First rifle for an adult newbie

**LowKey** · 01-07-2013, 08:17 PM

Having just been there myself, an adult new shooter has a bit of trouble with the first anything. Mostly cuz they might not have grown up with firearms and wouldn't know a good old beater from a brand new POS, and there is some intimidation factor involved with just not knowing the talk. I don't think a new shooter wants a fixer-upper.
What I did was find a really good, no pressure gun shop that a lot of the guys at the range say they trust. That's been really helpful. You can learn a lot just hanging out for an hour on a Saturday morning.

I got a used 10/22, but only cuz it isn't picky as to what it eats (I feed it what my target pistol won't eat.) It came with a cheap but fairly accurate scope so that cut down the frustration of the gawd-awful iron sites. But I love that little rifle for egg shoots and general plinking and such.

And because you can't feed a cleaning rod into the breech end, I use a bore snake. Cleans it up nice.

**GreatUsername** · 01-08-2013, 03:12 PM

I know I'm a broken record, but the 77/22 gives you the magazines and the dreadnought reliability of the 10/22, in a more accurate and full-size bolt-action platform. Just saying.

**Bearskin Grills** · 01-08-2013, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by Lantern

I was thinking about a Ruger 22LR as it a popular model. Any other options that is better? What ammo?

How about something like a ruger mini 14. a little more kick, a little more versatile.

**Stiffy** · 01-08-2013, 10:51 PM

My dad trained me on a .22 bolt action repeater. When he died 50 years later, my older brother inherited that gun and gave it to one of his boys. It will probably last another 50 years.

**Winter** · 01-09-2013, 12:09 AM

A $150 range mosin nagant would be my suggestion.

Ammo is cheap, the rifle has enough recoil for you to respect it.

10/22 haters? Best .22 rifle ever.

**Geek** · 01-09-2013, 04:47 AM

I'm not sure why the recommendations for something with more kick. A .22 is needed for small game and is the least expensive way to get in a lot of target practice. A .22 can also be used by anyone in the family so it is excellent for your spouse or children to learn firearm safety as well. I have a 10/22 and there have been millions of them sold. Other manufacturers also make excellent .22s.

**Wildthang** · 01-09-2013, 08:42 AM

10/22's are not bad guns, but it is proven that they are not very accurate in stock form. First, the triggers are terrible, and that in itself greatly hinders good accuracy. Also, it seems that they do not become tack drivers until you install a custom barrel to go along with a new trigger group.
So it is my humble opinion that until you spend at least $300 dollars, you wont get close to the accuracy of a lot of cheap bolt action repeaters, or a plain ole stock Marlin 60 model.
They are a convenient little rifle for survival use because of their light weight, and short size especially the take down model, and they will hit the target as long as the shooter does his job.
But for a first rifle it is not what I would want or would recommend for a first rifle. My old fashion beleif is that a new shooter should start out with a bolt action repeater!

**Geek** · 01-09-2013, 09:42 AM

Preferring a bolt action is reasonable if that is your preference, but I would disagree with the accuracy issue. We're talking about new shooters here, and I suspect it would take a fair amount of time at the range for the shooter to be better than the rifle. I'm certainly not at that point. I'd also say that if you do start to make changes, there is no rifle on the market today that has a wider array of inexpensive, readily available, replacement or custom parts. It is inexpensive to upgrade. It is also easy for the owner to work on himself.

Finally, if you buy used and decide you want something different, it would be very easy to sell and you shouldn't have to take a beating on the price.

**Chris** · 01-09-2013, 09:18 PM

I recently purchased a S&W M&P15-22. It is unclear if it'd be a banned gun, but figured I would get it while I could. Thats an AR-style 22. $500. If you were going to buy one gun now, might as well be a gun you might not be allowed to buy in the future, that is how I think.

http://www.americanrifleman.org/Arti...?id=1743&cid=4

Essentially a 22, but with the features of a so called assault rifle, allowing the accessorizing of the weapon (aka, you can attach things to it, or customize it).

**Bearskin Grills** · 01-09-2013, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by Winter

A $150 range mosin nagant would be my suggestion.

Ammo is cheap, the rifle has enough recoil for you to respect it.

10/22 haters? Best .22 rifle ever.

one of my favorite rifles to shoot too. do you have a scope on yours or just use the iron sights?

**natertot** · 01-09-2013, 10:22 PM

For a .22, I'd go with a Remington 597. Cheaper than a 10-22 and more reliable and more accurate out of the box. The 597 is also available used in .22Mag although I never have used one of those.

For cheap and reliable centerfire, I agree with the Mosin.

Just an opinion.

**Winter** · 01-09-2013, 11:58 PM

Originally Posted by Bearskin Grills

one of my favorite rifles to shoot too. do you have a scope on yours or just use the iron sights?

All of the above, I bought mine it 1992. It's on it's second barrel. For the first 2-3k rds it shot 3-4 inch groups at 100 yards, then the groups shrank till at about 4-6k rds until I was getting 1" groups, after 7-8 k they grew from 2-6 inches. New barrel, now at around 2.5 inches.

**Bearskin Grills** · 01-11-2013, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by Winter

All of the above, I bought mine it 1992. It's on it's second barrel. For the first 2-3k rds it shot 3-4 inch groups at 100 yards, then the groups shrank till at about 4-6k rds until I was getting 1" groups, after 7-8 k they grew from 2-6 inches. New barrel, now at around 2.5 inches.

We've put about 5000 rounds through ours. its still shooting pretty nice. not sure how much had gone through it before we got it, but it still appears to be in good shape.

**Geek** · 01-11-2013, 10:49 PM

I like Mosins too, but I'm surprised at the suggestion of using one over a .22 for a new shooter. I'd start with the .22 and move up to the Mosin. Owning one of each certainly makes sense.

**hunter63** · 01-12-2013, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by Geek

I like Mosins too, but I'm surprised at the suggestion of using one over a .22 for a new shooter. I'd start with the .22 and move up to the Mosin. Owning one of each certainly makes sense.

.............One of each?.....

**kyratshooter** · 01-12-2013, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by hunter63

.............One of each?.....

I detect a massve heart attack in progress. Take a deep breath Hunter and put one of your nitro pills under your toungue, everything will be fine!! I am sure he did not mean just one of each but "AT LEAST one of each".

That was what you ment Geek, correct?

**hunter63** · 01-12-2013, 03:12 PM

Ok, Ok, Ok,......Better now.....One of each....?

**Bearskin Grills** · 01-12-2013, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by Geek

I like Mosins too, but I'm surprised at the suggestion of using one over a .22 for a new shooter. I'd start with the .22 and move up to the Mosin. Owning one of each certainly makes sense.

The mosin was the first gun my son ever purchased. he turned 18, went to a gun show that weekend, came home with the mosin and a 440 round spam can of ammo. lol