Budget precision rifle ideas

American Revival Apparel Company

dial1911

Waiting for the flash
Site Supporter
Jul 15, 2015
7,331
27,066
113
Anywhere but here
southeastoutdoors.boards.net
Shut it. Don't need this argument. ha


Interesting story... one of Dad's good friends is a retired machinist who has a hell of a garage shop. He built a bench top rail gun- which he couldn't get to shoot well.

They were at the range and I think it was Dad that hung a 20 pound bag of lead shot over the middle of the barrel, then shot a group- it was almost perfect. Turns out the barrel resonating was throwing shots around in about a 1 to 2 inch circle.
 

SkipD

Helper-outer
Jun 8, 2012
703
64
63
77
Southeast Wisconsin
Zip code
53024
My favorite accuracy toy is my Remington 40XBR benchrest rifle, chambered in .222 Remington and topped with a 20X Unertl target scope. The rifle was made for me in Remington's Custom Shop and delivered to me in January of 1974. The trigger trips at what feels like less than a pound. I can shoot 3/8" groups (5-shot center-to-center) at 100 yards all day long and I have several targets that are less than 1/4" center to center. One day, I shot a group that measures .160" center to center. Bear in mind that this was an "affordable rig" and I wasn't using state-of-the art equipment even for those days.

PS: My 40XBR has a 20" stainless barrel that's a shade under one inch diameter (0.950") at the muzzle. It ain't what I would term lightweight. ;)

Another tidbit: Y'all wanna cry? I looked at the invoice for the 40XBR and discovered that I paid all of $296.10 for the rifle. Again, though, that was in early 1974. To the best of my figuring, today's dollar is worth about the same as 10¢ in 1974 money.
 

AtlMedic

Not A Doctor
Mar 25, 2015
2,644
1,441
113
Smyrna, GA
Zip code
30082
Nope, that's it.

Longer barrel = more velocity. That means less elevation to reach long range. Also, the faster the round is (with all other factors being equal), the better it will buck wind.

Shorter barrels are lighter weight (if all else is equal) and more portable.

Everything is a trade-off. 20", give or take, is all you really need with a .308, or most other short action calibers.
A shorter barrel "may" give you the opportunity for increased accuracy due to the increased stiffness...negligible though.

I appreciate y'all clearing that up for me.