Thread: Best $1000 budget rifle ??

Originally Posted by gadgetman

Not sure what the Browning AB3's are like, but they would certainly be within the budget.

Stock is shite the rest of it is as an A BOLT.

how about considering features first..

old style 90 deg bolt throw...loose rattly slow to cycle
Rem, Howa, Mosberg, Savage

Modern style 60-70 deg quick and slick
Tikka, Saurer, Ruger American

Originally Posted by Pengy

It doesn't tick all of the boxes, but H & F Nelson currently have a Howa 1500 ss in a Hougue stock, with a DPT can and a Nikko scope all for $999 new
Only a 243 though.

Guy was about to buy it when he rang his mate for advice. mate says " don't buy Howa. POS"

Shit the DPT can is worth about a third of the value of the package ...


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Originally Posted by jakewire

Stock is shite the rest of it is as an A BOLT.

It is a shame when they meddle when they should leave a good thing alone.

Not to sure if you're wanting blued or stainless. But I've had this on my watch list. Will leave you with some change.
https://www.trademe.co.nz/sports/hun...1412758112.htm

Originally Posted by NZVarminter

how about considering features first..

old style 90 deg bolt throw...loose rattly slow to cycle
Rem, Howa, Mosberg, Savage

Modern style 60-70 deg quick and slick
Tikka, Saurer, Ruger American

My descritpion of the ruger from the 2 I've handled wouldn't include the word slick, if probably use words like gritty, rough sandy and the likes.

I liked the rest of the rifle, and they shoot well, but they do still feel like a budget rifle

Originally Posted by NZVarminter

how about considering features first..

old style 90 deg bolt throw...loose rattly slow to cycle
Rem, Howa, Mosberg, Savage

Modern style 60-70 deg quick and slick
Tikka, Saurer, Ruger American

Firing one of my Savage Classics back to back with a mates T3 I found the Savage action slicker and smoother regardless of the extra bolt lift. It was also more accurate (individual examples can vary with any of them and ammo choice etc of course), with a better trigger and nicer safety position etc. Couldn't see what all the fuss was about with the Tikka to be honest, good practical rifle but to me it was nothing special.

Personal taste is a big factor with any rifle choice though - I say people should take all forum opinions (and magazine reviews) with a grain of salt, consider the assorted information, handle the options and chose the one that suits them personally the best.

Ok , big day yesterday . "ROAD TRIP"........... I had a Winchester XPR in 308 put aside with my name on it .
The written reviews looked good and the YouTube clips had me convinced I had found a great budget rifle that was gonna rock, oh man I was onto a winner.
2.5 hours of driving later , a couple of double shot coffee's and I burst into the shop like a one man SWAT team. The usual Tyre kickers and gun fondlers were there, dreamers, wannabes and time wasters, fuck have these guys got nothing better to do, get a hobbie and watch some porn.... you dicks are taking up the salesman time and slowing me down to getting to my hot date.

I played it cool by letting the other guys ask meaningful questions like " doe's it come in an Orange and black stripped stock with pink rings ? ". Then suddenly a voice laced with boredom and more than a dash of disinterest said " can I help you sir " I hadn't been called "Sir" in a long time and it took a few moments to click that he was talking to me, in fact the the way his hands were twitching I thought he was going to attempt sign language.
I mentioned I had a rifle put aside but would like to view other brands within my budget and calibre I was looking at. The salesman was great, very helpful as he pulled 4 different options off the rack and placed them on the counter.

They all looked like clones, soulless bland offerings.... oh well if you have a low budget this is your choice.

Ruger American: Probably the best of the bunch, felt light and balanced , thin barrel but at 1K bare it wasn't the best buying. Stock shouldered ok .
Remington 783: felt the best and tight finish but the budget 770 was shit and I was wary of another low end gun from Rem
Howa: nice gun, shouldered well, houge stock but felt weird , chunky feel and solid with a horrible little barrel that felt like it should be on an air rifle.

Drum roll..........Winchester XPR, as it was placed on the counter I thought the wrong rifle had been placed in front of me. Now don't get me wrong I'm a realist and I wasn't expecting Miss World with some stunning false boobs.
I was expecting more of a very average porn starlet with a lot of make up and a good tit job.
What I got was a 4ft Mexican midget with two empty Tip Top ice cream containers stabled to her chest, fuck it was ugly. The stock made a Tikka T3 plastic stock look like a $5000 bell and Carlson .
The thing did't shoulder or fit me either which was probably a blessing. I was faced with such bland offerings that I was sort of blind sided and mentally in neutral.

I think I mumbled some about getting a coffee and making a decision and walked out, huge waste of time and a little gutting but with a limited budget you will only be given so many options.
Needless to say I turned the car on and drove outta town for the other 2.5 hour return drive.

However the story has a happy ending , I needed some 17HMR ammo so dropped into my local shop and there was a surprise on the rack, traded in yesterday. Rem 700 in 7.08, two years old and under 100 rounds through it. Unmarked , shouldered well and felt right.
$650, not a steal but not bad either and a good platform to refine and improve. I even got to speak to the previous owner who had brought it new . He was getting 1 inch groups with average ammo and sub MOA with good stuff so it has potential.

Trigger job and suppressor to start with, I'm going to treat it as a project rifle and be a tight arse and see how far I can take it for as little as possible, should be fun.

Good shit Viper Really enjoyed the yarn, felt like I was in the passanger seat along for the ride. Meant to be I'd say, you & the 7m08

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Funny how it goes, head into a shop on a pre determined course..then curve balls start being chucked at you... All I can say is I tried a lot before I bought and it was a long time between titoo n purchase. Still happy with the Predator


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Originally Posted by Sideshow

Tell him he needs a little of this
Attachment 74942

Nah actually sheared off like fucked both the rings and the bases locktight wouldn't have done anything it's just cheap crap
He's replaced bases and rings with tallys and locktighted in place no won't have an issue now

Sweet mate glad you found something
7mm-08 is a great round
308 although no one is questioning its effectiveness and the fact that its tryed and trued
It is in my opinion no longer the bees knees
Most of the people who have them only swear by them do because their grandad or dad had one or something along those lines
Others go on about it being good enough for the military tary good enough for me but the military's are slowly but surly moveing away from 308 in favour of more modern and superior cartridges
Long range full bore shooters use them yes and not as much these days
But yeah its still quite popular in those circles
But what you have to remember is there shooting targets at a set known distance and set there sights up accordingly and only need to make very minor adjustments for wind etc so it doesn't really matter about low bc's etc
308 is great and its still very effective but then so is 303 British and thats slowly dieing I think give it another 10 years and 308 will be doing the same

What you have done imo is brought the best cal you can buy these days for a general purpose hunting rifle for some who only shoots factory ammunition there are slightly better options in my opinion for the Reloaders
But as far as a factory ammunition run rifle for general purpose hunting to 450m you can't go past 7mm-08

My thoughts and my opinion only
Will piss a couple off but dilligaf ��

You have done well the 7-08 is a great round as is the Remington 700 rifle if you start loading you can't go wrong with the Nosler 120 or 140 B Tip and good old 2208.

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Thanks Guys
it is strange how you go into a shop for one thing and walk out with something different. Thanks for your thoughts and input @ rambo-6mmrem , it should definitely do the job I need it to as a deer rifle and allow me to start quietly working away at long range on a budget.
I will probably start a new thread showing the progress of the rifle and money spent as a budget long range / hunting rig.

Cant go wrong with a rem700, tonne of aftermarket support for them, one day its a mexican midget with icecream containers stapled to its chest and within a few years and a bit of money thrown at it a couple of years later it can be jennifer lawrence