Affordable Rifles For The Latest Cartridges

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Some people believe that every new cartridge introduced is nothing more than a marketing scheme cooked up by rifle and ammo companies to turn a profit. While there certainly has been a flood of new cartridges on the market lately, many of the new loads offer legitimate advantages over existing designs, and most work very well for their intended purpose, whether that’s a straight-wall cartridge for deer hunting or a high-performance dual-purpose round like the new 7mm PRC. Does that mean that your .30-06 or .30-30 is obsolete? No, but the new crop of cartridges do have a lot to offer, and I’ve found that most firearms owners can make space in their gun room for a new rifle, now and then.

The good news is that you’d don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on a tricked-out or custom gun to enjoy all these new cartridges have to offer. In fact, many of the rifles on this list will print three- or even five-shot groups under an inch at 100 yards with the right load. You can pay more, but with performance like that you don’t have to.

Here’s a list of rifles under $1,000 that are chambered for popular “new” cartridges. The oldest of these modern rounds is the 6.5 Creedmoor, which debuted in 2007, and the newest is the aforementioned 7mm PRC. The 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 6.8 Western, 6.5-.300 Weatherby and new straight-wall cartridges like the .350 and 400 Legends round out the list, so no matter the game or the range there’s a rifle here that will suit your hunting and shooting needs.

Ruger American Rifle Gen II

• New Cartridge Offerings: 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 7mm PRC, 350 Legend, 400 Legend
• MSRP: $729
• Contact: Ruger.com

The Ruger American Rifle is America’s best-selling bolt-action rifle, and if you ask any American rifle owner why they love these guns they’ll likely tell you the same things: superb accuracy and an affordable price point. The original Ruger American Rifle is a tack-driver, capable of printing groups that rival long guns costing thousands more, but the base models were pretty austere. The Gen II guns offer some cosmetic and practical upgrades including a spiral-fluted barrel, redesigned splatter-pattern stock with adjustable comb, standard Cerakote finish, muzzle brake, and an oversized bolt handle. The excellent Marksman adjustable trigger remains from the earlier version, but the new gun comes with a three-position tang safety that allows you to operate the action with the safety engaged. The Standard version comes with a gray splatter stock and Gunmetal Gray Cerakote finish while the Ranch version features a shorter (16.4-inch) barrel, a tan FDE splatter stock, and Cobalt Cerakote surface treatment. Standard features for both guns include optics rails, AI magazine compatibility and spacers to adjust length of pull, and there’s an optional weight kit to help reduce recoil.  I tested early prototypes of the American Rifle Gen II at FTW Ranch in Texas out to 700 yards and can assure you that the new version of the rifle offers the same pinpoint accuracy as its predecessor.

Winchester XPR

• New Cartridge Offerings: 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 6.8 Western, 350 Legend, 400 Legend
• MSRP: $570-$1,240
• Contact: Winchesterguns.com

Winchester released the XPR line of rifles in 2015 at the height of the budget bolt gun craze, but from the beginning the XPR felt more like a modern bolt action than simply a reduced-cost renovation. It certainly had large shoes to fill since it was the first centerfire bolt-action rifle released from Winchester since the Model 70 debuted in 1936, but the XPR proved to be a solid hunting and target-shooting gun that, in many cases, produced as good or better accuracy than an out-of-the-box Model 70. Today there are a slew of XPR models available with compact and full-size stocks, various camo and metal surface finishes, several barrel lengths, and there’s even a new left-handed version available. The XPR utilizes a full-diameter three-lug bolt and comes with a detachable box magazine, bolt-lock button, and a two-position safety. I have an XPR in .300 WSM that has accompanied me on several hunts, it will consistently shoot under an inch and accounted for a big Wyoming whitetail in 2017. I especially like the trigger and Inflex recoil pad that absorbs the .300 WSM’s recoil, and that gun has become one of my go-to big game rifles over the years. What’s more, the XPR is available in a host of modern calibers including Winchester’s excellent 6.8 Western and the new 350 and 400 Legend straight-wall cartridges.

