Best cheap and reliable rifle?

[ewade07]

I was thinking about this the other day. You see guys out there spending 1000's of dollars on guns. So, I'd like to hear from all the guys who have got a cheap, reliable gun. I'm talking less than $500 here. I bought a Ruger American .270 about 5 years ago on clearance from Cabelas. For some reason or another Ruger thought it was a good idea to have some in Mandrake camo. These bad boys were selling at $329. I did my a little research and found that the gun itself was pretty damn good, so I bought it. I havent looked back since. Its a pure tack driver and lightweight as well. I love the gun, albeit it has one draw back in that the clip is cheap plastic and I have had trouble with it feeding the shells through.

 

[zeroforhire]

Thompson center compass gets my vote. Cheap stock but shoots lights out.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[EmperorMA]

Winchester XPR.

While maybe a touch higher-priced than the true "cheapie" rifles, it has a much better stock than those do. Great button-rifled barrels and MOA triggers that are the exact same as those used in the Winchester Model 70 make for outstanding accuracy and good value.

You can find them easily for $400 and with some watching and digging around and waiting for rebates, even under $350 is possible.

The XPR feels and looks more expensive and better-made than the true cheapo rifles like the Ruger American, TC Compass, Savage Axis II and Mossberg Patriot. I like mine very much.

 

[peterk123]

Classifieds here or some other gun forum that is in your region. We just found a gun for my son in law, Savage 111 xp trophy hunter pro in a 30-06 with a Nikon scope for $425.

 

[OXN939]

Howa 1500s can be had from time to time in that ballpark. Killed my first big game animal with one in .308 that I got from a pawn shop for like $400 with pre mounted scope. In the 12 years since then, despite the rotating cast of firearms in my life, I have yet to take a shot on an animal that Howa couldn't have made.

 

[Rodéo]

+1 on the howa 1500. Mauser M18 when it was $400 on eurooptic is a great budget rifle as well. Still a good value at ~$450. I have one in 243.

 

[fmyth]

Thompson center compass gets my vote. Cheap stock but shoots lights out.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

My T&C Compass in .300WM is extremely accurate and has held up to some abuse. The M Carbo trigger spring kit was an easy mod and greatly reduced the trigger pull. It's not pretty but it kills whatever its pointed at.

 

[hunting1]

Used Savage 10/110/11 can be found for $250-$350 and shoot well. I think they are a step up from Ruger's etc.

 

[Mashthegas]

Tc venture gets my vote. Still put together without the cheap short cuts and seems to shoot sub moa with about anything you want to feed it.

 

[Wapiti1]

Howa 1500. Mossberg. TC Venture. All are good.

I like the Mossberg the best in all honesty.

Jeremy

 

[Timberline1996]

The savages are pretty affordable and most are tack driver. But with any brand you get the occasional dud

 

[Motown]

Tc venture gets my vote. Still put together without the cheap short cuts and seems to shoot sub moa with about anything you want to feed it.

Those ventures are sure hard to beat for the money. I have had a handful of them over the years and they were all 1/2 moa rifles with handloads and some even with factory ammo.

I lucked out about 3 years ago and a local distributor had a special run of T3X blued superlites made in 270 and 308 with mossy oak breakup camo stocks. Dont care for the camo pattern, but they closed them out for $550 each and I couldn’t walk away and bought one of each. I dropped the 308 into a Mcmillan and the 270 is still in the original stock. Not quite $500 but pretty close.

 

[Highvoltage1]

I picked up a tc venture a few years back in a 270 new for 158 shipped. Some online special. I probably should have bought a dozen. Lol that thing shot everything sub moa. I ended up setting it up for a coworker and he loves it. Only thing I didn’t care for was the bolt wasn’t smooth. But for $158 I won’t complain! As others noted the savages are 225-275 at local pawn shops and shoot as well.

 

[kodiak17]

I had never owned a savage in the past but picked up a model 10 predator in 204 and it shoots 1/4 inch groups and has an action as smooth as my custom rifle.

 

[robtattoo]

I've never had a single bad experience out of my Savage Axiseses. I'm currently shooting a heavy barrel accutrigger model in .223 & it's just so silly accurate it's boring. 10 round groups hover right around an inch. I think this is my 5th & most expensive (I have $260 in the bare rifle) I will say though, the balance is awful. Sooooo nose heavy.
Come spring, i'm either going to whip it down to 16" or trade it off towards a Ruger American, because I've never tried one.

 

[hodgeman]

I've had a couple Americans in youth models that shot way better than their meager price tag and a Savage that did well. A couple more Howa's that shot fantastic and felt like a "real" rifle came in at the high end of your price point.

Back in the day, you could get a Tikka T3 on sale at Sportsman for right at $500. It was the price point that made Tikka's vaunted reputation.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I know a guy who has used a Winchester XPR for about ~ 3 years now. He’s been able to get his moose and caribou Avery year as well as a goat or 2.

 

[Rknight]

I think I paid around $400 for my weatherby vanguard a couple years ago. Great rifle for the price

 

[Harvey_NW]

I know of tons of Ruger Americans that shoot lights out, including mine. I think they're the all around best box rifle.

 

[bruceleroy]

+1 for the Ruger American. Mine is the Predator in 308. Has maintained an average of 0.7 MOA over 250+ 5 shot groups using 5 different powders and 3 different bullets.