Top 5 hunting rifles at/under $1K

[RAGGED EDGE]

Check out the Mauser M18 from Eurooptic. Under 500 bucks. Leaves a lot for glass.

 

[dfrahm]

Long story short - I ended up with a Bergara 6.5CM. and a Vortex 5x25x50. Suggest you look at them and shoot one. Heavy, but it shoots lights out. Missed a dime at 750 last week, but not by much The fishing weight was to hold it still. The 'gong' is about ten inches behind the hanging dime.

 

[robert rex]

Please see group from inexpensive Sako that is basically identical to a Tikka. Also note the photo of the Prime Minister of Finland. I am a buy American guy but sometimes there is great workmanship found elsewhere. View attachment 220148View attachment 220144

Are you seating .100 off the lands? I'm shooting the same rifle with H4831sc at 60g, and same Barnes Bullet. My groups started out lackluster at .30 and the farther off the lands I go the better it shoots.

 

[dargie12317]

Hi All.
My budget for a setup is $2K for rifle and optic. I expect to spend at least half of that on glass. So now I'm trying to figure out the best rifle I can fit into. I have looked at X-bolt and Kimber Mountain. I don't need to shoot 3moa at 1000 yards or anything and don't expect to. Just looking for something accurate enough to to get a good kill shot on an elk at 500 yards maximum. Appreciate everyone's input!
Thanks!!

Hello
you can look at the Savage arms 110 ultralight

 

[RYEWSKY25284]

Hi All.
My budget for a setup is $2K for rifle and optic. I expect to spend at least half of that on glass. So now I'm trying to figure out the best rifle I can fit into. I have looked at X-bolt and Kimber Mountain. I don't need to shoot 3moa at 1000 yards or anything and don't expect to. Just looking for something accurate enough to to get a good kill shot on an elk at 500 yards maximum. Appreciate everyone's input!
Thanks!!

I recently purchased a Bergara Wilderness 6.5CM. Rifle feels really nice in the hands, carries very comfortable, has a nice trigger, and it's adjustable. Medium weight bbl with muzzle break.
I topped it with an ARKEN 4x14x44 FFP and LOVE it.
I'm into it for around $1600-$1700 total and ready to hunt with it.
with factory ammo it shoots under 1/2"

 

[Tom Wright]

I might saying something you already know (or do) but when I'm looking for a factory rifle and I'm not already 100% sure of what I want, I develop a list of requirements: "must haves" and "nice to haves" (call them whatever you like). Price is one, weight could be another, action type, degrees of bolt rotation (based on your scope it could be a factor), floated barrel, lapped barrel, compensated and/or threaded barrel, trigger type, stock type, rifle finish, magazine fed, so on and so forth. I like to define my requirements, research the rifles which fulfill them and try to go handle them all. As the list narrows I seek out opinions and see if I know anyone who has one I can shoot. The interesting thing about this process is every time I've done this I came away with a great rifle AND it was not the rifle I would have told you I thought I would be buying at the start of my search. As you said, if it's one thing everyone has, it's an opinion. I'm curious to know what you go with!
Cheers,
Nate

Two suggestions and I own both. Look at Browning Xbolt and Christiansen Arms rifles. Both are easy carries, and can handle most US game. I have the Xbolt in 300WM and the Christiansen Mesa in 308. My "go-to" is the Browning as I can load from 150 to 220 grain bullets. I have used if for animals from Steenbok to Kudu and Eland, as well as fallow deer, red stags and Ibex, and it works well at home on 300 pound mulies and whitetails. I started reloading almost 60 years ago at 12, but the high quality of factory loads and the cost/availability of components has me usually going for factory ammo now. I kind of figure that if a gun and factory ammo can be accurate out to 450+ years, that's not a bad combination.

 

[CTK]

Are you seating .100 off the lands? I'm shooting the same rifle with H4831sc at 60g, and same Barnes Bullet. My groups started out lackluster at .30 and the farther off the lands I go the better it shoots.

Yes .100" off the lands. Other identical rifle shot great with the 130 TTSX at .150" off the lands.

 

[CTK]

Yes .100" off the lands. Other identical rifle shot great with the 130 TTSX at .150" off the lands.

Guessing you meant .030" off lands.

 

[Kellen]

I have put together quite a few setups like this for people. I like the Bergara B14 Hunter and Ridge for this category. The ridge has a heavier barrel and will do better if you are putting several rounds through it at the range. The Hunter is lighter and will be easier to carry up the side of a mountain.

For optics, the vortex viper line is solid glass for under $1k. But I would try to get a good deal on Leupold's VX-6HD line. The 6-18x magnification is all you need for hunting and that combo'd with the B14 will get you a great setup for around $2k.

Good luck with your Elk hunt.

 

[dargie12317]

Hello
you can look at the Savage arms 110 ultralight

Hello Kellen

1. the new VortexRazor HD LHT 3x18x50 at eurooptic is about 1k, I recommended that one, light weigh and give you more MOA than you needed.
2. Do not look at the browning x bolt, I have one , it is 8 lbs rifle without scope. You don't need that.
If you could spend 2.5 k, then get the savage 110 ultralight 6.5 prc, you will be happy with it.

Happy hunting Kellen
Tom

 

[gbett308]

Hi All.
My budget for a setup is $2K for rifle and optic. I expect to spend at least half of that on glass. So now I'm trying to figure out the best rifle I can fit into. I have looked at X-bolt and Kimber Mountain. I don't need to shoot 3moa at 1000 yards or anything and don't expect to. Just looking for something accurate enough to to get a good kill shot on an elk at 500 yards maximum. Appreciate everyone's input!
Thanks!!

Rem 700 CDL-SF in 300 wsm w/ Leupold VX-3i LRP scope and talley rings all for under 2k. Rifle weighs under 7 lbs, fluted stainless barrel, lightweight overall and packs a punch. Wide selection of calibers from 6.5 crudmoor up to 7 mag and 300 wsm. All made in USA or engineered and assembled here.

 

[Rooks]

Tikka rifles are gaining great reputations. The new Weatherby rifles are supposed to be excellent too. While excellent, most factory rifles will none the less come with compromises. Save your money and have a rifle built that is dressed to fit you. Tikka, and savage are nice if you can't have a Remington...

 

[manitou]

Hello Kellen

1. the new VortexRazor HD LHT 3x18x50 at eurooptic is about 1k, I recommended that one, light weigh and give you more MOA than you needed.
2. Do not look at the browning x bolt, I have one , it is 8 lbs rifle without scope. You don't need that.
If you could spend 2.5 k, then get the savage 110 ultralight 6.5 prc, you will be happy with it.

Happy hunting Kellen
Tom

Do you have an X-bolt long range or something?
All my X-bolts run about 6.6 lbs... one of the many reasons I like them.

 

[tooth doc]

I do like the Xbolt the best so far. But then I have people telling me to stay away from non- 700 action rifles.....

Interesting, i like rem but always prefer a mauser type action, aka winch 70, ruger. Love the tikka and vanguard also.