Best of the west

[Labs07]

Has anyone here had experience with the best of the west signature series shooting systems?  My wife said she would by me a custom gun scope combo for my 50th b-day.  Very excited to do some research and figure out what others have experienced.  Any help would be appreciated.

[jackmaster]

trophy hunt has one, we both got to shoot johns rifle when he was still with best of the west, i will just say it was flat awesome. i wouldnt shoot an animal at this distance but we both shot a basketball size rock at 700 ft short of a mile with johns rifle, wind calcs and elevation had everything to do with it, but with the way the turrets are set up, it makes it pretty simple. i know john isnt with them any more, well i beleive he isnt but there new system is pretty dang close. pm trophyhunt i am sure he can clue you in to their new system 

[Labs07]

Thanks for the information, i appreciate it!

[jackmaster]

anytime, good luck

[jackelope]

Best of the West is not what it used to be. Best of the West still use Huskemaw scopes but they're shooting Cooper rifles now. There's still the Gunwerks rifles but they're not using Huskemaw scopes.

Talk to RBros on here for sure. They build some incredible rifles.

[TheHunt]

A friend of mine has that setup with the Huskemaw scope.  He has no problem shooting 24 inch groups at 1000 yards.

[jackelope]

A friend of mine has that setup with the Huskemaw scope.  He has no problem shooting 24 inch groups at 1000 yards.

This is a legit question because I have -zero- experience in the long range dept...but is ~2.5moa good at 1k yards?

[TheHunt]

anything at 1000 yards at that level is all technique and reading the external functions of the shot.  He is just a hillbilly with money. 

Taking that into consideration he will get better but it is just him working to make him shoot better.  The rifle can do better but at that range it is the shooter. 

[CAMPMEAT]

The guys that I know that are hardcore long distance shooters use nothing more than a wind meter, DOPE card, turreted scopes, tons of shooting and flat shooting calibers. They shoot out to nearly 1000 yards + -.

[JackOfAllTrades]

I'd like for a couple of snipers in our fold to make some comments on this.. Maybe in a different thread, as the question was about 'Best of the West' rifles.
 
I personally would never buy one at those prices.
 
"anything at 1000 yards at that level is all technique and reading the external functions of the shot"  "The rifle can do better but at that range it is the shooter."
 
I know guys that shoot 800+ all the time with not much more than factory rifles. 2.5moa would be unacceptable in my book. (given perfect shooting conditions) But there are so many other factors involved that the calculation of trajectory by angle of shot, guess of wind speed and direction, temperature/humidity variables along bullet flight path to be combined with the BC and velocity of the bullet itself are not always a science. More art.  But a person that can't shoot sub moa at say, 200yds, (I don't care if the rifle can or not), will likely not shoot moa at 1,000yds. Yes, a lot of it comes down to shooter, but you still need the equipment that'll get the job done too. 
 
-Steve

[Labs07]

Great thoughts so far!  It is true if you cant shoot at 200yrds then you cant shoot at 1000yrds.

[Taco280AI]

Forget the gimmicky BotW stuff and talk to RBros here. Builds great rifles and has the competitve shooting experience and results to back up his work.
http://rbrosrifles.com/

[haugenna]

Spend a 3rd of the money and buy a Leupold VX3 4.5-14 and send it to Leupold to get the M1 turrets installed on it.  Better scope in my opinion. 

If you get a load your gun likes, send in the knob to have it custom cut to your ballistics, and the elevation you will be hunting.

Practice practice and practice. 

These 1000 yard systems in a can for Joe Blow to buy off the shelf and then walk out and sling lead at an animal are a joke. 

[mrolen]

A friend of mine has that setup with the Huskemaw scope.  He has no problem shooting 24 inch groups at 1000 yards.

This is a legit question because I have -zero- experience in the long range dept...but is ~2.5moa good at 1k yards?

2.5 moa at 1k is nothing i would brag about... but its a start

[mountainman]

A friend of mine has that setup with the Huskemaw scope.  He has no problem shooting 24 inch groups at 1000 yards.

This is a legit question because I have -zero- experience in the long range dept...but is ~2.5moa good at 1k yards?

2.5 moa at 1k is nothing i would brag about... but its a start

agreed, but to be competitive and to take game at extended ranges, 1/2 minute is the goal we should all strive for. At long range, it is not just the shooter. You will need a gun capable of that 1/2" accuracy at thos extended ranges. My Rbros in 338 Edge, on a good day, will hit right around 4" in a low or no wind situation. That is what we are looking for here

[coachcw]

I have a huskima system and love it ! if you shoot a bunch and want to use one scope on different riffles then nightforce would probilly be a better choice . the huskima system is easy to use and extremely effective and makes it pretty simple for guys that aren't range junkies. the shooters shop in ghram is a dealer and can set one up for you . the level and the angle meter in my mind are necessary on the system . I believe that with a savage long range hunter in 300wm and some good loads  the gun would out shoot most of our abillitys . you'd be in a complete package under 3k . to pay another two k to get better performance that you wont see is a bit over kill . if I was going to build another lr system from scratch it would be on a 30-378 platform I'd start with a mark v and use a #4 contour 30 inch pipe with a break with the huskima system would be a killer set up with the 210's.

