Cheap gun for more trigger time

[tt_johnsclist]

I think a 308 is the best cartridge for “hunting practice” range time. Relatively inexpensive to shoot and has some recoil just like your hunting rifles.


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[Dirt Wagon]

I don’t think a single person said 300 yard varmint gun or even that the op is looking for that. We are talking trigger time and shooting a ton, how cheap is 9,000rds of 223 a year reloading or what is the time spent doing it? How many barrels is that in a year?

Last I checked paper and steal targets don’t bleed and really can‘t be killed. The op is looking at cheap practice.

I quoted the OP first post so you can read it more clearly, and it does in fact say "at least 300 yds" as his target distance & "double as a varmint rifle". Maybe brush up on your reading skill before you critique others.

I have been thinking about picking up a cheap gun that is cheap to shoot. Just something to play with at the range that could maybe double as a varmint rifle. I would want to be able to shoot accurately out to at least 300yds. Thinking of a savage or something around or under $300. Anyone have a cheapo they would recommend that shoots MOA at 300yds?

Also, his last statement says "MOA at 300yds", looking over my ballistic calculator for a 22lr, it drops 25" going from 275 yards to 300 yards. Not something I would consider a MOA rifle when you factor in a $300 price limit & that rimfire match ammo isn't made for that distance.

 

[16Bore]

MOA = MOA

Nice thing about 22LR at 300 yards you get 3 shots before the first one hits the target.

Just make sure the steel is thin. My buddy and I are going to try a cymbal next. Should be a hoot.

Necco’s, & animal crackers are fun too...

 

[WCB]

I am in the .223 club... Yes you can shoot a lot of .22lr for cheap but for your criteria a .223 makes the most sense. in a normal platform it gives you a bit of report/recoil unlike a .22lr. Arguments about barrel replacement is somewhat valid but unless your going to pound rounds through your barrel a .223 can last a long time.

Cabelas also has the Savage FV for about $350...if you have a gift card or two from the holidays your at or under $300.

 

[Lawnboi]

A 22lr is great cheap practice, I need to upgrade mine. Only thing it lacks is the noise and recoil, which I think is where the 223 starts to shine for practice.

 

[Apollo117]

There's a lot of good advice given so far. I'll suggest something a little less black and white. You could pick up a .22LR at a pawn shop or on sale for $100 to $150. Then you could get a Savage model 12 or Savage Axis Predator in .223 for around $300 during a Black Friday sale.

As previously suggested, use the .22LR for target practice between 50-300 yards. Use the .223 for practice and varmints for anything beyond 100 yards.

I realize my suggestion is a little above the $300 price, so feel free to disregard.

 

[MuleyFever]

There's a lot of good advice given so far. I'll suggest something a little less black and white. You could pick up a .22LR at a pawn shop or on sale for $100 to $150. Then you could get a Savage model 12 or Savage Axis Predator in .223 for around $300 during a Black Friday sale.

As previously suggested, use the .22LR for target practice between 50-300 yards. Use the .223 for practice and varmints for anything beyond 100 yards.

I realize my suggestion is a little above the $300 price, so feel free to disregard.

Going to hit the pawn shops for sure. I never thought about the noise/recoil aspect in practice.

 

[howl]

I'm not understanding why people don't own 22lrs. You can get a Ruger American for under $200. Sure the bolt is on the wrong side, but...who doesnt have a 22?!

Re: noise and recoil: these are good for practice if you have problems with noise and recoil. These are bad in that the shooter and rifle will do things that are difficult to diagnose because they are obscured by noise and recoil. I see people at ranges having trouble grouping because they clearly don't understand what is happening when they pull a trigger.

I have several 22lrs and plan to buy more.
My kids all got 22s as first guns so they could learn to shoot before moving up. Started with BBs and coke cans.

Who the @$!# learns to shoot on a centerfire?!

 

[Corvus Corax]

I just assumed everyone already has a .22lr.

 

[CApighunter]

I’ve got a mossberg MVP .223 I bought for those purposes, was $300 used, put a cheap scope on there and it shoots sub moa all day long with 50gr Vmax. It’s a perfect trainer, worked great for the girlfriend to transition her from a .22 to a 270wsm.

 

[WCB]

I'm not understanding why people don't own 22lrs. You can get a Ruger American for under $200. Sure the bolt is on the wrong side, but...who doesnt have a 22?!

