Best Long Range Rifle: 7 Top Guns For The Money (2024)

Choosing the right long-range rifle could mean the difference between spending a lot of money unnecessarily and, to even worse, choosing a low-quality weapon that fails you when you need it most.

Especially today, when anyone in the gun business builds a 1000+ yard rifle, it’s more important than ever to make an informed buying decision.

But you’re in luck.

Our decades of combined experience have been pooled together to bring you this list of 7 incredible long-range rifle choices and 1 that you should really avoid.

Best Long-Range Rifle Reviews

Ruger Precision

The Precision retains a folding buttstock for storage or transport, a button-rifled barrel, rotating bolt head, and a full rail that can accommodate any sight system in current use today, making it easy to transport and customize for any use and body type. 

It’s offered in the 300 Win Mag, 300 PRC, and 338 Lapua Magnum. The rifle is a one miler plus shooting system, but at a price tag that fits the budget of most working guys and gals, and is actually one of the 2nd cheapest rifles on the list. So that’s more of the budget you can use for ammo and accessory customization to your heart’s content.

Remember the first rule of gunfighting… ‘have a gun.’

Jeff Cooper

Currently, I shoot the 300 PRC, 300 Win Mag, and the 338 Lapua in these chassis rifle designs. Accuracy is solid, and the rifles will send the 338 bullet to one mile with spot-on accuracy when all the DOPE has been factored correctly as applied to the selected projectile.

The 300 PRS is a dead-on 1500-yard rifle, as is the 300 Win Mag based on the correct BC-selected bullet. At the 100-yard mark, I shoot the same rifle in the 6.5 Creedmoor with also very positive results.

How did I end up with all these rifles?

Simple – when I tested them, I bought them based on the performance levels. I can assure you I don’t own junk because I can’t count on junk when testing ammunition, manufacturers’ products, or loads I self-generate off the reloading bench.

Rest assured, this rifle is all quality, as long as you choose a qualified supplier.

And the cherry on top…

Our preferred supplier is currently running a sale on the Ruger Precision, but is ending December 13, 2024. It’s currently selling at a lower price than when I bought mine years ago. So make sure you’re using the link to ensure you’re getting this all time low price:

Sig Arms Crossover Rifle

The bolt rifle is almost a lookalike to the AR platform, but the gas system is gone and replaced with a solid bolt action repeater system as rounds are pulled up from an AR-style box magazine. 

Not to mention, at 6.5 lbs, it is one of the lightest in its class, making it easy to carry on your back all day when on a hunt. With its fully adjustable and collapsible stock, it’s also quite packable, so trekking through rough terrain with this rifle will be no sweat.

The new 227 Fury is a hot round and is clearly quite capable of dealing with targets a very long way downrange. The rifle is priced VERY fairly and carries all the quality of the German company Sig Arms.

It has been so popular that it has been on backorder for almost a year, but as of January 20, 2023, they got in a new shipment, and they’ve been selling like hotcakes.

The rep told me he’d expect them to be out of stock within a few weeks, so make sure to snag one before they’re gone:

Howa 1500

Howa bases all their rifles on the well-known 1500 bolt action design that is so good that Weatherby has counted on it for many of their Weatherby Magnum offerings over the years.

The Bravo is offered in 6.5 Creedmoor and 308 Winchester, but the basic 1500 series rifle can also be obtained from Howa in a 300 Win Mag. This means that the bases are covered in terms of an effective rifle out to 1400 yards or more when selecting the Howa brand turn-bolt rifle.

Howa offers their rifles with a scope package that is designed to fit the rifle and cartridge selection to perfection. I have run the 1500 as a scoped package in long-range testing and found everything the manufacturer says it is – a very accurate long-range gunning system.

If you’re looking for a budget option that performs well and has reliable accuracy, the Howa 1500 is the perfect pick.

Steyr Arms HS50-M1

I shoot the Steyr and bought into the rifle when it was far less expensive today. Even though I can hand load Hornady bullets by way of that company’s outstanding reloading press setup, I tend to shoot surplus military ammo much of the time if and when I can find it on the open market.  

The rifle is not at all nasty in terms of recoil. I tell people shooting a 50 BMG is like shooting a heavy 12 gauge slug off a bench rest when running rounds down range for a correct zero. 

The issue with the 50 BMG at 27 pounds loaded weight is that she tends to send a backwash blast that engulfs the shooter for a few brief seconds when fired. You feel a heat signature all around your body when firing the rifle. Nothing else comes close to this rifle’s ability to tell you that she just went off.

The rounds designed for the rifle are barricade busters and anti-aircraft/light-skinned weapons terminating systems. The 50 Cal BMG Raufoss Mk 211 round, for example, is designed to enter a build, move across the interior space to the center point, and explode, thereby sending hot metal into everything in the area. 

