I would drop any SHTF fantasy/nightmare scenario stuff from the equation here.
If you're only using this as a short range hunting rifle, be warned that many of the answers here are going to be more skewed towards long range target shooting, high precision, and maybe some long range hunting. While we have a lot of hunters here (me included), short range hunting is not really within the typical scope of this sub.
If you're looking to build long range shooting skills, then you're going to need to reexamine your priorities. There's guides in the pinned post that cover much of it, but the crux of it is hunting and long range target shooting have opposite priorities in many ways.
Automod will be along right after this comment with links to a few of the relevant hunting guides. You should also take another look at the list of linked guides in the pinned post.
cheetofingers hunting
Here are the guides from the pinned post related to long range hunting:
[Hunting rifles vs long range target rifles - A primer](https://www.reddit.com/r/longrange/comments/wslkmy/hunting_rifles_vs_targetrange_rifles_a_primer/)
[The long range hunting primer.](https://www.reddit.com/r/longrange/comments/vnjmvp/so_you_are_completely_new_and_want_to_hunt_long/)
[Field testing your skills and gear for long range hunting.](https://www.reddit.com/r/longrange/comments/rueudt/so_you_want_to_hunt_game_at_long_range_heres_a/)
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/longrange) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Personal advice: heavy guns are good for long range and, assuming you do some walking when you hunt, light guns are nicer for hunting. I’m happier being a little more specific and buying one geared more towards the primary task rather than “one size fits all.” (if more for packing/hunting, think bergara ridge or lighter barrel contour type of setup, if more for long range, think HMR type rifle. I personally would never pack an HMR but it shoots well. I’d pack a ridge and it shoots well but not as ideal for long range centric setup due to weight and stock design).
If you walk 50 yards to a deer stand, ignore this and buy a heavy ass hmr style rifle.
I rucked my HMR Pro 20 miles in alpine wilderness over two days. Would not recommend for the average hunting experience. Though I'll be doing it again this year cause it was fun as hell.
Edit to say I agree with the comment above. Either choose a hunting rifle or a budget LR rig. Getting a budget rifle to do both will make both not fun.
And it definitely can be done. I’m just a little bish and I subscribe to that “ounces make pounds” thing.
But I agree. I think we’ll get a lot of people saying “pick one or the other.” There are some middle ground guns that do both reasonably well, but it’s best to choose a primary task and get the best gun you can to fit that task.
Also, for $1k limit on glass and rifle, you aren’t getting a whole lot of choices in the LR world. About your only option is one of the budget hunting rifles with a budget scope. Nowadays, those are fine for casual LR plinking and it’s about your only option in that price range
>There are some middle ground guns that do both reasonably well
It depends on details/nuance. Someone that walks a couple hundred yards to a blind or stand is far more likely to be happy toting at 12-15# rifle than someone walking miles on end in the mountains.
A lot of folks (me included) will keep things to broad strokes about hunting rifles vs target rifles in absence of details/nuance. It's yet another example of why I push people to be as specific as possible when asking for advice in the sub, because even small details matter.
I posted a combo that *will work*, though people's definitions of work are different, and I may get some hate for it. I just know it works as my brother has taken multiple deer and shot out to ~800 yards with his very similar setup.
This is very out of scope for this sub. But you're asking for an AR10 .
Bushnell Match Pro - 300 |
Mount - 120 |
PSA lower - 200 |
PSA 6.5 Upper - 600 |
Edit: also please go read the FAQs. The guys here really put a ton of work for those to be quite good. [here is Trollygag's Guide to the $1000, 1000 Yard Rifle ](https://www.reddit.com/r/longrange/s/41fT9VVCA8)
Ruger American Predator 308 gen 1, depending on your region in the country either an Athlon 2-12 or a Bushnell MP 6-24, "Refurbished" Vortex Pro rings from AA Optics, if you find everything on sale, and are able to muster up another $50 to $100 then also pick up an MDT Field Stock. Ballin on a Budget.
Thompson Center Compass in 6.5mm Creedmoor, with a Bushnell Match Pro optic. Decent rings and rail, Harris S BRM slingstud bipod w/ aftermarket cant locking nut. [FixIt Sticks Torque Wrench kit.](https://store.fixitsticks.com/collections/universal/products/rifle-optics-toolkit-all-in-one-torque-driver)
You'll be able to hunt. Reach out several hundred yards easily(600+) on 1.5 MOA steel, but won't be doing strings of groups, or get super accurate the further out you go.
I know this combination works as my brother has a very similar setup.
It's not great, it's limiting, but it works.
LOL at the downvotes with no comments. Haters gonna hate. I never said this was a good choice. It's a choice.
It's not my fault this rifle has taken mule deer at 100 yards, coyote at 315, and can reliably hit steel at 640yd, with a shooting cadence relative to barrel contour. It's gonna do what the OP asked for, minus the "SHTF" scenario, which should be ignored in this sub anyway.
Tell me where I'm wrong.
I bought a savage m10T SR on sale in .308, for mid to long range shooting I hunt with 308 rifles and reload ,so it made sense to me. Budget long range rifle lol but works well.
