Finding a reliable and accurate deer rifle doesn't have to put you in the poor house. These 10 rifles get it done and leave plenty of cash for ammo. (Shutterstock photo)
June 02, 2025
By Game & Fish Staff
Along with most things in life these days, deer hunting rifle prices have increased as more and more hunters are willing to shell out serious cash to “put brown on the ground.” But a more expensive rifle doesn’t necessarily equate to high quality and great accuracy in the field. There are still plenty of affordable options for hunters who want to add a deer rifle to their collection without breaking the bank. Here are 10 rifles that will help you fill the freezer and maybe even hang a Booner on the wall—all under a $1,000 price tag.
Ruger American Gen 2 Rifle Photo courtesy of Ruger Ruger has made a name for itself as a producer of high-quality firearms at reasonable prices. This continues with the next evolution of the Ruger American line with the Generation II offering better features and performance, such as the Ruger Marksman Adjustable trigger.
The new stock design with better ergonomics, splatter finished stock for a sure grip without being too abrasive and also incorporates a length of pull spacer (12-13.75 inches) for a near custom fit. A new, three-position tang safety allows for firing, safe and safe lock to prevent the bolt from being snagged and inadvertently opened. The buttstock has been integrated with an installed low comb for better sight alignment but can be removed when using low-mounted sights.
The original American used a flush-fit rotary magazine, while the Gen II uses an AICS-style magazine for dependable and reliable feeding (except for the .223 Rem and .450 Bushmaster models). The Gen II also sports a 20-inch barrel and is finished in silver Cerakote and deeply spiral fluting for a lighter and sturdier rifle. The barrel is threaded for 5/8x24 devices and is tipped with a radial muzzle brake. The rifle is available in the Standard, Ranch and Predator models. MSRP: $729
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Mossberg Patriot Rifle Photo courtesy of Mossberg It is tough to find a better rifle under the $600 mark than the Mossberg Patriot bolt-action rifle with a synthetic stock. The rifle’s stock features a raised Monte Carlo comb and stippling along the semi-vertical pistol grip and forend. The magazine serves as the bedding block for the barreled action.
The Patriot leans on Mossberg’s proven twin-lug, push-feed, machined-steel action to feed rounds from the polymer box magazine. The button-rifled barrel is made of carbon steel, free floating, and boasts fluting and a recessed muzzle crown. The bolt is also fluted, accentuating the aesthetics of the rifle. The bolt handle has a 90-degree bolt throw and has a ring of checkering on the knob. The rifle also features Mossberg’s adjustable proprietary Lightning Bolt Action (LBA) trigger for increased accuracy. If you prefer a more traditional wood furniture, walnut models are available for a few hundred dollars more. MSRP: $497-$739
Savage 110 Apex Hunter XP Rifle Photo courtesy of Savage Arms Another great value is the Savage 110 Apex Hunter XP paired with a 3-9x40mm Vortex Crossfire II scope that comes mounted on a one-piece EGW 0 MOA rail, bore-sighted and virtually ready to hunt out of the box. The rifle ships with Savage’s acclaimed user-adjustable AccuTrigger, which provides consistent trigger pulls with no grit. The rifle’s stock adjusts for length of pull to accommodate a wide variety of shooters.
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The 110 Apex Hunter XP’s barrel is button-rifled with a thread-in headspace barrel that measures 18 to 24 inches, depending upon caliber. Along with the AccuTrigger, the rifle’s action utilizes a dual-lug, push-feed bolt with a floating bolt head that squares the bolt and engages both lugs for improved accuracy. The rifle is available in standard calibers from .204 Ruger to .450 Bushmaster. MSRP: $729-$839
Weatherby Vanguard Rifle Photo courtesy of Weatherby The Weatherby Vanguard is the company’s best-selling rifle. The Vanguard line of rifles has been around for decades, with the Vanguard Black Hills as its most recent introduction. Built to excel in harsh conditions, this Vanguard Black Hills offers great accuracy and an ergonomic Monte Carlo stock that feels balanced and stable in the hands. The stocks are hand-painted in Sheridan, Wyoming.
Weatherby guarantees sub-MOA with its cold hammer-forged barrel and proven Vanguard action. To open up options for affixing accessories to the forend, the Black Hills rifle features a Peak 44 Arca-Pic combo adapter. Add a match-grade, two-stage trigger, three-position safety, an integral recoil lug, and a threaded barrel with an Accubrake ST muzzle brake, and you have a rifle that can fill your freezer full of venison for a lifetime. MSRP: $769
Tika T3X Lite Rifle Photo courtesy of Tika For those who opt to take to the backcountry in search of deer, the Tika T3X Lite serves well as an ultralight rifle that delivers quite the bang for your buck. As an upgraded version of the original T3, the T3X Lite’s design addressed concerns with the first iteration.
