Palmetto State Armory has Weatherby Vanguards in stainless 30-06 for $400 shipped and blued for $350
Depends if you want Jap.
What is wrong with Japanese rifles other than racial bigotry?
Racial bigotry.
But I prefer to support people in the country I live, for selfish reasons. Not like you can't find an affordable American gun.
As do I, so long as they make something that meets my requirements and tastes, which increasingly isn't the case with rifles made here, especially in the "affordable" class. MIMed and plastic action parts, cheap plastic magazines, etc, are unacceptable to me, so I don't buy stuff that have them. Some companies, Remington stands out, have consistently produced guns with serious quality and safety issues, and just don't seem to give a rat's ass about it. Ruger 77s are solid rifles with traditional features, and I've bought a couple recently, but they've edged out of the affordable class, except for internet close-outs. The Marlin X guns are decent, and if my money and opportunity align, I might pick one up, but they apparently fell victim to "not invented here" syndrome at the Freedom Group, who dumped them in favor of the Remmy crap specials. Honestly, I can't think of anything I like currently made here that retails for under $800, so in the affordable range, Howa/Vanguards and maybe Tikkas are what I look at. Haven't really checked out the Ventures, but the TC recalls, DMs and the lack of stainless models make them less attractive, the 5R barrels more so. One of those might happen in a moment of weakness.
Not directed at you, but it's funny how many decry foreign rifles, then slap Chinese or Japanese scopes on their American ones.
