I guess I'm not the most qualified to answer this since money always HAS been an object for me. It usually is the greatest deciding factor in choosing a firearm. I do draw the line at pure junk though. I refuse to buy something if I know it won't last. In that case I simply save a bit longer or sell something I don't need so I can afford a better quality rifle.
Having said that, I have amassed a fair knowledge base of the quality, or lack thereof among the various "cheap" rifles. In my opinion, hands-down the very best quality "cheap" bolt-action rifle is Marlin's X series. I like them so much that I was recently given an opportunity to select any action for a custom rifle by some of you fine folks on this very forum. I probably could have selected just about any action I wanted. But I chose the Marlin. It is smooth, strong, reliable and accurate. My philosophy is: why pay more for a different brand just because it costs more? The Marlin performs just as good or better than just about anything else out there.
I do own a Ruger M77 Hawkeye all-weather in 22-250. It's the most expensive rifle I've ever owned. It's acceptably accurate, and my first controlled-round-feed action, but not nearly as smooth as the Marlin. In me Marlin has earned a life-long customer.
