Best First Rifle

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Best 1st rifle???

Probably NOT a .223rem.

In 9th grade I bought a Rem 700 BDL in .270win. Dad bought some handloading gear and a Lyman 310 tool. I shot Sierra bullets, mostly 130gr boattails and handloaded every round I fired. Was a lot of fun. Thinking back, I was too influenced by reading Jack O'Connor... No longer have any .270win stuff.


Hard to beat a .308win, or if you live out West, a .30-06. There is also the .280 remington which offers a great bullet selection. The .260rem or 6.5x55 are also super choices.


If you aren't biased against them Black Rifles, might consider a 5.56 AR-15 and get into Service Rifle shooting. You should handload your ammunition, and realize that once your learn to shoot the 200, 300, 600yd courses of fire that comprise SR competition, you will be schooled in marksmanship to the Nth degree. Probably find a good condition, match AR-15 for about $700. Being able to shoot the lights out with iron sights is something few can do these days. Can hunt with your AR in most states. Very effective deer getter if you can shoot it with precision. Loading your own ammo enables the 5.56 to do about anything.


If sold on the .223, don't fail to investigate the AR-15; a decent match rifle will shoot lights out compared to most bolt guns.
 
Your initial idea sounds pretty good to me... as for the suggestions to get a true deer cartridge (.243, .270, .308, etc), that's fine if your main purpose is to hunt deer. But if your intent is to mostly practice for recreation and to improve your marksmanship, the .223 can be much cheaper to shoot in volume. The last stuff I got was copper solids for 31 cents per round, including shipping--you'd be lucky to shoot most centerfire ammo at twice that price and more likely three or four times that. If you get into reloading, component costs would also be much cheaper. Plus, the .223's minimal recoil is less likely to cause flinching during extended shooting sessions.

You said you wanted a step up from .22lr. I can appreciate that. Beside, Availability and cost of 22lr aren't as appealing as they once were. Other rimfire (.22 mag, 17HMR) ammo might be easier to find than 22lr, but it won't be much cheaper than .223.

I don't know about the Axis, but I have a Savage 11 in .223. Haven't been able to shoot it much yet, but my early impressions have been good.
 
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Pick up a pre owned, high quality Winchester, Browning, Remmington bolt action 22 with a x4 or 3 x 9 power scope. Shoot the heck out of it, learn about zeroing the scope. Learn about different 22 velocity cartridges.

The rifle should last you and yours a lifetime.

.02

David :)

ps -- 2nd rifle buy yourself a 30 06.
 
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