Steve I'm glad the budget rifles are out there because it allows people to get in to shooting that couldn't afford it otherwise. And your car analogy was spot on. My first vehicle in 1975 was a 67 ford short bed stepside with three on the tree and the smallest engine ford used at the time. It had no A/C and the bed was rotted out. But it got me where I was going. It was also painted industrial green because it had been a service vehicle for the power company. My first choice would have been a Chevy C/K Silverado Package with a .454.
What I meant was that people purchase package rifles with the expectation that they will all of the sudden be banging steel at 600 yards. Highly unlikely. My suggestion if asked is to practice and get really good at 100 yards, then move out to 200, 300, etc.
I lot of people also think the rifle is everything and the optic is an afterthought. On Thursday a guy brought in an Interarms Mauser Action 7mm RM and a Mark V in .270 WM.. He purchased and I mounted a Vortex Crossfire on the Interarms and a Bushnell Legend on the Weatherby. I'm not an optics snob, my scopes generally run from $400.00 to $600.00. I would have spent all I had on one scope and saved until I had enough money to put a decent scope on the second rifle.
