ImageProductPrice
Mossberg 100 ATR

Mossberg 100 ATR

Check Price

I walked into my gun store last week fully expecting to buy a Remington 700 in .308 Winchester. As I was walking down the aisles toward that long-touted paragon of bolt actions this little beauty caught my eye. It’s a short action bolt action rifle chambered for .308 Winchester made by Mossberg. It’s called the 100 ATR. The firearm comes with a free-floated barrel, pre-installed rails for a scope and iron sights. IRON SIGHTS! The Mossberg 100 ATR only cost a fraction of what I would have paid for a Rem 700 (and became cheaper by the second as I reminded my local gun shop owner just how much I spend on transfers there to do reviews for this site). But is it any good?

Since I actually purchased this rifle (instead of getting it on loan for testing and evaluation) I felt free to customize the rifle. As soon as I got home, I broke out the Dremel and polished off that obnoxious branding on the bolt. With the mark gone, the Mossberg 100 ATR has a Glock-like minimalist appeal—if you can call a bolt that looks like it came off a Medieval manor door “minimalist.”

I polished the action a little, but it didn’t need it. The Mossberg 100 ATR’s action feels as smooth and crisp as a Dove bar straight out of the box. Sorry RF; the Mossie’s action is as good if not better than its Remington 700 counterpart. The 100 ATR’s bolt handle seems to have a slightly more curved profile to it than the 700, which makes it feel a little better in the palm of your hand, enabling a more pleasant cycling motion when using the palm of your hand. Also like the 700, the 100 ATR has a flickable safety switch by the right thumb that doesn’t compromise your point of aim.

And that’s where the similarities stop. Well, almost . . .

Like the Rem 700, the 100 ATR has an internal magazine and a capacity of five rounds. Only four of those rounds actually fit in the ATR’s magazine, making it a 4+1 rifle (with the fifth round in the chamber). The Rem 700 has a floorplate on the magazine; the shooter can unload the magazine without cycling the action. The 100 ATR has no such thing, meaning that unloading the rifle requires the shooter to cycle all of the rounds in the magazine through the chamber. The magazine is completely internal, and uses a follower that fails to meet the description of “tilt free” in every imaginable way, which is about par for the course for bolt guns. This makes loading the ATR’s magazine a little difficult (trying to make sure not to jam it), but when you’re cycling the action and feeding from the magazine it works just fine.

The 100 ATR comes with an adjustable weight trigger. It uses something Mossberg calls their “LBA” or “Lightning Bolt Action.” See that lightning bolt there? That’s actually a little piece of metal that sticks out in front of the trigger and makes it feel more like a two stage trigger than a single stage, as you need to depress that before you can get to the trigger proper. There’s a noticeable amount of wobble in the little bit of metal, but the trigger behind it is rock steady.

The trigger proper is a single stage affair with a nice, clean break. It’s set a little heavy from the factory, but an ordinary screwdriver is all you need to dial it back. Getting the metal out of the plastic is remarkably easy; only two bolts hold the thing in place. Once the plastic is off adjusting the trigger is simple as can be.


As I mentioned at the top of the hour, the 100 ATR’s big selling points are the pre-installed iron sights and pre-mounted scope rails. With the Rem 700 you have to buy a scope, rings and mounts before you even think about heading to the range. The 100 ATR’s sights consist of a post for the front sight and a “V” cut rear sight. Aligning the sights is easy and intuitive.

In a firing position, the Mossberg 100 ATR feels a little flimsy. The lightweight plastic stock makes the gun feel much lighter than other bolt action rifles. The balance is still pretty good, but the plastic stock is hollow. Every sound and vibration is transferred down the stock and into the shooter’s ear. Despite the disturbance in the force, when firing the gun the stock feels as solid as anything I’ve ever fired.

The lightweight stock also makes the perceived recoil a little greater than the Rem 700 and other similar rifles. There’s not a lot of mass, so all of the force goes into the shooter’s shoulder. Like my Mosin Nagant, I can shoot about 60 rounds through this gun before my shoulder tries to murder me.

Using a Primary Arms 3-9x40mm scope and a few Birchwood Casey Shoot-N-C targets, I was able to eek out a 5-round 1 inch group at 50 yards (ignoring the flier, which was thanks to the Mosin Nagant M44 in the next lane). A 2 MoA rifle is still nothing to sneeze at, especially for what I paid.

In terms of potential improvements, a bipod is an excellent addition to this rifle. Some mounting options may not work (as the sling hole is molded into the plastic and not a stud like on other rifles), but a cheap Winchester bipod works just fine. Slap on a scope as well and you’ve got yourself a fine shooter.

The Mossberg 100 ATR costs as much as an AK-47 clone but shoots like a good Remington 700. If you need a value-priced bolt gun in .308 Winchester, the ATR is definitely worth a look.

Mossberg 100 ATR Rifle

Specifications
Caliber: .308 Winchester (7.62×51 NATO)
Barrel: 22″, 1:10 twist
Size: 42″ overall length
Weight: 6.6 lbs.
Operation: Bolt action
Finish: Matte blue
Capacity: 4+1
MSRP: $452 (typically closer to $360 retail)

Where To Buy

Mossberg 100 ATR
Check Price (Gun.deals)

Ratings (Out of Five Stars)

Accuracy: * * *
Using a bipod I was able to get a 2 MoA group at 50 yards. Using match ammo I could probably bring that group size down to around 1 MoA. . Good enough, I’d say.

Ergonomics: * * *
Just about everything on this rifle feels right. The rifle feels good in your hands. The checkering on the stock is aggressive but not painful. It’s also light enough for hauling around for hunting. For precision shooting, however, thumbhole or pistol grip stocks are definitely the more comfortable way to go. While most of the gun feels right, the stock does feel a bit flimsy and the bolt feels a tad rough to the touch.

Ergonomics Firing: * * * *
The rifle was marked down for recoil. There is a rubber buttplate to absorb some of the force, but most of the recoil goes straight into your shoulder. Other than that I have no complaints.

Reliability: * * * *
There aren’t many things to go wrong with a bolt action. I denied it the fifth star due to concerns about the magazine follower.

