Good gun on a budget
 

My niece-in-law is wanting to pick up a hunting rifle for my nephew as a gift. I have already talked with him about what my opinions are in reference to caliber for hunting in North America and also what I shoot (Remington 700). I told him that it has a lot to do with personal preference as I know guys who shoot savage, winchester, etc..... However his wife has hit me up about it now but has a budget ($300-$350). On that tight of a budget I did not know what is really available or her best options so I am hitting you guys up for your opinions. And yes that is including the scope.....

Wal-Mart usually has remington 700 adl combos but there in the $400+ range. The remington 770 combo is in her price range not the best but will be ok to start out with. I won one a couple of years ago in 300 win camp stock. I gave it to my cousin that want to start hunting and need a gun. It is a ok starter rifle to you can upgrade.

I have seen Ruger American's in 30-06 going for as low as $220.00 at local firearms-internet auctions. There is a buyers premium of 10% plus the 6% Michigan tax .. when I add in the $20.00 gas to go pick it up it comes to about $275.00 out the door.

Of course that's no scope. To do better than outlined above you'd be best served by finding a good used rifle all set with optics. course with Christmas coming so soon you might not have the luxury of "shopping" for a used one.

You might score a savage package gun for $400.00 at a local shop.

Here's a link to a page at "Bud's Gun Shop". He does a great deal of business. The prices shown don't include tax of shipping/FFL dealer fee, but there's a .308 in the bunch for ~ $360.00 ... with tax it should come in under $390.00 and then with an FFL transfer fee of #25-$40 bucks she'd be in the ballpark you mentioned.

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/a...lin+X7&x=0&y=0

My opinion stay away from the savage. Don't like the the feel of the stocks of the action. I prefer a ruger 77 mk2 or a remington 700 both out of her price range. Did get a rem 700 back in 30/06 with a Simmons scope.for $400 a couple of months ago at a gun show. Using it for the action. So check gun shows, or the used rack.

Haunt the gun shops like Marley's ghost....you'll find used Ruger American or Remington 770 for three hundresh or so....jump on it.

Anything from a .243 through a .30-06 will do the trick.

I can get a new rem 770 with scope at Wal-Mart for $300. Hard to beat the good old 30/06.

Thanks
 

Thanks for all the input. I steered her towards Walmart also and was going to tell her to cruise Budsgunshop (that's where I bought my Rem 700 .270). I also tried to steer her towards a good action because I knew they could upgrade the stock and scope later when their budget wasn't so tight. All my hunting rifles are Rem 700s but I knew a lot of guys on here shoot savage but I did not know much about their guns or how the other manufacturers perform.

Between me and my dad and 8 year old nephew we have 13 rem 700, 2 22-250,204,2 25/06, 2 270, 2 30/06, 7mm, 300 wby, 35 whelen, 7mm-08.

I disagree about staying away from the Savages.....I have a Savage Axis XP Camo Rifle in a .223 with the Bushnell 3x9x40mm scope and it's a great Gun to start out with or simply have as a good reasonably priced Rifle.Mine cost around $365.00 total on sale,the plain black synthetic Savage Axis would cost even less and there's several Calibers to choose from!

I also own the more expensive Savage model 11 GCNS wood stock with the Accu-Trigger in a 7mm-08 that cost around $600.00 plus I added a nice Leupold Rifleman matte black 3x9x40mm scope and Camo rifle sling!

As mentioned the Ruger American is another affordable Entry Level Rifle and it has the adjustable trigger,You can add the price of a good scope and sling to it as You get a little spare cash.I've seen these Rifles run in price from $319.00 to $399.00 depending on who has them and if You catch them on sale?

The gunsmith I have as a friend says the ruger american is about the best budget rifle he now's of. But again the ones I seen where about $349 without scopes. The new rem 783 looks ok but again does not come with a scope.

Gander mountain has a handie rifle super lite combo for $ 350 in your choice of 223, 243, 35 whelen, and 45/70.they have a rossi heavy barrel 243 with scope.for $300. If a single.shot is ok.

That's a tight budget, but doable if you do some homework and spend the time hunting local shops...you may need to go used...nothing wrong with a good used gun.

I would also disagree with the comment about avoiding Savage rifles...I have bought 3 Savages (Model 93 in 17HMR, Model 11 in 7-08, and a Model 10 FLCP-K in 308) over the past couple years and all are shooters...unfortunately all of which are out of your budget if buying new...but the Model 11 in 7-08 I picked up used (still had the stickers on it and was in like new shape and had hardly been shot) for $375 with a new Nikon scope, sling and very nice soft case.

The Ruger American gets good reviews as does the new Remington 783 are both close to your budget, but without optics.

Don't discount the NEF Handi-rifle (I have one in 243 with a heavy barrel and it shoots very well) or the Rossi single-shot....we bought our daughter one with barrels in 243, 22 and 20g as her first rifle and paid under $300, but again without optics and it was a good shooter and a good first rifle for her to start on...she's since moved onto a Weatherby Vanguard (Howa 1500) in 243 in a youth stock.

I all the savages I tired were bulky and I don't like the acutriger. It is a two stage tiger I don't like them for hunting. My gun Smith friend took that type of trigger out of the ruger american. For the price of a new savage 110 I can spend a little more and get a good remington. I bought my nephew about 7 years ago a rossi match pair youth in 22 and 20 ga. The rossi does not shoot as while as my handie rifle but is ok for a first gun.

If you go Remington, get a 700. The others are junk, imo. The cheapest 700 to my knowledge is the ADL with synthetic stock. They are solid, reliable, good shooting, no frills guns.

The adl are only sold at big box stores now. They are blind magizine rifles. I got more adls then any other remington 700 I got. Most of my adls are the older ones with wood stocks.

+1

I second the motion


Or as was suggested - buy something second hand. :happy0001:

You might check out the Mossberg 100ATR or 4X4. I have a Mossberg Maverick in .270 that I bought as a truck rifle and I liked it so much I hunted with it most of the gun season this year. They don't make it anymore, but it was the no frills version of the ATR. Out the door it was around $180. I bought a Weaver 40/44 2.8-10X scope on clearance from Natchez for $100, $30 for rings, and $15 for a sling, so for a little over $300 it was a value.

The marlin xr7 looks like a nice rifle also.

I read good things about the Marlin xs/xl line and Ruger American when I was looking to buy last year (ended up with a Savage 111 and really like it; not sure about the Axis line, which would be in the budget, but have heard the trigger is so-so).