All will enjoy this course and develop a greater appreciation for what a practical bolt rifle can do.
I can save everyone a lot of fussing with gear -- get or borrow a controlled feed, model 70 .308 featherweight or equivalent, add a Leupold 1.5-5 or similar scope, cut the LOP to between 13.0-13.25, add a middle sling stud, get a Langlois Ching sling, and start practicing!
I think it would be fine for the course, especially since the focus is the software, shooting -- running and reloading the bolt. Same logic, if I had a bolt in .270 or .06, or a similar non-magnum caliber, I would't hesitate to bring it as opposed to buying something special just for the course.
If I was building the "ideal" short to medium range practical .308 bolt, I would go with a Nightforce 1-4 with the FC-2 reticle and a zero stop, since it gives you 30mm light transmission and field of view, illumination when desired, a fast reticle, 1X power close capability, and the ability to dial dope for longer shots. I have been discussing with SLG putting a NF 2.5-10, with the NP-R2 reticle on my practical .308 for the ability to shoot at longer distances.
For me, if it's going to be a "practical" rifle, I want the ability to holdover. I'm not keen on using the FC2 with holdovers.Originally Posted by GJM
I'd be interested in a blanket "buy this and this" suggestion for a lower 48 gun for most game but also fitting the role of a gun shot for fun (small groups).
Think for yourself. Question authority.
JV, please elaborate. The bottom of the circle is 10 moa, assuming you don't want to dial the turret. You probably have seen this, but this is a nice explanation of the various NF reticle options:
http://www.eurooptic.com/nightforce-...-NP-R2-Reticle
TK, if i wanted a recommendation for two rifle choices, it would be either a pre-64 model 70 featherweight in .308, or a classic model 70, stainless synthetic in .308. Same LOP, scope and sling considerations as outlined above.
The pre-64 will be smooth as silk, and generally a good shooter, although it is an .06 sized action with a block, since Winchester didn't make pre-64 short actions. The advantage of the classic, is a .308 length action and offers the weather resistance of stainless synthetic.
Yes, I've seen that. Thanks. I have an FC2 NF1-4 and a few other NF scopes, but they are all MLR/MRad scopes. I just prefer somewhat more defined marks for holdovers, especially for wind adjustments. If I had to do it over, I would have purchased a MilDot 1-4.
JV, I prefer holdover in my hunting scopes, in case I don't have time to mess with the elevation knob, but was trying to keep the uncluttered FC-2 reticle for close stuff. I understand your comment now.
I'd be interested in hearing what you (and others!) consider a realistic maximum range for a practical rifle. In my ignorance, I've been thinking that I definitely want confidence out to at least 400, maybe as much as 600 on larger game.
The answer, it seems to me, is wrath. The mind cannot foresee its own advance. --FA Hayek Specialization is for insects.
The furthest I have shot is 700 yards, and that just on paper, so I defer to SLG and others with longer range experience.
If shooting paper/steel, I am all for shooting as long as I can see. Hunting is a whole different scenario. My personal limit is 400 yards on an uninjured animal, and while I have harvested a number of animals in the 400 yard range, that is highly dependent on wind. While I am comfortable with bullet drop, I am not comfortable with wind correction -- especially in a mountainous area, where wind can gust and vary so much. Obviously on a wounded animal, all bets are off, and you do want you have to do.
Makes sense - and to clarify, by "confidence at 400" I meant confidence to make a humane kill, or at least to judge that my position isn't stable enough, or visibility's too low. First I need to develop a sense of my own abilities. The 200yd shoot at Randy's class is the furthest I've ever shot, but even with that little experience I'd feel confident about a shot that close, assuming the same gun and ammo, and I think confidence at 200 is plenty for most hunting purposes. I just zeroed my Win70 yesterday, and I'm thinking about taking a day off work soon to make the pilgrimage to Manatee Gun Club, the only public 1,000yd range in the state, to spend an afternoon finding my limits with both rifles from various positions.
But long-range precision isn't what Randy's class is about, and I'm looking for ways to exercise the core concepts of that class. Not sure how to do that... maybe run a 3-gun match with a bolt gun?
The answer, it seems to me, is wrath. The mind cannot foresee its own advance. --FA Hayek Specialization is for insects.
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