Recommendations

[Rider888]

Just obtained my Cat A/B and looking at buying some rifles for Vermin Control including foxes.

As I know nothing about rifles, can I please get some recommendations on types (Centerfire Vs Rimfire) and Caliber?

Looks like a common caliber for a rifle is .222 and .223. Is this all I need? There is also something called a .22LR. Advantages and disadvantages of each please?

Following on from that I will also be looking at a Shotgun. Any suggestions/recommendations for a first time owner? Single, Double (side by side/over and under) Barrel and also gauge recommendations would be great. Looks like I can only buy a shotgun with a 5 round Mag? Is this correct?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated

Thank you

[noneyabussiness]

as I said in other thread, what do you mostly intend do shoot??

clay, side by side is usually a good way to go.. doesn't mean a good lever action isn't up to the task, just most comps limit rounds in mag etc, but the lever will be great for follow up shots on that 90kg pig charging you..

[dpskipper]

have you ever shot a gun in your life? jumping straight into the 12GA shotgun or centerfire is how you develop a flinch that is very hard to shake. get a 22lr first and learn the mechanics of shooting.

[Rider888]

have you ever shot a gun in your life? jumping straight into the 12GA shotgun or centerfire is how you develop a flinch that is very hard to shake. get a 22lr first and learn the mechanics of shooting.

Not a 12G but have shot plenty of Pistols and 5.56mm Semi Autos so he centerfires wouldn't come as a surprise to me

[noneyabussiness]

I can also recommend (especially with a 12g) to ask a lot of questions to your local range officer, about correct stance and " hold " of said firearm.. it can make all the difference with bruising ( ask me how I know )...

[dpskipper]

in that case you buy the rifle for the hunting you want to do.
a 22mag is my favorite on foxes but i spotlight them so need a bit of distance. if your walking around on scrub with dogs (a so called "Driven" hunt), then a shotty is a good choice.

something intermediate centerfire (223/243) is always a good choice as it can take down lots of animals. but then again so is a 12GA shotty if you don't need the distance, theres tons and tons of ammo available for a 12guage, it really makes it versatile if you don't need to shoot too far away.

[Larry]

Nearly all clay target shooters will be using a under and over 12g shotgun. The days of side by sides has long gone. Go to a range and have a look it will also give you an idea of what type of range shooting if any you may like.

[Rider888]

Nearly all clay target shooters will be using a under and over 12g shotgun. The days of side by sides has long gone. Go to a range and have a look it will also give you an idea of what type of range shooting if any you may like.

Is the 12G the only one to get or is there a slightly "smaller" less powerful shotgun or are the smaller ones not worth it?

[dpskipper]

Nearly all clay target shooters will be using a under and over 12g shotgun. The days of side by sides has long gone. Go to a range and have a look it will also give you an idea of what type of range shooting if any you may like.

Is the 12G the only one to get or is there a slightly "smaller" less powerful shotgun or are the smaller ones not worth it?

everything from 10ga to .410 and everything inbetween.

20guage is a nice light option if you don't need serious oompf

[Larry]

IMHO the 12g is the only one that is universal enough to be a worthwhile purchase. I dont use the shotgun much at all again in IMO they are only for shooting ducks/birds or flying clay targets.

[Rider888]

IMHO the 12g is the only one that is universal enough to be a worthwhile purchase. I dont use the shotgun much at all again in IMO they are only for shooting ducks/birds or flying clay targets.

And Terminators

[noneyabussiness]

Nearly all clay target shooters will be using a under and over 12g shotgun. The days of side by sides has long gone. Go to a range and have a look it will also give you an idea of what type of range shooting if any you may like.

oh yeah, stupid me, forgot the under/over... good suggestion

[dpskipper]

i recommend a side by side for hunting. they weigh less than under and overs

[bigrich]

i recommend a side by side for hunting. they weigh less than under and overs

i like sidey's better than under overs . i owned a 1940's belgian leige sxs and it was light and shouldered great . worked better for me

[bladeracer]

Nearly all clay target shooters will be using a under and over 12g shotgun. The days of side by sides has long gone. Go to a range and have a look it will also give you an idea of what type of range shooting if any you may like.

Is the 12G the only one to get or is there a slightly "smaller" less powerful shotgun or are the smaller ones not worth it?

The common shotgun gauges are 12ga, 20ga and .410" nowadays. There were others but they're not common now and I don't know that you'd even find ammo for the 10ga, 28ga, or 16ga.

