"Budget Rifles" & Accuracy

[Litehiker]

There are now quite a few "Budget Rifles" on the market. Virtually every major rifle maker has one.
Ex.:
Marlin X7
Mossberg 100 ATR
Remington 770
Savage Axis
ThompsonCenter Venture
Weatherby Vanguard 2
Ruger American
(Tikka T3 is not included due to its high price.)

I have ordered a Ruger American Predator version in 6.5 Creedmoor based on its features and excellent reviews from owners and gun writers. This rifle design seems to have been able to combine highly desireable features like great bedding system, 3-lug bolt, great trigger, etc. for a very reasonable price. I'll have to see just how accurate Ruger's hammer forged barrel is once I take delivery.

Originally I thought about getting the T/C Venture but owner complaints about accuracy made me shy away, not to mention factory recalls on the triggers.

My second choice would be the Weatherby Vanguard 2 and 3rd the Marlin X7.

So what are your experiences with rifles from this list on accuracy?

 

[MudRunner2005]

While I would not own a budget rifle to leave alone and hunt with, I would expect 2-2.5 MOA, but I'm sure most will shoot better than that if you find the right ammo, or handload for it.

I would, of course, have to say the Remington 700 ADL would be my first choice ($379.99 Academy Sports). Because even if it doesn't shoot, you already have the perfect platform to build a custom rifle.

And honestly, after seeing and hearing about how well the Vanguard S2 rifles shoot, that would be my #2 choice of that list, if I were in the market for a factory rifle to shoot as-is.

 

[J E Custom]

While I would not own a budget rifle to leave alone and hunt with, I would expect 2-2.5 MOA, but I'm sure most will shoot better than that if you find the right ammo, or handload for it.

I would, of course, have to say the Remington 700 ADL would be my first choice ($379.99 Academy Sports). Because even if it doesn't shoot, you already have the perfect platform to build a custom rifle.

And honestly, after seeing and hearing about how well the Vanguard S2 rifles shoot, that would be my #2 choice of that list, if I were in the market for a factory rifle to shoot as-is.

+1

In that order also.

Even though I am a fan of Remingtons I would stay clear of the 770. it has the recoil lugs machined into the barrel and if it doesn't shoot you have nothing. And it would be on the very bottom of my list.

Just My Opinion

J E CUSTOM

 

[gohring3006]

I have had very good luck with my TC Venture it shot sub moa with factory cheap corelockts and cloverleafs with my hand loads. If you don't like the way it shoots send it back to TC they guarantee they will shoot 1moa or better as far as there trigger recall your not going to get a new in box rifle with a faulty trigger....

 

[MudRunner2005]

+1

In that order also.

Even though I am a fan of Remingtons I would stay clear of the 770. it has the recoil lugs machined into the barrel and if it doesn't shoot you have nothing. And it would be on the very bottom of my list.

Just My Opinion

J E CUSTOM

Same here.

710/770/783...Those are all the models I would stay away from, when it comes to Remington bolt-actions.

 

[FEENIX]

Out of your list, I'd go with (as I helped friends from my squadron set up their rigs) ...

1. TC Venture: three .300 Win Mags and two .270 Wins ... all shoot .5-.75 MOA with factory ammo. A co-worker had to send his .270 Win for the trigger recall but got it back in ~ 3 weeks and got an extra magazine for it too.

Below is one of the .300 Win Mag that belong to an Airman in my squadron. It has JP Enterprise Bennie Cooley muzzle brake and Vortex scope.

2. VS2: one in .270 Win and one in .30-06 shoots similar shoots .5-1 MOA with factory ammo.

3. Savage Axis and Ruger American: I have no personal experience with them but I know folks that are very pleased with theirs.

If you re-consider the Tikka T3, it'll go on as my 1st choice!

 

[Dr. Vette]

I own several Vanguards. Each one of them is extremely accurate, and better when I swap the stocks to B&C as well as the trigger to a Timney. I'm always looking for the "next" one.

 

[4bycamper]

At the risk of being redundant, I'll say it again.
my stoopid cheap Savage Edge shoots better than either of my custom 7mm's do.
This $300 rifle in 223 puts 10 60gr Sierra HP into a quarter at 100 M. Every time.
I leave it loaded and ready to tag coyotes that come for my birds. Haven't missed yet.

Thinking about a Ruger in 6.5 CR. This cheap rifle thing is starting to sound interesting.

 

[Demon061]

I've had good results with my female's Savage Axis in .270. Magazine is crap and the stock is far from ideal but it shoots fairly well (just has a Vortex Diamondback 4-12x40 on top). No real data or pics to share but it groups fairly well@100 yards.

