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View Full Version : Never owned a rifle or shotgun always used friends



RalphL
06-04-2005, 09:18 PM
I am new to hunting and as such have always used friends and friends parents rifles and shotguns. I have also done some shooting with handguns at ranges where pistols can be rented. I am interested in purchasing a rifle for woodchucks. It may sound strange but besides being a nuissance are pretty enjoyable to hunt. I was wondering what a good gun for this would be and if I have to go to the police or something to purchase the guns

goldwing2000
06-04-2005, 11:20 PM
What sort of distance?

.223 is a good all-around caliber for small animals. It's a very accurate caliber, especially in a bolt-action gun. You could easily hit a 'chuck out to 300 yards with even decent glass. The ammo is VERY cheap and it's not very loud (so as not to disturb any neighbors).

And then when you buy an AR-15 in the future, you won't have to buy or reload two different calibers. :thup:

Toxie
06-04-2005, 11:39 PM
A savage .17 HMR is exellent, and perfect for an inexpieranced hunter. The gun is cheap, extremely accurate and light.

goldwing2000
06-05-2005, 12:13 AM
A savage .17 HMR is exellent, and perfect for an inexpieranced hunter. The gun is cheap, extremely accurate and light.

The only problems I have with .17 HMR are that the 17-gr bullet is too small to be very versatile and it's not reloadable. Other than that, I agree that it's a good performer.

I agree that a Savage would be an excellent choice of firearm, too.

alex-vitek
06-07-2005, 04:05 PM
The .223 has a couple of other things going for it. If the hunter needs ammo on the spur of the moment while out in rural areas he or she can easily get decent .223 ammo even at hardware stores and not just sporting goods.

Another point, the .223 will also be a good choice for larger critters. If the new hunter is getting interested in varmint hunting for woodchucks they might want to move up to coyote.

The .223 will be a better choice on a windy day. At least from what others have told me the .17 is great until the wind picks up.