Built with its own bipod of heavy metal, a fully adjustable buttstock, and a  composite metal stock housing that houses a massive fluted 50 caliber barrel, the rifle owns the whole valley if set up for overwatch, long-range steel targets, or even standing guard over sheep on coyote watch. It’s certainly not as maneuverable as other options, but the power and range this beauty packs are hard to match.

Ammunition for the rifle (government surplus) runs about $3.50 to $5.00 per round. This is far less than a wildcat or upper-end super velocity long-range bullet offered in many other rifles and cartridges. I have found surplus Israeli steel case cartridges for under $3.00. In my opinion, nothing can catch up to a 50 cal downrange.

*Note, as of December 6, 2024, this product is sold out. Click the link below for our recommend substitute.

Barrett 107A1 50 BMG

Autoloading from a box magazine, the rifle has the ability to get rounds down range quickly if required. It also comes with a specially designed break for their factory suppressor so you can shoot round after round in quick succession. Fast and accurate shots are all you’ll be getting.

I have shot this rifle, and it is all it is reported to be in terms of accuracy. The rifle is one of my favorites within the battery of Barrett weapons designs.

For similar reading see our write up on the Barrett M468 model.

Ruger Hawkeye 300 Win Mag

It’s an all-around handsome rifle that handles recoil well and lets you actually see where you’ve hit.

Using the Ruger-designed M-77 Mauser-style action with the Mauser long-style extractor, the rifle is a complete package with long-range operational accuracy.

T/C Sniper Chassis Rifle

The T/C sniper uses a proven bolt action system with a rotating lug locking system that is smooth as butter, plus a 10-round box magazine of a military style.

It also has a fluted barrel for lighter weight and enhanced accuracy, wrapped in a free-float design with a muzzle brake setup for a suppressor install that keeps it flat-shooting.

Since it’s built for precision shooter use, the LRR features an adjustable cheek rest and butt plate for a custom fit, plus built-in M-Lok slots for accessories.

The T/C Sniper is priced reasonably; honestly, this rifle is one of the best buys on the firearms market today. 

*Note, as of December 6, 2024, this product is sold out. Click the link below for our recommend substitute.

Paladin Cheytac

These are specialized rifles and cartridges, and the company currently offers five variations of the rifle in different types of stocks and setups for long-range work.

Cheytac can be regarded as a hunting rifle, but its best role is to be used for hitting targets miles away when taking on steel-plated bad guys.  Because I shoot at one mile a great deal, this rifle is made for my bench rest setup.

The Cheytac rifles are bolt action rifles. Mauser configured and blue printed to the last fine detail.

Be advised that even though I have covered some very long-range performing rifles, I have not hit anything close to all of them. However, most shooters will never center a target as far as, say, 300 through 400 yards.

To buy a rifle that shoots several miles accurately is not getting the most bang for your buck. That’s why the latter half of this review centered on great rifles with far better price points and are also designed for shooting to 1000 through about 1,760 yards or one mile downrange.

For these reasons, I can’t recommend this rifle to our readers. It’s very high quality, but just isn’t the right choice for 99.9% of our readers. 

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Long Range Rifle

Long Range Rifle Styles

With just a few exceptions, most long-range rifle styles are bolt action with longer bull barrels. And there’s a reason why these features (including some others) are so essential to optimal long-range rifle performance. (Rifle reference)

A bolt action is the most secure way to lock the bolt into the breech. It also has less torque than other rifle actions (that torque, or twist, will affect accuracy). Additionally, bolt actions can be single-shot or mag-fed, which take less work to load than break-action or trapdoor guns.

Now, barrel movement is another reason why bull barrels are favored. As the gun’s internal parts react to the recoil, it affects the rest of the gun, especially the barrel. The thicker barrel just moves less than a thin barrel, letting you maintain accuracy. 

Barrel length also affects accuracy, but not in the way you might expect.

The big reason for a longer barrel is to get a full powder burn. In long-range shooting, the rifleman needs to burn all the powder inside the barrel to get maximum bullet velocity and performance. Unburned powder, common in short barrels, means the bullet is not getting the most from the powder.

And so this affects velocity. A difference of 300 feet per second is not that much at 100 yards. At 1,000 yards though, that is a major difference in bullet drop and time to target. 

Rating Criteria to Make This List

In order to make our list, a rifle and its cartridge has to hit targets at 1,000 yards. But that’s the minimum criterion.

Our rating criteria to make this list goes beyond that because even the 9mm can hit a 1K-yard target when used by an expert. Jerry Miculek may be able to drop a 115-grain pill on the target at 1K yards, but that is not reasonable for most shooters.

Other reasons we factored in are:

Gun and ammo cost – A $25,000 gun is out of reach for most people. Spending $20 or more per shot is also not reasonable. Our list keeps gun prices under $5000 and ammo at a few dollars per round max for precision-loaded factory ammo.

