Would you rather have a $500 scope on a $1000 rifle or a $500 rifle with a $1000 scope?
I would argue the second option is the best.
Modern technology has progressed to consistently produce accurate, durable rifles for under $1000, and I would even argue an accurate reliable rifle can be had for under $500.
I strive for accuracy.
I do this because a well placed shot will down any animal ethically. I've seen deer on YouTube dropped by bullets as small as 17hmr. Famed elephant hunter W.D.M Bell shot over a thousand elephants with calibers like 7mm Mauser, 6.5 Swede, and .275 Rigby.
Accuracy is measured by Minute of Angle or MOA. MOA measures how close together rifle rounds hit a target. Ideal MOA is three rounds in a one-inch space at one hundred yards. My personal rifle is chambered in .243 Winchester. It cost $450. It's nothing fancy, no bells or whistles. Yet it still shoots sub one MOA. That is as good as a $1500 dollar rifle.
It's a Ruger American, a rifle every hunter should have. I own the Predator model and differs slightly from the standard Ruger American. The Predator has a slightly heavier barrel, a rail mounted on the receiver, a threaded barrel, and is only chambered in short action cartridges like .308 Winchester or 6.5 Creedmore.
Other than that, all models of Ruger American rifles are the same in that they share superb accuracy at a reasonable price.
This accuracy derives from several factors. Chief among those factors is their cold hammer forged barrel. Which lends itself to being smoother and stronger than barrels made through other methods.
Next, is the power bedding system. This system which works by anchoring the receiver to the stock by two pillars. This allows the barrel to be completely free floating and separate from the stock so as not to disturb accuracy. Accuracy can be influenced by a number of factors including pressure of hands on the stock.
Finally, my favorite feature, the Ruger Marksman trigger. It can be adjusted from 5lbs to 3lbs. The trigger is crisp with a depressible fin that leads to a clean break.
As much as I love the rifle, there are minor issues. Out of the box the action was a bit rough. However, I quickly fixed the issue by “breaking it in” through repeatedly working the bolt till it smoothed out. A few sprays of rem oil helped too. The action is now smooth and glides seamlessly. My only other gripe with the rifle was with the cheap rotary magazine.
I had made the mistake of purchasing a rifle with a Gen 1 stock. These stocks only take rotary mags and cannot be upgraded to accept an AICS mag. So,
I called Ruger customer service and ordered a Gen 2 stock and an AICS mag weld adapter. Everything fit fine and I have shot it several times since with zero issues.
Some shooters may not like the plastic stock and feel it's too flimsy. Although this leads to what I believe is the Ruger American’s greatest appeal, its customizability.
The inside of the stock front is divided into a maze of vessels that when filled with fiberglass makes for a strong and rigid stock. If this still doesn't satisfy your needs there are a wide variety of stocks and chassis available. Boyd’s gun stocks is a good place to start your search. I myself have been eyeing the Prairie Hunter model in walnut.
The recoil pad has to be one of the most comfortable I've ever shouldered. A .243 may not kick hard but I can tell if I ever converted the rifle to shoot .308 it wouldn't feel much worse.
So if you’re like me and have to live on a tight budget but still want high performance, make sure to check out the Ruger American rifle.