Your Best Budget Gun ever?

[Yoder]

Marlin XS7 youth model in .243. I picked it up a few years ago for under $300. It shoots 1/2 groups at 100 yards with cheap ammo. Great trigger. Nothing fancy but a really great little gun. My wife killed her first deer with it this year.

 

[sbaker0029]

A Savage model 11 in .223. Got it with the factory Bushnell on clearance after the accutrigger became popular and this didn't have one. $310.
Killed a few coyotes and did a lot plinking with crap ammo my AR wouldn't feed. It ate everything and shot even the crap at close to moa. Learned that heating a barrel up opens groups and causes lots of mirage off the barrel.
Put probably close to 500rds through it and sold it for $475 haha

 

[eric1115]

I bought a used Savage 110 in .243 years ago. Over the years I rebarreled it in .308, replaced the stock, ditched the old scope and Leupold windage adjustable base, and now I have a decent shooting rifle for only a little more than I would have paid for a Tikka.

Certainly not as nice as some of my others, but that old shitbox actually has a fair bit of sentimental value. It was definitely the gun I got comfortable tinkering with, and not afraid to screw something up on. Also the one that put a bunch of meat in the freezer through some lean years.

 

[Rob762]

A Ruger American .22 Mag that was way more accurate than it should’ve been for $250

 

[kickemall]

Ruger American Predator .223 for $390.00. POS stock, trigger and rough action but never jams and shoots lights out even though I treat it like the ranch gun that it is.

 

[GunsAreFun]

I have 2.

1. A 100 Marlin 795 22lr with the free 3-9x40 that came off a Savage 110 from Walmart that can put 10 shots in a group smaller than a dime at 50 yards.

2. A .556 18” upper from PSA that will shoot .6” repeatedly with TTSX at 100 yards with a Bushnell AR 3-12 that I got on sale with the mount for $100 from Cabelas. I’m saving this one for my kids to learn to deer hunt.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

My Barrett Fieldcraft 6.5 CM when I bought it brand new for $1600


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[Hoosker Doo]

A few years ago, I decided it was time for my wife to get her own gun after struggling to hold and locate game in the scope of my long, heavy Ruger #1's. After several months of having her handle every gun in every store we came across (including the Weatherby Camilla, Kimbers, etc) the one she liked the fit and feel of the action best was a Mossberg Super Babran youth rifle we picked up in 6.5 CM. $400 with a Dead Point 3x9 (chinese special) scope. It's actually a very smooth action, but only a 2 lug bolt.

Sighted in at 100 yards and poi has never shifted. I added a Second Zero flip down prism lense for $40 off Amazon and she has 5 or 6 kills between 100 and 350 yards all heart/lung.

Now my problem is every time I want to spend real money on a gun she'll ask "what will that do that my $400 combo won't?". I can argue on scopes, but I'm really just making stuff up as to how my 6.5 that cost 4 times more is functionally any better.

 

[SwiftShot]

Picked up a small I mean small Marlin Lever action in 44 Rem Mag. It was ported, got it for 400, Cabelas sold a scope for it to be paired with the Hornady Lever Revolution ammo. Scope is has, 50, 100, 150 and 200 yard markers. Got it on sale for 100 bucks. Thing is light nimble and kids love it. That rifle has been the first rifle for hunting season for 9 kids. It has 26 deer on it. Nothing has went past 20 yards. Gun is 1.2 MOA with factory ammo and just drops deer. Best buy I have.

 

[Ross]

Mid 80s pawn shop $225 in Missoula mt Remington bdl 7mm borrowed from the future father in law guess he trusted me

 

[beignet]

Plain old Savage Axis 30-06 (not the II). Shot fine out of the box but I went ahead and bedded it into a Boyd’s stock, lightened the trigger with a cheap spring kit, and upgraded the extractor with another cheap kit. It’s the least expensive centerfire I own and probably the most accurate.

 

[Mojave]

Budget gun? Lol

I say that because I don't pay gunsmiths to fix things, I don't pay gunsmiths for new barrels. Bolt and go.

There is a target rifle built in Australia called an O-Mark. They were part of their version of Civilian marksmanship in the way back when (1940's maybe). Most of them have been converted to single shot target rifles because the actions and triggers are ok. Normally in 308 or 223 because that is the caliber you shoot fullbore competioins with.

By the time you put a new barrel, stock and trigger you have $4000-5000 into a sow's ear that cost $200.

If I need the money I can go to Cabelas and get 70% of what my Blaser R8 cost me back out of it.

 

[KU_Geo]

Marlin xl7 in 25-06. Think I bought it for $270 out the door. First bullet/powder combo o tires it shot consistently .3-.4 moa groups. Killed several critters with that gun, but eventually sold it…….that I can’t for the life of me remember.

 

[rootacres]

Ruger Gunsight Scout Rifle - 450 Bushmaster / 3-9x40 Accupoint (straight walled zone in MI)

MSRP ~$1450
I paid $450 new

Two of these were listed on GB a few years ago. I didn't need anything this nice but figured Id try to snag one. Long story short, I paid $450 out the door. I think the person listing it thought it was a Ruger American. Same rifle is going for $1,200+ on GB right now. It's a handy, lightweight, durable little rifle.

 

[Andrew.c]

I love my Tikka 7mm. Great gun for the money!

 

[dsmiley]

Bought a remington 788 in .308 at s pawn shop for 100$ shoots a hair under moa. Was well worth it .

 

[vonb]

Mauser M12 (not the M18) Extreme Impact for $500. Came with a trigger from the factory that breaks at 1 7/8 lbs. Feeds and extracts well and accuracy is right there with custom tubes. Eurooptic has them listed now north of $2k.

 

[bsoliday]

I purchased 3 Tikka T3 Stainless Light's a few years ago as gifts. All 3 shot under MOA out of the box with factory ammo. I wasn't a fan of the stock, but great lower cost (~$700) firearm.

 

[TAArrowood]

Not to get everyone laughing, but a bolt action JC Higgins in .270 win.. I believe it is a model 50 (going from memory).. I love the old FN Mauser actions and bought this one as a doner.. I thought what the heck, I'd better shoot it before tearing it down... I was amazed at how it shot.. I shot about 3/4" groups with everything I tried in it.. It's still sitting in my safe.. I can't bring myself to tearing it down.. I've loaned it out and it has accounted for a number of elk and deer... I think I gave $175 for it in the early 2000's.. Has one of the smoothest FN actions I've seen... Trigger is not bad, but have thought about putting a Timney on it.

 

[RussDXT]

Tc compass with mcarbo springs. 6.5 cm and it will shoot a group that holds its own with any of my rifles.