I think there is long range and LOOOONG range. I have shot my 308 at 850 yards basically in a "tunnel" cleared inside woods, with just a clearing at each end. The rifle shot moa. In the open, and at longer ranges I would prefer to use my 300 WM which has proven to be sub moa out to 300 yards so far. At ranges beyond 800 yards it would be the 300 WM without a doubt. I was shooting 168gr. SMKs in both rifles. Looking for a good deal on 190's! Interestingly enough, 180 gr. partitions have proven to be sub moa out to 300 yards in my 300 WM.
Peter.

Starting, a .308 Win. is the most practical in all aspects . If you become passionate about it, you will end up with several rifles with different calibers for specific purposes.
Don't overlook the used market. Savage is the least expensive.
Everything has limitations, define what YOU want, set boundaries and go for it.

Agreed. I have a Savage 110FP in 223 which is extremely accurate. Only gone to 200 with it, but it shoots about 1/2 moa at that distance with 69 gr. SMKs.
Peter.

338 Lapua

If you are interested in a gunsmith who specializes in 1000 yard rifles, try Bruce Baer.

http://www.baercustomrifles.com

When looking at these factors:
1. kick,
2. barrel life,
3. I want to hunt,
4. I need to be comfortable packing the damn thing in the mountains,
5. Wind bucking ability (BC+speed)
6. Ease and cost of reloading.

I agree with the rule of thumb "3000 fps and .600 BC" seems to be the sweet spot.

All you need is a 30-06 Spr.

Ammo: 30-06 Springfield 165 gr GMX® Superformance
BC = .477
MV = 2,940 fps

You do not need a super magnum, the 30-06 can do it without a mule kicking you.


Santa Claus

Take a look at this site.
http://precisionrifleblog.com/tag/6mm-creedmoor/
They do a lot of data analysis of shooting. The first item on the page is something I have thought about for a long time. There are actually a couple of computer programs which do Monte Carlo simulations of long range shooting and predict the importance of each variable. Easily the most important is wind and its handling. Cartridge loading variation is also important. What's not too important at long range? Absolute accuracy. In fact, their statistical simulations show that if you are not rated expert at reading the wind, going from a 1 moa rifle to a 0.1 moa rig has little impact on scores.

The second item shown is a record of trends over three years by top competitive shooters. In 2014, they show that for the first time, 6mm cartridges became the majority cartridge, displacing the 6.5's. The 6mm Creedmoor and the 6XC etc seem to be the current favorites.

Interesting site.

quote:

Originally posted by Art S.:
Take a look at this site.

...

In 2014, they show that for the first time, 6mm cartridges became the majority cartridge, displacing the 6.5's.

He does have a nice blog going with good info. As for 6mm, keep in mind the conditions typical of the PRS matches and you'll understand why smaller rounds have favor. Nearly all of that shooting is less than 500 yards and the shooters have to be able to see their own impacts to make corrections. This means BC is not as critical as it would be at 1000 yards, and recoil is critical because no one is going to tell you where the miss went.

The OP asked about 1000 yards, and for that game I think looking at what the F-class guys are doing would be informative.

I did not read the whole thread yet. 1st page only so far.
I reccomend the 6.5 Creedmoor because it ticks all the boxes for out to 1k yards. Especially for a new long range shooter.
Inherently accurate round that has affordable, accurate factory ammo available
Is easy and affordable to reload for.
Lots of relatively high bc bullets available
Easy on throats and barrels.
Doesn't need a muzzle brake.
Available in the Ruger M77 mkll Target/Varmint model With factory 28" barrel
With a change in bullets the round is just the right size for hunting from fox upto moose.
With the long barrel life and low start up cost combined with the round and rifles accuracy. By the time the throat is toast you will Know if you want anything different.

Not being a real student of cartridges, I'm curious why nobody ever mentions .300 Weatherby as a long range alternative?

I think Weatherby calibers still carry the stigma of sacrificing everything for velocity...barrel life, recoil tolerance, and perhaps accuracy. They have freebore built into their chambers to facilitate rapid acceleration...I don't think most folks feel that this helps accuracy.

I agree with those that recommend starting with a 308, or perhaps the Creedmore. Both are readily available in reasonably-priced rifles, and ammunition or components seem to be easy to find.

The experience in shooting such a rifle/caliber will increase your abilities in long-range shooting, and by then you'll have probably developed your preferences as to calibers, ranges, etc.

For me the long range hunting situation means to go beyond 200 meters. The is not a common situation here in Czech Republic and I cover majority of my hunting time with my trusty 7x57 loaded with 150 grain bullets.
When I am abroad I prefer my 300 H&H rifle with 200 grain bullets (NF) which are extremely accurate.