Cheap and accurate bolt gun for 100-400 yd practice

[ColoradoShooter77]

Savage Axis or Ruger American, both have gotten rave reviews.

 

[bscott29]

There were some new Remington VTR'S on gunbroker.com for $600 with free shipping a while back.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

Thanks for all the great suggestions. The Ruger, Savage, and Tikka all sound like good options. I will still keep an eye on the other suggestions too, as I do more reading. I might need to hold off until the holidays pass, but I can't wait to put something together and get sighted-in

 

[kopfjaeger01]

I have to say that Savage makes a great bolt gun. I am a former USMC 8541, and LEO SWAT sniper. I have shot some of the best rifles out there with the best optics available, and am thoroughly impressed with My Savage 11VT.

Most platforms I worked with in the past were based on Rem 700 actions. Various barrels, stocks, and other ninja stuff hanging off them.

I picked up this Savage at Dick's about two years ago, wasn't looking for one, but they had it on sale and Savage had a rebate also. I couldn't pass it up. Out the door cost was $340. I wanted to do a budget gun somewhere around $600. I put a Millet TRS scope on it and added a Harris bipod. So, just a bit over $600. With federal match ammo right out of the box it was sub MOA. I did up some loads for it and get 1/4-1/2 MOA when I do things right. I can do 5-6" groups out to 800 pretty regularly as long as the wind cooperates.

This is about as good as anything I have shot previously. It's my first and only savage. For the price, I don't think you can beat it. I still have the same Tupperware stock on it, haven't even messed with factory settings on the trigger. Why screw with it when it works that good?

Coming from a lifelong Remi (type) guy, I would recommend the Savage all day long, even over some more expensive sticks.

 

[eldon519]

I'm always a fan of buying more toys, but in a lot of situations like this, if you've got something that already works you will be much better off in thr long run just putting that money into ammo for it. Unless you're shooting something really exotic, it takes a whole lot of rounds to pay off the initial investment.

To give an example of something like 5.56 vs .308, you can get budget-priced match ammo for 5.56 at about $0.50/rd whereas you can get comparable match .308 for about $0.70/rd. That initial $1200 investment in rifle and glass would buy you about 1700rds of .308. Assuming ammo prices remain stable, you'd break even at 6000 rounds whether you'd stuck with .308 or gone to 5.56.

Like I said, I don't know what your current long range rifle
Is, but it's something to think about.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

I'm always a fan of buying more toys, but in a lot of situations like this, if you've got something that already works you will be much better off in thr long run just putting that money into ammo for it. Unless you're shooting something really exotic, it takes a whole lot of rounds to pay off the initial investment.

To give an example of something like 5.56 vs .308, you can get budget-priced match ammo for 5.56 at about $0.50/rd whereas you can get comparable match .308 for about $0.70/rd. That initial $1200 investment in rifle and glass would buy you about 1700rds of .308. Assuming ammo prices remain stable, you'd break even at 6000 rounds whether you'd stuck with .308 or gone to 5.56.

Like I said, I don't know what your current long range rifle
Is, but it's something to think about.

It's certainly a fair point. My thought is, if I spend ~$600 on a small rifle and $400 on a scope, I will save on the price of ammo, save my more expensive barrel, and then be able to sell it for not a huge loss down the road. Maybe I'd lose $300 on the rifle/scope combo selling it used.

 

[SCgman]

Cabelas had a black Friday special on the TC venture for $339.

 

[Bobson]

If all you wanna do is punch paper out a few hundred yards, I'd probably go with a Ruger American Predator. $370 shipped. Reportedly very accurate rifles.

If you want to take a small step up, the Savage Hog Hunter (Savage 10 with a green stock and a stupid name) is $460 shipped.

Both rifles are chambered in .223, as you requested. Both have factory threaded barrels and heavy barrel profiles. For the + $90 of the Savage, you also get iron sights and more aftermarket support. Probably not worth the extra cost, but that's for you to decide. Both rifles are also made here in America, if you happen to be patriotic that way.

 

[Legionnaire]

Accurate + Relatively Inexpensive = Savage

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

I specifically want something rated for 5.56mm, rather than .223 target ammo. I will have to look at each before I buy, to confirm.

 

[wally]

Cheap and Accurate don't generally go together, especially with ammo.

IMHO until you get to the rarefied air of match winners, I'd wager that ammo has more influence than the rifle on how well you group.

If 8" groups at 400 yards meet you accuracy requirements (2moa) it won't be too hard. If you want 4" groups at 400 yards I think you can probably forget about the cheap part of it if you don't hand load.

If you are not a re-loader able to "develop" loads to suit your rifle I don't think cheap and accurate is very likely unless you are happy with just being under 2 moa.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

Cheap and Accurate don't generally go together, especially with ammo.

IMHO until you get to the rarefied air of match winners, I'd wager that ammo has more influence than the rifle on how well you group.

If 8" groups at 400 yards meet you accuracy requirements (2moa) it won't be too hard. If you want 4" groups at 400 yards I think you can probably forget about the cheap part of it if you don't hand load.

If you are not a re-loader able to "develop" loads to suit your rifle I don't think cheap and accurate is very likely unless you are happy with just being under 2 moa.

Everyone has their own definition of "cheap" and of "accurate". I kinda laid out my expectations in the initial post... About $1,000 for a used rifle and maybe new scope. Before I start handloading, I'll be using factory 5.56 ammo. Am I out of my mind to want 1 MOA out of something like that?

Of course, I do understand that if I want to get down to 1/2 MOA, I will need to experiment with handloads.

 

[wally]

Am I out of my mind to want 1 MOA out of something like that?

No just need a bit of luck, IMHO buying used reduces the odds unless you have confidence in its history.

New Weatherby rifles usually come with a test target that wil have a sub 1" 3-shot group and a notation as to the brand of commercial ammo used to shoot it.

But a MOA 3-shot group in no way means that you have an MOA rifle/ammo combination.

Under a grand for rifle and scope, I'd start with a Weatherby Vanguard and mundane Leupold 3-9X scope and the brand of ammo they used for the test target.

But the Vanguard may be .223 chamber instead of 5.56 so you'll probably get some harder than normal to open bolts with milspec 5.56 ammo. Also may want to verify the twist is fast enough for the heavier than normal bullets long range AR shooters like to use.

 

[offthepaper]

Another vote for the Ruger American. I put a Redfield 4x12 scope on it and it shoots under 1" at 100yds.
I would like a nicer stock on it, but the performance of the rifle as-is, makes that a lot less important.

I have to say it is the most accurate out of the box rifle I have ever owned. I have less than 500 in the whole setup and it will out shoot rifles that cost four times that.

I absolutely agree.

 

[Newtosavage]

Just did this with my "cheap" Savage model 10 (bought it as the XP package with a Nikon scope, but sold the Nikon and replaced it with a Sightron).

I'm a real Savage fan now.