What kind of gun should I get?

K

KennyB

Joined
Jan 19, 2010
Messages
2,312
Well, I didn't think this really belonged in Practical Tactical because it's not really related to self-defense. I just want a firearm to shoot for hobby, and since that would be outdoors I figured this would be the most appropriate place to ask.

I want to get my first firearm. I won't really be doing anything with it except "target" shooting, marksmanship stuff. I just basically like the marksmanship stuff... I have air rifles, I enjoy being able to reach out and touch something and challenging myself with that. However, they can feel a little boring compared to the exhilarating feeling of firing a powerful firearm. I've shot a few powder-burners and the experience in general is fun. It's one thing to enjoy marksmanship challenges with a puny little air gun, but it's a different feeling to be able to send a .30-30 down range on target. Same with a .357 magnum, first time I hit a coffee can at 50 yds the first time i shot one--gives you a nice feeling. I want to be able to put all 5 into the can, double-action, 25 yards. Just to do it really. :P

The only problem with those particular catridges... Well, they're mostly intended for killing animals and people, and so far the guns made for them and so the prices are generally pretty darn high. I mean, I could get a .22 rifle or pistol for around $200, but I'm not sure that would really give me the "wow" factor I want. I've fired a 10/22 and it's almost like firing an air rifle on steroids. Just doesn't give me the same rush

So I want a firearm, and a somewhat higher power firearm, just for the kicks of it. I'm just not really sure if I want to get a rifle or a pistol. Price is a big consideration as I don't really want to spend much more than about $300, and that makes it kind of difficult since the .357 I want (Ruger SP101 or GP101 ) is about $500 and the .30-30 I want (Marlin 336C) is also about $500.

Now, on top of that, as far as picking a rifle versus a pistol... I'm not sure which one I'd be more happy with. I think I can fire more rounds, more comfortably for longer out of the .357 because the rifle makes my shoulder hurt after a while. Then again, if I ever do find a place to shoot out to a few hundred yards or more, I'm not really going to be able to do that with the pistol.

The one other thing that the pistol has going for it though, is that when/if I ever decide I want to carry a piece of self-defense, I'll already have a gun well suited for that. So I'm kind of leaning towards a pistol since it's pretty decent just for a first firearm to go out into the woods and shoot with. I've fired one at a 100 yd range and I think it would offer some fun target shooting capability, but a part of me feels like I could get a rifle for cheaper and that getting the pistol on that kind of dual-purpose basis isn't very well thought out.

But,. yeah, mostly my criteria is...

How close is it to the $300 range ( or lower)
Can I go out and shoot targets at decent ranges ( greater than or at 50 yards )
Does it have the "Wow" factor
 
You can get surplus Mausers, Mosin Nagants, and SKS's pretty cheap. Best fit for your criteria that I can think of.

Frosty
 
Frostyfingers said:
You can get surplus Mausers, Mosin Nagants, and SKS's pretty cheap. Best fit for your criteria that I can think of.

Frosty
Click to expand...

Oh, yeah, I remember hearing about those (particularly the Mosin Nagants), but the worry I had was about the ammunition. Basically want to find the right round that is cheap and easy to come by and I've heard people complain that it's hard to find anything but bulk ammo for those military surplus type guns. Any truth to that?
 
Last edited:
if you like target shooting have you ever considered getting a shotgun and skeet shooting?
 
You can get a Mosin Nagant 91/30 or possibly even a carbine model M38 or M44 (when they have them), Plus 440 rounds of corrosive surplus ammo (which I use) for about your $300 price range. They are not the best on accuracy but definately have the WOW factor you are after.

Ooooh they have the M44 instock now (which is what I have) for $199. and they have the 440 round spam cans for $69.99 http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx?item=F3M44


But I love shooting pistols though, I'll have to think if there's anything in that price range that I would consider. Everything I'm thinking of right now is closer to $400 +
 
battboy said:
if you like target shooting have you ever considered getting a shotgun and skeet shooting?
Click to expand...

No, not really, I'm more into the pin-point type shooting... Small targets/Long ranges. Plus the only time I fired a shotgun it was a 12 ga. and I didn't really like the kickback.
 