Gauge refers to the bore diameter, but based on how big a sphere of lead would be compared to a pound. 12 gauge is .729" which is the size of one-twelfth of a pound of lead formed into a sphere - an absolutely idiotic way of measuring anything. 20 gauge is .615", the diameter of a sphere formed from one-twentieth of a pound of lead. The .410" is simply a .410" bore diameter - similar to the .44 Magnum.

You also need to decide if you want to shoot longer cartridges as guns come in several chamber lengths.

12 gauge is the only one worth looking at if you're shooting factory ammo as it is cheap, around $100 for 250rds when it's on special, and readily available. You can do a lot of practicing relatively inexpensively. .410 and 20ga you're looking at about a buck apiece.

If you're recoil sensitive you might need to look at one of the smaller gauges, but nowadays most manufacturers have sorted out lower-recoil 12ga loads.

And 12ga ammo takes up _a lot_ of storage space, 250rds of 12ga takes up more room than 5000rds of .22LR - you will likely need more room to store the ammo than the gun.

[noneyabussiness]

Nearly all clay target shooters will be using a under and over 12g shotgun. The days of side by sides has long gone. Go to a range and have a look it will also give you an idea of what type of range shooting if any you may like.

Is the 12G the only one to get or is there a slightly "smaller" less powerful shotgun or are the smaller ones not worth it?

The common shotgun gauges are 12ga, 20ga and .410" nowadays. There were others but they're not common now and I don't know that you'd even find ammo for the 10ga, 28ga, or 16ga.

Gauge refers to the bore diameter, but based on how big a sphere of lead would be compared to a pound. 12 gauge is .729" which is the size of one-twelfth of a pound of lead formed into a sphere - an absolutely idiotic way of measuring anything. 20 gauge is .615", the diameter of a sphere formed from one-twentieth of a pound of lead. The .410" is simply a .410" bore diameter - similar to the .44 Magnum.

You also need to decide if you want to shoot longer cartridges as guns come in several chamber lengths.

12 gauge is the only one worth looking at if you're shooting factory ammo as it is cheap, around $100 for 250rds when it's on special, and readily available. You can do a lot of practicing relatively inexpensively. .410 and 20ga you're looking at about a buck apiece.

If you're recoil sensitive you might need to look at one of the smaller gauges, but nowadays most manufacturers have sorted out lower-recoil 12ga loads.

And 12ga ammo takes up _a lot_ of storage space, 250rds of 12ga takes up more room than 5000rds of .22LR - you will likely need more room to store the ammo than the gun.

something like this https://www.rebelgunworks.com.au/produc ... 26g-8-shot

[6mm Remington]

243 centrefire can be considered more versatile for hunting all types of critters.
Flat shooting and accurate with 60 to 70 grain projectiles for long shots at night when spotlighting foxes.
Hard hitting enough to drop pigs when loaded with 100 grain projectiles.
Will you be reloading ? Will you be skinning and tanning the foxes ? Maybe a 17 HMR.
If you want a shotgun, buy a Miroku under over in 12 guage and never be left wanting for anything else.
Only my opinion, get whatever you want and have fun with it.

[Diamond Jim]

Nearly all clay target shooters will be using a under and over 12g shotgun. The days of side by sides has long gone. Go to a range and have a look it will also give you an idea of what type of range shooting if any you may like.

Is the 12G the only one to get or is there a slightly "smaller" less powerful shotgun or are the smaller ones not worth it?

If you choose one of the sub-gauges 28G, 20G, 16G, .410 bore you will pay much more for cartridges than with the larger and more versatile 12G. They all move the shot at the same velocity - just less of it as you go down in bore size.
You can always use a lighter cartridge in a 12G but you are limited using a heavier charge in a smaller gauges.
A 28 gram load in a 12G is pretty light, in a 20G it's at the higher end - and the gun is usually lighter so felt recoil is more. A 32 gram field load in a 12G is pretty standard but in a light 20G it would be stout.

[on_one_wheel]

Its like golf.
You'll get by with a driver, 5 iron, sand wedge and a putter, but eventually You'll have at least 14 clubs jammed into that buggy and still find the need to upgrade with the latest carbon fibre shaft, titanium body, tungsten weighted, fully balanced and tailored sticks.

More importantly, just ensure your safe is big enough for all those clubs