Best rifle under a grand?

[LongBomber]

I good friend of mine is looking for a starter hunting rifle (after using one of mine for way too long). He is looking for something in a 300win mag, mainly for elk hunting at moderate ranges, but with a bit of long range target practice thrown in. Any good ideas?

 

[johnnyk]

If I had only $1K, I would scour the internet and gunshops looking for a used rifle. A slightly used Savage would be the ticket I think. I bought a used (talked to the prev. owner), and I mean very little, 112BVSS in .300WinMag for $500.00. It's a single shot, but I don't plan on killing more than one at a time (I really don't like cleaning 'em).
The 180gn loads I worked up for it are printing .3's at 100yds and 3.6" @ 560yds. That's definately "Deer MOA". JohnnyK.

 

[locotrician]

good deal on a new or find a used browning eclipse or eclipse M1000. beautiful laminated wood stock with a thumbhole , available in standard or heavy barrel, with or without a muzzle brake. i own one of each style one in 300 win and one in 7RM and both shoot great.

 

[novaman64]

What about a Remington 700? Im sure you could find a used Sendero for under 1000, if not a varminter and throw a stock on it....

 

[britz]

I for one have never been a fan of purchasing used rifles because I've seen way to many people clean out rust with bullets.

I doubt I would ever buy another savage after what I'm dealing with with my 22-250, sorry guys, just can't jump on that wagon any longer

If he is looking for a sporter weight rifle my #1 choice would be the New Sako A7, # 2 would be the Tikka T3, #3 choice would be a rem 700 ADL.

If he wants a heavy barreled rifle my #1 choice is the Tikka T3 Varmint (hard to find in the big cals though) and the # 2 Choice is the Remington Sendaro 2.

 

[338 LEGEND]

You get what you pay for, get a 700 remington and you will never have to take spare parts with you on your hunt. you can find a sendero for under a grand. If you buy a savage get one with a wood stock because you will need all the weight you can get to swing at an elk, plus you can start a fire with it.

 

[britz]

You get what you pay for, get a 700 remington and you will never have to take spare parts with you on your hunt. you can find a sendero for under a grand. If you buy a savage get one with a wood stock because you will need all the weight you can get to swing at an elk, plus you can start a fire with it.

LOL! oh boy, your gunna start a fight here with that kinda talk!

 

[BountyHunter]

You get what you pay for, get a 700 remington and you will never have to take spare parts with you on your hunt. you can find a sendero for under a grand. If you buy a savage get one with a wood stock because you will need all the weight you can get to swing at an elk, plus you can start a fire with it.

Bull Sh__ THAT DOG DON'T HUNT FOR **** SURE!

my new Rem SPS broke its "pinned" extractor on the 3rd shot of confirm zero on a hunt and only 100 rounds fired total. had to carry a cleaning rod for a week, Thought I had a WSM "muzzleloader". To make matters worse, the Rem warranty shop a new extractor in under warranty and this one broke the next year on the first shot of confirm zero. The warranty shop put a Sako extractor in this time and last factory remington I am taking on a hunt. A PTG bolt is being fitted as we speak.

Oh, yes that great rem barrel shot nice 2.5-3" "patterns: (at best) with every bullet combo man ever made. Spent a year trying before I jerked it off and threw it away. Lilja barrel sets on it now and .5 or less with just about anything.


My savages all are under 3/4" and have not had to play Daniel Boone and muzzle loader with one of them.

I will be the first to say, all of them let something slip now and then. It is just in rem case, that is standard practice and then refuse to fix it about half the time. More than one guy has got the response 3" "patterns" are acceptable.

In Remingtons case, you sure as heck do not get what you pay for!!

That is why the Rem president right now is working hard to correct their lack of quality. from what I hear he got an earfull at the shot show. He has visited a gun shop a friend of mine manages in NC, I know at least several times looking at their lack of quality and shooting good guns. He has got an eyefull for sure.

