The M18 is designed to compete with the rifles like the savage Axis, Ruger American, Mossberg Patriot, Howa, Wby Vanguard, etc. You get the picture. The M18 is low budget, and made with some cost cutting manufacturing techniques such as having a threadless, heat/ press fit barrel. However, they supposedly use hammer forged barrels that come off the same line line as Blaser, Rigby, and the higher end Mauser branded rifles. They are a cheap Tupperware rifle that is built very well, and shoots very well. I believe the same is true for all of the rifles I mentioned as it’s market competitors. The truth is that it’s actually getting quite difficult to buy a newly manufactured inaccurate rifle these days. Today’s precise manufacturing tolerances make for some very accurate bottom of the barrel rifles.