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In 1979, I took money I saved up from my paper route and bought my first deer rifle. It was a Remington Model 700, and it cost me $208. Today, a Remington 700 costs about six times that much, and with the prices of everything else going up, that’s more than a lot of hunters can afford. Fortunately, there are some very capable hunting rifles that cost about half that. They may not have all the bells and whistles of pricier options, but every one of the rifles below will get the job done. I know because I've tested every one of them. Here are five centerfire rifles you can trust, and they all retail for less than $600.
Glenfield Model A
Length: 40 inches
Weight: 6.3 pounds
Barrel: 20 inches, threaded at 5/8x24 with cap
Action: Bolt-action
Trigger: Adjustable (4.0 pounds as tested)
Capacity: 4+1 (varies with chambering)
Chamberings: 243 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, 270 Winchester, 308 Winchester, 30-06 Springfield, 350 Legend, 450 Bushmaster
Finish: Matte black
Stock: Synthetic Moss Green
Retail Price: $499
Pros
Affordable
Adjustable trigger
Reasonably light
Cons
Safety does not lock bolt
The Glenfield Model A is essentially a rebranded and slightly enhanced version of the original Ruger American rifle. Glenfield firearms used to be more affordable versions of Marlin guns and were sold in retail outlets like Sears and JC Penny. When Ruger acquired Marlin, they also got the Glenfield brand, and the Model A is the first new Glenfield rifle. It has a cold-hammer-forged barrel with a threaded muzzle, a user adjustable trigger, and it comes with a Picatinny scope rail already installed. It also has a synthetic stock with the same lines as the original Ruger American, but it has a moss-green splatter finish with some texture. Partly because of their unique bedding system, Ruger American rifles have a reputation for shooting well, and the Glenfield Model A utilizes the same bedding technique for the barreled action. I recently tested a Model A that turned in five-shot groups averaging just over an inch at 100 yards for three different loads, and the rifle was dime-splitting accurate, averaging .78 inch, with one load in particular. Just like a half century ago, a Glenfield rifle looks to be a great choice for hunters on a budget, and it is chambered for two straightwall cartridges.
Related: Check out our full review of the Glenfield Model A
Savage Axis 2
Specs
Barrel: 18 – 22 inches
Stock: Green, grey, or FDE synthetic
Sights: None—comes with Picatinny scope rail
Weight: 5.9 to 6.6 pounds
Capacity: 3+1 to 5+1, varies with chambering
Available Chamberings: 223 Remington, 22-250 Remington, 243 Winchester, 25-06 Remington, 6.5 Creedmoor, 270 Winchester, 7mm-08 Remington, 308 Winchester, 30-06 Springfield, 350 Legend, 400 Legend,
Retail Price: $515
Pros
Right- and left-hand options
Detachable magazine
Savage AccuTrigger
Cons
Stiff bolt operation
Savage has a long history of providing dependable, good-shooting rifles, and their Axis 2 is one of their most affordable. Although it has a suggested retail price of around $500, you can often find it on sale for less than $400. Enhancements over the original Axis rifle include a new synthetic stock that sort of blends the lines of a traditional hunting stock with what you would expect on a precision bolt-action rifle. Unlike the original Axis rifle, the Axis 2 comes with Savage’s legendary and user-adjustable AccuTrigger. The bolt handle has also been redesigned, and it now has a medium-sized hexagonal bolt knob that provides a better grip and allows for fast-action cycling. The Axis 2 is offered in a wide array of chamberings that includes two straightwall cartridges. It's offered in both right- and left-hand models, it feeds from a detachable box magazine, it’s not very heavy, and it’s offered with a Grey, Green, or FDE-colored stock. A Pro version of the Axis 2 with a camo stock is also available for a few dollars more.
