Help Me Choose a Rifle

Iboschi

Iboschi

Joined
Sep 17, 2009
Messages
2,692
Here's an opportunity to weigh in on some needed gun advice. I've been interested in expanding my knowledge on firearms and have begun to do so. I've started with a Glock 30 and a Winchester Model 1300 12 Gauge. Now, I'm interested in a multi-purpose rifle. I'll probably not buy another for a couple of years and would like something very versatile. However, I've been reading a number of accounts of "What is best" and the opinions vary according to taste and well, sometimes it looks like a pissing contest.

What I'm looking for is really best covered by multiple firearms but I'll see if we can narrow my options down here at any rate.

1) I would like to be able to hunt in California with it if I desire.

2) I would like to be able to hunt small and large game (I've lost some of you already, I know. I should use two guns, but humor me please).

3) I would like to be cost efficient with ammo (.45 ACP KILLS me), so I can hit the range and have fun without breaking the bank.

UPDATE

4) I would like the rifle to be inexpensive as well ( I KNOW I KNOW, SORRY!!!).

5) I would like it to be fairly lightweight.

Am I just too crazy for words or is this an achievable goal?

UPDATE

I've decided on a .22 but still need some direction on specific manufacturers and features! On page two:

Iboschi said:
Alright, based largely on the recommendations here I've decided to start with a .22. There have been recommendations on manufacturer and features but I could use more. I hate buying junk but don't want to buy a stock .22 for eight hundred dollars.

I like the thought of a lower maintenance synthetic stock, but I'm not sure what advantages wood has. I would prefer something I can nearly abuse but not worry to much about. Are there any advantages/disadvantages to the stainless barrels? Should I stick with a blue'd steel?

I've seen some recommendations for Ruger 10/22's and Savage. Can I go wrong with either? Should I just pick the less expensive of the two?

Lastly, What is the deal with these vintage refurbished military rifles I see at Big 5 Sporting Goods? I've seen mention of some and am curious if I should just grab one of those too? When I was a child I bought a .303 and rounds were not cheap. Will I find this to be the issue with most of these rifles? I saw one today for one hundred dollars. I think it was some Slavic Mauser, but I'm not sure. Should I just pick one of those up also and see what it can do?
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When you say small and large game, do you mean in California as well or do you mean Bear or Elk somewhere else?

If you'd like something that can handle deer in California and still be a good small game rifle, I'd have to go with a .243 or 6.5 Swede. Both are relatively inexpensive, very accurate, available just about everywhere and will dothe job nicely.

As for a budget rifle, Savage Model 11 is a popular choice. You'd have to spend a little more on a CZ to get a 6.5X55 but surplus ammo is cheaper than new .243.
 
Great suggestions Rupestris, love all those calibers, however, the problem is not killing the small game it is having anything left. any center fire that is enough for deer will turn a cottontail into soup. I would suggest saving a bit more for a 22 for the small stuff, or using the shotty you already have. Chris
 
Yup.

and look at Mosin-Nagant M44s. Russian design, in production for 120 years, World War battle rifle in .30 caliber, relatively inexpensive milsurp practice ammo.

There's a site...try: 7.62x54.net maybe? with huge amounts of info.

That, or with the crappy economy, more guys will be selling their used, but perfect, "extra" rifles. Think .308/30-06/7.62x54 ish.

have fun.
 
August West said:
Great suggestions Rupestris, love all those calibers, however, the problem is not killing the small game it is having anything left. any center fire that is enough for deer will turn a cottontail into soup. I would suggest saving a bit more for a 22 for the small stuff, or using the shotty you already have. Chris
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True. I think I had varmint hunting on the noggin. Prairie dog, ground hog, etc. Wasn't thinking with my stomach. :D
 
How about a combo gun? .22lr and larger caliber of your choice. You can get interchangeable barrels like the Rossi, or 2 barrels like the Savage 24. Or you can get a single shot 12 or 20 guage H&R and try one of the inserts (I've never tried it but I've read a few good things).

