12 of the Best Cheap Rifles – Sep’ 2023

Last Updated September 10th 2023

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Best Cheap Rifles at a Glance

The Savage Axis II is the best cheap rifle in our opinion, but there are lots of choices out there if you have Champagne tastes and a beer budget.

Image	Product	Detail	Price
	Savage Axis II	Overall Winner	Price
	Radical RF-15	Cheapest AR-15	Price
	Kel-Tec Sub 2000	Best Cheap 9mm Rifle	Price
	Remington 783	America’s Best Selling Hunter	Price
	Ruger 10/22	Best 22LR rifle	Price
	CVA Scout	Best Big Bore Single Shot rifle	Price
	Henry Repeating Arms	Best Lever Action Rifle	Price

Intro

Everybody loves a cheap rifle that punches above its weight, and we’ve got some of the best rifles in the world that we found at really low prices.

Hunting season is always almost upon us and deer, hog, elk, White Tail and more are just round the corner. Depending on how far round the corner we’re looking right now…

So do you have the right gun for the occasion? If not it’s time to buy guns online and get yourself ready with a new cheap rifle.

We have decided on $500 as a ceiling. But we want to show you even cheaper rifles, too, that might be perfect for a season or even trying out a new caliber.

So, before you start rooting round the bargain bin in your local gun store, or Googling for gun stores in the USA, order your firearms, rifles, pistols etc for next day delivery from our partners.

These cheap rifles all punch above their weight and they’re all bargains. But what are the best cheap rifles for sale right now.

1. Savage Axis II

• Price: $340.00+
• Caliber: .308 Win/243 Win/30-06 Springfield/^.5 Creedmoor…

Best Bolt Action Rifle

The Savage Arms Axis is one of America’s favorite rifles.

This bolt action rifle is a lot of gun for not too much money and it’s popular from America through to the Middle East. Read the customer reviews, they love this thing.

Savage Arms Axis Gets the Basics Right

Savage Arms has produced affordable guns since 1894, so it knows a thing or two about putting together a basic bolt-action rifle. It has also amortized costs by producing this best selling rifle for pretty much every caliber.

The black synthetic stock keeps the gun light and 6.5lb for the 308 Win, really won’t be an issue to shoulder all day. It also comes with a 22″ barrel that is great for accuracy, but you need to keep a .308 Win in the sweet spot in terms of range.

There are simple tweaks you can do as well, like 2 minutes with a Dremel on the front tabs will give you a free floated barrel that just works better. You can also polish the bolt and internals to a smoother finish that inevitably helps create a bolt gun that is perfect for the field for a small amount of money.

Long Enough for the Average Hunter

Ideally, for hunting, you don’t want to go further than 600 yards. You can punch paper and ring steel further than that, but it’s a mid-range hunting rifle.

That said it’s a good cheap rifle that will get you started, or simply give you an option out in the field if you feel like shooting with an old-fashioned round.

You want more 308 rifles? Check here:

• The best 308 rifles on sale. Cheap rifles and expensive ones.
• The Top AR-10s chambered in 308 Win.

2. Radical Firearms RF-15

• Price: $399.99
• Caliber: 223 Rem/5.56 NATO
• Barrel Length: 16”
• Weight: 6lb
• Capacity: 20 Rounds

Cheapest AR-15

Radical Firearms has produced one of the best cheap AR-15s on the market and it keeps getting cheaper.

The price of the Radical Firearms RF-15 has come down again recently and this is a complete AR-15 rifle for less than $400 right now.

Honestly that’s an insane price. It’s great for home defense, recreational shooting and it’s just so damned cheap.

3. Kel Tec Sub 2000

• Price: $369.99
• Caliber: 9mm Luger
• Barrel: 16.25 inch
• Total: 30.5 inch
• Weight: 4.25lb
• Capacity: 30+1

A 9mm carbine rifle is becoming an increasingly popular choice. And a 9mm that folds in the middle and turns the pistol grip into a carry handle is a great idea.

