Hey guys!
Just wondering what every one’s opinion is on a good .223 bolt gun for around $500 or less with out glass. I am a little bias towards the ruger american because I love my american chambered in 7mm-08. I would be reloading for this set up and hopefully stretching the capabilities of myself and this .223 rifle out to around 500 yards. Im just looking for more trigger time with less invested in reloading ammunition 
Thanks guys!
Fleet has the Savage Axis combo on sale right now for $299.
DT
I have been looking at a Savage model 12FV which is a Cabela’s exclusive @ $419. The FV has a blind magazine where the FCV has a detachable magazine and about $200 more in cost.
From what I can tell Cabela’s runs a sale on them in the spring dropping the price down around $389 and Savage will run a rebate around the same time.
Ruger American all the way! The Savage Axis is a good budget rifle, but the reviews have been mixed. Some say they’re awesome, some say they’re junk. The savage model 12 is a good rifle with great reviews. I have also heard good things about the newer Remington 783. I have handled one and it feels like a good stick for the price. I have a few bolts in .223 and I love them.
Sorry to go off track but curious on why a bolt gun in a .223 as opposed to something like a 22-250?
The list of entry level rifles that shoot very well is long and getting longer every year, it seems.
It depends on how close to the $500 mark you really want to come. A few suggestions from a very long list.
– Savage Axis – The best performance for the least money and the caveat “but you have to replace the trigger” has been taken away by the Axis2. I have an Axis in .223 and 250 and they are both fantastic. Available for well under $500 even if you go for the basic model and replace the trigger with a drop in like the Rifle Basix. As others have mentioned, you can spend more and move up the Savage lineup and still stay under $500 if you hit the right deals.
– The Ruger American. Impossible to go wrong here, but you may need to wait for a sale to get much change back from $500.
New Rifles – Just in the past year or less, we have new entries. I haven’t shot either of these, but reports are good.
– Mossberg Patriot. Lots of reviews around and this made a lot of noise when introduced. Good reports about accuracy and function.
– Thompson Center Compass – Take a good look at this one. With an adjustable trigger for $400 SRP. Street price may be lower! Looked and felt very good to me at the SCI show last spring.
There are other options as well.
Personally, if I were buying right now, it would be tough to say no to another Axis, but the TC Compass is very tempting, offering some real upgrades for very little more money.
Grouse
Sorry to go off track but curious on why a bolt gun in a .223 as opposed to something like a 22-250?
Just because total reloading cost for a 22-250 is a little higher and they are a little more of a barrel burner is all. Still a fantastic caliber maybe someday I will invest in one.
And grouse I was really looking into the axis 2 on sportsmanoutdoorsuperstore.com and they have great prices on them as well as ruger americans.
I’m another happy Axis owner. Like grouse, I have a 223 and a 250. Without upgrading the trigger, or at least the spring, and replacing the stock, they do leave a little to be desired but they can be great shooters! I was hitting prairie dogs at 500+ this year with the 223. Can’t gripe about that!
However, if I were looking to start over, I don’t know if I could resist trying the Ruger American. Too many good words about them to ignore them.
Mossberg….. I have an ATR100 in 243 that’s been equally impressive to the Axis for accuracy. Better stock trigger setting and smoother bolt operation. So, it’s possible they have another winner in the Patriot line but I really don’t have any experience around them.
For me, when all was said and done, I pour so much extra money at my budget rifles that I might as well have invested in a higher model. Might be something to think about as well.
Another fan of the savage here. I purchased a Savage Trophy Hunter XP and Nikon scope with BDC reticle for under $500 last Fall. Its a 270, my son used it deer hunting last year and after we broke it in the thing was “pounding nails” at 100 yards with him shooting it.
FYI, Reeds has a huge sale coming up and they said factory reps would be on hand to pay rebates in cash during the event. I received a $50 rebate last year, but had to mail in the rebate. Not sure what is offered now though.
I really like the accutrigger. Both the Axis II and the Trophy Hunter XP have it.
I am not sure what the other differences between the two models are though. I think the barrel twist might be different??? I know the Axis is a bit less expensive.
There are so many good rifles on the market at the low end of the price range, that you can’t go wrong.
The decision is not really so much what rifle to buy, but rather how much do you want to run up the price by going to models with better triggers, stocks, etc?
In my case, I bought 2 Savage Axis rifles, both on sale. Then I added Rifle Basix triggers for 89 each. Then I shot both rifles hard for over a year.
Then….
I added Boyds stocks because I didn’t like the feel of the plastic Axis stock.
So yes, I could have “bought up the line”, but I didn’t know that at the time and it makes little difference as far as total spend, at the end of the day I have 2 great shooting and great looking, stainless steel rifles, for less than $500 each. That is a feat that would NOT have been doable 10 years ago for anywhere near that price.
Grouse
The past 15 years or so, Savage hunting rifles seem to be consistently the most accurate econo-production models. In fact, I was able to fire a pair of 223 Savage varmint rifles that raised my eyebrows. The only factory varmint rifle that was better was a Browning varmint model with the BOSS tuning system. It was rifle that could shoot legit .3’s and .4’s for 5 shots.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