Hunting laws vary, but you already have the answer to both small and large game in one gun. That 12 ga. can take anything in North America with good shot placement. It'll take rabbits and ducks, deer and bear, but you'll have to check the gun laws for large game.

If you decide on a caliber and want inexpensive then check out the H&R's that come in a huge variety of calibers, but are single shots. If you want inexpensive multiple shots then consider the Savages, as they're a best bang for the buck, rifle and are dead on accurate.

Sorry, probably not what you were hoping for, but it's a tall order.
 
OK i'm sure i'll catch some flak, but here we go........my personal choice is a savage 110 in 30-06. Alright stop laughing, hear me out on this. You can load real heavy, 220 gr for large game, or light 110 gr. with reduced load for small game, without liqufying it.
Accelerator rounds for crow is some real fun(looks like a featherduster exploded).
I do some reloading for this and have had alot of sucess on both ends of the power scale. All around this old favorite is still a good choice, just look up the load data. jmo.
 
Can you hunt with Semi-Automatic Rifles in California? Does anyone have a good resource for what is legal or not legal in CA in regards to hunting?
 
Why not buy a nice .22 rifle and pistol first?

If you are just getting into guns you want to spend a lot of time shooting them and a nice 22 rifle and pistol and will improve your marksmanship.:thumbup:
 
Already, you folks are coming through. Great answers and information. Please keep those recommendations coming. I'd like to soak them all up, and then I'll have more questions I'm sure. My initial thoughts are between two different types. I'm considering either a 30-06 or a 7mm OR a .22 or a .223.

It would first seem I need to decide if I want the larger caliber or smaller caliber. The 7mm packs a whollop and seems a bit over the top. If I shot any small game, they would likely explode. The 30-06 seems more reasonable but I'm gonna have to pay for some customizations and ammo isn't real cheap.

If I choose the smaller caliber, the .223 seems to have more velocity and more stopping power, but they're much more expensive and the rounds aren't really cheap either. The .22 looks like a good start I guess: They're cheap, and so is ammo. I think you can buy high velocity rounds for them? Can we narrow down some inexpensive .22 options? I was looking at some 10/22's the other day and I have no idea what I want in one. Can I even use one for hunting in CA? I thought knives were complicated but firearms take the cake.
 
Would opt for .308 because surplus ammo is cheaper than 30-06 or .270 Win. (but truth be told, the .270 is a better all around cal.)

You can get a package deal with scope pretty inexpensive and Savage makes possibly the most accurate out of the box barrel.
 
Iboschi said:
I was looking at some 10/22's the other day and I have no idea what I want in one. Can I even use one for hunting in CA? I thought knives were complicated but firearms take the cake.
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10/22's are cheap and shoot great. You can get a big magazine for them and a scope and have a lot of fun
 
Pretty much, you're not going to find something big-game capable that will take small game and leave anything left, unless you can head shot them every time.

So I'll say, go for a big-game rifle, and use your shotgun for small game hunting, or, go for a .22 and use your shotgun for big game hunting. You could just use your shotgun for everything, but then you don't get to buy a new gun;)

For a big game rifle, Savages are always pretty much the first name thrown out there for a budget level shooter. Marlin has the new XL-7, of which I've heard loads of good things. Take a look around on the used market, that's where I picked up my hunting rifle, and I got a super good deal on it.

As for calibres, pretty much all of the common calibres are about the same price up here. .243, .270, 30-30, .30-06, etc. are about the same price, give or take a dollar or two per box. If I was you, I'd go with a .270. Fast, flat shooting, big enough to take most any large game. Admittedly, I shoot a 7mm Rem Mag, because I got the rifle for a super good deal, but I'd love a .270 as a deer rifle. FWIW, 7mm Mag is a wicked cartridge, that I would absolutely recommend, though it's more expensive to shoot than the others I mentioned.

