What's your favorite cheap rifle? - Page 2

hammie · December 6, 2023, 11:40 PM

They're not my favorites, yet, but two economy centerfire rifles, I plan to add after the first of the year are: a CZ 600 Alpha, and a CVA Cascade. No one has mentioned them and I think they're close to the 600$ limit. The reviews give them high marks on performance and build quality.

CleanDean · December 7, 2023, 07:23 AM

Remington … Nylon 6 .
The ( CBC) Brazilian clone called a GR 8 … might be shoddy on some models .
The knockoffs were made from the old machines & Tooling that REM. had sold to the Brazilians.

ernie8 · December 7, 2023, 09:45 AM

I would say it worked as a hunting rifle should . 12 shots fired and 12 game animals down . The last girl is still using the first box of hunting ammo .

jmhyer · December 7, 2023, 02:55 PM

My experience with the Mossberg Patriot was a poor one. Granted, I've only had the one, but that was enough to keep me from picking up another one. I purchased mine about 5 years ago. It was in 243 Win. I couldn't get it to group well at all (probably only 4-6 MOA at best) with two or three different scopes and at least 3 or 4 brands of factory hunting ammo. It's still sitting in my safe. I can't bring myself, in good conscience, to sell it without a disclaimer that it appears to be a lemon. I took it out again before hunting season this year and results were the same as the previous times I shot it.

stagpanther · December 7, 2023, 03:25 PM

It's not that the Patriot can't shoot well--as long as the barrel is fairly good--which it is--and you can get the trigger releasing the pin you stand a good chance of getting a bullet near/on target. But if you take one apart, see how the action is held to the stock with the plastic mag provided key contact point--and have the misfortune of the trigger seizing up and you need to take a closer look at how they are made--they are truly preposterous in execution IMO.

s3779m · December 15, 2023, 11:00 AM

My personal favorite was a NIB Tikka Lite 223 for under $500 from the local (at the time) gun shop. About seven years ago so don't know if this is anywhere near what they are going for now.

tangolima · December 17, 2023, 11:38 AM

75% of what I own are cheap.

Currently I am tinkering with an AR-15 and an AR-10. AR-15 in A2 configuration cost $400 to put together, optics extra. It shoots 1-1.5moa. AR-10 is in .243 win., costing about $500 to put together, optics extra. It was consistently sub moa. Gradually it degraded to 2moa. Turned out barrel extension came loose. Just gotten a new barrel from the upper manufacturer. Will see how it goes.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Ricklin · December 17, 2023, 05:35 PM

My favorite cheap needs to be gotten back to. Ronnie's old Mossberg bolt action 30-30. A very cheap rifle when new, war surplus .30 cal. machine gun barrels were used to make them. It needs to be prettied up.

tjmga · December 17, 2023, 07:18 PM

CVA Scout. Only have on so far but I like it.

stagpanther · December 18, 2023, 07:44 AM

I have 2--they are addictive--but not so much since the big price jump.

hooligan1 · December 20, 2023, 08:55 AM

Stevens 334? Cva Cascade?.. Ive owned neither.
Ive seen plenty of YouTube videos on the Cascade to know they are decent.. Ruger American is decent..

ligonierbill · December 20, 2023, 01:29 PM

I've been watching this thread and thinking about...cheap. How about real cheap: Remington 783. Yes, I bought one in .223, with a wretched scope, for I think $260. Why, in the name of all that's holy, you ask. Well, I got tired of chasing brass from my one and only AR, so why not. It's heavy. It's a one size fits all action, so there's a big space in the mag well. But, it shoots inside an inch with Sierra 55 HPBT and 65 SGK. I put a vintage Weaver K8 (also heavy, also cheap) on it. Even heavier. But hey, it's all fun.

taylorce1 · December 22, 2023, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ligonierbill

Remington 783. Yes, I bought one in .223, with a wretched scope, for I think $260

I bought my first Stevens 200 in .223 for $195 out the door. However, those days are long gone. I looked at a few 783 rifles back in the day and almost bought one on .308. I found a used 700 for $500 vs. almost $400 for the 783.

jackstrawIII · December 23, 2023, 11:30 AM

The only inexpensive rifle that interests me at all is the Howa mini action. I have one and it's nice, now that I've replaced the stock with a nice chassis system.

