School me on rifles

[Corban_White]

So, I am not new to guns and their use. I am however new to gun ownership. I would like to purchase a rifle but I don't know much about brand, caliber, not to mention different load types. Is there somewhere I can go to read some good articles about these things and their practical uses? If not I know there are some very knowledgeable gun guys on here. I am looking for a rifle that can be used for the following:

• Hunting. I am not a hunter (mostly because my dad wasn't so I never learned) but if I was in a situation where I needed to hunt to provide food for my family I would like to at least have the proper tool.
• SHTF self defense situation. Ideally this would involve good range, knockdown power, and readily available relatively cheap ammo.
• Durability and reliability. I am not interested in anything fancy or the latest and greatest. I want it to shoot in the rain, dirt, mud, after having clubbed multiple zombies, etc. And I want it to do so for 200 years.

I am not interested in anything semi-auto but I would like something with decent capacity. I realize that the ideal solution would be multiple guns but that is not going to happen. Budget is an issue but not at the expense of accuracy or reliability. FWIW I am also planning to get a shotgun but my questions on those have already been answered by threads here and elsewhere.

Discuss! :greg:

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Why no semi-auto? Are you thinking something bolt action or pump?

As you can imagine covering those needs with a single gun will leave you compromising in each category. What do you plan to hunt? Big game or rabbits? If small game is on your plate and your willing to bend on the semi-auto, an SKS is one you should consider. Hi-cap, you can switch them from semi-auto, price is right and you can scope them for hunting I suppose.

 

[Robert T]

The problem is, hunting guns and self defense guns are too different types. A good hunting gun, 270, remington adl or bdl, model 700, the ammo can be found sometimes for $15 a box but can be as much as $45.
As for using it for self defense, I guess you could, its got long range, good knock down, ammo can be found almost anywhere
I have had mine for 16 years now and have fallen down cliffs and been in mud, rain, and snow with it and its still a great gun

 

[jackjoh]

The rifle you are looking for does not exist for the above stated reasons. If you want a possible suggestion I would suggest a lever action with ammo that could also be used in a hand gun.

 

[rholbrook]

Corbin, your neighbors will eventually move. Mine did.

 

[Chevycrew]

high capacity generally equals semi-auto.

ar-15 would fit the bill. .223 ammo is readily available, has enough knock down for deer, high capacity, good aftermarket support. There is a reason these guns are so popular.

 

[ID Bronco]

The rifle you are looking for does not exist for the above stated reasons. If you want a possible suggestion I would suggest a lever action with ammo that could also be used in a hand gun.

I think a lever action is a good fit. It is a fast action which is important in a defense situation and great for hunting purposes too. They are a little more money usually but I really like them. My BIL has one in a handgun calibur but it is less than accurate. I would get a 30.06 or something like Kurt recommended. My M77 Ruger is a bolt but tough as nails and reliable. Rounds are getting spendy though.

 

[Greg]

I'm looking for something similar and while this may not be what you are thinking, I'm pretty interested in going with this. It's the DPMS Panther LR-308.

http://www.snipercentral.com/dpms308.htm

It's an AR-15 based rifle which means it will take all kinds of abuse and still fire just fine, has tons of aftermarket support, shooting the popular .308 round. Very accurate at a good distance, capable of taking any North American big game within 200-250 yards, smaller game much further out.

I'm saving my pennies...

 

[Corban_White]

Why no semi-auto? Are you thinking something bolt action or pump?

As you can imagine covering those needs with a single gun will leave you compromising in each category. What do you plan to hunt? Big game or rabbits? If small game is on your plate and your willing to bend on the semi-auto, an SKS is one you should consider. Hi-cap, you can switch them from semi-auto, price is right and you can scope them for hunting I suppose.