There’s no danger of overpenetration, 9mm self defense rounds are arguably the best and a 9mm is a great for plinking too..

This is light, easy to shoot and takes Glock magazines. In these financially challenged times, that’s good.

9mm is low recoil, you can totally adjust the length of pull and this has near 5 star reviews everywhere. Gushing praise is the default response for in reviews and it constantly mixes it with top brands in lists of the best like this one.

It’s great for a backpack, so pack your water shoes and go small game hunting with a moderately accurate 9mm folding rifle. Because reasons.

• The 9 Best 9mm Carbine Rifles. Pistol Caliber Carbines.
• 25 Best 9mm AR pistols on sale now.

4. Remington 783

• Price: $416.99
• Caliber: .243 Win/308 Win/6.5 Creedmoor/300 Win Mag/30-06 Springfield…

The .Remington 783 is one of American’s best selling firearms, ever. It’s the basic hunting rifle, the spiritual successor to the 788.

It was launched in 2013, but you can trace its roots right back to the Model 700 and the 1960s.

You can get a caliber to take anything from Coyote to White Tail through to the biggest North American game.

You even get relatively basic 3-9 magnification rifle scopes on these entry-level rifles.

The trigger pull is adjustable from 2.5-5lb. So you can train your dragon to fire exactly as you like. You can see a striker-fired pistol trigger safety, too, which is a neat touch. The barrel is free floating and the stock is pillar bedded.

5. Ruger 10/22 Carbine

• Price: $299.99
• Caliber: 22 Long Rifle
• Action: Semi Auto Rifle
• Barrel: 18.5″
• Total Length: 37″
• Weight: 4.5lb
• Capacity: 10+1

Best 22LR Rifles

If you are even thinking about saving money on your rifle, then think about cutting the cost of your shooting completely and scale down to a 22.

Do that and it’s hard to look past the best-selling Ruger 10/22 Carbine semi auto rifle, which is a legend in pretty much everybody’s eyes.

You can get a Ruger 10/22 Tactical, a Ruger takekdown rifle and lots of other options besides. Check out our list of the best 22LR rifles right here. You can also get cheap 22LR ammo just about everywhere and also things to hunt.

Critters and backyard hunting with rimfire rifles is far more accessible than the best big game hunting trips. You know that. So while you might sneer at a 22LR hunting trip to your local woods, it’s something you can do right now.

Ruger quality control and customer service is legendary, too. Buy a gun online now and get an icon of a semi auto rifle that you need in your life.

6. ATI Omni Hybrid Maxx

• Price: $449.99
• Caliber: .223 Rem/5.56 NATO
• Barrel: 16 inch
• Weight: 5.65lb

Best Polymer & Lightweight AR-15

Can you get a cheap AR-15 for less than $500? Fresh out the box? Yes you can thanks to the Americal Tactical Innovations ATI Omni Hybrid Maxx P3.

What’s the catch? Polymer receivers, but they’re coming of age and there are a lot of advantages to choosing plastic these days. The main one is the price, of course.

At 5.65lb, the ATI Omni Hybrid Maxx P3 is also a seriously lightweight AR-15 semi automatic rifle you could shoulder all day. It might be time to think again about Modern Sporting Rifles design…

This is the works, a detachable magazine, a collapsible stock, pistol grip and much more. All this for a near insane price. It’s great for home defense and seems reliable too.

All Metal AR-15s for $500

You can get an all-metal Anderson Manufacturing or Radical Firearms AR-15 for $500, too. Check out our top cheap AR-15s for $500 or less here. We really like the Anderson Manufacturing no frills effort. But this is a fresh take, and it’s a constant thorn in the side of the top brands.

By the way, this used to be $300, but a lot of things used to be cheaper. You remember that? Pepperidge Farm remembers, and this guy…

7. Thompson Center Arms Compass

• Price: $382.99
• Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor

Solid Hunting Rifle

It’s another straightforward, cheap bolt-action rifle and synthetic stock. Thompson Center Arms are famous for their eccentric 50 Cal black powder rifles, but this is much simpler and more effective in the field.