Customization: * * *
The front sling mounting point is problematic for bipeds who favor bipods. It’s suitable for some of the more expensive bipods, but if you’re using the one I like from Cheaper Than Dirt that surrounds the sling swivel stud then you’re S.O.L.. The choice of weaver rails (over Picatinny) reduces the fancy optics factor, but a Dremmel fixes that pretty quick.

Overall Rating: * * *
Better rifles exist at slightly higher price point, but the 100 ATR gives them a run for their money.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

113 COMMENTS

  1. The cheap feeling lightweight synthetic stock is par for the course in Remington as well. I recently purchased a SPS 700/308 and regret not paying the extra money for a wood stock. Savage has much better synthetics then Remington or apparently Mossburg.

    In keeping with my theory that we are all potential idiots when we handle firearms I do not like the requirement to cycle through the action to unload it. Yes, it is unlikely to get an ND from it but you never know.

    • other than the floorplate it sounds like a deal though. And you have plenty of money left over to spend at your friendly neighborhood ‘smith.

      • Agreed if you don’t mind the synthetic. I could see getting a Mossberg as a less expensive secondary hunting rifle in 243.

        • I have the ATR in .270, and it came with a Mossberg 3-9×40 scope and no iron sights. While having them might have been a plus, my local deer population isn’t likely to present me with any 50 yard shots, so it’s not really a deal breaker.
          The scope rails are short and don’t give much room for lateral adjustment, but the eye relief on the factory-installed scope works just fine for me.
          As for that diving follower: The ATR is a double-stack magazine, so I simply lay the round on the feed lips or the previous round then push straight down with my thumb, just as I would with most any detachable double-stack box magazine. Because of that practice, I’ve never had any issues loading my ATR.
          Also, it’s not necessary to completely cycle the action to empty the rifle. By simply pointing the rifle skyward, you can push the bolt far enough forward to strip the round from the magazine, then open the bolt far enough to let that round fall free and catch the lip of the next round to repeat the process.
          The stock is light, but not flimsy, and even though the ammo can be punishing, I’m never gonna put 60 rounds through it in a day.
          My rifle is 8 years old, and the trigger is a light, crisp, single-stage affair without that Glock-y lock thing sticking out of it.
          The finish is sort of a satin stainless (with black synthetic stock), but the one thing that bugs me about my 100-ATR is that the scope has a shiny silver finish that’s almost as bright as nickel.
          Otherwise, I’m extremely happy with the rifle, and it lets me consistently put rounds on target at 300 yards while standing.
          There might be something better out there for larger, and more dangerous game than deer and coyotes, but this Mossberg handles all my hunting needs pretty well.
          I’m calling it a keeper, as well as a great deal for the price.

        • This rifle is not for snobs but I paid $299 for the ATR-100 270 with the cheap scope thrown in and even with this shaky sixty something year old man wearing bifocals I was able to shoot 1″ groups at 80 yards (far as I can get from my wood pile target area). If your poor but still want a good gun, get it. I had no problems with loading the rounds but I’m old school.

      • Just an update. I paid too much and I am going back for a partial refund. Current price at Academy.
        Mossberg® 100 ATR® .270 Bolt-Action Rifle with Scope

        $279.99

        was: $299.99

        Item #:27330 27330SKU #:0012173324

        • what does ATR. mean. and what is the diff.. between 308: and 7.62 x 51= and what is the 51 mean. Thanks

    • I have one similar and you don’t have to cycle thru the whole action to unload, just hold the rifle with barrel up, push the bolt forward to free the round, draw the bolt back a little and tilt rifle over for the round to fall into your palm and repeat. The round does not need to fully enter the chamber and the bolt does not close on the round at all.

    • I recently purchased a Mossberg 100 atr for $100. It was brand new in the box never fired. Someone had bought it and just kept it in the box. I mounted an NCstar 4-16×50 rangefinder scope which I had picked up in a flea market a couple of years ago. Last month we went hunting for wild hogs on a friend’s homestead near El Paso, Texas. Using cheap wolf sp ammo, $9.00 per box I dropped a 225 sow at 125 yards. I’m no marksman, but at the price range I paid, the Mossberg is a keeper.

    • Savage and Mossberg are duking it out for the title of value leader. I’ve had an order in for a Savage Axis XP in .308 since the dawn of time with no joy. At $389 list with mounted scope, I can understand why.

  3. Did Mossberg ever get the problem fixed with their firing pins breaking? I loved the price and features of the ATR but the number of busted firing pins talked about on the forums turned me against it a couple of years ago. Some of the guys even had broken pins after sending the rifle back to the factory.

  4. I’ve got a Mossberg 100 ATR in 30.06 and have had no problems with it. I got one with only the integral scope mounts. Yes, the eyes are going a bit as I age. I mounted a bipod on the rifle with no problems. There is ample space for the bipod to grab onto the molded in sling eye. The only thing I would change is the magazine. I have two Mossberg shotguns that have served me well so I wanted to give the rifle a chance. I’m quite pleased with it.

  5. I share your belief that iron sights are a good thing on a rifle, particularly a utilitarian rifle. Few Remington 700s have them these days, but I would not have bought my 700 ADL (another dirt-cheap workhorse, now discontinued) without irons.

    It also came equipped with a warped and worthless plastic stock, which I immediately replaced.

    • Hello Chris you say that you did replace the stock on the mossberg 100 atr I am also in the process of doing just that but having a hard time finding a new tigger gaurd can you point me in the right dircetion?

      • I have read a couple of post on this subject and people have had to call mossberg to order the trigger gaurd for a wood stock

        • I have read a couple of post on this subject and people have had to call mossberg to order the trigger gaurd for a wood stock

  6. I have both savage and mossberg in a 270 I like the long bbl of the savage for open hunting but prefer the mossberg in my blind or tree stand.

  7. just got an atr 100 in a local pawn shop. scope included . shows some wear but bore is excellent. $ 250.00 for all. haven’t shot it yet but am looking forward to.
    good comments on web sites yours & others . cal. win. .270

  8. I own a .270 Mossberg 1oo ART, and liked everything about it until yesterday when the firing pin didn’t even strike the primer, not a scratch!

