Remington debuted their new 2020 TrackingPoint-enabled rifle line the other day to virtually no fanfare whatsoever. The new guns are a result of Remington’s partnership with TrackingPoint via Jason Schauble, but the pricing wasn’t released when the rifles were announced. Today we can report from a source who was present at a meeting with distributors that the total package will cost somewhere in the $5,000 – $6,000 range retail (scopes alone are rumored to cost $3,000 just to make, not counting retail markup). It looks like TP has recouped its R&D costs on the full-price version and is selling these at much smaller profit margins. Stay tuned.
I’m stunned. I lived in Ventura County for 8 ½ years and I only knew one guy who was actually able to get a CWW. And he was a volunteer on the Sheriff Department Search and Rescue Team. It took him about 8 months from application to issue.
Hopefully the goodness will keep spreading throughout the State.
That’s actually not so bad. It’s still over-priced, but until other companies start releasing their own smart scopes, this will do for those that must have it.
Unless you can jailbreak the 500Yrd limit and install and aftermarket electronic trigger, you’re better off spending that money on a good rifle and traditional scope, and some range time.
Hunting at 500 yrds though….really?
That is a regrettably poor choice of image. That shot angle is anything but ideal, especially at 500 yards where the 30-06 is only carrying ~1200 ft/lbs of energy, and even less so with the .308 at ~1000ft/lbs. Velocity for both calibers is only is in the 1800fps range at the distance, which is low for reliable expansion.
I guess it would be too much to ask for Remington to advocate responsible shot placement with their newfangled whiz-bang gadget.
Image chosen for visual impact, not the realities of hunting, apparently. I’m not a hunter, but I’m guessing if you were really taking that shot, you’d prefer the elk to be either broadside to you or quartered facing away, so’s not to have to try shooting through all that bone and muscle in the chest and shoulders.
I’m also guessing that attempting a 500 yard shot on any large game animal is borderline irresponsible to begin with. But again, I’m not a hunter. And I won’t ever have the $$ to spend on a something like the Tracking Point dingus, so for me it’s a moot point. (Why bother commenting at all? Just because I can.)
500 yards is getting into the “because I think I can” category and out of the “hunting” category. But then isn’t that the point of this gizmo?
500 yards is well into the traditional “too far” range – given the equipment from 10-15 years ago. Some .30-06 loads (Buffalo Bore 168 grain TSX, Hornady Superperformance 180 grain SST) carry more than 1500 FPE at 500 yards. A good 7mm or 300 mag load can carry 1500 FPE well past 500 yards, and a .338 Lapua can travel much further beyond that.
We can debate the ethics of long range hunting all day – my furthest shot at a deer was about 320 yards. Paced. So that’s a very rough estimate. That 8 point buck fell to a 180 grain Hornady Light Magnum .30-06 load. Sure the tracking point may be a but ridiculous as a shooting crutch. Say what you will about technology, it will not move backwards. I won’t give anyone a hard time (well, not too much, anyways) about hunting without a host of gizmos. I think some things people take into the field can be ridiculous – especially if they haven’t trained with them. I’ll occasionally pack a range finder if I think I’ll be taking a shot longer than 100 yards with my .45-70.
There are parts of me that wished that Tracking Point never was created, but here we are.
I’ve always had the philosophy in hunting that “long-range shots should be apologized for, not boasted about“. Most game I’ve taken has been at 150 meters maximum. Sometimes so close the bayonet was a useful accessory. With a wounded pig in front of me, options were few.
$3,000 isn’t bad at all for the package, if the package includes a rifle. Depending on the rifle, of course.
That is an incredible waist of money if you are a hunter.
However that is an incredible way to bilk money from gullible G.I. Jokers who must have every stupid gadget that makes them feel better about themselves.
Hey I’m one of those gadget guys lol, this is cool– however I think for hunting, I would feel like I was cheating. At that price I could buy a really nice scope, and a decent rifle, which would probably be a lighter package, and do just as well. And not need batteries.
When I was in the army we fired a nonscoped garand at 500 yards. thats a 30-06. we also shot a BAR at a thousand. That is also a 30-06.
You may never know your ability if you let some so called expert tell you your ability. It may take some practice but there a lot of servicemen that wear an expert badge and they can do it.
My grandfather would laugh at this. That man used to spine shoot running deer at 500 with a .220 Swift. Never once left a wounded animal, though granted some of the old timers tell he poached more deer than I’ll ever shoot. Fancy equipment over practice is just lazy.
But what do I know, I only hunt with a bow.
Just means more people well be moving from California to Arizona faster than ever.
Even soldiers from Fourth world countries need training.
Great rebuttal to Barrett.
+1
As an exercise in rhetoric, this video announcement amounts to an appeal to the emotions stirred by a long distant, year ago event in which a lone nutter decimated a small school.
Barry didn’t actually say anything, he just created a mood to reflect on what can be done to prevent a recurrence. I think he is waiting for feedback to decide which way to jump. If there is an outcry in answer to his question, demanding the stripping away of gun rights, he will probably climb aboard the bandwagon.
If as I suspect, there is a deafening silence, he will be powerless to act.
As the leader of the “Free World” he is now an impotent eunuch. He requires the authority of mass numbers to work out his position on anything. He seems to have no mind of his own.
I thought I was ashamed of my own Prime Minister, John Key, who was listed as an “unidentified man” at Mandela’s pre funeral celebration. America, you have voted for the quintessential politician, an utterly hollow, vacant space of a man.
He uses one or two mottos that persuade people he is capable of action, when clearly he is not. Perhaps your political system needs reinvention.
I have a set of the Patriot Plates. I’ll stand behind them 100%. Great price
It really irritates me the way we bash one another based on our individual preferences. To say it is irresponsible to take game out at the 500 (+/-) yard range doesn’t make it so. If YOU are unable, uncomfortable, or untrained to take game regularly at that range, then by all means – don’t do it. But if your buddy/neighbor has trained himself (or been trained) to take game regularly at those ranges – don’t disparage him, his confidence, or ability.
I currently live in Alaska, and have personally lived and hunted in western states (Wyoming), mid-western (IL & IN), and southern (KY) states, and can assure you hunting game is different in each of them. In KY the shots were easily under 100 yards – with rare exception. In WY shots were generally OVER 150 yards – with rare exception.
Spending time at the bench on the range, and regularly shooting the Silhouette round with your regular hunting rifle – where the longest shots are 550 yds (500 meters) – and shooting by the rules (off hand), put you in position to confidently make those longer 500 + yard shots. Some of my first shots were at antelope at 160 yds, and a running mule dear at just under 150 yds, Each of them were one shot kills. I hate to destroy meat so my typical modus operandi is to shoot my game in the neck. It brings them down immediately without destroying meat. My first elk I shot (590 yd; prone shot) was taken with two shots (sad to say), but destroyed very little meat.
It saddens me deeply when we disparage one another for their choice of caliber, rifle/bow, shooting distance, etc. If they can do it competently and confidently – don’t rant at them or their choices. We are a hunting fraternity, and in this nation we are in a larger battle than the petty little choices we make about some of these issue.
Blessings,
Son of Liberty
when you guysare talking long range shots nothing bets knowing your weapon your scope and understand ballistics of your round with that sai Carlos Halfcock held the longest kill shot during vietnam war of over 1136 yards and he was using a stock Remington 3006 at the time and in afganistan with barret 50s of over 2500 yards its all in knowing your equipment. if you relie on tech it will eventualy let you down and you won’t know how to do the math and observation your self practice practice practice