Latest Loads: .243 Win.

Low cost doesn’t necessarily equate to lousy performance. A case in point: Recently, while using a Savage Axis rifle in .243 Win.—purchased at Walmart for $269 and subsequently fitted with an aftermarket Timney trigger and a Bushnell Banner 6-18X 50 mm scope in basic Weaver bases/rings—and the recipe below, I was able to achieve sub-m.o.a. performance for five consecutive, five-shot groups at 100 yds. Three-shot, one-half-m.o.a. groups were commonplace. These groups weren’t achieved using match-grade, target-specific bullets, either; rather, I used Hornady’s high-performance, yet low-cost, 95-gr. Super Shock Tip (SST) bullets, which were designed for hunting medium-size game, such as deer and antelope. This all speaks to the quality of firearms, optics and handloading components available to shooters and hunters today—even those with low price points. You can get a lot for a little.