Budget rifle for beginner ?

Roch

Well-Known Member
Hi,
In near future I would like to buy budget rifle(308) with scope(second hand ).Can you tell me how much money do I need to have and what brand is best value for money .
Dawid
 
I'd buy a second hand rifle - there are plenty of older Sako's, Tikka's etc which are very good value compared to new ones. Parker Hale and BSA also offer good value for money. If you're not sure what your looking for, I'd recommend going to a reputable dealer - Macleods of Tain have a very good reputation, as does Norman Clark.
Macleods also have a lot of s/h scopes, I'd suggest an 8x56 or similar by Scmidt & Bender, Zeiss, Swarovski, Docter etc would be a good option. A variable power scope would be nice, although not essential, and will cost more.
 
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How do fella, you will get a barrage of replies to your question, all of them as valid as each other. Best thing is to have a look on guntrader.co.uk in your budget, then see what you like the look of. Or go to your local shop and ask to have a look at a few different rifles. Beware the gun salesman though. He will convince you that black is white if your not careful.

I would suggest a moderator too. Only because it aids accuracy if your relatively new to full bore shooting and makes it a lot more pleasing to the ear.

Brands that spring to mind (in no particular order);

Tikka
Remington
Howa
Savage
Parker Hale

Ive had remingtons and theyre OK but wouldnt be my first choice. If you can find a Tikka (595 preferrably than a T3 IMO) i would go for that. But thats my own opinion. Remingtons are made by the thousand and i believe Tikka are better quality.


Regarding a scope, if its just for stalking and your on a budget, i would go for a fixed power 8x56 german made scope, Zeiss, Schmidt & Bender etc.

Im sure this wont help and im trying to be impartial.. Only you know what you like, theres plenty of S/H guns around to choose from, just dont take your average gun salesman's word as gospel.. they will sell you anything!
 
My new rifle and a story for those looking for a 2nd hand bargain

speak to people who shoot rifles and ideally take them with you when you buy
buy 2nd hand from private sellers rather than dealers (cheaper)
buy the rifle and scope together if possible (cheaper)
dont overspend on scopes, they are not needed if on a budget. a £200 2nd hand scope will do you just as well as a £500 2nd hand S&B or Swaro fixed mag.


there are a lot of rifles for sale at the moment, choice is your issue not budget IMO
 
When I was in your position the one piece of advice I was given was to spend money on good optic's ( fixed power 8x56 germanoptics) and then put a rifle under it so consider budgeting for a good scope look at the Macloeds of tains stock list they normally have keen prices on secondhand scopes. consider spending 2/3 of your budget on the optics and 1/3rd on your rifle.

There's a lot to of different makes of rifle to choose from, Remmington's, Tikka, Sako, Howa, Browning, Parker Hale the list is goes on they are good rifles and will put meat on the table.
 
Thank you for your posts I will use some of your advices. And what do you think about CZ or Weatherby Rifles?
 
Budget rifle for beginner

Hello Roch, I have never owned a Weatherby but believe they are manufactured by Howa. I have a 6.5x55 CZ 550 in my cabinet and am very happy with its performance.Best accuracy achieved with reloads, a pound coin covering a three shot group.Imo sufficient accuracy for stalking,vermin control etc.As has been said already,it is wise to spend a bigger part of your budget on good optics. Best of luck with your search.
 
My local RFD has a pile of older rifles - mostly Parker Hales and BSAs, with the odd Tikka - in what are considered the larger calibres for this part of the world, e.g. .270, .308, .30-06 etc, for between £100 and £300. The majority have seen very little work and several come with scope rings and the remains of the one or two boxes of ammo they were bought with new!

If you are on a genuinely tight budget, then one of these, combined with a lesser named but good European scope such as a Meopta, would make a brilliant stalking outfit for less than £400. I paid very little for my mint PH rifle in .270 and have shot many, many deer with it over the last few years. If you want a variable scope, look at the Nikon Buckmaster series - very good optics for not much money.

Adam.
 
Damn post just vanished into cyberspace :evil: OK let's try again.

Firstly fix your budget how much you can actually afford and how much you would prefer to afford.

Decide what you need for your new outfit and then perhaps what you would like from it. Need matters want is a nice itch to scratch.

As mentioned if you have friends or aquaintences that have good experience and knowledge of rifles and shooting then drag one along if possible. They might spot something you have mised or over looked.

Bear in mind they might have their own personal likes dislikes :rolleyes: however they should set these aside as it's your rifle we are talking about not theirs. For instance those here mostly know I really dislike certain makes/models however as the rifle is for "you" my own dislikes are not the issue. There are only a couple I would really say don't touch. Those being the Remington 710 and 770 however if you really wished to go for one then after all it's your money and your rifle in the end :cool:..

As we are talking most likely used or S/H rifles hear then condition, and if the rifle fits you and is "right" for you physically is what is important.

Now the advice about optics is very valid an it's not new. In an old stalking book it advises spending the best part of the budget on the scope and mounting system if one is to be used and the "change" on the rifle. Again intended use dictates the type of scope which will best serve you.

Finally may I suggest you have a wander in and around a few dealers if possible and get a feel for what is available and what you like the look of and feel of then start looking in earnest. You don't seem to know what your looking for right now except it has to be a .308.
 
I have always got rifles on a budget. Last rifle I got was a cz601 308 it was mint for £275 (i got it screw cut later and you have to factor this in as eventually you are likely to want a mod). I put a 2nd hand 6x42 S+B on it £250. The rifle came with a sling and mounts so full set up (unmoderated) for £525 with top glass.
This gun will shoot 1/2 inch at 100 so no compromise on accuracy. It is possible to do it on the cheap but if you have to get screw cut then RFD + courier charges can mount up and make what initially look cheap expensive.
 