 

[Demon061]

There are now quite a few "Budget Rifles" on the market. Virtually every major rifle maker has one.
Ex.:
Marlin X7
Mossberg 100 ATR
Remington 770
Savage Axis
ThompsonCenter Venture
Weatherby Vanguard 2
Ruger American
(Tikka T3 is not included due to its high price.)

I have ordered a Ruger American Predator version in 6.5 Creedmoor based on its features and excellent reviews from owners and gun writers. This rifle design seems to have been able to combine highly desireable features like great bedding system, 3-lug bolt, great trigger, etc. for a very reasonable price. I'll have to see just how accurate Ruger's hammer forged barrel is once I take delivery.

Originally I thought about getting the T/C Venture but owner complaints about accuracy made me shy away, not to mention factory recalls on the triggers.

My second choice would be the Weatherby Vanguard 2 and 3rd the Marlin X7.

So what are your experiences with rifles from this list on accuracy?

On the Vanguard S2/Howa 1500: outstanding. Decent triggers out of the box, very well made barrels. My 1500 shoots MOA or better very consistently out to 300 yards (rarely shoot farther with it) in 30-06, friend's S2 does similarly. Waiting on better optics for mine to start doing any real shooting with it. Roommate also has an S2 in .270 but haven't really shot it much.

 

[runshort]

Dont know much about some of the budget rifles listed in this post. I would put the Rem 770 at the bottom due to the people I know personally that have them. I here good things about the Savage Axis and the Ruger American.
A friend recently purchased the Weatherby S2 in .223Rem. When he found the right factory ammo it shoots Hornady 55 gr. Vmaxs consistently in the .6-.7's The factory trigger is not really bad at all.
Can't really comment on any of the other rifles mentioned.

 

[Jud96]

Well we got my two older cousins (19 and 21) into long range shooting this past year , so they went out and bought their rifles for the job. Neither spent a lot because they were just starting out at long range shooting and they do a lot of other shooting and hunting. The oldest found a smoking deal on a .308 WIN Remington 700 ADL Stainless with a 24" barrel and synthetic stock for under $400 new! Though it's a light barreled rifle it works great, he topped it with the budget Vortex Crossfire II 6-18x scope and it shoots repeatable 3/8" groups at 100yds with our handloads driving a 168gr Hornady BTHP at 2700fps. We never shot it before we surface and pillar bedded it with Devcon so can't attest to out of the box, untouched accuracy, but tuned up, it's amazing for what he has in it. Even out to 700yds it shoots under 1/2 MOA!

The youngest recently got one of the Marlin X7VHs also chambered in .308 WIN. He payed around $365 for it new and I believe it was an awesome deal. It combines great features such as a trigger like the Savage Accu-Trigger, round action like both Remington and Savage, a heavy contour barrel with 1-12 twist, and a smooth bolt with a very nice bolt shroud similar to a Weatherby or Sako. He topped it with a Redfield 6-18x44 with a fine duplex reticle that is very precise and doesn't obscure targets at farther ranges. Before shooting it, we also fully pillar bedded and surface glassed the stock and the only complaint is the junk plastic trigger guard that came with it. Bullets are back in stock around here, so we decided to shoot the higher BC 168gr A-MAX at 2700fps. It too shoots excellent and matches the Remington's accuracy shot for shot. So far, they each have racked up kills with them taking out groundhogs and crows from 100-550yds. I knew the Remington would be a winner because I have two ADLs, but the Marlin I never worked with but it really impressed me. So I would take a good look at the new bolt guns from Marlin, they are a real big bang for your buck.

 

[Litehiker]

Jud,

What I really think is happening here is that with CAD (computer aided design) linked with CAM (computer aided machining) and robotics in manufacturing we are seeing machining tolerances being held to very tight limits. The synergy of all these things permits good quality American made (and Japanese made) rifles to be manufactured for far less than previously was possible.

Now I'd like to see advances in stock making so we could have better quality stocks to match the quality of the machining.

I've read great reports on the budget Marlin X7. And one friend swears his .308 X7 shoots as well as our friend's .270 Tikka T3.

Too bad Savage did not put their Accu Trigger in their Axis. I think Ruger saw that and put a great trigger in the American.
Lordy I'm gettin' itchy to get my R. A. Predator!


"The only interesting rifles are accurate rifles." Col. Townsend Whelen

Yers, Eric

 

[MontanaMarine]

Recently I picked up a Ruger American Predator in 223 Rem. Mounted a Vortex Viper 3-9x40.

Put together a Hornet-level load, 9.0gr Unique under a 40gr VMax. It holds real close to .5 moa at about 2700 fps, 35K psi per QL calc.

Trigger is pretty nice too. Overall I'm very happy with the rifle.