New Gun
 

Well Im not new to hunting but I am getting a new toy in 2 weeks and am very excited. I am looking to get a little advice. There is so much I dont know and am willing and wanting to learn so I am going to go ahead and ask away.

First off the new toy is a Remington 700 SPS 30-06 :D I plan on using it for squirrel hunting...just kidding. Im using it mainly for white tail but it may see its way to bears and such.

Q's
1) When it comes to rounds is it worth the money to get something like Winchester Ballistic Silvertips or am I just as well of saving some money and using Remington/other rounds?

2) I know "grain" is a weight measurement but what is best practice with what to use? I know some people pick the medium grain so they still get a good speed and knock down power without sacrificing to much of either.

3) Are lower grain rounds better at one thing where higher might be better used on other things?

4) I know I should spend between $300-$500 on a good scope, any recommendations as far as brands or even specific models?

5) Is it best to still stick with a 100yd zero when dialing in the scope or should it be zeroed in higher?

In case I haven't made it completely obvious this is my first rifle (other than my Ruger 10/22) so I have a lot to learn. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Much

1. Try different brands of cartridges. Your rifle will show a preference (very small groups) for a particular brand or several brands. When you find what works, buy those.

2-3. Practice with the loads you'll hunt with. For deer or bear, 150 grain to 165 gr. loads will be all you need. They'll be lower recoil, flatter trajectory and won't tear up so much meat. If you go after elk, switch to 180's. You may be surprised, 30-06 has a reputation for putting several different weight bullets in the same spot at 100 yd.

4. Stay away from lower priced scopes. Just about any brand in the $200-$400 price range will do right by you.

5. I'd recommend sighting in 2 in. high at 100 yd. That'll put you close to right on out to 200 yd. or so.

6. Welcome to the forum.

Thank you very much for your input. As far as the rounds go is it safe to say that since it is as Remington firearm that I may want to consider using THEIR ammo as one of my choices to test out?

I've got several Model 700's, and for deer hunting, I use Remington Core-Lokt ammo in all of them, except the .30-06. In that one, I use Winchester Power Points, simply because they happened to be on sale when I was on my way to the range to sight in the scope. For whitetails, you don't need anything bigger than the 150 gr, and you don't really need "premium" bullets. The heavier bullets are more suitable for larger species. The 150's are faster, shoot flatter than the heavier bullets, and recoil less, but pack plenty of punch to take down a whitetail at ranges beyond the skill set of most casual hunters.

If you feel like experimenting, I'd pick up a box of the Remington Express Core Lokt's (green box), a box of Winchester Power Points (white box) and a box of Federal Fusions. Shoot them all and opt for the one that your gun likes best.

Welcome aboard, and happy hunting!

Each rifle is a law onto itself. Your rifle may indeed shoot very well with Remington loads. They are a good place to start. But there is no magic component that Remington adds to make their guns shoot well with only Remington rounds. Experiment with other brands as well. It may shoot better.

i also think core lokts are a great choice. my rifle loves them. i think core lokts have killed way more deer than many other brands. like you said you dont need "premium bullets". high powered rifles are expensive enough to shoot. but just find a bullet your gun likes!

Thank you guys so much. I will experiment and see what works best. Looking forward to shooting this gun. I have heard so much about it, have done my research and it has a long good history to go with it. Im sure it will be a lot of fun for a life time. :)

Like others have said, whitetails don't need premium ammo and try different brands. My Remington 700 30-06 prefers Winchester 150 grain power points, groups are half the size of core-lokts. My Marlin 336 30-30 just loves the $11 a box 170 grain Federals from Wally World, I've shot many groups under 1/2" at 100 yards using them.

Scope for Rem. 700
 

I don't shoot factory ammo so I can't help you there.
As far as a scope goes you will find a multitude of varying opinions.
IMHO the best bang for your buck is NIKON. I'm not fool enough to say "best scope" however I do say "best scope for dollar spent".
Again, this is one of those varying opinions.
Nikon Monarch 3X9X42 is my suggestion for your Rem. 30/06.
GOOD LUCK and GOOD SHOOTING!!!

