First Rifle

what is it FOR?
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I think he said,

I don't hunt. My use would be for fun.
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I guess it depends on the kind of fun you'd like to have.
Three good options:

HMR 17
22 LR
223

For 22 LR --- the Ruger 10/22 is hard to beat. Cheapest fun you'll have.
Marlin makes a semi-auto that costs a little less.

For HMR 17 - a CZ rifle --- maybe even get a 22/17 combo! (I love CZ - and plan to get one, some day).

For 223 --- the Ruger Mini 14 is a popular gun.
 
My most fun rifle to shoot is actually a carbine. A USGI M1 Carbine from the CMP. $450 and ammo at 30 cents a round might be more pricey than .22, but I sure enjoy shooting the easy recoil firing carbine.
 
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A semi auto 22lr.
They're not at all boring, they just don't have a loud bang.
And if you wear ear muffs well there's hardly any point in not getting a 22lr.
Lately every time I've gone out shooting I've used between 100 and 200 22lr bullets, where I live that in 223 would've been $100 to $200, and I don't have that much money to waste on targets 50 or 100 yards away
 
"If you can't hit an aspirin with a .22, you won't be able to hit it with a .223, either ...... nor a .338 Windbag, like as not. Fundamentals are cheaper and easier to learn with a .22 ..... Shooting poorly with a centerfire is not much fun for me ....... but to each his own: some people juggle geese.

If all you want to do is turn money into noise, I suggest fireworks....... "
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+1+ for jimbob86, especially the geese part.
 
A little information would be good to know. What do you consider fun.. or at least what do you envision yourself doing with this gun? And what kind of budget are you looking at?

You asked about a 700, and you aren't going to hunt. So, that leaves target practice. What range do you want to shoot? If only 100 or 200 yards, the 700 with a decent scope will be great. If you are thinking 600-800 yards, you will want a nice scope, and depending on your exact rifle, you might want a few updgrades to get the level of accuracy you want. There are a lot of good bolt guns. Savage and Howa are cheaper but known for being good. Browning, nicer Remingtons and others are also good but cost more. They will typically have better fit and finish.

If you see yourself going out and "blasting" (like my dad used to say), something in 7.63x39 would be a good choice. The round is strong eonugh to shoot through tv's, make watermelon chunks fly noteable distances, and give a loud noise when shooting metal targets. They aren't known for high levels of accuracy, but are typically useable. For this, look to an AK, SKS or Saiga. Prices anywhere from $250-400 or higher. Usually iron sights are used with these, but you can get optics.

Maybe Cowboy action shooting? Lever guns usually come in here. It looks like a good time running around fake buildings, shooting at targets all while dressed like a cowboy, but I've never done it. I knew a guy who did and he was ridiculously good at it. It definitely is a skill to acquire, not just people out having fun.

Learning to shoot on a .22lr is definitey a good idea, but just to play devil's advocate, I definitely got tired of them. I still shoot my Marlin 60 from time to time, but I'd rather go to the range, shoot 10 shots at long distances and go home. I can't afford to shoot the big guns all day, but plinking with a .22 just doesn't do it for me anymore.
 
I'm not an expert, but I started out on a dinky little ten shot .22 LR Nylon (At least that's what my dad said it was)

If this is the first time you've shot rifles, I'd recommend something in .22 but since you said you might get bored with it, and if you're not afraid of getting the flinches, perhaps something in .223 like a Mini 14 or something like that. If you want more "oomf" without breaking the bank a good ol Mosin should do the trick as well.

Certainly the cheapest to shoot among the rifles chambered for large calibers, though it's not too friendly on the shoulder. I don't have enough experience with other rifles to really make many suggestions, but for an economical shooter, anything in .22LR is the best route, or for the bigger calibers, most Russian guns like the AK74, SKS and the Mosin seem to provide a lot of bang for your buck.

I bought a Stag Arms AR15 and a Mosin myself, and they're a blast, however I really wished I had gotten a .22LR, would have made going to the range a little less cringe worthy since ammunition prices are going up.
 
now that i have id get an AR pattern rifle. then when youve gotten used to it a 6.8 upper to hunt with. you can make it fit you. ammo is cheaper. and they are accurate out of the box.
 
The point is that the most expensive .22 ammo is 7-8 cents a shot,,,
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Tell that to Lapua ($49 per 100 for X-act Match).

I think a 22lr for a first rifle is a no brainer. A cheap 22lr can be had at walmart for much less than $200. Shooting 22lr may get boring quick but it will let you know if you have the patience for rifle shooting. After figuring that part out, you can sell the cheap plinker and upgrade to whatever you want, whether it be an Anschutz match rifle or an AR platform.

If you just want a big bang and have your shoulder ache, I suggest a 12-gauge.
 
Getting bored with a rifle isn't limited to a specific caliber. You need to push your skills. A spinner target at 150 yards with my CZ 452 occupys a lot of my range time now. Compensating for wind and bullet drop with a .22 at that distance is fun and translates well to larger calibers. Plus it gives you a more immediate feedback instead of trudging down range to check out your target.

That being said, I'm an AR fan. Specifically, older M16A1 clones. Iron sights at 100-200 yards is hard work but rewarding to me. I still bring along a .22lr upper to the range to keep my wallet from crying.
 
Even if you get bored with a .22, you still have it, and as The Good Colonel Jeff said, "No properly appointed household should be without a .22."

