Starting Caliber

S

Scoutninja

Inactive
Any Caliber Suggestions for a first time buy?
- Would be used mostly for target shooting
- Looking in terms of rifles
- Left Handed Shooter
Just trying to get an idea of where to start
 
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I would go with either a .223 Rem or .22LR. Both are relatively inexpensive to shoot. Also .223 is easy and cheap to reload if you are so inclined.
 
223 is cheap, but 22lr is much cheaper. 223 gets down to about .25 a round. 22lr is about $.05

The people I have met who shoot really well got there one of three ways:

1.Get the government to pay for your practice ammo.
2.Shoot 22lr for practice
3.Shoot airguns for practice. About the same price as 22lr, but sometimes can be used where 22lr can not.
 
Scoutninja said:
Apart from [reloadability and cost] what are the advantages of one over the other?
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.223 is much higher-velocity and the bullets have better aerodynamics, so it's more effective for hunting and self defense, and for shooting at longer ranges. It also works in a proverbial bazillion AR-15 type firearms. :)

.22LR is relatively quiet,* it's plenty accurate for target shooting inside ~150 yards (it's the only cartridge used at the modern Olympics), and it works in an unparalleled variety and sheer number of firearms. Also, not only are the cartridges inexpensive, but the firearms that use it generally are as well. They can get pricey if they're collectible and/or capable of competition-grade accuracy, but this is true of ALL firearms and not just .22LR, and you still generally come out ahead in .22LR. Also, since it's low-recoil and mostly used at short range, optics for .22LR rifles are typically less expensive than those for centerfire rifles.

*Note that I wrote RELATIVELY quiet. It's still loud enough to damage your hearing if you're not using a suppressor; I'm not suggesting that you don't need muffs or earplugs; PLEASE USE THEM. :) I'm mainly referring to the fact that it's less likely to annoy your neighbors if fired outdoors. FWIW similarly low-noise centerfire cartridges are out there, but they are generally much more expensive to use.
 
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For about a hundred years, the .22 LR was the universal learning gun. Quiet, accurate, and cheap. (Until you get into serious competition or very deluxe.)

Nowadays, it is not manly enough for a lot of beginners, they want the big bang. I guess the .223 is the easy entry into centerfire.
 
Scoutnijna, you didn't mention your shooting experience.

If you're just starting out try to find a class that teaches shooting. You'll usually find those at shooting ranges---see if there are any near you.

A lot of shooting ranges rent firearms, that would be a good way to test fire some guns to see what you like.

Welcome to the forum and good luck.
 
All I can offer an opinion based on years of teaching entry level shooters. I prefer a good 22lr. There are many excellent choices on the market. Ear protection eye protection. Do you want optics ? Maybe a good sling
 
If you want to learn to shoot a rifle well, get a Ruger 10/22 or another semi-auto rifle in .22 lr, and look for an Appleseed shoot near you. If you sign up for one of their two-day courses, you'll get a lot of individual coaching as well as group instruction, you'll fire several hundred rounds in a very controlled fashion, and if you're serious about it, at the end of the second day you'll not only have learned the basics, you'll have some real skill with a rifle. The basic two-day course is $60, which is a ridiculously low price for what they offer. They're a great bunch of people, and they love introducing newcomers to the sport.

They'll tell you, in excruciating detail, exactly what equipment you need; the main thing is that to get the most out of the program, you really do need a semi-auto rifle, because much of it is timed fire. The course is set up for .22s -- you could choose another caliber, but that much ammo would set you back some.

Added bonus -- you'll learn some American history! :)

Here's the basic info, and how to find an Appleseed near you:
https://appleseedinfo.org/schedulemap/
 
- Left Shot
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What does this mean?

If it were me, I would look for a bolt rifle in 223 1:9" twist or a 308 win.

Both calibers offer pretty good ammo economy and typically are quite accurate.


I like Savage, Howa or maybe a Mossberg for a first rifle. IMO, Savage 10 or 12 would be best.

I would put some money into decent glass....Burris, Nikon and Vortex all make good $100-$300 optics...,good not great.


Or a Savage bolt action 17 hmr. It would be severely limited over 150 yards or on animals bigger than a ground hog....still fun!
 
Number !

What would be the average distance you intend to target shoot?

What is the ultimate purpose of this particular target shooting? Ie learn to shoot; entry level rifle, precursor to the Olympics, eventually go on an African safari?

You are not providing enough info in order to elicit a knowledgeable response here.

The simple answer would be a .22lr.
 
As stated above, the 22lr is the gun of choice for learning how to shoot. Recoil is weak so you won't have to worry about flinching or any recoil-induced problems. Ammo is a WHOLE LOT cheaper than any center fire, which leads to more trigger time. The rifles are generally cheaper, which means you can get other accessories (sling, bipod, mags, targets etc.) and not crush the budget. If you do go with a scope, I would go with a good quality scope. Another thing to consider with the 22 is that you can shoot it just about anywhere, whereas a center fire is restricted because of the noise factor. Another thing about shooting the 22 (that I haven't seen mentioned here before) is that you can use a 22 target trap just about anywhere, even in your basement. With the option of sub-sonic rounds like the Aguila Super Colibri, your noise is cut down to almost a pellet gun and you can still nail the occasional pest in the yard.
Hope this helps.
By the way, both of my sons are left-handed but they both shoot right-hand bolt action rifles, and actually prefer it that way.
 
