Best budget rifle
- Thread starter bud69
- Start date
You're hunting for deer?
diabeticfreak
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- The fields of Ontario
Bushnell Elite 3500's are good 3-9x scopes that can be had for under $300.
nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Look for a used rifle. Today's budget rifles are built to such a low quality to.reach a price point. I would say Tikka T3, but really, they have now priced themselves out of the budget market.
p.Rundle
CGN frequent flyer
A Mauser M18 is a great option. It's also nitrided, so it's sort of a half-ass all-weather option people don't know about. I very much want all guns I (personally) purchase to be either stainless, or some sort of weather-treated alloy steel. These features won't make a gun rust-proof, but you won't have "oh crap did I oil the rifle before I put it away?" pop into your head at 11:30. Or if you do, you can rest easy and remember to do it in a day or two.
The Cz557 is also a great option. I worked at a range where a customer, who was a new shooter, had one of the old 557s that had to true Mauser action. It shot like 1/4 inch groups at 50 meters. I offered to buy it every time I saw him and his son and he never gave it up.
I have never heard anything bad about the Howa rifles, other than their over molded stock can be too soft. Weatherby is also a great bet.
I agree with the sentiments that modern budget bolt guns don't have the design integrity that older guns do, but they do (generally) have superior metallurgy, heat treatment, and stress relief. Those factors can, to some degree, make a mediocre design "okay enough." Nothing can make a bad design good (the Remington 770, new generation of R51, and many other guns they used to make stand out as examples), but some of these budget designs are okay. I would say stick to the level above budget and you'll probably save yourself some concern in the long term.
If you're shooting out to 400m, consider .270. It's underrated these days. 6.5 CM is great for shooting at range, and would probably do what you want well. Consider the price difference in ammo between calibers, because even if 6.5 CM shoots 25% better at range than .308, if you can shoot 2x (this and the 25% are made up statistics, you'd have to look up specific loads for a valid comparison) as much ammo with the .308 for training, it'll be better to go with the option that allots more training. Either way, with modern loads and common sense about choice, most calibers are fine at the ranges you described.
The Cz557 is also a great option. I worked at a range where a customer, who was a new shooter, had one of the old 557s that had to true Mauser action. It shot like 1/4 inch groups at 50 meters. I offered to buy it every time I saw him and his son and he never gave it up.
I have never heard anything bad about the Howa rifles, other than their over molded stock can be too soft. Weatherby is also a great bet.
I agree with the sentiments that modern budget bolt guns don't have the design integrity that older guns do, but they do (generally) have superior metallurgy, heat treatment, and stress relief. Those factors can, to some degree, make a mediocre design "okay enough." Nothing can make a bad design good (the Remington 770, new generation of R51, and many other guns they used to make stand out as examples), but some of these budget designs are okay. I would say stick to the level above budget and you'll probably save yourself some concern in the long term.
If you're shooting out to 400m, consider .270. It's underrated these days. 6.5 CM is great for shooting at range, and would probably do what you want well. Consider the price difference in ammo between calibers, because even if 6.5 CM shoots 25% better at range than .308, if you can shoot 2x (this and the 25% are made up statistics, you'd have to look up specific loads for a valid comparison) as much ammo with the .308 for training, it'll be better to go with the option that allots more training. Either way, with modern loads and common sense about choice, most calibers are fine at the ranges you described.
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This. My go to.
Went with a Howa 1500 in 308 with the A&B Chassis when Irunguns were blowing them out for $900 CDN all in. Slapped a Magpul PRS on as well.
Now I have 2 more bone stock 1500's in 308 and 6.5CM. Just can't beat the value for the price. Hands down. HIGHLY recommended. I can just feel that lovely trigger break in my mind as I type.
Went with a Howa 1500 in 308 with the A&B Chassis when Irunguns were blowing them out for $900 CDN all in. Slapped a Magpul PRS on as well.
Now I have 2 more bone stock 1500's in 308 and 6.5CM. Just can't beat the value for the price. Hands down. HIGHLY recommended. I can just feel that lovely trigger break in my mind as I type.
Would you seriously hunt bear or even deer with 6.5 CM? It may be accurate out to 1500 metres but it has low BC (and terminal energy) which is required for penetration. Just asking, I'm a newbie.
duncansuds
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Weyburn, SK
They are more than adequate at 400m on the suggested game with practice. If you can hold 1 moa and read wind to 1.5moa accuracy, I think that’s an acceptable maximum range.
Closer is better with ethics in mind and much more exciting I think you will find.
Closer is better with ethics in mind and much more exciting I think you will find.
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I have several friends who have shot everything from bears to elk with a 6.5 Creedmoor, all one shot kills from 50 to 500 meters. Personally I prefer the 260 or 6.5x55 fir hunting In a class of case like the 308 , but the Creedmoor will do it.it is more about where you place the bullet .
Cat
Mauser M18 is a bad option.
1) It has no way upgrade anything - there are no stocks, no aftermarket, no even a choice of magazines.
2) It has very little resale value if any. Any savage, rem, howa, cz... anything will sell faster and retain more value than M18 (pressed barrel, dead end platform, too cheap to begin with)
1) It has no way upgrade anything - there are no stocks, no aftermarket, no even a choice of magazines.
2) It has very little resale value if any. Any savage, rem, howa, cz... anything will sell faster and retain more value than M18 (pressed barrel, dead end platform, too cheap to begin with)