CZ 600 Alpha

• New Cartridge Offerings: 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC
• MSRP: $649
• Contact: CZ-USA.com

I’ll admit I was heartbroken when CZ dropped their 550 rifles, but the Model 600 Alpha is a great addition to the company’s catalog and almost makes up for the passing of the 550. It utilizes an aluminum receiver and semi-heavy cold-hammer-forged nitride-treated barrel that’s threaded 5/8x24. The tread-style texturing on the stock is avant-garde but functional, and the locking magazine and adjustable single-stage trigger are both well-designed. The comb is the right height for optics which can be easily added thanks to the integral Picatinny rails, and CZ has incorporated a patent-pending controlled feed feature to eliminate the possibility of double feeds. Depending on chambering, three- or six-lug bolts come standard, and the vertical pistol grip is very comfortable for long-range shooting. The CZ 600 Alpha's control layout is a departure from the norm with a vertical safety integrated into the pistol grip and a bolt stop/release that’s located on the right side of the rifle, but once you shoulder this gun the design cues make sense. A sub-MOA accuracy guarantee indicates that the new platform is ready to shoot tight groups, and that’ll win many a rifleman’s heart.

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Browning A-Bolt III

• New Cartridge Offerings: 6.5 Creedmoor 
• MSRP: $700-$780
• Contact: Browning.com

The X-Bolt rifles receive the lion’s share of the attention at the house that John Browning built, but the A-Bolt III (or simply AB3) is not a rifle that should be overlooked. For starters, the AB3 utilizes the same precision button-rifled barrel found on the flagship X-Bolt rifle, and that means accuracy potential is excellent. Purists will love the simple look of the AB3 which bears a strong resemblance to its A-bolt predecessors, but black polymer (standard and compact) and walnut stocks are the only options. These rifles utilize a tang-mounted two-position safety and a bolt release button like the X-Bolt, but I actually find the AB3’s layout easier to manipulate in the field. The double-stack magazine works well, and while not as crisp as the X-Bolt, the AB3’s trigger is pretty good. Barrels are crowned but not threaded, so adding a muzzle device will require hiring someone to cut threads. However, the AB3 is a dependable, accurate, and classy-looking rifle that will serve hunters and shooters well.

Mossberg Patriot

• New Cartridge Offerings: 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 7mm PRC, 350 Legend, 400 Legend
• MSRP: $468-$847
• Contact: Mossberg.com

Mossberg rolled out their Patriot rifles in 2015 these guns were a substantial step up in quality and performance from their earlier 4x4 models. The Patriot is a push-feed, two-lug bolt action with a detachable box magazine and your choice of polymer or wood stock. Over the past nine years, the Patriot rifle family has grown extensively and now includes versions with camo stocks and Cerakote finishes, compact/adjustable stocks, threaded barrels, and there’s even a new Long Range Hunter model that serves double duty as a hunting and target rifle. Mossberg’s LBA bladed, adjustable triggers come standard along with optic bases and fluted barrels and bolts, and there are even models with iron sights — a real rarity. Chambering options abound, and if you’re interested in trying out one of the hot new cartridges available today, Mossberg probably offers the Patriot rifle you want. I’ve hunted Coues deer and whitetails with these guns and even took one to Spain on an ibex hunt. I have never felt that I needed a more expensive rifle to get the job done. Accuracy has always been good, with some rifles shooting around 1.5-inches at 100 yards and many hitting the magical 1-inch mark at that distance with a load they like. I recently tested the 7mm PRC version and average group size was 1.17 inches with Hornady ammo — not bad for a $536 rifle.

Franchi Momentum Elite

• New Cartridge Offerings: 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC
• MSRP: $999
• Contact: FranchiUSA.com

The Momentum is Franchi’s first bolt-action rifle, and it has been a major success. Backed by a sub-MOA accuracy guarantee, the Momentum Elite offers loads of features for a gun that costs under a grand, including a spiral fluted bolt, adjustable Relia trigger, optics rail, and a threaded muzzle with muzzle brake. Cerakote metal finishes are standard, as is the camo-clad Evolved Ergonom-X textured composite stock with TSA recoil pad. The detachable box magazine is well-designed and isn’t a hassle to insert or remove, and the full-diameter chromed bolt runs smoothly in the action and has a short 60-degree bolt lift. The standard Momentum rifle ($799) doesn’t come with a camo stock and has a basic black finish and is less striking than the Elite version, but my experience is that both versions shoot extremely well and are capable of keeping pace with more expensive guns. The standard Momentum is also available in 350 Legend, which is good news for hunters in straight-wall states.

