Best budget rifles

[Readyrod]

So the major manufacturers have all come out with budget rifles. (Savage Axis, Ruger American, Remington 770) I'm wondering which of them is proving to be the best. Any suggestions? You can suggest other makers of budget rifles as well if you see fit. I'm especially curious about accuracy, but tough and long life is also a consideration. Thanks for the input.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I haven't shot them all, but I would put the Remington 770 at the bottom of the list. I have shot that one and can't imagine one that I would like less.
On the other hand, I recently sighted in a Ruger American and really liked it. Feels good, looks good, is light as a feather, and was plenty accurate. I think it's a good value.

 

[jmr40]

They are all about equal.

The Remington gets trashed more, but people who actually own them report better than average accuracy. Same can be said for the Savage. The Ruger is the only one I've actually owned, and I got rid of it after 1 range trip. It is the best looking, and the one that appealed to me the most, but the magazines are probably the worst design of the 3 and I just don't trust it for long term durability. Someone else wanted it pretty bad and I was able to get my money back, so I let it go.

The Savage seems to have the best magazine design, which seems to be a weak point on the other 2.

None are really designed or meant for lots of hard use. All of them are disposable rifles meant for the guy who wants to deer hunt and only shoot enough to get it zeroed and fire a few practice rounds per year. They all accomplish that goal with enough accuracy. If you enjoy going to the range and doing a lot of shooting you will be disappointed in all of them. For about the cost of 2-3 boxes of quality ammo you can do better than any of them.

 

[guzzi]

budget rifles

I have one of those. It's a Mossberg ATR 30-06.

I reload and have been on the quest for the most accurate load for this since I git it a few years ago. After several hundred rounds and a sore shoulder after each range session I found the magic mix of cheep ammo for this cheep rifle.

Using Hornady 150gr bulk bullets and 60 gr of Hodgdon Superformance powder gets me about 2741fps and touching holes at 100 yards.

What's not to like about cheep and accurate?

 

[adelbridge]

Marlin X7 is my favorite cheap rifle. Incredible trigger and interchangeable barrels. It is a hybrid of Savage/Remington 700. The Remington 770 has a horrible trigger and nasty action with plastic parts- cross that off the list. Savage Axis doesn't have the best trigger. Ruger American seems decent but stock feels hollow but light weight. If you have large gun shows you can often pick up a like new but used Ruger M77 for around $400 and under. There are certain Remington 700's that sell for under $400 retail.

 

[docsleepy]

Mosin Nagant, $120. Recrown muzzle with Lee case trimmer tool, groups shrink by 50%. Reload your own ammo with Lee classic loader. ($26) Add $40 ncstar pistol scope 2-7x on dovetail under rear sight.

 

[Hunterdad]

I've shot most if them and still like my Marlin XS7 the best.

 

[The_Armed_Therapist]

The Marlin X7 is my favorite, new, $300 rifle on the market. The American is probably just as good, but usually go for more like $350. The Axis and ATR are close to them, in my opinion, both around $300. I've seen the 770 for $275 or so many times, but I'd rank it last.

For $325-$400, I'd prefer to purchase a used 700, Savage 10/11, or something similar. But that's me!

 

[CountryUgly]

1) Savage by far 2)Ruger/Marlin/Mossberg I can't decide which I like better Distant 3rd is the Remington. That reciever/bolt is just plain JUNK IMO. Ive never seen anything bind up as bad as that one did.

 

[Russ Jackson]

XL7 is the best kept secret in bolt actions today.

 

[Inebriated]

Savage Axis tends to be the most accurate of the common ones.

 

[H2oPumper]

+1 on Marlin

 

[Captcurt]

Like the Marlin for the money. I ordered a 223 yesterday and a 4x12 Nikon for it today. There is also a camo 25-06 in the closet.

Two other low dollar rifles that should get more respect is the Mossberg ATR and the Stevens 200. I would pick either of these two over the Axis or 770.

 

[wickedsprint]

Remington 700 SPS stainless in a walmart caliber.

 

[Kachok]

SAVAGE! Owned six of them and they have all been fantastic shooters and perfectly reliable too. My Marlin XS-7 was no slouch either, a fantastic rifle for the money.

 

[jrdolall]

Have to vote for Savage of the three mentioned. I like everything about the gun as a deer rifle. Rem 770 may be accurate but I don't have much experience with it. The one I did shoot was probably a better shot than me but it felt and sounded cheap. I just got to shoot a Ruger American this weekend a couple of times and it was also pretty good but I would not put it above the Savage. A removable magazine is not something that I care about personally.

 

[steve_dune]

I like my Stevens 200.

 

[nathan]

My Marlin was okey but i find the stock so flimsy and the screws too cheesy . It shoots tight alright , but for the price its expected.

 

[Readyrod]

Wow, lots of replies. Thanks a lot. I'll have to count them up when I have time but the Marlin seems pretty popular. Keep em coming.

 

[Cee Zee]

Savage leads the list. Remington has to be in last place. I don't know who says they're accurate. Maybe they are sometimes. The ones I've shot weren't. But I've seen tests of the Axis/Edge where MOA groups were the norm. No way the Remigntons I've shot could come close to that. I have not shot an Axis though. I just know what the reviewers are saying about it and what they say about the 770. And I know what the 770's I've shot were like.

Here's a hint how it went when I shot one of the 770's. A guy tried to trade it and a 710 to me for a S&W 629 revolver. I turned him down flat and he obviously knew I would. Those two rifles should have been worth almost double what the S&W was worth but they aren't the kind of rifles I want in my collection by any means.

I hear reports that they are ok for deer hunters and others who only shoot a few rounds a year. But IMO they would fall down there too. They just should be more solidly built and they plain aren't. The Axis rifles I've seen didn't look like a Sako or anything but they did have that Savage feel to them and that means accuracy in my experience. My old Savage 110 is a 1990's style deer rifle with typcial 1990's accuracy. The Remington was similar to that. But that Savage will still be shooting that way in 50 years. I doubt the Remington will be shooting at all in 50 years.

 

[tc54]

last year i bought a savage axis (.223) to carry in my farm pickup. coyotes are the primary target. my axis is very accurate, and while not as smooth, svelte, etc. as many higher priced rifles, it is more than adequate for the task. bought mine at wmt on sale for 239.00. can't comment on the other bargain rifles.