Purchasing my first rifle

[Zach]

I know there are tons of opinions just looking for some advice...

I am looking into purchasing my first rifle. (after wife approval of course) I would basically be using the rifle for sport shooting and possibly hunting. (I doubt the wife would approve of a 'scary' looking weapon so something basic is crucial!)

Any suggestions? Pictures would be nice!

Cheers!

 

[TRLREDY]

What kind of action(bolt, semi-auto, lever) are you looking for and what caliber size? Many options available.

 

[NateIU10]

Yes, a little more info is needed I think.

 

[indyjoe]

For your very first rifle, I would recommend and good .22. A Ruger 10/22 would give you many options and allow you to learn how to shoot properly (at an Appleseed or similar) with very little ammo cost. This would also be good for small game hunting (squirrel, rabbit, etc.) It is also gentle enough to shoot if she ever chose to.

If you are talking larger caliber rifle, in Indiana, you need to specify what you are hunting. For deer, you can't use what other states would typically have for high powered rifles. Also, what type of sport shooting?

Do you have a shotgun or pistol for home defense? Would an "ugly black rifle" be less ugly if she saw it as a home defense weapon?

 

[Scutter01]

You might consider picking up a Mosin Nagant. It's not exactly an ideal rifle in a number of respects, but they can be had very cheap (as little as $70) and they're super rugged. If nothing else, it would be a low-cost way to introduce yourself to rifles to get an idea of what you'd actually like out of a rifle.

 

[rhino]

I think a .22 makes a good first rifle (and 100th rifle for that matter). They are cheap to feed and they make learning marksmanship skills easier than centerfire rifles.

I also think bolt-action rifles make an ideal first rifle. You can concentrate on trigger control and follow-through without the temptation to dump a 25 rd magazine as fast as you can pull the trigger. I know that 100 rounds with a bolt action is a lot of shooting for one afternoon, especially if you make every shot count.

I think the best bets for bolt action .22s are CZ and Savage.

If you want a self-loader, the Ruger 10/22 is the industry standard and has the most options for customization. Everyone should have one!

 

[Bill of Rights]

I know there are tons of opinions just looking for some advice...

I am looking into purchasing my first rifle. (after wife approval of course) I would basically be using the rifle for sport shooting and possibly hunting. (I doubt the wife would approve of a 'scary' looking weapon so something basic is crucial!)

Any suggestions? Pictures would be nice!

Cheers!

(Edit: this was started before anyone else responded. I didn't realize I typed so slowly!)

It will depend upon what you choose to hunt, if you do that. If you're looking for target/plinking/sport shooting, I doubt anyone will argue that a good .22LR rifle is a good purchase. Most seem to recommend the Ruger 10/22, but Savage, Marlin, and a few others make good offerings, too. This also has the benefit of being pretty much free of recoil, allowing you to develop good habits.

If you're looking for a larger caliber that's also "inexpensive", both to purchase and to "feed", I've heard it said that it's hard to beat a good Mosin-Nagant. I do not own one, so I can't speak from personal experience, but they appear to be built very well. The 7.62x54R cartridge is not as inexpensive as .22LR, but it's still far less than .223. I should warn you though, that the recoil is said to be.... how can I put this... "respectable" (one internet source says it's useful to relocate shoulders dislocated by the previous shot)

In the end, you'll probably do well to go and rent or borrow so you can feel how various rifles feel and shoot for you, much as is true of handguns.

Once you make a choice and have it, please post back and let us know what choice you made.

Blessings,
B

 

[Scutter01]

If you're looking for a larger caliber that's also "inexpensive", both to purchase and to "feed", I've heard it said that it's hard to beat a good Mosin-Nagant. I do not own one, so I can't speak from personal experience, but they appear to be built very well. The 7.62x54R cartridge is not as inexpensive as .22LR, but it's still far less than .223. I should warn you though, that the recoil is said to be.... how can I put this... "respectable" (one internet source says it's useful to relocate shoulders dislocated by the previous shot)

The recoil separates the boys from the men.

