Kahles 6X on my 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser I customized a few years ago. Real tack driver. Just enough of every thing to get er done in the lower 48.
I think I paid 80 bucks for the old M96 mauser. 200 on gunsmithing the action, bolt handle , shroud, M70 style safety, Canjar trigger ect ect , rebarreling it with a Shilen barrel. 250 on an H&S Phenolic/Carbon fiber stock, 450 on the used 6X Khales glass. Topped it off with Neoprene/Web Nylon Sling and a Uncle Mikes stock sock for 9 spare rounds of 148 gr Alaskan Ammo.
Gun itself was less than one tenth of the actual money spent ............but it was fun gettin there......:o)
Stay Safe !
Just got back from the range ( still have weapons to clean so will make it short) probably the best buy today is either the M-48 Yugo mauser or a M-38 moisin/Nagant, both
can be had for under 150 dollars in very good to excellent condition. M-44s are also good but that bayonette just adds weight.
Today I just sighted in my .54 Cal.black powder rifle and
a beater gunsmith special .308 Israeli Mauser from SOG. that refinished very nice.
Put a leatherwood scout scope on a FAC scout mount and it
does good out to 100yds which is about as far as I can see.
Also shot a M-38 with a scout scope in a composite stock which will be my main deer gun and my M-39 "B" it is a heck of a gun too for under
$200.
Best of all was my 1927 tikka M91 dead on and the most accurate of all the rifles I own.
Bambi won't do that again.