The other cheap rifles I've handled all feel... cheap.

FITASC · December 24, 2023, 08:39 AM

Between a Marlin model 60 or their kid version Lil Buckaroo, I have not fired a >22lr that was more accurate until you get into either the Anschutz stuff or a totally customized 10/22 (where the only original piece is the aluminum receiver shell). The 60 cost me $89 and the Buckaroo $69 - my kids learned to shoot with that Buckaroo

Sarge · December 24, 2023, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stagpanther

It's not that the Patriot can't shoot well--as long as the barrel is fairly good--which it is--and you can get the trigger releasing the pin you stand a good chance of getting a bullet near/on target. But if you take one apart, see how the action is held to the stock with the plastic mag provided key contact point--and have the misfortune of the trigger seizing up and you need to take a closer look at how they are made--they are truly preposterous in execution IMO.

Triggered!

Yeah, me too. The problem with you & me is that we take things apart, which can render the simplest of implements into the Wiley Coyote Death Star.

Mark- one must never, ever tighten the action screws on a Patriot above 35 inch pounds.

BJung · December 24, 2023, 11:03 PM

Once upon a time military surplus rifles were cheap and the most accurate of these were my favorite. The cheaper the better so the cheapest was a M69 Romania .22lr. When they first came out, Shotgun News was advertising them for $65 each.

TruthTellers · December 25, 2023, 03:11 AM

I don't really have much rifles, IDK what is considered cheap, so I'd have to say the Mossberg .22 that I got on this very day 20 years ago.

Miss those days.

243winxb · December 25, 2023, 07:01 AM

Savage Axis 223 & 6.5 Creedmoor for me.

Sarge · December 25, 2023, 09:18 AM

I like the concept of these for an all weather utility rifle. I rattle can all exposed steel to seal out moisture and treat the fire control mechanism with this-
https://www.wd40.com/products/corrosion-inhibitor/

I'm in the market for a 20" 308 but I insist it have irons. This limits my choices a bit.

Txhillbilly · December 26, 2023, 03:39 PM

Mine is a used Savage 12 FLVSS in 223 that I bought 20+ years ago. A friend owned a local gun shop, and anytime he got a LH rifle in, he'd call me and ask if I wanted it.
The gun looked new, hardly fired. I paid $350 for it. I didn't care for the plastic stock, so I ordered a LH thumbhole stock from Stocky's for it. When I took the action out of the factory stock, it had a SSS competition trigger on it - Nice freebee!
Other than the stock, trigger, and me threading the barrel for a suppressor, the rifle is factory. It loves my 77gr BTHP hand loads, and will consistently shoot them in the .3"-.4" range.
It shoots so good that it is pretty boring!

FITASC · December 26, 2023, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Once upon a time military surplus rifles were cheap and the most accurate of these were my favorite. The cheaper the better so the cheapest was a M69 Romania .22lr. When they first came out, Shotgun News was advertising them for $65 each.

Thanks for the reminder - I forgot about my 6.5xss 1907-made Swede someone had "sporterized" - 18" barrel, Williams peep sight and a 200 round battle pack of Norma ammo for $55 at a ND gun show; had a smith redo the bolt for a scope and drill and tap the receiver - 3031 or 4064 and Sierra 120s or 140s put three shots into less than 1.5" @ 100 yards - not too bad for that old girl

cptjack · December 27, 2023, 05:44 AM

sako

Wilson154 · December 27, 2023, 12:13 PM

I have a savage axis in 243 win. that functions perfectly. I have taken several coyotes and crows out to 350 yards with it. The trigger isn't very good but for the price I can't complain. I also have a t/c compass in 300 win. mag. That shoots great unfortunately it's very picky as to what brand of shells it will fully extract but I haven't heard of anyone else having this problem. If I had to pick I would go with the axis as I have had several and not had any problems.

Wilson154 · December 27, 2023, 12:38 PM

P flados I would stay away from the bear creek uppers. I purchased one in 6.5 grendel a couple years ago and it wouldn't work. It would short stroke every time and it didn't matter the brand of ammo. I contacted them many times without any response. Now I have heard of them working great but I would never buy anything from BC again.
I am not sure what upper you were looking at but for that price I assumed it was a good chance it could be from BC.

