What do i need to do to get rifle in america

[223aussiegirl]

OK folk I am coming to America in October & I have a friend at Charlevoix, MI that would like to buy a rifle, so that when they go to their farm, tehy can shoot deer & the likes!!

What caliber do you recommend??

What do we have to do to purchase one, can you just walk into a store & buy one?? Do you need a licence?? Where would be a good place to buy one between Columbus Ohio and Charlevoix Michigan

I look forward to your replies.

cheers & good shooting

Rhonda

 

[DogBuster]

Just curious ? Will you be able to take the rifle back home with you ? The license purchase is another question....Hunter safety certication ? Passport or other ID I'm sure..You have alot of questions....your friend in MI may be able to answer some....the rifle ? Tikka or Savage of course...caliber...a 6.5x55 is hard to beat in a Tikka....Savage ? 243 or 308 Win....knowing the terrain you're gonna hunt may help too.....you may need a 444 Marlin lever gun

 

[223aussiegirl]

Hi Dogbuster,

Nah I dont want to bring it home with me, It will stay in America, yeah a savage 308 would be pretty good I think.

I shoot long range target rifle here in Australia & use a 308.

My friend will be the purchaser!! Have lots of questions because I am the shooter & they want to learn how to shoot & I am going to teach them while I am there. What are your storage requirements?? Etc

 

[DogBuster]

Storage requirements ?

I keep my hardware in an 1100 lb Browning safe....

 

[kevinbritvec]

Rhonda,
I live in Michigan. I think you have to live here for three months before you can get a 'resident' license. 'Out of state' licenses are much more expensive. November 15 is opening day for deer hunting every year. Establish your residency here by August 15, 2009 and you should be able to hunt this year.

All firearms must be transported unloaded. They can be inside the passengers compartment if they are completely encased or disassembled and you don't have a trunk. They can be transported in the trunk any way you want, provided they are unloaded. You can store them any way you want in your home. I have a safe and an alarm because I've been robbed. More than once.

A .308 will kill anything Michigan has to offer. Black Bear, Whitetail deer and if you're one of the very very few who get picked through the lottery drawing for Elk.

 

[2506]

If you are not a US citizen I am not sure if you can buy a gun legally. If your friends are citizens then no problem unless they have a felony charge or insanity record or are an illegal drug user. The gun has to be purchased with the persons own money. I know it sounds stupid but that is the law. They call it a straw purchase if while you are in the store you give money to someone to purchase a gun or you say while in the store that you gave them the money to purchase the gun. So keep your mouth shut if you are giving them the money to purchase a gun. You can purchase a rifle at most Wal-mart shopping stores. Most will have either a Savage 110 or the like or Remington 700 in 308 or 30-06 for a good price.

 

[trapper99]

Everybody is pretty much the same on here. They praise there rifles and bad mouth everything else. I have all remington 700's in my safe for the centerfire duties. So you know where my loyalty stands, the 700 has been around forever and parts are readily available at nearly any gun store around. And they make a great base to build on. I like the 308, but own a 30-06 just because of the availability and cost of ammo, more options than almost any other caliber, and again everybody has ammo.

But how far are these shots going to be.If this is going to be the only gun around the farm for a while I would definately get the 30-06, you can shoot bullets ranging from 125 to 220 grains. That is a lot of possibilties. I have no idea on requirement for your situation on buying firearms or how to obtain hunting permits.

Since you all are not new to shooting, get the guns you are already familiar with and like. It is personal prefernce so just try on a few and research a little. Good luck to your friend on his decisions.

 

[Posit]

Rhonda- Most deer hunters use calibers in the .270 - .30 range. Nationwide, 30-06 is the most common, but preferences vary with locale/hunting conditions. For the rest of your questions, go to a gun shop in MI; they will provide all info on state requirements, etc. For your friend, buying a hunting rifle will not be difficult, assuming no criminal/derogatory personal history.

 

[Nodak7mm]

Rhonda,

There is a great sporting goods store maybe an hour away from Charleviox. Tell your friends to start visiting 'Jay's Sporting Goods' in Gaylord.. Since your question asked where could they buy 'their' rifle, this would be an ideal place as they have a decent staff that could assist them. If they are new to shooting, maybe just start out with .22's and tell them you'll come back next yr and then you'll talk deer hunting rifles.

If they are just new to centerfire rifles and deer hunting, I would suggest a 243 Win or a 7/08. I'd bargain to say that most deer shot in MI are 150lbs or less.. And I know for a fact that most shooting opportunities in MI will be 100 yds or less. Your friends need something to comfortable to shoot and one they'll feel confident/safe in shooting.

Buying a 'long gun' in MI will not be an issue for your friends, provided they pass the standard federal background check. This will take place at time of purchase and will take usually just several minutes.

Have a Great time.. Charlevoix is a beautiful area....

Nodak

 

[FFEMT]

Rhonda, one other thing you will need to keep in mind in Michigan is that in some parts of the state deer hunting is only allowed by slugged shotgun and not by centerfire cartridges at all due to civilian populations....Good Luck, Bob.