 

[indyjoe]

The recoil separates the boys from the men.

Well somebody give one to Michael Jackson, right quick!

 

[smooth308]

Another good choice is a remmy 700 sps in a bolt gun like in 223. Less recoil and a good platform relitivly cheap. Altough not a cheap as a 22.

 

[bigcraig]

Ruger 10/22 to start.
AR, all American male citizens should have one and know how to use it.
Bolt action .308.

You should have one of each in your collection IMHO.

 

[Marc]

always best to start out with low caliber

 

[techres]

The 10/22 is also a crossdresser. At home it can look all woody and domestic. At the range, with a few minutes and a screwdriver, it suddenly can look all EBR and nasty. It is also a great trainer.

If, however, you want a rifle that can look just friendly enough to get in the door, but not evil enough to get you tossed out the door, try a Ruger mini-14. Not a bad choice as a defense rifle, home weapon and hunting rifle.

 

[G McBride]

I don't know what type of hunting you want to do with the rifle. If it is squirrel, rabbit, and small vermin, I would suggest a 22 rifle. If you plan on modifying your rifle and you have decided a 22 is right for you, I would suggest a Ruger 10/22. There is simply more of everything out there for a 10/22

 

[Marc]

remington 700 vtr .308

remington 700 sps varmint .223

i learned on the .223 and recently moved up to the .308

 

[Bill of Rights]

Off-topic

I'm just curious... did anyone ever promise them that their 72 virgins would be female?

Blessings,
B

 

[GetA2J]

Zach,
You mentioned in your original post that the rifle was to be used for sport shooting and possibly hunting.
In my opinion you have no choice but a .22 rifle. For sport shooting you have:
1) Range plinking.
2) steel shoots (like the one coming up on 04Oct2008 in Riley)
3) Hunting small game like squirrel, and rabbit.

All of the other rifle calibers have very specialized hunting usefullness in IN. Indiana controls what you can hunt with for almost all game. Exceptions are cyote, squirrel, and rabbit. I could be wrong and I am certain someone will correct me if so.
Enjoy your new found hobby!!!!

 

[Metro 40]

.

 

[melensdad]

I will make a new post about what kind of rifle I should look for...

I would buy an AR15. First off the purchase of new AR15s may be banned soon so buy one while you can, it will only go up in value, making it a smart investment.

Secondly, if you and your Brother In Law go hunting, you can use the AR15, properly configured, on your hunting trip. If hunting deer in Indiana, pick up an "upper" in 458 Socom. That is a legal rifle hunting cartridge in Indiana for whitetail deer.

Third, if you want to go to the range to target shoot, you can get a target grade 223/5.56 caliber "upper" and shoot sub-MOA holes into paper targets.

The beauty of the AR15 platform is that it is modular, not very different than LEGO toys. You can literally buy new upper receivers in a dozen or more different calibers and in less than a minute change the gun from a hunting rifle to a 100 yard target rifle, to a tactical CQB rifle, to a handgun caliber carbine, to a 1000 yard target rifle. Or you could even make it into a cheap & fun to shoot 22lr plinker and shoot all day for about $20 worth of ammo. All you have to do is pop off the top half of the gun put on a new top and then insert a new magazine with the appropriate caliber bullets! No wonder over 50% of all rifles sold in the USA today are AR15s. They are no longer assault weapons, they are now popular rifles suitable for everyone. Heck even my 13 year old daughter has her own AR15.

 

[techres]

I would buy an AR15.

Everything about an AR15 would make it perfect except it's appearance makes some people fear that it will wake up in the night and devour their soul!

You want to sneak in a wolf in sheep's clothing? Try a Saiga, Vespr hunter, or a mini 14. But really, if you bring home a nasty, evil, black rifle (my favorite kind) as your first rifle and your journey into marital bliss and firearm ownership will be over before it began (unless you stored it off site).