Looking to pick up a larger bolt-action rifle...

[Hohn]

You aren't planning to hunt - you are looking for a bolt action range toy to kill paper and steel, and want to be economical in your choice.

That, to me, says a bolt action 223 with a 1:9 or faster twist barrel...not much gets more economical.

A Savage 12FV, for example, will push 75gr HPBT/77gr SMK to around 2850fps with the "ole standard" 24.0gr Varget while providing sub-MOA accuracy, and will shoot 75gr Hornady Steel Match to MOA or better. I used to have one and it was fairly easy to make hits on 8" steel at 650yd with the Steel Match ammo, and with 75gr HPBT handloads it was sub-half MOA @ 200yd.

This might be the best bolt .223 out there for target and plinking: Savage Arms

Single shot, left port.

Available in 1:9 and 1:7 twists so you can shoot the really heavy (higher BC) .223 rounds if you want.

Get the 1:7 and a couple boxes of Federal Gold Medal with 77gr SMKs. This should be half MOA or better.

If I was a .223 guy (which I'm not, but I'm willing to be), then this Savage LRPV is the very first bolt gun $$ I would spend.

 

[pete-phil]

mosin nagant 7.62x54r for the long heavy shot or one of those hard to reload .17 for fun.

 

[LarryC]

If you are looking for a nice caliber to shoot and reload for the .308 Winchester is pretty hard to beat. It is a straight forward round to reload for with a large selection of bullet weights from 100 grain plinkers to 220 grain heavy weights. Powder selection has lots of good choices. Brass is readily available and the round is capable of exceptional accuracy out to 1000 yards. (we're talking 1/2 MOA to 1000 yards fairly easily) Rifle brands and price ranges are wide open too. I would recommend a Savage in the 110/112 series for affordability and fine accuracy for a very reasonable cost. Of course lots of other great rifles from the Remington 700, Winchester 70 and the Ruger 77's. Recoil will not beat you up unless you go with the light weight pencil barrels. A 7 1/2 pound rifle with a 1 pound or so scope will be very manageable. Have fun with whatever you choose.

I agree with the above - The Remington 700 is a little pricier but a darn good firearm. Heard good things about the Savage - don't own one. Do have a Rem 700 BDL in .243. I also do a lot of shooting with 30-06. I have 2 Garand's, an Enfield (Eddystone), son has a Garand and a 1903-A3. (30-06 is fairly cheap from CMP - about $105 /200 delivered. Then we reload with 846 mil surp. powder-get about 1k rounds from 8 LB keg. Before the panic I was buying 147 gr pulls from Pat's at about $140/m - (don't know what they are now!) Another great long range round is the Swiss K-31 (7.5X55). Son and I do a LOT of large bore shooting - 8mm Mausers, the Swiss K31, .308 in Winchester, LR-308, Saiga. 6.5X55 Swedish Mauser, Russian 7.62X54R (SVD-40, Mosin's), .303 British etc..

 

[2cool9031]

All cool suggestions...but buy something you can find ammo for. That being said, The only ammo that is readily available is for the Mosins. You still can find surplus for $79.95 plus shipping for 440rds. I doubt if you could reload it that cheap.