Thinking about getting into the sport

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deadhead27

Inactive
Hey guys, i'm 18, really interested in getting into the sport of shooting, I go to the range sometimes with my friends but I don't yet own a gun. I live in PA so I could purchase a rifle, but I'm not sure what to get.. My friends are telling me that .22 is the best first gun. I was reading that the Ruger 10/22 is one of the best. Could i get some feedback on what you think is the best?
 
Welcome aboard Deadhead. I've found the shooting sports a lifelong addiction. I hope that you too find it as interesting and consuming as I and many others here have.

Great idea to get a .22 rimfire as a first rifle. Mine was a Sears (made by Marlin) bolt action single shot that my Dad bought for me. Learned a lot with it and wish that I still had it.

I don't know if you want to hunt or not, but either way, attend a good hunter safety course at your local gun club. It will be one of the best firearms safety classes that you can take. As an instructor in my own community, I get to help new shooters all the time this way. I also teach boy scouts marksmanship from time to time, although at your age of 18, this might not be an option for you.

Another tip would be to find a friend or instructor to help you with the basics of marksmanship. There is a lot of misinformation out there and you don't want to have to unlearn bad habits. As a sergeant in the army, I often have to spend extra time with troopers who were not taught properly in basic training or who picked up bad habits elsewhere. If you see the Army manual 23-9 (Marksmanship) at a flea market or gun show, it might be worth picking it up.

Check in the library too for books on shooting. There are many out there and I still have two books I bought as a boy by Jim Charmichel and Jack O'Conner. O'Conner usally wrote more about hunting, but he was well versed about the technical aspects too. Charmichel was my favorite shooting auther and his book "Book of the Rifle" was read several times. I'm sure that a quick check at the computer/card catalog at the library will produce several good books to look at.
 

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When you talk about sportshooting do you mean shooting as in a bit of plinking or is it your goal to really get into competition shooting?

And the question then is: what kind of competition?
 
No doubt the Ruger 10/22 is a great rifle to get into target shooting.
.22 ammo is dirt cheap, and since there's a good chance ammo cost is a concern for an 18 yr. old, it allows you to shoot ALOT- which is critical ("trigger time") for developing the skills needed.

If there's a more substantial budget for ammo, there are other choices as well. I started out my 17 year old son with a .223 Remington 700- light recoil, capable of much further range, and also "relatively" inexpensive to shoot compared to larger caliber centerfires.

Welcome to the board.
 
Just plinking for fun for now, my uncle is a hunter so i can see myself doing that in the future.

I'm just saving up for the gun now, and when I purchase I was told I need my ID and social security number, is that all I need?

Thanks for all the great info, I'll definitely check out that book you talked about!

As for ammunition, what do you think is a good low-cost .22 ammo?
 
Just need a current id. If you choose to put your ss number on the paper work, it MAY make it go through faster. It is supposed to be instant, but it is government ran and we all know how ineffective that can be.

If it doesn't go through instantly, you'll be waiting 3 days.
 
One vote for the Marlin 795

You should be able to pick it up on sale for around $125-$134.

The Ruger 10/22 is a little more expensive, might not be as accurate out of the box. The 10/22 has a lot more options, but is this a rifle or a Barbie??? And for that matter, there are tons of aftermarket stocks and other mods for the Marlin.

The trigger is considered pretty rough and the sights are not great. Neither are the Ruger's, from what I understand.

I fixed mine up with a GI style sling and Tech Sights. If you get a chance, spend a weekend at an Appleseed Rifle Clinic. A little Revolutionary War history through some stories, and a lot of marksmanship coaching. I got a LOT better, earned my patch the second time around.
 
Go with the Marlin XT 22. http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/36_323/products_id/72774
You can get one for about $180 and they are accurate. I recommend a bolt action if you think you may ever choose to hunt in PA. Semi-autos are not legal to hunt with in PA. You could also get a pump action like the Remington Model 57 BDL Deluxe Fieldmaster .22 Cal http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/95624/Remington+572+BDL+Deluxe+22+Pump
but now you're looking at over $500
Good luck, let us know what you decide and happy shooting.
 