Bolt action, pump, lever, whatever. I have an aversion to semi auto simply because of the simplicity factor. I understand that I will be making compromises. My primary use would be hunting deer or larger. Actually, my primary use would likely be shooting at targets but I think there are many guns that will do that well. I am not looking for an assault rifle. But I am not looking for a super long range sniper rifle either. From what I have been able to gather from a small amount of reading online a .308 or .30-06 is probably what I am looking for. that doesn't really narrow it down however. That is why I am looking for a general education on rifles, pointing out their strengths and weaknesses in each category, along with an introduction to loads-terminology used, strengths/weaknesses, etc.

Corbin, your neighbors will eventually move. Mine did.

Exactly! And when they do I want to be able to hunt the animals that make possession of the empty fields that my neighborhood will have become!

 

[Greg]

How much do you have to work with, money wise? That will really help determine what you can & can't get into.

I enjoy my Savage .22LR, I think a Savage .308 would be a fine rifle.

 

[Herzog]

You'd be surprised at how little difference there is from a semi-auto hunting rifle to an "assault" rifle. Basically the difference is just in the furniture.

Another vote for an ar-15 or variant. Especially because you can make it your own rifle. There are almost no limits. You can use large capacity or low capacity magazines, you can outfit the rifle to your own specs. Whatever length barrel you want, stock, fore-arms, sights, etc. Huge aftermarket. Plus they are one of the most reliable and smoothest shooting rifles out there.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Hmmm, semi-auto's do have that stigma to them but I can promise you with a quality firearm the simplicity of the semi-auto action rivals that of a bolt, lever or pump imo. There is theoretically more cleaning and maintenance however with relics like the SKS its laughably a non-issue.

 

[Corban_White]

How much do you have to work with, money wise? That will really help determine what you can & can't get into.

I enjoy my Savage .22LR, I think a Savage .308 would be a fine rifle.

Right now I have $0 to spend. Once I decide what I will get the price will determine how long I have to wait.

 

[Chevycrew]

2 rifles may be the better choice, considering the price of rounds for hunting.

For plinking, nothing beats a 10-22
For hunting, a 30-06 is common and easy to get shells for.

That being said, I shoot a 10-22 and a 7mm rem mag

 

[cowmilker]

If you get AR15 there are some kits that let you shoot 22lr. That way you could make it work for a somewhat large game (people will argue .223 is not effective on dear, and I agree, but it IS legal), and switch out the action and have a 22lr for small game.

There are also those rare over/under guns that have shotgun on bottom and riffle on top, and old Guy I new once had a Savage that shot 30-30/20gauge. You can get them in 22lr/20gauge, .223/20gauge, .270/12gauge, .22lr/.410 and probably many more options. The one my buddy had was not very reliable and was sent back to savage a few times for repairs, and you only have the 2 shots (single shot for each caliber/gauge), but if you could find one made reliably it could be a good dual purpose "long arm".

Edit: I just googled it an found it as a Savage model 24 here is the link http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/1

 

[Robert T]

If your looking to hunt with it, for big game, dont go with a 223, the bullets not big enough to be ethical, there is a great gun on ksl, under big game rifles, 6 days back, rem adl 270, for $425. That is a great gun with a great price.

 

[Chevycrew]

.223 being ethical on big game depends on the shot placement and distance. Use your own judgement.

I feel they work great on deer, and have seen elk go down with one shot. (I wouldnt do it though)

 

[DAA]

If semi autos are out, given all your other criteria, a lever action in .30-30 or .308 is what you seek. Big game stopping power, excellent range, decent capacity, decent accuracy, good close quarters handling and rapid fire capability with great knock down, tremendous ammo availability. Excellent zombie clubbing characteristics too.

- DAA

 

[ricsrx]

For plinking, nothing beats a 10-22

X2
I love to plink, Im sure that the 10-22 would kill your small animals and if you can use a rifle for security this one will lay out 10 rounds in a hurry.
and the ammo is cheep, I have boxes ammo every were.

 

[eddie d]

how come no one has said any thing about a 243 thay r one hell of an allround gun