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Good first gun?

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  • #16
    Red Team, I would recommend that you start with a Ruger Mark II pistol (Mark III is good, but I prefer Mark II) to start. If you want a rifle, there are few that rivals a Rugar 10/22 for a beginner. Both these guns have been on the market for decades. Spare parts are plenty and they are very affordable. The ammo is affordable as well. They are about as reliable as they come, especially for the cheap and dirty 22 rounds. Not many 22 autoloaders can boast the reliablility of a Ruger 10/22 or Mark II.

    You can also check out the Henry 22 lever action carbine. It's fun to shoot and never jams. There's also the added nostalgia of working the lever.

    I recommend buying at least a 22 before moving on to centerfire guns.
    "Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.

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    • #17
      Another pistol that is a good one is the Ruger Single Six in .22 - they come with a second cylinder for .22 Mag - a pretty potent round for its size, and you can still use the cheap .22 LR for target and plinking. I had one, I wish I hadn't sold it...
      sigpic"If your plan is for one year, plant rice. If your plan is for ten years, plant trees.
      If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children."

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      • #18
        Originally posted by USSWisconsin View Post
        Another pistol that is a good one is the Ruger Single Six in .22 - they come with a second cylinder for .22 Mag - a pretty potent round for its size, and you can still use the cheap .22 LR for target and plinking. I had one, I wish I hadn't sold it...
        Ruger Single Six is for the rich people with disposable income.

        For us po' folks we would have to go with Heritage Rough Rider in 22LR with a conversion cylinder for 22 Mag. It costs about $180. You can find one on sale for as low as $160, brand new.
        "Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.

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        • #19
          You guys are not seriously telling me that you can't get good with a .3030 after a box of rounds?

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          • #20
            Originally posted by Officer of Engineers View Post
            You guys are not seriously telling me that you can't get good with a .3030 after a box of rounds?
            30/30 went out of style down here Col. We're all 308 and exotic necked to hellenback magnum stuff now!

            Good luck even finding anything but basic 3030 rounds here, but you can get .308 in 31 flavors! .223 as well.

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            • #21
              Well, I still have my .3030 for nostalgia sakes but the .30-06 is my choice though my .308 is my utility gun, ie putting down horses or cows. Still, I learned on the .3030 where you have to make the shot as opposed to the .30-06 and the .308 where you just take the shot.

              I have not taken the .3030 out in years and I still have a box of soft points but I do remember how you have to make the shot, especially against a black bear.

              It was a good gun. I'm sorry to see it falling out of favour to the more exotic calibres. I can see why both the .308s and the .223s are taking over but they are never a replacement for the Depression Era survival gun.

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              • #22
                Originally posted by Officer of Engineers View Post
                It was a good gun. I'm sorry to see it falling out of favour to the more exotic calibres. I can see why both the .308s and the .223s are taking over but they are never a replacement for the Depression Era survival gun.
                Won't argue there Sir. I had a Marlin 3030 lever growing up, my wife inherited her dads 60's era Japanese Winchester 94 in 3030. Thing is shot to death, but is still a nice piece.

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                • #23
                  Just to clarify, .223 are 5.56mm, right?
                  Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

                  Abusing Yellow is meant to be a labor of love, not something you sell to the highest bidder.

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                  • #24
                    Originally posted by bigross86 View Post
                    Just to clarify, .223 are 5.56mm, right?
                    Yep. The .223 is .22 with more gunpowder in the bigger casing.

                    Last edited by Doktor; 02 Nov 11,, 09:09.
                    No such thing as a good tax - Churchill

                    To make mistakes is human. To blame someone else for your mistake, is strategic.

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                    • #25
                      .223 (and 5.56mm) is a centerfire cartridge (can be reloaded), while .22 LR and .22 RFM are rimfire (can't be reloaded). Reloading is something that comes later, fairly complex and equipment intensive - not for someone who is buying their first gun (best learned from someone who has been doing it for a while, safety is important - improperly reloaded cartridges are dangerous, but special rounds can be created - a reloader can combine bullets and powder loads to get very specific results and +P+ rounds can be made if the gun is strong enough).
                      Last edited by USSWisconsin; 02 Nov 11,, 15:29.
                      sigpic"If your plan is for one year, plant rice. If your plan is for ten years, plant trees.
                      If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children."

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                      • #26
                        It's funny how does .22 cartridges can explode if not properly stored.

                        The whole case is a primer ;)
                        Last edited by Doktor; 02 Nov 11,, 16:07.
                        No such thing as a good tax - Churchill

                        To make mistakes is human. To blame someone else for your mistake, is strategic.

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                        • #27
                          semi-auto anything is not a good first gun.

                          Single shot bolt action .22, you should be able to find a nice used Remington 514 for around $125.

                          First learn to hit what you are aiming at every time, then worry about how many times you can pull the trigger before reloading.
                          "We will go through our federal budget – page by page, line by line – eliminating those programs we don’t need, and insisting that those we do operate in a sensible cost-effective way." -President Barack Obama 11/25/2008

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                          • #28
                            Originally posted by Doktor View Post
                            It's funny how does .22 cartridges can explode if not properly stored.

                            The whole case is a primer ;)
                            When I was a kid we used to take apart .22 shells and use the casings to "arm" our army men.

                            We'd setup the men to aim at each other, then slide the empty casings over their gun barrels. Hold a match under the empty casing till the primer goes off and try to knock over the other guy's soldiers.

                            Almost as fun as "stretch".
                            "We will go through our federal budget – page by page, line by line – eliminating those programs we don’t need, and insisting that those we do operate in a sensible cost-effective way." -President Barack Obama 11/25/2008

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                            • #29
                              Originally posted by bigross86 View Post
                              Just to clarify, .223 are 5.56mm, right?
                              Diameter wise, yes. If you're talking about a cartridge, then no. They are loaded to different specs and I think the throat of a 5.56x45 is different than 223 Remington.

                              It is safe to fire 223 Remington from a rifle chambered for 5.56x45 NATO. It is not safe to fire 5.56x45 NATO in a rifle chambered in 223 Remington.
                              "Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.

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                              • #30
                                Yep. The charge in 223 Remington has less explosive power then in 5.56x45 NATO. Otherwise both fit in the same chamber.
                                No such thing as a good tax - Churchill

                                To make mistakes is human. To blame someone else for your mistake, is strategic.

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