Would you hunt with a cheap rifle?

[woods89]

Get over it, and open your mind. Memories are not dependant on pretty rifles.

 

[Newtosavage]

So my dilemma.. I haven’t rifle hunted in the past 10 years and always filled my tags with archery equipment. I picked my rifle up this year and just really enjoyed the heck out of roaming around with the rifle on my back.

Over the years I have built some history with a couple rifles, one being my dads and those are retired and set aside for my son. Last year I traded for a Browning AB3 in 6.5cm. Short compact gun and I figured itd be good to beat around with. Turned out to be the very best shooting gun I have ever owned.

My problem is I can not stand the thoughts having and building history with a gun that has a plastic trigger and trigger guard. So would you all buy a much higher quality gun in hopes it shoots as good as the cheapo? I do not reload and only shoot factory ammo. So far this Browning has shot 1/2-3/4” moa with all 4 diff types of ammo I’ve shot through it.

I can’t stand the thoughts of dropping a bunch of money on a gun and then it not shooting as good as a cheap gun. Then again I cant stand having a gun with a plastic trigger and gaurd… What would you guys do?

I've only ever regretted selling accurate rifles. Keep it. If you hunt enough you'll want a backup anyway. If you just WANT another gun, then get one and hope it shoots as well.

 

[ShortMountain91]

Have killed way more stuff with the old Remington semi auto 7400 in 30-06 with the tasco scope and see through scope rings than with my new Browning HC 300 wsm with the 1k scope.

Sometimes I think we all start wanting new gear just for the thrill of getting new gear. Guilty myself. But it's really about the hunt and your abilities more than any of the gear

 

[foxrocket]

Bought a nice Tikka Hunter .243, beautiful wood. It got marked up a bit on its first hunt and that drove me nuts. So now I use a Savage Axis and I feel much more comfortable about banging it around. Keep the pretty guns for the range, and use the beaters in the field.

 

[Marbles]

If history is the point, use the rifles with history and add to that history.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Inexpensive, reliable, and precise are what you're looking for in a hunting rifle. However, each of these can be subjective depending on the user. In addition, there are expensive rifles that are turds and inexpensive models that are gems.

As an Iowa native, I've depended on folks on here with a lifetime of rifle hunting experience to help steer my choices on rifles. The first deer/elk hunting rifle i bought was a Ruger American in .308. Research revealed they had a good reputation for accuracy with a very smooth one piece bolt and action. However, their factory stocks are garbage, and like your browning, they come with a plastic trigger guard and mag.

I bought the rifle for less than $500 and invested in a Boyd's custom stock and metal trigger guard to replace oem. I ordered the stock with aluminum pillars installed and epoxy bedded/free floated the action/barrel. Total price after the stock upgrade was around $750 (around $1,150 with used SWFA 3-15). I'm able to shoot close to 1 MOA with the right ammo, so it's more than capable for most huning situations. However, I do have issues with feeding if I load more than 3 rounds in the cheap, plastic, rotary magazine. I get around this by loading the mag, loading a round, and adding another to the mag. Not super convenient, but manageable.

I could upgrade the bottom metal to accept AIC magazines for another $100 or so. However, then I would have around $900 (after tax) invested in a entry level action and barrel.

My point in all of this is that if I knew then what I know now, I would've sprung for the more expensive rifle with the features I wanted in the first place. And I don't necessarily subsribe to the "buy once cry once" mantra you see on here very often. There is a middle ground, and you can absolutely buy an excellent rifle and capable optic for around $1,000 if you do the research. For example, you can get a slightly used Tikka T3x SA or LA (you pick the cartridge) for around $700 right now. You can also get a SWFA 6x42 MOA or MIL for less than $300 until the end of the month. Throw in a set of Sportsmatch rings for $45, and you have a inexpensive, reliable, and precise hunting rifle.

 

[WildBoose]

"Making Memories" is multi-faceted. I really enjoy having and using nice gear...even if that means I have less gear. I personally would rather have 1 really nice gun/scope combo over 3 average ones. I have friends that think of it all totally different, and that's cool! At the end you are the one you have to please. If the gun is a shooter but you want some metal parts on it...put the parts on it, problem solved. Is that a minor deal? To some yes, but YOU are making YOU happy. I have friends that get just as much joy hunting with their $500 gun as I do my $2500 gun, and that's awesome! We're all not the same.

 

[KenLee]

Have killed way more stuff with the old Remington semi auto 7400 in 30-06 with the tasco scope and see through scope rings than with my new Browning HC 300 wsm with the 1k scope.

Sometimes I think we all start wanting new gear just for the thrill of getting new gear. Guilty myself. But it's really about the hunt and your abilities more than any of the gear

Send me that WSM!!! I can never have too many 300wsm Brownings. Family currently have 3 of mine borrowed.
My first deer rifle was a well used Remington 742 that the old man had camoed with model airplane paint. Wore an also camoed 3-9x32 Armsport scope. Shot at 98 deer and ate 97 of them. Clipped a limb off with one shot. Now that I'm old, I wish I'd never sold that rig. Actually bought one similar this past summer with old Redfield on it, but haven't shot it yet.

