Inexpensive .30-06 rifle?

Which inexpensive .30-06 bolt action rifle?

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cluttonfred

cluttonfred

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In my earlier Garand thread, someone pointed out the availability of good, cheap Greek .30-06 ammo from the CMP, which got me thinking, "If I wanted to take advantage of that ammo in an inexpensive new rifle, what would be the best option?"

In a quick search at Bud's Gun Shop for .30-06 bolt action rifles sorted by price. Click on the link to see all the details, but here are the options under $400 in a nutshell:

  1. Mossberg 100ATR
  2. Savage-Stevens 200
  3. Remington 715
  4. Mossberg 4X4
  5. Remington 770
  6. Savage 111
  7. Weatherby Vanguard
  8. Howa 1500

These are sorted from the least expensive ($284 Mossberg 100ATR) to the most expensive ($399 Howa 1500). A couple can even be had with an included scope at that price, but I'd just as soon save up for a nice scope so that's not an issue for me.

The use is to have a good shooting gun for staying in practice with a large caliber, possible deer hunting and general SHTF preparedness.

So, what are your votes, and why? I've put up a poll to make it easier to tally.
 
I have a Mossberg ATR-100 in .30-06. With MOST commercial soft-point ammo (read as "Cheap") will hold under 2"@100Yds in MY hands.

Very Good shooter with Federal Gold Medal Match ammo got under 0.7"@100Yds for 5 shots.
 
I just watched what looked like a pretty clean Rem 742 in .30-06 sell on gunbroker for $195. I was tempted.
 
though i chose the mossy, I could have just as easily chose the Howa; even though they are the most expensive of the bargain rifles, they are by far and away the best built. Solid forgings, solid machine pieces, excellent stocks, etc.
 
One word says it all, Weatherby!

I shot a friends Big W once, Nice! Depends on what you want to do with the rifle.
 
I have a Vanguard Sporter I picked up for $389 NIB because it had a scratch in the stock finish. Love it. Accurate, trigger has good feel for hunting (now that I adjusted it per the manual), and it's attractive, too.

It is a tad on the heavy side with the scope on it, but I figure that, if you wanted a lighter rifle, you wouldn't be looking at a .30-06. It shoots offhand like a dream. Used it to win some prizes at the range.
 
I don't know about the Remington 715/770, but my son won a 710 in a raffle a couple of years back and we haven't been greatly impressed. It's okay for a free gun (or for the price of a $5.00 raffle ticket) but before I spent real money on one I'd hunt around for a used 760 (or 7600) for $200 or less.
 
I voted Stevens 200. I had one in 223 that was MOA or better accurate. If you are near a sportsmans warehouse they are 289, and sometimes bass pro puts them on sale for very good prices.
With that being said, I would look around and try to find a well-cared for vintage Remington 700. If you can get one from the 70's or 80's it will be well-crafted and last you and your children and maybe even their children. And should be well within your price range. Newer rifles have too many cost saving 'improvemtents' for my taste, and I'm in my late 20's. Hell my two hunting rifles are a custom Mauser and a custom 1903, both from the 1940's.
 
I tend to agree with the above post on the Remington's, buy one made before Dupont sold the company in 1993 I think it was. Hopefully the new owners will bring Remington's quality standards to what it once was.
 
My Savage 111 shot straight and true, the scope it came with sucks but that is easily remedied for a couple dollars. She's a dream to maintain and has a removable 5 shot mag. The only downside with the Savage is that it kicks like a mother !#^%*(!# but look into a limbsaver buttstock pad and it'll reduce felt recoil by about 85-90%.
 
Got a beat up mismatched 98K for 50 bucks, a Israli take off 30 cal barrel chambered of the 06 for 25 bucks from some company in CA. Have roughly 100 tied up in it and shoots great.
 
savage 111...mine is sub-moa, plus you have the accu-trigger.

Try to get a savage heavy barrel though more stocks for in the long run if you can spare the extra cash

Join www.savageshooters.com become a PAID member ($12 per year) and you can get access to the members classifieds, this guy has a savage 10fp .308 which is very similar to 30-06. with choate stock and sightron scope, custom trigger, and bipod on there for $500 definitely worth checking out!

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg14/mark2052/158.jpg heres a picture, yes it's barrel s 18 inch's, but it still shoots sub moa
 
is that the bud's gun shop in lex. KY? if it is they,re a good outfit. any of your choises will be fine, they all make good stuff. the best thing to do would be pick up a few and see how they feel, fit, and function. get some good glass and your ready to go.
 
Another vote for savage .. The Howa's are solid as well but I prefer savages.
 
My Savage 111 in 7mm Rem Mag shoots good, tight groups... when the scope mounts aren't screwed up. Seriously, I like my 111, but I have had problems with the rear mounts and scope ever since I got it. If you're going to put a new scope and/or mounts on it anyways, why bother with a package gun? Buy a used Savage 110 with a good scope and mounts on it for the same price and get a better gun.

Just my opinion.
 
Just curious.. other than the AcuuTrigger, the Savage 111 and Stevens are more or less the same rifle... are they not??

And you can buy a RifleBasx trigger for the Stevens and still be under the cost of a comparable Savage...

OK, before this turns into a war, it doesn't need to... I know the Stevens is all but a 110...
 
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