I'll vote 10/22 they're great rifles, mine is over 40 years old and still shoots great. There's also a ton of aftermarket parts for the 10/22 so if you decide you want to change something on it odds are someone makes exactly what you're looking for. Whichever rifle you choose, I'm sure you'll have a great time with it. For cheap ammo I'm pretty happy with the Federal bulk pack stuff, it's certainly not match ammo but accuracy good enough for me for plinking.

Stu
 
Welcome to the padded cell!! Any number can play! And at times that number includes plenty of out-patients...

No argument about semi-autos, but I figure that part of the learning curve is having the self-discipline for controlling one's shooting. With a semi, it's too easy to just shoot for fun and not work on serious effort at sight picture and trigger control. That's why I recommend a bolt-action when first starting out. It helps in attaining marksmanship skills.

Once the correct habits become reflex, then go to the semis if you want.
 
Love my 10/22! I've got some centerfire rifles (M1A, Model 70 in .30-06, Mini-14), but I shoot my 10/22 far more than anything else -- ammo is cheap, and I'm able to focus on technique, not recoil, or how much each round is costing. I normally shoot the Remington bulk pack from Wal-Mart, and that's perfecly serviceable ammo for just about anything a .22 would be asked to do short of competition shooting. I wouldn't hesitate to hunt small game with it.

Some posters mentioned that there's tons of options / accessories for the 10/22, and that's no joke - you could literally accessorize a 10/22 piece by piece to the point where there isn't a single Ruger part left. Mine has a Green Mountain target barrel, Volquartsen trigger internals, a cheap Simmons scope, Butler Creek stock, and I've got my eyes on some bolt upgrades. I probably didn't need the upgrades, but I can't help myself when it comes to tinkering.

I would also repeat the recommendation to get some instruction in the mechanics of shooting as well-the skills you'll learn to shoot a .22 - sight picture, sight alignment, trigger control, breathing, body support, etc - will translate to any rifle platform.

Scott
MSgt, USMC Retired
Infantryman, 87-08
Marine Corps Primary Marksmanship Instructor
 
Welcome to the forum. As all have said so far, .22 is the way to go... which type depends on your preferences. I was in your exact position not long ago, and I went for the Marlin 795 as my first rifle purchase. My biggest deciding factor was that it only cost $100 on a right-before-Christmas sale. It has been a great rifle, so far. Shortly after that, I inherited a lever action single shot Savage .22. I have to say that the Savage has taught me a lot more about patience and taking careful aim than the Marlin has. Plinking with the semi-auto is more fun, in my opinion, but practice with the single shot is more effective and informative shot for shot. Either way, the more you shoot the better you get, as long as you pay attention to the fundamentals. Have fun and be safe.
 
I think every body needs a 10/22 they are a blast, lots of after market parts
that makes it easy to turn it to a target gun or just make it a fancy little rifle.Also can be changed into a target pistol called a charger look it up see what you think,10/22 is a fun little gun. good luck:D
 
Awesome guys, I'm going the 24th to pick my gun out at a local gun shop here in PA.

I think iim just going to go with the Marlin 795, I didn't plan on doing a whole bunch of upgrades to the 10/22 so the marlin will do just fine. Anyone have one?

I've heard of the mail in rebate to get it down to about $100, the shop that sells the one i'm looking at is 150.00 it's not even the SS version.

My friend is coming with me to pick his .22 out too, so all I need is my license and know my SS number and I'm good?
 
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I agree with Art on Marksmanship, but can't keep from recommending the 10/22 as a first rifle as it was mine many moons ago.
 
I think im just going to go with the Marlin 795... Anyone have one?
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I love my 795. From everything I looked at for comparison, there is not much difference from one semi-auto detachable mag .22 to the next. The Ruger 10/22 certainly has a following, but I have not seen anything to really demonstrate it being any better than my 795. If you aren't interested in the 20,000 available aftermarket upgrades, then the extra money for the 10/22 just isn't worth it, in my opinion.
 
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