BH

 

[roninflag]

the sendero. if you want lighter get a stainless fluted model. if you want a little heavier get an older matte. my friends and i have a dozen in different calibers. all shoot good

 

[338 LEGEND]

LOL! oh boy, your gunna start a fight here with that kinda talk!

Sorry, had alittle to much liquid opinion ( sam adams ).

 

[squirrelduster]

I just purchased a Savage stainless in 7mm WSM and it shoots between .380 and .502 the last 4 groups at 100 yards after load work up.
I modified the accutrigger to right around a pound and it is impressive.
Still like my custom 700 but for under $600 bucks the Savage is impressive.

 

[LongBomber]

I found him a little extra work is week, and he stretched his budget and bought a new sendero, found on sale for 1200 including tax (canadian pricing...) He ended up with a 300 rum, mostly as that was what was on sale, and since I have a 300rum we can load some decent ammuntion for it. He got a 4-16x40 bushnell 4200, and a set of Leupold PRW rings/bases.

I have heard of a few cases of the broken remington extractor, but I have 4 remingtons and have never had a problem myself. Another hunting buddy has a weatherby vanguard that won't extract reliably (maybe 1 -2 out of a box of 20). I pushed the empty cases out with a cleaning rod, and they didn't seem stuck in the chamber. Maybe it needs a tune-up at the smith's. Anyone heard of this on the vanguards?

 

[johnnyk]

Since 96 I have owned several variations of the Sendero excluding the newer SF II. I am not gonna pay that much for that rifle because the quality hasn't been commensurate. If it has gone up at all. I owned two of the original models (7mmRM/.300WM) and one of the SF models(.25-06Rem). In addition, I owned two of the older BDL Varmint Special (.22-250/.243) and VS (.22-250). I paid between $475 and $600 for all these rifles. They all shot great and sub 1/2" but the first Sendero (7Mag - $475.00) was the most accurate, with 1/4" groups the norm. The extractor broke after 1200+ rounds and the barrel was shot out. I traded it and $100 boot for a 700P in 7Mag that I now own and it shoots great. Good glass and trigger adjustment was all that was ever needed to get decent accuracy.
During this same time I have owned 3 Savages; two 110FP's (7Mag/.223Rem) and currently a 112BVSS (.300WM). The first two got Timney triggers and the 112 has a Rifle Basix. Nothing but good glass needed to get them to shoot. Sub 1/2" was/is now the norm and the .223 shot 1/4" and LESS! I paid $350-500.00.
I have also owned two Winchester 70's. The first was a sporter weight .30-06 with synthetic stock. Other than a NEF (.243) it was, accuracy wise, the poorest shooting rifle I have ever owned. It was given to me (with a Leupold Vari-X III 3.5-10X40) so I gave it back to the previous owner. I now own a Win70 Heavy Varmint Barrel (HVB) in .243 Win and it is superbly accurate! I did nothing to it except clean the barrel and mounted a Nikon Monarch UCC 6.5-20. It cost me $500. The trigger breaks crisply at 2lbs. Best factory trigger I have ever experienced.
My point; a used rifle in good condition is the frugal way to go. You have to do some homework though. Look at the Blue Book value. Is it worth it? What is the condition of it? Get the previous owner's name/number and call him/her. Find out what he/she used it for (hunting/targets), what they shot in it (bulet weight(s), and how many (2 boxes/1500rds). Ask why they got rid of it. Yeah, you're taking a chance but so are you with a brand new rifle and with MORE of your money. JohnnyK.

 

[RockZ]

You can build a Savage with a custom barrel for about a grand.
Savage actionw/accutrigger- $350 or less
Shilen, McGowen,or Lothar Walther barrel-$300
Stockade stock- $200-$300
Custom Recoil Lug- $35

Total- $885-$985

Check out the article on building a Long Range Rifle on a Budget,by Jerry Theo.

Check out savageshooters.com

You won't be dissappointed!