New Rifle

[herrwalther]

I have a couple of low budget scopes without rifles to put them on. One is an AIM scout scope 2-7x40mm the other is a Centerpoint 4-16x40mm. I am thinking of putting one of them on a cheap bolt action rifle that will not get much use unless I get back into hunting again. Open to caliber suggestions but leaning toward 308. Not looking to spend more than $500 on the rifle. Suggestions?

 

[bannockburn]

herrwalter

How about:

Ruger American Rifle .308 going for $382 at Bud's.

Thompson Center Compass .308 going for $270 at CDNN.

Howa Legacy 1500 .308 going for $500 at Bud's.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Howa/Weatherby 1500/Vanguard

Or how about an old sporterized M1903 or M1917? Still lots of them on Armslist cheap.

 

[ExAgoradzo]

Well, as I don’t have a 1/4 bore at all (sniff), my pick would be a used .25-06 or even better a nice used .257 Roberts.

I also don’t own a 7mm Rem Mag, so again, a used one of those.

the last gun I’d really like to have but don’t is a .416 Rem Mag. I doubt you’re budget would sustain any rifle you found in that caliber.

my point, because you left it so wide open, is, get a used rifle. Almost all my rifles have been purchased used. Recently I bought a sporterized 7mm Mauser for $300 and it had 80 useless rounds that I’m going to just reload so they work instead of the Argentinian garbage they are...

Greg

 

[earlthegoat2]

Look for a Rem 700 on the used market in any common chambering. Will get you well under that 500 dollar budget.

 

[stillquietvoice]

I have 2 grandchildren that want to get into hunting. I'll likely get 2 rifles in 243 or, cough, cough 6.5 creed. Seriously considering t/c compass, ruger American, tree rem 700 adl or another savage m11 or axis 2. Haven't decided just yet. I've owned win m 70's too but a little pricey because I have to get 2.

I found a Bushnell banner, looks like a package gun take off, bought it for 10 bucks. And picked up a Bushnell 6-18x40 for under 100 and have a Nikon monarch mildot 4-16x42 waiting for guns to put them on.

Good luck in your quest for a new rifle.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

You can't go wrong with a .308! But I think my next rifle will probably be in 6.5 Grendel, maybe a CZ. Right now the steel cased ammo is around $.20 a round or less for plinking ammo!

 

[FL-NC]

Ruger American, in whatever caliber you like.

 

[Skylerbone]

I’m just writing what my brain is thinking...I wouldn’t grace any centerfire with either of those. A used rimfire, a pellet rifle yes, a hunting rifle that needs solid performance to humanely kill what’s on the receiving end, no.

That of course is my take. Cheap scopes aren’t all bad, but I’ve seen 1 of 1 failures on both of those brands in my hands in short order and both with rimfire rifles. If you want a new rifle, by all means shop, buy, enjoy, then find a solid Burris on sale and know it’s a proper hunting combo.

 

[Mn Fats]

I’m just writing what my brain is thinking...I wouldn’t grace any centerfire with either of those.

Totally agree.

Also, I wouldn't buy a budget rifle around a budget scope. Seems flawed from the beginning. A rifle is only as good as it's scope.

That said, my low cost rifle preference is Savage. 308 win is another one of my preferences. Imo, for hunting whitetail or the like, no need to look further than the .308 win.

Good luck OP!

 

[DairyVet]

I like the pellet rifle idea, especially one of the break-action 1,000fps variety. It’s bound to break either (or both) eventually, which solves the problem of having 2 scopes with no rifle. $500 gets you the rifle and a pellet trap with a lot left over for ammo.

After both are broken you can spring for a decent pellet scope if you’ve had fun up to that point.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

herrwalter

How about:

Ruger American Rifle .308 going for $382 at Bud's.

Thompson Center Compass .308 going for $270 at CDNN.

Howa Legacy 1500 .308 going for $500 at Bud's.

My son bought a Ruger American. He hate's it. Mag only holds 3 rounds and the stock is really cheap.

 

[cdb1]

I’m just writing what my brain is thinking...I wouldn’t grace any centerfire with either of those. A used rimfire, a pellet rifle yes, a hunting rifle that needs solid performance to humanely kill what’s on the receiving end, no.

That of course is my take. Cheap scopes aren’t all bad, but I’ve seen 1 of 1 failures on both of those brands in my hands in short order and both with rimfire rifles. If you want a new rifle, by all means shop, buy, enjoy, then find a solid Burris on sale and know it’s a proper hunting combo.

I’d get a Howa 1500, Mossberg Patriot or 700 ADL and a Burris Fullfield II.

 

[jdc1244]

You can't go wrong with a .308! But I think my next rifle will probably be in 6.5 Grendel, maybe a CZ. Right now the steel cased ammo is around $.20 a round or less for plinking ammo!

And indeed I just bought a 527 in 6.5 Grendel; the OP should consider one, they’re going for just a little over $500 online.

 

[Bfh_auto]

A Centerpoint scope makes a great rimfire scope, but a 308 will eat it for lunch. I learned that the hard way.
A 17 Super mag is a fun plinker to 300 yards.

 

[dranrab]

I scooped up 3 Center Point FFP scopes when Academy marked them down from 169 to 35 bucks. I was very pleasantly surprised by the glass. I popped them on a few rimfires and have yet to use them. One of those scopes sits new in the box. I wouldn't buy a rifle for the scope. You can find a Compass, Axis or a Patriot for $300 an American for slightly more. Any of those would likely serve you well.

 

[redneck2]

I made the mistake of using a cheap scope on a hunting rifle. IMO, you owe it to any animal worth shooting to make an ethical shot. Hunting is probably the hardest use a typical shooter would subject a scope to

As noted above, I’d suggest a .22 or similar. You can get a CZ less than $400.

