The most accurate rifle for the lowest price

[TXAZ]

Assume you were on a tight budget (your definition). You want a rifle that:
Can shoot a 1/2 MOA group at 100/200 yards,
Using factory ammo.

Optics are not included.

What would you buy and what would it cost?

[AverageJo]

Rem 700 5R 308.

[Don Fischer]

They don't make it anymore. Rem 788! I hear the inexpensive Savages do very well and I have a Mossberg Patriot thay's starting out pretty good.

[jdh]

Howa or Tikka, or Ruger American possibly... 243 or 6.5 Creedmoor.

Joe

[Snyper]

Lots of brands will do that IF you find the right one.
Most modern rifles are more accurate than their owners.

[Siggy-06]

Another vote for the Ruger American

[jmr40]

Ruger American Predator. I paid $389 OTD for mine in 6.5 Creedmoor. I also have one in 308. Hornady offers some very good factory loads in 6.5 that are that accurate.

I'd hunt any game in the lower 48 with either of these rounds. My personal limit is about 400 yards, either of these rounds are effective farther than that.

[Shenna9220]

Ruger American

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...VORTEX+SCP+BLK


Thompson Center Compass

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...PASS+270+BLSYN

[roashooter]

all rifles can shoot 1/2 moa....even the cheapest ones....

[taylorce1]

3, 5, or 10 shot groups?

My cheap .223 M700 ADL Wal-Mart special with cheap Rem labeled scope would hold 1/2 MOA for three shots depending on ammo. I replaced the stock with a B&C Alaskan TI stock and added a 3.5-10 Weaver scope, now I can hold 1/2 MOA for five rounds. I've yet to hold 1/2 MOA for for 10 shots with any rifle I own.

I've been impressed with my Savage 10/110, M700, and my one Ruger American rifles for out of the box accuracy. I haven't paid more than $400 for any of them except the Ruger new or used. I got nearly 200 rounds of ammo, bipod, soft case, muzzle brake, and Nikon scope with the Ruger,, so I'm pretty sure I'm in the rifle for less than $400 as well.

[std7mag]

Like Taylorce! said, depends on how many rounds you are shooting for your .5 MOA group.

I've done 5 out of my Stevens 200 in 7mm-08AI. And my Ruger M77MKII in 257 Roberts.
But it's not an every day thing.

To keep costs down, your probably looking at the Rem 783, Ruger American, Tikka T3, Winchester XPR, Savage Axis.

The Howa's I've seen have been more expensive.

There is also the question of what purpose the rifle is to serve. Hunting, strictly target, hunting/target?

For pure target I'd get a Savage 11VT from Dicks Sporting Goods. Rebate right now puts them at $399..

[MarkCO]

Ruger American.

[Wyosmith]

Yeah, Ruger American.

Also the "runner's up", the TIKKA and Remington don't give customer service the way Ruger does.

TIKKA offers NONE at all, and Remington is pretty slow with zero customer interaction. If you send a gun to Remington you hear nothing and can't talk to anyone about it. it just comes back later with no explanations.

TIKKA.....You can break the bolt body at the dovetail of the body and handle and TIKKA will say "too bad" and do NOTHING for you at all, except try to sell you another rifle at FULL RETAIL PRICE.
I know. I have had 4 of them come into my shop with that exact issue and TIKKA will do NOTHING! I love their smoothness and their accuracy, but for my own use I would not own a TIKKA, and if I was told I had to keep it, you literally could not give one to me.

Ruger is wonderful in the way they take care of the customers in most cases.

So over all, I have to say Ruger, with no hesitations at all.

[Old Stony]

Gotta agree with Wyosmith....Ruger American. I picked up one in 6.5 Cm, and was very pleasantly surprised.

[44 AMP]

all rifles can shoot 1/2 moa....even the cheapest ones....

Yes, but only if you limit yourself to a one shot group.

And, NO rifle is better than the ammo you put in it.

You want a rifle that:
Can shoot a 1/2 MOA group at 100/200 yards,
Using factory ammo.

Unless/until you find a rifle maker that guarantees that, in writing, AND provides a test target as proof, its all guesswork.

Lots of people can suggest what ought to be accurate rifles, but NONE of them is a guarantee. ONLY shooting is proof.

If you want a rifle that shoots 1/2MOA with factory ammo, the only sure way to get one first time is, find somebody who has one, (is shooting 1/2 MOA with their rifle and factory ammo) and buy it from them. At what every price they want. Otherwise, what ever you get, no matter what its reputation, or the reputation of the maker's name, is just a guess, until you take it to the range and find out.

And, as I said before, ammo matters. "Factory" ammo runs the gamut from complete crap to fine match ammo. What ammo you use matters. (did I mention, ammo matters??? )

I heard a story, some time back, about a fellow in the Philippines, who had a Steyr SSG. Now, the SSG is not a cheap rifle, and has a reputation for being an accurate rifle, it has been used as a military sniper rifle. But, his SSG was "a piece of crap", it would barely hold a 6" group at 100yds.

He was disgusted with the rifle, and about to get rid of it, when a friend talked him into trying some match ammo, instead of the Philippine GI surplus stuff he had been shooting. Instant MOA, or better from the same rifle that "was crap". AMMO MATTERS!

Good Luck with your search, and if you find what you are looking for, please let us know!

[Don Fischer]

I do limit myself to one shot group's. It's beyond me why you want a 5 shot group on a hunting rifle when all your gonna shot at game is one shot! :-)

[edward hogan]

Them 1 shot groups are always tight!


Want to shoot tight groups? Rem 700 is a good bet out of the box.

For the money? Buy one at a pawnshop or off the used rack at your LGS. Shoot handloads. Use the Sierra Accuracy Load and one of their match bullets. Use brass fired in your rifle, don't full-length resize; just size the neck.

Want to buy new? Howa is a good rifle. Tikka T3 is good.

Want a FINE Rifle? Look for a Win 70 Classic, esp the Classic stainless.

The FN-H Patrol is a Win 70 Classic, basically, but with a match chrome-lined barrel. pretty sure they also came with Near Mfg picatinny rail. Very fine setup in .308win. hard to beat a .308win for long barrel life, esp if chome-lined... Find a used one... shoot some factory loads to sight-in and then load your accuracy ammo.

Might be pleasantly surprised.

[VoodooMountain]

Savage 11/ or 10, any flavor but I prefer the hog hunter or predator .

Ruger American is th second choice

However, most factory rifles can be coaxed into shooting under moa with at least one load. Some platforms are just easier than others to work with and I think savage is the easiest.

[std7mag]

Dear Don,
I'll be sure to mention that the NEXT time a pack of 11 coyotes comes in on me again..

[ed308]

All of of my better ARs shoot .5" groups. But for a bolt rifle, Savage 10T would be my choice. Upgrade the stock to say a MDT LSS, then you've got a precision rifle that is capable of even tighter groups.

[jaysouth]

Weatherby Vanguard s-2s are very accurate.

It is a MOA shooter if you are.

[snolden]

Caliber should be part of the discussion too. It is going to take a more expensive rifle to shoot .30-06 1/2 MOA than it will a .308 for example.

Handloads are also part of the discussion. If I handload I can have more success for less money also.

[roashooter]

Yes, but only if you limit yourself to a one shot group.

BINGO! we have the winner....

[SansSouci]

TXAZ,

I'd save more money and buy a Sako. You'll be glad you did.

[44 AMP]

It is going to take a more expensive rifle to shoot .30-06 1/2 MOA than it will a .308 for example.

I would not count on that as a given.

It might, but it might not.

There's a lot more at work than just how much the rifle costs.