The top-rated Compass comes in a variety of calibers, including AAC Blackout, but we do think that Creedmoor is the best hunting round for sale right now. A Creedmoor and a .22 Rifle could cover you for pretty much every eventuality short of big bears. Although we do love the AAC Blackout pistol.

If you want to spend a little more money, or a lot, then check out this list of the Best Creedmoor rifles. 

Polymer Stock is Basic and Tough

This composite stock and barrel all comes with a blued finish that should take a beating out in the field and there’s a solid muzzle brake. Textured grip panels on the stock should help you keep a tight grip when you need to, even with gloves on.

Aluminum pillar bedding joins forces with a free-floating barrel for an accurate firearm that can theoretically take down an Elk at long range. Other Creedmoors can, so there’s no reason you can’t do with this narrow, lightweight, high velocity round.

You get 5R rifling and it’s drilled and tapped for the scope of your choice. Get a good long-distance scope , which will probably cost more than the gun, and you are basically a modern day, long range sniper. It’s great for target shooting sports, too.

I wouldn’t mind betting that a skilled marksman with this and a great scope would hand more expensive rifles their own ass. So get good with this, then spend more.

Read the customer reviews, and place your order with confidence. Also, get one of their black powder guns for sale.

8. Mossberg Patriot

• Price: $447.99
• Caliber: 7mm Remington Magnum/6.5 Creedmoor/243 Win/338 Win Mag…

You can seriously take an Elk at 1400 yards with this simple bolt-action rifle chambered in 7mm Rem Mag. The customer reviews tell their own story, too, and every online gun reviews say this is one of the best rifles in the world for the money.

Does that make it the best low budget hunting rifle in the world? Well it is great for long range shooting, but the price of the ammo can sneak up on you. Really the rifle is cheap, the cartridge is insane expensive…

Long Range Round on a Small Budget

The Mossberg Patriot is available in a good few calibers and colors, from black to flat dark Earth and basic camo. It’s a relatively simple black plastic stock, a fluted bolt-action that really does look like it belongs on a more expensive rifle and a 4-shot magazine.

Get an awesome long range scope for less than $1000 and you can take hog, Elk and White Tail at 1400 and even 1750 yards. A better muzzle brake on the threaded barrel can also tune the performance.

Recoil isn’t too bad and the recoil pad on the Mossberg Patriot hunting rifles makes all the difference. That aside, it’s a relatively straightforward, low budget hunting rifle that absolutely will get the job done and is good enough for basic shooting sports.

9. CVA Scout

• Price: $346.99+
• Caliber: .450 Bushmaster/45-70 Government/44 Magnum/243 Win

Really, you can have a this much power for less than $400 and the customer reviews are stellar for this single shot rifle.

In the continued absence of the Thompson Center Encore, this is now the top dog in the class.

It’s a one-shot gun with a break action, but if you get it right then this break open single shot rifle chambered in .450 Bushmaster is designed to drop absolutely anything at 250 meters.

That includes African big game, so North American game won’t offer any opposition if you get your shot right. If you don’t, you’ll need to master that break action and get a follow up shot off, fast…

Need something bigger? Well you might be the problem, but there’s a 45-70 Government caliber rifle too and the asymmetrical muzzle brake is a nice feature.

You can get a pretty cool range of calibers honestly. They include 44 Magnum pistol cartridges, 300 Blackout and more.

Brutal Introduction to Big Game Hunting

Still, this is cheap, with a massive and brutal round, that could be an interesting addition to your collection. If you use it to shoot targets now and again just to feel that ridiculous force then it doesn’t matter that it’s a one-shot gun.

As a hunting tool, it might get a bit boring having to reload constantly with a single shot rifle. But it’s a gateway into serious hunting, and if you enjoy it then you can take the next step with a budget. If money is tight it’s a long rifle purchase strategy for you and a decent precision rifle in its own way.

