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I'm thinking about buying a new .308 bolt or semi. I want it to be a moa out of the box and i want to stay around $500 preferably under. What guns fit the criteria and what would be a good place to buy? Any good deals going anywhere? Best selection to browse?
500 and under ready to shoot out of the box is going to limit you to a bolt rifle . Both Remington and Savage will have rifles that will fit the bill but for that money you will get more rifle with a Savage .
Both manufacturers in that price range will have injection molded crap for stocks . You'd be better of looking for a used rifle for that kind of money , look online and at the local stores but your at the mercy of the market . The precision rifle market interest is huge right now and there are less and less deals to be found .
What is your total budget?
if 5 is it for rifle and all your going to end up disappointed in the performance . A realistic budget for a rifle and scope setup that will perform like you stated is going to be in the 1250 ish area . An accurate gas gun is going to start around 1K for just the rifle .
keylay31
06-26-2012, 22:01
500 and under ready to shoot out of the box is going to limit you to a bolt rifle . Both Remington and Savage will have rifles that will fit the bill but for that money you will get more rifle with a Savage .
Both manufacturers in that price range will have injection molded crap for stocks . You'd be better of looking for a used rifle for that kind of money , look online and at the local stores but your at the mercy of the market . The precision rifle market interest is huge right now and there are less and less deals to be found .
What is your total budget?
if 5 is it for rifle and all your going to end up disappointed in the performance . A realistic budget for a rifle and scope setup that will perform like you stated is going to be in the 1250 ish area . An accurate gas gun is going to start around 1K for just the rifle .
+1. Your likely to send that much just on glass.
I'm thinking about buying a new .308 bolt or semi. I want it to be a moa out of the box and i want to stay around $500 preferably under. What guns fit the criteria and what would be a good place to buy? Any good deals going anywhere? Best selection to browse?
If I may paraphrase slightly:
I want a good gun that does a lot - but I don't want to pay anything for it. Where can I go to finger fuck some stuff?
Not trying to be an ass - but that same question has been asked many a time before and people tend to give the same answer over and over. I'm not harping that you should search the forums before asking questions - or even saying that you shouldn't ask questions (really! ask questions its a great thing!). I'm just saying you need to be reasonable in what you want and do some basic grok'ing before asking for the moon, sun and the stars.
My recommendation: start by going over to gunbroker.com and searching for rifles below the $500 price point. In your search terms include things like Tikka, AccuTrigger, 700PS, PSS, Steyr, Howa, Sako and 5R. That will at least show you how little is really available for that amount of cash.
Again I am not trying to rag on you - just trying to shortcut the conversation a little.
nisils14
06-26-2012, 23:39
No offense, but you're gonna be hard pressed to find sub-MOA performance for $500. A lot of people end up spending that in something as simple as ammo development. Realistic price for a decent rifle 700-800 bucks. A decent scope is gonna be at least 300-500. Obviously this is for new stuff. You'll save a few hundred buying used, but they are reasons why people sell their old guns.
islandermyk
06-27-2012, 00:35
Sorry.. but I don't even think you can build an AR anymore for $500...
.. and building up a .308, Oooweee... especially to get sub-moa, damn!
This is the worst of the worst addictions I have gotten into by far...[Muaha]
Save/build up on that $500 and get something you can live with... this is a good start though.. do your research and save up....
... as some would say "BUY ONCE! CRY ONCE." [Beer]
Good luck and enjoy [Beer]
mikeh1911
06-27-2012, 10:23
You will have a hard time finding something for $500 and being happy with what you get for $500. Let you fingers do the shopping and go to the different ranges and matches to see what you will be happy with. Then start saving.
Just my 2 cents worth
rhineoshott
06-27-2012, 10:45
I've got a remington 700sps tactical in .308. I bought it for $900 from a good guy on this forum. It came with a good scope and bi-pod on it. If I were to go buy the scope and bipod new, I'd have spent about $500, which in a sense means I bought the rifle for $400.
just know what things are worth and be patient, (or don't worry about the budget, and get something right away!)
So I was going through my price lists and it looks like there are actually quite a few 308 bolt rifles in that price range.
Marlin
Mossberg
Remington
Savage
It is an awful lot of work to list every model but if you want to get together sometime we could go over them and maybe figure out which one will meet your needs for the budget you listed.
I realize this is the Long Range/ Precision Rifles forum but "a moa out of the box" doesn't really explain what you are going to do with it. Are you going to shoot competitions at some point or are you just plinking at the local range at 100 yards? I could go on but a little background might help to set you off in the right direction.
well this is all opinion really, but id get a remington 700. very modifiable for cheap so you can always increase its ability affordably (compared to other models) in the future. to me the biggest thing you need to do to get the performance you want is to either buy expensive match ammo or load your own. loading your own rounds alone can be the difference as certain barrels and rifles will just shoot certain loads better. however, thats going to cost you a pretty penny in the short term, save you a pretty penny in the long run. my personal recommendation is to buy a remington 700 as cheap as you can, maybe even a lightly used one, then buy something a choate tactical stock (i have one and it improved the accuracy greatly, its nothing compared to the super high end stocks but they can be had for under $200 and have aluminum bedding). you can drops the receiver and barrel right in and thatll help a lot. by now you are likely up to around $700, maybe a tad less. then get a reasonable scope, perhaps a vortex viper or something of that caliber. that will probably be enough to shoot moa, especially if you are a decent shooter and particularly if you reload yourself.
i took a remington sps tactical, dropped it into the choate stock and put a vortex viper pst on it, reload my own 168 gr bullets for around .28 cents each and can shoot slightly under moa, maintaining accuracy out to 200 yards so far, haven't tried it farther yet. total it cost me around $1200. the sps tactical is a shorter barrel so in theory you may lose some range and accuracy but it has a threaded barrel for muzzle devices and suppressors if you ever see that in your future. shooting mine with the suppressor feels about like a 223
JMBD2112
06-28-2012, 21:09
i agree, the sps will be around your price range
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/42070 (http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/42070)
i was going that route then i got talked into a 700r5, and it's a tack driver. i walked it out to 700yds for the first time this past weekend and so far it hasn't let me down.