    • I have a 30-06 100 atr and a 500 tacticle 12 guage the 12g is outstanding but i have had nothing but trouble with the 30-06 the first time i took it the range the extractor broke after 14 rounds, and i noticed that as i fired it it was harder to extract the spent round after about 7 or 8 rounds the bolt was getting harder to eject the round after 10 or 12 rounds i found that the shell didn’t want to come out and it took a lot of force to get it out. then at my 14th round my day was cut short. Ok i went back to the gun shop and they gave me a new bolt from another rifle. went out two weeks later and the same thing happend this time on the 18th round. i called my gunsmith and told him what had happend and the first thing he said was “you got a 100 atr i’m sorry” well what can i do to fix the rifle? he said Matt it will cost more to fix it then the rifle. $#!T now what? so i sent te rifle back to mossberg told them what happend and thay said that thay would fix it. 2 weeks later i get the rifle back they put in a new bolt. bad bolt ok lets go shooting. 5 rounds the bolt stoping lever brakes the screw for the lever broke. so i pack up the rifle and send it back to mossberg this time im P!$$ed @ something like 35 bucks for shipping each time. i wish i got the 700 and just been done with it. p.s. i havent fired it yet.. kinda scared too.

      • its the ammo your using get better ammo the cheap stuff gets stuck,,,,ive got the atr in 308 and when i use winchester ammo it works fine when i used brown bear or magtech it would get tight

  9. Looks like these ATRs are hit or miss… That is a shame. I’ve had my ATR 30.06 for about 2 years. Put probably 300 rounds through it in that time. No problems at all. I actually shoot better with it than my Rem700 30.06, so I usually take the ATR on outings instead. Sorry to hear some folks are having probs with theirs. Maybe I should start bringing the Rem700 as a backup. Lol.

  10. Bought Mossberg 100 ATR in Oct. 2011. Literally the worst gun I have ever purchased. Here is what I got:

    1) barrel heats-up after one or two shots, so much that the subsequent shots are off the bullseye by 6 inches plus….wish I was kidding, missed a nice buck
    2) shot new winchester and remington ammo a total of about 34 times, 2 times the gun failed to make the primer fire the gunpowder
    3) magazine often does not feed shells into the chamber

    Bought it in San Diego at Discount Gun Brokers who supposidely have a 30 day return policy; @ day 29 I tried to return it and they said NO.

  11. I bought a Mossberg 100 ATR in 270 last friday for hunting season that started saturday.Go to sight in fires one round then puts a dimple in cases but dont fire.Went through 2 boxes one federal and one hornady.7 rounds fired and the rest primer hit but did not fire.This bolt looks as if it is not pressed together right.Also every time call mossberg put on hold and no one ever awnsers.Any body got a fix.This was basically a back up cheap gun but hate throwing money away.

  12. I was looking to see if the atr had the 60 degree bolt as the old mossbergs did.
    I have a 40+ year old western auto sold revelation 243. Paid 200 bucks used back in 79. It was made by mossberg and it is solid as a rock and shoots better than 1 moa with cheapest federal ammo. In fact it prefers cheap ammo over the hornary custom I shoot in my other rifles. Best rifle in my rack.
    I do not own a 90 degree rifle I like big low mounted scopes and 60 degree gives me clearance. That is why I have the Weatherby and A bolts.
    I have read enough not to buy one of the 100s. Reliability is number 1 in my book.
    Thanks for the comments.

  13. Two years ago I purchased a wood stocked Whitetail Classic from Dicks Sporting Goods. It is a ATR 100 with a wood stock sold by Dicks. I got it in .308 Win. with a cheap packaged 3x9x40 scope on it. Off came the scope and on went a 6x24x50 as I use the scope to scan for antlers. The bore out of the box was fine (bore scoped) but I can never leave well enough alone. After lapping all but the last two inches of the bore, bolt lugs and polished the chamber I am very pleased with the lack of fouling on sustained strings of fire. The action is smooth as glass with a near purfect lockup. Headspace was correct from the factory. The bolt release and safety are lacking in the finished shiny dept. but more than functional. The trigger is a Savage Accutrigger clone and is just as good with better than hunting rifle adustment. For paper punching I have found that my bore likes 168 grain MK’s, Win. brass, CCI primers and 43.5 grains of trusty old IMR 4064. The Mossberg is not nor was not designed to be a perscision long range shooter but it sure acts like one. The only thing keeping this inexpensive platform from shooting under an inch at 100 is the ammo and mostly the shooter. I guess guns are like fishing poles, the more you pay the more fish will be caught. I get a charge out of Youtube reviews on guns with fellas claiming accuracy problems on the gun as I see the rifle rested on a balled up coat and complete lack of shooter form at work. In short the rifle is inexpensive but more than capable of killing deer within the shooters ability.

    • bwahahah, rifle resting on a balled up coat. Either that or using it to prop something up… then complain about the accuracy

  14. I bought the Mossberg ATR 100 in a .308 caliber. I am officially a .308 fan. I have replaced the stock 3.9 scope that it came packaged with. (..bought gun at Academy for $289.99 plus tax) I just purchased a new stock from http://www.boydsgunstocks.com. The Ross FT Mossberg 100 ATR Short Action version for about $100.00. I am doing the conversion because of the problem I experienced with the flimsy black synthetic stock from factory. The swivel stud eye near the top of the gun, broke off sending my bipod flying 20 feet outward almost hitting my 11 year olds head. I was cleaning the gun when I pushed the bipods legs in, it snapped the eye out and the spring tension caused the unit to fly off. Talk about flimsy.. Great gun.. Believe it nor not, I have been very consistent in getting 1″ or better using 150 FMJ cheap $9.00 a box ammo from Academy. I am going to experiment using a 175 gr M118LR round. Bought a box of 50ct for $39.99 from Selway Armory LINK: http://www.selwayarmory.com/308win762x51mm175grbthpm118lr-surplus.aspx. I am going to wait until I install my new stock first before shooting those rounds.. Anyway, I picked off a 12″ x 12″ metal plate at 675 yards two weeks ago with this Mossy using that 150gr Federal stuff. I used a phone app caled Strelok to calculate distance, windage and where to place the shot. WOW, it was pretty good and accurate. I hit 3/4 shots every time I go out to American Shooting Centers in Houston, Texas. It’s a cheap short range gun trying to act like a long range sniper weapon.. Great gun so far, except that rascally little swivel stud eye… GRRRR….