Savage 110 Trail Hunter

• New Cartridge Offerings: 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 7mm PRC, 350 Legend, 400 Legend
• MSRP: $629
• Contact: Savagearms.com

You simply can’t piece together a list of the best affordable rifles without including at least one Savage, and at $629 the new 110 Trail Hunter is a natural choice. Savage has been concentrating on their premium rifles like the sleek new Impulse and 110 KLYM, but the 110 Trail Hunter is proof positive that the brand still knows how to create an affordable bolt gun with all the features hunters and shooters want. Features such as a Hogue Overmolded OD green stock and a Tungsten Cerakote finish on the receiver and barrel identify the Trail Hunter models. The button-rifled barrel is threaded, and the two-piece Weaver-style scope bases, and an adjustable (2.5-6 pounds) AccuTrigger come standard with these guns. The Trail Hunter isn’t the lightest rifle on the list, weighing over eight pounds in 7mm PRC, but the added weight doesn’t make the rifle overly burdensome, and the additional mass will be a benefit if you’re shooting all day at long-range targets. Long ago, Savage figured out how to perfectly headspace their barrels using their signature barrel nut system, so it should come as no surprise that these rifles shoot very accurately.

CVA Cascade

• New Cartridge Offerings: 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 7mm PRC, 350 Legend
• MSRP: $775-$826
• Contact: BPIOutdoors.com

CVA’s Cascade family of rifles are an excellent value and they offer a version for every shooter and every application. The Cascade SB comes with an 18-inch barrel that’s perfect for adding a suppressor or hunting from a blind, and the target-centric Cascade XT features a #5 contour heavy barrel, muzzle brake, and oversized bolt knob and is geared more toward long-range hunting and shooting. The standard Cascade is a more traditional sporter-type rifle that’s versatile enough for most any application. Regardless of which version you choose you’ll get a smooth-operating rifle with a premium barrel and add-ons like Cerakote finishes, optics bases, and threaded muzzles. Remington 700 fans will love the design and control layout with its two-position rocker safety and will feel right at home when they slide behind a CVA. I recently returned from a Vortex Optics Edge shooting course in Wisconsin where we fired the Cascade out to over 1,000 yards and practiced shooting from field positions to 500 yards. That $775 rifle had no issues with either task, and there’s no doubt that these guns deserve consideration when purchasing a new hunting or target rifle.

Weatherby Vanguard

• New Cartridge Offerings: 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum
• MSRP: $629-$999
• Contact: Weatherby.com

The Vanguard has been around for years, but Weatherby constantly manages to refresh and improve their entry-level rifle line. Vanguard guns incorporate Howa 1500 push-feed, dual-lug actions, the same ones that serve as the basis for many custom rifle builds. Weatherby combines that action and its excellent two-stage trigger (Vanguard triggers are sometimes lambasted as being “creepy” by the occasional owner who isn’t familiar with the design, and fail to read the paperwork in the box) with a variety of stocks, barrel configurations, and surface finishes. The Camilla version, which is named in honor of the late Roy Weatherby’s wife, has a stock designed specifically for, and by, female shooters, which is unique to this list. Regardless of which Vanguard rifle you choose my experience with these rifles has always been excellent. Sub-MOA accuracy is guaranteed, and these guns are certainly capable. As a bonus, these guns look good. Even the entry-level Vanguard is a stylish gun and there are none of the visible cost-cutting measures seen on other budget rifles. Oh, and if you really want to reach out to the back of beyond, Vanguard rifles are available chambered for the sizzling hot 6.5-.300 Weatherby Magnum, a scorcher of a round that’s ideal for extended-range hunting.

Tikka T3X Lite

• New Cartridge Offerings: 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC
• MSRP: $680-$999
• Contact: Choose.tikka.fi

Tikka rifles have set the standard for excellent accuracy at an affordable price point for years, and like the Weatherby this rifle’s action is used as the foundation for many custom builds. The oversized bolt features a short throw and the minimized ejection port on these rifles adds rigidity which, in turn, results in improved accuracy. And my, are these guns accurate! I’ve seen out-of-the-box Tikkas punch half-inch holes at 100 yards on multiple occasions when the optic, ammo, and shooter were up to it, and the Tikka T3X Lite offers that exceptional accuracy in a lightweight package that’s perfect for mountain hunting. In 2011 Troy Sheldon harvested the new world record mountain goat in British Columbia using a Tikka rifle, and my friend and PH Patrick Cairns keeps a Tikka as a camp gun for clients to rent. Weighing in at under seven pounds, the T3X Lite chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor makes a superb all-around rifle, but my choice would be the 6.5 PRC. That rifle would be light enough for mountain hunting and accurate enough for long shots on game, and when you weren’t in the field you could hit the range and ring steel out past a half-mile. Though it’s more hunting rifle than dedicated target gun, the Tikka works for both applications.

Sound Off

Did we miss anything? How has your experience been with these capably, yet affordable, rifles? What new cartridge do you hope they come up with next? Let us know by emailing gaeditor@outdoorsg.com and use “Sound Off” in the subject line.