Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles My Cheap Accurate Rife... A new Value Formula

I decided to see how accurate a rifle I could build on the cheap. I bought a Thompson Center Compass (6.5 Creedmoor) at Cabela's the other day for $250, bought an older Bushnell 3200 4x12x40 at a pawn shop for $150, paid $12 for 1" Weaver quad lock rings at Walmart, ordered a M70 trigger spring for $9 and bought a muzzle brake off of amazon for $20. So I am into this rifle for $441. I put it on paper a couple weeks ago without the muzzle brake. I installed the muzzle brake and today I took it to the range with a box of factory Hornady 143gr. Eld-X and fired 10 rounds. The first 5 shot group was .74" (CTC) and my second 5 shot group was .516" (CTC) both at 100 yards. I quit while I was ahead.

So here's my new formula... Total Cost of Rifle (everything attached) x size of group = VPI (value per inch, low number wins). So applying this formula to this rifle it's $441 x .516= 228. The VPI is 228. Had I paid $1000 my VPI would be 516. So a $1000 rifle would have to shoot a .228" group to be of the same value as my $441 rifle.

Needless to say, I am impressed with this TC Compass! I look forward to stretching it out in the future.

That's a heck of a value. Good shooting too.

I’m sure it will be the envy of everyone in elk camp. Happy Trails

Cool, so why hurt your VPI by putting a muzzle brake on a 6.5 Creedmoor?

Formula aside, you sure did well on that purchase. You could have saved another $20 on the brake.

I have been turning up my nose at the compass in favor of the venture. But; no deny you did very well and this is the whole idea of the no frill rifle lines.

I guess there is no hope for the venture stock. Not a peep anywhere on the internet. It must cost an extra $50 for the comfy grip panels. Looks like Tikka owns that next baby step up.

Hmm....RAR 243 with Redfield scope for $350. Sold the scope for $100 added LW's off eBay for $45 and a M8 6X42 I bought years ago for $225.

(($350-$100)+$45+$225)/0.85= 442 VPI

Ok newbie.....you're a sicko. Pretty funny schit. Admitingly, I did similar voodoo math to talk myself out of handloading. 80% return on 20% effort kinda thing.....


Wait until we start yammering about ballistic tables...🤓

It ain't about dollars for some.

I agree 100%,
But for some it is all about the dollars.

Making chicken salad outta chicken schit is rather amusing....

Ok. GFY. I have to go buy a RAR now.

Make sure it's used so you keep the VPI low.

Interesting way to look at "value". I learned a long tome ago that inexpensive rifles can outshoot more expensive ones. Also learned that, while nice, tiny groups are rarely necessary fr hunting rifles.

Some of my most accurate rifles are also my least expensive.

$259 SWFA scopes are just as funny. Wish there was a trend towards cheap high BC ammo..

Or the potential. 😏

The end result is not worth having to handle the raw material..

I'm in the same boat with a Thomspon Venture. I just got it for about $225 after the rebate. I mounted a $150 scope in a one piece DNZ. I haven't had a lot of time with it yet but its impressive what $415 can buy. I brought 3 factory loads out and it was easily 3/4" with one of them.

Ya know, a Tasco Scope would have dropped the VPI a good bit also...

So would a set of cheap Simmons rings at Wally World...

Then a cheaper bullet would have brought that VPI even lower...

Just food for thought since we are being cost conscience, and trying to produce a low VPI
to impress, VPI Fans...

Garage sale ammo would also be a VPI drop indicator....

In order to compete for VPI honors, most of my rifles would have to shoot .000000000000000000000000001 MOA groups

Right???