Hey guys, I'm new so be gentle...

[ADHybrid]

I've just become interested in shooting but I'm not looking for a "powerhouse" so to say but I'd like to work on a rifle for accuracy. To be honest, I've only shot a pellet gun when I was younger and that is the extent of my shooting knowledge. I just need a few suggestions as far as what would be a good starter rifle to get started on,It was suggested that I start with a 22 as it would be cheap to fire and can be fairly accurate). Eventually I'd like a "project" rifle that I can tweak and mess with to squeeze the accuracy out of it but that will come after I gain some experience. I have about $800 - $1000 to start off with and that has to pretty much cover everything. Also, another quick question. I have a Wet and Reckless on my record and a few of my other friends who are also getting into shooting said I need to check up on that to see if it is going to effect me getting a rifle. I live in California and was wondering if that is going to effect my eligibility to buy a rifle. Sorry if I sound very green on the subject but I kinda am . Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks guys.

-Chris

 

[jeffreybehr]

OK, I'm apparently so out of it that I don't know what a 'Wet and Reckless' is; what is it?

 

[Shelley]

From the sound of it, I'm guessing that a "wet and reckless" may be what would be a public intoxication or maybe even a DUI, here in Texas. Around here, unless it's a felony or a domestic violence charge, it won't prevent gun ownership.

My advise is to buy a Savage in .223 caliber. It will probably be very accurate and recoil is mild. Ammo is relatively cheap for that round. I'm not into Savages so others can advise on specific models.

You might even look into buying a Lee reloading kit that'll get you started with accuracy reloading. Lee makes bottom line reloading equipment,cost wise) but the stuff seems to do a great job.

Have fun
Shelley

 

[ReedG]

Hi Chris:

Shelley's ideas are great. A Savage Model 12 with a moderately priced 6-24X scope would be a great rig that will do well by you. Do you have a range nearby? Where will you shoot? Have you ever taken a Hunter Safety course? Do you have anyone to mentor you? There are so many "basics" to learn at the beginning that it would be good to find someone knowledgeable who can help you get started.

If you enjoy shooting, you will probably want to reload and Lee equipment is where I started and I still use a lot of it.

Keep us posted ...

 

[BillK]

If your offense was a felony you will need an act of congress to legally own firearms!!!

 

[M700]

A good .22 rifle can be incredibly accurate with decent ammo. It will also last about forever and usually they require minimal maintenance. All the same skills you'll use for a bigger rifle can be learned on the smaller .22 rimfire, at much less cost.

Well, dealing with recoil is something you won't learn with a .22, but there's always something...

Welcome aboard! Guy

 

[ADHybrid]

Thanks everyone for the quick responses. Well, I'll try to address all the follow up questions and hope it helps some. First off, a wet and reckless is a 'lesser' form of a DUI in CA. Its still a misdemeanor but its something like saying "You were over the limit but probably would have made it home just fine",best way to describe it). Its basically less fine, no work program, and less classes. Definitely not a felony. As far as firing ranges around here, I have about 3 or so within about an hours drive of my apartment,One is like 20 mins or so). As far as mentors go, I don't have anything solid yet but I do speak to some of the hunters/hobbiests around here and they have given me a few pieces of advice. Savage line is one of the more recommended lines as well as the Remington P or the Remington PSS. I eventually want to get into long distance competitions and those were two lines recommended to me that would be really good "out of box" to start off with until I get into 500+ yards. I haven't shot a gun since I was like 15,I'm 22 now) and even at that it was a pallet gun. I'm just considering target practice right now but if I do decide I want to go hunting, will either the Savage or Remington 700P or PSS take down medium to large game,deer?)? The only thing that kinda sucks is around here there isn't a long distance range that I know of,500+ yards). Anyways...keep the advice comin

 

[Gollum]

Savage model 12 BVSS, 223 cal, Sightron 36x scope. Buy a decent front rest and rear bag while you're at it. You won't wear it out for a long time, won't belt you, and shoots pretty cheap. I get outshot by one on a fairy regular basis.

 

[Forum Boss]

I would seriously consider getting one of the Suhl 150s that Century Arms has for about $610 dealer price. A good match 22 is something you can use for life. The Suhl 150 has a good enough action and trigger that many of these guns are then converted into benchrest rifles.

 

[Shelley]

Chris,

I've killed deer with a .223 but a bigger bullet is a plus when it comes to medium sized game. However, that's one of the great features of the Savage. You can, for a reasonable amount, change the bolt face to accept a larger diameter cartridge and change the barrel for one chambered for a larger cartridge. These changes, with a bit of study can be accomplished with out the help,and fees) of a gunsmith. For instance, you could change to a 6.5X284 for 1000 yard shooting or deer hunting.

If you get really serious about competitive shooting, you'll probably opt for a custom gun at some point. But that's lots of money compared to a Savage.

Shelley