first rifle for a newbie

[deanfish]

Hey guys,

I am currently applying for my firearm licence so I thought I would check out this forum.
From what I have seen, this forum is full of great guys that have loads of great advice. I will hopefully be buying my first rifle in the next few weeks but really have no idea what I need.
I am looking to shoot rabbits, foxes and empty cans etc on private property. I know most people start with a .22 and then upgrade but is there something similar that I would be less likely to out grow?
I like the idea of having a .22 for the cost per round factor but is there a big difference between that and the next level rifles?

Sorry if this has been asked a thousand times before but I have no idea and don't want a salesman to give me a bump steer.

Cheers.

[No1Mk3]

G'day deanfish,
Go for the 22, best rabbit rifle ever, does foxes at 100m no probs, and just death on tin cans! Whilst most of us do buy centrefire eventually, I feel it's wrong to say we outgrow the 22. I am pushing 60 and still have my first 22, as well as 7 other 22's, and a number of centrefires. Nearly all the centrefires are significantly dearer to feed, and usually destroy the rabbit for eating purposes. Have you gone out with anyone and used a few rifles yet? Cheers.

[Heckler303]

I agree with No.1 mk3, a .22 is always the best choice for a first rifle.

Check out some the Norinco Jw-15s available. Great rifles, good place to learn how to modify and smooth up a rifle, as well as having a very good and accurate .22 for only around 200$.

[Baldrick314]

Welcome to the forum mate. As said above while most people do end up buying a centrefire rifle the .22 doesn't stop being useful. Apart from the hunting applications it's a good skills tuneup.

[<<Genesis93>>]

22 you'll get bored with it in about 3 minutes.....

Rabbits foxes and tin cans is definite 12g territory

[deanfish]

Thanks for the advise guys. A few years back i had some fun in a pump action 22 and more recently had a few shots in the bush on a mates 22. It was very comfortable and i think i will go to the local store and hold a few and see which i like best. Cheers guys

[GLS_1956]

[quote="<<Genesis93>>"]22 you'll get bored with it in about 3 minutes.....

Don't believe this for a minute, I started on a 22 rifle, a pump by the way, and 22s number as my greatest number of guns: eight (8) rifles and six (6) handguns.

[albat]

i got a cz 455 with the three barrels great combo gun tried all three barrels .22lr to start great accuracy with cci standard ammo. tried 22wmr accuracy is best with vmax, 17hmr brilliant accuracy with 17grain winchester 2550fps at a bargain 16 bucks for 50! whats even better i picked up 2 of these from the shot show in brisbane last year for 558 bucks each!! apparently some mistake in pricing from beretta via qld gun exchange! anyway even if you pay more its a good value combo.

[GLS_1956]

i got a cz 455 with the three barrels great combo gun tried all three barrels .22lr to start great accuracy with cci standard ammo. tried 22wmr accuracy is best with vmax, 17hmr brilliant accuracy with 17grain winchester 2550fps at a bargain 16 bucks for 50! whats even better i picked up 2 of these from the shot show in brisbane last year for 558 bucks each!! apparently some mistake in pricing from beretta via qld gun exchange! anyway even if you pay more its a good value combo.

I too have a CZ 455, mine is the "American". Great rifle, I only have the 22LR barrel but that's all I want. They are guns that you can't go wrong with.

[brett1868]

I love my 22's and still shoot them on a regular basis, good cheap way to hone technique and polish skills. I mainly shoot the PWS Summit T3 due to it being the most accurate of the 3 I have, if I can group will with it then I can rule myself out as a cause of poor accuracy on the bigger stuff.

[scotty87]

.17HMR fits the bill for bunny busting and foxes out to 150 yards. The new Lithgow arms rifle or a cz452/455 would be my pick.

Heaps of vids on YouTube of the Brits using this calibre successfully on foxes.

[Lyam]

G'day and welcome Dean

[SteamedHam]

I got a cz455 in .22LR (I also have 22mag and .17 barrels) And it's the best beginner rifle i've ever used. Beast is a laser beam!

[MR. WINCHESTER]

Hands down ...

.22 Magnum !

It's night and day between the mag and it's insipid cousin - the .22 LR.

GREAT round for a newbie and dynamite on foxes and bunnies.

[WayneO]

I have a been a Professional Hunter on and off for the past 20 years, and I have owned rifles in dozens of calibers from .17 up to 500 Nitro. And I am yet to out grow any of my .22's.
What I would say is, either go semi-auto or bolt action. I own a lever action and a pump action IN .22LR, and i have a fond dislike for both of them.
C.Z 455 with its bull barrel in .22LR will take rabbits, foxes and cans at 100m all day without missing a beat, and get a second barrel in .17HMR, because sometimes a man needs lots of speed.
The .22 Magnum is a great little caliber, but ammo is not cheap and its not easy to get. Its also too much of one thing and not enough of the other. If you want a .22 to run at crazy speeds, gets a hornet.

[MR. WINCHESTER]

The .22 Magnum is a great little caliber, but ammo is not cheap and its not easy to get. Its also too much of one thing and not enough of the other. If you want a .22 to run at crazy speeds, gets a hornet.