Crazy8: here is my 2 cents.
Q's
1) When it comes to rounds is it worth the money to get something like Winchester Ballistic Silvertips or am I just as well of saving some money and using Remington/other rounds?
For whitetail and black bear, if the good old Rem Core Lokts shoot good for you that is all you will need. The "premium" bullets do have advantages on bigger game like elk and the bigger bears but not for your purposes.

2) I know "grain" is a weight measurement but what is best practice with what to use? I know some people pick the medium grain so they still get a good speed and knock down power without sacrificing to much of either.
For the most part the bigger the game the heaviere the bullet. If I were you I would try bullets in the 150 - 180 grain range and see what shoot the best out of your rifle and sight in with them.

3) Are lower grain rounds better at one thing where higher might be better used on other things?
See 2 above

4) I know I should spend between $300-$500 on a good scope, any recommendations as far as brands or even specific models?
I have had excellent results with the Burris Fullfield II scopes with the BDC reticle.

5) Is it best to still stick with a 100yd zero when dialing in the scope or should it be zeroed in higher?
If you are not using a scope with a ballistic reticle, you should sight in about 2"-3" high at 100 yds. That would allow you to pretty much hold right on out to around 300 yds. (but you need to shoot at this distance to verify before shooting at game)

Thank you all very much for your help. Well This Saturday is the big day. I will be getting these things....

Remington 700 SPS (stainless) 30-06
Sling
Nikon Monarch 3-12X42 (Im thinking BDC Reticle but not sure yet)
Sunshade
Scope covers
Remington Core-Lokt 150 Grain Ammo
Winchester Powerpoint 150 Grain Ammo
Federal Fusion 150 Grain Ammo

As mentioned I will be trying the different ammo in 3 shot groups to see what my gun likes best. I also have access to a GREAT resource. My step sons uncle is a police officer and a competition long range shooter. I have seen his competition guns and they are awesome. He currently shoots in the 1700yd range I believe. Anyway I will be paying him a visit and seeing if he can help me with getting it all set up. I know it doesn't take someone of his caliber to do that, but who would be better? :) Plus there is a range by his house where he does his shooting so we will make an all day event of it and have some fun too. :)

Thank all of you again for your help in this.

Crazy,

Congratulations on the new rig !!!

I hope you got a shooter !

It's smart IMO to have a "pro" set-up your gun from the start.

Keep us post after your first trip to the range................

I will be sure to post some pics when I got it all put together and even let you all know how it shoots and all that good stuff. :)

You have received some great advice already. This is more or less an echo of others, but may serve to give you a warm fuzzy about the decisions that you are faced with.

As far as which bullet or brand of ammo to use out of your 30.06 Spr., you are doing the right thing by experimenting. I pereer the "premium" stuff because my experience with is that they are very, very consistent ... even lot to lot. I would suggest trying heavier weight bullets. There is not enough muzzle velocity difference between say a 150 gr. and 165 gr. bullet to matter ... and the longer bullet might just fly better out of your rifle. As a matter of personal observation, about every 30.06 Spr. I ahve ever sighted in has shot theior best groups with 180 gr. bullets at moderate muzzle velocities. You get a 150 gr. to group great , it'll kill deer just fine. Just a suggestion.

As far as scope, you mentioned the Nikon Monarch ... frankly I don't care for this scope. Not for the $$$. I have had two ... 3.5-10x50 and 3-9x40. Neither performed well enough for me in low light or a crisp image at long ranges (400-500yards). Mine both were 2007-08 vintage. Maybe they are better now. I much prefer the Ziess Conquest and Bushnell Elite 4200 over the Monarch. But that is just a personal preference.

Good luck and looking forward to the pics.

Q's
1) When it comes to rounds is it worth the money to get something like Winchester Ballistic Silvertips or am I just as well of saving some money and using Remington/other rounds?