 

[bannockburn]

351 WINCHESTER

My son bought a Ruger American. He hate's it. Mag only holds 3 rounds and the stock is really cheap

A friend of mine has one in .308 and he really likes it. He feels for the money it's a decent buy. If it were me I would probably go with a Howa Legacy 1500.

 

[jmr40]

If you go with the Ruger pay just a few $$$ more and get the Predator versions that take Accuracy International magzines or AR magazines if you go 223.

Cartridge matters little, they all do pretty much the same thing, but in 2020 a 308 or 6.5 CM along with 223 are going to be the easiest to find good ammo for, and cheapest to shoot.

The AI magazines cost exactly the same as the flush fit mags. The rifle comes with 3 round mags, but 5,and 10 round mags are available from Ruger and Magpul makes a 6 round version that is the same size as the factory 5 rounder. The Predators have a heavier, stiffer barrel and tend to be more accurate than the others. I can get any of them for $389 OTD locally. I have 3, one each in 308, 6.5, and 223.

https://ruger.com/products/americanRiflePredator/specSheets/26973.html

308 comes with a shorter 18" barrel
https://ruger.com/products/americanRiflePredator/specSheets/26974.html

If you really want to shoot cheap consider one in 223 that takes AR magazines. They make 'em with both 22" and 16" barrels.
https://ruger.com/products/americanRifleRanch/specSheets/26965.html
https://ruger.com/products/americanRiflePredator/specSheets/26944.html


My 223 @ 200 yards with 50 gr Fiocchi factory loads.

 

[someguy2800]

I’m just writing what my brain is thinking...I wouldn’t grace any centerfire with either of those. A used rimfire, a pellet rifle yes, a hunting rifle that needs solid performance to humanely kill what’s on the receiving end, no.

That of course is my take. Cheap scopes aren’t all bad, but I’ve seen 1 of 1 failures on both of those brands in my hands in short order and both with rimfire rifles. If you want a new rifle, by all means shop, buy, enjoy, then find a solid Burris on sale and know it’s a proper hunting combo.

I am not a scope snob by any means, the majority of mine are sub $200, but I draw the line well above both of those two. If they fell in my hands they would both go on ebay.

 

[Captcurt]

I have had a run on the T/C Compass lately and everyone seems to pleased with them although the one that I had an opportunity to shoot had some some over travel in the trigger. I didn't take the action out of the stock but I believe that the trigger is adjustable.

That said, I have shot several of the cheaper guns. I'll get them to test and then put them online. I have had a Vanguard 223 that was awesome, a Ruger Am. Predator 6.5 CM and a Mossberg Patriot in 308 that all shot under an inch out of the box. It isn't hard to find a decent cheap rifle these days, but for consistency it is hard to beat a Savage. Two of my personal deer getters are Savages. A 243 model 11 and a model 10 300 WSM.

 

[ThomasT]

Ruger American, in whatever caliber you like.

I just bought a Ruger American in 243 because had around 200 rounds of ammo on hand. Otherwise I would have bought the RA in 7.62x39. And I still may buy one of those. I wish they came with open sights.

I like the pellet rifle idea, especially one of the break-action 1,000fps variety. It’s bound to break either (or both) eventually, which solves the problem of having 2 scopes with no rifle. $500 gets you the rifle and a pellet trap with a lot left over for ammo.

Unless the scopes are designed for the reverse recoil of a springer air rifle they probably will break. Maybe a cheap 22 auto like the plastic stocked Marlins that Academy used to sell for around a hundred bucks. And if the scope breaks you still have the open sights on them. I have a box full of cheap scopes I don't really trust on a hard recoil rifle but they are just fine for low recoil 22 rifles.

 

[d2wing]

I like the pellet rifle idea, especially one of the break-action 1,000fps variety. It’s bound to break either (or both) eventually, which solves the problem of having 2 scopes with no rifle. $500 gets you the rifle and a pellet trap with a lot left over for ammo.

After both are broken you can spring for a decent pellet scope if you’ve had fun up to that point.

I also think that that would destroy the scopes pretty fast. Only use scopes rated for air rifles on air rifles. Besides unless they have adjustable objectives the parallax will be too long.

 

[dranrab]

I also think that that would destroy the scopes pretty fast. Only use scopes rated for air rifles on air rifles. Besides unless they have adjustable objectives the parallax will be too long.

Center Point makes some FFP rifle scopes that are suitable for centerfire rifles and have a lifetime warranty. https://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/Cent...FP_Long_Range_Rifle_Scope_1_4_MOA_1_Tube/9044

https://www.crosman.com/discover/optics/optics-faq


ARE THESE SCOPES JUST FOR AIRGUNS?
ANSWER: No. All CenterPoint scopes will withstand the recoil of the most powerful caliber rifles on the market. They have gone through significant torture testing, including being used on everything from a high powered Webley Patriot break barrel to a .416 Rigby Magnum Centerfire Rifle.


And a lifetime warranty.

 

[herrwalther]

A few posters have brought up the scope selection. The Centerpoint has been sitting in my safe for a couple years already. The AIM scope I got for free yesterday. Cheap scopes to go on a cheap rifle. I will be mounting and lapping the scope myself as a practice project. If either scope breaks, oh well. I still have the rifle and get a better scope. This project is all about the experience of putting on my own scopes.

Cartridge matters little, they all do pretty much the same thing, but in 2020 a 308 or 6.5 CM along with 223 are going to be the easiest to find good ammo for, and cheapest to shoot.

A common ammo type is my thought on the 308. I am really liking the look of the 308 and 6.5CM Thompsons on CDNN.