Tika filled the stock with a foam insert to mitigate the hollow “knock” sound associated with synthetic stocks, along with an improved asymmetrical grip pattern on the pistol grip and forend. There is also the option of switching out the stock insert for the pistol grip to change the grip angle. Tika also added a nice recoil pad to reduce felt recoil.
Along with the stock modifications, Tika also widened the ejection port for better case ejection and replaced the aluminum recoil lug with a stout steel lug. All of this combines to create awesome accuracy, something that Tika gives assurance with its 1-MOA guarantee. MSRP: $692
Franchi Momentum Elite Rifle Photo courtesy of Franchi Once it’s first foray into bolt-action rifles, the Franchi Momentum put Franchi’s name in the bolt-action hat for discerning hunters and shooters. At the culmination of years of refinements is the Momentum Elite Bolt-Action rifle, which delivers great accuracy for hunters and shooters. This is thanks to a free-float, cold hammer-forged, chrome-moly steel barrel with a recessed crown and muzzle brake. The tri-lug bolt gives smooth manipulation, while the 60-degree throw avoids mounted optics.
The rifle’s ergonomic stock pairs nicely with the Cerakoted finish on the barrel and receiver and is offered in Realtree EXCAPE, TrueTimber Strata and Franchi Biome camo patterns. Franchi guarantees 1-MOA accuracy and achieves this with its Relia Trigger—a single-stage trigger that gives a clean break for when the shot matters most. The rifle also comes with a detachable box magazine, muzzle brake and a one-piece Picatinny rail. MSRP: $899
Winchester XPR Rifle Photo courtesy of Winchester While it is Winchester’s entry-level bolt-action rifle, the XPR is far from a discount rifle and punches way above its weight. The rifle’s bolt is coated with a Nickel Teflon coating for smooth operation that stands up to adverse conditions. The Winchester M.O.A. Trigger System is also coated with Nickel Teflon on the sear and actuator for smooth and consistent trigger pulls.
The Winchester Advanced Polymer Stock with textured panels for a better grip is nothing to write home about, as are many polymer stocks out there. But it does feature the Influx Technology recoil pad that sisters with the stock to take the bite out of felt recoil. Internal components are made of polished and hardened steel, with many having a blued finish for protection from corrosion. The rifle is offered in a wide variety of calibers and camo options. All across the board, this rifle kicks butt but is soft on the wallet. MSRP: $570-$630
Browning AB3 Rifle Photo courtesy of Browning Browning is known for generations for producing top accuracy at a great price. While it has been available for more than a decade, the AB3 gets the job done and does so with a classic Browning aesthetic. While offered with synthetic stocks, the AB3 Hunter with a checkered walnut stock looks and feels like a classic and archetypal deer rifle. The stock contrasts well with the non-reflective blued barrel and action. The button-rifled contour barrel helps accuracy and shaves weight from the rifle.
The rifle’s bolt features Browning’s Bolt Unlock Button on top of the bolt lever to allow the bolt to be unlocked and opened with the safety on. The 60-degree bolt throw allows for room for robust optics. The AB3 also features added bedding pads in the receiver and rear barrel areas, along with bedding around the rear action screw. The rifle is available in the most popular deer cartridges—from .243 Win to .300 Win Mag. MSRP: $799
Mauser M18 Savanna Rifle Photo courtesy of Mauser No-frills is the mantra of the Mauser M18 Savanna —all the things you need and none that you don’t. This superb rifle just makes it under the $1,000 mark, but brings along the precision, durability and performance needed each deer season.
The major change from the old Mauser-style bolt actions is that the clean, one-piece bolt tube retains the rotating head, button extractor and three locking lugs to create a reliable system that is smooth as butter. The safety is a trigger-lug design and directly linked to the firing mechanism. Three silent safety positions—first position locks the bolt and trigger; the second locks the trigger, but you can still work the bolt; the third position is fire.
The cold-hammered barrel and receiver are finished in burnished black. The synthetic stock features soft inlays for a sure grip, while the recoil pad is removable and serves as storage for small items. A removable magazine gives quick loading, while the adjustable direct action trigger delivers reliable hits on target. MSRP: $901
CZ600 American Rifle Photo courtesy of CZ USA The final selection is another sub-$1,000 rifle with a sub-MOA guarantee while sporting a walnut stock with a finely checkered grip and forend for a classic look and feel. The straight stock also features a 1-inch-thick recoil pad, sling-swivel studs and the classic fleur-de-lis pattern on the grip and forend.
Depending upon caliber selection, the rifle’s action is machined of steel or aluminum—steel for harder-hitting loads, while aluminum is slotted for lighter calibers to shave weight. The bolt boasts a controlled-feed extractor, and the bolthead has six locking lugs.
The single-stage trigger can be adjusted from 1.35 pounds to 3.04 pounds of pull without removing the barreled action from the stock. All CZ American barrels are cold hammer-forged and free-floated in the stock’s forend. The rifle is available in a plethora of common deer loads. MSRP: $849
