VERY IGNORANT, please help

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Totally agree with FF. Either the Mossberg or the Stevens would be a great choice. Both shoot well and come in a variety of calibers. They are also cheap enough that you can spend the money that you save on a good scope. As far as calibers- since you are not use to shooting a rifle I would go with a 270. That will allow you to spend more time at the range learning your gun rather than at home nursing a sore shoulder. The 30-06 is a great choise but it does have a good kick to it and since deer season is just around the corner the last thing you want is to worry about your sore shoulder when you get a shot at a deer. Just my .02.
 
I totally disagree with much of the advice you have received. A lever action Marlin or Winchester is about the last rifle I would recommend for a novice shooter. Caliber isn't the issue. When you load a 336 or model 94, you must place a cartridge into the magazine and operate the lever to get the round into the chamber. This leaves you with a rifle that has a chambered round and the hammer is coked (intentionally misspelled). The only way to uncoke the rifle is to pull the trigger and ease the hammer down. Simple enough BUT this is a accidental discharge just waiting to happen.
Click to expand...

Thats not fully correct(at least with the 336).
I just checked, you can cycle the action and drop the hammer(unto the intercept) with the safe on.

My 4 year old daughter is learning on a Bolt action Marlin .22 right now, but thats only because I could not find a Single shot lever action.

Driveout, I never tell people what to do, So, I won't. But, I strongly recommend a .30-30(not knowing your hunting terrain) for a first deer rifle.
DO NOT use an SKS(trust me, they are more headache then they are worth, Game Wardens may not understand that it's converted to 5rnd mags, It's not worth the Headache).

I would also consider .270(if you are recoil sensitive) if you are in the western part of the state.(so you can go Antelope hunting)

Just my .02
 
A few more comments:

A deer rifle is a poor shtf rifle; likewise, a shtf rifle is a poor deer rifle. Get an AR 15/sks/AK for a shtf rifle.

Lever guns can be difficult to use with a scope, because it can be hard to manipulate the hammer on a scoped gun. Dealing with the half-cock on a lever gun can be confusing (and possibly dangerous) for a beginner. You want a scope for deer hunting. A used 3-9x40 or a 2-8x36 with steel, low/medium-mount rings will be perfect in Nebraska.

I'd suggest a bolt-action rifle with a scope for a beginner. It'll be easier to use. And better in Nebraska, where deer terrain can vary from long-range shots across a field, to close up shots in the timber. A bolt gun is reliable and (in my experience) more accurate than a lever gun. Don't worry about a quick follow up shot that you'd get from a lever gun; if you miss with the first shot, you'll probably miss the second shot, too, regardless of the action of the gun. And that inclued semi-auto guns.

See if Step Dad has a rifle you can borrow. That's the least expensive option. That way, if you don't like hunting, you're not out a lot of money.

The .30-06, .270, and .308 all have better power and trajectory than the .30-30. The 06, .270, and .308 all recoil about the same. If you can't handle the recoil of a .30-06, then you won't do much (if any) better with the .270. All three calibers will absolutely flatten deer in Nebraska. .308 ammo can be harder to find in the smaller rural shops in Nebraska.

You must sight in the gun before you go hunting. You must practice a couple of time with it before you go hunting. When you get that first deer in the cross-hairs, you'll feel a rush like no other; your heart is going to be pounding, you'll be breathing hard, and that is the worst possible time to try and learn how the safety works, how the trigger breaks, etc.

Good luck! :)
 
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How about a single shot?

Look up a Remington ISP single shot in .308 or .243.
Run ya around three bills new from Davidsons.
Simple to use.
Elegant lines.
Open sights. Or fit with a useful little fixed power 3x scope.

Another utility type design might be a single shot by Rossi.
http://www.rossiusa.com/products/product-details.cfm?model=R243MB&category=RIFLE
Two Fifty out the door.

A box or three of ammo.
Bring bambi home for the freezer.

Don't know what parts of Nebraska you'll be hunting in... which will make a difference maybe.

OR

If you want to double up home defense (I hate using the acronym SHTF and avoid it whenever I can) look at a 12 ga pump or single shot and hunt with slug or buckshot (they call it that for a reason ya know). Mossberg and Remington offer their basic pump with 2 barrels sometimes. You can buy a rifled barrel if you want the extra reach that sabot'd slugs might give ya.

Just some ideas.
 