    • It all depends mossberg is a good Rifle for the price but sometimes you get what you pay for I have a mossy 308 love it it’s on the spot up to 300 yards and all these non hunters who says a 308 isn’t good for anything except medium size game are full of it I’ve killed 2 good size elk with mine one and done those guys must be non shooting mothers

  15. I purchased the 100 ATR .308 WIN about one month ago before ever firing it i replaced the stock scope with the nikon pro series 3x9x40mm with this changed i zeroed my rifle at 300 yds using a shooting bench and sand bags 1 in at 300 yds is more than what i was expecting out of this Mossey but definately pleased i have the wood stock which is soon to be replaced with a good cut of mesquite 🙂 cant wait have a good friend doing the checkering and fitting works great here in Colorado cant wait to get back to Texas to get the new sturdier stock put on it then will re-zero at 300 yds again and will repost so far the Mossey has claimed one pronghorn buck a white tail buck a mule deer buck and one cow elk more than ever expected out of this rifle only suggestion if youre not happy with the purchase or afraid of purchasing this rifle would be to spend a little extra money and buy a weatherby vanguard very nice rifle as well

    • Yes all these guys who say a 308 isn’t good for anything but white tail deer are full of crap and don’t know I’ve downed two good elk one shot each

  16. Recently purchased an 100 ATR in 7mm-08 as a treestand rifle. Immediately replaced the furnished $49.95 scope with a 3X9 Nikon Buckmaster. I’ve run about 50 rounds through it and am satisfied with the accuracy (1/5-2MOA).
    I am very displeased with the magazine follower and spring setup. It is difficult to load with a scope attached as the follower tends to tilt causing the cartridges to jam in the magazine. I have ordered a Remington 700 follower spring from Brownell’s and am going to modify it the fit and see if that cures the problem.
    Overall, I am pleased with the rifle and most certainly can’t beat the price.

  18. I own a ATR 100 in a 30-06. It was a good rifle but will cost more to fix than I paid for it 4 years ago. I have fired 400 rounds out it it and the extractor has gone bad, the triger has issues, the rifle head stock spacing and the chamber is bad, and the bolt has a issue. To me I paid to much for a rifle that has gone bad in just 4 years. and yes it gets cleaned. I will never own another Mossberg again.I will just stick to my McMillan and keep on going.

  19. I have own an atr for 10yrs.Had one problem with the trigger had two miss fires when I first got it,it hit the primer didn’t go off. I took the bolt out took it over to the parts washer at work washed it two times.Works just fine.It just had some shipping grease in it.I shoot it alot,I put 3 shots inside of a dime at 100yds all I use to shoot off of is a table and a bag of corn.My longest shot on a deer was 577yds,doped my scope,dropped him ,It has a bunch of shots over 300yds,it has 44 kills of yotes and deer.I hand load my own bullets.165gr.BTSP Hornady,it’s hit more times than it missed targets or game.I love it.It’s my goto rifle.

    • I’m curious, what do you dislike about it? And if you are considering to sell yours, how much would you be asking?

      • i have one for sale only fired 4 times! has scope rifle case and bullet holder ill take 400 for it!!

  22. i have a 100 atr that came with a barska scope and a flimsy plastic bipod, i have no problem hitting a 7×14 in plate at 600+ yrds with match ammo, its my favorite rifle besides my ar. lookin to buy a thumbhole stock tho..

  23. Just picked up this rifle, great review! What bipod do you use with this? Can you provide a link?

  25. I just bought a mod 100 atr with hardwood stock and 3-9×40 scope in 308 win. I think it is the biggest piece of crap that I have ever had. the mag well hangs up even after I used sand paper on the plastic mag follower then greased it. It won’t pick up the next round to chamber every time. I worked on it several times and still can’t get it to work. Also took it to the range and out of 15 rounds, 6 misfired. the bolt is very sloppy and does not operate smoothly. I originality sent Mosberg an email asking for advice, with no response from them after two weeks. This gun would not have been my first choice but was a gift from my wife and I just tried to make it work out. I am very frustrated with it and am about ready to smash it on a tree.

  26. Just picked up a .270, and haven’t fired it because the rounds will NOT stay in the magazine. When the bolt is moved forward, at any speed, the round either rolls out on the ground, or the back end jumps up over the bolt, which of course, jams it tight. Shipped it to Mossberg for service. We’ll see!

  27. bought a mossberg atr in 30-06 last november and love it,shooting federal 150 grain can shoot 1″ groups at 100 yards great gun for the money killed a buck last year but mainly use for coyotes recoil is a little harsh from the plastic stock

  28. I bought a 100 ATR in long-action .30-’06 a couple years ago from a Wal-Mart. Paid just over $300, including tax. Mine didn’t have the adjustable trugger, but I’m happy with the factory one (it does have some moderate stacking, however). Didn’t come with iron sights or a scope, so I put a Banner 4-12X on it. I have shot a large variety of factory rounds through it and have had no problems. Shoots a 1.5 MOA at 100 yards using Remington Core-Lokt 180 grainers. Have also shot some Remington 220-grain Core-Lokt just to see how they print at 100 yards. Surprisingly well, as it turns out, but the recoil is highly unpleasant. I like this gun a lot.

  29. Took delivery on my 100 ATR yesterday in .308. Shot it this a.m. This one came with a cheap 3X9 that is actually usable for me. Others scopes like this I have gotten on rifles were blurry or foggy right out of the box. Sold them on Ebay to folks glad to get a 3X9 scope for $40. Never a complaint. First shot dead on with PMC 150 PSP , an X ring at 50 yds. Could not see the hole in the black. Shot 2 more times and got an inch group. Moved to 100 yds and changed ammo and shots started going all over the place. Checked the ring thumb screws and mounting screws and they were all loose. Also, rounds would not feed reliably after the first mag full. Follower tilts like crazy. I think that is fixable. Has 1 MOA accuracy potential. I think I am going to take this scope off and sell it on Ebay like the others and put a Nikon Pro Staff 4-12×40 on and try again. I also own the Savage Axis/Edge in .308 and the Ruger American. Love 1 MOA rifles that cost $300.

