Would you hunt with a cheap rifle?

[PredatorSlayer]

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?

The rifles that will mean the most to your kids when you pass them down are the ones you used, not the fancy expensive safe queens. Its the memories of dad shooting an elk or deer with that rifle, or this was dad’s go to rifle. For that reason, I don’t have any safe queens or cheap rifles any more.

 

[Floridave]

Out of curiosity what are the old rifles you are ‘saving’ for your kids?
Firstly, I’d hunt with any rifle that was accurate and did the job, in fact, I love when something cheap I have performs ‘better’ than it should or than more expensive options.
That being said, I’m in process of reworking/rebarreling my old REM 721(my grandfathers) into something I’ll continue using (and pass down) and hopefully is as accurate as yours, rather than buy a lower end current model with plastic parts.


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[D.Rose]

One is a Winchester model 70 30-06 that my dad hunted with for a long time and I killed my first deer with it. The other is a Ruger m77 hawkeye .243 that I grew up hunting with. My dad gave me his model 70 to put back for my son when he gets older and the .243 isn't really the caliber I'm satisfied with anymore but I have tons of history with that gun.

 

[Floridave]

I fully get the sentimental aspect and am the same way about it, and with not wanting to invest time/memories/history with things I don't care about. If it was me, and I liked everything about the Browning except the the plastic, I'd spend the money to replace that, the stock, whatever. I'd still occasionally hunt with the other two you mention. ( print one of your your 5 shot groups and tape it to the stock, show that to any snobs looking down on your choice. You could go through several rifles to find another that shoots as well as this one is for you.

The AB3 was one I had considered along with Weatherby Vanguard. I had a Browning A-bolt in 7mm Mag that was a great rifle. Wish I'd kept that one.

 

[Darryle]

Did for years, still do on occasion, my skills have continually improved, see no reason to stop.

 

[dreamingbig]

I don’t rifle hunt much but when I do it is a cheap begara .308 with a solid but basic leuopold scope. No dialing, no fuss and it kills well.


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[Choupique]

Shitchyea I would. Do it all the time. As long as it's reliable and lands bullets where you want them to land, who cares?

That said, I sure do prefer hunting with a "nice" rifle. I just appreciate good craftsmanship. I REALLY enjoy taking a very nice rifle or shotgun and using the hell out of it. Not abusing it, but using it . Fine rifles and shotguns are often very durable. They're tools meant to be used. A piece of fine gunsmithing work wasting away as a safe queen is a travesty.

 

[skindroid]

Cheap, no never. Inexpensive, good quality all day and twice on Sunday!

We are in a golden age more or less - the above is a very attainable thing in 2022. A good buddy of mine bought a Tikka T3x chambered in 6.5PRC and set it up with a Trijicon Tenmile he got on a big discount a couple years ago. The very first day on the range we dialed it in and were banging steel at over 950 yards.

 

[philson208]

inexpensive rifles are my go to, as long as they shoot straight!

 

[Fatcamp]

I'd hunt with a spear if it's all I had.

 

[Stinky Coyote]

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?

Lmfao at the title, 'would you hunt with a cheap gun?'...too funny. Yes bro, and most people do lol. Maybe not on this forum so much.

The 21st century is wonderful as finding sub-moa with factory ammo tends to be the norm now with cheap or expensive guns. The accuracy part may not need to be the primary consideration part so much as what speaks to you and your personality.

Are you're looking for a girlfriend or a tool? I have done both and seem happier doing things with less $ tied up in the equipment than more. I get annoyed now if I see a ton of money sitting around in gear that sees very little action so I aim for more versatile and cost effective options, and sold off the fancy stuff.

Pride of ownership is a personal thing. Shoot what speaks to you. If you like to impress others...shoot what impresses them lol.