I think I have my mind set on a Marlin X7VH (I believe that's the model #). Its a heavy 26" barrel version of a regular X7. I will still look at local shops for a used rifle but if i go with a brand new one it will be this one. From what I found online it comes with bedded action and gets great reviews. Any one with experience with this particular rifle I would appreciate the feedback.
That rifle has an injection molded stock the same as all the other price point rifles . It will have all the issues inherent with that style stock . The biggest being too much flex in the forend which will cause issues with it hitting the barrel in different positions . This will cause zero and accuracy issue's especially off a bipod when preloaded properly .
Buds has one at a pretty good price.
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/manufacturers_id/19/products_id/78919/Marlin+XTVH+308+4%2B1+26+SYN+DLR/
Goodburbon
06-30-2012, 09:37
Weatherby vanguard/howa1500. Yes crappy injection molded stock, but inexpensive, accurate out of the box and who gives a crap if you scratch it. Total package can come in not too far above your price point if you shop well.
example:
http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_130351_-1?N=329211139+933739035+4294958135#BVRRWidgetID
Isn't supported in the aftermarket as well as the Remmys, and the trigger isn't as nice as the savage accutrigger, but at the price point it's an excellent weapon.
It's lighter than and Felt recoil is less than my DPMS LR-308 ($1100 + Scope, rings bipod sling, magazines=$2000+), it's just as accurate and the trigger is far superior out of the box.
I also have a savage 10 FCPK, it was double the price of the Weatherby/Howa and the only advantages are a bipod lug, the adjustable accutrigger, and a brake. Accuracy is pretty much equivalent, I dislike the savage's "center feed" magazine that makes reloading in prone a little bit harder than the Weatherby.
Don't expect to be able to find a "good" scope for cheap, but there are some serviceable scopes in the $150-200 price range (Nikon). I wouldn't go any cheaper.
Weatherby vanguard/howa1500. Yes crappy injection molded stock, but inexpensive, accurate out of the box and who gives a crap if you scratch it. Total package can come in not too far above your price point if you shop well.
example:
http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_130351_-1?N=329211139+933739035+4294958135#BVRRWidgetID
Isn't supported in the aftermarket as well as the Remmys, and the trigger isn't as nice as the savage accutrigger, but at the price point it's an excellent weapon.
It's lighter than and Felt recoil is less than my DPMS LR-308 ($1100 + Scope, rings bipod sling, magazines=$2000+), it's just as accurate and the trigger is far superior out of the box.
I also have a savage 10 FCPK, it was double the price of the Weatherby/Howa and the only advantages are a bipod lug, the adjustable accutrigger, and a brake. Accuracy is pretty much equivalent, I dislike the savage's "center feed" magazine that makes reloading in prone a little bit harder than the Weatherby.
Don't expect to be able to find a "good" scope for cheap, but there are some serviceable scopes in the $150-200 price range (Nikon). I wouldn't go any cheaper.
Ive been a howa fan for a long time. Ive heard reports latly of poor quality. must be the radiation. I had three 6.5x55s one shot cloverleafs. it was a awesome barrel. the barrel laste about 1500 rds. Its got a lilja on it now. the second shot about 1 and a half minute and the third was a DOG 3moa. ive had 4 of the heavy barreled .308s. all shot 3/4 moa or under. The twist on the 6.5 is perfect 1-8. the twist on the 308 was 1-12 it might be a 10 now.. the 223s are 1-12. 1-12 is not my favorite in a 223. The BEST deal is the barreled actions! buy one thru a ffl and drop it it a boyds stock. bed it with jb. Make sure you get one with the NEW two stage howa trigger!!!!!! The weak point of the howa for years has been its shitty trigger (can be made decent) and its sear not pin locking safety(no fix) the new trigger fixs those issues
In your price range its the only option, consider bypassing the 308 and getting the 6.5, it will save you about 4 years.
Put the 12x SWFA SS mil mil on it and your done
www.legacysports.com
Picked up the Marlin from Dicks sporting goods, special order took just over a week and the cheapest price $310. Did not get a chance to test it yet but fit and finish are very good. [Beer]
^^ congrats, but let's see the pics bro!
islandermyk
07-16-2012, 21:27
Still work in progress
She is a beaut!
May she show and learn you the ways of long range shooting... enjoy and shoot safe [Beer]
tortirioan
07-23-2012, 11:09
Weatherby Vanguard, very close to that price for one of their entry level guns and I have always had good luck with them. You can usually find them at a local sporting goods store.
I would actually recommend going with a Laminate stock if you wanna be in that price point, as they are usually same cost or a little cheaper than wood stocks, but have a much more rigid structure than your low level synthetic stocks.
Hope this helps, even if I agree with the folks above that a long range gun for under a grand can have issues
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