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first rifle

1K views 11 replies 11 participants last post by  commanderjb 
#1 ·
so i want to get a rifle not necassarly to hunt, at least not at this point but jsut something to go to the range and shoot some targets. i was thinking of going with a marlin model 60 .22, or one of the marlin bolt action .22s or 17 hmrs. any other suggestions would be great, i really like the idea of a bolt action but i sorta like the model 60 with the autoloading. bottom line just looking for something a little on the cheaper side to shoot, thanks for your suggestions
 
#3 ·
If your looking to go shoot and just starting out, a .22 is a great route to go. I would lean more towards an automatic over a bolt action on a .22, when you decide later to buy a hunting rifle, then go with the bolt action. You should also look at a Ruger 10/22, it is probably the most popular and customizable .22 out there. Your going to pay almost 4x as much per bullet for a .17 hmr over the .22.
 
#4 ·
.22 is a great cheap way to get into shooting...

I would consider the Ruger 10/22 over the Marlin only because there is a huge aftermarket for the Ruger 10/22 where you can buy different stocks, barrels, etc if you want to upgrade (read: like upgrading a Jeep:grinpimp:).

There is a Garand stock out there I have been looking at that converts the ruger over to look like an old garand, I thought that was pretty cool. there are also tacticool stocks and accessories, tommy gun stocks, etc. Do a google search for Ruger 10/22 accessories and you'll see what I mean..... .22's are fun and cheap.
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#5 ·
i had the same quest a few months ago. the ruger is nice but your looking at $200 + before mods.

personally i went with the marlin 795 http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/SelfLoading/795.asp
it has the accuracy of the model 60 but with a $100 price tag and a magazine. i paid $109 from academy and then cashed in a $20 mail in rebate from marlin on it.

a lot of people love the ruger, and i probably would too but i have enough to mod with the jeep. i don't need another toy.
 
#7 ·
.22's are fun. but eventually ur going to want to move up, just for a little more u could get a marlin lever action 30-30. there real fun to shoot. easy to learn and maintain. and i think a little kick from a firearm always makes it fun
 
#12 ·
If you are going the route of a .22, my suggestion is to start with a bolt action with iron peep sights. It is too easy to get into bad habits regarding trigger control with a semi-auto. Trigger control and breathing is key in shooting a rifle with precision and consistency. Iron peep sights build better discipline in sight picture. You can always add a scope to the rifle after you master the peeps. That's how I learned to shoot as a kid. 17 HMR is also a great round to start with, but .22 is still cheap enough that you can get lots of trigger time and you wont break the bank. A lot of high-speed carbine courses allow and even encourage the use of .22 to keep the costs down. Try going through a carbine course over a week with 2-300 rds of .223 a day. Cha-ching.

Back to the .22. Practice at home working the bolt and dry firing (you can use a couple of snap caps if you are afraid of wearing the firing pin down.) If you practice manipulating the bolt enough, you can get to the point where you can keep your eye on the target as you cycle through.

Finally, if you get serious enough, go take a precision rifle course somewhere. I would suggest TJ Pilling at Tiger Valley, Bill Davidson at Tac Pro (In Mingus, not too far from Abilene) or Jacob down at Rifles Only near Corpus.

My .02 cents
 
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