First Rifle?

[citizendino]

As some of you know, I started studying with a firearms instructor and bought my first hand gun.
He has had me shooting this air soft gun rifle contraption. I call it a contraption just for fun.
It is my understanding that a lot of this is about muscle memory and learning and training body positions. I end up at the end of it just sweaty and quivering like hot yoga (my lib-ness coming through hahaha).

From what I have gathered in discussion with the instructor is that hand guns are sort of binary, meaning a hand gun is a hand gun, know the basics, learn the safety and techniques, and the machine is handleable.

Rifles appear to be completely different. From a BB gun to that scary sniper thing in the Accountant, there is a LOT of things to learn. Rifles appear to have all sorts of variables whether it be the physical properties of the rifle, to how it handles ammo, to all sorts of things.

I assume he has a planned transition for me to one of his rifles, but I was wondering what you all thought of as a good first rifle.

I am looking at it like this, what would you guy a 14 year old with a little more muscle mass and facial hair, but the same amount of weapons intelligence.

[Arch Stanton]

Henry .22 lever action.

[jvtater]

Either get a good 22lr or. 30-30 or 7mm08. In whatever platform you like the best. Single, lever, bolt, or auto. Single shots may be easier on your picket book then others

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[MagnumWill]

14 year old? With a join date of 2009?

Glaring mathematical puzzle aside, I'd recommend starting with whatever you can get in your price range. I started with a Mosin Nagant 91/30... mainly because they were $89 at the time.

[citizendino]

Magnum,
The 14 year old bit was about me not knowing what I am doing. Being a newbie to this end of the pool so to speak. Sorry, if that was not clear.

Everyone...I might not have explained that very well. Sorry. I had my niece all weekend, so I am wiped.

[Arch Stanton]

Originally Posted by citizendino

Magnum,
The 14 year old bit was about me not knowing what I am doing. Being a newbie to this end of the pool so to speak. Sorry, if that was not clear.

Everyone...I might not have explained that very well. Sorry. I had my niece all weekend, so I am wiped.

Lol, I was a little confused too but I don't judge and there are some smart 4 year olds out there...2009 joke

[Mr Parker]

First rifle for such a new shooter I would strongly suggest a 22lr, and preferably a “manual action.”
Your purpose for this weapon is primarily instruction so slow motion (vs. semi-auto) and cheapest, lowest “scary” recoil (not mocking, recoil is a distraction from the rest of the fundamentals) caliber (22lr rimfire) is long proven best by untold thousands (millions actually) of new shooters be they 6 or 60.
Everything you need to learn about handling and working a long gun begins with this. You won’t buck at the recoil about to punch your shoulder so you’ll focus on everything else.
If you get a good bolt or lever action (pumps are somewhat rare these days and single shots are more for the youngest and less safe) then what you need to learn and master happens faster every round fired. Avoid America’s favorite 22 rifle, the Ruger 10/22, only because your trigger finger’s penchant to dump rounds in the time span of 2-3 rounds fired by a manual action, is what happens to all of us. You’ll chase your target with each round fired and instead ingrain some bad habits like less-than stellar trigger pulls.
I’d say get a bolt over a lever over a bolt, but I can’t really decide myself and bought several of each over the years anyway.
That said I prefer CZ bolts and Marlin or Henry levers, but most manufacturers of either action make at least a decent-to-great one or many.
All that said, 22lr ammo is (currently) cheap and varied. And in either rifle action, most any version of 22lr, 22 long or 22 short, from subsonic to high velocity will work (bolts can choke on the shorts) and most is comparatively very cheap (vs any centerfire).
Finally, you won’t outgrow this rifle either. Most of us start with one and keep it (or go back to it) and shoot it our entire lives.
An accurate and rather quiet weapon with cheap, bulk ammo (found everywhere that sells ammo) is the most utilitarian tool in this arsenal.

[goat daddy]

everyone has their own experience and opinion. Very few are wrong (we have trolls). the big issue where you shoot. do you live in town or in a rural area? do you have access to property to hunt? If you have access to hunting area, I would suggest a 22lr or a good pellet rifle. A quality pre charged pellet rifle would give one lots of inexpensive hunting practice. Squirrels and rabbits fall to both. If you live in town and can only shoot at the range go for a 22 lr. I remember a couple of boys down the road that would walk into the range land with their pellet rifles most Saturday mornings and come back at lunch time with a cotton tail and great stories. I have thinned the ground squirrel population a lot with my PCP pellet rifle. In fact I like it so much I ordered on in .177 to go with the .22 I'm using now. A hunting buddy shot a nice turkey with a 30 cal PCP in my driveway last year. If you go 22 lr, I would suggest a bolt action

[PalmettoTree]

Just make sure it is single shot. I even prefer the old .22 that required hand chambering each round before closing the bolt. That is my opinion based on safety.

[alv7722]

You should at least own a 22lr. No reason not to get an auto loader. Ruger 10/22 is the gold standard. Marlin mdl 60 is a close 2nd. I would avoid ones that the magazine hangs/protrudes under the stock.

