Light cheap accurate rifle

[Calvoritter]

Ok. Here is the criteria. I want a light cheap factory rifle with a short threaded barrel for a suppressor for deer and elk to 400 yards. Caliber is any capable cartridge available. I’m thinking Howa Superlite in 7mm-08 but availability is a problem on those. Could get it in .308 or 6.5 I think. The cheaper the better is my thought as it only needs to be minute of deer at 400 yards. I would say criteria ranking go like this:
1)capable cartridge
2)short threaded barrel
3)cheap
4)light
5)accuracy

Anyone got some suggestions?

Gonna have to go with what a few said....Ruger American. Its gets accolades often.

 

[CPAjeff]

I vote a Tikka T3X Roughtech. I picked up a 6.5 PRC for my son, and fell in love with it.

It shoots factory ELD-Ms, factory ELD-Xs, and factory EOLs into dime sized groups.

 

[rogerthat]

Well, I pulled the trigger. Upped the budget a hair. 7-08 in howa super lite $950 with a box of eld-x thrown in. I figured since I live in Montana and the last mule deer I shot was in 2009 if I’m going to keep getting the boots tighter for a unicorn I might as well go as light as possible. So far love the weight and seems like a quality gun.

Thanks for all the advice. I weighed all the options that you guys brought forth into my decision but decided a true ultralight was something I didn’t possess and with a 20” threaded barrel the gun is can ready which was a plus.

 

[morgaj1]

Really nice! What glass are you going with?

 

[rogerthat]

Really nice! What glass are you going with?

I’m going to throw a leupy on it that I already have to begin with. I think it’s a vx-3 4.5-14 with a varmint hunter reticle. If I decide I need it a bit heavier I will put the compact nightforce on it.

 

[Farmerj]

Surprised nobody has mentioned Savage. Mine is light, kills elk, doesn't break the bank.

You either love them or, like most, hate them.

I’d have suggested an old model 10/110 or the stevens 200.

I’ve had extremely good results with any savage I’ve owned. Especially getting rid of any lawyer settings in the trigger.

 

[rogerthat]

Ok. So I made it through the season. Loving packing this gun. Didn’t shoot anything with it. Since this is my dedicated back pack gun I’m going to ditch the leupy and throw on a bomb proof scope. Thinking trijicon credo 2.5-15x42 or maybe a nightforce shv. Any other options I’m not thinking of for a scope for this gun? The gun is super light so not that worried about a few extra ounces

 

[howl]

Those are top choices. I'd stand pat with the Leup and pay someone to put me on a deer or at least more productive ground.

 

[JT88]

I like the NF idea. I've been seeing some crazy sales lately. I would really consider looking at the NX8. But the SHV is a great scope too

 

[Arcola]

Credo HX is a great bang for your buck. Nightforce NXS is my go to for super light mountain rifles though.

 

[Ought Six]

What’s wrong with the 4.5-14 Leupy?

 

[rogerthat]

What’s wrong with the 4.5-14 Leupy?

Leupy’s aren’t bomb proof and have a tendency for the zero to wander. Not what I want for rough and tumble backpacking

 

[bucdoego]

Browning Hells Canyon Speed

If they only offered it in LH... '-)

 

[brockel]

Ok. So I made it through the season. Loving packing this gun. Didn’t shoot anything with it. Since this is my dedicated back pack gun I’m going to ditch the leupy and throw on a bomb proof scope. Thinking trijicon credo 2.5-15x42 or maybe a nightforce shv. Any other options I’m not thinking of for a scope for this gun? The gun is super light so not that worried about a few extra ounces

SWFA 6x

 

[Mallardsx2]

Leupy’s aren’t bomb proof and have a tendency for the zero to wander. Not what I want for rough and tumble backpacking

I have dozens of them. Never had any wander.

What scope do you recommend?

 

[Idahoarcheryhunter]

Nightforce or trijicon are both good choices.

 

[Ought Six]

Leupy’s aren’t bomb proof and have a tendency for the zero to wander. Not what I want for rough and tumble backpacking

I’m not sure I would agree with this statement. Is this from your personal experience? Are you using good rings? Obviously there are better, higher end scopes out there, but none of the 15+ leupold scopes I’ve owned have ever had a zero ‘wander’ and all of my hunting is ‘rough and tumble backpacking’. I’ve got one that I shoot every year and have never had to touch zero on in 11 years on a magnum cartridge, I’m a little bit of a fanboy though. But if you have the money to spend on a higher-end set-up I totally understand just seems like the reasoning is off, it’s your money and however you gotta justify it to yourself I get that too.

“IMPACT TESTED + VERIFIED
Each scope design has to survive 5,000 impacts on the Punisher, Leupold’s recoil simulation machine. The force of each impact is 3x the recoil of a .308 rifle. If the scope doesn’t perform in any way during the tests, we make adjustments to the design and test it again.”

 

[brockel]

“IMPACT TESTED + VERIFIED
Each scope design has to survive 5,000 impacts on the Punisher, Leupold’s recoil simulation machine. The force of each impact is 3x the recoil of a .308 rifle. If the scope doesn’t perform in any way during the tests, we make adjustments to the design and test it again.”

This test is only to see if anything falls apart. This is not a poi shift test which the leupold fails at almost everytime they are tested in actual drops.

 

[Greyman]

 

[fmnjr]

Ok. Here is the criteria. I want a light cheap factory rifle with a short threaded barrel for a suppressor for deer and elk to 400 yards. Caliber is any capable cartridge available. I’m thinking Howa Superlite in 7mm-08 but availability is a problem on those. Could get it in .308 or 6.5 I think. The cheaper the better is my thought as it only needs to be minute of deer at 400 yards. I would say criteria ranking go like this:
1)capable cartridge
2)short threaded barrel
3)cheap
4)light
5)accuracy

Anyone got some suggestions?

Mossberg's line of Patriot rifles