Beginning Rifle?

J

jbuck92

Inactive
My uncle gave me a .22 long-rifle when I was about 12 years old and just recently started shooting more often. I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations on a second rifle that I could get that is affordable, reliable and accurate? I just shot a 30/30 at my girlfriend's ranch last week and really enjoyed shooting it, but I don't know much about 30/30 rifles regarding their affordability and/or reliability (Affordable to me is no more then $450, maybe $500).

Anyone have an opinion on what kind of rifles I should look at? I'm looking for one that is good for game hunting (deer, elk, axis, blackbuck, etc.) and for target shooting.

Thanks!
 
Welcome to The Firing Line, jbuck92!

I don't have the answer to your question, but I recently started a thread, looking for suggestions for a .308. I got a lot of good information, so you might want to peruse that thread.
 
A 30-30 will do a fine job! Look for a Marlin 336 in your local pawn shop or used gun dealer. You can find them for $300 oftentimes.
 
Welcome to the forum.

I think the first thing you should do is decide what type of action you want. There are several types, but I will list a few of the most common; single shot break action, bolt action, pump action, leaver action and semi auto of course.

I will let you look up the pros and cons of each......:cool:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firearm_action
 
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Thanks for the link, Palmetto! From my personal experience I prefer bolt-action or lever action rifles. The .22 long I have is a pump action. While I love shooting it, for the next rifle I buy I'd prefer a bolt-action or lever.

With that said, any other recommendations now? I haven't had a chance to read that thread yet, Spats. I'm going to go do that right now to read up on .308s. I'll also look into that Marlin 336.
 
Get a 243 or a 308, I would've said a 223 but you mentioned about hunting deer, and I don't know If your states will allow it.

Look at Savage or Remington bolt actions would be my suggestion, a Tikka might also fit your price range also
 
Welcome to TFL, jbuck!

I'll make the same 3 recommendations I make to others who ask "What rifle?"

1. Buy a good used rifle.

2. Shoot it as much as you can afford to. First off the bench to establish what rifle is capable of, and then from field positions to find out what you are capable of. "It is a rare marksman that can shoot up to his rifle."

3. In order to shoot more, learn to handload. Last time I checked prices and did the math, a Lee kit would pay for itself in less than 300 rounds ...... I have shot than many .277 bullets in a 24 hour period in a single prairie dog town .......
 
I'm in Texas. I'm not sure if a .223 is allowed or not here. I haven't checked yet. I'll be deer hunting either here or in Missouri (assuming my uncle and I can find some land to hunt on again)
 
My vote is for the Marlin 336C, this one is in 35 Remington $450 new.

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Jim
 
Check your local DF&W as to what the minimum caliber is for deer.

.30-30 is fine and dandy for deer and any other medium sized game. The same can be said for just about any of the common cartridges from .243win on up.

There are two major lever action rifles manufacturers to choose from Winchester and Marlin. There are also several smaller companies and versions of lever actions that aren't being made anymore.

The Winchester 94 and the Marlin 336 are the most common lever action models. Each has it's own fans. Either gun can be found used for $300 to $400.

If you plan on using a rifle mostly for hunting, plinking and occasional target shooting, either of these guns will do fine. .30-30 will do fine as well. It is a relatively inexpensive cartridge and is one of the easier to reload.

The short comings of most lever actions is that they aren't as strong as bolt actions, most use tube magazines so they don't handle pointy bullets that well, and that eliminates many modern rounds.
The .30-30 is limited because it is a low pressure and relatively low velocity round. That makes long distance shooting more difficult. Most people limit themselves to under 200yds when they shoot .30-30.

In case you wondered, there are lever action rifles that are magazine fed. They can handle pointy bullets such as the .308 or .30-06.
The Winchester 95 or Savage 99. The former will be a bit more pricey and the latter is no longer produced.
Both rifles are fine for what you mentioned.

Know what you want the rifle to do and then find the rifle.

The main thing is to have fun.
 
In case you wondered, there are lever action rifles that are magazine fed. They can handle pointy bullets such as the .308 or .30-06.
The Winchester 95 or Savage 99. The former will be a bit more pricey and the latter is no longer produced.
Both rifles are fine for what you mentioned.
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Browning's BLR feeds from a box magazine, too, IIRC. My dad had the carbine version in .308 WIN when I was younger (1980 something) .......

My vote is for the Marlin 336C, this one is in 35 Remington $450 new.
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Not saying you can't find one for that, but I have not seen such a deal, unless it is online, and then there are shipping and FFL transfer fees to add to that.
 
I just checked gun broker -

Plenty of Model 94s in your range.

I'd likely go for a used rifle, 30-30, skip the scope.

I don't really understand why someone would mess up a nice model 94 with a scope!

The 30-30 is a heavy bullet - so you won't usually shoot more than 150 yds, anyway.
 
The 30-30 is a heavy bullet - so you won't usually shoot more than 150 yds, anyway.
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The capabilities of the cartidge don't dictate the needs of the situation..... If your quarry appears at 250 yards, and your bullet launching system (You, The Sighting Equipment, The Cartridge, Bullet, all working together) is not up to the shot ... you can't ethically take it.

.... some folks can hit a milk jug at 300 yards with an open sighted 30/30 ....... I'll wager more people can do the same, and with more regularity, with a scoped rifle in a flatter shooting chambering.
 
I just shot a 30/30 at my girlfriend's ranch last week and really enjoyed shooting it, but I don't know much about 30/30 rifles regarding their affordability and/or reliability (Affordable to me is no more then $450, maybe $500).
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No problem getting a .30-30 in that price range. New Marlin 336Ws (like the 336Cs but with stained birch stocks instead of walnut, less $s) are less than that. Or check the pawn shops. Lots of good deals are out there.

