First Rifle

[CMike]

I appreciate all the advice.

I will probably go with some sort of AR.

 

[Lakhota]

A .22 is a fine starter rifle. Also, .22 Magnum is fine but a little more expensive to shoot.

I would also recommend a single-shot. Scope optional. Don't forget a cleaning kit.

 

[Meister]

I have am pretty proficient with handguns, and I have some experience with a shotgun.

However, I have no experience with a rifle. I don't think I even ever shot one.

What would you guys suggest for a rifle type gun? I don't hunt.

My use would be for fun.

Wanna have fun? Get a 1883 Springfield "Trapdoor". They shoot a 45-70 and really doesn't have a bad kick at all. My 30-06 has a real kick...the Springfield has more of a push.
Use a "cowboy load" where the ammo is a leadhead and not the brass. You don't want to scratch the bore. You will have a great time with it.

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

I have am pretty proficient with handguns, and I have some experience with a shotgun.

However, I have no experience with a rifle. I don't think I even ever shot one.

What would you guys suggest for a rifle type gun? I don't hunt.

My use would be for fun.

Ruger 10-22

Reliable, Inexpensive, Made in the USA, Easy to Clean, Cheap ammo, TONS AND TONS AND TONS of attachments/accessories readily available, and its very accurate.

Awesome gun for target shooting.

I really like the PTR-32 with extended (well 30 round is extended in my state) magazines.

Or a classic remmington 700.

 

[WinterBorn]

Get a Ruger 10/22. Best .22 on the market for the money. I have one and have never had a jam. A friend has one and confessed he probably only cleans it once a year, so he guesses he shoot 5,000 rounds between cleanings and it still works every time.

Plenty of aftermarket items for it to turn it into a handy assault style gun, an accurate heavy barrelled hunter or a plnker extraordinaire.

I've owned several .22s, but none better than the 10/22.

 

[tinydancer]

Got back in here. 54 give me a Hawken. Now my dad, and don't laugh now, his real name was Daniel Boone. He set me off on percussion.

Sorry, I love the smell and will die to this day to fire a Hawken. Man I can smell it and I can taste it. Finally going to get laws changed up here. Guess what I'm going to buy.

 

[lizzie]

Start out with a .22 cal.

The ammo is cheap.

Great gun for shooting varmits.

And plinking cans can be alot of fun.

Or a really nice air rifle. Over the past year, I've really gotten into target shooting with air rifles, and it's a blast. Very cheap ammo ($5-$10 for a tin of 250-500 pellets), quiet, challenging, and addictive.

There's also the collecting aspect of it that's great fun.

 

[lizzie]

I have am pretty proficient with handguns, and I have some experience with a shotgun.

However, I have no experience with a rifle. I don't think I even ever shot one.

What would you guys suggest for a rifle type gun? I don't hunt.

My use would be for fun.

CMike- I definitely agree with some of the guys here on the .22. Also, pellet rifles are a blast and are very cheap to shoot.

 

[bigrebnc1775]

I have am pretty proficient with handguns, and I have some experience with a shotgun.

However, I have no experience with a rifle. I don't think I even ever shot one.

What would you guys suggest for a rifle type gun? I don't hunt.

My use would be for fun.

410 bolt action

 

[Sunni Man]

Start out with a .22 cal.

The ammo is cheap.

Great gun for shooting varmits.

And plinking cans can be alot of fun.

Or a really nice air rifle. Over the past year, I've really gotten into target shooting with air rifles, and it's a blast. Very cheap ammo ($5-$10 for a tin of 250-500 pellets), quiet, challenging, and addictive.

There's also the collecting aspect of it that's great fun.

Most people have No idea that Lewis & Clark took an air rifle with them on their exploration of the West.

And that it play a pivotal role in making their mission a success.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pqFyKh-rUI]Girandoni air rifle as used by Lewis and Clark. A National Firearms Museum Treasure Gun. - YouTube[/ame]

 

[lizzie]

Start out with a .22 cal.

