My First Rifle / Fire Arm?

something like a 6.5 Jap x .257 Roberts Improved.
or a .250-3000 Lovell.
.25-06 is good.
.300 H&H Magnum.

reply to post by cavscout

I'll admit there are rounds more accurate than the .223, and there are certainly rounds more powerful. But that old Mini-14 has served me well. I have no trouble dropping a whitetail in a single shot; the small, fast bullet will bark a squirrel easily; the recoil is minor; rounds are cheap. It's a good compromise all around, IMHO.

But the thing I really love about it is that it is lightweight and easy to carry, plus ammo is plentiful. When I bought that gun, I was able to pick up 5 boxes of military ammo for it for a song, and that has been about all the ammo I ever bought for it. Military ammo can be reloaded and I have found that the brass is generally stronger than civilian brass. I have reloaded some of that original brass over 20 times, which is amazing compared to those stronger rounds like the .308 or the .444.

If you want to reload military ammo, you need one additional tool: a small hand reamer. The primers are crimped in, and you'll need to hit the primer socket once with the hand reamer before you reload the first time.

If you have a weapon that you can shoot cheaply, that means you are more able to practice, and the .223 is perfect than that. I use mine for two reasons: hunting with a 5-round clip and scaring the mundanes with the 30-round clip and a twitchy finger. Start mowing down targets behind your house, and you will soon get a reputation as being the last guy to mess with. You will also learn the true meaning of gun control: being able to hit your target first time, every time.

I have one real gripe with rimfire: it can't be reloaded. I was able to shoot when I got my first gun (S&W 66, .357, stainless w/6" barrel), but I became a shooter when I got my old RCBS setup. Anyone who wants to become proficient at handling arms should consider a reloading bench. The only way to practice is to burn powder, and ammo can become expensive.

TheRedneck

I recomend starting here
www.amazon.com...

and here
www.brownells.com...

If it's a one gun choice, research is your best friend right now!

I can only offer this...self defence=one shot
if its more than one shot needed your prolly skrewed to start with.

So IMHO I would say a bolt gun maybe a .222, .22LR, 17 remington, .22hornet, all of which I own and upon getting a $25 lee loader all my ammo costs less than $.20 to reload. .22lr =not reloadable
I just like knowing that Saturdays is left eye, Sundays is right eyes, for hunting purposes and shooter learning ability/ and positioning.

But I'm from the school of "one,well thought shot" not lets paint the country side with lead.
I lean toward the idea that if your under attack and you start picking ppl off @ 800 yds "head shots" the next guys will be ...lets say less than eager to continue an aproach.

ETA the reasoning for the .222 choice is the .223 the .222 rounds can be fired from a .223 and after fireformed can be reloded to a .223 altrhough the case is about .080" shorter.
The .223 can't go the other way around.

[edit on 16-12-2009 by Doc Holiday]

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


i agree 100% with you and 22 wmr was what i was going to say until i read your post. it is a nasty round but small enough for squirrels but enough to kill deer with a good shot and is very accurate-i can hit a golf ball at 80 yards nearly everytime with mine- and is just a cheap marlin w/ a bushnell scope.
and to the op- thisguyright here is right- start with a rimfire with low recoil and get used to shooting first- then you can get used to more powerful cartridges-you will develop a bad case of flinching otherwise.
i hunt with a remington 700 in 30/06 and believe me it is not for a beginner. i go to the range and blow off just 10 rounds rounds and my shoulder reminds me the next day of what i did
my ak-47 in 7.62x39 is a nice gun, small but heavy so it has low recoil and ballistics are comparable to a 30/30(which has killed more deer inamerica than any other cartridge)
there is also a trick i don't reccomend for shooting small game such as squirrels and rabbits with a high powered rifle- it is called "barking"
aim near the squirrel and the impact of the bullet next to it stuns it or kills it or the bark shreds will. always remember how powerful a gun is- this isn't hollywood where the bullet just stops when it hits a person or other animal.

I am a big fan of the AK-47. If it's within your price range, try to get a per-ban Chinese Norinco. I also really dig the Saiga variant (much cheaper and easier to come by). If I had to have just one rifle I would take the AK personally.


"Avtomat Kalashnikova model of 1947. More commonly known as the AK-47, or Kalashnikov. It's the world's most popular assault rifle. A weapon all fighters love. An elegantly simple 9 pound amalgamation of forged steel and plywood. It doesn't break, jam, or overheat. It'll shoot whether it's covered in mud or filled with sand. It's so easy, even a child can use it." - Lord of War

Originally posted by kerazeesicko
YEE HAW your first gun HYUK

. Don't forget to ask gran pappy on how to shoot possum. Never shoot while drunk on moonshine

.

Crap! I do it all the time. Squirrels is to fast when I am well oiled.
LOL

I think you need a .22 for plinking and some small game.
A .243 or a .270 rifle for large game and long distance.
A 12 ga. shotgun for birds, small game and slugs for deer.
A Glock .357 for intruders. Useless if kept unloaded.
A real challenge for squirrels when I am loaded.

Originally posted by Animal
Okay so I am looking at buying my first rifle. I really would like to buy just one - ever.

For hunting and god forbid protection - mostly for hunting.

I was wondering what I should start out with.

After a bit of poking around I was thinking 308 or 30-06.

Suggestions on either? On if these are the 'right' choice? Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers.

Good Plan pick the caliber that works best for your needs... now between the two I'd say go with the .30-06 Springfield as you'll find a larger array of quality hunting ammo for every type of North American game.

Ideas of self protection should come secondary
A good hunting rifle does not necessary make the best assault rifle but then I don't take an M 4 elk hunting either...

the old saying is a good hunter can feed his family for a year with only a handful of shells but in a firefight even a thousand rounds might not be enough... trust me, its true

Even with a M-60 if on your own and faced with a protracted firefight sometimes its best to slip away quietly ... go for the good qual hunting rifle if need be it can be pressed to double duty

Everyone has an opinion. If you want to hunt, state laws will determine what you buy. In my neck of the woods, high powered rifles are a no no in deer season. A good shotgun with interchangeable barrels should be considered. The possibilities are extensive and would allow you to hunt deer with a slug barrel and also allow you to hunt small game, field birds, turkey and water fowl.

I have used a Remington 11-87 for years. I can hunt with it and also take it to the trap and skeet range for a little extra fun. While you at it pick up a Ruger 10/22. You can get one for under $200 and you can trick it out down the road in a wide variety of ways at a reasonable price while doing most of the work yourself.