Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Given a budget of $1500

To assemble your “go-to - first pick out of the safe - go anywhere all-around rifle for the lower 48 for non-dangerous game that you eat”

The $1500 budget covers the rifle, rings, and bases (not scope)...

What would you put together, and why? What range of game and what environments? If you saved any $$, what are they put against? You already have a reliable range finder. And Binos.

MY answer is obvious and you probably get 2 rifles for $1500.

2 diff cartridges -- ALL Wx, aka, synthetic, stocks......

Let's see what others have to say.


Later

Jerry

Tikka T3 in a chambering if your choice, Sportsmatch rings, SWFA 3-9.

Go forth and whack schit.....

I just built a 308 with a new Remington receiver, new bolt that is fluted, custom bolt handle, a 3 position safety Obermeyer 11.25 5R barrel, Shilen trigger, and a B&C stock with aluminum bedding block. It was bedded and cerrokoted by David Christman (ACGG). 15 rounds down the barrel.
You can have it for $1800 with scope bases and rings.
Add up the parts and tell me what it would cost to build.

Lots of ways to answer to this question. I’d look at the Remington M-700, the Tikka T3x, and the Winchester M-70 chambered for 30-06, 308, 270, or 7mm RM. Barrel length would be between 22” and 24”. I’d definitely go stainless/synthetic plus a fixed 4x or a good 2.5-8 or 3-9 variable with an objective bell smaller than about 45mm in field-detachable mounts. I’d zero it at 200 yards with the heaviest bullet that the chosen cartridge will move at 2,700 fps, and go forth.

My latest attempt is based on a Remington Model 700 ADL Package Rifle (https://www.remington.com/rifles/bolt-action/model-700/model-700-adl-stainless-synthetic-scope). I replaced the bases with Nikon Weaver-style bases, then started testing cheap factory loads. Remington 150-grain CoreLokt ammo and Winchester 150-grain Power Points both went sub-MOA with velocities over 2,800 fps, so I was happy. I wanted to make as few mods as possible, but I also wanted a shorter barrel, better groups if I could get them, and the ability to shoot with a tight sling without the POI shifting.

I had Brett Evans of NW Armswerkes (https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Interest/NW-Armswerkes-453136081456406/) cut the barrel to 22”, bed it into an HS Precision stock, and provide factory BDL-style bottom metal. He determined that this rifle was actually chambered for 7.62 NATO, so he ground 0.005” off of the recoil lung to make it a 308 as marked. Work took 12 days.

• With bases but without optics, it weighs 6.92 pounds as opposed to 6.51 before (and the 6.3 of a Tikka) and the balance is a bit farther aft.
• Weight with a 4x Leupold (shown) is 7 pounds, 11 ounces—heavier than a lot of options but it balances well. It's also easier to shoot well than a flyweight.
• About 2/3 of the barrel lettering is below the stock line due to the recoil lug modification. Not ideal but not a deal breaker.
• I can definitely feel the shorter chamber—closing the bolt on RP factory cartridges reveals a very snug fit that wasn't there before, and I can’t close the bolt at all on some handloads that were a snug fit before.

It shoots better in initial load testing but I’m not the guy to get the most out of it from the bench. It groups several loads in less than 1.5" at 200 yards pretty often, and while it doesn't shoot the 150-grain PowerPoint load as well as it once did, it's still pretty good with plain old 150-grain CoreLokts.



Reduced-power deer load.


Favorite factory load.


My round count is just shy of 900, and the barrel seems to be settling in and getting more accurate.

This rifle is more accurate than I can hold and powerful enough for anything I can afford to hunt. Total cost was about $1,100 without glass. Use the rest of your budget for ammo.


Okie John

A CLR/NULA hybrid would come in around $1,500, less if you opted to use the original barrel in 270, 30-06, 7MM RM, or 300 WM.

CLRs are often dismissed, but if you talk to Mr. Forbes you get a very different perspective.

I think my current Kimber Montana .308 with its Leupold VXII 2-7x33 pretty much fits your criteria. Suitable for any medium to large game from 10 yds to as far as I'm comfortable shooting.

I'd buy a Tikka and spend the rest on a couple of hookers. I damned sure wouldn't buy a Christensen Arms Mesa, A Nosler Liberty, a Remington 5R or any Ruger.

T3X and a used 3-12x LRHS.

Tikka T3x stainless light, talley rings, Leupold VX3i 2.5-8 x 36. Total for new stuff $ Rifle -$800.00 scope $399.00, rings $50, money left for ammo $250.00. If used, even less.

I just did this with a howa 1500. Sold the package scope and put on a straight 6 weaver k6. 30-06.

Cost me $399.

I think a lot of us over think and overspend the simplicity of this hobby. Including me.

Yeah, I'd probably just buy an SS T3X in .270win and put the rest of the funds toward the glass and loading supplies. Run a good 140/150gr around 3,000fps. Rather boring, but in a good way.

and there you go

Under $1500 would mean any rifle in my safe. It could mean as many as 3 or 4 of them, depending on which ones were picked.

Way more than $1800, fo' sho'.

Winchester M 70 Featherweight in a .270 Win.

That $300 over budget would be $300 well spent.

Except mine is sitting in LW’s with a 6x42 /M1.


For now......😉

That would work also

It’s a Leupold, so “until it doesn’t” Ha!