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Another vote for .22lr. Ammo is cheap, you can get a quality .22 rifle for under $300.

Unless you're planning on hunting, I think its the best option.
 
Any suggestions on what equipment I would need.
(Apart from the gun, carrying case, and ammo)
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Let's start with the assumption that you're gong to be shooting a rifle at an actual shooting range... a place with seats, benches, target hangers, etc...

Shooting a rifle from a seating position can be a more enjoyable experience with a few accessories. A bipod or other type of front shooting rest and a rear sandbag. Or a front/rear sandbag combo. Quality shooting glasses and ear protection are mandatory. A "range bag" to carry everything in... a few other odds and ends that you'll pick up on after a trip or two to the range. Just look at what others are doing.

Targets are also pretty important. I shoot .22lr through my Savage MKii at 50yds. I have used dozens of different types of targets, and keep coming back to a simple white sheet with black sticky-dots.

Ammo choice is also going to be important. Remember that even at 50yds, every time you switch ammo, you are going to change point-of-impact. .22lr has A LOT of variability between individual brands/weights/velocity... I'm talking whole INCHES at 50yds. The good news is that .22lr is very cheap, and you can afford to shoot 100rds of a dozen different boxes of ammo to find something that works. Once you do, stick with it. I've found (as have many others) that you cannot go wrong with CCI Standard Velocity (SV). Most people consider it a poor-mans match ammo. A few years ago, I stopped buying all the .22lr I could find just because it was cheap. Currently, I only buy CCI SV (for target shooting), Federal Automatch (for plinking), CCI Velociter (for pest/critter control), and CCI Quiets (mostly for training new shooter). I don't buy anything else.

Don't go overboard on optics in the beginning, but don't cheap out either. Very few people would argue against a 3-9x Nikon Prostaff as a good beginner .22lr scope... just over $100 just about anywhere. 9x magnification will allow you to see .22lr holes out to 100yds no problem. Even so, I see a lot of people at 100yd ranges using spotting scopes. A budget spotter can be a nice tool.
 
Just shot my Ruger American, .22lr bolt rifle yesterday. 4x Nikon rimfire scope, and at 50yds., amazingly accurate. So much fun, ammo very available these days (price down, too) so quiet (still, don't forget ear plugs and safety glasses), and so very affordable. I don't believe you can go wrong in making your first purchase a .22 rimfire. I was using just the standard velocity CCI 40grn. long rifle ammo and am, again, amazed at how accurate the rifle is. Using the .22 is the way to go to learn your basic marksmanship (IMO). If you haven't yet, take a firearms safety course. Safe firearms handling is always the number one priority.
 
The .22 rimfire rifle is the least-cost way to learn how to shoot accurately. Sight picture, whether scope or iron sights. Eye-finger coordination. Consistency in all the steps from sighting to pressing the trigger.

As said above, the Appleseed program is excellent for this learning curve.
 
All I can offer an opinion based on years of teaching entry level shooters. I prefer a good 22lr. There are many excellent choices on the market. Ear protection eye protection. Do you want optics ? Maybe a good sling
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I learned to shoot with a 22lr and I think its the way to go.

I have gone thorough a number of 22s over the years, took a long time to find one to duplicate the Winchester Pump my mother had and we all learned on.

As for what to buy, it breaks down to what you want to do.

Semi auots are far to wild for real target shooting, ok for basics but to get good, you need a bolt action.

It then split down to, do you wnat a Haevy Barrel 22 and really larn the tgarget game?
Savage is a great one for that.

Or do you want a combo target gun and field 22? CZ makes the best one (455 now I think) - I own one of those. It shoot any 22 ammo acceptably, it shoots some really good (sub 1/2 MOA x 10 shots).

Ruger is making a 22 that has had some good report. Have not shot one.

Savage trigger is both good and adjustble.

CZ trigger is adjsutable, ok, but not as good as a Savage.

Not having shot a Reuger I don't know abut them.

Unfortunately, the guns no longer come with real good Iron sights though CZ is decent.

I would go with a scope, 2-7 power (I have a Leopold and its very good, other lower cost scopes are ok on a 22)

Targets are sized to duplicate 25, 50 and 100 yard distances.
 
An AR-15 with a 22 conversion unit is a good way to start.
However for new shooters I prefer bolt actions. Like learning to drive with a stick shift. You realize you have to think about your next move, and it slows you down enough to concentrate.
Yes, start with a 22. my experience is that when you learn to shoot with a 22
firing a centerfire requires getting used to more recoil, that's all.
 
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