First Rifle Suggestions

[VoteRedTeam]

Thinking about a first rifle purchase and looking for suggestions. Budget is making up about 70% of the decision. Just wanting something fun to shoot at the range for 100-200 yards. And if I get a wild hair... Maybe go for a deer.

 

[doddsracing]

My first though would be a 30-30 in a lever gun. You can still by ammo for to.

 

[TheWabbit]

I don't know your experience but if this is your first rifle and you are relatively new, I would concentrate on a rifle for training in 22LR. I would start the search for a Marlin 795 or Ruger 10/22. The Marlin is cheaper and easier to find. The Ruger has a lot of aftermarket parts.

 

[Small's]

17hmr excellent accuracy out to 200+ yards. 22lr is the cheapest fun you can get. Cant deer hunt with either. Could do a 44 mag rifle if wanting to deer hunt.

 

[sixty8firebird1]

.22lr is a great rifle to start out with. A couple weeks ago I was at Walmart and they had Remigton 597's in stock with a scope for $207. It may not go out to 100-200 yards out of the box but its fun and cheap to shoot.

 

[swissrifles1]

10/22 Ruger. My first rifle(carbine), bought in 86 still have it. Cost 189 .00 back then. I think new one's are around 350.00+.

 

[TheWabbit]

The basic Marlin 795 is $169. The basic 10/22 is $225.

 

[throttletony]

My votes would be:
1 - a 22LR (Ruger 10/22 is my choice)
2 - an entry level bolt gun (savage axis/edge, T/C venture) in .223, .243, .308 but you CAN'T use these for deer here, perhaps a single-shot 44 mag if you want Indiana deer

 

[Mgderf]

Try looking at a Rossi matched pair, or even Tri-Fecta.

The matched pair is just that. One stock, one frame, two barrels. Mine is .22Lr and 20ga.
It is a single shot, but that helps you to focus on fundamentals. The .22Lr is great for plinking or practice, and the 20ga. is great for deer out to 75 yards or so.

You can get the Tri-Fecta in the same configuration with the addition of a muzzle loader barrel, or a high-power rifle caliber.

The combinations are many.

I also have a Rossi matched pair of pistols. 11" barreled .22Lr and .410ga/.45Colt

 

[LD36]

I'd recommend the Ruger 77/44. Bolt action 44 mag. Very slick gun

 

[BKExpress]

It's tough to accomplish all your goals adequately in one purchase, but that's okay cause you can buy one now and get another later. If you're wanting to shoot out to 200 or so I would say go with the .17 HMR. You can pick up a Savage fairly inexpensively. As it relates to deer, .44 mag in a lever action might be a good choice as others have suggested. I don't subscribe to the one gun rule though. You need more than one club to play golf and guns are the same way.

 

[FrankTank83]

It's tough to accomplish all your goals adequately in one purchase, but that's okay cause you can buy one now and get another later. If you're wanting to shoot out to 200 or so I would say go with the .17 HMR. You can pick up a Savage fairly inexpensively. As it relates to deer, .44 mag in a lever action might be a good choice as others have suggested. I don't subscribe to the one gun rule though. You need more than one club to play golf and guns are the same way.

I agree, with all of the indiana restrictions on hunting cartridge dimensions it will be tough to reach out to 200 with great accuracy for cheap. I would buy one gun for longer range plinking and a cheap one for deer. The H&R single shot slug guns are good, affordable, and IN legal.

 

[6mm Shoot]

H&R makes a single shot rifle that you can send the action back to H&R and they will fit a barrel that you want.

So you could buy a rifle in 223 Remington for long shots and playing around. Then you could get a barrel in 44mag or 357 Max for deer. If you go this way you will have a bout $400 to $500 in your rifle with the extra barrel. That will be with iron sites.

You may think that is high. I have a barrel for my Encore that cost me $400 in 358 Winchester and I have $350 in my 243 barrel. Then I have a $200 scope on the 358 and a $600 one on the 243. Then I have $350 in the action and another $200 in the stock and forearm.

That is why I said H&R rather than Thompson-Encore. The Thompson-Contender is a little cheaper.

You could get a Contender rifle in 223 for around $500 then order a 357Max or a 44mag barrel for it for another $350. Both barrels would have iron sights. Scopes could be put on them for extra cash. You could go used and probable save $100 to $150 on the Contender.

The nice thing about the Encore and Contender is that you don't have to send them back to the factory to have the barrels fit to the action. It is my understanding that all barrels for the H&R have to be fit back at the factory. Don't get me wrong you can switch them back and forth your self after they have been fit by the factory. The encore barrels there is no factory fit. You just buy them and put them on your action.

You could go with a Savage in 2 calibers and use it as a switch barrel but that will cost you over a grand. Good luck with what ever you decide. I hope I helped.

 

[RedThunder]

I'd recommend the Ruger 77/44. Bolt action 44 mag. Very slick gun

I would second this. Or any lever action.

 

[VoteRedTeam]

Wow, thanks a lot everyone for all the suggestions!!! I definitely have some research to do and some brain-picking to see who has what that I can test. Luckily, I'm not in any hurry so I have time to make sure I get what I want. I will definitely be saving this thread for future reference!