Budget Rifles

[Sagesniffer]

Hello Everyone,
I’m hoping you guys can throw some of your experience my way. I am interested in getting one of the budget rifles. Looking to spend between $300 and $400. I’m looking at the Savage Axis, Mossberg Patriot, Winchester XPR and Ruger American. Any other suggestions? My only requirements are an adjustable trigger, and it must be chambered in 7mm-08. (I want to fit in on this forum.)
What do you think? Anybody have experience with any of these models, good or bad? What have you heard?
Thanks for your time.

 

[sbhooper]

Those are all good guns, from what I have seen and read, but I own a Ruger American and it is a great rifle.

 

[Gunner46]

I'd go with the Ruger. 3 of my past 4 rifle purchases have been Rugers and I'm very happy with them. Shop around on the net, the same rifle can go for over a $100 spread. The RA Wolf is probably going to be your best bargin, if you can find one, but it's only been made in 308, or 30/06. I got mine on Grab-A-Gun for $289 and just watched one go on Gun-Broker for $330.

 

[mthillrunner]

I also own a cpl ruger American. Neither are in that caliber. The stock looks cheap to my eyes. However, I bought them as truck guns that get beat up. Both are as accurate as any gun I own and function smoothly. I'd certainly buy another. No experience with the others you mentioned.

 

[LWC55]

You might check out the Marlin XS7 in 7mm 08. I have the XL7 in 30-06 and really like it. Classic shaped stock, mild recoil, accu trigger. Nice gun for the $

 

[7mm08mo]

My 15 year old son has two savage axis's chambered in 7mm-hunttalk and 30-06. One is stainless and the other is black with camo stock. I cannot complain about either, great accuracy and function. I have a savage model 11 and its bolt is a little smoother in my opinion but not so much that I wouldn't buy an axis. I won a ruger American in 7-08 and traded it as I already had one in savage and it just seemed cheap to me, I cannot speak to durability or function or accuracy of any of the other rifles as I have no experience with them.

 

[PoWdA]

Those are all good guns, from what I have seen and read, but I own a Ruger American and it is a great rifle.

I too own a Ruger American. It has been great for two seasons.

 

[Melman]

I think the Thompson Center Venture is a "budget" rifle that is way underrated. Its action is much nicer than a budget rifle needs to be and they are very accurate. I also like the 60 degree bolt throw. Basically the same action as the high dollar, now discontinued T/C Icon. you can get them for under $400 and if you look hard you can get one in Weather Shield finish which is Cerakoted for about $400. I bought a used one in 30-06 that I keep wanting to sell but its just too nice of a rifle to get rid of. I also think the stock is nicer than some of those other budget rifles.

 

[TheSurveyor]

I own a SS 06 American and more than happy with it. Had it about 4yrs and love the SS. Put some quality optics on it and go. Trying to talk myself out of a Ruger American Ranch at this point.

 

[406LIFE]

I have a Remington 770 I've posted about elsewhere here. Picked it up for ~$250, scoped. accurate and cheap. I keep it around to give to a firstimer or loaner.

 

[vanish]

I have a Remington 770 I've posted about elsewhere here. Picked it up for ~$250, scoped. accurate and cheap. I keep it around to give to a firstimer or loaner.

I don't recommend this model. The only reason I have one is my friend was gifted a brand new one, but decided he wanted to get into fly fishing. Bolt assembly fell apart while I was climbing through some brush. I didn't know it had until I was well away from there. I managed to find the bolt and put it back together. A few weeks later it happened again and this time I wasn't so lucky.

 

[quiet22]

Mossberg patriot 308 youth... Accurate... Well built.. Light and short.. Very dependable for a$260 on sale Hunter.

 

[406LIFE]

I don't recommend this model. The only reason I have one is my friend was gifted a brand new one, but decided he wanted to get into fly fishing. Bolt assembly fell apart while I was climbing through some brush. I didn't know it had until I was well away from there. I managed to find the bolt and put it back together. A few weeks later it happened again and this time I wasn't so lucky.

That is super odd. I'd look at the bolt lock and see what was loose. These are not precision machined rifles, but they shouldn't just fall apart.

 

[noharleyyet]

Heed the rifle offers posted here by forum members. Might be hard to snag a 7 naught but there are some fair buys on other calibers to be had. Jose recently posted a sweet purchase on a Savage in 6.5 Creedhipster from Cabelas IIRC that was a steal IMO.

 

[vanish]

That is super odd. I'd look at the bolt lock and see what was loose. These are not precision machined rifles, but they shouldn't just fall apart.

I'm not the only this has happened to: https://www.google.com/search?q=remington+770+bolt+fell+out

 

[Wyatt G]

http://grabagun.com/howa-hgk62707-7mm08-22-3-10x44-blk.html
i know it's a touch over your budget but howa's are a step above other budget rifles. this was just a quick search so if you shopped around you could find a better deal. Another good budget rifle is the tc venture, it's one of the better budget guns, if you do some shopping around you could find one a bit above $300.

 

[Tufrthnails]

Of the ones mentioned I'd vote the Ruger. I love my savages, but not the Axis. Bought my 9 yo (at the time) son a RA compact .243. It has been a great little rifle for three years now. He has killed two deer and 3 hogs with it here in FL.

 

[JohnCushman]

Another vote for the Ruger American. I bought my wife a .308 for her first rifle and it's a great gun. The price point was great, it's got the accu-trigger style trigger, and a great recoil pad. She's pretty small and the pad is good enough that she doesn't flinch. It easily shoots MOA for her at 100 yards (she had never shot a rifle before I got her this). I liked hers so much I sold my Savage 30-06 and bought the Ruger. I got the scope package one with the Redfield Revolution scope and I really like it a lot. It's a great shooter. I have a buddy using it now because I'm getting a Howa 1500. If you're willing to spend a little more, the Howa 1500's are a great rifle for an honest price point.

 

[PoWdA]

Another note on the Ruger American: I bought it on Black Friday at WalMart. I can't remember exactly how much it was, but it was a fantastic deal. I put it on layaway and went in sometime in the afternoon on Black Friday and bought it. One of the better deals I have ever gotten (and the only firearm I have purchased at a Walmart )

 

[TimeOnTarget]

The only one of those that doesn't make me completely cringe is the Ruger.