Quote Originally Posted by mikeinco View Post
you need to define WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO, before buying ANYTHING.
"SHOOTING AT 600 YARDS" IS NOT COMPETING AT 600 YARDS.
define the task before spending money
i just sold a 10 something in 308 that would have worked well for f class at 600, not for br.
for 600 a 6br on the top end of savage would probably work but even then it breaks your budget.
bottom line your "plan" is much bigger than your budget
Cheers Mike. I can't justify spending the thousand's you're talking about without first spending a good deal of time learning and practising to see if this is a sport I want to get serious about - or not.

So perhaps I should reframe and limit my initial intentions a bit. I want an inexpensive rifle that I can train with. I need something that will help me learn the core techniques of long range shooting. I have zero expectations that this first rifle will win me any competitions, or even seriously 'compete' with the mid-field, but if I can turn up at my local range once a week, it needs to be good enough to help me learn shooting techniques.

I figure my first few trips to the range will just be pure familiarization. And I'll need to spend quite a few months with this rifle, learning all I can, gradually improving my techniques before I make any decisions regarding stepping up to more serious competition equipment.

Surely something like a 12 FV with a reasonable scope (currently looking at the Athlon Optics Argos 6-24×50 FFP for just over $300) should get me hitting things at 600 yards regularly enough that I can focus my efforts on improving my groupings, practicing my breathing, timing shots with my heart rate, learning to read the wind in the grass etc?

Do you think that's a more reasonable way for someone to start out testing the waters to see if the temperatures are welcoming?

Ross.