Rifle Advice?

[A.M.]

Hey all--

I'm looking to purchase a rifle (my first) and I am looking for advice. I tried to search and got more confused than before!

Is there any primer on "Getting your first rifle"?

I don't know whether to go semi-auto or bolt. I don't know what caliber. I don't know whether to buy it whole or get a lower and build it myself.

Anyone want to help a confuse soul?

Thanks in advance!

[Arkangel]

1st. What is the intended purpose of this rifle?

2nd. What is your budget?

[MXRider]

No, because you didn't say what you were going to use it for. Answer that question first.

[Mossy Man]

You obviously need a Novenske or a La Rue

[Ferdman]

Too broad of a question. What do you want it for? Why do you want it? Collecting, plinking, self defense, hunting, etc? What's your budget like?

[A.M.]

I guess it is something that I would like to use for hunting and also self defense if something ever happens to the point that a handgun or shotgun wouldn't work well enough.

No "can't be over this" budget, but I'm not looking for a 30,000 dollar collectible. Maybe about 800-1200... But if I have to pay a bit more or a more solid firearm... That's ok. This is an investment, jn the broadest sense of the word. I'd rather do it "right" than save $100.

Thanks everyone.

[ckline73]

springfield M1a,,,,hands down.....

[zfields]

I guess it is something that I would like to use for hunting and also self defense if something ever happens to the point that a handgun or shotgun wouldn't work well enough.

No "can't be over this" budget, but I'm not looking for a 30,000 dollar collectible. Maybe about 800-1200... But if I have to pay a bit more or a more solid firearm... That's ok. This is an investment, jn the broadest sense of the word. I'd rather do it "right" than save $100.

Thanks everyone.

I gotta say, I'm a big levergun fan. A 30-30 is a pretty damn effective hunting and SD round.


Want to go semi auto? I'd look at 7.62x39 Saiga rifles, or mini-14s personally.

[paul0660]

to the point that a handgun or shotgun wouldn't work well enough.

If your shotgun won't do it, it isn't self defense.

[NorCalXJ]

Get a 22 rifle as a first rifle. Cheap to shoot and learn.

[Whitefang]

Get yourself a nice little .22 rifle like a 10/22 ruger. Spend a good chunk on Ammo shoot the life out of the barrel learn trigger control sight picture and all that good stuff. Get your fundamentals down since your completely unsure of what you want to do then decide how much farther out you'd like to reach with another rifle and go from there. Once you get the EBR disease your screwed. There's no cute and it gets progressively worse

[Blackcrow]

I 2nd NorCalXJ. I would recommend a 22 to learn with, and it is dirt cheap to always go out and shoot.

If you are going to skip that, well M1a's are great. There are also the mini-14 and mini-30s.

zfields mentioned lever actions. I have only shot one I liked and that was a Marlin 30-30.

I would go into a gun store and ask to see several of them, and see which feels right to you.

[starsnuffer]

Your first rifle should be a donation.

To me.

PM me for exact specs.

-W

[thomashoward]

Anything on a Remington 700 action can be changed at a later date if you want to re-barrel to another caliber. Just get the bolt size you want. A small bolt head cannot be moved up to a caliber of a larger case size. (you can't make an '06 out of a .223 bolt size)
And don't get a cheap entry level promotional rifle
There are some switch barrel rifles out there that have a basic action that you can change the barrel to another caliber
An AR lower can be many calibers by getting another upper, many suited for hunting.

[IPSICK]

If your shotgun won't do it, it isn't self defense.

This is probably a good point.

However, if it were me and this was my first and at least for a good while only rifle, then I would consider an AR with a low power variable optic (1-6x) or a Remington 700 SPS Tactical with a medium power variable (2.5-10x).

Both options will probably be at least $1k or more with optic considerations.