Good rifle for a beginner?

I will second the Mossberg MVP Patrol.
I bought one in .223 for my 11yo son to use for hunting and target shooting.
The factory irons (Fiber Optic front sight) are decent. Front is a little large for beyond 50 yds shooting. It comes with a 1-piece picatinny base to mount a scope. I mounted a new Leupold VX-1 2-7x33 on it, but haven't sighted it in yet.
Trigger is quite good. It's an Accutrigger copy and breaks cleanly with little overtravel or takeup.
Bolt is a little sloppy at full throw, but doesn't bind when cycling.
It uses standard AR magazines (Steel, Aluminum, or Polymer). Comes with 1 10rd steel mag. I bought and plan to use 10rd Pmags going forward.

Once I sight in the scope and test it for groups, I will report back on the accuracy.
 
What is it you don't like about your 260 exactly? Seems like it'd be easier to customize that into what you want than going with an entirely new rifle.
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It's not fun to shoot. At all. I killed my first deer with it, but that's it.
 
Hey if you want uber-fun, one thing you might try is a true varmint chambering - especially something like the fairly-new .17 (Hornady) Hornet, which is a centerfire - that's my next rifle purchase - a CZ 527 in that chambering. In essence, no recoil. But a laser to 200 yards.

Or besides a .17 Hornet, you might even try one of the many other varmint chamberings with less recoil and muzzle blast than even .223 rem:

22s
.222 Rem
.221 Fireball
.219 Donaldson Wasp
.218 Bee
.22 Hornet
.22 K-Hornet

20s
.204 Ruger
.20 Tactical
.19 Calhoun Hornet

17s
.17 Remington
.17 Rem Fireball
.17 Mach IV
.17 Ackley Hornet

and etc. etc. etc.

There are LOTS of good used rifles in .222 rem on the market; then after that .22 hornet. Lot of Rem 788s and such. Some with iron sights.

.218 Bee is another great little round - You can sometimes find used Marlin 1894s in .218 Bee - that's a great little rig that meets your criteria.
 
I don't se a problem with the "gear acquisition syndrome", I was the same way, and I don't regret any of my purchases. now that I have "most of the gear I want, I have more an "consumables acquisition syndrome" whereas i'm am more focused on munitions than firearms, but I still try to buy a couple firearms a year if finances allow. even though I am far from a professional shooter, what fun is a hobby, if you take the fun out of it....

nothing feels better, to me, than buying a new gun
 
The "problem" isn't in acquiring gear, it's more in NOT acquiring gear.

Mo has the info, spread out over several threads over several weeks.
He has more than enough to make a choice, he's just unable to make one & keeps covering the same ground over & over in apparently looking for an answer he likes better.

Nothing wrong with surveying the field, but constantly wandering that field & hoping for advice that supports a whim of the moment rather than basing a decision on valid advice & information already given in detail is a bit counterproductive, and that comes from somebody who's been extremely patient with Mo in trying to help him in his situation.

Nothing wrong with seeing something that looks interesting & asking for others' knowledge & experience with it.
Once.
Maybe twice.
After that....

Calibers have been discussed, individual guns have been discussed.

I am not dumping on Mo just for the sake of dumping on Mo.
Denis
 
Mosin,

What would your definition of a fun to shoot gun be?

Don't forget since you're starting to reload you can alter your loaded rounds in a variety of things. Cast bullets and red dot powder can turn a hard recoiling rifle into something with low recoil. Of course if you switch back to modern loads your sights will be off.
 
What would your definition of a fun to shoot gun be?
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Not having to shoot it off a bench, not having to have a scope on it, being able to go to Wal-Mart and buying a box of ammo for $5, being in a relatively available caliber, low recoil, etc. .260 has maybe two of those.
 
