New econo rifles

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CoalTrain49

CoalTrain49

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First off, I'm in the market for a new rifle as a range toy. I've been doing some research on the lower end rifles and read a few things that I don't particularly like.

The fact that some of these rifles are manufactured as throw away rifles based on the fact that the barrels can't be replaced is new to me. I know enough about rifles to know that a barrel shooting a bullet in the 3000 fps range isn't going to last very long, maybe 2000-3000 rounds. So that rifle is junk after 3K rounds.

Does anyone know which new rifles in the <1K price range that will take a new barrel? I'm looking at Weatherby Vanguard and Tikka now but unsure if they will take a new barrel. Mfg's don't advertise the fact that their rifles can't be re-barreled if they are truly throw away rifles.
 
Pretty much all the newer rifles can have their barrels replaced. In fact, the only possible exception would be the Remington 770 which is no longer made and I'm not even sure it was t replaceable in the first place as their was a lot of nonsense around that subpar rifle.

Savage, Ruger American, tc compass, and Marlin x7(now discontinued) all use the savage style barrel but making barrel changes more simple.

However, if your budget for a rifle is $1k you have A LOT of options.

Savage will always be the quickest and cheapest option for a new barrel if that is your main concern. I would skin the axis and go to the 10 or 11 series. 12 series if you want a heavy factory barrel.
 
hmmm... I must just be a hillbilly or something.
1. I definitely do not draw the line at $1000 when I'm thinking economy rifles, I think $450 and lower. this line also suggests a wide disparity in our definitions of "junk".

2. barrel shot out after 2000 rounds is junk? with a semi auto, sure. 2000 rounds is easy, I've hit that number in less than 6 month period before, but in a bolt action? how long of shooting sessions and how bad of a shot are you? I can see a competition shooter/exhibitionist easily going through that many rounds in a short period of time but those guys aren't using economy brand rifles, and they are using methods which extend the life of the rifle, such as loading rounds specific to the rifle and adjusting as the rifle wears.

3. almost all rifles in the $1000 and under can do barrel swaps, rem 700, win 70, ruger m77, and even their uber cheap armericans, most(if not all) savages, most(if not all) weatherby models, and tikka m1500, not to mention the dozens of other makers that either use similar models to the above, or have the above mentioned companies manufacture guns for them.

4. of course a firearms manufacturer is not going to list the parts that can be replaced on their guns. first and most obvious reason being that they don't want the average hillbilly gunsmith tearing their guns apart and jbwelding them back together(I've actually bought guns that had this done to some components), it's a huge liability for them. second reason being that they don't want cheap aftermarket parts being put on their guns and ruining their reputation(think of all the ATI, tapco, and magpul junk that gets slapped on rifles on a daily basis). lastly, they want their own trained and experienced technicians to work on their guns, it's not that they don't trust you or your gunsmith, it's just that they definitely can trust their own people and parts, which goes back to reputation, quality, and liability.
 
CoalTrain49 said:
First off, I'm in the market for a new rifle as a range toy. I've been doing some research on the lower end rifles and read a few things that I don't particularly like.

The fact that some of these rifles are manufactured as throw away rifles based on the fact that the barrels can't be replaced is new to me. I know enough about rifles to know that a barrel shooting a bullet in the 3000 fps range isn't going to last very long, maybe 2000-3000 rounds. So that rifle is junk after 3K rounds.

Does anyone know which new rifles in the <1K price range that will take a new barrel? I'm looking at Weatherby Vanguard and Tikka now but unsure if they will take a new barrel. Mfg's don't advertise the fact that their rifles can't be re-barreled if they are truly throw away rifles.
Click to expand...
AR's shoot 3000 fps and many guys have gotten 10k out of a barrel. I don't think the lifespan is as short as you think.

But, to answer your question, the Savage 110 is pretty easy to rebarrel.
 
Almost all rifles can be rebarreled, but some are easier than others. AR-15's are probably the easiest. The Mini-14/Garand/etc are probably on the harder end of rifles to rebarrel. Rifles that set headspacing with a barrel nut (Savage and Ruger American) will be easier to rebarrel than ones where you have to set headspacing by reaming the chamber (Rem 700, Mauser).
 
The only one that I'm aware of that can't be rebarreled is the Remington 710/770 series.

I know enough about rifles to know that a barrel shooting a bullet in the 3000 fps range isn't going to last very long, maybe 2000-3000 rounds. So that rifle is junk after 3K rounds.
Click to expand...

It isn't the speed that kills barrels, lots of guns capable of 3000 fps that will last 10,000 rounds or more. Small caliber cartridges that burn lots of powder in relation to bore size are the ones that wear out faster. But even then 5000 rounds or more is very likely.

I don't consider the Vanguard or Tikka budget rifles. The Vanguard is very traditional, the Tikka uses some modern construction techniques that improve accuracy and reduce costs at the same time. But both are certainly quality guns.
 
Seems to me that it probably costs about the same to simply sell a shot out rifle and purchase a new one, instead of buying a new barrel and paying a gunsmith to install it.:rolleyes:
 
Any gunsmith not looking to make a buck on your ignorance will tell you that a Savage (excluding axis, 25 series and rimfire) is the best choice for barrel swaps. Though they will usually tell you to custom cut a shoulder rather than go with a prefit.

The model 12 can be had for under a a grand and the 10 FP-SR for under 700.
 
I have some savage axis' and ruger Americans. As cheap as these are I'm able to have nearly every caliber for any job. These cheap rifles have their place in my gun safe. They shoot well and allow me to try "shooting them out" vs wearing out my more expensive guns.
Personally I'm a great big fan of these "budget rifles"
 
These cheap rifles have their place in my gun safe. They shoot well and allow me to try "shooting them out" vs wearing out my more expensive guns.
Click to expand...

Not to mention, dropping that beautiful 1960's Husqvarna bolt rifle down a rocky slope while hunting would be a tragedy. Dropping a $350 rifle down a hill would be an annoyance.
 
Is the OP asking about easy swap out barrels like Savage? I am sure there are others but Rem 700, Ruger 77 and Howa/vanguard are not among them. They require a gunsmith with a lathe and big wrenches.

My favorite is the Ruger American. It shoot MOA and has a better stock and trigger than Savage. Both are cursed with plastic detachable mags that sell for 100 times what is costs to make them.
 
Lately I have been playing with a Ruger American in 6.5 Creedmore. I have bought many higher priced rifles over the years, but have never seen such an accurate rifle without having to fine tune it some. It shot 1/4 inch out of the box with factory ammo and is still shooting 1/2 inch and better with my reloads. For a cheap rifle it's hard to beat as far as I am concerned. I did remove the trigger safety as I don't care for those much.
 
Resist the urge to buy low-end junk. The price might be tempting but after it craps out you'll end up paying twice to get it fixed - or you'll wait forever while it's undergoing "warranty work." :rolleyes:

Buy quality once, bite the bullet on price, and cry not at all. :cool:
 
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