[JPhelps]

My opinion: the huskemaw and leupold cds are fine out to 500 yards in conditions close to what the turret was built for.

Now 500+ there needs to be more thought put into it. There is no reason someone shouldn't be dialing MOA or MILS for the atmospheric conditions.  No advantage for yardage on the turret when shooting at distance.

My 

[fishngamereaper]

2.5 moa.....I got better results from my Win Mdl 70 and my Rem 700, both in .308. Both had Mark v scopes on them and both shot sub moa at 1200 yards.

Never shot the Huskima system. Seems like a good set up. When it comes to long distance, more of the accuracy is based on the shooter not the gun.

[BKMFR]

I have had the Huskemaw on a HS Precision .257 Weatherby and it worked fine. Now shooting a Gunwerks 6.5x284 with the Nightforce and G7 rangefinder set-up, personally like the Gunwerks better, and know there is less expensive ways to get there, but hitting targets out to 1140 yds is something I have now been able to do(at least once) if things are right. Biggest learning experience for me was, how much canting your gun even a little bit makes such a huge difference way out there.... I do actually have the Leupold 4.5x14x40 with 30mm tube-side focus with cds that is much more compact and probably better for hiking, but tough to beat nightforce optics.....  If I had to choose just one for all around hunting/long-range everything, it would probably be the Leupold....

[longrange7mm]

Go with Gunwerks or RBros over worst of the west nothing against cooper arms they make a great rifle...I have had 5 huskemaws and shelled 3.  Supposedly the new blue diamond is tougher but I will not take there word on that.. 24"group at a 1000 yards is unacceptable.. Plus after watching a few Episodes of BOTW I watched one where Latt was elk hunting and they were filming a bull he was going to shoot and he passed because of to much wind but there was a bull on the lower corner of the screen dragging his ass off the hillside that the editors missed. I brought this up on there FB page and they deleted my comment and blocked me lol lost all aspects of respect for any one in that group after that..

I have swapped to Nightforce G7 and have not been disappointed yet, so far this season its taken 2 muleys, 2 bulls, 1 bear, 6 coyotes and 4 antelope shots ranging from 120 yards to 1226 yards. The rifle I had built this summer by Gunwerks is there L.R.Rem package chambered in the 7mm LRM I am shooting there load with the 180 gr Berger and my 3 shot groups @ 1000 yards range from 4.5"-8" depending on me
If your interested in Gunwerks shooting system send me a PM and I can get you pointed in the right direction

Bull pictured below was @ 1240 corrected distance using the BR2 rangefinder was 1226 as you can see by the placement of the shot no complaints about this shooting system!!

[coachcw]

nice  shot !

[trophyhunt]

longrange7mm, I was wondering what you meant about shelling 3 of your huskemaw scopes? I have had mine since the first days and haven't had any problems, I'm not being a wise azz, I just want to know if I should be looking out for something in the future with my scope.  When I first got the scope it was a bit intimidating, I'm not a shooting master, I came to miss my leupold 4x12. But after a few years and a couple kill shots at 550 yards on a bear and elk, I'm a lot more happier. I haven't had to deal with the wind with both shots, I don't think I would take the shot without a wind meter at those distances.  In the end I wish I would have had them set it up, I put it on my browning .300 win mag and sighted it in myself.  That was a pain in the butt just finding an area I could sight in at 650 yards.  I had to first sight at 200, give them the info, temp, elevation and bullet speed. Then they built my turret, if this scope fails on me, I will just put my leupold back on.

[Taco280AI]

For scopes I'd look at Vortex's tacticals or a Nightforce for long-range stuff

[longrange7mm]

longrange7mm, I was wondering what you meant about shelling 3 of your huskemaw scopes? I have had mine since the first days and haven't had any problems, I'm not being a wise azz, I just want to know if I should be looking out for something in the future with my scope.  When I first got the scope it was a bit intimidating, I'm not a shooting master, I came to miss my leupold 4x12. But after a few years and a couple kill shots at 550 yards on a bear and elk, I'm a lot more happier. I haven't had to deal with the wind with both shots, I don't think I would take the shot without a wind meter at those distances.  In the end I wish I would have had them set it up, I put it on my browning .300 win mag and sighted it in myself.  That was a pain in the butt just finding an area I could sight in at 650 yards.  I had to first sight at 200, give them the info, temp, elevation and bullet speed. Then they built my turret, if this scope fails on me, I will just put my leupold back on.

