Suggestions for first long gun

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Yacobid

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So the bug has bit me hard after purchasing my first handgun. I am now looking g to purchase my first long gun. I am looking for something fun and inexpensive to shoot. It will be used 99 percent of the time at the range at a distance of about a 125 yards. I like the option of iron sites or optics. I would be ok with bolt or semi auto

A few have suggested ruger 10/22 or mosin negant. I would like to spend less than 300 and the cheaper the ammo the better

Thanks
 
i think that i would add another 50 bucks and get the savage axis or ruger american- yes .308- either would be a great all purpose rifle.

but a .22 is always fun and cheap to shoot. ya cant go wrong.
 
Cheapest to shoot is going to be the 22LR.
Cheapest centerfire to shoot is probably going to be an AK-74 5.45X39.
 
I would also suggest a 22 LR or SKS 7.62x39.
You could use the SKS as semi auto or bolt action by removing gas piston
 
^^^ Yes. A .22LR bolt action rifle is the best choice - lowest cost rifle and ammunition to learn how to shoot a rifle accurately. It is the first step toward learning to shoot a centerfire rifle. A .223 would be a good choice for a first centerfire rifle. After that you just work your way up to centerfire rifles for the game you want to hunt if that is your objective.
 
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Go to the used gun rack at your local shop and try all the .22 bolt actions on for size. Buy the one that fits best.
 
After the 22lr you might want to price ammo on larger calipers.. Least expensive would be 7.62x 54r or my favorite 7.62 x 39
 
I love my CZ that shoots 7.62x39, but it's 'spensive.

Try and find a Saiga if possible. A bit more than $300 but worth it. SKS is decent but mounting optics is a pain.

Actually I have a better idea. Get a Handi Rifle in 223 or whatever caliber floats your boat. I think you can even find one in x39, maybe Rossi?
 
I'm with several others on here, a 22lr bolt. Cause lets be honest, its a whole lot cheaper and easier to figure out and solve flinching and other bad habits on a cheap 22lr vs virtually any centerfire.
 
I'd also recommend a .22. Though depending on your long term intentions, I don't know that a bolt is necessarily better than a 10/22. If you plan on getting a bolt action centerfire rifle down the road, then I suppose it makes sense, but if you're more likely to get an AR or some other semi-auto (or a lever action for that matter), the benefits of a bolt .22 are mitigated.

You can learn proper aiming, breathing, and trigger control on a 10/22 just as well as you can on a bolt gun, so unless you specifically want to become familiar with operating a bolt action, I'd say a 10/22 is very good choice.
 
I too would have to recommend a 10/22 since you say its primary use will be on the range. 125 yards is pushing a .22 but not terribly difficult, I think it would be fun shooting that distance. I'm assuming you will be putting alot of rounds down range so I think a bolt-action would be of less interest than a 10/22. You can spend much less than your stated $300 on a 10/22 and have plenty of money left over for ammunition.
 
Another choice to consider for longer shots would be a .17HMR. Lots of choices are reasonable prices and the ammo is not prohibitively expensive and right now much more available than .22 LR.
 
Fun and inexpensive .22lr. Up to 125 yards 17HMR I have them both but I would recommend .22lr because it is dirt cheap
 
Maybe a rifle in .22 wmr or .17 hmr?

My guess is that they are more reasonable to shoot at 125 yards range than .22lr, as long as you don't mind more expensive ammo, but as many have stated - you can't go wrong with 10/22, either.
 
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