I need a small-intermediate caliber rifle.

[Ms Truffle]

Seriously. All I have is a .22, a twelve-gauge turkey gun, a .20 gauge, muzzle-loaders, .30-06, .35 Rem, etc. Basically, my rifles go from a pea shooter to elephant guns. (Hyperbole.)

So, I'm looking for a good intermediate caliber rifle. Semi-automatic. Preferably in the price range from $200-$400, and I'd like for it to be (though don't need it to be) in .223 Remington. Anyone got any suggestions? sweatdrop  

[Stoic Socialist]

At that price your options are pretty much the Mini-14, a Saiga, or maybe a Kel-Tec. At least, that's all I can think of.  

[Buki_Actual]

I heard the Kel-Tek SUB-16 series is pretty good, as long as you get the C or CA version. They're competitors to the Mini-14.

EDIT: Damn it Stoic! xd  

[Requiem ex Inferni]

Slightly off-topic, Big 5 has a Mosin-Nagant on sale for $160. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? confused  

[Stoic Socialist]

*insert immature laugh here*

EDIT:

Requiem in Mortis

Slightly off-topic, Big 5 has a Mosin-Nagant on sale for $160. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? confused

It depends on the model. The most common being the Russian M91-30s and M44s can be found for around $80-90. More of the rarer, better quality, Mosins can be found for around $300 and up.  

[Ms Truffle]

Ooh, I'm liking that Ruger. I was thinking of maybe getting a budget AR-15, but... Even those are $600. gonk

So, how much do they go for?  

[Stoic Socialist]

Shrantics Pretentious Ego

Ooh, I'm liking that Ruger. I was thinking of maybe getting a budget AR-15, but... Even those are $600. gonk

So, how much do they go for?

Mini-14?  

[Ms Truffle]

Stoic Socialist

Shrantics Pretentious Ego

Ooh, I'm liking that Ruger. I was thinking of maybe getting a budget AR-15, but... Even those are $600. gonk

So, how much do they go for?

Mini-14?

Yes.  

[Ms Truffle]

Requiem in Mortis

Slightly off-topic, Big 5 has a Mosin-Nagant on sale for $160. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? confused

Depends on what model. Plain old 91/30's go for around 70-100 dollars, M44's for for 70-100 dollars, M38's go for 100-150 dollars, and then there are some of the lesser known ones that can be sold in excess of several hundreds due to historical value/rarity.  

[Stoic Socialist]

Shrantics Pretentious Ego

Stoic Socialist

Shrantics Pretentious Ego

Ooh, I'm liking that Ruger. I was thinking of maybe getting a budget AR-15, but... Even those are $600. gonk

So, how much do they go for?

Mini-14?

Yes.

Then can be found, albeit a little bit difficult, at the upper end of your price range. Just be aware that they're not the most accurate rifles, and high-cap magazines aren't known for being the cheapest, nor the most reliable. Ruger's factory magazines are $40 for the 20 rounder, and $50 for the 30 shot...  

[Ms Truffle]

Stoic Socialist

Shrantics Pretentious Ego

Stoic Socialist

Shrantics Pretentious Ego

Ooh, I'm liking that Ruger. I was thinking of maybe getting a budget AR-15, but... Even those are $600. gonk

So, how much do they go for?

Mini-14?

Yes.

Then can be found, albeit a little bit difficult, at the upper end of your price range. Just be aware that they're not the most accurate rifles, and high-cap magazines aren't known for being the cheapest, nor the most reliable. Ruger's factory magazines are $40 for the 20 rounder, and $50 for the 30 shot...

Is it at least more accurate than an AK? I want it to be accurate to at least 400 yards. Maybe 500.  

[Stoic Socialist]

Shrantics Pretentious Ego

Is it at least more accurate than an AK? I want it to be accurate to at least 400 yards. Maybe 500.

The older Mini-14s, being the ones in your price range, are known to get anywhere between 2"-8" groups at 100 yards. Who knows, you may get lucky.

What kind of groups are you expecting at the distance? At the price range, I'd be heavily doubtful you'd get decent groups at that distance with a bargain priced rifle. But who knows, you may get a decent find. There's plenty of people who use black powder .45-70s at a thousand yards, and that's how buffalo/bison hunting was done in the 1800s, so...  

[Ms Truffle]

Stoic Socialist

Shrantics Pretentious Ego

Is it at least more accurate than an AK? I want it to be accurate to at least 400 yards. Maybe 500.

The older Mini-14s, being the ones in your price range, are known to get anywhere between 2"-8" groups at 100 yards. Who knows, you may get lucky.

What kind of groups are you expecting at the distance? At the price range, I'd be heavily doubtful you'd get decent groups at that distance with a bargain priced rifle. But who knows, you may get a decent find. There's plenty of people who use black powder .45-70s at a thousand yards, and that's how buffalo/bison hunting was done in the 1800s, so...

I was hoping to get 12"-18" groups at 300 yards, 3" groups at 100 yards. (With my aim. If I put it in a vice, I'd hope to get more.)

But I guess that's not much of a reality. gonk

So, do you think an AR-15 could get groups like that at those ranges? (I'd hope for better out of an AR-15, though.)  

[Stoic Socialist]

Shrantics Pretentious Ego

I was hoping to get 12"-18" groups at 300 yards, 3" groups at 100 yards. (With my aim. If I put it in a vice, I'd hope to get more.)

But I guess that's not much of a reality. gonk

So, do you think an AR-15 could get groups like that at those ranges? (I'd hope for better out of an AR-15, though.)

Oh, of course. Some people can get under an inch at 100 yards, so 12-18" at 300 yards can definitely be done. Heck, this reviewer got a .31" group!

Gunblast even did a review with a Bushmaster that did a 1/4" ground at 100 yards, not too shabby... The author claims the worst group was 3/4"...  

[Requiem ex Inferni]

For the Mosin-Nagant, it's an M38. Damn, I didn't realize a WWII-era rifle could be that cheap.