I'll also second that motion for a Mosin: They are $99 right now, and you can't swing a cat in a gun shop without knocking one over ...... BUT: the same was once true of K98's, -03 Springfields, K31's, even Garands and M1 Carbines...... it's not like Ivan is still cranking them out. Supply will dry up eventually, and you'll kick yourself one day for not grabbing them when they were as common as sparrows.
 
Fun to me iS shredding liquid filled items. And you may get into hunting or varminting later down the road. You can't never say, I used to have no interest in hunting then one day a few years ago I got 'chosen' to do Varmint and pig control at the farm that I work part time at, the ranch is actually owned by a family member.back to the point, I ain't never looked back.

I have from 22lr thru 7.62x54r but the min14 gets the most use, either fun or work.
 
Like most kids in the 1930s - I was started with a bolt action single shot I got for my 6th birthday -

Jackatage6WhitmanNE.jpg


I was never really sold on bolt action, though and wanted a repeater - but not one that automatically put another live cartridge in the chamber after every shot - somehow I got a Winchester 94 in 32 Winchester special - and I was sold on lever action - you can get a second round quickly but, only if you want it -

My Browning BL22 fills the bill - accurate, and the short throw is nearly as fast as semi-auto -

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That way, if I got my rabbit, I could go on carrying a rifle with no live cartridge in chamber - or - if I missed, could get a quick second shot. With a semi-auto, I would have the live round - have to depend on a "safety" (if I remembered) and then have to remember to take safety off for next shot - more complicated than needed for me. Call me a pessimist but, anything mechanical can fail - and gun "safeties" are mechanical - never had one fail but, I've always felt real gun safety lies between the ears of the gunner more than in some mechanical addition to to gun.

Besides - the 10/22 shoots only 22 LRs and the lever gun LR, longs, and shorts - but, most of all -it doesn't lock open after the last round is fired as my semi-auto 22 pistols do.

YMMV
 
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I'd say a synthetic stock .243 bolt action of your choice in manufacturers.

Reasons:

-Could be tacticalized up to be more of a range toy/sniper rifle if desired.
-Kick is not bad at all for a newbie to rifles
-Large assortment of bullet configurations
-Fairly affordable round ammo wise
-Plentiful stuff if reloading becomes an option
-Could always be stripped of bipod/huge scope and what not if done and used as a hunting rifle for everything from Deer down to coyote.
-Flat shooting round too
 
karlb said:
Plus it gives you a more immediate feedback instead of trudging down range to check out your target.
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Part of the fun of handguns is the immediate feedback. Until you get into the rifle mindset you'll find waiting for the 'range cold' command then stomping out to the target, only to find that you are unhappy with your grouping (or pattern!), will get old real fast.

For a first rifle, get a .22LR so you can shoot @ 100-150m & spot w/ a 9x scope, or pop steel spinners.
 
A carbine in one of your "pistol" calibers might be fun too. I have a .41 Mag lever action to go with my .41 Mag pistols. I originally was thinking "Cowboy Action Shooting" when I got them, now I just enjoy them. :D
Also if you like the .410 shotgun, I know there is a lever action .410 (I think it is a 9410 model) and that always sounded fun. I haven't gotten one yet, though. :confused:
 
As a first rifle I would get a bolt action to learn the fundamentals. After that an AR or AK variant but definitely get a bolt action to learn the basics. I would get one in .223 if you are not looking to hunt. If that changed later .223 is capable of killing deer contrary to some people on here. The reason I say buy one chambered in .223 is you can get cheap cheap ammo(not .22 cheap, but cheap in the realm of centerfire) and then if you decide you want an AR later(you will) then you have ammo compatibility on both rifles.

A .223 can shoot something reliably at 400 yards without much fuss.

FWIW I got a .270 WIN as my first rifle in a bolt action platform but I did it because I plan to hunt and wanted the flexibility of the .270. I can take anything up to and including Elk down with the round.
 
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FWIW, .223 or 5.56mm NATO goes just fine to 500+ yards. Just ask ANY Marine since 1968. We ALL qualify at 200, 300, and 500 yards with a "bone stock" M16 (A1, A2, A4 or even M4- depends on "vintage' of said Marine) and that is a 20" (for M16 variants) barrel.
.223 is based upon .222 Remington which was, if memory serves, the smallbore accuracy champ once upon a time. All they did was bring out the shoulder to increase the case capacity so the bullet would still be supersonic at 500 meters.
 
A Remington 700 in .223. That or a similar Savage in .223. Mine is a Rem 700 SPS Tactical. You will have an excellent rifle with very manageable recoil capable of great accuracy and still affordable to shoot. At the point where a 22 might bore you it will be possible to reach out further offering greater challenges as your skill grows. A 700 will also offer a great basis for improvements as your passion for rifle shooting grows, as it is almost sure to do. There's nothing wrong with a 22, but a 223 will be a good choice initially offering more down the road.
 
Something with a little sex appeal is what you're looking for? If you want to go cheap, any pistol caliber auto loading carbine would be fun. If it's chambered in your favorite pistol round, even better. Or an AR, AK or SKS for a little more money. Way more fun than just plinking with a .22 or having to work a five shot bolt gun.

Until you want to get more serious about long range target shooting or hunting.

EDIT: AR, AK or SKS were just quick suggestions. There are lots of other choices of course and variants of the above mentioned.
 
How about what kind of action are you looking for bolt action,auto,pump,or lever.

If it a bolt i would recomend a savage 10 of some sorts or a rem the 700 of sorts like you say in earlyer post both are good. I like the savages a little more.
 
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