Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Best econo rifle that should still be built

I like it……

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the old Remington sportsman 78. I've got a couple custom guns built off of that action.

Remington 600 Mohawk. liked the 788 too,

I don’t think 600/660’s were cheap, 788’s were, that’s my vote.👊🏻

Remsen, I am with you! The SHR 970 is a hard to beat!

Most all of those posted that are discontinued
cost way too much on the used market now.
Even the Handi rifles are priced outrageous
I have a few, but wouldn't try to buy one now for
what people ask for them

Wish I hadn't sold my 7mm mag SHR970! VERY accurate!

Another vote for the Remington 788

No brainer. Rem 788

Marlin xs or xl 7 shoot damn good and you'll never lose the magazine or forget it at home...that's the no brainer..mb

I have just one. I sure like mine. The next best econo rifle would be a tie between the Remington ADL (I know, not really an econo rifle) and a Savage Aixs.

kwg

Either, or both of the above get my votes - updated a bit to include a composite stock.

Yes, but when they were being made, they retailed for a good deal less than a 10/110

30TK

Such a thing never existed for lefties other than the plain Marlin and Winchester dept store rifles in 30-30. I would surmise the best we lefties got was the Tikka and Ruger 77 and Hawkeye. We got screwed

What are the lefties, 25% of the population ? Although, I agree, you guys get screwed in the bolt action firearms department. I guess it comes down to $$$$. My brother is a lefty. He has to make due in a right hand world.

kwg

When I was young and learning to shoot, you
didn't just waltz down to the gun store and buy
any left hand rifles. You could have one made if
you had the money.
My daddy was like " here's a gun. You'll have to
learn to shoot it straight or do without. . ."
So I became a right handed shooter

I still have the 788 in .222 I bought the first week they hit the market in 1967. It served me well for years. I love 788’s and would grab one in 30-30 if I came across the rights one at the right time. My brother still has his in .243. The early ones like my .222 had walnut stocks. Within a short time they went to “ hardwood.” They had their shortcomings. They were not what you’d call a “smooth” action, kind of clunky in fact. My brother’s, like a number of them, had the brazed on bolt handle fall off. He took it in the front door at Remington in Ilion and they fitted a new bolt while he waited in the lobby. Considering the real value of money, the Remington 700 in .270 I bought as a loaner 12 or 15 years ago was cheaper, even with the generic “package” scope ( that still works fine.) It put 3 factory 150 Coreloks under an inch twice while I sighted it in…first to establish poi relative to poa and second to confirm the adjustments which were right on. It’s since killed a lot of deer, most recently 2 last month for one of my nephews. I’d say that was a pretty good bargain rifle.

I bought a 788 in 22-250 in 1974 I think it was. It shot well. I would agree with cra1948's description. Mine had a rather poor trigger and the "hardwood" stock. I think I paid $100 for it but I'm not certain.

In '77 I bought a Remington Mohawk 600 chambered in 308. It, too, shot well and had a very heavy trigger. It had enough recoil that it wasn't much fun to shoot after 15-20 rounds of heavily loaded Sierra 180 gr boat tails. It always made me glad I hadn't bought one of the 350 Rem mags!

Anyway, both were decent rifles and I wish I hadn't traded them away.

Savage catered to lefties better than most.
I'd bet they sold to lefties better than eighties by percent.


But the 110 was only a budget gun compared to others.
It was Savage's only offering for quite awhile.