December 7, 2023, 07:23 AM	#27
CleanDean Member Join Date: March 18, 2012 Location: Penna◇VIGILANT CURMUDGEON Posts: 80	Remington … Nylon 6 . The ( CBC) Brazilian clone called a GR 8 … might be shoddy on some models . The knockoffs were made from the old machines & Tooling that REM. had sold to the Brazilians. __________________ FNH Scar 17 s --Black ; cause it goes so well with my formal wear, for those special occasions. Customized Mini 14 ,& ATI stock and a 3.5 lb.-- Pittsburgh trigger. / SIG P227 / Colt Python 8 in.Nickel / Colt Gold Cup N.M. ; Voere * KDF in .270 ; N. frame S&W revolvers; and TC Contender in 41 Magnum .

December 7, 2023, 03:25 PM	#30
stagpanther Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2014 Posts: 11,799	It's not that the Patriot can't shoot well--as long as the barrel is fairly good--which it is--and you can get the trigger releasing the pin you stand a good chance of getting a bullet near/on target. But if you take one apart, see how the action is held to the stock with the plastic mag provided key contact point--and have the misfortune of the trigger seizing up and you need to take a closer look at how they are made--they are truly preposterous in execution IMO. __________________ "Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill *I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk!*

December 17, 2023, 05:35 PM	#33
Ricklin Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2008 Location: SW Washington state Posts: 2,016	My favorite cheap needs to be gotten back to. Ronnie's old Mossberg bolt action 30-30. A very cheap rifle when new, war surplus .30 cal. machine gun barrels were used to make them. It needs to be prettied up. __________________ ricklin Freedom is not free

December 18, 2023, 07:44 AM	#35
stagpanther Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2014 Posts: 11,799	I have 2--they are addictive--but not so much since the big price jump. __________________ "Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill *I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk!*

December 20, 2023, 08:55 AM	#36
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,587	Stevens 334? Cva Cascade?.. Ive owned neither. Ive seen plenty of YouTube videos on the Cascade to know they are decent.. Ruger American is decent.. __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

December 6, 2023, 11:40 PM	#26
hammie Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2009 Location: Temple, TX Posts: 959	They're not my favorites, yet, but two economy centerfire rifles, I plan to add after the first of the year are: a CZ 600 Alpha, and a CVA Cascade. No one has mentioned them and I think they're close to the 600$ limit. The reviews give them high marks on performance and build quality.

December 7, 2023, 09:45 AM	#28
ernie8 Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2018 Posts: 217	I would say it worked as a hunting rifle should . 12 shots fired and 12 game animals down . The last girl is still using the first box of hunting ammo .

December 7, 2023, 02:55 PM	#29
jmhyer Senior Member Join Date: June 19, 2012 Location: MS - USA Posts: 899	My experience with the Mossberg Patriot was a poor one. Granted, I've only had the one, but that was enough to keep me from picking up another one. I purchased mine about 5 years ago. It was in 243 Win. I couldn't get it to group well at all (probably only 4-6 MOA at best) with two or three different scopes and at least 3 or 4 brands of factory hunting ammo. It's still sitting in my safe. I can't bring myself, in good conscience, to sell it without a disclaimer that it appears to be a lemon. I took it out again before hunting season this year and results were the same as the previous times I shot it.

December 15, 2023, 11:00 AM	#31
s3779m Senior Member Join Date: November 12, 2012 Location: Lometa, Texas Posts: 346	My personal favorite was a NIB Tikka Lite 223 for under $500 from the local (at the time) gun shop. About seven years ago so don't know if this is anywhere near what they are going for now.

December 17, 2023, 11:38 AM	#32
tangolima Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2013 Posts: 3,829	75% of what I own are cheap. Currently I am tinkering with an AR-15 and an AR-10. AR-15 in A2 configuration cost $400 to put together, optics extra. It shoots 1-1.5moa. AR-10 is in .243 win., costing about $500 to put together, optics extra. It was consistently sub moa. Gradually it degraded to 2moa. Turned out barrel extension came loose. Just gotten a new barrel from the upper manufacturer. Will see how it goes. -TL Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

December 17, 2023, 07:18 PM	#34
tjmga Member Join Date: May 19, 2013 Posts: 22	CVA Scout. Only have on so far but I like it.

