Budget Rifle recommendation

[otis24]

Looking for a budget rifle for my son. Had a Savage .270. A little much for him, and I didn't like the cheap plastic safety. Thinking of a Ruger American or Howa .243. Your thoughts?

 

[dusty3030]

Either of those choices are perfect.

 

[Rpg]

You might want to keep your eyes open for older Remington
ADL or BDL' or 788's.

Used bolt action rifles are often undervalued but are usually better quality than contemporary production rifles. In addition, they are often scoped, which only enhances the value.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Recently got a Ruger American carbine in .22 mag......ya a rim fire..... but must say impressed with the rifle for the price........................

A bit more in $$$s I think; but great classic rifles at a great price are the CZ long guns....... classic Mauser action w/ good to great wood...... most shoot moa out of the box!

 

[Brian in Oregon]

Howa makes a youth combo in .243 that has a short green Hogue stock, and an extra adult size black Hogue stock.

My son bought a used Howa 22-250. I was surprised how accurate it is.

 

[mauser9]

Agree with looking for a second hand 700 ADL or BDL but in my opinion the Ruger American is the one I would go for as it seems the most bang for the buck. Centerfires have a matte finish but my rimfire has the satin finish

 

[Matchking Man]

Look at the Stevens 200 in .243, dollar for dollar it may be the best budget rifle on the market. Used one's can be had for as little as 200.00. I've shot several and currently own a .223Rem All were subMOA with ammo they liked. My .223 with reloads is sub 1/2inch MOA. Even new they can be found for 289.00 which leaves room for intermediate glass like Leupold or Nikon 3x9

 

[fyimo]

Savage rifles with the accu-trigger are great rifles and usually very accurate. Cabelas has the 11/111 on sale with a Nikon BDC 3x9x40mm on sale for $499 and that's a good deal.

 

[SilentKnight]

If no scope required, a Winchester 30/30 has been a favorite for a long time and there are many used ones that are in excellent condition. Ruger has offerings in calibers that allow scopes and are not as heavy recoiling. Good luck.

 

[Valmet]

+1 for a Remington 700 ADL in 243 or 7mm-08.

 

[Ptarmigan]

Savage rifles with the accu-trigger are great rifles and usually very accurate.

What he said.

 

[vonn]

Should be some good combo deals at the big chain stores as hunting season is coming soon. Around here (Houston) they have some decent prices on good hunting packages this time of the year. Might try to find reduced loads in .270 or a heavier stock with a better recoil pad for a less expensive option. Some aftermarket triggers replace the safety as well as the trigger.

 

[garddogg56]

Marlin 30-30 only because of the better safety for kids in comparison to a Winchester 30-30.

 

[Goldstar225]

I don't know your budget or the age/size/experience of your son but here it goes....

Last year I bought a Remington 700 youth in .243 for my then 12 year old grandson. 4'11" and 90 pounds. He shot it well and dropped his first deer with one shot last fall. It cost under $400.00 before tax. That gun is now priceless.

 

[model70hunter]

+1 for a Remington 700 ADL in 243 or 7mm-08.

I bought a Rem 700 ADL in 243 and killed a few deer with it. The 243 performed better than 3 25-06's I've owned.

I gave it to my daughter, she killed her first deer with it.

I too believe a high quality used gun can be a bargain.

 

[Bill Bates]

The Ruger American, Savage or Howa will serve well. As someone that work in a store that sells a lot of of both Savages and Rugers I can say that both get great reviews from customers.

I don't think we have seen a single Ruger American back for a warranty issue People report good accuracy from them as they do the Savage rifles. We don't sell Howa but do sell the Weatherby Vanguard which is made by Howa. Weatherby builds a youth Vanguard that has extensions so it can grow with its owner.

Myself, the Ruger American is the best bang for the buck out there right now.

 

[amazingflapjack]

Savage-mossberg-ruger.

 

[cmort666]

Looking for a budget rifle for my son. Had a Savage .270. A little much for him, and I didn't like the cheap plastic safety. Thinking of a Ruger American or Howa .243. Your thoughts?

I'm a big Savage fan. Which rifle did you have? I've got a 10FP in .308 and a 112BVSS in .30-06. I don't think they chamber it anymore, but the .260 Remington would be pretty good for a shooter of small stature.

Of the other two, I'd go with Howa. They've been around a long time. It's probably what I'd have gotten if I hadn't bought the Savages.

 

[ParadiseRoad]

...H&R or NEF Handi Rifle...they were unfortunately discontinued recently...but they are available on the used market...lots of calibers...and interchangeable barrels...little girl and her dad demonstrate below...

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZQ9NNJ0Lro[/ame]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXq0WtASnXw[/ame]

 

[Double-O-Dave]

A few years ago, my son (then 15 or 16 yrs. old) needed a rifle for a hunt. I bought a Remington 783 (.308 Winchester) on sale for a very good price, and added a 4x12 scope. He used the rifle to kill two whitetail does within 30 minutes of each other. He is now hunting crazy, and we gifted him the rifle for his 18th birthday. The rifle shoots fine, and is very accurate. But I am embarrassed at how cheap the rifle looks. Lots of plastic - even the swivels are molded in, and look like they'll break easily. If I had to do it over again, I'd look at the Ruger American, the Mossberg Patriot, Marlin, or Savage offerings - anything but the Remington. If the .270 was too much for your son, I'd recommend the .243 Winchester caliber.

By the way, I recently put together a PSA (Palmetto State Armory) AR-15 in 6.8SPC for hog and deer hunting. The upper and lower receivers, magazine, scope, and bolt carrier group ended up costing me just under $650.00.

Good luck,

Dave