I would just try out some different brands, as many others have already said. That is sound advice and you can take it to th bank.

2) I know "grain" is a weight measurement but what is best practice with what to use? I know some people pick the medium grain so they still get a good speed and knock down power without sacrificing to much of either.

I only use 150 in my 30-06. Anything bigger is just slower and has more recoil. Maybe go 165 for bear. I 150gr corelok will put a large hole in a whitetail.

3) Are lower grain rounds better at one thing where higher might be better used on other things?

In a word, YES. Bigger animal = bigger bullets.

4) I know I should spend between $300-$500 on a good scope, any recommendations as far as brands or even specific models?

You're right on that one. Good optics are everything. I have always used Leupold and Nikon with excellent results. The Leupold VX-III scopes are hard to beat and Nikon Monarchs are crystal clear and very ruged also. Burris also makes a nice scope but I don't have much time on one.

5) Is it best to still stick with a 100yd zero when dialing in the scope or should it be zeroed in higher?

Alot of people go 1", 2" or even 3" high a 100yds. If you are hunting in places where you may need to shoot out to 3-400yds frequently then thats all well and good, but for a 30-06 and shots inside 200 yds and the occasional 300yd shot., I like to sight in 1'-1 1/2" high a 100yds. Thats will put you dead on at 50yds and 150yds and maybe 3-4" low at 200yds. I don't like dealing with that high arching line of sight when I may have to take shots at moving animals or tight windows. Just my opinion. You can look at some ballistic charts to get some ideas about your bullet drop and such.

For what it's worth:

1) When it comes to rounds is it worth the money to get something like Winchester Ballistic Silvertips or am I just as well of saving some money and using Remington/other rounds?

As has already been mentioned, "premium" ammunition isn't necessary for any of your intended uses. Core Lokts, PowerPoints and the like will perform quite well on deer and black bears.

2) I know "grain" is a weight measurement but what is best practice with what to use? I know some people pick the medium grain so they still get a good speed and knock down power without sacrificing to much of either.

In a .30-06, you'll probably use 150 grain bullets for everything up to and including deer, upping to 180 grain bullets for elk or moose.

3) Are lower grain rounds better at one thing where higher might be better used on other things?

See above

4) I know I should spend between $300-$500 on a good scope, any recommendations as far as brands or even specific models?

I don't think it's necessary to have any more glass than a 3-9x on a .30-06. Most of my workaday rifles wear either Burris Fullfield IIs or Leupold VX-2s and VX-3s. Nikons seem to have a faithful following within this price point, but I don't have any experience with them.

5) Is it best to still stick with a 100yd zero when dialing in the scope or should it be zeroed in higher?

I'm going to break with the pack here. I zero EVERYTHING dead-on at 100 yards. Why? First, my targets are calibrated for 100 yards. Second, I can see the target a whole lot better at 100 yards than I can at 200 yards. Third, I keep ballistic tables out to 500 or based on reticle stadia (Ballistic Plex reticles, etc.).

Thank you guys for the additional info. Never to much. I greatly appreciate all the help on this forum. I have been reading a lot and watching A LOT of videos/reviews regarding the Remington 700 and the Nikon Monarch scope. I must say im impressed and sold on both choices and I think I am going to be quite happy. The only "flaw" (if you want to call it that) is that the Remington 700's are not floating barrels. They look like they are, but they aren't.

I found a 9 video series on you tube of a Scottish lad in the UK floating his Remington 700 SPS. He mentions he has never done it and from what I have seen I think I may be inspired to buy a second stock and try it myself down the road if I feel the gun could use it. I know that the gun would perform better but these guns are supposed to be accurate right out of the box so we will see.

I have also been thinking about getting a 6"-9" Harris bi pod. The one thing I don't know though is if they are detachable or if they need to be either installed or uninstalled. I wonder because I could see some situations where a bi pod would be nice and others where it could just get in the way and if it were able to just detach based on the situation then that would make it so much easier. Now I don't know if I would be getting it right away or not but just an idea I'm kicking around.

