There are a lot of factors involved in buying a scope to mount on your hunting rifle. You must buy the scope and then buy the rings after taking some measurements (or guessing and hoping) to get the right height. You must mount the scope at the right distance, torque the screws properly and then start the whole sighting-in process. A lot of people don’t mind doing all this because they want a very specific scope and like the control they have over the whole deal by DIYing it. Other people just want it to be done already so they can start shooting. For those people, these scope/rifle combos are just the ticket. The rifle comes with a scope already mounted, and usually bore-sighted, so you can skip straight to the part where you sight in at the range.
Mossberg Patriot Synthetic – Vortex Scoped Combo
Mossberg’s Patriot has been around long enough to have proven itself as a reliable, affordable bolt-action platform. The base model synthetic version uses a drop magazine, has a spiral fluted bolt and a fluted, threaded barrel, features a recessed match barrel crown and comes with the company’s LBA trigger, user-adjustable from 2 to 7 pounds. It’s a no-frills option with everything you want and nothing you don’t need, but I know from experience that the Patriot action is accurate and dependable. The Vortex Scope option comes with a 3-9x40 Vortex Crossfire II scope already mounted. While it’s not a top-of-the-line scope, it’s still Vortex quality and represents an excellent value—the scope retails for about $200 on its own, rings not included, and the gun (without a scope) retails for $515. The MSRP of the scoped combo is $631 to $650 depending on caliber, representing a considerable value. And you can get it in your choice of 14 different chamberings as well as in a walnut-stocked version for a couple hundred bucks extra.
Winchester XPR Scope Combo
The XPR is Winchester’s more affordable line of rifles, and that’s a theme you’re going to see throughout this article—most scoped combos represent a company’s budget-friendly guns. The XPR’s receiver is machined from solid steel with a Perma-Cote black finish (also on the barrel). The gun has a black composite sporter-style stock, a bolt unlock button, a two-position thumb safety, a recessed target crown on the free-floated steel barrel, a recoil pad, steel recoil lugs, and Winchester’s M.O.A. trigger system. The scoped combo comes with the same Vortex Crossfire II 3-9x40 scope, with BDC reticle and the full Vortex warranty. It comes in 16 different chamberings from .243 Win up to .338 Win Mag, with an MSRP of $849 to $909. A compact version of the XPR is also available with the scope, and you can get the scope combo in a TruTimber Strata camo finish in addition to the black.
Savage Axis 2 XP
This gun’s stock might look a bit unconventional, but that’s intentional—it was designed for ergonomics, with enhanced texturing to make it easier to hold on to. The updated pistol grip has an ambidextrous palm swell, and the gun features an enhanced bolt handle design, a detachable box magazine, two-position tang safety and Savage’s excellent user-adjustable AccuTrigger. It comes in a huge array of chamberings, as well as in left-handed versions, compact versions and even an OD green if the gray isn’t your style. Savage specifies only that it comes with a 3-9x40 scope, mounted and bore-sighted, but does not mention the brand name. However, elsewhere on the Savage site, as well as on some retailer sites, it’s identified as a Bushnell Banner scope. This is Savage’s more affordable rifle and one of Bushnell’s more affordable scopes, but together, they make a perfectly capable, reliable combo that retails for $619.
Howa HS Carbon Fiber
Howa rifles are known for accuracy and performance. The HS Carbon Fiber model uses a carbon-wrapped Howa barreled action fitted into an HS Precision full aluminum bed stock. It’s currently available in gray or Kryptek camo, in four different calibers. This is a higher-grade gun than the rest on this list, with an MSRP of $1,499 which, as far as I can tell, does not include the optional available Nikko Stirling Diamond scope (a price for the combo is not listed). But that higher price tag buys you a sub-MOA guarantee, a lifetime warranty, Howa’s H.A.C.T. two-stage trigger, a really good stock, and a threaded barrel — this is also the only rifle on this list that’s suppressor-ready. If you’re looking for a ready-to-shoot rifle/scope combo that’s a step up from the budget-friendly options, this is one to consider.
When You Buy a Rifle/Scope Combo
Buying a gun with a scope already mounted makes things fast and simple—but while we call them “ready to shoot,” you’ll notice that I’ve deliberately not called them “ready to hunt,” and that’s because they’re not. The mounted scope might need to be moved forward or back a bit to get you the perfect fit. And while it will typically have been bore-sighted at the factory, you know the rule about bore-sighting—you still must take the gun to the range and shoot it to dial it in more precisely before you can safely and ethically hunt with it.
Mossberg Patriot Synthetic rifle with unidentified scope (image courtesy Mossberg)
You also must understand what you’re buying. Most combos, with some exceptions, are going to be budget-friendly scopes on budget-friendly rifles. If you want more features or better accuracy, you’re probably going to want a higher-end gun, and if you’re spending more on a gun, you’re more likely to need or want to spend more higher-quality glass to go on it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with budget-friendly rifles and scopes as long as you know what you’re buying and you’re not demanding high-end features on a modestly priced firearm.