Recoil – No one likes heavy recoil, no matter what they say. Sometimes that shoulder stomper is necessary – say you’re hunting elephants in Africa. The .300 WinMag without a brake delivers as much punch as most shooters will tolerate regularly.

Energy – The bullet has to be humanely lethal at 1,000 yards. But humanely lethal varies with the target. 

A .220 Swift is instant death on a prairie dog at 1,000 yards, but nowhere near enough for a mature whitetail buck at that distance. Our energy requirements are a suitable kill on a deer or larger critter at 1,000 yards. (Reference for long range shooting)

Long Range Caliber Selection

As mentioned above, a 9mm will reach 1,000 yards. It’s just not reasonable for most people. So in long-range caliber selection, we consider rifle cost, ammo cost, and the ability to reach 1,000 yards regularly and accurately.

With few exceptions, most of these calibers are .30 and greater. Sure, smaller calibers will hit that far – the .220 Swift, for instance – however, bigger bullets retain more energy downrange and buck the wind better.

Barrels and Barrel Harmonics

Barrel harmonics just means how much the barrel vibrates when the bullet pushes through it. 

A barrel that does a better job of not vibrating tends to be more accurate. Heat buildup also affects accuracy – hot barrels are less accurate. Barrel construction has a big effect on that.

Free Floating Barrels

Free-floating means the barrel only touches the upper, where it screws into the gun. No part of the stock touches the barrel. 

Wood and even synthetics will warp a tiny amount depending on the weather conditions. This puts tension on the barrel, which affects accuracy.

When the barrel does not touch anything except the mount to the action or upper, it is more accurate.

Types of Barrel Rifling

Barrel rifling is the grooves inside the barrel that add a twist to stabilize the bullet in flight. The two main types are groove and polygonal.

Groove means the inside of the barrel has channels cut into the metal, made mainly by:

• Cutting grooves one at a time or simultaneously. This is done with a tool or laser.
• Pushing a cutting tool, called a button, down the barrel.

Polygon means the inside of the barrel is shaped into a several-sided polygon. This has no sharp edges to wear away and is most common in handguns, especially Glock.

Forging the barrel over a mandrel that is a reverse image of the barrel is a less common method. The way this works is the hammering pounds the rifling into the barrel from the mandrel (barrels can also be poured over the mandrel).

It’s also worth mentioning that you’ll need to regularly clean whatever barrel you use to make sure that it stays accurate and functional. We have an entire write up on how to clean a long range rifle and how regularly.

Scope Pairing

You can shoot long-range with iron sights, but rifle scopes are recommended. A good scope pairing means two things:

1. The scope will handle the rifle’s recoil. A .300 WinMag will shred a budget scope. Guns with a muzzle break will also tear a scope apart because of the forward movement created by the brake.
2. The scope has enough magnification. A 1-4x is good enough for deer hunting to 100 yards, but if you’re trying to put that projectile in the black at 1,000 yards, you need enough magnification to see the target clearly.

Trigger Considerations

On the list of parts for a gun, the trigger sits at No. 3 behind the barrel and the ammo. Trigger considerations mean either getting a quality factory trigger or an aftermarket trigger. While the Mosin Nagant is capable of shooting long distances, no one has ever said the factory trigger was good.

Muzzles

Muzzle devices are a good idea. Simple ones that redirect the muzzle flash from the line of sight are the cheapest. Brakes, with varying degrees of recoil reduction, are in the middle. 

A suppressor, or can, as they are sometimes called, pulls triple duty. It reduces the report/ noise, controls muzzle flash, and tames recoil.

Rifle Stocks

Rifle stocks are wood or synthetic, except on some exotic models like you might see at the 50 Caliber World Championships in Utah each summer. The furniture, another name for stocks, is the shooter’s choice. 

Wood is the most elegant but is heavy and can suffer from exposure to the elements. Synthetic is the most durable and lightest. Rain doesn’t affect it, but heat and cold do.

5 Tips for Shooting at Longer Distances 

Here are some tips to help you get on target.

1. Know the distance. The drop between 100 and 200 yards is much less than the drop from 900 to 1,000 yards. If you’re not on a pre-measured range, then you need to mark the distance.
2. Watch the wind. At 100 yards, calibers like .308 Winchester or 6.5 Creedmoor are not much affected by wind. At 1,000 yards, wind can be the difference between being on target and missing the paper entirely.
3. Learn to reload your ammo. You can fine-tune your load for your gun. Three grains of powder do make a difference in accuracy at 1,000 yards. Also, the same bullet delivers different results in different guns.
4. Get a good spotting scope. A very good spotting scope is many times the power of your rifle scope. You need to be able to see those hits.
5. Practice. If you want to be consistent at 1,000 yards, you must pop primers, burn powder, and sling lead. Practice truly makes perfect.