December 20, 2023, 01:29 PM	#37
ligonierbill Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2007 Posts: 2,458	I've been watching this thread and thinking about...cheap. How about real cheap: Remington 783. Yes, I bought one in .223, with a wretched scope, for I think $260. Why, in the name of all that's holy, you ask. Well, I got tired of chasing brass from my one and only AR, so why not. It's heavy. It's a one size fits all action, so there's a big space in the mag well. But, it shoots inside an inch with Sierra 55 HPBT and 65 SGK. I put a vintage Weaver K8 (also heavy, also cheap) on it. Even heavier. But hey, it's all fun.

December 23, 2023, 11:30 AM	#39
jackstrawIII Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2016 Location: Upstate NY. Posts: 901	The only inexpensive rifle that interests me at all is the Howa mini action. I have one and it's nice, now that I've replaced the stock with a nice chassis system. The other cheap rifles I've handled all feel... cheap. __________________ In God we trust.

December 24, 2023, 08:39 AM	#40
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,446	Between a Marlin model 60 or their kid version Lil Buckaroo, I have not fired a >22lr that was more accurate until you get into either the Anschutz stuff or a totally customized 10/22 (where the only original piece is the aluminum receiver shell). The 60 cost me $89 and the Buckaroo $69 - my kids learned to shoot with that Buckaroo __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

December 24, 2023, 11:03 PM	#42
BJung Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2019 Posts: 773	Military Surplus rifles Once upon a time military surplus rifles were cheap and the most accurate of these were my favorite. The cheaper the better so the cheapest was a M69 Romania .22lr. When they first came out, Shotgun News was advertising them for $65 each.

December 25, 2023, 03:11 AM	#43
TruthTellers Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2016 Posts: 3,889	I don't really have much rifles, IDK what is considered cheap, so I'd have to say the Mossberg .22 that I got on this very day 20 years ago. Miss those days. __________________ "We always think there's gonna be more time... then it runs out."

December 25, 2023, 07:01 AM	#44
243winxb Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2011 Location: USA Posts: 1,730	Savage Axis 223 & 6.5 Creedmoor for me.

December 25, 2023, 09:18 AM	#45
Sarge Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2002 Location: MO Posts: 5,457	I like the concept of these for an all weather utility rifle. I rattle can all exposed steel to seal out moisture and treat the fire control mechanism with this- https://www.wd40.com/products/corrosion-inhibitor/ I'm in the market for a 20" 308 but I insist it have irons. This limits my choices a bit. __________________ People were smarter before the Internet, or imbeciles were harder to notice.

December 26, 2023, 03:39 PM	#46
Txhillbilly Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2008 Posts: 512	Mine is a used Savage 12 FLVSS in 223 that I bought 20+ years ago. A friend owned a local gun shop, and anytime he got a LH rifle in, he'd call me and ask if I wanted it. The gun looked new, hardly fired. I paid $350 for it. I didn't care for the plastic stock, so I ordered a LH thumbhole stock from Stocky's for it. When I took the action out of the factory stock, it had a SSS competition trigger on it - Nice freebee! Other than the stock, trigger, and me threading the barrel for a suppressor, the rifle is factory. It loves my 77gr BTHP hand loads, and will consistently shoot them in the .3"-.4" range. It shoots so good that it is pretty boring!

December 27, 2023, 05:44 AM	#48
cptjack Senior Member Join Date: October 1, 2014 Posts: 314	sako

December 27, 2023, 12:13 PM	#49
Wilson154 Member Join Date: December 23, 2023 Posts: 16	I have a savage axis in 243 win. that functions perfectly. I have taken several coyotes and crows out to 350 yards with it. The trigger isn't very good but for the price I can't complain. I also have a t/c compass in 300 win. mag. That shoots great unfortunately it's very picky as to what brand of shells it will fully extract but I haven't heard of anyone else having this problem. If I had to pick I would go with the axis as I have had several and not had any problems.

December 27, 2023, 12:38 PM	#50
Wilson154 Member Join Date: December 23, 2023 Posts: 16	P flados I would stay away from the bear creek uppers. I purchased one in 6.5 grendel a couple years ago and it wouldn't work. It would short stroke every time and it didn't matter the brand of ammo. I contacted them many times without any response. Now I have heard of them working great but I would never buy anything from BC again. I am not sure what upper you were looking at but for that price I assumed it was a good chance it could be from BC.