My first two were on a 338 RUM the gun was to much for that scope and it couldn't handle the recoil, by shelled I mean they quite tracking at exactly 1/3 MOA per click.  After the first two my buddy who was one of BOTW's gunsmiths just rebarreled my 338 RUM into a 7RUM and we put a third scope on it I got about 300 rounds down the tube before it quite tracking!! This last scope took place during the big break up of Gunwerks and Best of the west.. I returned my one huskemaw in for warranty and put it on a 2506 AI for my little sisters and it shoots awesome on that heavy no recoil gun and sold the other 2 I had and just went with the nightforce G7 scopes for my rifles..

[rbros]

24" at 1k is definitely not acceptable.  3-4" is really what a guy is looking for in a custom rifle if the shooter is up to it.  Yes, 1moa is still most likely a dead animal, but not precise enough.  I hate to throw in a shameless plug, but really hate to see a guy spend that kind of money and be disappointed with the results.  On the optics, the Huskema is really an overprice Leupold.  Glass isn't any better and they aren't as durable.  I have seen a bunch of them fail.  There are 2 ways to go, buy a Leupold and have the turret installed, or buy a NF and just be done with it.  I currently have 2 Leupold prototypes in the shop they sent to play with for awhile and they do show promise as well as having a nice MOA reticle in them.  (Don't ask, I have been told to not give out any details on them yet.)

Gunwerks has a solid reputation and they build a nice rifle.  A little pricey for what a guy gets, but they have the entire system all put together for guys to speed up the process.

Rumor has it there will be a pretty good offering tonight on the R Bros Facebook page.

[jackmaster]

before john left best of the west werent they using the leo vII and III? I know that was the type of scope we were shooting off his 7mm ultra mag.

[rbros]

That is correct.  John was using VXIII's and now Greybull Precision sells that scope.

[jackmaster]

That is correct.  John was using VXIII's and now Greybull Precision sells that scope.

:tup:thank you, is that a long range set up that you would stand behind, i sure was impressed, i am by far a marksman like some, but i have done my share of distance shooting, and the things i did with johns set up was just flat amazing and man it was a blast, the longest shot we made was 700 ft short of a mile. it was amazing what it could do at that range 

[rbros]

The Leupold 4.5-14 is a good scope.  This reticle I am working on with them currently will be available in it next year I think.  Add a turret to one and you have a solid scope for way less than a Huskema or the Grey Bull Leupold.  Add it to a accurate rifle and you will be amazed.  With a proper setup and someone telling a guy what to do, making hits at distance is much easier.  I have set up lots of guys/gals behind my comp or hunting rifles and had them make first round hits out past 1K.  It is a blast when the setup will do what a guy wants, then its just practice.

[jackmaster]

The Leupold 4.5-14 is a good scope.  This reticle I am working on with them currently will be available in it next year I think.  Add a turret to one and you have a solid scope for way less than a Huskema or the Grey Bull Leupold.  Add it to a accurate rifle and you will be amazed.  With a proper setup and someone telling a guy what to do, making hits at distance is much easier.  I have set up lots of guys/gals behind my comp or hunting rifles and had them make first round hits out past 1K.  It is a blast when the setup will do what a guy wants, then its just practice.

i hunt with a ruger #1 single shot falling block in 30-06, i have shot alot of differant rifles in my time,and so far my ruger shoots the best, so if i am shooting 165gr out of it what would be my max effective range, i know how to shoot always have, but man that ballistic stuff is a mystery, it might as well be japanese.

[Jim the Plumber]

Go with Rbros and don't look back. Another up side to a very accurate rifle that is not mentioned, is you can go down in cartridge size and get the same results due to the ability to place your bullet right where it needs to be.

[JPhelps]

Travis,
What is your opinion on the Vortex scopes and tracking?

[rbros]

The Vortex scopes track ok.  I wish their adjustments were a little stiffer so things didn't move as easy when bumped or in a pack.  Their glass is OK.  Not as good as NF, but on par with Leupold.  This would be for the PST's and not the Razor HD's.  The downside to them is they don't have much elevation adjustment.  Not a huge issue for shooting 1K and less with a performance cartridge, but still, they are a little limited there.

Honestly, if a guy doesn't want to spend the money on a NF, the 4.5-14x50 Leupold is hard to beat.  It is brighter and clearer than the 6-20x50 scopes for some reason even on the same magnifications.

[Alchase]

I currently have 2 Leupold prototypes in the shop they sent to play with for awhile and they do show promise as well as having a nice MOA reticle in them.  (Don't ask, I have been told to not give out any details on them yet.)

What a tease, LOL