Looking forward to an Alaskan Dall Sheep this fall. I've taken two when much younger and would feel there's an advantage now if I can get a rifle accurate out to 400-500 Yards. Since I don't do any other long range shooting, I'm looking to find a good rifle system without busting the bank. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

What do you shoot animals with now? Probably would work fine for your purpose. 500 yards is a fair poke, but most rifles are capable to that range.

If you want to get a lighter rifle, I would suggest two rifles: Tikke T3 Lite Stainless, and Weatherby Vanguard Wilderness (was their Lightweight model I believe). These are the two that I have seen shoot consistently well out of the box. Put a lightweight Leupold VX3/3i on it to keep weight down and you are set. A 3-9 would be fine, 4.5-14 if you think you need the magnification. BDC reticle and learn how to use it. CDS could also work, but you should research the differences between the two systems. To 500 yards, BDC will be faster, and plenty accurate.

Cartridge depends on whether or not you may shoot a grizzly, I think. For sheep only, 6.5mm up to .30 caliber non-magnum. You don't need a magnum to get to 500 yards. For bigger game, 7mm to .300 magnums. In all, shoot heavy for caliber bullets to get better wind drift characteristics. Drop is easy to adjust for, wind is NOT. So, 7mm shoot 160 to 180gr bullets. .300, 180 to 210gr bullets.

Jeremy

I would buy a Tikka or Howa in 7mm Mag, 6.5x55 or 6.5 Creedmoor.

Buy a regular one, and tune the trigger, upgrade the stock with a GRS Berserk or Bell and Carlson that fit's you, and glass bed it.

For a scope I would work with a 20 power top end, and I'd have dials built for the load I was using and the altitude, temp and everything based off the chronograph.

$500-750 rifle
$300-850 stock and bedding
$50 trigger job unless you do it yourself
$850-1500 Vortex, Leupold, Nightforce with a 20-24 power top end
$100-250 Rings and Mounts
$50-150 scope level

Either buy some training or attend a class.
Darrel Holland has a DVD
Gunwerks has DVDs
MOA Rifles had online training
Todd Hoddnett has training on DVDs

Buy them all and work at it.

Shoot your best load from 100-1000 yards over a chronograph and get dials build that match the chronograph data.

My general purpose long range caliber is now a .300 RUM; as Jeremy points out, the wind is a killer, and a heavy high BC bullet is the trick. I use brakes on mine so the recoil is no big deal. I have a factory 700 that I bedded and had a brake installed, but otherwise is factory. I gong shoot it at 500 yards all the time and don't have any trouble hitting a target the size of a sheep's vitals at 500 even when the wind is blowing shooting sitting with a bipod.

That said, sheep are not difficult to kill as I am sure you recall, and the open area they inhabit makes it easy to watch them fall. I have killed them from 15 yards to 360.

I shoot a lot of Browning X Bolt rifles . They are light and accurate. I took an out of the box 270 and was able to hit a grapefruit sized target every time at 600 yards.

I currently use a Browning A Bolt SS in 338 win mag and 30-06. I find them both to be quite accurate out to 200-300 yds but on my last sheep hunt, the ram I really wanted I couldn't get closer than about 450 yds. Therein lays the challenge. I'm up for buying a flatter shooting gun with the right scope and then practice heavily to improve my effective range to this distance. The question is: what the right tool?

I have shot all of my sheep with a 300 Win Mag. Also, the Swarovski ballistic turret scope is a fantastic piece of equipment.

I have never warmed up to the X-Bolt or A-Bolt rifles, but there is nothing wrong with them.

Shoot what you like.

Range time and a scope and the tools that will get you there are much more important than the rifle.

Europeans spend more on the scope and we should to. But we are so used to the scope only counting for $200-300 that we lose sight of what a scope is for.

It is the most important part of the equation.

I agree with the other posters.

It's less about the rifle/cartridge and more about selecting a higher BC bullet and mating the rig with a top-flight scope designed for long range (either dial or strata-wires) and practice well beyond the range at which you wish to become proficient.

If you want to become good at 500 yards then practice at 500, 600, 700 and even beyond.

500 yards is a chip-shot for some rigs and riflemen but it's still a long poke. I killed a bighorn last year at 420 and was happy that I had practiced judiciously.

Once the range is mastered, throw in the wind and the whole thing goes down the toilet in a hurry.

Zeke

Thank you for all your help. This has got me calibrated for a purchase this spring. I'll most likely look at the Tikka T3 Lite mated with the right scope. I appreciate the comments about spending more on the scope, which I typically haven't done but it's good advice.

Every time I go to Vegas, i shoot a 50 cal Barrett at 1,000 yards. Normal hunting ranges do not bother me at all any more. My longest shot on sheep was 527 yards.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Every time I go to Vegas, i shoot a 50 cal Barrett at 1,000 yards. Normal hunting ranges do not bother me at all any more. My longest shot on sheep was 527 yards.

I shoot 800 to 1290 yards every week. It has taught me I need to shoot constantly to stay proficient in the wind.

Another vote for the X Bolt; I have one in .308 that rings my 500 yard gong every time. Must past 600 gets a bit tricky when the wind blows. These days, if the wind isn't blowing, I don't go out. Today it will be blowing about 15 mph - a good day to practice.

3 shots at 600 yards with an out of the box X Bolt 270 shooting factory ammo. The orange dot is about the size of a grapefruit.

Larry:

when I say "ring the gong" it has to be within 5 inches of the center dot to include my wind hold. And I shoot sitting with a bipod and a shooting sling in a position I invented that is bench rest steady.

If only the X Bolt were easy to rebarrel...

The shots on the "dot" seem to be near or under even 1moa and that is fine accuracy for a factory rifle in 270 caliber. Dealer friend of mine has association with outfitter group in Wyoming and he does stock the Browning A Bolt and X Bolt at his local store but not that much of a following here(WV) for the rifles, but tells me hunters out West favor those rifles. As for rebarreling the Brownings I understand that the thread pitch is super fine compared to others and can gaul easily if not very, very careful in doing so. Have never owned one of the rifles, but like I a need another rifle, may well check into one.