Share your $400.00 budget rifles: Here's mine

[Ura-Ki]

I Pains me to see what has become of Remington, and the 700's in particular, what was once the GOTO for an accurate and inexpensive hunting rifle is now bottom shelf garbage! My 721 ( the pre runner to the 700) still shoots quite well, and the 722 is an awesome varmint wackin rifle! Back in the day, those rifles were competitive with the Big Boys from Winchester, Browning, Weatherby, and even Mauser! Now days, their but a foot note to history! Today's rifles have sure come a long way, I can go out right now and buy a Ruger or a Savage and have a rifle that shoots every bit as good as the classics and I can spend less the $400 to get a rifle that can shoot better then most hunters!
And there is nothing better then cruising the used racks at the local Gun Shops and finding that long forgotten gem, like the pair of Winchester mod 54's, a Beautiful 1903 Springer Sporter with Criterion 4 grove, that Remmy 721, and my fav, a Rheinmettel Mauser .30/06 ( Sort of the German version of a Remington 700 series) all were under $400, some with very nice period optics and rare mounts!

 

[kmk1012]

Savage Arms Mark I FVT .22LR. About $250 anywhere. Excellent accuracy.

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That's darn near what my daughter's Anschutz will do, at a fraction of the cost too! Very nice shooting.
Also, where did you get the peep sights for it? Were they included in your $250 cost? If so I'm going to get one this weekend.

 

[Member 34319]

Recently picked up a Savage B17 FVSR in 17HMR for $299 and added a $200 used Leupold VX2 3-9x50. Not quite $400. But for only $500 it is a stupid accurate little rifle and incredibly fun to shoot.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Well, it was a busy day. Went to the range today and then got a call from my daughter that she wanted to go to portland to look at a car to buy. I shot my last 10 shot group, packed up, headed home and took my daughter to portland. I wanted to share my results from my glass bedding work with your guys sooner. I tested a few different loads and ended up back to these 2 as the victors. I placed 2 10 shot groups side by side for the comparison:



I was on a roll with my $384.00 Creedmoor too, but I had to go:


All in all, I'm pretty dang happy with the stevens 200 22-250. New stock feels good and it shoots pretty good too. I wonder which powder I should go with now. Looks like 35.5 gr's is what she likes

 

[No_Regerts]

Some cool rifles guys. Thanks for sharing. I got my Devcon 10110 epoxy so I glass bedded my rifle last night. Pretty easy process. This is how she sits in the bedding compound:
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Later on today I'll pull it apart and clean all the metal. Should shoot just as good (if not better) than it did in its original grey stock.. This is a newer stock and seems to be a little stiffer through the wrist, so that might make a difference in accuracy.. We shall see, that's half the fun in tinkering with these rifles

What did you use for release agent? I didn't have anything but PAM the other day. Had to stick the rifle in the freezer for a couple hours for it to come loose.

 

[Ura-Ki]

What did you use for release agent? I didn't have anything but PAM the other day. Had to stick the rifle in the freezer for a couple hours for it to come loose.

Good old fashioned Turtle wax or Carnubia wax work quite well, or you could go out and spend a buck or two more and get actual mold release, which is basically the same thing!
If your really stuck in a pinch, bees wax will also work quite well

 

[bsa1917hunter]

What did you use for release agent? I didn't have anything but PAM the other day. Had to stick the rifle in the freezer for a couple hours for it to come loose.

For Devcon, the best (and easiest to use) release agent is Hornady one shot case lube: Just spray it on. When I use JB weld industrial epoxy, I use johnsons paste wax. I also use the johnson's paste wax on the outside of the stock to keep epoxy from sticking to it (no matter what I'm using for bedding compound). Much quicker and easier than taping everything. I learned that from a good gunsmith buddy of mine...

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Here's a good pic of the rifle at the range the other day.


Rifle: $300.00
Used scope: $100.00
New painted stock buddy gave to me. $0.00
I went away from the range that day thinking this rifle shoots great, but would you guys be mad if I put a Timney trigger in it? Ha ha.. Well, that brings the total up to $495.00... Got a great deal on a Timney 631 and installed it. It makes a good difference in how the rifle feels when you shoot it. I just like a trigger to break crisp and clean at 2.5 pounds, and this one will go lighter if need be. All In all, I'm exceptionally happy with this budget build (Now the cost is approaching $500.00, but still in that realm). I may take it to our clubs turkey shoot next saturday and try to win a turkey with it. You guys keep posting your budget builds. I have a BSA model E that needs attending to. Its in pieces right now and screaming at me to put it back together... That rifle will be as follows:

$300.00 rifle
$131.00 scope (New burris ffII 3-9x40 with ballistic plex reticle)
$55.00 Timney 111 trigger
$30.00 red pachmayr decelerator recoil pad

Total: $516.00

I will guarantee this rifle is going to be a shooter. Yet, I've never fired it... More to come on this rifle....

 

[284guy]

Picked up a BSA U9 in 284 Winchester. The guy sold it for $150 because he went to sportsman's warehouse several times and they didn't have ammo for it. Because of that he called it a "junk gun". I put a Leupold VX1 On it, and it's sub MOA. $300 total is pretty cheap.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

View attachment 514841 Picked up a BSA U9 in 284 Winchester. The guy sold it for $150 because he went to sportsman's warehouse several times and they didn't have ammo for it. Because of that he called it a "junk gun". I put a Leupold VX1 On it, and it's sub MOA. $300 total is pretty cheap.

