Highly accurate rifle at a decent price. Any suggestions?

Question

I'm looking to get a highly accurate rifle that I can purchase for less than an arm and a leg. Around $500 would about top it out. Anything with cheap ammo is a plus. I would like to have the capability to hit point targets at about 800 - 1500 yards. It can be semi automatic or manually operated. Any suggestions possibly with links on specs and prices are a huge plus. Thanks!

I'm looking to get a highly accurate rifle that I can purchase for less than an arm and a leg. Around $500 would about top it out. Anything with cheap ammo is a plus. I would like to have the capability to hit point targets at about 800 - 1500 yards. It can be semi automatic or manually operated. Any suggestions possibly with links on specs and prices are a huge plus. Thanks!

By the way I've been in the military for going on five years now and I'm just looking for something to keep my skills up and be able to go shoot with friends that I wouldn't be able to take to a range. Having said that I am very familiar with my shooting irons and interior, exterior, and terminal ballistics. I'm just not familiar with the different kinds of weapons I can get to take out to the range and practice with.

Answer 1

It looks like a lot of people are answering your question with calibers instead of rifles. Here's my take:

You can get a VERY accurate Savage 10, 11, 12 (or 110, 111, 112) for around $450-650 depending on the bells and whistles you want.

A Remington 700 will run around $150 more up the scale.

These are for basic rifles, not the "sniper" style. My recomendation is to trade up as your skills increase. You would really be wasting your money on features you won't use as a novice.

A reasonable scope will run around $150-500, though ... you get what you pay for there. I said reasonable, now. You can EASILY spent 2x-3x that on a world class scope, but it sounds like you're just starting out so I'd start slow.

Who knows, you may not be able to hit the broadside of a barn and all that scope money would have been wasted.

YOU are the weak link, though. Marksmen are made, not born. Practice, practice, practice.

Answer 2

OK, I understand where you're coming from. If you want to shoot 800-1500 yards, you should shoot 800-1500 yards! Now, getting the rifle you need that can consistently place bullets in those targets is the hard part...especially for ~500 bucks.

Optics: 6-24-50 Burris Black Diamond ($650)
4.5-14.5-44 Nikon Monarch Titanium ($650)

Rifle: Savage AccuTrigger 7 mm Rem Mag ($800)
Remington Model 700 BDL Titanium ($1200)

Bullets: KC Precision Custom Rounds (<$45/Box)

NOW, if you buy used, thats a different story. I got my 7 Mag used for $350. I now shoot at 550 Yards and hit the target consitently, no problem. Your dream is NOT shot down, just do some thourough reasearch and you will have yourself a fine rifle that will shoot 1000+ yards...if you are smart about it. Good luck with the new rifle. Take care and God Bless.

Answer 3

Look at something like the weatherby vanguard bolt actions. Only a few hundred bucks I think these are actually the only production line rifle that comes with an accuracy guarantee out of the box. Which is amazing for the price.

As to calibres the vanguard certainly has some with the range to get to 1500 yards, just regarding pure muscle.The 300 Weatherby I think would be the best bet. A very high velocity .30cal but I think accuracy expectations at I800-1500 would probably stretch it :)

However you might surprise yourself, remembering you can further 'accurize' guns various ways for a few hundred bucks or less, not to mention finding a load or developing a load the gun just plain likes to fire.

Every rifle has its own temperament, even within the same model.A good load can make a huge difference to accuracy, which is something we in the military don;t usually get involved with, but its certainly true.

Do a search on the weatherby gun site. If its not the vanguard i am thinking it will be another affordable model of a different name.

Also ask the same question on the big gun forums. They know these guns back to front.my speciality is more big game guns.

Answer 4

There are so many good options out there from the Remington 700 to the Savage 110. It is hard to go wrong with a reputable manufacturer. The cartridge will be a personal choice for everyone and I would recommend the .30-06 or the .308 Winchester as rounds quite capable of reaching out there. I don't know what this 500 yards issue is today as now you are the second one to cite that distance for hunting. It takes a very masterful hunter at 300 yards to hit a 9 inch paper plate consistently. That is a good test because that is basically the same size as the target area on a deer. I would recommend that until you are proficient at that range that you concentrate shooting at whatever range you can consistently hit your shots within a target that size. It is only humane to hunt where the expected outcome is a well aimed clean kill. The .30-06 and .308 are both venerable warhorses at this range and capable of beyond yet bullet drop, wind and shooter stability greatly affect the hits beyond even 200 yards so start small and work your way out. Good luck with the target shooting and best wishes for a clean kill.

Answer 5

Eight hundred yards? Fifteen hundred yards? Around $500???

You Are KIDDING, RIGHT???

First let's address the issue of accuracy. MOST modern rifles are as accurate as the shooter, period. People ask about a gun's accuracy as if THAT is the magical solution. Accuracy is in the hands of the shooter. If you can't shoot accurately, an accurate rifle is NOT going to help you.

Now let's talk about distance. What are you going to shoot at 800 to 1,500 yards? Do you know how far that is?

The most accurate rifle I have owned up to the present is a Remington 700 ADL .25-06 purchased new in 1974 at a K-Mart for $119. I've hit my target at 600 yards with it and that was a task. I've regularly taken deer at 100+ to 300 yards with it. Now what are you going to be shooting at (at 800 to 1,500 yards)? Inquiring minds want to know.

H

Answer 6

The 30-30 rifle is a nice gun, I have not tried shooting at any targets 800 too 1500 yards away, with one. I have never seen any deer to far away too shoot thought. It has cheap ammo and they sell some pretty high power shots for the gun too. You can get one at just about any store that sells fire arms for around $300.

Answer 7

800-1500 yards?

For 500 bucks?

No chance. Best bet is a .270 for around 700 w/o scope. They will shoot 600+ yards and they shoot nice and flat. Using a higher caliber will decrease the range significantly.

Seriously, check out a .270.

Answer 8

Wikipedia says a M48 Mauser (Yugo Version) or a German K98 Mauser will do 800 yards with optics. And 500 with iron sights. You are looking at around $200-300 with one of those. If you want something new, you might want to raise your budget a little.

Answer 9

Your best bet is probably going to be military surplus, perhaps a Swedish Mauser, though you might find a cheap K98. If you can find one really cheap, then you can do the sporterizing and some accurizing yourself to stay within your budget. I wouldn't expect much better than 2 MOA accuracy from it, but for your purposes, that should be OK.

Answer 10

savage .308 110 bolt action and a cheep scope may fit into that price range. 800 yards is possible but 1500 well.....