The ammo is cheap.

Great gun for shooting varmits.

And plinking cans can be alot of fun.

Or a really nice air rifle. Over the past year, I've really gotten into target shooting with air rifles, and it's a blast. Very cheap ammo ($5-$10 for a tin of 250-500 pellets), quiet, challenging, and addictive.

There's also the collecting aspect of it that's great fun.

Most people have No idea that Lewis & Clark took an air rifle with them on their exploration of the West.

And that it play a pivotal role in making their mission a success.

Yes- I haven't found one of those to buy for my collection yet, lol.

 

[Sunni Man]

Or a really nice air rifle. Over the past year, I've really gotten into target shooting with air rifles, and it's a blast. Very cheap ammo ($5-$10 for a tin of 250-500 pellets), quiet, challenging, and addictive.

There's also the collecting aspect of it that's great fun.

Most people have No idea that Lewis & Clark took an air rifle with them on their exploration of the West.

And that it play a pivotal role in making their mission a success.

Yes- I haven't found one of those to buy for my collection yet, lol.

If you have a spare couple of million dollars laying around you might be able to add it to your collection.

 

[lizzie]

Exactly SunniMan

I'll just have to stick to my old German air rifles and pawn shop finds, lol.

 

[Sunni Man]

Here is what it took to pump and then shoot the Girandoni air rifle.

But it was one powerful air gun!!

"A press of a slide with the thumb would load a .46 caliber ball into the chamber. The shoulder stock was actually a leather wrapped iron chamber which would have been pumped to 800 psi air pressure with 1,500 strokes from a hand pump made specifically for that purpose. A shooter could put a hole in a one inch pine board at 100 yards and could fire around 40 shots before experiencing a reduction in muzzle velocity. Spare pumped up air chambers would prolong the shooting power.

www.suburbansurvivalist.wordpress.com/.../the-ultimate-survival-rifle-gira..

 

[CMike]

I finally made a decision

http://www.usmessageboard.com/4559941-post1.html

 

[Sunni Man]

I finally made a decision

http://www.usmessageboard.com/4559941-post1.html

Good choice

 

[Ringel05]

Got back in here. 54 give me a Hawken. Now my dad, and don't laugh now, his real name was Daniel Boone. He set me off on percussion.

Sorry, I love the smell and will die to this day to fire a Hawken. Man I can smell it and I can taste it. Finally going to get laws changed up here. Guess what I'm going to buy.

Hawkens are fun but military arms reproductions are better.

Model 1816 .69 caliber Harpers ferry conversion.

1854 .58 caliber Springfield

.58 caliber Remington model 1863 "Zouave".

Breechloding 1853 Sharps Carbine

 

[Mr. H.]

^ Nice.

My stepson was a character-interpreter at a nearby state historic site and for a time a Civil War reinactor. The site coordinator let him borrow an original 1800's flinlock rifle that I got to shoot.
I remember thinking that the wood itself was 100 years older than the rifle.
I might have the terminology wrong. It had a small flash pan where you poured a little bit of gunpowder.

Great experience.

 

[Meister]

Got back in here. 54 give me a Hawken. Now my dad, and don't laugh now, his real name was Daniel Boone. He set me off on percussion.

Sorry, I love the smell and will die to this day to fire a Hawken. Man I can smell it and I can taste it. Finally going to get laws changed up here. Guess what I'm going to buy.

Hawkens are fun but military arms reproductions are better.

Model 1816 .69 caliber Harpers ferry conversion.

1854 .58 caliber Springfield

.58 caliber Remington model 1863 "Zouave".

Breechloding 1853 Sharps Carbine

1883 Springfield "trapdoor" can still be used with 45-70.
I've had a lot of fun with mine....so have my friends.


click on the pic

 

[MikeK]

The most fun rifle I've ever owned is a Marlin 39-A, which is a classic. It's a beautifully made extremely accurate, lever-action .22 and is a pleasure to look at, to handle, and to shoot.