.308 Winchester vs. 6.5 Creedmoor: Which Caliber Is Better for Long Range Shooting?

The .308 Winchester has a long and respected history as a rifle cartridge, while the 6.5 Creedmoor hit the commercial market in 2007. If you shoot long-range, the Creedmoor is better. 

The Creedmoor throws a lighter bullet at higher velocities than the .308. That means it gets on target faster (less time being knocked around by wind) and drops less.

The Creedmoor’s drawback, at least from hunting, is the .308 has more foot-pounds of energy because of the large bullet. In addition, .308 is easier to find for purchase.

Accuracy vs Precision and Why it Matters

In long-range shooting, you can go for accuracy, or you can go for precision.

Accuracy means how close you are to the point you intend to hit on the target. Can you hit the X-ring? Can you hit a specific point elsewhere on the target?

Precision means how close multiple shots are to each other. Long-range shooters are focused on this. They want a string of shots to be as close together as possible.

A major point here is that accuracy drops when the barrel heats up. Since tournament shooting is timed, a barrel that is consistent after getting hot is vital. When hunting, you only get one or two shots, so a hot barrel shouldn’t matter.

What is Long-Range Shooting?

Long-range shooting in the rifle community means reaching out to 1,000 yards or more. It’s commonly known that serious long-range shooters have to know the math, their weapon, and their ammo to be consistent.

As the target gets farther and farther away, the math becomes more and more critical. Shooters even have to factor in the spin of the earth.

Extreme long-range shooting is a mile or more. The current world record for the longest shot is 4.4 miles 7,744 yards. Scott Austin and Shepard Humphries of Nomad Rifleman needed 69 tries to hit a 10-foot x 7.6-foot target using a .416 Barrett bolt action.

FAQs

What is considered long-range for rifles?

Long-range shooting in rifles is 1,000 yards or more. 

How far does a bullet go before it drops?

A bullet starts dropping immediately after leaving the rifle barrel. At point-blank range, it is not noticeable. At 100 yards, it becomes noticeable.

How to hit the target at 1000 yards?

If you want to hit a target at 1,000 yards, you must practice with a gun and ammo capable of reaching that far.

What is the best caliber for long-range shooting?

The best caliber for long-range shooting depends on what you are shooting. 30-caliber cartridges are common.

What is the top long range rifle?

The top long-range rifle is one that you can shoot with consistent accuracy. Factoring in recoil is very important here. We’d recommend getting the Ruger Precision.

Which gun has the longest range?

The gun with the longest range is hard to say, but the .416 Barrett, .408 Chey-Tac, .50 BMG, and .338 Lapua can achieve some of the best ranges.

What gun did Chris Kyle use?

Military sniper Chris Kyle used several different guns. He used the 7.60 NATO Mk 11, 5.56 NATO Mk 12, .300 WinMag and the .338 Lapua.

What is the most accurate long-range sniper rifle?

Looking at current world records, the most accurate long-range sniper rifle is the .300 Winchester Short Mag. Charles Greer put 10 shots into a .2862″ space.

What civilian rifle has the longest range?

The civilian rifle with the longest range is either the .416 Barrett, .408 Chey-Tac, .50 BMG, or the .338 Lapua.

What’s the best all around rifle caliber?

The best all-around caliber depends on who you ask. The .30-06 Springfield is certainly in most peoples’ top 5.

What caliber shoots the farthest?

The caliber that shoots the farthest is either the .416 Barrett or .50 BMG.

How far can a 50 caliber shoot?

The current record for the longest .50 BMG shot is several miles.

What rifle was used for the longest shot?

The rifle used for the longest recorded shot is a custom-built gun shooting the .416 Barrett.

Do snipers use 6.5 Creedmoor?

Some snipers use the 6.5 Creedmoor as their chosen gun. US Special Operations uses this caliber.

What is the most iconic sniper rifle?

The most iconic sniper rifle is a Barrett in .50 BMG.

What is the top long range rifle cartridge?

The top long-range rifle cartridge depends on what you want to shoot. If you hunt medium to big game, use a .30 or larger.

What is the top long range rifle for big game?

The .300 WinMag ranks near the top of everyone’s list for the top long-range rifle for big game.

Our Top Pick – Ruger Precision

Related article:  

• Best .22LR For Personal Defense
• Best Long Range Scope
• Best Rifle Bipods
• Best Varmint Rifles
• Best Bolt Action Rifles
• Best Hunting Rifles

Reference

1. Britannica, rifle. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/technology/rifle
2. Tim Moore, Taking Long Range (Ethical) Shots. Retrieved from https://www.mossyoak.com/our-obsession/blogs/hunting/taking-long-range-ethical-shots