Excellent deal. BSA did a great job on rifles. Generally they are good shooters. Heck of a good deal on that U9. I belive alot of those were imported and sold by Herters. Is yours a Monarch?

 

[284guy]

I don't know. On the action i believe is stats BSA with a crown which I assume is a proof mark, along with made in England. Barrel says "model U9 cal 284" on one side and "Heters Minn" on the other. I've read the Monarchs usually had fancy wood stocks. This is decent wood, but not sure I'd call it fancy, but it's not savage birch either. I picked it up because I'm a fan of 284 win, it was unusual, and cheap. It's shoots as well as any high end gun I have.

 

[284guy]

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Original 1840's-50's era St. Louis made plains rifle , made by Seiferth.
Long story short , I traded for this rifle...the rifle that I traded to get this one , was a much abused and neglected original percussion long rifle that I restored....Turned out to be a beautiful and good shooting rifle , but not really one that I wanted to keep.
I paid around $200 for that rifle , which I traded to get the one pictured....

Work done to this rifle ( the one pictured ) was :
Glass bedding the stock...
Working over the lock , cleaning up and polishing the lock works etc...
Epoxying a crack or two...
Light overall cleaning...
Removed the breech plug and clean / check the threads...

I do know that some folks disagree with the above work on a antique rifle.
I wouldn't do the above to a rifle with a proven historic connection or say a original signed longrifle or original Hawken rifle.
The work done to the rifle here in question was done with period methods and materials.
( Excluding the epoxy and glass bedding , which was done to keep the stock from further damage and for safety )
What work was done would have been done to the rifle back during its working life...Again excluding the epoxy and bedding...
What better tribute to the rifle and maker would be , than to have the rifle safely continue its working life...?

Now I have a shootable .50 caliber plains rifle that will continue to see use as a:
Teaching tool ...
Match shooter...
Hunting rifle....

My load for this rifle is
50 grains of 2F a .15 patch and a .490 round ball.
I have shot this load out to 75 yards or so and it seems to shoot just fine on gongs and other targets at the range...I haven't had a safe shot at a deer , yet....
Andy

That's a very beautiful gun.

 

[Legs]

About ten years ago I was looking for an inexpensive rifle to haul around on the quad. Something that will take a licking and keep on ticking. Ordered up the new Savage Axis stainless and poly in 25-06 at a price of $279 to my FFL. Light and nimble, the action was smooth, but the basic trigger left something to be desired. My initial range work showed potential, so I ordered a drop in Rifle Basix trigger group ($65) which worked fantastic. The gun has a pencil barrel that heats quickly, and at 100 yards the first two rounds would about go into the same hole, but the third would always be a couple inches off. I mounted an old Leupold Vari-X 2 on it and it became my beater gun. First deer was a tasty spork mulie that succumbed to one shot of trusty 25-06 medicine. Several more deer and a few coyotes have fallen to this gun since. Incidentally, have never required a second shot on any.

 

[DuneHopper]

I must be getting old, I thought all rifles were under 400.00

 

[MountainBear]

View attachment 514841 Picked up a BSA U9 in 284 Winchester. The guy sold it for $150 because he went to sportsman's warehouse several times and they didn't have ammo for it. Because of that he called it a "junk gun". I put a Leupold VX1 On it, and it's sub MOA. $300 total is pretty cheap.

I need to find a rifle in this caliber. I inherited a bunch of reloading accouterments for it (dies, brass, etc). Seems like reason enough to buy a gun...

 

[284guy]

I need to find a rifle in this caliber. I inherited a bunch of reloading accouterments for it (does, brass, etc). Seems like reason enough to but a gun...

Or find a guy with several rifles in 284 to sell it all to.

 

[MountainBear]

I counted today. I only have 21 projects. I need more...

I may have to decide if I need a .284 or not...

 

[TTSX]

M+M M10, got it for cheap because someone painted it gloss grey. $400 OTD

 

[bimmerstuff]

Last year I bought a Thompson-Center Compass in 6.5 Creedmoor for $275, less a $75 rebate. It came with a throwaway scope, so a friend sold me an old Simmons 2.8-10x44 scope for $40. I boresighted it last Saturday (11/3/18), took it out to the desert the next day and was on paper @ 112 yards. I didn't have everything I needed for actually sighting in, so I went home after shooting three rounds. My spot is only ten minutes from home, so I was not disappointed with the short shooting trip. Certainly not like when I lived in Seattle, and had to drive over 30 miles one-way to Sultan (now off-limits), just for the privilege of shooting outdoors. So even with the Rebel Silencers suppressor, costing only the $200 tax stamp and $75 transfer fee (a great story about great customer service), I am only $15 over the $400 limit! Pics from the field soon...

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Last year I bought a Thompson-Center Compass in 6.5 Creedmoor for $275, less a $75 rebate. It came with a throwaway scope, so a friend sold me an old Simmons 2.8-10x44 scope for $40. I boresighted it last Saturday (11/3/18), took it out to the desert the next day and was on paper @ 112 yards. I didn't have everything I needed for actually sighting in, so I went home after shooting three rounds. My spot is only ten minutes from home, so I was not disappointed with the short shooting trip. Certainly not like when I lived in Seattle, and had to drive over 30 miles one-way to Sultan (now off-limits), just for the privilege of shooting outdoors. So even with the Rebel Silencers suppressor, costing only the $200 tax stamp and $75 transfer fee (a great story about great customer service), I am only $15 over the $400 limit! Pics from the field soon...

Those old Aetec's are good scopes for the money..