I'd like to buy a bolt action to learn long range shooting. However, I'm right-handed left-eye dominant. Does it make sense to buy a left-handed rifle or right-handed rifle since I'm going to use a higher magnification scope? I know these are dumb questions, but I've mostly been shooting with iron sights and red dots.
Also, what cartridges should I be looking at besides 6.5 Creedmore? .243 seems good, but people say that it's a barrel burner.
If you shoot left handed nornally, get a left handed gun. It'll make life easier.
The military says you're supposed to shoot on the side with your dominate eye.
Also, if I were you honestly I'd go with a less expensive .308 until you're sure that LR is for you.
I think eye dominance becomes less of an issue with magnified optics but that's just my opinion. I would get whichever handed you are. Just do 6.5CM, it's the best all purpose LR cartridge (ballistics of nearly 300WM with appreciably less recoil than 308 and the cost of the latter).
I'm in the same position as you. I bought a left hand Savage because of it.
I was wondering if you could adjust the focus to make it a non-issue
.308 is cheaper and more readily available which makes it better for someone just learning. I doubt he's gonna be shooting over 800 anyway.
I'm cross dominant. If you are bench shooting, shoot with your better eye, you aren't working the rifle in a significant enough way for you to not overcome the minor awkwardness. If you are shooting dynamically, you'll always better with your dominant hand. You'll be squinting anyways with magnified optics.
Have you ever considered closing your left eye as you look into the scope at your long range targets?
>cheaper
barely, you can get decent match (American Gunner) 6.5 for .80/rd now
>more readily available
if you have a walmart or dicks anywhere near you 6.5 creedmoor is available to you, but you should really be reloading or buying ammo online anyways
>if you have a walmart or dicks anywhere near you 6.5 creedmoor is available
expanding on this, last time I was at walmart they had multiple types of match 6.5 creedmoor but no match 308, just hunting ammo and cheap fmj. For me atleast 6.5 match is more readily available
What about alternate caliber choices like .243, 7mm-08, etc?
just stick with .308 or 6.5 creedmoor unless you have a specific reason to get something else
Eye dominance doesn't matter. The Miles test is also bullshit. If your brain really does have problems with binocular vision just close one eye.
I immediately stop being left eye dominant while shouldering a weapon. Is anybody else like this?
.243 is a very versatile cartridge. With different bullet weights you can hunt deer or varmint and even do some long range precision shooting. 7mm-08 is a good hunting cartridge. You are essentially just launching same weight projectiles as .308 at the same velocity, but in a higher BC and SD format. So it's just slightly more optimal. But you can ignore both. 6.5CM is the better long range cartridge and .308 is the cheaper.
What about .270 as a compromise for both hunting and competition? I don't think I'd ever be a really competitive shooter.
Is .308 really cheaper? It seems like match ammo is just expensive at 6.5CM and subject to running out whenever there is a panic.
.308 & 6.5 are comparable in cost for quality ammo. You aren't going to be using 35cpr tula in a gun like that.
6.5 has a shorter barrel life though by about 1000 rounds. It's not that significant but it's worth mentioning.
Ultimately though if you're not regularly shooting past 600 yards the ballistic benefits of 6.5 are insignificant. It's objectively better past that especially past 900 or so when .308 goes subsonic but most people aren't shooting that far.
Well you can shoot non-match .308 for less than 50cpr for practice. It's not going to affect your gun in any way. .270 is long action, has too small an available ogive, and too small a bearing surface to be a great match cartridge.
For precision shooting always use your dominant eye over your dominant hand. I shot a left handed rifle when I shot in state competitions and it made a huge difference. Everything else just use your dominant hand side.
This is ancillary, but .308 can usually be found cheaper online, even in small quantities, than 6.5 Creedmore. I love both, just something to consider.
>ableammo.com
>laxammo.com
If OP is on a budget, the Tikka T3 and Savage Axis are both fantastic entry level rifles. .300WM is my preference for big game 500 yds+, but it's over $1/rd. and makes the shoulder angry, unfortunately.
Yeah, I was thinking Savage Axis or Howa 1500. The Accutrigger and screw-in barrel replacement make me lean toward the Savage tbqh.
Savage is a fantastic choice. Just FYI, the Hog Hunter is basically the same as the Axis, but has backup iron sights, which is nice.
>garbage steel cased plinking tulammo
read OP, its pretty obvious hes asking about long range precision here