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Old September 29, 2012, 12:06 AM   #1
kh1911
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cheap hunting rifle

Im lookin for a good cheap huntin rifle under $500.00 i already have a mosin nagant but would like somthing alittle more practical for hunting. Id prefer a .308 or a .30-06 and id like either a lever action or bolt action
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Old September 29, 2012, 12:10 AM   #2
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Wall Mart has pretty good deals on Remington 700's. Hard rifle to compete with
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Old September 29, 2012, 01:50 AM   #3
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entry level

There is a whole new range of "entry level" rifles now that will meet your needs. The Savage Edge, the new Ruger All American, The Mosberg ATR, or is it 4x4?, Maybe the new Rem 710?

Pawn shops in my area are full of used older Savage 110's and Rem 700 ADL's (Wally World rifles) that go for well under your price.
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Old September 29, 2012, 02:04 AM   #4
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I vote the Ruger American Rifle only cus I have one and it shoots MOA easy . I paid $400 out the door

Here is my review on it http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=492169

Ruger American Rifle .308 - 100 yards 168gr gold metal match

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Old September 29, 2012, 05:55 AM   #5
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Under $500. I'd look at TC Venture as my 1st choice. Weatherby Vanguard would also be a possibity.
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Old September 29, 2012, 09:14 AM   #6
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Remington 740 in 30/06. Idk what they go for now but I got mine for 200.
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Old September 29, 2012, 09:45 AM   #7
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Quote:
There is a whole new range of "entry level" rifles now that will meet your needs. The Savage Edge, the new Ruger All American, The Mosberg ATR, or is it 4x4?, Maybe the new Rem 710?
I'm still undecided on the Ruger American it hasn't been out long, but the Rem 710 probably hasn't been produced for around 10 years now, and Savage had to change the name from Edge to Axis probably due to copyright infringement. The Mossberg is still out there but not a rifle I'd buy, I don't know if they fixed the bolt problems or not, but I don't want one.

If you are looking for a rifle you can improve over the years as your shooting skills improve then I'd throw out the Mossberg, Savage Axis, Ruger American, T/C Venture, Marlin XS/L-7, and the Rem 770. There just aren't options and probably never will be to upgrade much on these rifles as you go and money improves. I doubt you'll see a lot of companies out there trying to offer aftermarket options for most of these rifles.

Rifles you can upgrade as you go are the M700 ADL, Stevens 200/Savage 10/110, and Howa/Weatherby Vanguard. The M700 is probably the most used action or cloned action for most of todays custom Target/Tactical builds as well as a lot of hunting rifles. The 700 has the most aftermarket parts for it and a lot of Gunsmiths earn there bread and butter on this action.

For the DIY kind of guy there are nothing better out there than the Savage/Stevens actions, but there aren't as many aftermarket parts for them. Savage likes to change thing up quite often and it takes awhile for things to catch up. Howa/Weatherby has probably the least amount of aftermarket options for it but far more than most entry level rifles.

The thing about all these rifles is they start in the upper $300 and can be had for less than $500 most places. If you watch for deals sometimes the Stevens 200 will be around $250-300 and the Savage 10/110 for right at $400. Wal-Mart has the best prices on the M700 that I know of, with tax you'll be out the door for around $450.
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Old September 29, 2012, 09:49 AM   #8
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+1 for the Ruger American, sure seems like a great rifle at a relatively very low price point. I've been reading all the reviews I can get my hands on, and, overall, very high marks from everyone.
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Old September 30, 2012, 01:18 AM   #9
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Marlin X-7 series start at $299...and are Sub-MOA from the box!
Plus Boyd's Riflestocks makes quite a few styles of laminate stocks for 'em at low prices as well!!
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Old September 30, 2012, 03:45 AM   #10
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Inexpensive rifles in order of preference:

Marlin X7: It's amazing you can get a rifle this good for so little money.
Savage Axis: Not far behind the Marlin and well worth a look.

Mossberg ATR and similar: Not too bad, but not competitive with the two above.
Remington 710/770: Avoid at all costs. Crudely made, crudely finished and ugly. I wouldn't own one if it were free.


Weatherby Vanguard / Howa 1500 and the Ruger American are good choices for a bit more money.
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Old September 30, 2012, 11:17 AM   #11
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Most gunshops should have one or more used Marlin leverguns for $300-$350, although they were never made in .308 or .30-06.


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Old September 30, 2012, 02:20 PM   #12
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The savage axis I bought is really a great shooter for the cost. Although I love a remington 700 I chose the Axis because it was about half the price.
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Old September 30, 2012, 09:42 PM   #13
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One of my coworkers recently picked up the Ruger American. He showed me the targets.....it would seem more than adequate for someone looking for a .308 Win on a budget. He had less than 1 MOA three shot groups. How much more do you need for deer hunting?
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Old September 30, 2012, 09:45 PM   #14
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Savage Axis. Light weight, good feel, and outstanding recoil pad. It also shoots very respectable groups for a "cheap" gun.
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Old October 1, 2012, 05:06 AM   #15
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Cheap ? Rifle..

For the top name in INEXPENSIVE "accurate out of the box" rifles, look no further than Savage. I have close to 40 rifles from various countries, some costing as much as a car...my two favorites (and best shooters) are two of the least expensive...A Savage FCP-10 and a Tikka.

My advice: never go "Cheap"... go for inexpensive quality.


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Old October 1, 2012, 08:52 AM   #16
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You should look at the Weatherby Vanguard S2 in .308. I got mine for $425 and put an used Redfield Revolution scope on it. It shoots well under one MOA with inexpensive factory ammo (9/16" with Rem CoreLokt which costs $19.99/box).
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Old October 1, 2012, 09:38 AM   #17
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I'll throw another vote at the Ruger American. I picked up one in .30-06, and am very happy with it at the range. Hoping it gets a chance to make its bones in a few months.
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Old October 1, 2012, 01:01 PM   #18
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Here is my "cheap" hunting rifle. It is a NEF Handi Rifle in .30-06. You can get it for about half of your $500 and have money left for a good scope. I have fired mine nine times at deer ranging from 25 to 125 yards and have put nine deer on the ground. None required more than one shot. With the butt stock shell carrier I can reload for a second shot almost as fast as with a bolt action.

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Old October 1, 2012, 01:21 PM   #19
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Weatherby Vanguard S2. Far more ergonomic than a 700 and guaranteed sub-moa.

Sent via teletype
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Old October 1, 2012, 07:42 PM   #20
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For a used bolt rifle look to Winchester model 670. This was the cheaper version of the model 70 featuring hardwood stock and stamped checkering. But they're very accurate and reliable for less than $400.00

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Old October 1, 2012, 11:42 PM   #21
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For me the clear choice would be the Savage Model 110/10 or a 11/111. IMO they are one of the best deals going.

If I was going to go for a 700, it would be an older one.
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Old October 2, 2012, 01:11 AM   #22
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Win73

Very nice single shot. I've always been a fan of the H&R's and wish I still had my .410 when I was a kid. I'm actually looking for one in .44mag for a close range hog gun. But those H&R's are more than accurate as a hunting rifle, simple design, and caliber selection make them a viable option.
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Old October 2, 2012, 05:21 AM   #23
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Savage 110. I've never owned a Savage 110 that didn't shoot at least 1.5" at 100 yards.
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