Author Topic: What's a good starter rifle for hunting?  (Read 21297 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Artist

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 658
Re: What's a good starter rifle for hunting?
« Reply #15 on: January 14, 2014, 02:16:01 PM »
Another vote and point for the 30-06. Anyone that has ever hand loaded for rifle can tell you that the 30-06 is the most versatile rifle round out there. Most calibers have a quarter page or a half page at most in the reloading manual. The 30-06 has PAGES of load combinations and the largest spread of bullet weights out there. It's easy to tailor a round for just about anything from javelina to moose and anything in between.
CZ 75 SP01 Shadow, strong enough for a man, but she likes it too!

Offline bobanddog

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 628
Re: What's a good starter rifle for hunting?
« Reply #16 on: January 21, 2014, 03:43:26 PM »
I've hunted with .30-06 or it's derivatives (.280, .270) most of my adult life.  The beauty of the '06 is that you not only can find any load for it, but also any rifle for it, from most makers and in most action types... One is bound to fit you and suit your preferences.     

That said, I've also use rifles ranging from .22 to .45-70, and shotguns from .410 to 12 gage.  Reason being, there is no magic bullet or one-gun for everything answer out there.  You don't need a dozen guns to hunt, but you will find that some are great at many things but overkill or underpowered for others.  I would suggest start by not spending too much money on the hardware until you learn more about your needs and wants.  Consider used guns, and/or try loaners from friends if possible.  Some ranges and sports clubs offer rentals.  Get yourself a .22 for target practice and small game, and a hunting shotgun (not a street sweeper or home defender), and work your way into hunting from there.  You'll figure out what rifle is right for you eventually.

"I have laid aside business, and gone a'fishing."

Izaak Walton

Offline Cali Crash

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 855
  • Patiently waiting and saving for an ACCU shadow!
Re: What's a good starter rifle for hunting?
« Reply #17 on: January 28, 2014, 12:50:03 PM »
Well I came across a used Remi 870 express for $250 with a 28" barrel. Found 18.5" for $100 so going to pick this up Saturday when I pick up my P09. This will get my foot in the door, just bought our new house so next is start shopping for a decent large gun safe for all the toys. After we recover from all that spending I will start looking into hunting with either the uncle if and when he comes up to or towards Northern California. If no time soon I'll probably do as you all suggested and go to te local fish and game and take a hunting class and try to find someone there. I'll also check out the CalGuns forum, finally signed up there, and see if there's anything going on I can get into with the shotgun for now or if someone had a loaner rifle I can use. Either way we are moving forward and the wife is excite about te prospect of having a freezer loaded with meat!
22LR Kadet kit
9mm CZ75bd (CGW DCP, RRK and E/Z-D sight set)
9mm CZ75b high polish stainless
9mm SP-01 Tactical (CGW DCP, RRK and E/Z-D sight set)
9mm SP-01
9mm P09 (at CGW for PRO-Series "P" package and sights)
9mm P09
45acp 97b

Offline jwc007

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8649
Re: What's a good starter rifle for hunting?
« Reply #18 on: January 28, 2014, 02:47:45 PM »
Well I came across a used Remi 870 express for $250 with a 28" barrel. Found 18.5" for $100 so going to pick this up Saturday when I pick up my P09.

Sweet deal!  8)  Congratulations!  :)  That's a great start for you!  :)
"Easy is the path to wisdom for those not blinded by ego." - Yoda


For all of those killed by a 9mm: "Get up! You are not dead! You were shot with a useless cartridge!"

Offline bobanddog

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 628
Re: What's a good starter rifle for hunting?
« Reply #19 on: January 28, 2014, 05:22:24 PM »
Glad you're off to a good start.  A freezer and a good gun safe were two of the best investments I ever made.  Have fun filling them both!
"I have laid aside business, and gone a'fishing."

Izaak Walton

Offline cntrydawwwg

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5244
Re: What's a good starter rifle for hunting?
« Reply #20 on: January 28, 2014, 07:21:47 PM »
Glad you're off to a good start.  A freezer and a good gun safe were two of the best investments I ever made.  Have fun filling them both!

             +1 Congrats and enjoy.
If guns are outlawed.........
 Only outlaws will have guns.

Offline jameslovesjammie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4608
  • The Last Best Place
Re: What's a good starter rifle for hunting?
« Reply #21 on: January 28, 2014, 08:32:03 PM »
Glad you're off to a good start.  A freezer and a good gun safe were two of the best investments I ever made.  Have fun filling them both!

