Looking for a budget Tactical Rifle to shoot SUB MOA

[Neo Enigma]

All is said in the title. I am looking right now at a Savage 10FLP in .308 for around $530 at a local dealer. What says you? I know you get what you give but I'm trying to find a good rifle for a good price. I can't afford high-dollar Remington 700 Police rifles or anything like that. Any suggestions? Thanks. Oh and does anyone have an opinion on the Kel-Tec SUB2000? I am wanting one in .40 S&W but I'm not sure the magazines will interchange with my G23 mags. Thanks again.

 

[rbernie]

There are a handful of rifles that will shoot sub-MOA out of the box with the right loads and not cost an arm-n-a-leg, but I dunno if they qualify as a tactical rifle...

What *is* a tactical rifle?

 

[Eightball]

Good luck---that's a lot of restrictions in the title. I wouldn't buy a Savage, though.....or a Remington 710. Just get a decent used 700, and spray it with rhinoliner, if you must. Or, scour some gun shows, you may find a good deal on something based on a remington action. Or, even better---buy a Mauser, put a "scout scope" on there. Or a Mosin M44 or M38. Cheap rifles, MOA if you're lucky.

On the Kel Tec--search for it. Dunno about the G23 mags, I think they may be proprietary magazines. Check the company website, if you can.

What *is* a tactical rifle?

Presumably, anything that is a black synthetic stock with a scope. Why is wood so "non-tactical" nowadays, as an honest question?

 

[browningguy]

Savage probably makes the most "consistantly" accurate rifles for the price. Someone will jump in with their Tikka/Remchester whatever that shoots in the .3's every day, but those really are the exceptions. I've got nothing in this game, I don't own a Savage/Tikka/Remington or Winchester. Oops, forgot I do have a Remington model 81 in 300 Savage, but that hardly counts.

The Sub 2000 is a good plinker/HD carbine. I can carry mine (G17 magwell) with four 31 round mags in a standard briefcase. Is the G23 the compact model? I know some of the guys with the 9mm models have just cut off an inch or so of the grip so they can use their compact mags when hey need them, I suppose the same would work for the .40. Check ktrange and a couple of the other Keltec boards and I'm sure they can tell you. Mine shoots 2-2 1/2" at 50 yards with just about any ammo, plenty good enough for the intended use. I highly recommend the optional stock extension,think it runs about $10 or so. An I have the lower rail on mine (another $10) with a flashlight holder. You can buy all the accessories on KelTecs website, or call them.

 

[cslinger]

My Savage 10FP was consistenty a sub MOA shooter with a great attention to detail while shooting. Once I replaced the stock it will shoot under an inch at 100 yards with just about anything I run through her including surplus ammo.

 

[esldude]

I have a Savage 10FP Tactical that will do what you ask. And most of them apparently will.

Accutrigger on new ones is nice. Has a good tapered heavy barrel. Factory stock is a bit on the flimsy side, though usable for most. Other versions have better stock for more money.

http://www.savagearms.com/10fp.htm
Of course you can usually get them good bit below list.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Take a look at Howa as well. The M-1500 Varminter w/black syn. stock is right around $400 and comes in .223, .22-250, .308 (possibly .243; don't remember). I have one in .223 that I paid $359 for at Wally world. Plopped a Bushnell Banner 6-18x 50mm scope on it and a Harris Bi-pod and I've got a consistent .8 MOA praire rat gun for under $600. The Howa's are Jap copies of Rem. 700's. They are well made and the trigger group is very similar to the 700. I turned mine down to 8.2 ounces with .060" pull. *FYI, the safeties don't work when you turn 'em down this far!*

The Howa is not quite the shooter my 700 LVSF .17 Rem. is, but that rifle was almost $900 by itself.

 

[Zerstoerer]

cslinger - is this a Savage stock ?
Nice rifle, I was thinking to di the same thing...

 

[ocabj]

Savage 10FP hands down. Savage 10FP out of the box beats Remington 700 out of the box.

And if you have a problem with the generic stock on the Savage, there's plenty of upgrades. I went with a McMillan A-5 with mine:



Paint job was a DIY.

 

[ArmedBear]

Weatherby Vanguard Varmint Sub MOA.

Howa action, heavy barrel, nice stock, Sub MOA guarantee at 100 yards. Put on a scope and bipod and you're in business.

