Did you ever buy a rifle not expecting much, but it became a keeper?

Rem 783 ,6.5CM, 16 inch barrel.

Threw it in an MDT chassis and its shooting .5 .6 groups.

So for $800 ish all in, it's a keeper beater.
 
Mossberg plinkster i got one for 150$ wanted to try out a semi 22.
Shoots 1" groups at 50m with bulk. Not bad. But then after probably 5000 rounds i realized i havent cleaned it once and ive had maybe 5 ftf and no jams or stove pipes. I bring it every time i go to the range and lots of times while hiking with the kids.

Also a win 94. I had no interest in one at all. And definitely not in 3030. (I like odd stuff you cant buy ammo for) Guy had 2 at work and would sell them for smoking deal. So i bought both ( under 200 each) well let me tell you after carrying it to my car i already knew it was a keeper. That thing carries so nice i love it. I never would have guessed. Although now looking at them after holding one i can see its obvious it would carry well.

Thats interesting. A guy I know has a Plinkster and its quite possibly the least reliable rifle I've ever shot. You'd be lucky to get through 10 rounds without a problem, and the 25 round mag he had for it was even worse!

I did have a Mossberg ATR100 that was a better gun than I expected though. I ended up selling it because it was right handed and I've switched to left and needed the funds to buy a lefty hunting rifle, but if I still shot right handed that thing would have never left my possession. Only paid $235, and while the blind magazine on it was total garbage everything else was quite good for a rifle of that price - bolt lift was much lighter than my Savage, trigger broke clean without too much effort, and the stock was the best plastic-fantastic stock on a budget rifle that I've seen (actually had a cheek rest and the fact it was a blind mag made the whole thing more rigid. Decent recoil pad too.)
 
^^ i use the 10 round factory mag. Ive used probably 8 different types of 22 ammo in it. All work flawlessly. But i will admit that its all been above 1100fps.. CCI standard velocity are my favorite. The mag is now 7 rounds and the gun is lightened up to less then 2 pounds but still functions perfectly.
 
I am hoping my Mossberg 500 pump falls into this category that I bought recently from a site-sponsor

I got 2 Mossberg 500 bantam 20ga at Canadian Tire a couple years ago not expecting much but they have become keepers. They were well under 300$. Introduced dozens of students to the shooting sports with them. Several thousands of rounds through each with no hiccups.

The basic Ruger PCC turned out to be WAY more fun than it should be, especially at the price they once went for.
 
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^^ i use the 10 round factory mag. Ive used probably 8 different types of 22 ammo in it. All work flawlessly. But i will admit that its all been above 1100fps.. CCI standard velocity are my favorite. The mag is now 7 rounds and the gun is lightened up to less then 2 pounds but still functions perfectly.

Less than 2lbs? Impressive! Thats lighter than a Savage Rascal and over a lb lighter than a Little Badger.
 
While I generally am fairly fond of another firearm I purchase, there are a few that ended up becoming quick favourites of mine.

The Ruger Scout with its peep sights and PMAGs is one of my very top hunting rifles. It shoots so well and is easily handled in the dense brush I chase moose through, it really surprised me at just how good of a rifle it is. Once I worked up some handloas for it, I became even further impressed with it and is now a regular companion.

Tavor 7 is terrific as well, namely for the accuracy I squeeze out of it. I was worried about it when I bought it, as rumor had it that they were something like 3 MOA guns, and IWI had been working to get better accuracy out of them but nobody had a chance to see if they succeeded. I've been running Federal bulk stuff into 1 MOA or better since I first squeezed the trigger. Its been 100% reliable and has great handling characteristics and ergos. Just a really well thought out rifle really.

Another example was a Browning A-Bolt 338 WM I picked up for a good deal. It wasn't anything special, and was evidently well used, but cared for. Factory ammo gave me just OK groups, but quite quickly found a good handload that worked out to be sub-moa and also near max velocities. I've shot it at distance and she is scary accurate, and has the performance at that range to put em down hard. It is another go-to hunting companion when the opportunity to shots at some distance may be required. For a rather plain Jane unassuming rifle, it sure does its job well.
 