 

[SirChooCH]

The gun I use most is a Remington 870. The next is a Ruger 10/22. And then a Savage 110. I prefer to use cheap guns that get the job done and I don't have to worry about them getting beat up.

 

[5MilesBack]

I picked my rifle up this year and just really enjoyed the heck out of roaming around with the rifle on my back.

Are you being facetious? After hunting with a rifle for years, I really love roaming around the mountains with my bow in my hand.

The only gun I've ever seen with a plastic trigger and/or trigger guard was a cheap BB gun I had. That would be a non-starter for me before I tried to purchase it.

 

[D.Rose]

Are you being facetious? After hunting with a rifle for years, I really love roaming around the mountains with my bow in my hand.

The only gun I've ever seen with a plastic trigger and/or trigger guard was a cheap BB gun I had. That would be a non-starter for me before I tried to purchase it.

I've switched and started bow hunting with traditional equipment. So after being hard on myself all year it was nice to break that rifle out lol.

 

[260madman]

Is there a lot of reports of the trigger breaking?

 

[Sccritterkiller]

I got my 1st rifle in 93ish, 110 in .270, I think I paid $250 for it still kills critters just as dead today.

 

[SDHNTR]

I’ll be the odd man out. I just can’t do it. I hate the feel of cheap tools. A gun has to feel like quality in my hands.

 

[ShortMountain91]

Send me that WSM!!! I can never have too many 300wsm Brownings. Family currently have 3 of mine borrowed.
My first deer rifle was a well used Remington 742 that the old man had camoed with model airplane paint. Wore an also camoed 3-9x32 Armsport scope. Shot at 98 deer and ate 97 of them. Clipped a limb off with one shot. Now that I'm old, I wish I'd never sold that rig. Actually bought one similar this past summer with old Redfield on it, but haven't shot it yet.

Yeah they are wonderful guns and I'll probably keep it forever but I think it's funny that it sports a nice scope and gets hand loads that I've worked to make tiny groups and it's never shot any critters past maybe 100 yards lol. The old Remy semi with the tasco could've done the job just as well

 

[mitchparker1980]

Would I? Yes, if that is all the budget allowed for.

Thankfully, I can spend more money on quality firearm(s).

 

[Macintosh]

Un-retire one of your dads rifles. It’ll be the one that grampa AND dad hunted with.

Also Plastic isnt cold the way metal is. Many guns known for reliability (glock, etc) made of “plastic”. I get and share the appreciation for craftsmanship, and plastic just has no soul, but there is room for both. Hunt with dads gun at home and send the plastic marvel on an airline trip when you draw a tag, etc.

 

[KenLee]

Is there a lot of reports of the trigger breaking?

I haven't heard of any breaking.
I bought a couple AB3 and scoped em to give to now grown folks that I'd been carrying hunting since they were little.
The plastic triggers are surprisingly smooth with little travel. Nice shooters.

 

[KenLee]

Yeah they are wonderful guns and I'll probably keep it forever but I think it's funny that it sports a nice scope and gets hand loads that I've worked to make tiny groups and it's never shot any critters past maybe 100 yards lol. The old Remy semi with the tasco could've done the job just as well

I've killed deer and yotes out to 375 yards with mine, but it's usually 100-250 yards.
Stroked a seriously underachieving buck pushing a doe yesterday evening 49 minutes past sunset at 125 yards.

 

[49ereric]

So my dilemma.. I haven’t rifle hunted in the past 10 years and always filled my tags with archery equipment. I picked my rifle up this year and just really enjoyed the heck out of roaming around with the rifle on my back.

Over the years I have built some history with a couple rifles, one being my dads and those are retired and set aside for my son. Last year I traded for a Browning AB3 in 6.5cm. Short compact gun and I figured itd be good to beat around with. Turned out to be the very best shooting gun I have ever owned.

My problem is I can not stand the thoughts having and building history with a gun that has a plastic trigger and trigger guard. So would you all buy a much higher quality gun in hopes it shoots as good as the cheapo? I do not reload and only shoot factory ammo. So far this Browning has shot 1/2-3/4” moa with all 4 diff types of ammo I’ve shot through it.

I can’t stand the thoughts of dropping a bunch of money on a gun and then it not shooting as good as a cheap gun. Then again I cant stand having a gun with a plastic trigger and gaurd… What would you guys do?

accuracy first and foremost and if comes from an inexpensive rifle then smile and use it.
i’ve never had an expensive rifle and it doesn't bother me a bit. it doesn’t hurt when they get scratched up either but scratch up a custom $5K and it would haunt me.