[Vertiviper]

Hi all. I'm 26 and have owned pellet guns for years, lots of fun. I'm looking to get into the "real" thing.

The purpose would be for target shooting only, no hunting.

My budget is around ~$300.

I've checked out the Rugar 10 22 (about $180), it felt good and the ammo was very inexpensive.

I was just wondering if anyone had some good suggestions?

thanks!
Jerry

 

[BigO01]

Holy Toledo !! Ammo has skyrocketd !!

I just looked at 22 LR rimfire at Midway and find 500 rounds going for a low of about $22 .

Man I still have some of those I paid $6 for just a couple of years ago.

As bad as it is that's about as cheap as it gets .

Looks like it wont be long and we'll be back to shooting a Rubber band powered gun like when we were kids !

 

[Vertiviper]

Holy Toledo !! Ammo has skyrocketd !!

I just looked at 22 LR rimfire at Midway and find 500 rounds going for a low of about $22 .

Man I still have some of those I paid $6 for just a couple of years ago.

As bad as it is that's about as cheap as it gets .

Looks like it wont be long and we'll be back to shooting a Rubber band powered gun like when we were kids !

lol.. well "inexpensive" compared to the other types. I figured $20 for 500 rounds is pretty good compared to $6 for 15rounds (12 gauge).

 

[c3shooter]

Verti- a .22 RF rifle is an excellent first gun. While I have numerous center-fire rifles, on MOST weekends, you'll find me on the benchrest with a good 22. The skills that make you a competent shot with a .22 also apply to bigger rifles. If you shop carefully, decent 22 LR is about $12 for 500-550 rounds. Check your local WallyWorld, KsMart, Dick's, etc. And the grandkids love shooting 22s when they are small people.

The 10-22 is not a BAD rifle- but there are a LOT of good rifles- for under $300. Readers here know of my love affair with older Mossberg's, but Marlins, Remingtons, Rugers, Winchesters are also out there. Shop carefully over on the action side of GB- sometimes gently used rifles can be had for an attractive price. Put aside a small amount for cleaning gear, and a few bucks for a decent scope and mount. Lever actions (most commonly now the Henry and Marlin 39A) are a lot of fun, but can be pricy. The autoloaders are fun plinkers, but can be choosy about ammo, and may need some $$$ to make a REALLY accurate rifle. Bolt actions are generally not really pricy- and for a couple of hundred you can get a rifle that will shoot nickel sized 50 yd groups IF you can shoot that well.

 

[Dillinger]

The 10-22 is not a BAD rifle- but there are a LOT of good rifles- for under $300. Readers here know of my love affair with older Mossberg's, but Marlins, Remingtons, Rugers, Winchesters are also out there. Shop carefully over on the action side of GB- sometimes gently used rifles can be had for an attractive price. Put aside a small amount for cleaning gear, and a few bucks for a decent scope and mount. Lever actions (most commonly now the Henry and Marlin 39A) are a lot of fun, but can be pricy. The autoloaders are fun plinkers, but can be choosy about ammo, and may need some $$$ to make a REALLY accurate rifle. Bolt actions are generally not really pricy- and for a couple of hundred you can get a rifle that will shoot nickel sized 50 yd groups IF you can shoot that well.

+1. There is a lot of good information contained in that post. A decent boltgun that groups well will definitely be within your price range.

.22LR has long been used as a great training aid for longer range shooting. I have a .22 Mauser that my grandfather trained with prior to heading off to Europe for WWII. The weapon will still group with my best 10-22, and considering it's over 50 years old, I consider that the mark of a crasftsman.

JD

 

[ScottG]

Get a Henry. They aren't as "pricey" as you might think. Nice, slick actions and accurate too. Besides, it's a lever gun. No man/woman can call himself/herself an American without owning a lever gun.

 

[c3shooter]

Just for grins- visit www.auctionarms.com, and/or gunbroker.com, and search for .22s under rifles. Myself, I search the penny auctions at auctionarms. When looking at prices, DO remember that your costs WILL have to include shipping, and likely paying a local dealer to receive the arm, and do the paperwork (around here that is usually $25-30) BUT- if you were to pick up a nice Marlin 81DL with a scope for, say $100- it would be worth it. And yes, the Henry lever is a nice rifle. (And so is my Mossberg 44, 142, 152, 51, 151M, 151K, Remington 550, Winchester 190, Marlin 39A, 80, 81 etc )

See, the nice thing about a 22- you can pay about as little as you want, or as much as you want- and they are still fun shooters. Grin on grandson's face when he is shooting his Dad's Marlin 15Y single shot looks just like the grin on the face of the guy with the $1000 Anschutz target rifle. The other nice thing- not difficult to own more than one for not much money. (See, they get lonely in the gun cabinet without company..... Really, honey, I swear it...)

 

[Vertiviper]

Get a Henry. They aren't as "pricey" as you might think. Nice, slick actions and accurate too. Besides, it's a lever gun. No man/woman can call himself/herself an American without owning a lever gun.

All i hear is to go for a Henry! Is there a specific model you can reccomend for under $300?

 

[cpttango30]

I love my old Remmy's the 500 series. But so do many other people out there and the prices are going up and up everyday. One I have I bet would fetch $400 from the right person. it has 100% org bluing and the color case on the bolt is still really well defined. The stock has only a few dings in it. I have two remington 511 one X and one Score master. both will shoot 1" 5 shot groups at 100 yards with Remington Target ammo. Not bad for a old rifle.

Old Mossbergs are like rough diamonds. With a little work and $10 in supplys you can have a rifle that looks like a very expensive rifle.

If I had the money I would own this one already.

Remington 511

 

[dragunovsks]

Holy Toledo !! Ammo has skyrocketd !!

I just looked at 22 LR rimfire at Midway and find 500 rounds going for a low of about $22 .


Wow, what kind of .22LR ammo are you shooting?

I bought a box of Federal, 36 grain, hollow points at Wal-Mart about 3 weeks ago for $12 for 550 rounds. Before that I had a box of Remington, about 550 rounds for $10.50. The only reason I went to Federals is because I wanted to try out another brand.

 

[cpttango30]

This is going to be the gift to myself with my first paycheck. I am going to go to walmart and buy all their 22lr ammo in Winchester $12 and Federal $13 HEHEHE I am going to clean the shelf off.

 

[Vertiviper]

I was talkin to a buddy of mine, he's trying to talk me out of a .22...calling it a glorified bb gun.

My goal is to purchase something with some kick, but at the same time be able to learn and fine tune my skills...

 

[ScottG]

All i hear is to go for a Henry! Is there a specific model you can reccomend for under $300?

I assumed since you talked about the price of .22 ammo that you were interested in that caliber. The Henry Lever is their .22 cal model. I have one, I like it and it's rather accurate. I will say that the larger cal models are pricey, it depends on where you get it.

The plain old model H001 msrp is $299.99 at the Henry website. I bought mine at a WalMart for $199.99.

 

[RL357Mag]

Apparently the word got out - now they sell for $232 at WalMart...still a good buy.

 

[Vertiviper]

Well....


I went with the Marlin 982 in synthetic black. Can't wait to get to the range!!