Well tomorrow is the big day. :)

Crazy,

There are a few less expensive ways to improve the accuracy of your SPS.

#1 a basic trigger job by a professional gunsmith.

#2 have the barrel hand lapped by a professional gunsmith.

#3 try as many different types of ammo to see which one "your" gun shoots best.

#4 shoot from a steady rest

#5 practice good form; control breathing, squeeze trigger slowly with nearer the tip of first digit, stay behind the scope with a good follow through.

Sounds like You got a great set up with the 30-06....another good investment is to get a Caldwell Leadsled to sight Your Rifle in with!It will help steady your Rifle and to help with less felt recoil.

If you are not going to hand load your ammo, then going with a mid-grade or better brand of ammo is worth it. The cheaper stuff can vary noticeably in quality from lot to lot.

I use Winchester Ballistic Silvertips. They are overkill for whitetail. Complete overkill.

I hit the front leg square on with my 140 grain 7mm08 silvertip round. It created a hole that was slightly larger than a baseball where the bone had been. The fragments shredded the deer apart. It was double lunged, the liver was torn up, and the heart had one valve with a hole in it. Instant death.

On the other hand, it's suitable for taking most game (comfortably) in the lower 48. My gun loves it.

The ballistic silvertip ammo is a step below the higher grade ammo. If you are worried about cost, then this isn't the ammo you want. It's not the cheapest by any measure.

Hence my issue in general with premium ammo. Guys run the cheapest stuff they can find through their rifle for practice, or worse - they zero it only and DON'T practice - then they use the stuff from the fancy box to hunt with.

Sight in and practice with what you're going to hunt with. If you can't afford to run at least a box or two of the stuff through your rifle over the course of the year, then it's not the ammo for you.

As I stated before, CoreLokts, Power Points, and whatever Federal's calling their old Hi-Shoks now have never failed me. Put the bullet through the boiler room and your quarry won't know the difference between standard and premium ammo.

Well I am back from my weekend. Lets just say it has been exciting. First off here is how Saturday went.
*Wake up
*Meet brother in-law to go to Cabelas
*Get to Cabelas and start grabbing everything I need to buy and making the gun the last item.
*Fill out paper work for gun only to find out that the address on paper work MUST be the same as on my license. (I moved this February)
*License is expired anyway and is in need of renewal. I am told if I go to the DMV and get it taken care of then I can get the gun once I got my yellow paper.
*We buy scope and other small items and have sister in law find an open DMV
*We find a DMV that is actually open on a Saturday and get the license renewal/update taken care of.
*Come all the way back to Cabelas and purchase gun
*Have lunch
*Go and pick up step son with brother in-law from the MN Zoo where he is volunteering at, which we were running late for.

Finally after all of Saturdays adventures, Sunday came and we went to his 40 acres of land 3 hours north of the cities. So here are the pics and descriptions to go with....

Here she is in all of her glorious splendor. The Remington 700 SPS Stainless Steel with the Nikon Monarch 3-12X42 BDC. A couple nice things I didn't expect with this specific gun was that the bolt is jeweled and the gun actually uses a magazine instead of that dumb springy thingy.


Here the ammo used. They were Winchester Power Point 150 Grain, Remington Core-Lokt 180 Grain (they were out of 150 and 165), and Federal Fusion 150 Grain.


Here is the target. This was only at about 22 Yards.


We eventually got me in one of the deer stands about 20 feet in a tree and hung this target from a tree on the other side of a field about 100 Yards out. At first I was missing the target completely and once I brought the scope in 6 Inches I ended up with 2 shots that were maybe 2 inches from the bullseye and maybe 1-1 1/2" apart. I also played with the zoom on the scope and had it set to 8 which helped greatly. So for now we are VERY impressed with the Cabela guy's bore sighting along with the accuracy, function and softness of recoil with this gun. But lets not forget this AWESOME scope too. ;)

We couldn't have my step sons sniper uncle do the scope stuff because of his availability but it seems we may be sitting pretty good right now. Hope you all enjoy the pics. I had a lot of fun this weekend getting my new gun and shooting. Im looking forward to hopefully getting a deer with it this year. With what we have seen with the ammo im thinking im pretty safe with either of them. However if I had to lean towards one or two of them I would say probably the Remington and the Federal would be my choices. If I have a chance to get out and do more shooting I will have to see if I can zone in on one. My brother in-law wants to build a shooting bench and set up a kind of "range" to shoot strait shots down so we will see where we go from here.