Marlin 981T 22LR, bolt action, 22" barrel

This was my first 22 purchase back when things were fairly tight. Paid $200 new from Wholesale Sports in 2003, put a Bushnell 3-9 on it and it shot like a laser. I was absolutely thrilled. Still have it and now my boys use it as well. It loves the Remington Yellowjacket ammo, with the microgroove barrel it's phenomenal.

Definitely a never sell!
 
I got 2 Mossberg 500 bantam 20ga at Canadian Tire a couple years ago not expecting much but they have become keepers. They were well under 300$. Introduced dozens of students to the shooting sports with them. Several thousands of rounds through each with no hiccups.

The basic Ruger PCC turned out to be WAY more fun than it should be, especially at the price they once went for.

thanks for your reply :)
 
I got 2 Mossberg 500 bantam 20ga at Canadian Tire a couple years ago not expecting much but they have become keepers. They were well under 300$. Introduced dozens of students to the shooting sports with them. Several thousands of rounds through each with no hiccups.

I agree with the bantam in 20 gauge. It’s a solid shotgun and the small receiver is much nicer to carry than a 12 gauge.

I would recommend it to anyone in the market for a reliable beater 20 gauge.
 
Remington 700 AAC-SD in 308. I traded for it only wanting the scope. It was just too accurate to get rid of.

Winchester 1890. Super cool. Very fun.

KelTec KS7. Just..... interesting. Not as awkward as the KSG.

Ruger PCC. Solid gun. Accurate. Well made.
 
ive got a lot of beautys ...but i carry most now is the ruger predator 6.5. ugly green stock and shoots lights out with any factory ammo i tried. light weight and dont care going through the bush. Bought a zkk 600 on a whim as it was cheap and wanted an ought 6. Man oh man is it underated.. even came with pop up sights and is super light for a wood stock gun.. at the range it likes 180s and the factory 220s. will be my black bear rifle this spring .set trigger is incredable and it just fits me right.. this ones going with me to the everafter.
 
No. I've bought a couple not intending to keep them, just wanting to have had them for the experience of shooting them and then sell them on, but never because I was "not expecting much."

E.g. I had something I was thinking I might sell to make room, but hadn't made up my mind, then someone advertised they wanted it and offered a trade. I ended up with a Remington 600, which was an interesting rifle but I am not partial to Remingtons and it was in a calibre I don't keep. But it was nice to have tried it and it went to someone who really wanted one.
 
Rem 783 hb 16.5" 223. Bought it because i wanted to build a 20 tac. Decided to see if it would shoot better than my dads winchester 70 fw in 223. First 3 shots cloverleafed at 100 yards so its staying as a 223 until i wear out the barrel anyway. Turns out the 783 is just a better savage so i have another in 308 waiting to become a 338fed. Ill eventually start cutting the 308 barrel down from 24" to decide what length i want for the new barrel

As for shotguns when i was introduced to sxs with dual triggers again i had to have one. A trip to woodstock gun show left me as the new owner of a stiff baikal ij58. Likely built from a recycled lotta but it fit. Now 78000 rounds thru it i compare all other sxs guns to it. Even bought a baikal double rifle as theyre almost the same action over a blaser rifle which was 5x the cost. It was far superior in everyway but fit and swing
Those are my 2 personal keepers that didnt cost much but surprised me how well a low end gun can function
 
Two of them actually, first was a 1873 Springfield trapdoor (1884 manf). I bought it expecting to have a little fun shooting 5 gal pails at 50 yrds...that damn thing shot 3" at 100 all day.
Second was a Savage Axis .223 , just wanted an inexpensive coyote rifle. Best shooting rifle I have ever owned( and Ive had some good ones), will shoot single hole right out of the box.
 
A Ruger American in .243. Light as a cork, shot like a laser and very light recoil. Couldn't find anything I didn't like about it. But, after That pos Trudeau got in and oil crapped the bed, I sold it and many others to generate some cash at the time. Might buy another in stainless if the right deal comes along.
 
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