For me the only .22 auto loader to buy would be a 10/22. I own 3 of them. My son bought an AR lower on his 18th birthday and built it from the ground up. He has been into and around guns for a long time though. Might not be the best thing to start with.
You are screening out some truly great vintage autoloading .22LR rifles. Like Mossbergs, Savage, Stevens, Remington, Beretta, Winchester, Browning, BRNO, etc. Many of heirloom quality yet quite affordable.
I have a cz 455 american, great little gun! Mine is in 17 hmr, but extra barrels are cheap and you can have it in 22lr. 22wmr and 17hmr. Real wood and steel, and no cheap plastic like a lot of todays rimfires. Would make a great first gun i belive:thumbup:
In Norway (immensly expensive country) a cz 455 barrel is ca.150$ and the rifle is about 500$ So for about 650$ u can have a very nice rifle in 2 calibers. Good too have a 22lr for plinking, and a 17mhr/22wmr for small game hunting ☺
Thanks for all the info, guys. Lots of food for thought. He is thinking a good basic .22 and a good larger caliber that can handle elk and the smaller moose that populate lower Canada. Appreciate the cumulative experience.
I got my 12 year old Grandson a New England Firearms single shot in .204 Ruger with a 3X9 Nikon Prostaff scope, Got his first buck at 117 yards last week... You can have several different barrels fitted to this action for around 150 bucks. Very safe gun for 1st timers
Obviously there has been a plethora of responses, but I'll still throw in my two cents. MY favorite bolt action rifle on the market right now, is CZ. They are a Mauser type action which is simple, reliable, and been around for over 100 years. Most come with a lovely single set trigger, they're a pretty good deal when you look at quality and features. It comes in most of your common calibers, as well as some safari, and "European" cartridges. The 550 and 527 series are the ones chambered in medium, and large center-fire cartridges. If finding ammo is not an issue, I would recommend 6.5x55 (I could spew on forever about ballistics, but I'll save that for another conversation). If you are worried about the commonality of ammunition, I would recommend staying with the .30-06, or a .270 Winchester. The 270 will still take just about anything here in the states, and if he ever gets the chance to hunt in some open country, it shoots a little flatter than the .30. My personal favorite is the "FS" which features a full length stock, which isn't for everyone, but I love the way it looks. If you're still looking, here's the link. http://cz-usa.com/product-category/rifles/
Thanks 1 1/2. My brother says he loves his Mauser action rifle which he says is a modernized version of the buffalo rifle used by Tom Selleck in the movie "Quigley Down Under". He also likes a couple of old lever actions in the 200's. This is of course in the bigger bores. I think I'll check out some of these suggestions online and also stop by the local Cabela's as well as a few locally owned gun shops. I like buying local for a number of reasons, even if it costs a little more. Again, thanks for all the great info.
I don't post much, here or anywhere. but this question I'll answer. I have at least one of nearly every rifle mentioned in this thread, rimfire or centerfire. THE class act in lower priced 22 RF's these days is the Ruger American. The American series of centerfires also represent a great bargain. The accuracy is great, the trigger adjustable and very good, the ergonomics with multiple available stock "inserts" to adjust length of pull and cheekpiece height has no competition, and the aftermarket is already beginning for upgrade parts. To top it all off they have the best magazine in the business, bar none, at any cost: The one designed for the 10/22 50 years ago. The basic model is pictured n this thread, and they offer a "Predator" variant that has a greenish composite stock and a slightly heavier and shorter barrel with no open sights, and a threaded muzzle. The threads are for a suppressor, and expensive but very cool accessory that's probably legal in Oregon, but probably not in a student's budget!
Hey guys, Thanks so much for your input! I figured I'd check back in and let y'all in on how it's worked out so far. He decided on not just one, but two Ruger Americans, .22lr and 30.06. He also picked up an old sporterized 30.06 Enfield. It still has open sites so we need to figure out how to put a scope on it. He is now saving up for possibly a .308 Tikka Lite for distance shooting. He is also interested in reloading. Ammo ain't cheap!
Gotta recommend a venue all Americans learning to shoot should do. Mixing history lessons with practical skills building all around the country: http://www.appleseedinfo.org Here is a quote from the website "Project Appleseed can help transform you from a man with a rifle into a Rifleman. A Rifleman is more than a man (or woman) with a rifle. A Rifleman understands that owning and mastering a rifle is part of his heritage as an American. And he knows why: This is a nation founded by Riflemen -- men and women skilled in the use of arms."
The CZ 22LR bolt actions are very well guarded if you want to go that route. Ruger 10-22 are great if you want to tinker with your rifle a lot. For hunting, a modern bolt action from any manufacturer will be a good choice. Stick with a mainstream caliber unless you are hunting something with specific requirements (Elk, Grizzly bears, etc. or Pronghors, etc.). Also, avoid the lightweight rifles and hard kickers. Both are hard on beginning and novice shooters.