Reliability of Marlin 336s (the only .30-30s I've ever used) are pretty darned good. There are a few known issues with them like the infamous "Marlin Jam", but I've never encountered them. YMMV, of course.

Anyone have an opinion on what kind of rifles I should look at? I'm looking for one that is good for game hunting (deer, elk, axis, blackbuck, etc.) and for target shooting.
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I consider .30-30 to be a bit light for elk, but it can be done if you respect the limitations of the rifle. Shot placement is critical, and you'll need to be picky about what bullet you use. Handloading helps. Common wisdom has it that a .30-30 is only good for 150 yards. I'd say that is a bit conservative, if you sight in the rifle at about 3" high at 100 yards it will be about 6" low at 200 yards using factory 150 gr ammo, and that is a usable hunting point blank. Learn your trajectory, and maybe try out the Hornady LeverEvolution ammo which will give you an extra 50 or so effective yards. If you are looking at longer ranges (regularly over 100 yards) I'd suggest getting a low profile, modest magnification scope. My 336A wears a Leupold VX-I 2-7x33 on low profile rings, it seems to be a good match-up for the rifle. No point in magnification over that in that caliber, you won't be shooting that far anyway, and the wide field of view on the low end is a good thing in thick where this sort of rifle shines.

If you learn your rifle's trajectory, get good at range estimation, scope it and maybe use the new Hornady pointy bullets (factory or handload, your choice) you can actually get huntable performance out to 300 yards from a .30-30.

If you decide to go with something with more oomph, then you'll need to troll the pawn shops for something a bit more "mainstream" (not that there's anything weird about .30-30 lever actions -- they are as common as fleas on a dog, and with good reason). A bolt action rifle in .308 Win or .30-06 will do what you want, but you'll need a scope and unless you get a really good deal, well, I wouldn't bet on it being within your budget. Maybe. You can look.
 
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The 223 is legal for deer here in Texas but being legal doesn't make it a good choice. There is nothing wrong with a 30-30 but there are better choices that are much more versatile. Anything from a 243 up will work but I would suggest a 270. It is plenty of rifle for any animal in the state, shoots flat, and doesn't have a lot of recoil. As for the rifle itself, there are plenty of good choices. Personally, I would suggest a Savage 110.
 
I don't really understand why someone would mess up a nice model 94 with a scope!
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If it were a nice 94, I'd agree. But on a Marlin 336, less so. Especially when the newer ones are already drilled & tapped, and the side eject is pretty much tailor made for it.

The 30-30 is a heavy bullet - so you won't usually shoot more than 150 yds, anyway.
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It isn't so much the weight of the bullet as it is the shape of the bullet. The flat nosed or round nosed bullets that are traditionally used in it have pretty lousy aerodynamics. Use a pointy bullet and you can get quite a bit longer effective range. Either "2 shoot" conventional pointy bullet handloads (watch the OAL!) or go with Hornady's new FTX offerings. That'll stretch it out.

BTW -- you aren't limited to heavy (150 to 170 gr) bullets in .30-30. I've got lighter (125 gr and 130 gr) bullets on hand that are specifically designed for that round. Better velocity. But since they are flat nosed bullets, they still fall off at longer ranges. It isn't the weight, it is the shape. Pointy is the way to go.
 
Used rifles in good condition are out there ...... they are by far the best value.

If you learn your rifle's trajectory, get good at range estimation, scope it and maybe use the new Hornady pointy bullets (factory or handload, your choice) you can actually get huntable performance out to 300 yards from a .30-30.
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Aye, but the whole ballistic problem gets so much simpler with a flatter shooting cartridge. A 150 gr RN drops almost 17 inches at 300 when zeroed at 200 ...... 10" of that between 250 and 300..... and rises to +4" between 100 and 150 yards...... wind drift with a 10 mph crosswind is over 20", so add a windmeter and laser rangefinder in there if you want to take a 300 yard shot with the thutty-thutty ........ that and hope the deer does not move in the half a second the bullet takes to get there.

Deer at 300 with a 30/30? Sure, if you have a laser rangefinder, windmeter (or there is no wind) and the deer is bedded down..... lotta ifs there. Better to shoot a flatter cartridge, methinks.
 
The 223 is legal for deer here in Texas but being legal doesn't make it a good choice.
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Agreed. Yeah, you can load it up with premium heavy bullets and get the deer hunting job done, but I sure wouldn't suggest it for a 2nd rifle intended for hunting. And I for sure wouldn't suggest it for elk. There was once a time when .243 Win was minimum for deer in Tx. That's a more realistic bottom end, and even then I wouldn't suggest that for elk.

...but I would suggest a 270.
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Not a bad selection. That'll cover all of your bases, including elk. I consider that round to be more of an open country round -- longer ranges. I wouldn't choose it if you were looking at shorter range hunting in brush country.
 
A bolt action rifle in .308 Win or .30-06 will do what you want, but you'll need a scope and unless you get a really good deal, well, I wouldn't bet on it being within your budget. Maybe. You can look.
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He can easily get a bolt with a scope for within his budget, even buying new. Besides, for longer shots, he will want a scope for a 30-30 anyways.

Common wisdom has it that a .30-30 is only good for 150 yards. I'd say that is a bit conservative, if you sight in the rifle at about 3" high at 100 yards it will be about 6" low at 200 yards using factory 150 gr ammo
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A 270 or 30-06 would be 1" high at a hundred and about 2" low at 200. That is a definite advantage when you consider that most people are terrible at judging long distances. A few minutes spent with a rangefinder can be very humbling.
 
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