 

[Neo Enigma]

Thanks for the replies so far. I might just opt for the SUB2000 in 9MM and get a G19. Yeah, my idea of Tactical is just black synthetic stock, scope, etc. I am looking to put a Choate Ultimate Sniper Stock or Choate Ultimate Varmint Stock. Both are less than $200. But for what I would pay for the complete package ($530 rifle, $200 scope, $200 stock + taxes) would I be better off getting a completely different rifle? I mean, come on, almost a $1000 isn't exactly budget-minded. For that I could get a better package, right?

 

[SJG26]

Just broke in...................

Savage 10FP-LE2a (223) - w/ Choate Ult Varm Stock $570
Bushnell Elite 4200 6x24-40 w/ mildot $370
Harris Bipod BRM-S (6-9"/swivel) $ 80
Leupold 2-piece base and LO-rings $ 90

TOTAl ~$1110 plus accessories

 

[chrisTx]

$1000 for a good varmint type rifle is very cheap. you could go cheaper, but you probably won't shoot less than 1 moa. at first, i thought $500 for a savage 10FP was great, but then you do have to add all the other stuff in. the good thing is you don't have to buy it all at once.

 

[The Grand Inquisitor]

I'm going to rain on everyones parade for a second...

A sub-MOA rifle is whatever you make of it. I have a Savage 10FP in .300 win Mag, and while I am fairly confident that it will pull sub-MOA groups with the right ammo and after a lordly amount of practice, at this point the rifle pulls 1.5-2 MOA with low-price ammo and irregular practice.

The best way to get a sub-MOA rifle is to buy a loading press (or commit finacial suicide and get about 1000 rounds of Black Hills or Lapua ammo) and dies, begin to load stable, solid rounds, and get to the range and practice, practice, practice.


After a bit more practice, you'll find the difference between a $10,000 PSG-1 or AI rifle and a $1500 Savage set-up is the body behind it.

 

[BillL223]

Remington LTR

My LTR in .308 has been sub-moa from day one with factory Blackhills and my current handloads. I added an Eagle cheekpiece to raise my head to get a good view through my Bushnell 3200 10 x 42. The stock trigger is adjustable to 2# with no reliability problems. I tried a "Sniper" match and my worse shot at 300 yards was a 9.

 

[rockstar.esq]

The Grand Inquisitor makes some great points.
I own a Savage 10FP-LE2 that has grouped five shots as close as .19 center to center. I was hovering around .29 MOA until I reloaded with the bullets set .005" back from the throat. My scope cost considerably more than my rifle (IOR 2.5-10x55) however it serves triple duty as a sight, rangefinder and spotting scope.

 

[possum]

+1 savage 10fp

 

[hillbilly]

Neo Enigma....beware of things "tactical."

"Tactical" is just about the most overused, meaningless, fluffed-up marketing term out there.

And yes, these days, "tactical" most often means "covered with tacky, cheap-ass black nylon and spray paint."

Get yourself a quality bolt action rifle, with GOOD glass on it.

If the scope is an $84 Tasco with an alleged "Mil dot" reticle, it ain't GOOD glass.

Then, shoot it and shoot it and shoot it.

hillbilly

 

[Anthony T.]

The first group I shot with my A-bolt madallion browing after sighting in was .69 moa. This is a 22in barrel hunting rifle without the boss system. If thats not out-of-the-box accuracy, what is? This was 10.00 a box federal soft point "cheap" ammo. I now have some 150gr nosler accubonds loaded and ready for tomorrow and I shot three holes thru a single hole in a fencepost at fifty yards leaning on my porch. Can't wait to group it.
Sorry for rambling, but my point is, you dont have to go tacky to go quality. Savage might be accurate also, but everything on the rifles are cheap made IMO. Flame on if you want guys, but I only paid 700 for this rifle and I would put it in any good shooters hands and let them bloe their savage away with it just for sheits and giggles. I don't hate savage, but i think they're getting a little too big for their breeches these days, heck, 5 yrs. ago you could get the standard savage hunting rig for 300, not it's more like 500+. I suggest if you want to shoot alot and learn to be an excellent shot, then save up some more bux and get an awesome setup. I will get a browning M-1000 eclipse next in a 22-250. Now theres an accurate rifle. I hope no one will say different that has'nt shot one. It comes in 308 also. Sub minute is nothing to these rifles. worth 1000 bux IMO.

If youre going to spend 1000+ to make a savage like you want it, why not just save the 1000 and get it over with??