Hunting Rifles - Better Bang for your Buck

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 1/30/20 | M Dickerson

[w1n1]

Despite the continuing impact of inflation, you can still find some excellent hunting rifles that won’t break the bank. - Progress and the march of time can be very hard on the wallet, especially when it comes to hunting rifles. Consider, if you will, the classic Big Three of American hunting rifles. According to a 2004 gun-value reference in my collection, you could at that time buy a new Remington 700 BDL rifle for about $500, and the ADL model went for even less. A new Ruger Model 77 All-Weather rifle could also be found for less than $500, and the same could be said for a Winchester Model 70 Black Shadow.

Today, the latest incarnations of these flagship models of American hunting rifles all have a suggested retail price of close to $1,000. In little more than a decade, these iconic American rifles have essentially doubled in price.

Not everyone can afford to lay out that kind of change for a hunting rifle. The Even fewer can afford semicustom or custom rifles, and if you have to ask the price of, say, a fine European double rifle, you may want to be sitting down when you hear the answer.

Of course, gun makers are well aware of this economic reality and have scrambled in recent years to produce more affordable guns for the masses. Many of these guns won’t win any beauty contests. Some may be described as downright ugly. Actions may be less than silky smooth, and stocks may bend in a stiff breeze. They're often described rather euphemistically as "budget-friendly" or "entry-level" rifles. These are, of course, handy phrases when you're trying to avoid using the word "cheap."

Have the manufacturers cut corners on these guns? You bet they have, but they had to in order to make the guns less expensive to produce and offer them at what are, by today’s standards, crazy-cheap prices.

TODAY, VIRTUALLY EVERY MAJOR mass-manufacturer of hunting rifles has added an inexpensive rifle to their product lineup. While some have derisively called this a race to the bottom, I don’t exactly see it that way. Sure, I'm fond of guns that have richly figured walnut stocks, elegantly engraved receivers, and fit and finish reflective of old world craftsmanship, but those guns won't smack deer into the freezer any more effectively than most of today's more affordable rifles. Advances in manufacturing processes and materials now enable gun makers to offer inexpensive rifles that resist the elements, work reliably and shoot tight groups – and that's all many buyers, especially first-time buyers, are looking for in a hunting rifle. Read the rest of this hunting rifles.

[Lurker]

Savage Model 110. Great value and the best out of the box trigger on the market.

L

[Magnum44]

The ‘hardware’ in a Remington 700 today may be the same as yester-year, but the polymer stocks are trash. If you get the 700 with the polymer stock, get a magpul hunter stock to replace it. The ones that come with the rifles actually twist as you hold them, inconsistently make contact with the barrel, and will not allow for consistent grouping. Not a barrel problem, but major stock issue.

[grobdriver]

Savage is a good buy in this category as well.

I have a Savage .308 plain jane (well, timney trigger) bolt deer gun, but a Remington 700 chassis gun for long range precision stuff.

[GOP_Party_Animal]

Notice how Savage quietly changed their logo?

[grobdriver]

Yes. The Chief is dead, long live the Chief!

[davidb56]

Combine both price and accuracy, Savage ranks very high.

[wardaddy]

Savage bolts are hard to beat for the money.....or the Ruger ...American I think

My son has a super cheap 22-250 Handie rifle

It’s an ok very cheap utility rifle but man whoever set trigger pull on such a great caliber for trajectory should be flogged

Trigger pull is crazy hard

[MileHi]

Yep

[Born to Conserve]

I have a well used Savage Model 99 250-3000 takedown; it’s the one I reach for when I need to clean a gun.

[onona]

I love my savage axis bolt. Awesome rifle.

[junta]

Weatherby snob here, and I just won’t associate with the ruffians and their proletarian choices in hunting rifles.

[CodeToad]

There are three words that triple the cost of anything:
Airplane
Boat
Sniper

[Vaquero]

I own a weatherby vanguard. Picked it up used, cheap. 243 Winchester bought it for the kids when they were young. A friend owns one (not a vanguard) in 270 weatherby Nice accurate guns. But for the excessive weight not for me (or my kids). Living in the NE my .35 Rem marlin 336 is short, easy to maneuver and great for anything in the NE. Ps. The weatherby is way too glossy for a hunting rifle.

[Towed_Jumper]

First, full disclosure here...I’m a blued steel and walnut stock rifle bigot. That being said, my daughter and I went elk hunting awhile back. I shot my elk with a Ruger M77 Hawkeye. She shot her elk with a (cheapo), Ruger American. Both rifles are chambered in .30-06 Sprg. Both elk became equally dead and are resting comfortably in our respective freezers.

[shelterguy]

“””””””””Weatherby snob here, and I just won’t associate with the ruffians and their proletarian choices in hunting rifles.”””

I worked in the stockroom at a sporting goods store in the 1970’s. I sent Weatherbys back all the time due to poor fit on the stocks. Maybe they got better.

[junta]

You made a good choice, I hunt on the Great Plains and am not worried about hitting our tree with a long 24” barrel. It’s a good tree.

[junta]

Those would have been Japanese made? Anyway mine was made in USA with a Bell and Carlson stock which in 20 years has been nothing less than excellent on all accounts. Throw in the VX-III Leupold and it amounts to being a Wundershooter.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

Weatherby pulled up stakes and moved out of California and went to Wyoming. Freedom flight.

[Texas resident]

I have a Savage 99 lever action .308. Spent some money on a Zeiss scope. Good combination.

In reality, a good shooter with a so so rifle can do very well. Practice and accuracy makes up for an expensive weapon.