You can take a cheap gun and spruce it up into a chassis or aftermarket stuff as well and lessen the cheapness lol. That's what I did, I run a Ruger American in a chassis with decent glass and happy as a pig in poo. I didn't do it for long range precision type shooting or fashion as hunting is all I care about, predators/big game, but rather 21st century versatility, found more control in the pistol grip, shoot it very well, no gunsmithing required for awesome bedding job, no plastic trigger guard haha, and running AR accessories makes it fit anyone instantly at the press of a button and having kids come of age that's been wonderful but works for me more than I thought also, positions, clothes, shoulder strap of pack etc.

Have fun, you'll figure it out eventually, hopefully before you spend what I did over the past couple decades.

p.s. I don't get the sentiment thing, if you're a gear junky you're not likely to be hunting with the hand me downs in this day and age of awesomeness. I'll be building the same rigs to pass off to the kids as they will never need anything else and can keep as primary or back up for life. Mostly tools for function. If they get passionate they can go down all the rabbit holes and have the same fun like I did. They just aren't allowed to sell the one I give them and must keep as back up, at least until I ship off to the next life. They can bury me with mine.

 

[sdupontjr]

Absolutely. Bought my youngest an Academy Rem 700 ADL 308 for about $350 with synthetic stock. I'm in south Louisiana but went on a South West Texas hunt. He was shooting 150 rem coreloks and dropping deer at 200+ and even took a nice 8 at almost 300 with walmart ammo. All I did was free float the barrel in the Tupperware stock. He liked it so much I bought my other son one as well. Same outcome. Free float barrel, but this one the action was a little rough. So I sat and watched tv, oiled the action and cycled it for 2 hours. Wiping it off and re oiling abkut every 20 cycles. Now it's very slick and shoots .75 - .5 moa with walmart ammo. One has a Nikon 4-12x50 (pre monarch about 1990 model) and the other a trijicon Accupoint 2.5-10x56. They love em.

But most important, by buying cheap, it allowed me to see how they would care for and maintain their equipment without breaking the bank.

 

[Yoder]

My best shooting gun is a Savage 110 .270. It was a combo I paid $350 for new with a cheesy Simmons 3x9 scope. With Federal Blue box it shoots cloverleafs at 100 yards. That scope is now in the garbage but it's a great gun. It out shoots my Weatherby Mark V that was 3x the cost. I agree that glass is way more important. The other thing is the trigger.

 

[S.Radke]

Depends on what you call cheap. My remington long range was 600 dollars and I must have gotten a good barrel or one of the better ones cause I've been dropping deer at about 600 to 700 yards year after year. Ammo and optics are a huge factor as well.

 

[Long Cut]

I’d rather use a gun like a tool than like a centerpiece.

 

[M1SF1T]

Nothing wrong with an inexpensive right that can shoot... I've got a few that I hang on to... that said, there's nothing wrong with something that you like the feel of, or the look of, or all the features to it.

I've got cheap saws that can do the job, I've got some beauty saws that can do the same job while being easier to use and feeling good doing it, and look better in my shop.

 

[Trees91]

I'd use a cheap gun if I had to, and I have. Wally World adl and 870 express through high school and college.

But I don't have to anymore. When I grab my rifle or shotgun I want something I'm happy to be carrying.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

100% of the elk and mule deer I shot were with a “cheap rifle” a plastic stocked Remington 700 in 270 with a Bushnell 4x scope. That was a great gun and I wish I still had it.

I was in my mid 30s before I ever owned nice rifles. And I still do a lot of hunting with a Remington 700 just out of nostalgia.

 

[*zap*]

I would and do.

 

[awbowhunter]

I hunt with what I can afford. I've gone from a remington 742 to a custom build. Given the right situation they have all gotten the job done. That said these days I try to hunt with the BEST equipment I can afford. I want to maximize any opportunity I get and look for any and every edge I can get. With all the equipment I've bought it'd be nice if I just knew how to hunt!....lol
FWIW.....tons of animals have fallen to cheap weapons.