Cheap rifle for deer hunting?

Axis or American for lefties (I am pretty sure the Ruger American has a lefty version). If you want to spend closer to $500, you can get a Savage 110 or 10 package for that. It will have a very nice Nikon scope on it.

If you get an Axis II model (the newest one with the Accutrigger) the Weaver scope on it will be usable until you can upgrade. It's a better scope than the Bushnells they were putting on them. That said, my daughter still has the Bushnell scope on her Axis in .223 and it has done just fine. With such little recoil I doubt it will be an issue before I can upgrade it for her.

These are good days as far as being able to get a decent and accurate rifle for relatively little money. Here are some recommendations:

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...ts_id/94956/Ruger+AMER+RFL+7MM08+LH+4R+BLK+MT

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/78633/Savage+AXIS+270+Lefthand

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...d/78149/Savage+111+TH+XP+30-06+Lefthand+NIKON

Any of these will kill all the deer you will ever encounter. The last one is a good deal simply because the scope is one you won't have to upgrade, unless you want to.
 
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From what I understand Savage is the original left handed bolt gun. I like mine, I recommend them but with one reservation, if you spend just a little more you can get a Tikka which is a SUPERB rifle, quite possibly the best at any price if you are looking for a light and accurate rifle, mine shoots one hole groups at 100 with handlaods and easy sub MOA with the super cheap factory stuff I just bought for the brass.
 
btmj said:
you can also look at the used market... at any given time, there are a lot of nice bolt action guns with decent optics for sale at half the price of what an equivalent new gun would be.
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When you are not sure about what you want/need, buying used makes a lot of sense. If you buy used later you can sell used, if need be.

FWIW...

...bug
 
When you are not sure about what you want/need, buying used makes a lot of sense. If you buy used later you can sell used, if need be.
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That would be a great plan if he didn't need a LH rifle, or if he had an unlimited time span for a search
 
With that kind of budget AND the limitation on not being able to effectively use a right-handed bolt action, I would lean towards a cheap single-shot. I'm generally not a fan of the Handi Rifle, but this is a case where you could be into a decent hunting gun for less than $400 for rifle, scope, and some ammo.
 
Any Package Gun Will Do

my first rifle was a savage 111 package gun with the 3-9 simmons scope on it in .270 win...I've taken quite a few deer with that thing, no complaints. The plastic stocks and low price tags of the package guns make you less terrified of dinging the things up (not that you should ever intentionally be rough with a gun, but as they say, s*** happens and if it happened to a pricier, more aesthetically pleasing firearm it'd be much more upsetting). It's minute of milk jug accurate out to an honest 300-400 yards but I think it's capable of more with a better scope (9x isn't actually that big at over 300 - I cant hit what I can barely see!). So that's been a great first impression for me. Any of the package guns will do. Savage axis or axis 2 (which has the accutrigger), Remington 783, Ruger American, marlin xl7...all feel like fisher price toys and all of them are capable hunting tools that often shoot just as good if not better than the more expensive options...my "cheap" savage doesn't give up anything in accuracy to my friends 3x more expensive tikka, also in .270. When I say package gun I mean the offers most of the big companies make with a cheap 3-9 scope already mounted and bore sighted on the gun for very low money...the nice thing is, you can always replace that scope if you come into a bit of money but if not, it'll work great for all "conventional" needs. This being said, if you somehow suddenly come into more money, get a Weatherby Vanguard S2...best gun for the money no runners up in my opinion.
 
The deer and antelope I got in 2014 were inside of 100 yards, and i could have got them with many guns.

But the deer I got in 2013 was at 477 yards.
I needed:
1) range finder
2) scope with turret or reticle that could compensate for range
3) bipod
4) 7mmRemMag shooting boat tailed bullet
5) practice at long range

2012 one deer was at 50 yard and the other at 400 yards.

2011 the deer was at 400 yards, the antelope was at 50 yards.

2010, one of the deer was 400 yards, I forget the rest right now.

What does it all mean?
Any old high power rifle in anyone's hands will get the close in deer.
Much better equipment and technique are need to reach way out there.
 
Most scenarios in hunting are 100 yards are less. There are always variables.

For instance, I live in TN, which is heavily wooded. However, my property has been "reclaimed" after clearcutting and looks like the prairie. So I felt I needed a flat shooting caliber that could reach on out but still work up close.

A 270, -06, or any of the short mags would be fine for 95% of deer hunters. I got a 7mm Rem Mag just for the ease of reloading and finding brass.

The OP can find a nice used gun in common calibers or one of the newer budget guns (XL7, Rem 783, Savage Axis, 110, etc.) and have all the deer gun he'd ever need.
 
For the money you said I'd get a Savage Trophy 10 110.I have several left hand Savage 10 110 I also have Ruger American left hand. In some ways I like the Ruger better but I don't like a hunting rifle that doesn't lock the bolt down on safe. The Savage 10 110 do I don't think the Axis does but not sure.
 
Get something used. You will find a good gun at a lower price point than new and afford decent optics + ammo. Anything between .243 and .300 win should work fine. Ask your friends for range, terrain and what they use.
 
I'm not familiar with the area, but the pictures I've seen of the area near Yosemite, make me think you will probably have easily have the possibility for 300 yd shots, which makes me think a bolt action would be what I'd pick.

For a new gun, I'd be looking at a Savage trophy hunter (or better yet, a Weather Warrior if you can find a deal like some of the ones run Black Friday) if you can swing it. If you want a lower price point on the new gun, I'd look at the Savage Axis II (the Axis II has the accutrigger) or the Ruger American.

If you don't mind used, I'd cruise the LGS. Around here, LH models are typically priced below the RH models and there are some great deals.

For chambering, I'd probably look for 30-06 or .270 since they should be available anywhere and don't sell out as quickly as .308 or some of the others. Around here, during the ammo scare last year 30-06 and 270 were almost always on the shelf when other cartridges weren't.

If you want to go with a lever, that is a great option as well. If that is your preference (and I love levers) there a a lot of options for up to 150 yds, but if you want to go beyond that you might have to look at a used Browning BLR. I would also suggest a Marlin in 45-70, but ammo is not quite as commonly available and a little more expensive.
 
I would go with a used Marlin 336. They are a great hunting platform and are will be pretty easy to get good with the irons out to 100 to 150 yards.
 
I would look in the local gun and pawn shops for A quality used rifle in whatever caliber you choose before I would buy A new budget rifle. A Marlin 30-30 would be my first choice. The pawn shops around here are full of good bolt action rifles. I have had my eye on an old JC Higgins .270 built on A Belgian Mauser action For $350 for A long time now. I would rather own that than any Savage Axis or Ruger American
 
What are you waiting for????

Badlander,
BUY that JC. Higgins.
You won't find a better rifle, period. I have owned mine for decades.

Mine has really "wild" looking wood. I put a 3 X 9 higher end Bushnell on it, made in Japan.

Unless the gun has been really abused.......BUY IT. I want and keep my eyes open for the 30-06 model. That way I can complete my set.
 
If 300 yards will be your regular shooting distance then I'd grab a H&R single shot in .30-06. Sure other calibers will work but that's what I would want. Your .223 will work as long as it's legal.
 
I vote for picking up a Ruger American. Excellent gun for the money.

Another though, why not pick up a different upper for your AR15 in 6.8?
 
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