Best Sniper Rifle?

[Bankykun]

This isn't about hunting but this seemed the best place to ask.

I want to buy 4 different types of firearms

Pistol - Sig Sauer P229
Shotgun - Mossburg 500 Cruiser
Assault Rifle - AK-47

and lastly a sniper rifle. But I don't know of any good ones that don't cost like $12,000. I was thinking a Remington M24, but im not sure if a civilian can even get it. Anyone have any suggested rifles?

Also I'm in school to pursue a career in law enforcement. If a gun is designated as military or police only, will that qualify me to buy it as my personal firearm?

[War Beagle]

(the answer we give everyone when they ask about "sniper" rifles)

(boy we need a FAQ posted here in hunting)

Any rifle is a sniper rifle, so long as it is used by a sniper. A cheap rifle in the hands of a sniper is far more deadly than a barrett .50 in the hands of an untrained person. Taking the time to sneak up to a good shooting position, selecting the target, taking into account elevation changes, distances, wind, the correalis effect from the earth's rotation (not kidding, look it up) all are the things that truly define what a sniper is.

Okay so that being said, when you say "Sniper" what you really should be saying is "long-distance target rifle" which is much better received by hunters. First off, pick your caliber. .223 is common, but not a good anti-personnel round, rarely used by a sniper. .308 is a much more common round, and while it may have less velocity and therefore a more curved trajectory, its heavier mass allows, with bullet drop compensated, generally a much longer range of accurate shooting to be achieved. So if you know the target is 300 yards away, you don't have to worry, so long as you aim high enough according to the ballistics chart, you should get really good accuracy at the target.

Next you pick a style. Do you want something to carry out into the woods, or something just focused on target accuracy? Weight is the big concern here. The best guns for target shooting are WAY too heavy to carry around all day, but that extra weight in the barrel allows you to reach out several hundred yards with a precision unmatched by a lightweight gun more suited for stalking prey with.

The next important thing is the trigger. You want a trigger that has an adjustable pull (or is already set where you want it) and that when you begin to squeeze it, it just fires. No sliding, no crunching, no click-clack-whank before it fires, just simply BOOM it goes off when you decide you are ready for the shot. This is the biggest thing when it comes to accuracy. A heavy trigger pull that clicks, slides, and grinds before it finally fires, will ruin your shot by having your gun flinch off the target before firing.

Next is optics. Buy a good name brand that is really high magnification and mount it well. My favorite is a 36x44 BSA scope, that lets me shoot a .17HMR 150 yards and watch as the bullet shatters beer bottles. You probably want something with adjustable magnification, and a better brand.

Bipod. Everything gets a bipod. Even your shotgun and your pistol. And your slingshot.

Off the top of my head, i'd say go out and buy yourself a Remington 700 SPS chambered in .308, put a bipod on it, along with a 6-24x44 Nikon, get a laser range finder, study the ballistic drop charts, and practice alot with ranges of 100 yards or greater.

[Corvo]

The police usually use either a Savage 10FP LE, or a Remington 700P (and yes, they're both available to civilians). If you want to shoot as a sharpshooter for a police department, you want to practice with the .223 (5.56x45mm NATO), since that is usually preferred for police work.

The Savage will run you about $600 without a scope, and the Remington will set you back around $900 without a scope. While perusing around, I also found a great package by Remington. The link is below if you want to check it out.

http://www.impactguns.com/store/5711.html