I reckon the Hornet is too loud for a new chum.

IMHO / experience, the .22 Mag is the 'biggest' round, one can use without hearing protection.

.... another reason the .22 mag is an ideal choice for the Newbie.

[bigfellascott]

The .22 Magnum is a great little caliber, but ammo is not cheap and its not easy to get. Its also too much of one thing and not enough of the other. If you want a .22 to run at crazy speeds, gets a hornet.

I reckon the Hornet is too loud for a new chum.

IMHO / experience, the .22 Mag is the 'biggest' round, one can use without hearing protection.

.... another reason the .22 mag is an ideal choice for the Newbie.

first firearm I used was a 303 and no hearing protection, it didn't worry me at all and I was only around 8yrs old at the time

[Gwion]

The .22 Magnum is a great little caliber, but ammo is not cheap and its not easy to get. Its also too much of one thing and not enough of the other. If you want a .22 to run at crazy speeds, gets a hornet.

I reckon the Hornet is too loud for a new chum.

IMHO / experience, the .22 Mag is the 'biggest' round, one can use without hearing protection.

.... another reason the .22 mag is an ideal choice for the Newbie.

first firearm I used was a 303 and no hearing protection, it didn't worry me at all and I was only around 8yrs old at the time

Huh??? Pardon? What was that??? Eh? Speak up sonny!!!

[bigfellascott]

The .22 Magnum is a great little caliber, but ammo is not cheap and its not easy to get. Its also too much of one thing and not enough of the other. If you want a .22 to run at crazy speeds, gets a hornet.

I reckon the Hornet is too loud for a new chum.

IMHO / experience, the .22 Mag is the 'biggest' round, one can use without hearing protection.

.... another reason the .22 mag is an ideal choice for the Newbie.

first firearm I used was a 303 and no hearing protection, it didn't worry me at all and I was only around 8yrs old at the time

Huh??? Pardon? What was that??? Eh? Speak up sonny!!!

LOL nothing wrong with my hearing, had tests a while back and all good, despite all the M60, SLR, M16's and grenades (it's a wonder I'm not mutton jeff after all that to be honest

[GLS_1956]

I always wear hearing protectors when shooting. Even will use them hunting if possible.

[WayneO]

I have a 1938 Obendorf Mauser in .22LR in South Africa fitted with a suppressor, and its one of the most amazing weapons I have ever owned. With Sub-Sonic ammo the animals hardly get disturbed at the shots.

[sarki]

It's night and day between the mag and it's insipid cousin - the .22 LR.

GREAT round for a newbie and dynamite on foxes and bunnies.

Except not usable at many indoor / suburban ranges.

Worth mentioning for newbies who may want to brush up at the range.

[GLS_1956]

22 Hornet is a sweet little cartridge. Good out to 150 yards on coyotes, what I guess to be the American equivalent to the dingo. And probably further on rabbits and prairie dogs if you can hit them. Me I'm more limited to range by my marksmanship than by the cartridge.

[happyhunter]

22 Hornet is excellent, 22 K Hornet even better but the ammo is expensive so unless the new shooter wants to get straight into handloading I'm not sure the 22 hornet would be the best choice.

[MR. WINCHESTER]

22 Hornet is excellent, 22 K Hornet even better but the ammo is expensive so unless the new shooter wants to get straight into handloading I'm not sure the 22 hornet would be the best choice.

Does your recommendation include the fact, that a newbie needs / should, practice A LOT and the report of a Hornet would be somewhat limiting ?

Do you not consider a rimfire, more appropriate for a new chum ?

[adam]

I know most people start with a .22 and then upgrade but is there something similar that I would be less likely to out grow?
I like the idea of having a .22 for the cost per round factor but is there a big difference between that and the next level rifles?

Outgrow a .22? Never!

Complement a .22 with a centrefire, shotgun, etc later - definitely... but I still fire more rounds out of a .22 than any other. Yes - I'd grab something else for a primary hunt but .22 is always handy as others have said for plinking, practicing, honing skills... they're just damn fun.

Buy a good .22 to start with and you'll have it for life.

[Title_II]

I didn't outgrow .22, the price of it outgrew me. It's now around 1/2 the price of 9m and 1/3 the price of 5.56 around here. That's just fine if you want to shoot a few foxes or fire 50 rounds at a 50 foot target, but I was buying it for blasting and a component of handgun practice. It's less bang for the buck now but still has a place.

[GLS_1956]

Now Mr. Winchester, I personally consider a 22LR appropriate for everyone from first timer to long timer. Personally I own more 22 rimfires, rifles and handguns, than any other caliber, I missed getting a 22 smoothbore.

But I was commenting on the point, fact to me, that the 22 Hornet is a great little round. Harder to find in common stock at most small and chain gun/sporting good stores but still available and at least here in the USA when found it is sold in 50 round boxes.

[Title_II]

42 cents per round is more than .223, though

http://gun-deals.com/list/ammo/.22+Hornet

I've never shot it, I guess it might be a little quieter without a can.

[Gwion]

42 cents per round is more than .223, though

Not in Australia, it isn't.