If you only had one old rifle, which?

[carebear]

Aw come on. A few miles radius isn't long range enough for you? The 460 is a beast but it doesn't kick that much. The spitting fire and smoke.....well, you might have something there.

Regards,

J

I'll trade the extra rifle weight, recoil, smoke/noise/flash and yes, even energy for a darn near 500 yd point blank range over a 6' and rapidly increasing drop at 500.

The 168 gr .30 cal round doesn't drop that much until it's out at about 800 and is a proven 1000 yard cartridge.

 

[jamespowers]

I'll trade the extra rifle weight, recoil, smoke/noise/flash and yes, even energy for a darn near 500 yd point blank range over a 6' and rapidly increasing drop at 500.

The 168 gr .30 cal round doesn't drop that much until it's out at about 800 and is a proven 1000 yard cartridge.

Ok, ok it is heavy but it builds character.

Regards,

J

 

[carebear]

Ok, ok it is heavy but it builds character.

Regards,

J

To quote Bart Simpson, "Who wants to build character? Let's quit!".

 

[Fatdutchman]

If one is really looking for a "do all" rifle (which doesn't really exist), my own thought is this: A Marlin 1894 in .44 magnum. Plenty good for deer sized game, but not ridiculously overpowered for small game, rabbits and squirrels. Pretty much a modern-caliber equivalent of a .44-40 lever rifle, which was once, THE popular choice. I intend to get one of these myself...eventually.

 

[jamespowers]

If one is really looking for a "do all" rifle (which doesn't really exist), my own thought is this: A Marlin 1894 in .44 magnum. Plenty good for deer sized game, but not ridiculously overpowered for small game, rabbits and squirrels. Pretty much a modern-caliber equivalent of a .44-40 lever rifle, which was once, THE popular choice. I intend to get one of these myself...eventually.

That sounds like a good choice now that you mention it. I just hope you don't have to stone the action to get the lever to operate smoothly like you have to with the Winchesters---til this day. :eusa_doh:

Regards,

J

 

[jamespowers]

To quote Bart Simpson, "Who wants to build character? Let's quit!".

Ok, ok. We'll leave character and muscle out of it.

Regards,

J

 

[Diamondback]

To quote Bart Simpson, "Who wants to build character? Let's quit!".

Ok, ok. We'll leave character and muscle out of it.

Who has time for building character and muscle when the ChiComs are invading, or the Mutant Zombie MallNinja hordes are loose? Gimme a proven, rapidly-repeatable, long-range reach-out-and-touch-someone one-shot-stop every time, personally...

Oh, and a belt-fed buzzsaw for close-in defense.

 

[The Wingnut]

Coming in late in this conversation, there is no ONE rifle that can do it all. You're better off having a few for various purposes.

If I was FORCED to choose just one, it would likely be something bolt or lever action in a common military cartridge with a sizable magazine, such as my father's converted .30-06 K98.

 

[Mark G]

I agree with Carebear and others on the board that 30-06 would be a good choice for a single rifle as it will take any game in North America. It comes in a myriad of load choices including a sabot .22, and you can buy ammo in any K-Mart.

It also comes in so many choices of guns, new or used. From single shots, bolt, and even lever (Win model '95) For a new gun, I'd probably go with a Remington 700, as for an older gun, if you can afford it, a pre-'64 Winchester 70 or a Belgian made FN 98. You would probably want to scope it but that's a whole other hornets nest.

 

[Harp]

there is no ONE rifle that can do it all.

The bayonet stub on the M16A1 can be used to open a cold bottle of Miller Lite Beer.

 

[Fatdutchman]

That sounds like a good choice now that you mention it. I just hope you don't have to stone the action to get the lever to operate smoothly like you have to with the Winchesters---til this day. :eusa_doh:

Regards,

J

The Winchester '94 is like a Rube Goldberg device. Twice as many parts as really required. It functions, and is reliable, I suppose, but that's about all I can say about them (now I've made somebody mad! )
I am a major Marlin fan. Ten times the gun a Winchester is. Smooth, slick, and lock up like a bank vault.

 

[Rooster]

One gun I've always wanted but never had. I'd like a WWI 8mm mauser that was profesionally sporterized between the wars. I've seen some really nice ones that have some classic lines. I'd prefere something with high quality peep sights instead of a scope, a scope really clutters up the lines of a rifle.

 

[Fletch]

The bayonet stub on the M16A1 can be used to open a cold bottle of Miller Lite Beer.

That's another thing I notice about you firearms loyalists...poor taste in adult beverages (not to mention poor timing of same).

If I had to own a rifle it would be my dad's .22, because I wouldn't shoot at anything bigger than a river rat (at least not with intent to hit it). Besides, if you accidentally peg a human being in the butt, the round can be dug out with a pocketknife.

Ouch.

 

[Fatdutchman]

I've been wanting an 88-type sporter rifle, like was made by Haenel and others. 8mm Normal. Pretty things.

I'm not a scope fan, either. Maybe it's just because you don't see scopes on 18th century rifles!

 

[Rooster]

I've had a couple military configuration M88's in the past. Very smooth actions and very accurate rifles. there again, I've seen some early made sportered 88's that were extreamly cool.
Fletch. I don't drink, with or with out rifles. Booze and guns never mix. When they do, you usually hear something like "what do you think will happen if I do this?" Yep, it's all fun and games till somebody gets an eye poked out.
It isn't guns that make people stupid, it's the booze... or, more than likely, some people are just naturally stupid, not much can be done about that.[huh]

 

[Harp]

That's another thing I notice about you firearms loyalists...poor taste in adult beverages (not to mention poor timing of same).

Ex-Special Forces, and previous comment about opening a beer against an M16 stub was made in jest, from past professional and responsible usage. Did not intend to advocate irresponsible conduct.

 

[Story]

I've been wanting an 88-type sporter rifle, like was made by Haenel and others. 8mm Normal. Pretty things.

I'm not a scope fan, either. Maybe it's just because you don't see scopes on 18th century rifles!

Since the man is too modest:

For those wanting a custom-built Germanic/Germanic-influenced muzzleloader, Fatdutchman is the man to see.

His work is truely old world magic & his rates quite reasonable.

eg

 

[Story]

Anyone have suggestions or just advice in general for a complete newb?
Doug C

Doug,
You can learn alot in the presence of local shooting folks, most of whom are quite friendly and will let you try their weapons.

PM me with your locality, and I'll innundate you with links.

As a follow-on question, what do you want to do with your rifle?
Target shoot?
Hunt?
Protection?

General P.S.A. - the OCM has stopped selling Garands for the rest of the year. Looks like they're sinking their available man-hours into blowing out the M-1 Carbines.

 

[John in Covina]

Sub gun ammo

(NATO ammo is generally hotter-loaded than the civilian market--DO NOT put 9mm NATO through something only rated for Parabellum/Luger, unlesss you wanna spend a while picking shrapnel outta your face!)...

******
Actually this is a bit of a misnomer. There is / was 9mm that was hot loaded for use in submachine guns and machine pistols and would drive the heavier bolt. It was hot but in a well made pistol it was just a bit hotter than plusP. I seem to recall that the Israelis make some for use in the Uzi. Put a few boxes thru the Taurus 92 some years back and it barked and snarled like a pissed off Rottwieler. You'd know the difference between regular ball and it but again very similar to plusP.

 

[Duck]

30-06

Remington 700 in 30-06. It can take anything in North America and has taken quite a bit in Africa.
Best all-around caliber. IMHO