Best budget hunting rifle

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Depends on what you mean by budget - do you mean

--Under $300

--$300-$350

--$350-$400

--$400-$450

--$450-$500

The answer is different for each category, and do you mean new, used, or both?

Without knowing more, TC Venture is a great value in a sub-$450 rifle (that 4th category).

Yes, Stevens is the answer in the first category. If you look around, these are still $275 plus shipping/FFL - right, less if you can get in on the crazy Academy deal - but I think that's pretty much over now.

Howa/Vanguard, CZ, and Tikka always strong contenders in value, as is Savage.

Scope - what's the budget? Same thing - different answer in different ranges of price. Without knowing more, Nikon Omega 3-9x40. Anywhere from $135 I've seen them re-furbed from Nathez up to $225-$250 new.

I'm assuming you want a turnbolt - good choice. Good cartridge choice, of course.

Best answer is really anything but the 710/715/770/Whitetail Hunter - and now I think it has yet has another name - Remington keeps renaming it every time the prior name gets a bad (deserved) rep. Accurate, but crappily made for the price. They're the Glock of turnbolts: Pretty shoddy, but they function reasonably well, and the name recognition and inertia will continue to carry them for years.

Personally I would avoid the Mossberg 100 ATR / 4x4 as well - but some have a lot of good to say about them.
 

_CY_

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have never taken a scoped shot at a deer that couldn't be easily taken with iron sights. have killed my share of deer during black powder with iron sights.

03 A3 with peep sights... no problems getting 1.5 in groups at 100yds.
translated... that's easily minute of deer

old mausers can be found in 30.06 ... reasonably priced and accurate as any modern gun. as several have pointed out mounting a scope on military rifles can be a pita.
 

tiny68

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If you want budget - try this Vortex Viper 2-7x. $175. Closeout.

http://www.cameralandny.com/optics/vortex.pl?page=vortexviper2-7x32

I put one on a 308 Stevens I put together for my 12 yr old as a X-mas present. Great value. Burris Signature Zee Rings are all I use. Luck, Tim

ai159.photobucket.com_albums_t151_tiny68_photos_JAke_3.jpg
 

lightningkylej

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You can get a CVA Stalker Elite from academy for $159 with a blue barrel or with a stainless for $179. Top it off with a Nikon Prostaff 3-9x40 and you have a great budget rifle for under $300 including scope. The CVA comes in many calibers but the .243 would work great for almost everything in OK. From varmints to medium size game. .270 is also a great caliber and I have yet to drop anything that I hit with it. Packs a nice punch with little recoil and has a really level trajectory. My tikka will shoot 5 shot clovers at 100 with cheap walmart federal 130's and a nikon buckmaster 3-9x40. My CVA would shoot 1moa with a nikon prostaff 3-9x40 at 100 with any 130gr box ammo. Side by side tests with remington, federals, and monarch (yeah even monarchs) would hit within an 1" of each other. That is good enough for my neck of the woods. I had to try to find a place to shoot a 150 yard shot.
 

88gmchog

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I would say the CVA or Stevens. I have had both and have had good exp with either. although I recently sold my CVA cause i found a great deal on a savage 10 in 308. Anything other that the lower remingiton's
 

jacobshain

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I would suggest a 30-o6 as it's the North American rifle and you can pick up ammo for it just about everywhere. It was designed to hunt anything in North America so even if you wanted to hunt elk then go for it, plus its a very reasonable rifle for the price and great for long distances.
 

Razur

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I'm in the same situation as the OP.
I've been wanting a Savage Axis (formerly Edge) and I was going to get one pre-packaged with a scope.
I just haven't seen them around, although I haven't looked lately.
 

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