Mossberg ATR 30-06 my thoughts
 

I know some think you have to spend $500 to $1,000 to kill whitetail, but I just can't bring myself to do it. The thought of carrying a $1,000 rifle in the rain, snow, on the front of a fourwheeler, etc scares me. I'm cheap I guess.

Anyway, when I was looking for a budget bang around deer rifle I looked at the Remington 700 ADL SPS sold at acdemy, the Mossberg ATR, and the Marlin XL7 and XS7.

Over the past three years I've purchased all three of these guns. The newest being the ATR. The extractor on the Marlin broke within the first shooting session. Neither the Remington or Marlin could group better than 1 1/2 inches 100yrds. Both guns were topped with a Nikon 4x12x40 and had various handload a worked up.

After picking up the ATR for $300 out the door at acdemy, I honestly didn't expect much out of the gun. I also purchased three boxes of walmart ammo and headed to the range. The boxes were, 150gr Blue Federal, 180gr Federal Deer Thug, and a box 150gr Rem Cor Lotk.

The cor-Lotk and blue federals grouped okay at 100yrds. They were around 1 1/2 to 2 inches. After trying the 180's they preformed very well. This five shot group was with the cheap Bushnell 3x9 that came with the gun. The overall feel of the ATR is not bad. The trigger is okay. I like the trigger on the Marlin and one of my Savages better, but after some adjusting I think it will be fine.

I think for a budget gun the ATR is a great shooter. I cant wait to put a nicer scope on it and test some handloads. Call it what you will, but it was funny when this $300.00 gun that most would call a POS was out shooting the guy next me who had a Brownig X-Bolt. If you're thinking about buying the ATR....get it!

All five shots....

I kind of wanted one in 243 youth but thought it wouldn't be a quality gun. I went with a TC Venture youth in .243 Win . The trigger broke for no reason. Under warranty though.

I'd feel "ready to go" with those groups !

Nice shootin'

Great groups NGHunter!

When I sight in my Rifle I usually take 1 or 2 more along or a Friend that's sighting Their Rifle in also....I shoot a Group of 3 and adjust my scope accordingly and then let my a Buddy shoot their Rifle a bit giving mine time to cool down and I either shoot a different Rifle or resume sighting in my first Rifle if it's set long enough to cool off or I clean it and start sighting in again.

I've also bought several lower priced Entry Rifle that shot just as good or better than a higher end high-dollar Rifle!Putting a better Scope on a cheaper Rifle and trying out different brand and grain Ammo will help a lot in making a Rifle shoot better when You can see better and find Ammo that groups better in a Rifle with a certain twist ratio!

i love atrs great shooting guns.. wish i could get my groups like that good shootin..

I cant get my $400 Remington to group that well. that's some fine shootin.