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.
“Honestly.....you could get a Mosin-Nagant for cheap that would be quite effective against any game in North America.”
I picked up a pair for around $100 each just for funsies. Tossed in a couple spam cans of ball ammo that were probably dug up from a Bulgarian potato field sometime in the 80s. The whole shebang cost me around $250 IIRC.
Not worth a custom scope mount but they’re a hoot to shoot. Both are hex receivers made at the Tulsa Armory in the 1930s. They could have marched into Berlin for all I know.
L
I have a Savage Axis .308 and am not happy with the scope set-up. I have to stretch my head forward to get my eye close enough to the scope to sight. The scope is set as far back as possible. I’ve see “rail” attachments that would allow bringing the scope back farther, but then I have half the scope floating over the stock. I think what I’d like is to find and affordable “competition” stock/forearm with multiple adjustments that I could mount the Axis hardware on to. Any suggestions?
You seem knowledgeable. Please take a look at my post #22. Thx.
That’s nothing; I can cover a six shot group with a nickel! When I get to the target I put a nickel over each shot.
For the price of a new custom stock, you can step into a new rifle.
Other than that have you tried turning the rear portion of your scope outward? This increases the length of the scope and reduces the eye relief distance. Cutting down the stock to a shorter length might be an option also. Check with a local gunsmith as this could be your most affordable option.
I priced new stocks before buying a new rifle. I was thinking I could upgrade my back up rifle with a new stock ... better bedding free floating barrel etc. But at $300 plus for just a stock I couldn’t justify it.
Have someone more knowledgeable than you remount your scope and see how that works. Not a ding on your knowledge, I’ve been shooting and re-loading for decades but my neighbor mounted my new scope and helped with load development ... he knows what he is doing and gets paid for it. I would never have the accuracy I have now without his help.
Good luck!
I have two Howa 1500s. One in .223 and one in .308. They are both tack drivers, and both were under $350 each.
bkmk
Fifty three years ago I watched a young fellow with thick lens glasses shoot a three shot group at one hundred yards and then walk over and cover it with one coin, a dime! He was using a .222, NOT a .223. All three rounds made a hole no bigger than a .35 would make. He was using his own handloads.
I bought a new Remington model 700 in six millimeter Remington and could never come close to that group. My best at one hundred yards was probably the size of a half dollar.
“My best at one hundred yards was probably the size of a half dollar.”
For 95% of the real world applications that’s good enough.
L
Im in my mid 50s and this was 3 years ago. 5 shots at 150 yards with a cheap scope and 49.5 grn of IMR 4895 and a 150 grn Swift Scirroco. (Attention getter for sure)
I'm keeping this one. It just needed a little lovin.
Good gun for shooting really small deer.
It was always a decent shooter. The day of my eldest daughters wedding a water pipe burst in my basement and soaked it for a day or so. The kids got me a new, obviously better stock and I made it look even scarier with a $89 scope. Now its all plastic and steel and can withstand long periods of total submersion in the local lake and still come out shooting straight.
The Swift bullets hit hard. The Scirocco is made for longer ranges but thats about as good as I can see. The Swift A-Frame (partition bullet) is like a freight train.
Ruger Americans are also available in 6.5 Creedmoor.
True, but the milsurp prices have gone up enough that it's just not as attractive an option now. Overseas armories are finally running dry - Classic Firearms just uncrated a shipment of Chinese SKS rifles (by way of Albania, so the Clinton ban on Chinese firearms imports didn't apply). The price posted is over $400 each.
Light up North America.
Varget usually works great in a .308.
you need an offset scope ring
IIRC, Tikka is sort of Sako's "bargain" line (not really part of the sub-$500 discussion, but everything is relative). Have you seen the T3X Arctic model, based on the Canadian Arctic Rangers' new rifle? If that one ever becomes available in the U.S., I'll probably put a dent in my credit card.
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