Re: noise and recoil: these are good for practice if you have problems with noise and recoil. These are bad in that the shooter and rifle will do things that are difficult to diagnose because they are obscured by noise and recoil. I see people at ranges having trouble grouping because they clearly don't understand what is happening when they pull a trigger.

I have several 22lrs and plan to buy more.
My kids all got 22s as first guns so they could learn to shoot before moving up. Started with BBs and coke cans.

Who the @$!# learns to shoot on a centerfire?!

who is learning to shoot on a centerfire? the OP is looking for a practice gun...he said that he just got into reloading so I am guessing he already shoots. I agree everyone should have a .22lr but for the OPs criteria a .223 seems a better fit.

 

[MuleyFever]

So, I hit up the pawn shops today and went to the local gun shops. Didn't buy anything but it got the gears going.

If I go rimfire I like the .17. Either HMR or WSM. I could take it on hikes and it would be adequate for 'yotes.

If I go centerfire I don't know that caliber will really matter since I reload. Components are all priced close enough that I can shoot most popular rounds for about the same cost over time. May just have to watch for the best sale.

 

[howl]

I'll bet a dollar you shoot whatever it is more if you don't have to load for it.

 

[Dirt Wagon]

I wouldn't put much trust in a 17 hmr out past 100 yards for coyotes. It looses a lot of energy past that & won't reliably put them down. If you see something out at 150-200 yards you'll only be wishing you had something with more punch.

The benefit of using a 223 is that you can save all that brass from buying loaded ammo & either sell it or use it for yourself. Fiocchi sell 50 round box's of VMAX from $20-25 for a cheap varmint round.

 

[MuleyFever]

I'll bet a dollar you shoot whatever it is more if you don't have to load for it.

I'm still in the honeymoon phase of reloading so you are probably right. It's still fun right now but my attitude may change.

 

[wyosam]

Those cheap 12fv savages are legit. I decided i wanted something in .223 to reload for (cheap, don't care about the barrel, keeps me from putting a ton of rounds through my hunting rifle while learning to reload). Picked up a 12fv a couple days ago, put a cheap used Vortex I had in the bin, and took it to the range tonight. Fired one shot after bore sighting, spun the turrets to get it close and fired a 3 shot group. ~.5 @ 50. Next 3 at 100, at about .4". Several more groups of the Hornady 55gr vmax, all under .75, with a few more sub .5. A couple of groups with the 73gr ELDM were a touch bigger, but still sub MOA. I'll get it out again this weekend and ring some steel with it. I was hoping to get to improve accuracy with reloading for this rifle, but it looks like I might have to settle for cheaper without losing anything being the main goal.

 

[Ndbowhunter]

I’m pretty hard up on blue dot loads and factory seconds bullets, run through a collet neck sizing die right now.

Been off an on with it since last spring. But I’ve went on a recent spree again revisiting it while wanting to get trigger time on a barrel burner (243 win)

dirt cheap, lights out accuracy across a big spectrum. Reloading is Neanderthal ez. (Drop powder, load bullet)

Barrel doesn’t heat up, ballistics can be anything from 22wmr levels to 75% of factory fodder.

burns clean, same manual of arms, enough recoil that it’s still fun. And a bigger bullet sure helps seeing misses.

Have only been shooting twice a week this year and 50 rounds a session twice a week is plenty for me. Right around Christmas I did a reload on the tailgate of the truck and it wasn’t but 20 minutes and I had another 50

Downsides would be velocity deviations. Especially with dropped charges. Blue dot doesn’t flow like water by any means and you gotta pick up brass.

probably best to use with a cartridge that has cheap parent brass. Super ez to neck down 308 brass and if you lose it oh well

 

[Dirt Wagon]

Picked up a 12fv a couple days ago, put a cheap used Vortex I had in the bin, and took it to the range tonight.

Savage has a $75 rebate going for their model 12 rifles.

Savage Rebate

Also works for the model 25 if the OP wanted to shoot 17 hornet, 22 hornet, 204 Ruger, 22 Rem, or 223.

 

[MuleyFever]

Would a .243 be a poor choice? Thinking I could load something light to keep recoil more at a .223 level.

 

[Dirt Wagon]

243 would work well, I reload for mine & picked up a box of 750 Speer TNT 70 gr bullets when it was on sale for target/varmint ammo. But if your wanting to stay at 223 recoil level just buy the 223, cheaper to both reload and buy new.