Posted on 04/01/2019 5:12:26 AM PDT by w1n1
Are you in the market for a budget hunting rifle that performs reliably as any higher end rifle?
When you hear budget rifle and most of the time everyone is thinking junk rifle or broken hand me down. Its a good thing gun manufacturers don’t laugh at this notion but view it as an opportunity to produce reasonably priced hunting rifles in popular hunting calibers.
Yes, its true most lower end hunting rifles are a cut below of the more higher end rifles in the market. The rifles in this list are capable bolt-action hunting rifle in the right hands. Manufactures have capitalize on the advancements of gun technology that most of these lower end hunting rifles are actually more accurate than the top-of-the-line models of the past. Regardless of whether you're hunting deer, hogs, elk or any other big-game species in the U.S., these hunting rifles below deliver great performance at a reasonable price point.
Mossberg 100 ATR - A Glock-like minimalist appeal—if you can call a bolt that looks like it came off a Medieval manor door "minimalist." This rifle action feels as smooth and crisp as a Dove bar straight out of the box. MSRP$280
Savage Stevens Model 200 30-06 Cal - This rifle isn’t just a cheap gun, has advanced features, such as dual pillar bedding, long- and short-action lengths, and even magnum chamberings. MSRP$316
Remington Model 783 - The 783 features quality floating bolt head and adjustable barrel nut. The 783 has a great trigger and is quite accurate. The synthetic stock comes fitted with a soft rubber recoil pad. MSRP$370
Ruger American Rifle - This bolt action rifle is lightweight and a reliable deer hunting rifles. Ruger American Compact bolt action rifles are available in .243, .270, 7mm-08, .223, .30-06, .308, .22-250 MSRP$419
Thompson Center Compass - Available in 6.5 Creedmoor and 10 other chamberings, with either 22- or 24-inch barrels that are ideally suited for everything from prairie dogs to moose. MSRP$350 Read the rest of these deer hunting rifles under $500.
I got a nice 30-06 with a very nice scope for $275 used at a gun store. It’s a dang canon.
I got a brand new Savage Model 110 in .308 with a factory set Nikon BDC scope out the door at Cabelas for less than $400. It’s by far the most accurate rifle in my possession. It also has a superb adjustable trigger.
At 100 yards I can cover a 3 shot group with a quarter.
L
“At 100 yards I can cover a 3 shot group with a quarter.”
That’s pretty darned insane. ;)
I loved my Savage. Before it fell out of my kayak.
It's probably Pachelbel's ...
Sounds like you got yourself a shooter there. Are you using hand loads or factory ammo? If factory then run some hand loads through her. It is amazing what a difference it makes.
My Tikka T3 in 7mm Rem Mag is my one hole rifle, but she runs hand loads with Berger 168 gr VLD Match bullets. I never thought I’d own such a rifle but my neighbor and hunting buddy does custom load development for Snowy Mountain Rifles and helped me develop a load for my rifle. With the Leopold CDS scope I’m dialed in to 700 yds.
My Nikon BDS, a fine scope I’ve shot many deer and elk with, sits on my backup rifle, a Weatherby Mark V also in Rem 7mag.
My Tikka, while not under $500, was not much more than that when I bought her 5 years ago. My local gunsmith, also a custom rifle builder, told me that if more people knew about the Tikka rifles he would be out of business in custom rifles. I was considering a custom built on 700 action at the time but he suggested I try the Tikka first. I’m glad he did!
Sounds like other manufactures are also producing accuracy at an affordable price nowadays. Bout time.
Since you like .308, consider these. I call them shot glasses for shooters! Just got a six pack of them yesterday.
SKS, Remington 700.
Having purchased several different Manufacturers Rifles I can say without hesitation if I were low on funds I would opt for a Savage 110 over most all others in shopping for a new Rifle.
However I have a infatuation with John Moses Browning...
“Are you using hand loads or factory ammo? If factory then run some hand loads through her.“
Both, actually. With some 147 grain PMC Bronze I was getting about 1-1/2 inch or so. I switched to some handloads, 168 grain Sierra Match Kings over 41.5 grains of now obsolete Reloader 12, and Federal Match primers. That got tightened things up to under an inch.
I was shocked. The trigger is set to about 4-1/2 pounds I believe. I could lighten it up some, but with results like that why bother.
I’m just about out of the Reloader but I have a couple of pounds of Varget. I’ll see what that does.
Damn fine rifle that Savage. If you ever see that combo on sale snap it up. You won’t be sorry.
Best,
L
Remington Model 700 is a keeper as is the Winchester Model 70.
“That’s pretty darned insane. ;)”
I was absolutely shocked the first time I shot it. If you ever run across that combo in that price range, buy it. You will not be disappointed.
Good luck.
L
“However I have a infatuation with John Moses Browning...”
A rational nation would have a statue of him in every town square.
L
Just damn, I ain't trespassing on your property.
Yep. Savages don’t float....so I used to like it.
Honestly.....you could get a Mosin-Nagant for cheap that would be quite effective against any game in North America.
Well, I’m all for arming bears, but deer?......................
Any used Remington 700. The old man probably hadn’t fired more than 3 or 4 boxes of ammo through it his entire life. Then the widow hocked it. There are lots of these around that have probably been fired less than 200 times. I got one with a scope for about $350 and paid too much for it. It shot touching holes with one load I worked up. Then I found a Remington pump in .270. I had one load that did better than touching holes. I think I paid $400 for it and it was a steal.
Sixty years ago, when most people still didn’t have an extra dime, the 5 shot bolt action army surplus rifle was used for hunting. Great shooters, often 5-10 dollars at your local hardware store. The store owner would break a box of ammo and allow you to buy five rounds for the deer season.
Prices at that time...
Army surplus rifle,—$5-10 dollars.
American made sporting hunting rifle-—$45.00
You could even order through the mail and have it shipped to your door.
So some eastern congressmen decided to play up the army surplus rifle as a “crime gun” to get them banned from the USA. It helped their cause when President John Kennedy was murdered with an Italian army surplus rifle. The whole ban idea was to protect US makers from cheap military imports.
Banned from import in 1968, the same rifle, off the same assembly line bearing the same markings, was allowed to be imported IF it was originally issued to the police and not the army.
Finally in the 1980s, this silliness was done away with.
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