Next depends on your intended use. A quality bolt rifle in Win .308 is a good choice, if you think you might hunt. If your main concern is self defense, one of the AR platforms would be a good choice. AR-15 (.223) for self defense, or AR-10 (.308) for possible dual use, self defense or hunting.

Lots of arguments can be made about calibers. But the .223, and .308 are stocked everywhere ammo is sold. Both are reasonable recoil, and the .308 can take game up to the size of elk with proper shot placement and bullet selection.

When I trained in the Army, we were qualifying with shots out to 1000yds with .308, and iron sights.

[Jack Swilling]

Ruger 10/22
AR 15
Sounds like you are working with someone you trust
Ask them
In then end you will need both

[drobs]

A 22LR rifle is cheap to shoot and lots of fun. Check out the Ruger 10/22. Tons of accessories and it works just fine as is.

Then get an AR15 and a pump shotgun.

[ConnorMann]

Tippman m4 22 pro.

its a 22 caliber ar15.

Then take go to appleseed project shoots until you are a rifleman.

the tippmann was vetted by the appleseed rifle instructors as reliable and accurate.

[Peter]

The most common first rifle is or was a 22LR often a single shot, in some locales the first rifle isn't a rifle at all it's a shotgun, but we can leave that aside until you decide to get a shotgun.


One of the reasons a 22LR is a popular first rifle is the mild recoil and report. It allows the novice to focus on the basics before they are subjected to the noise and recoil of the heavier calibers.


I think the 22LR is a pretty good place to start, the added bonus is that 22LR's never go out of style and it could very possibly be the most useful rifle you own.

[jvtater]

Are you planning on hunting ?

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[jvtater]

Originally Posted by goat daddy

everyone has their own experience and opinion. Very few are wrong (we have trolls). the big issue where you shoot. do you live in town or in a rural area? do you have access to property to hunt? If you have access to hunting area, I would suggest a 22lr or a good pellet rifle. A quality pre charged pellet rifle would give one lots of inexpensive hunting practice. Squirrels and rabbits fall to both. If you live in town and can only shoot at the range go for a 22 lr. I remember a couple of boys down the road that would walk into the range land with their pellet rifles most Saturday mornings and come back at lunch time with a cotton tail and great stories. I have thinned the ground squirrel population a lot with my PCP pellet rifle. In fact I like it so much I ordered on in .177 to go with the .22 I'm using now. A hunting buddy shot a nice turkey with a 30 cal PCP in my driveway last year. If you go 22 lr, I would suggest a bolt action

Peppery to hunt ? I don't understand the need for private lands to hunt on. Public lands are just as good or better then private. At least in my neck o the woods

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[ajole]

In the interest of moving to a box mag fed center fire gun in the future, I'd suggest a box mag fed semi auto .22 rifle.

The Ruger 10/22 is overpriced for what you get, the Marlin Model 60 is a FAR better deal...but isn't mag fed.

The Marlin 795 is though.

As is the Rossi RS22, which is only about $100 new, but shoots as well as most of my stock Rugers. The Mossberg 702 Plinkster is about the same.

I'd say spend $100 on the Rossi, learn to shoot, then spend the $150-$200 you saved by NOT buying a Ruger, as part of the payoff on a real rifle.

Some points. Semi auto does NOT teach you to spray and pray, unless you want it to. If you NEED a single shot to learn to control yourself...you aren't controlling yourself.

All that extra crap that can be put on a Ruger is just extra crap. The ONLY 10/22 worth buying, IMHO, is the take down w/threaded barrel, at about $300. I guess if you are into competition, there are some high end versions by other folks that would make sense. But not in this case.

[PalmettoTree]

A single shot bolt action slows the young shooter down so he can focus. By shortening the target range you can promote confidence. Gradually increasing the range makes the young shooter focus in continous improvement without frustration. The price of gus and ammo is cheap enough the young shooter can be given a good gun and plenty of ammo to shoot with. Do not even get a scope until the young shooter has mastered targets at 50 yards.

[ajole]

Originally Posted by PalmettoTree

A single shot bolt action slows the young shooter down so he can focus. By shortening the target range you can promote confidence. Gradually increasing the range makes the young shooter focus in continous improvement without frustration. The price of gus and ammo is cheap enough the young shooter can be given a good gun and plenty of ammo to shoot with. Do not even get a scope until the young shooter has mastered targets at 50 yards.

He's not that young.

The young shooter is too dumb or too insubordinate to only shoot one round? Load one in the mag. Better yet...tell him he doesn't get to shoot until he can control himself.


I TOTALLY agree on using short ranges and irons at first.

[sarge912]

Originally Posted by Arch Stanton

Henry .22 lever action.

Load it on Sunday and shoot it all week. With a good .22 short (it takes .22 L and .22 lr as well) it is almost like having a suppressor. You can scope it too. The only change that I have made to mine is the addition of a fiber optic front sight. (I have old eyes.)

The .22 WMR version is pretty darn slick as well.