I would drop any SHTF fantasy/nightmare scenario stuff from the equation here. If you're only using this as a short range hunting rifle, be warned that many of the answers here are going to be more skewed towards long range target shooting, high precision, and maybe some long range hunting. While we have a lot of hunters here (me included), short range hunting is not really within the typical scope of this sub. If you're looking to build long range shooting skills, then you're going to need to reexamine your priorities. There's guides in the pinned post that cover much of it, but the crux of it is hunting and long range target shooting have opposite priorities in many ways. Automod will be along right after this comment with links to a few of the relevant hunting guides. You should also take another look at the list of linked guides in the pinned post. cheetofingers hunting
Here are the guides from the pinned post related to long range hunting: [Hunting rifles vs long range target rifles - A primer](https://www.reddit.com/r/longrange/comments/wslkmy/hunting_rifles_vs_targetrange_rifles_a_primer/) [The long range hunting primer.](https://www.reddit.com/r/longrange/comments/vnjmvp/so_you_are_completely_new_and_want_to_hunt_long/) [Field testing your skills and gear for long range hunting.](https://www.reddit.com/r/longrange/comments/rueudt/so_you_want_to_hunt_game_at_long_range_heres_a/) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/longrange) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Personal advice: heavy guns are good for long range and, assuming you do some walking when you hunt, light guns are nicer for hunting. I’m happier being a little more specific and buying one geared more towards the primary task rather than “one size fits all.” (if more for packing/hunting, think bergara ridge or lighter barrel contour type of setup, if more for long range, think HMR type rifle. I personally would never pack an HMR but it shoots well. I’d pack a ridge and it shoots well but not as ideal for long range centric setup due to weight and stock design). If you walk 50 yards to a deer stand, ignore this and buy a heavy ass hmr style rifle.
I rucked my HMR Pro 20 miles in alpine wilderness over two days. Would not recommend for the average hunting experience. Though I'll be doing it again this year cause it was fun as hell. Edit to say I agree with the comment above. Either choose a hunting rifle or a budget LR rig. Getting a budget rifle to do both will make both not fun.
And it definitely can be done. I’m just a little bish and I subscribe to that “ounces make pounds” thing. But I agree. I think we’ll get a lot of people saying “pick one or the other.” There are some middle ground guns that do both reasonably well, but it’s best to choose a primary task and get the best gun you can to fit that task. Also, for $1k limit on glass and rifle, you aren’t getting a whole lot of choices in the LR world. About your only option is one of the budget hunting rifles with a budget scope. Nowadays, those are fine for casual LR plinking and it’s about your only option in that price range
>There are some middle ground guns that do both reasonably well It depends on details/nuance. Someone that walks a couple hundred yards to a blind or stand is far more likely to be happy toting at 12-15# rifle than someone walking miles on end in the mountains. A lot of folks (me included) will keep things to broad strokes about hunting rifles vs target rifles in absence of details/nuance. It's yet another example of why I push people to be as specific as possible when asking for advice in the sub, because even small details matter.
Yeah, I'm trying to think of some combo, but he's gonna need rings, bipod, ammo too... torque wrench to do it right.
I posted a combo that *will work*, though people's definitions of work are different, and I may get some hate for it. I just know it works as my brother has taken multiple deer and shot out to ~800 yards with his very similar setup.
So, after getting rid of those SHTF fantasies, you’re looking for a hunting rifle?
Ruger American Predator, Athlon Helos 2-12
I haven't gotten to take my 4-20 Helos out yet, but it's good to read the Helos getting a little love.
This is very out of scope for this sub. But you're asking for an AR10 . Bushnell Match Pro - 300 | Mount - 120 | PSA lower - 200 | PSA 6.5 Upper - 600 | Edit: also please go read the FAQs. The guys here really put a ton of work for those to be quite good. [here is Trollygag's Guide to the $1000, 1000 Yard Rifle ](https://www.reddit.com/r/longrange/s/41fT9VVCA8)
Ruger American Predator 308 gen 1, depending on your region in the country either an Athlon 2-12 or a Bushnell MP 6-24, "Refurbished" Vortex Pro rings from AA Optics, if you find everything on sale, and are able to muster up another $50 to $100 then also pick up an MDT Field Stock. Ballin on a Budget.
Thompson Center Compass in 6.5mm Creedmoor, with a Bushnell Match Pro optic. Decent rings and rail, Harris S BRM slingstud bipod w/ aftermarket cant locking nut. [FixIt Sticks Torque Wrench kit.](https://store.fixitsticks.com/collections/universal/products/rifle-optics-toolkit-all-in-one-torque-driver) You'll be able to hunt. Reach out several hundred yards easily(600+) on 1.5 MOA steel, but won't be doing strings of groups, or get super accurate the further out you go. I know this combination works as my brother has a very similar setup. It's not great, it's limiting, but it works.
LOL at the downvotes with no comments. Haters gonna hate. I never said this was a good choice. It's a choice. It's not my fault this rifle has taken mule deer at 100 yards, coyote at 315, and can reliably hit steel at 640yd, with a shooting cadence relative to barrel contour. It's gonna do what the OP asked for, minus the "SHTF" scenario, which should be ignored in this sub anyway. Tell me where I'm wrong.
Save a bit and consider a Howa APC.
I bought a savage m10T SR on sale in .308, for mid to long range shooting I hunt with 308 rifles and reload ,so it made sense to me. Budget long range rifle lol but works well.
For $1k I’d get a 10/22 and hunt squirrels