Mossberg Patriot Carbine
Specs
Barrel: 16 – 20 inches
Stock: Black synthetic
Sights: None—comes with Picatinny scope rail
Weight: 6.2 to 6.5 pounds
Capacity: 3+1 to 5+1, varies with chambering
Available Chamberings: 22-250 Remington, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 7mm PRC, 308 Winchester, 300 Winchester Magnum, 350 Legend, 450 Bushmaster,
Retail Price: $515
Pros
Threaded muzzle
Detachable magazine
User adjustable trigger
Cons
Butt-heavy balance
Mossberg’s Patriot rifle is offered in various configurations with some models costing as much as a grand. The Carbine model is the least expensive, and if you are looking for a hunting rifle that is very suppressor friendly, this is the one, because the muzzle on all Patriot Carbine rifles is threaded and barrel lengths range from as short as 16 inches to 20 inches. The Patriot Carbine also has the same appealing features as the other Patriot rifles, including Mossberg’s adjustable LBA trigger, a detachable magazine, and it ships with a Picatinny scope rail already installed. The Patriot Carbine is offered in a good selection of hunting cartridges, including two straightwall options, and for about $100 more you can get it with a synthetic MultiCam camo as opposed to a black stock.
CVA Scout Takedown
Specs
Barrel: 20 to 22 inches
Stock: Black synthetic
Sights: None—drilled and tapped for scope bases
Weight: 6.5 to 7.8 pounds
Capacity: None—Comes with Picatinny scope rail
Available Chamberings: 350 Legend, 360 Buckhammer, 35 Whelen, 400 Legend, 44 Magnum, 444 Marlin, 450 Bushmaster, 45-70 Government
Retail Price: $530
Pros
Threaded muzzle
Good selection of straight-wall cartridges
Takedown design
Cons
Single shot
CVA has a complete line of bot-action Cascade rifles, but they all come in just outside our $600 price limit. However, their single shot Scout Takedown model clears the bar. This is a break-action, stainless-steel rifle that’s available in seven straight-wall cartridges and 35 Whelen. For a hunter in a straight-wall deer hunting state, it is an affordable option, and it is just as appealing as a first rifle for a young or new hunter. As the name implies, you can take this rifle apart for transport or for packing in and out of your hunting location. All Scout Takedown rifles have threaded muzzles, and it’s the only rifle on this list that comes with a muzzle break. A Picatinny scope rail is standard.
Howa Hogue
Specs
Barrel: 22 or 24 inches
Stock: Hougue OverMold
Sights: None—drilled and tapped for scope bases
Weight: 7.8 pounds
Capacity: 3 to 5 rounds—depends on chambering
Available Chamberings: 22-250 Remington, 243 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC 308 Winchester, 270 Winchester, 7mm Remington Magnum, 30-06 Springfield, 300 PRC
Retail Price: $589
Pros
Three-position safety
Great action to build on
Cons
On the heavy side
The Howa M1500 is one of the most overlooked bolt-action rifles currently made, partly and the Howa action is one of the best bolt-action designs. This is a push-feed action, but it is fitted with an M-16/Sako-style extractor. The Howa also comes with a three-position safety that locks the bolt handle in the “safe” position, you can remove the firing pin for cleaning without tools, and a two-stage match grade trigger is standard. The Howa Hogue Rifle also comes with a Houge Overmold pillar-bedded stock which retails for $250 on its own. This is the only budget rifle on our list that’s available in 300 PRC, and regardless of the chambering, Howa offers a 3-shot Sub-MOA guarantee with premium factory ammo. Additionally, if you want to upgrade your rifle later, you can find other stocks and even a detachable magazine kit for the Howa action.
What to Look for When Choosing a Budget Hunting Rifle
The least expensive hunting rifles on the market are simply not as feature rich as more expensive models. If you want a really lightweight rifle—one weighing less than 6 pounds—it’s going to cost well over a grand. If you want a carbon-fiber-wrapped barrel on your rifle, the price will likely approach two grand. Other features, like stocks that are adjustable for length of pull and comb height, or that have integrated rails for bipod and tripod mounting, generally push the price over $1,000 too. Fortunately, threaded muzzles and decent triggers have become almost standard on all rifles. However, if you want a quality after-market trigger like one from Trigger Tech or Timney, or in most cases a muzzle break, expect to pay roughly twice what the rifles on this list cost.
A lot of what you pay for when the price of a rifle goes up is consistent precision on target. Rifles that will routinely shoot a lot of different loads into sub-MOA five-shot groups tend to cost three to four times what you’ll pay for any of the rifles here. However, that does not mean a budget priced rifle will not shoot well enough for big-game hunting. You’ll probably have to try more types of ammo to find a load that your budget priced rifle likes, but once you do, some of them can turn in groups worth bragging about.
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