I can't believe how good the "Inexpensive Rifles" are nowadays !

[charlie b]

What a great topic. Why don't 'they' make $500 heirloom guns? Because people will pay way over $1000 for one. 99% of us who buy guns want accurate tools to use, yes, like Henry Ford's production line. The same reason I drive a diesel pickup. It is a tool, not an exotic sports car, and priced that way. I don't want a fancy walnut stock or a polished deep blue finish that I have to worry about when taking it in the field. Plastic and brushed stainless work for me.

If I want an heirloom gun I will go to a maker and select stock material and have them fit it to an action and barrel of my choosing. Meanwhile I will keep my father-in-law's M1 Garand, my grandfather's 1911 (not 1911A1), and my father's Python where they won't get damaged. Yes, they get fired all the time, but, not out in the woods. And they will be handed down to the next generation who will care for them the same. Hunting guns? Nope.

Having said that, my last purchase was a nice Lyman Great Plains Hunter muzzle loader. Beautiful stock and metal. No, not polished, it is still a field gun

I am happy as a pig in s*** that we can get these inexpensive rifles that shoot so well. I will probably buy another one in the near future.

PS and you can always take one of these inexpensive shooters, get a nice stock made for it, have a gunsmith polish and blue it to your satisfaction, maybe even add some engraving and nice checkering. Then you'll have your heirloom gun. And, yes, the stock maker will probably use CNC machinery to inlet and shape the stock, maybe even do the checkering/carving. Same with the metalwork, except the polishing and bluing part. So, you'll come away with a nice gun for around $1000 that used to cost several thousand.

[country gent]

One of the major reasons for these inexpensive rifles is the strides made in manufacturing in the last 20-30 years. In the late 1800s to early 1900s holding +/- .010 was state of the art on production equipment. From then to the early 50s +/- .005 was doing really good. Then into the 70s it was .001 and with modern cnc and equipment .0005 isnt hard to accomplish. With modern fiberglassstocks little hand work is needed with modern machining little hand fitting is needed saving cost in manufacturing. Another area is the lower scrap rates of this equipment saving costs.

[Four Fingers of Death]

The new cutting tips are amazing, cutting cleanly and preferring high speeds leaving a good finish and not requiring clean up or finishing. My brother has a brilliant lathe and using the fancy tips can rip metal of leaving a mirror finish.

[dverna]

It makes almost no sense to buy a Mosin or any of the mil-surp rifles anymore. By the time you fix them up and modify them to take a scope you are at the price of a new econo rifle that will outshoot it.

I bought a Howa mini-mauser for $350 a short while ago. It was in the Cabela's flier so not a "find". CDNN has Brownings for about $500 this week.

Lot's of good buys if you are patient.

Don Verna

[NoAngel]

My Ruger American Ranch rifle was less than $400. I wasn't expecting much for a 8 twist 16" barrel but I wanted something to put my YHM Ti Phantom on. That little booger is a friggin tack driver. Best money I have spent in years.

[Texas by God]

my most accurate hunting rifle is a Remington Model 710 chambered in 300 Win mag. This rifle shoots 3 shots inside of 1/2 all the time at 100 yds. Very accurate, son kills deer with it. Doesnt want to borrow anything else.

Yep. I had one in .270 that shot and worked fine. For $150 with scope. Best, Thomas.

[Rich/WIS]

About 2 month ago my Son-in-law bought a new Winchester M70, rifle was a package deal with a better grade Bushnell scope but plastic stock. Price at the LGS was $630. He wanted better scope so they gave him an$80 credit and he purchased a Leopold for it. Fellow on E-bay had new factory M70 stocks for $150 shipped so we added that to the rifle. He now has a controlled feed M70 with an extremely nice walnut stock for $700 not counting the scope. I bought a M70 FWT about 3 years ago, used (only sign of use was the filler screws were gone from mounting a scope) with a decent walnut stock for $700. Not the bargain guns, but nice walnut, good workmanship, and controlled feed. FWIW I also have a pre-war M70 and comparing the workmanship the new rifles are light years ahead in fit and also in accuracy.

[tdoyka]

just myself, i don't like the inexpensive rifles much. i've had few "IR" (tc venture, savage axis and ruger american), but i just never warmed up to them. the black plastic stocks and the plastic magazines were just some of the things i don't care about. but they shot under a inch, i will give them that. i have only one black plastic stock and that is the savage m12, which my dad has absconded it.

i have used old rem m700s, old win m70s and ruger m77 and #1 that have shot 1/2-3/4" at 100 yards(old being before 1980's). my little brother has a real old win m54 in 270 that is a tack driver, 1/4" at 100 yards using 130gr bt and imr4320(or is it 4350? i'll have to check my notes). i have just shot a bubbasized '98 spr armory in 30-40 krag(old redfield peep sight, no-drill) that goes roughly under a 1/2" at 100 yards(3 shots) while using a 165gr ranch dog with h4198(25.5gr). it normally can do a 3/4 - 1 1/4" group, but it can do a 1/2" group.

i do like old calibers with old guns. the fit and finish the old timers had was unbelievable. the newer guns look like the newer cars do, they all look and feel the same.

just spouting off, i like to ramble off about nothing.

[warboar_21]

I just picked up two new rifles. One fits the budget rifle as its the Ruger American all weather in left hand.

The other was more money but the quality of the rifle puts it in the low budget category. It's a Remington 700 sps varmint model. Haven't even shot it yet as I had to send it back to the factory for their poor workmanship. The so called adjustable trigger is none adjustable and two out of the four scope mounting holes stripped out when I removed the plugs.

The quality of Remington rifles continues to decline. Freedom group has been the worst thing to ever happen to Remington.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk

[Texas by God]

With the modern machinery &methods of manufacture it seems like some company could produce an inexpensive rolling or falling block single shot. Go ahead and use plastic stocks. We'll replace it if the gun is good enough.

[dragon813gt]

You mean like Henry's forthcoming single shots?

[pressonregardless]

If they are saving so much money using modern manufacturing methods, then why not
take some of that money they saved & put them in a decent looking wood stock ?

[charlie b]

I'd rather have plastic stocks. I will take a laminated wood stock if I have to. Solid wood, no.

[tdoyka]

wood and laminate, good.
plastic, not on your life.

[Silverboolit]

I think that the introductory rifles, Axis,American, etc. are designed for hunters like my bro-in-law. Three shots to check in sighting, maybe 2 shots for deer, and back into the case for another 11 mos.

[charlie b]

Or people like me, who just want to go to the range and shoot. I was one of those who bought a Rem 788 when they first came out (mine was in 7mm-08). Despite all the negative comments from a lot of folks and magazine writers I loved it. It would shoot into an inch or less at 100yd and was handy to carry. I would have loved a plastic stock on it, especially since the factory stock was an ugly chunk of wood. I put a couple thousand rounds through it before I sold it.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I have two 788s, a 222 and a 22/250. They really punch above their weight. I like the stock shape, but they are crafted from pallet wood I think, haha.

[mcdaniel.mac]

I'm not big on the Remingtons, but the new Ruger American line is my go-to recommendation for a first centerfire rifle. I just wish someone would start making metal aftermarket mags.

[Texas by God]

You mean like Henry's forthcoming single shots?

I am waiting on those. The pics look good. But I want a falling or rolling block for about $400. Crazy, huh?

[Texas by God]

The 788 was 13 years old when the 7mm-08 was introduced. Except for the late 60s walnut stocks they were all stocked with Birch. Birch is a white hardwood that is a perfect wood for gunstocks albeit plain looking. Best, Thomas.