Quote Originally Posted by charlie b View Post
I mentioned the matches because some are limited in ranges. Out to 600yd I'd use a .223.

I'd still hold off on the rifle choice until you see how things go. I would have been comfortable with my Axis in an informal match. It had a 22" heavy barrel (Walmart special) and would hold 1/2MOA. Better than MOA at 600yd using 77gm SMK's. The only real upgrades it had was a Boyd's stock and Vortex Diamondback scope. The 16x scope did a lot better at 600 than the 12x it came with.

Your Howa might work with the 77SMK's and might not. It should do OK with the 69SMK's which also did ok out to 600 for me. I'd try the 77's.

Have you shot much out past 400yd? It is mostly a wind game at that point.
I have shot past 400, but the accuracy was not great. I could hit at a steel plate at 600 pretty consistently. But it was a good size plate and I was all over it. I will get to a match before I buy a rifle for sure. This would be a major time and money investment. The nearest range over 200yds is over an hour away. And the matches are about 3 hours away. So I will not be rushing.