[NeverMore1701]

My Ruger American Compact was nearly 1/2MOA with 69gr. Matchkings, and the trigger was quite good. Pretty hard to beat for the money.

 

[morgoth]

Howa or Weatherby Vanguard?

 

[AZ Husker]

While I know nothing about rifles except the old 700 I inherited, I do know Remington shotguns. I assume they work on the same marketing principal as their rifles. The 870 Police Special is a top of the line pump, and has superior parts made of steel. The 870 Express is a copy, but with cheaper wood and a ton of plastic parts. Amazingly the price difference if you watch the sales bills is only around $100. I don't know if that difference is a deal buster for you, but it was a deal maker for me. Always buy as much gun as you can afford, even if it means saving up for another year and having a couple hundred more to spend. You will never be sorry for a better gun, but you will with a cheaper one.

 

[Kentucky Shooter]

My Ruger American Compact was nearly 1/2MOA with 69gr. Matchkings, and the trigger was quite good. Pretty hard to beat for the money.

I agree, the Ruger American is a great option within your budget as well as the Savage Trophy Hunter.

Both guns have package options with Redfield scopes installed within your price range.

Personally, I would ditch the idea of the Remington budget rifles. If I wanted a Remington, it would be a model 700 or nothing.

 

[Baba Louie]

Savage 11 anything... ugly as all hell but accurate enough to shoot the balls off the gnat on the back of a charging rhino at 100 yds.

I understand Ruger's new AR series can do much the same and is better looking to boot.

Howa et al, heavy little beastie and the gnat has larger nads.

There's others, but those will do in your price range.

As to Remington.. did your Mom teach you the old line from "Bambi" "If you cant say anything nice don't say anything at all"? Mine did.

Remington... used to make some really nice firearms. I hope they soon return to their roots.

Don't overlook older used Remington's, Winchesters, Savages, etc for better deals. Enjoy your hunt.

 

[seamaster]

Savage's new scout rifle is pretty nice light weight hunting rifle. I'd take off the forward rail and use it as is with the iron sights or mount a scope on the receiver.

 

[Mayhem like Me]

CZ.

http://www.gunbroker.com/All/BI.aspx?Keywords=cz+550+308

 

[pi grim]

Howa. Excellent rifle for the money

 

[ronin.45]

I've always liked Savage for inexpensive, accurate rifles. I still would take a 16 over most guns, but my Ruger AR has been impressive for a $350 rifle.

 

[Valmet]

I agree with BL- Savages are excellent rifles hands down. For my $ out of the box they're hard to beat- I like the 110-action rifles as I don't have any experience with their lower end Axis rifles.

I wouldn't buy anything Remington at the moment as I find their QC to be mediocre at best in addition to the 700 trigger recall, the R51 debacle, and their finish issues (bought 2 new 870s and had them duracoated due to rust issues).

 

[plp]

I'd look first to a used Sako, Howa, Weatherby higher ends, not the Vanguard, or a new Savage 11 series.

I've heard complaints about all the lower end 'new under $450 with scope', irrespective of brand. Some have design issues, some have assembly and packing issues, but the biggest problem seems to be they didn't get a sub MOA .308.

They got a low end hunting rifle, too light to be a good bench rifle, with a trigger appropriate for a good hunting rifle. When they are shooting 5" at 100 yards and are moaning about how it is crap, I think about the guy 4 stalls down with over two grand in his optics alone that is shooting 2" groups at 300 yards.

 

[AZ Husker]

My father in law, a big game hunter who went all over the world, always told me to spend as much on your optics as you did your rifle. Those "free" scopes with a package deal are crap.

 

[Rinspeed]

My father in law, a big game hunter who went all over the world, always told me to spend as much on your optics as you did your rifle. Those "free" scopes with a package deal are crap.

The Nikon that comes on the Savage rifles is a great lower end scope. I do agree that most of them really do suck though. Either the Weatherby Vanguard or the Savage 11/111 that comes with the with AccuTrigger would get my vote

 

[garya1961]

I have both a Savage 111 and a Ruger American. I am a Savage fan and always will be but the Ruger American is just as accurate as my Savage. The Savage is a more refined rifle over all and is very accurate. The Ruger looks like cheap junk when compared to the Savage but it will shoot.

I meant to say I don't think you will be disappointed with either of these two.

 

[Baba Louie]

OK, this might sound really stupid and best be ignored perhaps and not head off in another direction... but...

.308 = 7.62x51... true? True
.30-30 = 7.62x51R (European designation) Also true.

Just something to ponder for half a second. Like pondering used hunting rifles to maybe save a buck to take a buck... as it were.

An elderly Marlin 336 with glass (I have old eyes) or a Win 94 will get the job done. Not what OP had listed at all, I know.

 

[Karambit777]

OK, this might sound really stupid and best be ignored perhaps and not head off in another direction... but...

.308 = 7.62x51... true? True
.30-30 = 7.62x51R (European designation) Also true.

Just something to ponder for half a second. Like pondering used hunting rifles to maybe save a buck to take a buck... as it were.

An elderly Marlin 336 with glass (I have old eyes) or a Win 94 will get the job done. Not what OP had listed at all, I know.

Yea those two rounds could be considered similar, however they are quite different. I have a Marlin- Glenfield 336 and the Winchester 94. I think the 308 shoots a 155gr bullet, and the 3030 shoots a 175gr bullet.

I guess the bullet drop is more prevalent in the heavier/slower 30/30 cal.

I'm a .30 cal fan in all the variants, however the 30/30 and 308 are the most common, which is another reason I'm a fan. I have been only adding firearms to my collection of "common" calibers just for ease of finding/buying ammo.

 

[Baba Louie]

Using 150 gr, factory loads, the 30-30 runs about 2400 fps at muzzle, .308 runs about 2800 fps. Pretty big difference on energy from the get go.

As I recall, Tennessee has a few hills and a tree or two standing around here & there and I'm not sure about how you boys hunt there, be it tree stands, stalk, drive 'em, long shots, close shooting, etc.

I just wanted to throw the old .30-30 out there due to the European flavoring making it sound alike. It is and it isn't.

 

[redrick]

If you are going to be walking I would say Tikka . If sitting in a stand TC Venture or Weatherby Vanguard . For me the Vanguard is a little on the heavy side for hunting , but would make a great bench gun .

 

[plp]

Yea those two rounds could be considered similar, however they are quite different. I have a Marlin- Glenfield 336 and the Winchester 94. I think the 308 shoots a 155gr bullet, and the 3030 shoots a 175gr bullet.

I guess the bullet drop is more prevalent in the heavier/slower 30/30 cal.

I'm a .30 cal fan in all the variants, however the 30/30 and 308 are the most common, which is another reason I'm a fan. I have been only adding firearms to my collection of "common" calibers just for ease of finding/buying ammo.

The way it was explained to me when I was a kid is, if you shoot a .30-30 out past 150 yards, you are whistling up the flagpole unless you get lucky.

If you are shooting .308 in dense brush, a twig can deflect your shot 15 yards away and fling it to God knows where.

Use the proper tool for the job. Hunting from a stand over an open field? .308. Stalk hunting in the Delta? 30-30.