Did you really say "I didn't expect with this specific gun was that the bolt is jeweled and the gun actually uses a magazine instead of that dumb springy thingy"

I have a ton of comments...but will bite my tongue now...happy hunting? :/

Keep in mind, you'll need to go through a barrel break-in process before getting any sort of accuracy results from a new gun...see the link below on a barrel break-in:

http://www.larrywillis.com/Barrel.html

Well I know that the "dumb springy thingy" is an internal magazine, I'm just not a big fan of that. I'd much rather have an actual magazine that doesn't require me to load from top of the gun. I know you can by kits to convert it to a magazine set up but this ended up saving me from doing that. I still have a couple issue with the magazine but they are minor. Anyway thank you for the link on all of that. Great info.

There are pluses and minuses to internal box mag's...you only have to lose your detachable box mag once to experience the biggest advantage of the internal mag...that being said, I'm like you and prefer a box mag...even though I have been stuck on a hunt with what ended up as a single shot rifle due to loss of a mag. Fortunately the mag was ultimately located when cleaning the truck out after returning from the hunt in the back seat under a ton of crap....saving me $75.00! I eventually bought a spare to avert such future disasters...:busted:

With this in mind, I recommend you purchase a spare mag to have...as you won't be able to buy one when you need it most....in the woods!

Happy hunting!

I would have brought the stainless model, if it had a detachable box magazine.

Proud owner of a SPS DM (blued) in .243.

Love the gun !

Barrel hand lapped & basic trigger job done on it, and it shoots 75 gr V-max remanufactured bulk ammo under 1" MOA.

Lastly, all my bolt guns have a detachable box magazine & I always buy a second magazine - loaded and ready to go !

My brother in law talks about the time he has gone prairie dog hunting and how much fun he has had doing that. Im wanting to get another gun, not now though, for doing that. Because of my happiness with the 700 I am thinking of the 700 VTR in a .223. But we will see what is out and available when im able to make that purchase. Plus he suggested doing it first then buying the gun if I decide I like it. Makes perfect sense to me. :)

Him and I are also looking at possibly joining a local gun club so we have a place to shoot, practice, and just have some fun.

Crazy8 congrats on the new purchase. For future reference, I have purchased 2 different firearms without using my drivers license. It had an old address on it, but my car registration was up to date so I used it instead.

I only shoot the ballistic silvertips through my X-Bolt. I know what can happen if you don't sight your gun in with the ammunition you hunt with.

Thankfully I learned that lesson in the summer. My father had me switch ammo types because we couldn't buy the round we had been using for his .44 mag rifle. Going from a cheaper 220 grain hollow point to a higher quality 240 grain hollow point round really shifted the zero and tightened up my shot groups. It left a big, and lasting, impression on me.

Oh, and I second the buy at least one spare magazine advice. I never lost a magazine while in the woods, but my father has.

It has happened to me only once where I had a defective aftermarket magazine out of the box, but my father's A-bolt mag had a spring that broke during one gun deer season. He had a single shot rifle for the opening weekend that year because he had no spare magazine.

Be prepared, and you increase your odds of success.

Well I have even been wondering about upgrading the mag perhaps. One of the issues I have been noticing with the mag is when I try to take it out is it can be kind of finiky and a pain to take out. So of course naturally I have been thinking "I wonder if there is a better quality mag/mag system that would make it easier and smoother?" but for now it works. Yes I too agree to have more than one mag. I have never had problems loosing them but I do know the value and convenience of having multiple mags.