Low cost guns that just flat out shoot?

[Pathfinder101]

Little Pathfinder has a Ruger American in 6.5 CM that we bought for around $300 new at BiMart.  Absolute tack driver.  BUT... it has a $1200 Sig Whiskey 5 scope on it... 

[Rob]

Not a new rifle, and I may have posted this somewhere else so forgive the dup, but I think it applies to this thread:
On Cheap rifles...

I go to an event every year in Orofino ID called Boomershoot (Boomershoot!). Long story short, but they put 4-8 inch explosive targets out at ranges from 350 to 700 yards and people shoot at them. Loads of fun.  Recommend more folks from the forum attend- PM me if you want details. 

Anyway, Lots of very expensive, very cool rifles  and gear there - thousands of dollars can be spent on rifles and optics as we all know.

Several years ago my buddy had an idea for a competition within our crew. He called it the $500 dollar challenge. One had to procure a rifle for Boomershoot that was 500 dollars or less all in - including optics, any gunsmithing work, add-ons etc.

Never one to turn down a chance to buy a firearm, I went with a used savage SuperSporter in 30.06. Purchased for 150. Gunsmith work of 120 for tapping bases. 100 scope from Midway. Total = 370 dollars. The guy I bought it from said it did time at a hunting lodge somewhere in the north-central US (I want to say Michigan?).  Anyway it was the lodge's punishment loaner gun given to people when they forgot or had an issue with their rifle. It was made in 1928, has a steel butt plate and kicks like a mule. It looked like someone used a live beaver to tap the holes for the fixed 2X scope it came with. The metal was pitted and had some rust as well. But it shot sub MOA with 180 grain bullets!

And this was the description in the ad

She is a low number Savage Model 40 Super Sporter in .30-06. Outside looks like a train wreck, inside is a smooth, strong bore, and a 3 1/2 LB trigger that is smooth as butter. Has a 3 round magazine that is worth more than the whole rifle...She is a sweet shooter. Likes 180 grain bullets. She is topped off by an even more unimpressive Weaver 2X scope, but is period to the piece. Needs a refinish and some stock work, but if You are handy, You can have a wonderful classic hunting rifle. Only 18,000 were made between 1928 and 1940

I did not win the competition - my buddy with his Savage 110 beat me, but it did a fine job and shot better than I did. The lesson we learned was, Expensive rifles and optics are fantastic - and good optics are much more reliable in low light, inclement weather situations. But one does not need to drop 4K on a rifle to hit targets MOA-1/2MOA out to 700 yards reliably.

[Rob]

I see 4 on Gunbroker right now for 450-650.  But they are all in far better shape than mine - externally anyway!  Mine has heart and a backstory!

[Rob]

Little Pathfinder has a Ruger American in 6.5 CM that we bought for around $300 new at BiMart.  Absolute tack driver.  BUT... it has a $1200 Sig Whiskey 5 scope on it...

Love that gun and impressed with the little guy's marksmanship!

[Pathfinder101]

Little Pathfinder has a Ruger American in 6.5 CM that we bought for around $300 new at BiMart.  Absolute tack driver.  BUT... it has a $1200 Sig Whiskey 5 scope on it...

Love that gun and impressed with the little guy's marksmanship!

Thanks Rob. "The Little Guy" is taller than me now and about to graduate high school.  Between him and his brother, that Ruger has killed a ridiculous number of animals in it's short life (7 years I think...).  At least a half dozen deer, 2 or 3 bear and an antelope...

[Okanagan]

Have enjoyed following Pathfinder and son over the years. 

Re lower cost rifles that shoot:

1. Tikka T3 stainless lite is more mid price than low but man are they ever nice, and shoot tight groups right out of the box.  Butter smooth bolt, detachable magazine (which I waaaay prefer for practical field hunting) and light weight.  My extended family own 6 of them.

2.  Ruger American Gen II.  It shoots.  I bought one last year in 6ARC.  After open heart surgery any recoil hurt, even months later, and I wanted a low recoil piece for painless deer hunting.   At sight-in I shot a consistent inch with my thyroid shake and two brands of factory loads, resting on a daypack over the hood of my vehicle.  One of my grandkids who tuned a load is getting 1/2 MOA with his Gen II.  With the stock extension removed, the Gen II is enjoyably short and handy in brushy calling stands. 

In the field event, I fired one round last deer season at a called buck within 70 yards.  These little rifles shoot!

PS  Duramag says that they are coming out with a flush fit magazine for the Gen II, to get rid of the ten round factory mag that extends down at just the right place to make it ugly and unhandy to carry. 

[Rob]

Little Pathfinder has a Ruger American in 6.5 CM that we bought for around $300 new at BiMart.  Absolute tack driver.  BUT... it has a $1200 Sig Whiskey 5 scope on it...

Love that gun and impressed with the little guy's marksmanship!

Thanks Rob. "The Little Guy" is taller than me now and about to graduate high school.  Between him and his brother, that Ruger has killed a ridiculous number of animals in it's short life (7 years I think...).  At least a half dozen deer, 2 or 3 bear and an antelope...

I have the exact same gun.  have used it once and it dropped a mulie at 325 with one shot.  However I did not decorate it with a 1200 dollar scope though!  That thing looks amazing.  I have always thought that for the most part, good optics are more important than the rifle and can compensate for many flaws in both shooter and gun (within reason of course)

[syoungs]

I ended up with a new tikka, ranch and home in kennewick happend to have a roughtech ember in 6.5prc in stock when I went to use their silencershop kiosk for my new suppressor
It had everything I was looking for and I like the esthetics of it for sure. Could have been cheaper waiting for one of the new threaded lights to come available,  but I like the fluting and colors it has, and wanted it now, not in 6 months.
Also purchased a jolene s suppressor to go along with it.

Gonna top it with a vortex viper pst 4-16 i have on hand for now, later this summer I'll pick up a maven 2.5-15 to replacethe viper.

[Karl Blanchard]

I ended up with a new tikka, ranch and home in kennewick happend to have a roughtech ember in 6.5prc in stock when I went to use their silencershop kiosk for my new suppressor
It had everything I was looking for and I like the esthetics of it for sure. Could have been cheaper waiting for one of the new threaded lights to come available,  but I like the fluting and colors it has, and wanted it now, not in 6 months.
Also purchased a jolene s suppressor to go along with it.

Gonna top it with a vortex viper pst 4-16 i have on hand for now, later this summer I'll pick up a maven 2.5-15 to replacethe viper.

niiiiice

[zwickeyman]

I ended up with a new tikka, ranch and home in kennewick happend to have a roughtech ember in 6.5prc in stock when I went to use their silencershop kiosk for my new suppressor
It had everything I was looking for and I like the esthetics of it for sure. Could have been cheaper waiting for one of the new threaded lights to come available,  but I like the fluting and colors it has, and wanted it now, not in 6 months.
Also purchased a jolene s suppressor to go along with it.

Gonna top it with a vortex viper pst 4-16 i have on hand for now, later this summer I'll pick up a maven 2.5-15 to replacethe viper.


I just bought a Jolene S last week to put on my new AR 6 ARC build. Ive read decent reviews. Seams pretty good for 600.00

Enjoy the Tikka

niiiiice

[syoungs]

Finally picked the new rifle up this weekend.
Hoping to have the supressor in the next week or so, still need to order a few things to put it all together.

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