I agree!  But now that you've got a nice big house, get a BIGGER freezer than you think you'll need.  Mine tend to get filled with popcicles and ice cream for some reason unbeknownst to me.   :o

Offline steerclr

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 456
Re: What's a good starter rifle for hunting?
« Reply #22 on: January 28, 2014, 08:42:28 PM »
All good replies.  But as I've seen posted before, if I could only have one gun I would suggest a shotgun with interchangeable choke tubes.  You could hunt anything from doves, ducks, squirrels, rabbits, deer, turkey, etc. by simply changing ammo and chokes.  If you want a rifle however a 30-06 is a good choice.

Offline Cali Crash

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 855
  • Patiently waiting and saving for an ACCU shadow!
Re: What's a good starter rifle for hunting?
« Reply #23 on: January 31, 2014, 12:18:37 PM »
Glad you're off to a good start.  A freezer and a good gun safe were two of the best investments I ever made.  Have fun filling them both!

I agree!  But now that you've got a nice big house, get a BIGGER freezer than you think you'll need.  Mine tend to get filled with popcicles and ice cream for some reason unbeknownst to me.   :o
I'll be doing that for sure, freezer question for you guys actually. The house we are purchasing is actually a new build, break ground march with a scheduled completion of July. So we can add or change things right now before they start building. Got me a three car garage, or really it's a two car with a third tandem space which will be my shop/work area. Anyways added a 208v 50a receptacle to the garage for a Lincoln 211 weilder I'll be buying down the line. Would the standard 110v 15-20a receptacles be sufficient for most of these decent sized dedicated freezers? Or should i put in something larger? I want one large enough that if I bring home a boar, deer, or elk I can fit it all into the one freezer once the butcher has broken it down.

All good replies.  But as I've seen posted before, if I could only have one gun I would suggest a shotgun with interchangeable choke tubes.  You could hunt anything from doves, ducks, squirrels, rabbits, deer, turkey, etc. by simply changing ammo and chokes.  If you want a rifle however a 30-06 is a good choice.
That's my plan. A lot of great suggestions all led to that decision. And since the wife is all for the rifle I can spend some money on it later. With the shotgun I needed to keep it budget friendly so getting a Remmington 870 express with a 28" barrel and I'll be shopping for the HD and rifled barrel once I can pull the shotgun out of hiding and put it in our own safe once the home is done. Can't pass up a almost new 870 for $250 especially when they're driving it to my LGS for the transfer. Down the line I'll start looking at some variant of a CZ 550 .30-06 most likely.
22LR Kadet kit
9mm CZ75bd (CGW DCP, RRK and E/Z-D sight set)
9mm CZ75b high polish stainless
9mm SP-01 Tactical (CGW DCP, RRK and E/Z-D sight set)
9mm SP-01
9mm P09 (at CGW for PRO-Series "P" package and sights)
9mm P09
45acp 97b

Offline bobanddog

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 628
Re: What's a good starter rifle for hunting?
« Reply #24 on: January 31, 2014, 01:47:28 PM »
Cali, the best suggestion I can make about the freezer is to ensure it has a dedicated circuit.  That way, if something else trips a breaker or GFCI and you're not aware of it, you won't wind up having everything defrost (since the freezer is in the garage and you might not notice if it's been quiet for a long time).  Plugging in a low-draw but permanently illuminated light or electric clock or something can also serve as a more visible indicator if that circuit goes out.  Knock wood-I've never had a problem or lost meat yet, but it's better to be safe than sorry.     
A good chest-style freezer may take up more floor space than an upright, but is roomier, way more efficient and will stay cold for longer if the power goes out.  They sell cheap but small ones new, but often you can find a bigger used one on craigslist or garage sales, etc for even less.

The shotgun plan makes sense, and they've only been cranking out 870s for over half a century.  There are plenty of new and used sources for barrels, chokes, and accessories.  Same goes for the .30-06 cartridge, not exotic enough for some, but it helped us win two world wars and has put food on the table and trophies on the wall for generations.  Happy Hunting!
"I have laid aside business, and gone a'fishing."