10. Howa 1500 Hogue

• Price: $429.99
• Caliber: 300 Win Mag
• Stainless Steel Barrel: 24 inch
• Weight: 8lb

Great Hunting Rifle

This 300 Win Mag Howa 1500 is great for hunting, long distance shooting sports and just about anything else at a really attractive price point

Read the online gun reviews and you’ll be blown away by story after story of the easiest zero in history and accurate long range shooting.

There’s an adjustable trigger, a two-stage HACT trigger group, and a pillar-bedcded, overmolded solid polymer stock in a Flat Fark Earth finish. You can get a matte black finish too. Of course you can.

Howa has built up an admirable name in the budget rifles sector and this Howa 1500 Hogue comes in every major caliber. The forged one piece bolt with two locking lugs and it’s a solid design for this money.

Is it the best rifle for the money? It depends on who you talk to, but a lot of people seem to think so.

11. Henry Repeating Arms Lever Action Rifle

• Price: $401.99
• Caliber: 22LR
• Barrel: 18.25 inch
• Total: 36.5 inch

Best Lever Action Rifle

Henry rifles are woven into American folklore and you can still live out your cowboy fantasies with a low budget lever action rifle.

You can order a Henry lever action rimfire rifle in a much meatier calibers, right up to the fearsome 45-70 Long Colt rifle.

That’s an expensive beast, but they are kinda great hunting rifles if you’re hunting monsters with lever action rifles. Maybe.

If money is a thing, the 22LR version of this rifle is probably the one you need at a much saner price point.

12. Ruger American Predator

• Price: $488.99
• Caliber: 308 Win

Great Basic Rifle

The Ruger American is a legend in the world of low cost firearms.

As it is the Ruger American deserves to be here, and higher up. It is another one you can order bolt actions from .17 WMR through to 7mm. So why did we go for the middle of the road 308 Win?

The 308 Winchester Magnum ammo version often slips under $500. With a 16 inch barrel it’s also very portable and is a good option for long range shooting. That is why it’s here.

We like these affordable rifles, bolt action rifle that are pure and simple. This Ruger American works and you can choose a range of heavier calibers for long range shooting.

Now the Ruger Precision Rifle is more accurate and has an adjustable length of pull and other major features. But it costs so much more than we just can’t find a way to shoehorn that precision rifle into this list.

Read a full review of 308 rifles here.

13. Keystone Sporting Arms Crickett

• Price: $161.99
• Caliber: 22LR
• Barrel: 16 inch barrel
• Weight: 3.9lb

Best One Shot Rifle For Kids

The Keystone Sporting Arms Crickett is a cheap rimfire rifle for kids. That’s its reason to exist and even the slogan is ‘My First Rifle’. The company knows its place in the world.

So you get am entry level $150 rimfire rifle chambered in 22LR that basically does what it should. I mean it’s no Anschutz and if you want a better rimfire rifle we can hook you up here for sure.

But these are cheap rimfire rifles, bolt action rifles, for the price of things that are way less fun. This single shot rifle is also super easy to shoot and isn’t intimidating in any way.

What more do you want here? Organize the price low to high, they have more expensive precision rifle options for long range shooting sports with an adjustable length of pull and other premium features.

Parts and Upgrades For Your Cheap Rifle

It doesn’t matter if you’ve gone for a semi-auto rifle, a rimfire rifle, an odd pump action or anything else, eventually, you’re going to need parts and cheap scopes, optics etc.

Shooting sports definitely need upgrades and even a single shot bolt gun will need something one day. You’ve got scopes, optics, gear, accessories shop and all that stuff to consider, so read a full review.

Read the gun reviews, talk to gun owners and do your due diligence with quality control. But rest assured, at some stage, you’re gonna change stuff.

Cheap Handguns To Think About

While we’ve got your attention, have a look at these posts when you can.