    To the fellow way above that slammed this rifle cuz he missed a deer on the 4th or 5th shoot due to stringing. I’m pretty sure it was a loose nut behind the trigger. What was going on during the 1st thru 3rd shots?

  30. I have a mossberg 100 atr in .308 and i love it it is a great shooting gun. it has a really smooth bolt and the trigger is nice and light like i like them. but to the point i’m looking at getting a bipod for it and dont know exactly what to look for and what ones will work with it plus i only have a 40 dollars to get it with so any advice anyybody?

  31. I bought the 30-06 version without scope or iron sights a few years back from Wal-Mart for under $325. It has always performed in whatever situation I put it in, be it cold, hot, wet, or dry. Out of the box at 100 yards the 5 rounds touch, and with my Nikon scope, deer done stand a chance. It does seem to prefer the Federal shells Wal-mart sells, and im ok with that. A cheap gun that shoots cheap shells well….what more can a guy ask for? I have friends who spend far more on rifles and ammo, but when it comes down to it….can you put the bullet where it needs to be consistently and the ATR does this without a hitch. Best rifle I’ve bought brand new and wish they made a .223 in the ATR line.

    • I also own the Mossberg 100ATR. In 30/06. I have a Nikon 3x9x40 pro-staff on it. By far Federal ammunition power shok 150gr. Has proven to be the best round. I can cut bullet hole for bullet hole at 100 yards. No sled just crossing my arms on the bench.

  32. I bought one of the 308 combos for my 14 year old son to deer hunt with, have taken to the range twice, the first time two rounds and the safety froze licking the trigger, was cheaper to have a gun smith fix locally than send back to Mossberg, 2nd time sighting in 4 rounds and same thing, biggest piece of junk gun i’ve ever owned, i purchased it because i’ve had good luck in their shotguns but will never own another Mossberg Rifle as long as I live, I know it’s a budget gun but should work better than that, I have remingtons that have been in my family 3 generations so I will be selling the Mossber and replacing with a remington.

  33. i just got the atr deer thugs rifle in 30-06 and after putting 30 rounds thru it i dont care for the recoil i think im still gunna use my remington 710 30-06 for my first choice does anybody have any idea what ammo shoots well thru these rifles my remington loves the cor-lokt ammo but this atr dont shoot consistant with em

  34. I bought a Mossberg 100 ATR .308 cal., sighted it in at 100 yds. & am hitting in the red but wanted a bipod for it so I put a cheap clamp on barrel mount bipod on it, (thought it was my only option at the time with the sling eye mount that came on it) but haven’t shot it yet. Not sure if I want to after reading everything about them on the internet. Is it going to cause problems with Accuracy or damage the barrel? Should I just get rid of it & mount one to the stock or will it be okay to shoot what with the recoil & all that comes with a barrel mounted one? Anybody in the know that can help please reply, I want to keep it as accurant as possible! Thanks.

  35. I was given a Mossberg 100 ATR (in 30-06 cal.), several years ago from a friend, that swore that it was the worse gun that he ever owned. His claim was that it had many of the same problems that I have thus far read about. He also claimed that he was shooting 165 grain ammo at 100 yards and couldn’t hit a thing! I admit that I wasn’t quite sure if I wanted the rifle at the time, with all of the problems he claimed to be having, but figured what the heck I would have a trade-in piece. I finally desided to give it a chance at the range and used 180 grain Remington ammo (my do all choice).
    I am pleased to say that this was about a thousand rounds down range, two Elk, seven Whitetail and two hogs ago,…! I have never had a misfire, a problem feeding the ammo, a stuck case or broken ejector to date! Needless to say that I am satisfied as to where I am aiming and hitting with it out to as much as 200 plus yards. No,…! It is not a high dollar rifle that you have to fear and worry about throwing behind the truck seat! The stock is light weight, as well as it gives back in the butt nearly everything that any 30-06 bolt rifle has to give.
    I suppose that a solid quality wood stock would be an improvment and help the recoil a bit. However,… (I do use a “Limb Saver” shoulder pad when hunting), when your my age and have toted a 30-06 nearly nearly all of your life for hunting,… the lighter weight stock is a bit easier on the shoulder (when slung), especially when carrying at mountain altitudes along with a day-pack.
    I am satisfied with the rifle and at the price I obtained it at (free), whose could gripe!?!?! well,… what can I say,… other than!… I also own a Mossberg 500A and a Maverick both in a 12 Ga., not to mention an L.C. Smith double/1876 and a Stevens 560/1907, both in 12 Ga. I probably should mention several other 500 and 590’s over the years, that I was either traded out of, or had to sell to eat, or fix the car,… But I always seem to come back to Mossberg for affordablity on a retired fellas income.
    It is o.k. for you all to agree to disagree with me,… Nuff said!

  36. I bought the atr in 30-06 last year (2012) and have put 100rounds or so in it with factory “el-cheapo” scope. Surprisingly has done well. The mag. does feed sloppy if you put the ammo in sloppy. Recoil is harsh with the 180gr & 220gr (of course it is) Never had a misfire or any kind of malfunction. Scope takes some time and energy to zero with but holds it once you do. Have shot 150gr, 165gr, 180gr, & 220gr out of it. Seems to like the 165gr the most (core-lokt) and all this was bought at wallyworld for $22 a box or so. Took the bottom of a McDonalds cup and used it as an outline. At 100yrds put 4 rounds in that circle (165gr) then my friend repeated this. Moved it out to 200 yards and had a group the size of the palm of the hand. All shots taken off of the toolbox of truck with a towel so I know its not a sled but you can see there is room for better grouping. Its not a $800 gun. Its not a $500. It IS a $300 gun! If you have never broken it down (completely) and cleaned the assembly lube out of it before you shot the 1st round then I’m sorry, your an idiot! Its accurate, simple, affordable, reliable and cheap, which is why we bought them so stop complaining that its not a working like a browing A-bolt or a Win. model 70. Its a damn good gun and damn good for basic hunting.

