Affordable starter/donor rifle

[Country Bumpkin]

Good Morning!

Here's my plan, and I need you suggestions.

I'd like to buy my son an affordable "starter" gun that he can hunt with for a few years. He's 10, this year he killed his first deer with a Ruger American in 6.5CM. My plan is to upgrade the rifle over the years for major milestones (new barrel at 16, new stock at 18, new scope at 21, other bits/pieces along the way for stellar report cards or seasons).

My request from you folks is suggestions for an affordable starter rifle (I don't necessarily care about which cartridge, we can get into that later, although I like the idea of .270). He will be hunting mule deer, elk and black bear. Which starter rifle provides the easiest modularity and is affordable to get him into his own rifle? Initial thoughts would be any of the Savage 110's for modularity, but that's not what I would necessarily consider affordable for a kids gun. Would the Axis II be as modular?

Thanks everyone. If you have links to threads with builds off an affordable platform, please share.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Tikka, affordable, excellent aftermarket support and you two could build it in the garage as time goes by.

 

[Tidus56]

Savage or Tikka is what I would do a semi custom on. I prefer Savage or the two but I don't have tons of Tikka experience either.

 

[xsn10s]

Good Morning!

Here's my plan, and I need you suggestions.

I'd like to buy my son an affordable "starter" gun that he can hunt with for a few years. He's 10, this year he killed his first deer with a Ruger American in 6.5CM. My plan is to upgrade the rifle over the years for major milestones (new barrel at 16, new stock at 18, new scope at 21, other bits/pieces along the way for stellar report cards or seasons).

My request from you folks is suggestions for an affordable starter rifle (I don't necessarily care about which cartridge, we can get into that later, although I like the idea of .270). He will be hunting mule deer, elk and black bear. Which starter rifle provides the easiest modularity and is affordable to get him into his own rifle? Initial thoughts would be any of the Savage 110's for modularity, but that's not what I would necessarily consider affordable for a kids gun. Would the Axis II be as modular?

Thanks everyone. If you have links to threads with builds off an affordable platform, please share.

If the Savage 110 is not considered "affordable" for a "kid's" rifle then the Tikka is out of the question. Although long term it would be an excellent option. The Axis would probably be a step down depending on the function of your Ruger. You could continue to build off of your Ruger. Magpul has a stock for it. And there are several prefit barrels on the market. I think a fast twist 7-08 would fit your hunting criteria pretty well.

 

[Mark37082]

The Remington is obviously the easiest to source future upgrades for, but I'm not sure I would go that route today. Savage 110 has been around for a long time. I like your plan. Setting goals for a youngster on accomplishments and giving positive reinforcement for achieving will help secure a life long hunting buddy.

 

[Country Bumpkin]

Tikka, affordable, excellent aftermarket support and you two could build it in the garage as time goes by.

Awesome, thank you. I'll have to do some searching and see if I can find some builds that others have done. Thank you

 

[Country Bumpkin]

Savage or Tikka is what I would do a semi custom on. I prefer Savage or the two but I don't have tons of Tikka experience either.

Thank you, sounds like a theme developing

 

[FEENIX]

Another vote for the Savage; budget/DIY friendliness is hard to beat and would make an excellent project build for you and your son. @Country Bumpkin I have budget builds in .270 AI with a 30" 1:8" Lilja barrel, .264 WM with a 26" 1:7" X-Caliber barrel, and my latest is a .257 WBY with a 22" 1:7" McGowan barrel for suppressed shooting/hunting. All of them with Savage 110/111 LA actions and have been a shooter. Good luck and have fun.

Ed

 

[Elkeater]

At this point in my life I'd probably go with a tikka or savage and of those two I'd probably grab the tikka.

 

[sierracharlie338]

If you want to save some money go the savage route as you can "build" it over the years in your garage without sending to a smith.

I would go glass first on the upgrades as you won't be anywhere even close to needing a new barrel in 4 year time period is my guess. Only caveat here would be not finding the cartridge in the platform you want then in that case swapping the barrel first would be the route I'd go.

Another vote for a fast twist 7-08 as it is a great "utility" cartridge that will be capable of everything you are wanting the rifle to do plus the factory ammo option if you don't handload.

 

[horsefor4]

Howa would be my pick it the action needs very little work already has a good barrel.

 

[26Reload]

From my understanding when talking with many people of late....
The Ruger American is quite the rifle...
Although change is 'good'....sometimes...
The price of putting together rifles is getting up there.....
Maybe consider a newer version of the Ruger American.....lightweight...solid rifles....shooting excellent....
Holes can be dug at an extreme amount.. maybe coming up with rifle combinations that just don't shoot.....I wish I hadn't jumped into the LRH pit......
"This will be the last one"..."no..really"....

 

[xsn10s]

If you want to save some money go the savage route as you can "build" it over the years in your garage without sending to a smith.

I would go glass first on the upgrades as you won't be anywhere even close to needing a new barrel in 4 year time period is my guess. Only caveat here would be not finding the cartridge in the platform you want then in that case swapping the barrel first would be the route I'd go.

Another vote for a fast twist 7-08 as it is a great "utility" cartridge that will be capable of everything you are wanting the rifle to do plus the factory ammo option if you don't handload.

Good glass really is a great suggestion. If the rifle shoots well and the shooter likes it then good-great glass really makes a big difference.

 

[MtPockets]

Thread '5 Savage Rifles' https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/5-savage-rifles.318033/


Grab a 6.5x284 and enjoy!