It seems like your on a budget so you will want to take in to consideration the cost of the ammo for the gun you choose. These are an approximation from my experience with ammo cost at walmart or other local stores for the cost of ammo. A box of cheap .22's will cost you $20 for 550 rounds(best damn deal there is in ammo), 9mm -$10 for 50 rounds, .40-$16 for 50 rounds, .45 $17.50 for 50 rounds, .38 $14 for 50 rounds, .357 $20 for 50 rounds. Personally I would choose a Ruger .22 pistol for mostly target shooting, either the Mark II or III. I own the Mark III and it's a joy to shoot and I can plink all day on $20 bucks. If you need more pop then a .22 then a 9mm or .38 would be good and easy on the wallet when shooting, both can be found in the $300 range by various makers and in various sizes. Good luck bro, happy shooting!
 
If I were you I think I would buy a .223 rifle for my first firearm if I had the same criteria. It has a lot more recoil than a .22 but it won't wear out your shoulder if you shoot it all day. And a .223 has plenty of range. With some practice and after you learn how to properly adjust your scope you would be able to hit a silhouette size target out to 600 yards pretty easily. Look around there are a few different models if your price range.
 
You can get all kinds of decent pistols in the circa $300 price range. Some that come to mind are the Ruger MK II (.22LR), Ruger P95 (9mm) - would both make excellent range guns, if you aren't planning to CC (but would work in a pinch). Both 9mm & .22LR are cost effective & available almost anywhere...

If you want a carry gun eventually, you can get a snappy, yet reliable, Kel-tec PF-9 or PF 11 for around $270, go up to $350 a S&W 640 series .38 SPecial snubnose can be had, NIB.

For around $200 you can find a surplus CZ - 82 (9MM X18 Makarov) that is a real pleasure to shoot at the range or carry. The FMJ and carry 9X18 mak ammo is available in quantity discounts and cost effective from mil-surp dealers, for under $10/box of 50.

Good luck on you quest!
 
For a pistol +1 on the cz in your price range. Cz makes some great firearms.
 
Get a sig mosquito..... shoots .22lr and the gun is around $300. You can buy a box of 550 rounds .22lr from Walmart for around $18 and that will literally last you for hours at the range. My best advice for a new shooter is to go take a class of some sort.... don't have a friend teach you unless he's either military, law enforcement, or an instructor because from what I've seen most people I've seen at the range teaching their friends how to shoot have no idea how to shoot. And learning proper grip, stance, trigger control, sight alignment, and most of all safety can make shooting a LOT more enjoyable.
 
Since this is for fun and survival the military surplus bolt action rifles are the best bet for your $$$. But, a survival firearm has to be fairly accurate. You also indicated that you did not like the recoil. The M44, 7.62x54R kicks like a mule. I had one that shot 5 - 6" groups (poor).
I've had 4 Mosin Nagants. I don't remember any of them shooting better than a 3" group at 100 yds. I bought a surplus mauser 8x57 that would shoot sub 1" groups with RWS ammo. These rifles are in the 30-06 range in power and all have a kick to them. So you need to be careful and hopefully shoot a gun before you buy it to see if you are comfortable with the recoil and that the weapon is accurate. The SKS has about the same recoil as a 30-30 and they have about the same accuracy 3-4" as other military surplus firearms. If you get an SKS you will want to buy ammo in bulk because you can shoot a lot. With the heavier recoil rifles I might shoot 50 rds. in a day between 3 or 4 rifles. With the SKS I might shoot 200 + rounds in a day. But, you can do all of this on your $300 budget.

I think your best bet for a 'survival' firearm that won't cost a fortune is the Rossi Trifecta. You can get a single shot shotgun, rimfire, and centerfire for less than $300. Since it is a single shot shot you won't be burning up the food allowance.

I believe the best bet for the first outdoor 'survival' firearm is a rifle. Many tout the 12 gauge shotgun as the ultimate home defense. A 22 rimfire allows you to practice and shoot for fun and a centerfire .243 or larger will allow you to hunt large game if you so desire.
 
A .22 Rifle is a good option. They can be had in Single Shot, Pump Action, Lever action, Bolt Action and Semi Auto with in your price range. My favorite .22 Rifle right now is my Henry H001T Frontier model. I have had mine for about three and a half years and love it!! It's a tack driver with a very smooth action. They go for about $360 around here. Their Basic .22 Lever gun model H001 runs between $220 and $250 around here and is also a sweet shooter.

Browning and Savage both have Bolt Action .22's in your price range. H&R has some too along with some sweet Single Shots.

You could always save up for a .357 Magnum Marlin 1894C lever action Carbine. Mine handles every .357 Mag load I've run through it and all the .38 Specials also. Ruger just started making a Bolt Action .357 Mag that I've heard good things about.

