I'm real sure they could handle it. Neither gun was terribly expensive, both set me back around a grand, plus another 350 for the scope.

I sold the AR-30 after I bought a preban Olympic Arms AR-15 in .308, when fitted with the same scope this gun is just about capable, shoots very nicely till about 250 yards. Not a true sniper rifle by any means, but semi auto and a 30 shot clip is nice.

A AR-15 would be a cheap alternative to a real sniper rifle, I've bought a few different ones over the years, I don't remember any of them costing anymore then 1100 bucks. The best thing to do is to set up relationship with a local gun shop dealer, my guy is a long time family friend of my grandpa and dad. We find what we want out of catalogs, or online, he gets them and then sells them to us for not much over his dealer cost.

 

I used the "improved" Model 1883 version of the Winchester-Hotchkiss on the long range shoot at End of Trail in 1984. Back then it was shoot what you brung, not the pistola calibers SASS insists ppl use today.

SASS founder Boyd Davis said this about the Model 1883..."you can use it this year, but next year, whatever rifle you bring better have an exposed hammer." LOL...He forgot to mention no bolt actions. He didn't know about the bolt action Remington-Keene...it has an exposed hammer, I used it in 1985, much to his disgust.

 

I was in the Army but I was not a sniper. I knew two and one is a good friend of mine.

About 1984 I was in need of a new deer/elk gun. I consulted my friend, and he said for the money (which I have little of), the 700 BDL Remington, would be my best bet.

I put a Leopold 9X15 on it. I took it out and spent time on the range. I got that thing to put a bullit in a 2 inch ring at 500 yards. Ok, now I am 55 years old, my eyes are not what they used to be, but I know I can hit a man/deer at 500 yds. Not bad for an old fart.

A hit at long range takes many rounds through a fine weapon. Practice, practice, practice. Shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot.

That is what it takes!

 

i can't beleive no one has mentioned the svd or g1 yet.