Also, if it's CA legal(not sure on your gun laws, just that they're almost as bad, if not worse than Canada), check out an SKS. Dirt cheap to buy, dirt cheap to shoot. It'll make a pretty decent deer rifle, and you can get brass-cased high quality hunting rounds for it, though you'll pay a decent penny for them.

If you don't have your heart set on a big game rifle, I'd take a look at getting a .22, as Hollowdweller mentioned. Filthy cheap to shoot, loads of fun, and you'll improve your skills. I just picked up a Marlin 981T, and I think it's pretty freakin awesome. Bolt action, so it'll shoot .22 short, long, and LR, and it's way easier to clean than a 10/22 or Mod. 60. Tube magazine, so you don't need to spend more money on extra magazines, and you've got nothing to forget to bring to the range.

In the end, for something cheap to shoot, I'd look at either an SKS, or a .22. Even the cheaper priced cartridges I mentioned above, are still about $20 a box up here. Throwing a dollar down range every time you shoot isn't exactly what I'd call cheap. You've got a few different options, so I'd say look into each of them, weigh out the pros and cons, and go from there.
 
I bought a basic 10/22 from Sports Authority for about 150. Spent 25 bucks on a new hammer/sear and recoil bumper and the thing was niiiice. With an aftermarket barrel and a little tinkering at home you can shoot great groups out to 75+ yards. and you're only in the hole about 250-300 total.

I have shot larger game with 22s and they are not favorable for anything over 30-40lbs. With animals reaching the larger end of the range we always used Stingers. They did the job just like any other rifle from close range. Headshots were preferable. BUuuut: I'm pretty sure its illegal to take anything but small game with a 22 in most states.

I would just buy a nice all around big game gun (endless choices: 30-06, 7-08, 308, 270 are good choices) for large game (deer,pig,coyote etc) and use the 12ga with appropriate shot sizes for small game. The 12ga will take care of any squirrel/rabbit/bird problems you have
 
strongbowhunter said:
OK i'm sure i'll catch some flak, but here we go........my personal choice is a savage 110 in 30-06. Alright stop laughing, hear me out on this. You can load real heavy, 220 gr for large game, or light 110 gr. with reduced load for small game, without liqufying it.
Accelerator rounds for crow is some real fun(looks like a featherduster exploded).
I do some reloading for this and have had alot of sucess on both ends of the power scale. All around this old favorite is still a good choice, just look up the load data. jmo.
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Exactly.:thumbup:
A Remington 788 in 308 is even lighter and still fairly reasonable on the used market.
 
Maybe something like the Rossi Trifecta: single shot frame with 3 barrels: 20ga., .22LR, and .243WIN....MSRP is only $334.00
 
If a .22 is even on the 'maybe' list, then the answer is .22. They are incredibly versatile, rugged, and cheap to feed. Fun to shoot, easy to learn on, easy to teach with. They also don't wear you out over long shooting sessions.

You'll probably never hear advice against a 10/22, they're good rifles.

I prefer bolt actions when it comes to outdoor rifles/.22's. My Savage MkII is extremely lightweight, has synthetic furniture that I don't have to baby, and has good iron sights on it. It's just a boringly accurate, handy, fun rifle. Also dirt-cheap!

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SpookyPistolero said:
If a .22 is even on the 'maybe' list, then the answer is .22. They are incredibly versatile, rugged, and cheap to feed. Fun to shoot, easy to learn on, easy to teach with. They also don't wear you out over long shooting sessions.

You'll probably never hear advice against a 10/22, they're good rifles.

I prefer bolt actions when it comes to outdoor rifles/.22's. My Savage MkII is extremely lightweight, has synthetic furniture that I don't have to baby, and has good iron sights on it. It's just a boringly accurate, handy, fun rifle. Also dirt-cheap!

pix513748359.jpg
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spooky is there anyway to mount a scope on that?
I found one for 80$ at a local store im going to buy it anyway but im curious
 
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