  37. Follow up to my earlier comments on this rifle (and scope). Crosshair broke on 2nd trip to range. Mossberg customer service suggested I contact dealer where I bought the gun. Dealer suggested I call Mossberg back. Mossberg eventually replaced the scope. I promptly sold it on Ebay. Took this gun to the range on several occassions. Put a Sightron 24x scope on it and shot off lead sled. Best group I could get with a dozen different factory loads was 1&1/4″ 3 shoot group at 100yds. The crappy mag follower and spring was just too much for me. I messed with the spring, turned it around, stretched it out, messed with the follower, smoothed it up a bit, still one shot wonder. Sold this turkey of a rifle at a loss and made sure the buyer knew about the follower/magazine issue. This rifle and their customer service has put me off Mossberg forever. Great trigger however.

  38. Got one today in .270 with a Bushnell 3-9×40 for less than $400. The action feels really really smooth, and the trigger is what sold me on the Mossy over the similarly priced Ruger American Rifle.

  39. I have been trying to track down a rifle that has both iron sights and the ability to scope mount. Within my searching I found this review. Does anyone know the order specific model number for this configuration? I keep seeing this ART 100 with scope mount only. The Mossberg sight shows that you can select for “adjustable rifle sights” or scope… not both. I have emailed Mossberg with no reply as of yet. (a week + ago)

  40. In Tennessee I would have kill a bear with that gun. At dicks Sporting goods they had the better purchase

  41. I like my Mossberg 100 ATR in .30-06. Purchased this rifle at Academy back in 2010 for $275. It is currently my deer gun that I use at the end of every year at the start of deer season.
    – It is what is is, a low cost .30-06 rifle.
    – Accuracy has never been an issue, but I have had my fair share of problems with it.
    – FWIW, it’s a good rifle.

    A few days after purchase (no rounds shot yet), and after a thourough cleaning I noticed pitting in the bore!? It is a NEW RIFLE, and having never been shot (by me) this was not expected. Since Academy does not accept returns on firearms thus I was stuck with a “new” rifle with a pitted bore. Shame on me for not checking… I contacted Mossberg about the pitting. Their response was that “the rifle may have been on the rack too long and exposed to moisture”. Ok. I sent it in, and they replaced the barrel.

    The first year after sighting in my rifle, I developed a good load for this rifle.
    – 150gr HP Sierra’s over 46.2 gr of IMR 4895, over Standard Win LRP, in a HXP case.
    Have taken 3 Does and 2 Bucks with this load.

    Reading these comments I too have noticed one more thing about my 100 ATR. With a full magazine the rifle functions flawlessly. When you fire the 4th shot in the magazine and attempt to load the 5th round, this last round always pops out of the magazine and jams the bolt… This is the rifle’s only design flaw IMO. Other than that, I have no qualms about my $275 rifle.

  42. feed issue is with short action 308. i too have three mossberg shotguns which work well, this rifle is pure junk though in the SHORT ACTION.
    Looking to sell also and pick up Howa or Savage.

  43. I looked at a used one for sale at Cabelas but did not purchase. Seemed to be pretty sturdy. But the one thing that bothered me (and this may not be a problem) is that the bolt was pretty wobbly once you pulled it all the way back (as you would to eject a spent cartridge or to empty the magazine). I wonder if this is true for the new ones too?

  46. I am glad I read all the reviews. I found a ATR .308 at Bass Pro on clearance for $299, with the cheap
    3x9x40 scope. I was looking for a light, short barrel, short stock rifle for my wife………after reading the
    reviews I will NOT buy this rifle. The .308 will kick her to hard with that plastic stock, way to many feeding
    and jamming problems and do not trust the molded sling studs mounts……..Well my LOVE, looks like you
    may be using your trusted OLD Win. Mod. 94 Saddle Model .30-30 again this year. She has taken 2 deer
    with it…..missed a couple too…..got WAY TO excited and started slinging lead all over the place, all misses!

  47. I bought the 100ATR 308 2 years ago because it was a darn good price to pass up . so its been sitting in my safe forever and last weekend I cleaned the never been used rifle and put a scope on it then took it to the range fired it a few times to dial it in at A hundred yards.then my son fired it a few times followed by my girlfriend and then I shot it a few more and out of 38 federal rounds of 308 we had 5 shells that did not go off when the primer was struck and on the last shot #38 something in the gun broke and now the bolt will not open it is stuck closed with an empty shell in it . I don’t know what to do with this piece of crap it’s screwed up really bad big let down if it was a little cheaper they could advertise it as a disposable rifle after a box and a half of shells are you just supposed to throw it away it cost more to fix it then it will to replace it thumbs down Mossberg should stick to their shotguns

      • Ok…all the bad posts from as far back as 2011 have convinced me not to buy the ATR. So I guess it’s the Remington 700 or whatever Savage has an equivalent.

    • Also curious to know if you ever got the gun fixed. I have put just over 50 rounds through my gun, but after it was dropped out of a 15′ deer stand and hit two solid limbs the fact that the gun still performed convinced me to give it an honest look before I decide to trade it because of bad reviews.

      • Greg, I did get my gun fixed. The gunsmith order a new bolt from mossberg, after replacing the bolt my gunsmith advised that I don’t shoot any steel case bullets.

        Ray

  48. I received this gun (.308 with wood synthetic stock) as a Christmas gift and it sat in the gun safe for 2 years before I decided to try it out and carry it for deer season. The gun has received less than enthusiastic reviews despite the fact that other gun companies have also adopted the same manufacturing changes in order to produce an economical entry level rifle. I will confess I had decided to trade the gun off, but I honestly hate trading a gun off that was a gift.

    Due to the fact that I had a deer stand stolen, I decided to hunt a stand that was put up by a relative. I climbed into the stand at 3pm that evening and had been sitting for approximately 15 minutes when the strap broke holding it to the tree. Survival instincts kicked in and I immediately grabbed a nearby limb preventing my fall. The rifle was not so fortunate, it fell a good 5 feet and then hit a tree limb, flipped and hit another tree limb but luckily the sling caught on the limb before it hit the ground. I picked up my rifle and accessed the damage and went to the truck and retrieved a new strap to secure the stand.

    At sunset, I had a nice buck come out at 150 yrds, I took the shot and the 150 grn core lokt entered the point of the right shoulder and exited out mid rib cage on the left side. The buck was hit hard and rolled and never even attempted to get up.