Izaak Walton

Offline Timbikeride

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 26
Re: What's a good starter rifle for hunting?
« Reply #25 on: February 02, 2014, 09:25:26 PM »
There isn't enough difference between so many rounds to even make a difference. I wouldn't feel over or under gunned for anything in North America with a 270, 280, 30-06, or 308.  But I'll agree the 30-06 makes a lot of sense for someone limited to one all around rifle. Anyplace that sells ammo will carry 30-06. And if you handload, there are a ton of great bullets and powders that will work in the 30-06.

Offline Cali Crash

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 855
  • Patiently waiting and saving for an ACCU shadow!
Re: What's a good starter rifle for hunting?
« Reply #26 on: February 12, 2014, 01:52:04 PM »
There isn't enough difference between so many rounds to even make a difference. I wouldn't feel over or under gunned for anything in North America with a 270, 280, 30-06, or 308.  But I'll agree the 30-06 makes a lot of sense for someone limited to one all around rifle. Anyplace that sells ammo will carry 30-06. And if you handload, there are a ton of great bullets and powders that will work in the 30-06.
They're starting the build on the new house next week. I've got my garage and shop started! Only managed one dedicated circuit for a Lincoln 211 welder. Figured I'll add some kind of monitoring device or indicator to the receptacle powering the freezer. I'll be in there a couple times a day so hopefully I won't miss it dying and kill all the meat. Once I get my shop going I'll look into starting to reload. Until then I've got about 1500+ rounds of 9 to keep me occupied. Picking up the Remi from it's 10 day hold on Saturday and starting the 10 day wait on the stainless CZ.
22LR Kadet kit
9mm CZ75bd (CGW DCP, RRK and E/Z-D sight set)
9mm CZ75b high polish stainless
9mm SP-01 Tactical (CGW DCP, RRK and E/Z-D sight set)
9mm SP-01
9mm P09 (at CGW for PRO-Series "P" package and sights)
9mm P09
45acp 97b

Offline mkd

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 714
Re: What's a good starter rifle for hunting?
« Reply #27 on: February 26, 2014, 02:43:33 PM »
cali ! talk to the electrician and tell him your plans for a freezer. depending on how far the freezer is from the breaker box you may want to go up one size in wire. best to be on it's own circuit and you probably will need a ground fault indicator instead of a standard trip breaker. here in wisconsin anything outside or wired in the bathrooms have to have a gfi.

Offline 25knots

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 23
Re: What's a good starter rifle for hunting?
« Reply #28 on: October 27, 2014, 11:40:22 PM »
+1 for a 12 gauge. Its by far the most versatile firearm you can get.

Offline oldRed

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 11
Re: What's a good starter rifle for hunting?
« Reply #29 on: November 04, 2014, 12:57:37 AM »
The most versatile thing you can get is a over and under with a 12 gauge shotgun under a 6.5 x 55mm. A well placed shot with right bullet from the 6.5 and it's long bullet will stop anything on Earth. With the right load a 12 Gauge Shotgun isn't a bad backup for almost anything short of the really nasty stuff in Africa.

If I was limited to buying ammo over the counter I would choose from 22 long rifle (well stocked gun stores have it, for a price.), 6.5mm Swedish Mauser or 6.5 x 55mm ,5.56?45mm NATO, .270, 7mm Mauser, 7.62X49 Russian, 7.62x54R, 308 Winchester/ 7.62 NATO, 30-06  and other common calibers that can be found almost anywhere in the world.

The .223 Remington/5.56x45 NATO has loadings that work for  one of the best home defense rounds in regards to both over penetration and stopping power and it a capable hunting round for for varmints, deer and hogs with the proper bullet. Next to the 22 Long Rifle the 7.62X49 Russian for the AK 47 is the cheapest ammo out there and some of the ammo it accurate in bolt action rifles.

If you seriously planing to reload I would stick to bolt action rifles to make brass recovery easy and not have to worry about having to make the rifle function. I would look hard at a Weatherby Vanguard in 6.5 Creedmoor,  .223 Remington, .25-06 Remington, .270 Winchester, .308 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield  or .375 H&H Mag. One of those will work for most anything on Earth. You have a choice of lot more Weatherby Magnum calibers but I wouldn't send a beginning reloader to any of them. The brass is expensive and has a short life.

 I would really rather have a rifle chambered for 5.56 x45mm NATO than 223 Remington as the .223 shoots fine in 5.56 chamber but the 5.56 can be over pressure in a .223 chamber.

Good luck
Red

Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. -Seneca

 

anything