So was the 260 a recoil issue? Sorry I'm just trying to understand. If that's the case I say pick up a TC Venture in 223 or 243. I use both of those to teach kids and girls to shoot who are recoil sensitive so they are probably good choices. The Venture if you catch it on sale with one of TC's rebates you can usually get em for like 350 brand new which leaves money for some rings and a scope (comes with bases)
 
sounds like you described a vz58 or an ar15, I would go the ar route. and since you don't have one, you really need one anyway
 
Mosin-Marauder said:
Not having to shoot it off a bench, not having to have a scope on it, being able to go to Wal-Mart and buying a box of ammo for $5, being in a relatively available caliber, low recoil, etc. .260 has maybe two of those.
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The bolded part eliminates every cartridge in the world except .22LR and not even always that. That is a completely unrealistic requirement for any center-fire cartridge.

There's no firearm that HAS to be shot off a bench.
 
The bolded part eliminates every cartridge in the world except .22LR and not even always that. That is a completely unrealistic requirement for any center-fire cartridge.

There's no firearm that HAS to be shot off a bench.
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Except 7.62x54R, except .223 Tula Ammo, except 7.62x39, except .22 Magnum, except .32 ACP, except 7.5x55 Swiss (this one is pushing it a bit). And not just 5$, under $10 basically.

How else am I going to shoot it? Field positions? I don't like field positions with any sort of optics. Too wobbly and too complex over irons.
 
Mosin-Marauder said:
Except 7.62x54R, except .223 Tula Ammo, except 7.62x39, except .22 Magnum, except .32 ACP, except 7.5x55 Swiss (this one is pushing it a bit). And not just 5$, under $10 basically.

How else am I going to shoot it? Field positions? I don't like field positions with any sort of optics. Too wobbly and too complex over irons.
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You can buy exactly one of those at (most) Wal*Marts (local to me, no WalMart carries any of those except .22mag) and "under $10" is a lot more than $5.

It doesn't make any difference to me how you shoot it. "Not from a bench" does not equate with "not have a scope". They are not synonymous. No gun HAS to be shot from a bench. Scopes are LESS complex and easier to shoot well than irons. You don't wobble more because you have a scope, you just notice it more.

You keep changing your arguments, making cryptic requirements to fit preconceived opinions and changing both when you don't hear what you want to hear. I can't be any help to you under the circumstances.
 
7.62x39 is 5$ on the head, tula .223 is 6$ and tula .308 is 9$. although I cant recommend tula .223, its not bad ammo, just some guns chambers don't allow the lack of tolerance needed for it.

also .223 is uber cheap to reload for( I wa pretty sure you have been handloading now), even though it takes a lot of powder, the cases and projectiles can be had for very cheap. a thousand rounds of cheap reloads will run you under 280 including the cases, then every subsequent loading will run you 17-20c after acquiring the brass. youll be surprised at the accuracy and reliability of a cheap ar. its a must have, surrysley
 
Monarch makes decent .308 ammo that costs only about a dollar more per box then their X54R, and it's sold at academy. Won't do anything about recoil though. It's not a bad recoiling cartridge, but also not a logical step up from .22 if you have recoil sensitivity. I had to step back from my .308 and do a lot of smaller shooting before I was comfortable with it
 
The bolded part eliminates every cartridge in the world except .22LR and not even always that
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actually, I regularly find 7.62x39mm ammo for $5 a box but I kindof agree... not a lot of ammo choices can be had for that price these days.
 
Mosin,

Have you ever thought that maybe the reason you are having trouble with your rifles standing is because you're 14?

I have an SKS that I bought dirt cheap and it's my new 22lr fill in till ammo is back in stock. It still kicks but the kick to the wallet is less than many other calibers. And they are intended to be shot open sights.

Of course mine isn't bad accuracy wise but the ammo does whatever it wants. I have the dies but haven't tried reloading for it yet but it does 2 inch groups at 25 yards. one shot goes right, then left, then where ever vs in the same hole everytime.

Still it's a fun cheap rifle and it's MilSurp so it would fit your collection.
 
Mosin, why do you want iron sights? There are specific instances where they are useful, but with the optics of today; irons are practically obsolete.
 
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