    Bottomline: This is a rifle you can take in the woods beat up and it will still perform. No it is not an eye catcher but it does not have any inherent disadvantage which prevents it from performing reliably. If your looking for a solid woods rifle with utility performance, I am convinced that this rifle will stand up to abuse. BTW, the scope on the rifle was a BSA 3-9×40

  49. Eight years ago I didn’t hunt. But a friend hunting our land gave me a used ATR100 270 in appreciation. I knew it was a cheap gun but appreciated the gift and felt obligated to go out and try finding a deer. I have taken nearly 50 deer with this gun with only one miss and 3 unretrieved (poorly placed shots). I have taken deer at 25 yards and at 150 yards; made no difference to my ATR. The mag. does fail to reload a shell sometimes (very few), but I haven’t needed a second shot or there was simply no time for it, so it has not been a significant issue for me. If the second shell does not load I simply push down on the top shell and release, then the bolt picks up the next shell just fine. I have new rifles now but am not hesitant to take my old ATR into the stand. It’s been filling my freezer for seven years.

  50. I wouldn’t recommend this gun to ANYONE. the trigger and bolt release is flimsy. and i’m not rough on it. the screw head broke off of my bolt release, leaving the rest of the screw inside. it would have to be fixed by a professional, which i’m not about to pay for on this budget gun. not impressed. grouping is also horrible.

    • I have owned my 100 atr .270 for over 8 years now 10 deer later it is still in my opinion the best deer rifle,topped with a bushnell 4-12×40 ao sighted 3 inches high at 100 yards, all shots taken between 138 and 208 yards as per my range finder anchoed all deer in there tracks no issues at all, it likes plain winchester power point 130 gr. X2705, tried federal, hornady, and winchesterBST, powerpoint works the best, just afew reminders, find the brand and grain your rifle likes, let the barrel cool between shots, take your time at the range, put over 300 rds thru it in 8 years no issues group ed all shots in a 2in circle at 100 yards , I practice at the range as I shoot in the blind my left hand as my support, hats off to mossberg and bushnell both fine companies making an outstanding product

  51. Purchased Mossburg ATR in 30-06 a couple of months ago. Barrel is flutted and came with no iron sights. Put a Leupold VX 3-9-40 Scope on it and bore sighted then off to the range. Took 4 rounds to zero in at 100 yards. I guess I got lucky because the ATR has shot as good as my Remington 700. Never a single problem then and a couple of hundred rounds later. Don’t know why others have had so many problems but all I can say is this is one sweet shooting rifle and for the price I feel it can’t be beat. Good hunting and shooting to all.

  53. An interesting discussion is worth comment.
    I do believe that you ought to publish more about this issue, it might not be a
    taboo matter but typically folks don’t speak about
    such subjects. To the next! All the best!!

  54. I got a mossberg maverick atr100 in .30-06, and 200 rounds later im sold, really smooth action and great accuracy. Got a Bushnell legend 3×9 adjustable power scope for hogs. The fact it has a normal trigger is a definite plus for those who cant stand those cheap 2 stage trigger

  55. I have just purchased a new ATR 100 in 308. Looking for a bipod to suit, from those that have one with a bipod, could you please tell me make and model type.

  56. Ive had my atr in 30.06 for two years .shoots great,extreemly accurate and comfortable to hold.it does kick abit as its light and I had a slight feed problem after 3shots.I switched to winchester 150gr and no probs at all.bolt is abit sloppy but for the price its a good reliable, stable rifle.

  57. Just bought an ATR in 308 out of the box with some minor scope adjustments I was able to shoot a 1 inch moa at 100 yds. I’ve been reading some people having problems with loading and cycling. I shot 40 rounds of brown bear and 40 of Remington not one problem. All in all I have to say the atr is a mighty fine shooter. If you’ve been having problems maybe it’s you and not the rifle.

    • Amen , I will be going to the range to tighten up my groups, it is me not my rifle , operator head space and timing ya know

  58. I bought the ATR 100 in 270. It is a very accurate rifle, but the stock looks like it was made for the dollar tree.

  59. I purchased my ATR 100 chambered in .270 WIN almost three years ago and it’s still going strong for the $300 I purchased it for. I bought a cheap rail system bipod and had a rifle scope base extra from a early build and it works better than the more expensive bipod my friend bought for his rifle with similar problem on the front sling mount. I drilled into the stock two small holes and found some small bolts at the local hardware store and bolted the scope base on the stock and the bipod fits perfectly. It’s rock solid I’ve put well over 100 rounds through it without it even budging. This is a perfect gun for a new hunter or even someone who just wants a new caliber. I use mine for target and hunting. I absolutely love it.

  60. last year I got mine one sale for $220 put on a $120 barska 4-16 scope and am making guys with 700s droll with 1.5 in. groups at 400yds love this gun

  61. I have an ATR. The youth version in .308. I was short on cash some odd years ago and was wanting to get my first hunting rifle. I was 15 at the time. Did some work got $300 and figured I could find something used that would fit the bill. Went to my local gunshop and walked out with the ATR, a tasco 3×9 scope that works with the rifle perfectly, and a Mosin Nagant 91/30 with a couple dozen rounds for both for under $300. Its been some years since then. The ATR is light for my trecks to the stands and the youth model is easy to bring through the Mississippi brush thickets. I use Federal 150 grain and for the 50-300 yard shots that customarily are presented to me in these Mississippi hills this gun is perfect. Hit a palm size group at 200 yards. The action is good, its accurate, light, the recoil to me is not that bad. The sling “swivels” are terrible. Just do what i did. Get machine swivels and attach them. If you get 3 you can have a bipod too. The magazine is annoying but for the price, it can be overlooked.

  62. Gee, I bought a Ruger M77 gorgeous wood stock, high polish blue, used once or twice but still in immaculate condition , with Redfield variable scope and 8 boxes of ammunition off my boss 30 years ago. $275. It has never let me down and still immaculate. I won’t be buying a Mossberg.

  63. Well wen’t back to the range before this past deer season , and shooting off sandbags I was able to tighten up my groups to 11/4 inches at 100 yards , still me not the rifle, and decided to see what my groups would look like with a hot barrel, happy to say after 20 rounds, one after the other, my 20 round group was within a 4 inch circle with no flyers, this is still one great rifle, still using my Bushnell 4-12 x 40 AO, wen’t back go the range 1 week later to verify my zero again before going to the lease, who doesn’t like range time? Anyway fired 1 three shot group, 1 inch at 100 yards, one great rifle /scope combination.

