There is nowhere near enough information in your post to even begin to give you an answer.
Despite the comparisons to rifles/shoguns made decades ago the truth is that today's major brands are built "well enough" with the caveat "you get what you pay for" IF we are talking NEW here.
If your budget is under about $800 "today" then you are going to get a "usable" firearm but the fit/finish will "sub-standard" according to many. A "decent" rifle will usually run you about a grand "without optics".
As far as rifles go there really isn't a brand that "isn't accurate". All of them are well capable of shooting 1" groups at 100 yards if the shooter has the necessary skills. And that doesn't matter if it's a $400 Savage Axis or the "better names" with price tags often exceeding 2K.
What is your buddy going to use the "gun" for?
Hunting birds? He needs a shotgun - just has to decide whether single shot, pump, semi-auto, over/under, side/side and what gauge.
Punching holes in paper - 22 LR, 223 etc - one of the calibers that's "cheap to shoot".
Hunting medium/large game - needs minimally perhaps a 270 - 7 mm or 30 cal would be "more common and more versatile" - think 308 or 30.06 for "popular", lots of factory ammo and you can get it anywhere.
You can google any brand of firearm in any caliber and totally support your pre-conceived belief. You will find a thousand guys who say it's "junk" and another thousand that tell you it does more than you can ever ask for and even serves you coffee in the morning. The truth usually lies smack in the middle. And again, the lower your budget the less real difference you will find in either quality, fit or finish, but they all "work fine"....
