Shop used or look for some "old stock" that the dealer hasn't jacked the price yet to 2016 reality.
A Ruger American (brand new sourced in 2016) is now a 700 dollar rifle - hardly a "budget gun" anymore.
An Axis will set you back close to $500 although with a bit of looking you can still find one for just under $400 - I have one, 223 for Yote's - I clipped the trigger spring and foamed the butt with spray foam (for around doors and windows) - it shoots fine to well past the ranges you note - I feed it 55 grain Hornady's which come factory loaded in a box of 50 rounds for about 40 bucks - a good few Yote outings - heck, for 10 bucks you could feed it American Eagles and get 20 "pops".
Another "cheap" option would be a 783 Remington - it's Rem's AXIS - they shoot well and the price is cheap - $400'ish new.
A 2016 Weatherby VGII synthetic is now close to 800 bucks - or close the cost of 2 Axis.
And those are all "without glass" - An Axis XP (mid 500 buck range) or a Rem 783 with glass (just on 500 bucks) are your "only two" budget options amongst "brand new 2016" rifles.
A Ruger American (brand new sourced in 2016) is now a 700 dollar rifle - hardly a "budget gun" anymore.
An Axis will set you back close to $500 although with a bit of looking you can still find one for just under $400 - I have one, 223 for Yote's - I clipped the trigger spring and foamed the butt with spray foam (for around doors and windows) - it shoots fine to well past the ranges you note - I feed it 55 grain Hornady's which come factory loaded in a box of 50 rounds for about 40 bucks - a good few Yote outings - heck, for 10 bucks you could feed it American Eagles and get 20 "pops".
Another "cheap" option would be a 783 Remington - it's Rem's AXIS - they shoot well and the price is cheap - $400'ish new.
A 2016 Weatherby VGII synthetic is now close to 800 bucks - or close the cost of 2 Axis.
And those are all "without glass" - An Axis XP (mid 500 buck range) or a Rem 783 with glass (just on 500 bucks) are your "only two" budget options amongst "brand new 2016" rifles.





















































