6.5 Creedmoor?

[Teachu2]

Right now the local Wally world has 700 ADL combo guns standard calibers for 379.00, Magnum are 389.00 if I remember it right but still under 400 for combo guns. I looked at a .308 Win. 30-06, 7mm Rem Mag and a .270 Win yesterday. They all had the X Mark Pro triggers on them which is a step up from the one my .223 700 ADL came with I bought 3 years ago in Butte MT before I moved down to TF. For 400 bucks they are good donor actions for a build, I'm still trying to decide on them or another Winchester.

I did that a few years back. Dick's (properly named company) had 700 ADL Varmint combos for about $400, and I wanted a .308. Came with a 4-12 scope and the X Mark Pro trigger. Shoots very well with Gold Medal 168s. All it needed to achieve acceptable accuracy was a $200 better stock, a $200 trigger, and a $400 scope mounted in $100 of rings and bases. Easy as pie, and only took $900 more....

[elk hunter]

I did that a few years back. Dick's (properly named company) had 700 ADL Varmint combos for about $400, and I wanted a .308. Came with a 4-12 scope and the X Mark Pro trigger. Shoots very well with Gold Medal 168s. All it needed to achieve acceptable accuracy was a $200 better stock, a $200 trigger, and a $400 scope mounted in $100 of rings and bases. Easy as pie, and only took $900 more....

Mine shot good right out of the box I did put a 3X9 Leupold scope on it later and it still shoots good. Nothing else was done and the one I bought did not come with a X Mark pro trigger, 1-12 twist barrel does not like 70+ grain bullets but loves Hornady 55 gr sp, blows up squirrels real good.

[Teachu2]

Mine was terrible out of the box. On a bipod off the bench, over 6" "groups" at 100 yds. Stock flex was extreme, trigger was awful - both of which I knew when I bought it. Scope and mounts were junk - no surprise there, either. I bought it for the action, the barrel was a nice bonus. Consistently under an inch @ 200 yards now. I bought it for the coyotes who thought they were safe at 500.

[Teachu2]

When I wanted an inexpensive 6.5CM this year, I bought a Savage 110 Tactical on sale with a $100 Savage rebate. Excellent shooter right out of the box. Put a Leupold 6-18x40 AO on it, 20 MOA rail. I've only run a box thru it, but it's showing lots of potential.

[ACfixer]

I bought a .30-06 CDL barrelled action in the marketplace over the winter for $350, but yeah by the time I was done building it out we're nowhere in the same ballpark as the OP financially. Pretty sure I'm in it about $1,200 with the VX-3 I mounted on it. You guys don't like the x-mark trigger? I shoot well with mine, never felt the need to change it. Got it on three rifles.

I'm not fan of cheap rifles, but I think the OP did a great job with a mutt. That's always fun to see... I never go that route, I like good genes to raise my kids.

I have a hunting buddy who's a die hard budget builder, he's got a wall full of heads that wish he wasn't so good at it. And he got his big WY muley last year with a 6.5 Creed. I'm an old fashioned .30 caliber guy, but you can't argue with my friend's results.

[XD40Kyle]

When I wanted an inexpensive 6.5CM this year, I bought a Savage 110 Tactical on sale with a $100 Savage rebate. Excellent shooter right out of the box. Put a Leupold 6-18x40 AO on it, 20 MOA rail. I've only run a box thru it, but it's showing lots of potential.

I have the 110 tactical as well. Its an excellent shooter, especially for the price. I was able to touch 1100 yards with it not too long ago