  64. I just got the ATR 308 today ,it loaded just fine ,and recycled ,OK .it came with a sling and a caldwell bi-pod anda big ass Barska scopeand I do not know what size it is.It does”t say in the book.I got it on a trade for my Ruger Gunsite 308.I got it for the ATR 308 and a Ruger 22 LR pistol .I wanted something that would shot farther than
    1or2 hundred yards.I hope i, don”t have some of these problems that these people have had .I hope that they got the bugs out in 2015 It sounds like they had problems in 2011and 2012 .I know ,before I bought my Marlin 1895 sbl that they problems with them,when Remington took over.That was because some of the employes that loss
    their jobs, messed with some of tools and the equitment ,so they couldn”t put out a great product.But now they do.

  65. I bought an ATR100 in a .270 caliber a couple of years ago. The trigger has always been a little stiff for my liking and has always caused me concern because I feel like my grouping suffers because of it. I finally decided to take it to a gunsmith and have the trigger lightened. After two trips to different smiths I am being told that they can’t do a trigger job on it. I am picking it up today and will try to get to the bottom of why it can’t be done. Has anyone had an issue with this?

  67. Very efficiently written post. It will be helpful to anyone who usess it, as well as yours truly :). Keep doing what you are doing – looking forward to more posts.

  68. I have one of these in .243. It is the worst POS gun I have ever owned. I own or have owned well over 30 guns. I couldn’t get it to group any better than 12″ at 100yrds. After 3 rounds it would string shots out to over 18″!!! I tried 3 different scopes, over 4 brands of ammo in 9 different loadings and cleaning it after 3 to 5 rounds. The only thing that “helped” was a giant rubber barrel damper. It got groups to 10″ but the POS would still sting shots after 3 rounds.

    I sent it back to Mossberg, waited several months and suffering through their nonexistent customers service, I got the gun back with a new barrel, scope and someone else’s bolt! They claimed they fired it at the factory but the bolt was assembled wrong and it couldn’t fired!

    It did group better, about 4-5″ at 100 yards, and doesn’t string shots. Several people have tried and no one can tighten the groups. It is now for sale, I’ll take any offer over $150 with the scope. I’ve already bought a Savage Axis II and it shoots one hole groups at 100 yards.

    • I have one in 308 and this gun on some hand loads is a tack driver. 1/2 moa at 100 yards and for a inexpensive or expensive gun that is pretty good.

  69. I am looking for a Long rail for my Mossberg 100ATR. I want to put a night vision scope on it and I can’t seem to find a base mount for it….any suggestions [email protected]

  70. I’ve had this rifle, chambered in .308, for a little over 3 years now. As many said, the recoil is a little abusive due to the hollow stock. Best way I found to tame it is to remove the rubber butt pad and stuff the stock with old newspapers. Use a broom handle or something similar and tamp them down in there. Gives the gun a little more weight to soak up some of the energy. Other than that I love it. It is my go to for riding around the ranch and is more than accurate enough to drop pigs and whitetail out to about 100-150 yds. Only other issues I ever had are the factory scope rings are junk. The screws would back out after about 40 rds even after re torqueing to spec. Replaced with Leupold scope mounts and haven’t had a problem since

  71. I’ve had one of these in a youth version for a little over a year. Worst firearm I’ve ever owned. It jams every second round, is difficult to load, and even after multiple efforts at machining and correcting feed ramp and mag spring it won’t feed properly. Compared to Savage rifles, it’s not nearly as accurate or dependable. In terms of it being a youth model, I won’t even use it for that as I consider it unsafe with all the feed issues. I think a comparison of this rifle to any Remington firearm to be laughable and a real disservice to those who may be new to shooting sports. Avoid; there are far better options for your money.

  72. I bought the mossberg 100 atr in 30-06 cal. in 2010. I put a cheap Centerpoint scope on it. I’m getting 5 shot groups at 100 yards that can be covered by a dime. The action is smooth as silk. I found that I can remove the ammo without cycling by pushing down on the nose of the bullet.

  73. Just bought a used .308 ATR for $100. I also picked up an NCstar 4-16X50 range finder scope for $45. At a 100 yards I get an inch moa. I think that is ok for a $145 rig.

  74. I have had an (apparently) older model, purchased back in 2007. Different models and all. Mine is in 30.06 SPRG, with 20 inch barrel. Single stage trigger, not adjustable, and no trigger safety piece. I can say I really enjoy shooting it, since I’ve put on a clamp on muzzle brake. Either that route or thread muzzle, and then go with a threaded brake for 308 or larger. I can’t say mine is bad, it’s deff a great shooter. Accurate as all get out. What maybe affects accuracy is some stocks are all hollow, and composite. Not wood and dense. Price point is what really sold me, and ease of use. I was able to fit on a Howa long action magwell, to allow use of 5 or 10 round box mags. It’s not really a ‘drop in’ part. Technically, magwell is for Mossberg 1500. But the 1500 and 100 ATR use the same receiver. So it was just getting the magwell to bolt into the stock using action screws, and set for the height to where rounds feed reliably. So I don’t know if anyone has had an issue with their moss 100. Since the guns been out of production, looks to be the Moss 1500 is now the go-to customizable bolt action from them.
    Hope that info helps anyone out there.

  75. Recently set up one of these for a friends father. the only good thing I have to say about this rifle is the trigger, it came set 2.5lbs and it has a good feel. Rifle was in 270 I got a roughly 1 moa group toward the end of my break in steps. the stock has horrible fitment the bolt is sloppy and rough. the mag/round follower is plastic. safety is smooth enough. I would buy an SPS over this rifle or AXIS hands down no question ?. You would be way better off spending a lil extra money if can. Unless I won one of these, from a raffle I would not own this weapon.

  76. Do you like guns, and are you thinking of buying a firearm to hunt, but you don’t know which one to decide on? It usually happens the first time you search buy firearms online, so Legit Arms shows you everything related to this world to help you decide on the one that best suits your taste and needs.
    Please feel free to visit our website https://www.legitarmsdealer.com/

Comments are closed.