If you only want one

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Pat C

New member
I'm looking to buy a rifle not sure which caliper, I want something very accurate out to a 100yds. I do reload and my budget is around $1000. Go
 
Most modern rifles are accurate out to 100 yards. Savage has some good choice under $500, and so does Ruger. If hunting Caliber I like are .270, 30/06, and 308. Plinking I might go with .223. Just depends on what you want.
 
With a $1,000 budget and being a reloader opens lots of doors. Your possibilities are wide open. You're going to have to be more specific about use to get any meaningful advice.
 
Go down to a pawnshop and buy a nice custom deer rifle with a scope, in 308 or 30-06, and put the $500 you saved into the bank.
 
How accurate is accurate? How many inches at 100 yds?

Any secondary wants, nice stock, ability to hunt deer, gohers, etc?

Generally speaking small calibers like 6mm/224 from small cases are best for pure accuracy. Even better from heavy short rifles with 20x or bigger optics.
 
Sorry, should of been more specific. I'm looking for a rifle strictly for target shooting and I would like it to shoot 1" or less at 100 yards, and on the lighter side for recoil.
 
Caliber is 223. Does the $1,000 include optics? If so then I'd suggest either a Tikka or Ruger Predator with a 3-9X40 scope selling in the $200-$250 price range. I like Leupold VX-1, Burris FF-II, or Redfield Revolution in that price range. But the glass on most all of them is similar if in the same price range. You should be able to get something above for around $700-$800.

If the $1,000 budget does not include optics then there are many more options.
 
.22 rimfire rifles were made for 100 yard shooting.
They pretty much simulate a .223 at 300 yards, providing more of a challenge, including reading the wind, figuring drop, 'etc.
Centerfires at 100 yards will get boring fast.
Just a thought.
 
Since you reload, I'd look into .222. You'd have something much less common than what everyone else is using, and arguably more inherently precise than .223. (Many may disagree on that claim)
I'm not sure if manufacturers are still producing rifles in .222 though, so you might have to get something used.
 
My cheapest (price and cost per round), rifle that will shoot 5 under 1/2" at 100 yards is a single shot .22 hornet.
 
The $1000 doesn't include optics if I could get everything for a $1000 that would be great. I thought of getting a 22lr, I was going to build one, but research has changed my mind because they are not consistent out to a hundred yards, so I'm told. So I really don't know which caliper to go with. I only have access to 100 yard range and I want to play with loads so that's another reason not to go with 22lr. I was leaning towards 6mm or 6.5 or the 223, not sure something extremely accurate fun to shoot and experiment with reloads.
 
.22 rimfires are generally very accurate.
It isn't the guns that are inconsistent, it's the ammo.
But once the ammo is found the gun prefers, it's smooth sailing to great accuracy.
It's hard to beat rimfire accuracy, especially out to 100 yards.
 
Pretty much any $1000 rifle will shoot 1" at 100 yards... especially if you tailor your own reloads for it. So, it comes down to low recoil, "fun", and personal preference regarding what looks cool to you.

I like classic-looking rifles and I enjoy having things that not everybody else has, so my choices would be:

1. CZ 550FS in 6.5x55 Swedish. Checks all the right boxes.
2. CZ 527 in 7.62x39. Yes, this is capable of 1" groups at 100 yards, even with factory ammo. With reloads, I'm sure it could do even better.

Why pick two CZs? Cuz I'm an unashamed CZ fanboy... and because I'm a firm believe that a rifle doesn't have to be expensive or tactical-looking in order to shoot well.
 
Go down to a pawnshop and buy a nice custom deer rifle with a scope, in 308 or 30-06, and put the $500 you saved into the bank.
Click to expand...

Exactly!

I see real good deer rifles, with scopes, at pawn shops all the time. Remingtons, Winchesters, Brownings, Weatherbys, Marlins, etc...

Most barely used.

Deaf
 
1 inch @ a hundred yards is pretty standard on almost all current production bolt actions. Some will do it with varying weights and brands of bullets and some will only like 1 or 2 loads.

I'm hard pressed to offer any revelations to you because I am having a hard time thinking of a bolt rifle model so inconsistent that I cannot recommend.
Even the cheapo axis and American series will qualify per your criteria.

I guess what I can say is if I were looking for a paper punching 100 yard rifle I would get a 223. Inexpensive to shoot, very little recoil, plentiful components, long barrel life, and great brass available.

For the rifle I would look at something with a heavier barrel such as a savage hog hunter, savage 12, Ruger 77 mkii varient, or 700 varmint.

Both the savage 12 and 700 varmint have been on sale recently for under $400.

Take the extra money and buy a great scope and a 22lr rifle as well. I have a marlin xt that is very fun to shoot at 50-100 yards. A bit more challenging but will hone your fundamentals. It is very fun and also more rewarding to shoot the little 22 at 100 yards.
 
If I was going to target shoot (which is what I do), I would shoot 22lr. It's cheap and if it's good enough for the Olympics, it's good enough for me. I have 22s scoped, unscoped, semi, bolt and lever.
 
My CZ 527 varmint in 223 will do 1/2 inch at 100 yards. This is a nice choice if the OP is into classic Mauser style action in blue steel and walnut. Rings are included and you can stretch it a bit and get a Leupold V2 6-18x and be a true disciple.
 
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