• Cheap Guns You Should Really Own
• The best cheap 1911s for $500, or thereabouts.
• Cheap AR-15s from less than $500 to a little more.

You Want More Expensive Guns?

Of course we can sell you a top rated Sig Sauer Patrol, Springfield Armory Saint, Black Rain Ordnance, Rock River Arms or even a lightweight Christensen Arms semi-automatic rifle chambered in 308 Winchester Magnum.

But we can’t sell you those kind of popular models not for this kind of money.

The Christensen Arms Modern Precision, too, is way out this price range. As is every single Black Rain Ordnance. We can’t even afford a Smith & Wesson M&P15 Sport here. Definitely not a Smith & Wesson Performance Center, even with gift cards.

You’re not getting close to even a cheap Sako either. Or a Browning X-Bolt Sad huh? Because the Browning X-Bolt is good even though it’s way too expensive to include on this list. The Browning X Bolt bolt actions are on our 308 rifles list though.

Rimfires Get Pricey Too

There are rimfire rifle options way beyond our price point. Yes the high price, high spec Magnum Research, TandemKross and more would eat this budget as a deposit for their firearms, rifles and pistols.

The Springfield Armory Saint semi-auto rifle will probably cost you nearer the $1000 AR-15 mark. But do a search, organize the price low to high and you might spring a surprise or three.

The Christensen Arms Modern Precision is one of our favorite sniper rifles these days, by the way. That is seriously high price, high spec gear with a carbon fiber barrel sleeve. We do love carbon fiber, even though it drives the price up hard.

Outdoor Clothing While You’re Here?

We keep meaning to do more on fishing clothing, pants, shorts, water shoes, base layers, boots, rubber waders and all that jazz. For shooting sports, if you need a tenuous link.

Outdoor cooking stuff, grills, smokers, camp stoves and fishing accessories, too. We do try. But we’re not going to lie, we find them boring. We like outdoor cooking, but not talking about it.

Now we did get through knives, tools and some other stuff, And we are trying.

So we promise to do more water shoes, pants, shorts, base layers and fishing clothing. But not today. Fishing accessories and outdoor cooking? yeah one day, but no pressure OK? When the time is right…

Right now we want to focus on semi-automatic rifles, shooting accessories and cleaning supplies.

We Definitely Can Sell You a Cheap Concealed Carry Pistol and gun safes, Gun Parts etc

If you want a cheap concealed carry pistol that runs on frugal handgun ammo, then check out the top selling Taurus GX4 PSA Dagger, Stoeger and Mossberg handguns, rifles and CCW pistols here. Maybe stretch the budget for a Sig Sauer P365.

• Subcompact carry pistols you need in your life.

What About Shotgun Ammo, Rimfire Ammo, Rifle Ammo, Handgun Ammo Etc

Yes we got all those things. You know it, especially rifle ammo, 308 Winchester ammo, and more pump action shotgun ammo, rifles, all that…

44 Magnum ammo and 357 Magnum ammo is pretty hard to find these days. 308 Winchester Magnum ammo, is getting scarcer and specialty rounds like 6.5mm Creedmoor, big bore S&W ammo and 338 Lapua Magnum are really turning into a mission. So stock up on ammo where you find it, is our basic advice.

You can start here.

• Palmetto State Armory – Great rifle ammunition, 45 ACP ammo and bulk deals on offer.
• Sportsman’s Guide – Rifle ammunition, 44 Magnum ammo, 45 ACP ammo, top selling bulk deals.

You want to buy clothes online?

We would love to sell shoes, boots, training equipment, shirts, tops, pants, accessories, socks and more. Now we have already started selling shoes, boots, shirts, tops, pants and training equipment, but not much.

Shoes/Boots is a big field on its own and accessories, socks and training equipment could take a lot of the time we currently spend on guns. It is what it is…

So we will work on shoes, boots, training equipment etc, and we’re big fans of casual boots ourselves. But bear with us. All in good time.