Not trying to start any arguments but, recoil is a percieved notion and IMHO The .270 recoils less than an .06(they are all based on the same cartridge)

I have my 30-30 set up w/scope using "shoot thru" sights. Gives you the option of Iron, and scope.With out interfering with the hammer. I hunt using .243,.270,.30-06, and 30-30. So I'm not speaking without some knowledge.

I am biased towards 30-30 because I do a lot of scrub hunting, and Pushing. So having a short barreled rifle in the brush helps.

You have a tough descision ahead of you. And your huntinh conditions/area should have alarge bearing on your descision.If your going to be in brush/trees you will be "overgunned" with almost any bolt gun. If you are going to be in fields/pastures, you will be "undergunned" with the .30-30

Your best bet is to find someone(s) w/ a 30-30, and at least a .270 or .06 to shoot.
 
Horse pucky! I took a deer,170 lbs dressed Mule deer at just under 200 yards with a SkS! Heart lung shot and it dropped. No Chase. No Track , It dropped! Norinco with a five shot mag! Ballistic, the 7.62/39 is so close to the 30-30 only you would know the difference. The 30-30 can push a bit heaver bullet! Good thing the deer can't read the books!


OK, Model D with Detachable mage. I'm a bad Man! Bayonet removed! It would have been a awesome mono pod!
 
thanks for your replys so far guys. I've noticed "rifle-people" are very different from "shotgun-people" in that there's no ONE gun everyone must own (i.e. Wingmaster, Mossburg, etc.), and there's not ONE caliber/gauge to choose (12 gauge).. I guess what I'm saying is that I have a LOT to think about. Thanks so far!!
~Jake.
 
Weatherby Vanguard was one that was not mentioned, yet is available in most, if not all of the calibers recommended. I purchased mine in .270 Win, Bushnell 3x9 attached, for $475. Great rifle.
 
ibfestus - your assumption is incorrect for the newer Marlins and Winchesters. They have hammer block safeties that allow the hammer to totally freefall without hitting the primer. That is a "feature" that saved a pig's life last year. I usually walk around with the hammer down. I saw a nice plump sow, pulled the hammer back, and squeezed the trigger. The hammer goes "clink" and the pig smiled and walked away. I had forgotten that my new Winchester had a hammer block safety instead of a trigger lock safety.
 
Get an AK type rifle. Either 7.62 X 39 or the 5.45 X 39 models would be good to start with. Mount a 4X scope on it and practice with it a lot. An AK rifle with a 4X power scope will take care of 99.99% of most shooter's needs when trouble raises its head. There is no problem that a man armed with an AK, good handgun and knife can't handle. The 7.62 X 39 bullet can be used to hunt deer and other medium sized game to good effective. The magazines allow for quicker reloading in times of crisis.
 
There is absolutely no reason not to go with a Marlin 336 .30-30 for the first time around, as others have pointed out. You will be very, very happy.
 
I have some different advice...

All the rifles mentioned are good for deer, great for some situations, and not as good for others. SO, how about this....

Ask your father-in-law what he hunts with. Ask him what he thinks is a good choice for a deer rifle. You don't have to agree with him, but asking him his opinion can't hurt you any. You are going hunting with hi, right? He knows where he hunts (terrain, etc.) and he probably uses what he thinks is a good rifle for what and where he hunts. How can you go wrong asking for his advice?

Then, after you know what he thinks is the best choice, you can look around, and if you can't get, or don't want to get one of those, you can ask him again about your second choice. Or third choice, or whatever. Talk to the guy. Even if you don't like him all that much, you did hook up with his daughter, so odds are there is something in there worthwhile. Talk to him. Talk guns, talk hunting, talk shooting, talk whatever you know. Just don't come off like you know more than you really do. That will not go over well. Trust me, sooner or later, the truth will come out, and if you BS him, it won't do any good in the long run. I give you this advice as a benefit from my personal experience. My son in law would have done better if someone had told him what I just told you.
 
i hate to be this guy...

I haven't read all the posts, so if im repeating somebody, sorry. But how about a Mosin-Nagant? They can be had for about $150, if you get one with a good barrel, you can make great shots (check out youtube for that), and surplus ammo is cheap as hell. About $0.08 per round. And its powerful enough for almost and game in North America, and for SHTF, two legged prey.
 
I would hope in the last five years since the last posting, he figured something out.

Wow, 5 years to the day since the original post. That takes talent.
 
I know its not the best, but you can get a remington 770 in 308 for about 300 new which includes the scope. Another great rifle is the ruger american for about 300-350 without a scope. I personally would choose 308 but thats me. Both rifles ive listed come in multiple calibers so you can pick your favorite.
 
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