This question of "budget" regularly arises - but, in reality, you are not spending the money - you are lending it to yourself because it is the cost of ownership that is the "spend" - not the initial outlay.

If you buy Parker Hale, CZ, Remington, Tikka, Sako etc with a known history and in good condition (get it checked to confirm it's condition and shoot it before you buy it) then there is a fair bet that, unless you thrash it or damage it, you will recover a considerable % of your outlay when you sell it.

It's the same with scopes, reloading gear +++ so I would suggest you buy the best you can afford - and enjoy!
 
As suggested earlier, if you are within reasonable driving distance of Tain go there and tell them how much you want to spend. He won't cheat you out of money I'd bet on that. You should be able to get an old CZ in .308 or similar with a scope for 4-500 pounds. I think you'll save money doing that and will be able to pick rather than chasing adds in guntrader etc... Also if you buy something of him and it doesn't shoot as well as you'd like or are unhappy with you have a chance of swapping for something else.

There is a rifle list on his website and I have attached a link, there is a second hand synthetic/blued .308 for £450 of a Ruger 77 for £350. Although inferior to the big name brands of scopes there is not much really wrong with burris/bushnell scopes etc that can retail new for £100-300 for a variable x 50 for example. They also have a brand new browning a bolt for £550.

http://www.rmacleod.co.uk/RIFLE%20PRICE%20LIST.pdf
 
A chap I know bought a Parker Hale for just over £200 and it will shoot as good groups as my Blaser, or as near to as makes no difference in the real world. Another has also recently bought a PH and I've yet to see any groups out of it but he has done it up to look pretty nice indeed (redone the finish on the wood etc.) and I bet it will shoot well.

Good glass is worth thinking about as the outlay will be worth it, especially if you intend shooting at last light or in forestry. One thing I will say is that it is wise to save money for good binos as you will spend literally hours on a stalking day looking through them whereas you will only spend a minute or two looking through the scope and a fraction of a second pulling the trigger. Claret_dabbler off this forum posted recently that he has brought in a pair of Minox HGs from the US for £300 and i certainly rate these as binos - as does everyone else who has a pair.

After binos (and maybe you already have those) then I really would suggest you look at some of the "big name" Euro scope makers. Stay away from the Chinese stuff sold under American names - the Chinese can make good stuff but they make stuff to a price for the US market. I bought a secondhand 8X56 S&B some years back for £250 and at the minute I'm sure I could sell it for more than that so quality in this area is worth investing in as it can save you money in the long run. My view is that you probably don't "need" a variable though it is nice to have and so when on a budget (aren't we all!) I would say go for a top quality fixed mag - Swaro, S&B, Khales, Nickel (the best if you can find one), Zeiss etc. There are also some scopes which might be viewed as "2nd tier" but which have optics as good, or as near as makes no difference in the field, such as Doctor and Meopta - they are less common 2nd hand but well worth a look though they might not hold their price so well.

Don't skimp on decent scope mounts and remember that they will be expensive relative to a £200 rifle so make sure to keep some cash in the budget for them if they don't come on the rifle.

Moderators have also been mentioned and are very worthwhile in my view. Also there will be a range of other things you need before you can stalk with the rifle - a sling, a slip, cleaning stuff and probably a bipod as well. The cost of all these add up so worthing doing the sums now.
 
Roch,

Dont know where abouts in Scotland you are, but the border gun room in St Boswells has a huge variety of second hand riffles. There are some pretty good bargains to be had in the shop. lots of different calibers and makes.

all the best.

Dan
 
As has been said already, I don't know what your budget is but I would have thought this a pretty good buy for the money, and he does say 'offers'...

I think if you started off with something like this with a decent scope, you could well still be using it 30 years from now and never have the inclination to change.

There are far cheaper alternatives out there, but in the world of optics, I think you do get what you pay for.

For Sale: .308 sako 75 set up

(don't know the seller, it's not a plug for a mates sale)
 
My advice would be to go do different shops and shoulder different rifles. Some weapons just don't suit some individuals, no matter who recommends them. When you find the one you really like and it's affordable, you have found your rifle.

As to second hand rifles, I must admit that the new, non rimfire rifles I have purchased in my life can be counted on one hand. I recently bought a Howa .270 that came off of the local indian reservation to use as a loaner. Ratty looking, chewed up fiberglass stock and old! Old enough to be drilled and tapped for a side mount receiver sight. I spruced it up a bit with spray paint on the barrel and stock, and fired my old favorite 270 load using Sierra Game Kings and IMR 4350 after loading them in a Classic Lee Loader. They shot 3/8 to 3/4" with a terrible old Trasco scope on board.

Lesson? Don't be too afraid of second hand rifles.~Muir
 
As has been said already, I don't know what your budget is but I would have thought this a pretty good buy for the money, and he does say 'offers'...

I think if you started off with something like this with a decent scope, you could well still be using it 30 years from now and never have the inclination to change.

There are far cheaper alternatives out there, but in the world of optics, I think you do get what you pay for.

For Sale: .308 sako 75 set up

(don't know the seller, it's not a plug for a mates sale)

That is probably the best advice you are going to get. If you can muster a grand, buy this now.
 
Claret_dabbler is right re jamross65's advice. that sako 75 set-up is defiantly worth looking at. Will be hard to beat.
 
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