If you can find a Surplus German Police SIG P225 9mm pistol, they will set you back between $299 and about $360. I got mine for $300 a few years ago. Them buggers are nice Single Stack 9mm's. Mine had holster wear but hadn't seen much actual use. Sold it to a neighbor last fall to pay for school. Talked with him the other day about it and he was amazed at how accurate the pistol is. He was so impressed with it that he is thinking of getting a new SIG P226 (double stack). If he does I may try to buy my old gun back from him. :)
 
I would suggest a rifle over the revolver. 22lr is cheap as can be, but it's no more fun then a quality air rifle IMO.
I also suggest 223, doesn't have to be an AR variant but that will give you a lot of options with a rifle, though its probably 300 over budget.
A savage would be in your price range and generally regarded as a quality bolt gun for the money.

A 357 in my experience is awesome for the first 20 rounds, but after that it's not a big deal and I'd rather shoot something more comfortable and practical for me.
 
One thing that a lot of people forget is that over all the FIREARM is the INEXPENSIVE part of shooting. In the first year you can very easily spend 5 or 10 times the cost of a firearm just to shoot it regularly. Ammo has gotten more expensive in the last several years, you also have to consider cleaning/maintenance costs, range costs, driving time and fuel. Also accessories if you're into that sort of thing.

Say I bought a $500 rifle. Maybe a used model 70 with a decent scope.
If I wanted to shoot 50 rounds a week that would be at least $50 a week just in ammo.
Then if I belonged to a range, that might be $200 a year. Or if I don't want to join it's usually $10-$15 to shoot for a non member.
I'd need to buy a good cleaning kit, which is a one time cost of around $30-50

So, as you can see. With start up costs and a year of shooting regularly, you can easily exceed the cost of the rifle by 600% or 6 times the cost of just a firearm. And that's not including travel expenses to and from your shooting location.
It's a pretty expensive hobby over all.

I don't mean to dissuade you, but don't expect the initial cost to be low :D

Be safe and have fun with what ever you choose!
 
I keep looking at the bolt action Marlin 22 mags...sound very accurate and cheap!
 
I have been a master firearms trainer for 15 years. For a first handgun i recommend a 22 lr.Not much noise no recoil to speak of and very accurate. Now if the gun is going to serve a dual purpose plinking and self defense I recommend a 4 inch barrel 357 magnum.You can practice pretty cheap with 38 specials and can load it with 357 magnum loads for self defense or 38 special +p rounds.
If you are looking at a rifle Mossberg, Savage,Remington and Marlin offer rifles in the $300 range.A 223 is a good round to start with.Once you are comfortable with recoil I would recommend a 308 for long range shooting.The firearm in the long run will be the cheapest cost to you.The ammo prices and where to shoot and cleaning supply's add up quick.This is just my 2 cents.Good luck to you.

Mike
 
rpn said:
I keep looking at the bolt action Marlin 22 mags...sound very accurate and cheap!
Click to expand...

I bought a used one at a pawn shop when I was in college. Still have it. I can't even begin to list the amount of game I've taken with that rifle. It is very accurate. 22 mag is an amazing caliber, and a blast to shoot. Get one... :)
 
I'm glad to see so many mentions of .223. It passed through my mind, but I dismissed it thinking I'd only find it in AR-15 ( or whatever clone, I'm not big on nomenclature sorry )

ac1d0v3r1d3,

Yeah, that's one thing I considered. I actually found out that a yearly membership for a local range would cost me significantly less than driving up to my "shooting spot" every weekend, and I had long been focusing on ammo costs. That's one of the reasons I wanted the actual firearm to come cheap since I expected at least $200 more investment on top of it.

wildmanh,

Yeah I checked out Marlin's website last night and realized they made one in .357, plus I'm pretty sure I'd handle that recoil just fine at the shoulder--felt fine in the hand, and the .30-30 I fired wasn't too bad either and I was firing heavier slugs. Plus, if later on down the road I found another bundle of cash to get a pistol I could get that .357 I was looking at.

The Sig P225 sounds like it would good too, and I think I would actually prefer a single-stack at this point.


I really did like the 10/22 that I shot, even though the .357 and the .30-30 kind of stole its thunder that day--plus my friend was trying to zero the scope.so I didn't get to use the open sights. It seemed pretty nice, especially with the 25 rd mag he had, but in some ways as i said it just kind of felt like an air rifle would. On the other hand it might be the best in terms of money, since it's $180 and I've already got scope and a cleaning kit for my air rifles that I could use for it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top