BY FAR the most common question we are asked on a regular basis goes something like "How do I get started in long range shooting", "All I have is a hunting rifle, theres no way I can shoot long range", "What caliber do I need to shoot long range". Theses are all valid questions, and in general the short answer is really quite simple. ANYONE CAN SHOOT LONG RANGE, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SHOW UP AND SHOOT WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE!
To break this down a little further we need to start with "What is long range shooting"? Lets break this down into three basic categories based soley on the distance you are shooting. This is partially driven by shooting disciplines (discussed later) and also just to get everyone on the same page.
Mid-Range (As defined by the CMP and NRA) 300-600yds
Long Range (As defined by the CMP and NRA) 800-1000yds
Extreme Long Range (As defined by us) Anything Beyond 1000yds
Now that we are all talking about the same thing, lets look at what you need to get started for each of the above. As sometimes we all just want the easy answer first, I'll start with that and then go into more detail. I might not finish this all in one post, so check back for updates.
Mid-Range 300-600yds
This is the easist entry into the "Long Range World". The best rifle to use is what you already have to get started. Any rifle that can shoot 1MOA or less at 300yds will also shoot 1MOA or less at 600yds. Quite frankly this accuracy requirement is not that difficult to obtain with a factory rifle in just about any caliber. There is such a thing as inherint accuracy (some calibers are easier to make shoot well than others) but by and large commercially avalible calibers are only successful because they perform well. Factory ammunition in a factory rifle is capable of this type of accuracy as well. When you are starting out, the most important thing is to shoot....alot. This is the only way you will get better. Any factory hunting rifle will teach you the basics, figuring out how to shoot more often is the most importanat part. Even a 223 Varmint type rifle with a reasonably fast twist rate barrel (1-9 or faster) will work well at 600 yds, the only caviot here is you should use the highest BC bullet as you can manage with the twist rate of your rifle (69gr or larger). If you ARE going to go out and buy a rifle, then our reccomendations are simple....
Calibers: 223 Remington, 6 Creedmoor, 6.5 Creedmoor, 308 Winchester.
Rifle: Remington 700, Tikka T3
Barrel Length/Weight: A Heavy Barrel is more important than length, But longer barrels will give better velocity, At least 20" is reccomended. The twist rate it by far the most important thing on any barrel, (1:7 or 1:8 for 223, 1:7 or 1:8 for 6 creed, 1:8 for 6.5 creed and 1:10 for 308). Its better to have a short (20") skinny barrel with the correct twist than a long heavy barrel with the wrong twist.
Stock: Personal preference mostly, HIGHLY recommended to get one with an adjustable cheekpiece
Optics: Anything that tracks well, MOA is better (Finer adjustments) than mil-rad. Fist vs second focal plane is personal preference. It doesnt need to have massive magnification either, you can shoot Master level scores with a 14X scope on an F-Class target at 600yds.