What's your favorite cheap rifle?

[Sarge]

It's not that the Patriot can't shoot well--as long as the barrel is fairly good--which it is--and you can get the trigger releasing the pin you stand a good chance of getting a bullet near/on target. But if you take one apart, see how the action is held to the stock with the plastic mag provided key contact point--and have the misfortune of the trigger seizing up and you need to take a closer look at how they are made--they are truly preposterous in execution IMO.

Triggered!

Yeah, me too. The problem with you & me is that we take things apart, which can render the simplest of implements into the Wiley Coyote Death Star.

Mark- one must never, ever tighten the action screws on a Patriot above 35 inch pounds.

 

[BJung]

Military Surplus rifles

Once upon a time military surplus rifles were cheap and the most accurate of these were my favorite. The cheaper the better so the cheapest was a M69 Romania .22lr. When they first came out, Shotgun News was advertising them for $65 each.

 

[TruthTellers]

I don't really have much rifles, IDK what is considered cheap, so I'd have to say the Mossberg .22 that I got on this very day 20 years ago.

Miss those days.

 

[243winxb]

Savage Axis 223 & 6.5 Creedmoor for me.

 

[Sarge]

I like the concept of these for an all weather utility rifle. I rattle can all exposed steel to seal out moisture and treat the fire control mechanism with this-
https://www.wd40.com/products/corrosion-inhibitor/

I'm in the market for a 20" 308 but I insist it have irons. This limits my choices a bit.

 

[Txhillbilly]

Mine is a used Savage 12 FLVSS in 223 that I bought 20+ years ago. A friend owned a local gun shop, and anytime he got a LH rifle in, he'd call me and ask if I wanted it.
The gun looked new, hardly fired. I paid $350 for it. I didn't care for the plastic stock, so I ordered a LH thumbhole stock from Stocky's for it. When I took the action out of the factory stock, it had a SSS competition trigger on it - Nice freebee!
Other than the stock, trigger, and me threading the barrel for a suppressor, the rifle is factory. It loves my 77gr BTHP hand loads, and will consistently shoot them in the .3"-.4" range.
It shoots so good that it is pretty boring!

 

[FITASC]

Once upon a time military surplus rifles were cheap and the most accurate of these were my favorite. The cheaper the better so the cheapest was a M69 Romania .22lr. When they first came out, Shotgun News was advertising them for $65 each.

Thanks for the reminder - I forgot about my 6.5xss 1907-made Swede someone had "sporterized" - 18" barrel, Williams peep sight and a 200 round battle pack of Norma ammo for $55 at a ND gun show; had a smith redo the bolt for a scope and drill and tap the receiver - 3031 or 4064 and Sierra 120s or 140s put three shots into less than 1.5" @ 100 yards - not too bad for that old girl

 

[cptjack]

sako

 

[Wilson154]

I have a savage axis in 243 win. that functions perfectly. I have taken several coyotes and crows out to 350 yards with it. The trigger isn't very good but for the price I can't complain. I also have a t/c compass in 300 win. mag. That shoots great unfortunately it's very picky as to what brand of shells it will fully extract but I haven't heard of anyone else having this problem. If I had to pick I would go with the axis as I have had several and not had any problems.

 

[Wilson154]

P flados I would stay away from the bear creek uppers. I purchased one in 6.5 grendel a couple years ago and it wouldn't work. It would short stroke every time and it didn't matter the brand of ammo. I contacted them many times without any response. Now I have heard of them working great but I would never buy anything from BC again.
I am not sure what upper you were looking at but for that price I assumed it was a good chance it could be from BC.

 

[NEPrepper]

Rugers are probably my favorite cheap rifle. Anywhere from the 10/22 to the Mini 14 to the American

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Mini-14's aren't cheap anymore

Have an AXIS II in .308 --less than $300 for stainless at Walmart----that has been a decent gun---haven't shot it in a while though.

 

[gwpercle]

My favorite is a Swiss Army Surplus , 1911K , 7.5 Swiss , Schmidt-Ruben
It has a Straight Pull action , very accurate with a longer action than the 1930 model which is great for longer heavier bullets and better for cast bullet shooting .
Mid 1960's it sold for $19.99 from local Army-Navy Surplus Store ...
they had them in wooden barrels and no one wanted the strange push-ma-pull-ya action or 7.5 Swiss ammo it shot ... for instance , the 30-06 , 1903-A3 Springfield rifles went for $60.00 ... those sold like hot cakes at IHOP ... the Schmidt-Rubens just sat there !
We were in high school and me and 3 others bought them ... fun to shoot and extremely accurate . I still have one I sporterized with a Herter's Walnut sporting stock like you did in the 60's ...when you wanted a deer rifle but had no money !
Gary

 

[41MagGuy]

My vote goes to the Hi-Point carbines...cheap, yet functional.