Newbie here

[huckleberryjay]

Hey there. I'm 22yrs. old and have recently decided to get into the hunting game. Lost my dad this year and am looking for a way to get out and relax for a while. No better way than hunting! I've been to some ranges before but have only shot an AR-15, H&K .40, Beretta 9mm, Savage .243. I'm looking for a decent .40 handgun and a good rifle for sale. Handgun for fun and the rifle for hunting. I just need some advice from the pros on what brand names and stuff like that I should look into. Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks everyone!

[7.62 Nato]

:welcome: to MGO. This is a good source of information and conversation.

[Done Deal]

Welcome.

Now the hard part. There are probably as many fine rifles in a variety of calibers as there are opinions on here.

As you will learn, there are many factors to consider including platform, caliber, sighting system, grain bullet, and a multitude of other things.

Fortunately, nothing is stopping you from owning more than one rifle...

Have fun and enjoy this forum. Don't be afraid to ask questions because that is the one sure way nobody can figure that they no better...hehehe...

[remingtondude58]

I use a Remington 700 BDL LH in 308 WIN currrently

[CnA]

I use a Remington 700 BDL LH in 308 WIN currrently

A fine rifle and caliber.

A Ruger M77 or a Savage model 11 are also fine hunting rifles. You can't go wrong with them. Also the .308, 30-06 and .270 are all calibers that will take just about any large game in North America.

I personally have a Ruger M77 in 30-06 with a Burris scope ( the Burris line is one of the better values for great performance out there). It shoots 1" groups at 100 yards with factory 180 grain ammo.

[RevDerb]

Welcome to MGO, Jay. I know how you are feeling. I lost my mom earlier this year and took up hunting for the first time in my life this season. Took up handguns shortly after she passed and the diversion of both has been very therapeutic for me, I think. Anyway, enjoy MGO from the tip of the mitten.

[remingtondude58]

Are you only planning on hunting deer? if you plan on hunting smaller game you might want to consider a 12 ga instead of a rifle.

[huntmeister]

What kinda hunting you planning on doing?

shop around, dont impluse buy, cheaper will never be better.

My recomendation for beginners:
centerfire rifle:
Bolt action rifle .270
It is a very universal round, coyote, deer, elk, black bear, feral hogs and maybe moose.

.40 cal handgun check out a glock 22 and if you dont like the glock check out the smith and wesson M&P. I might have to get one someday even though I'm a glock supporter and wheel gun toter.

.22 caliber ruger 10/22 for a little critter getter.
.12 gauge pump with interchangable barrel's and choke tubes.

good hunting.

[Glock2340ACP]

Remington 870 "combo" here, swap the barrels and I can go turkey or deer slug hunting, 12 ga. Very versatile and reliable, IMHO for reasonable price. You can get fancier or spend more money later.

Also have MZ Thompson Black Diamond .50 cal for extended season.

[remingtondude58]

.22 caliber ruger 10/22 for a little critter getter.

This is a good point. I would definitely gt a 22 for small stuff and cheap practice. I have a marlin model 60 and love it.

[Armed citizen]

Welcome,

Hope the shooting sport and hunting put your mind at ease, it can be very relaxing at times in the blind or stand.

Hunting- .30-06 good all around

Handgun- Love my Glocks, G23 is a sweet .40cal, G19 is a nice 9mm for carry as well.

:thumbup:

[BURR.30CAL]

My $.02 worth. A 9mm handgun if you plan to shoot a lot. Ammo is much cheaper. For deer, .308, 30.06 for the same reason. I would avoid using the smaller calibers for deer, (.243, etc). I know some will tell you it's all about shot placement, but I know from personal experience that there is more to it than that. I hunted with a .243 Rem. 788 for several years, (my first rifle). Loved that gun, it would put three shots in one hole at 100 yds. I made perfect shots on deer, destroyed the heart, but they got up and ran anyway. Cut the throat on one, never showed any sign of being hit, ran until he bled out. Moved up to .30 cal., problem disappeared. This is just one man's opinion, but I will defend it against all comers. And don't forget the .22 rifle. Hell, might as well get a .22 pistol, too.

[XDcarry]

Welcome to the group

[hunt-n-fool]

welcome, 308 is hard to beat, I have a tikka t3 - luv those tikka triggers !

[brdeano]

I hunted with a .243 Rem. 788 for several years, (my first rifle). Loved that gun, it would put three shots in one hole at 100 yds. I made perfect shots on deer, destroyed the heart, but they got up and ran anyway. Cut the throat on one, never showed any sign of being hit, ran until he bled out. Moved up to .30 cal., problem disappeared.

It's all about the bullet. I've killed deer with the lowly 223 and my 223AI, albeit I'm running a good bullet (62 TSX). I'm not a lung shooter with a rifle, I save that for the bow. I like to shoot shoulders and break bone, its hard for them to go anywhere when you take their running gear out of the equation.

The best way to make a deer run off is to poke him through lungs/heart. I'm not arguing with you, just stating an opinion. :smile:

I'm not sure how the 223/deer threads go on this site, but I have an idea based on other websites I frequent....LOL.

[Done Deal]

It's all about the bullet. I've killed deer with the lowly 223 and my 223AI, albeit I'm running a good bullet (62 TSX). I'm not a lung shooter with a rifle, I save that for the bow. I like to shoot shoulders and break bone, its hard for them to go anywhere when you take their running gear out of the equation.

The best way to make a deer run off is to poke him through lungs/heart. I'm not arguing with you, just stating an opinion. :smile:

I'm not sure how the 223/deer threads go on this site, but I have an idea based on other websites I frequent....LOL.


Well....it doesn't much matter what site you are on.....a 223 doesn't get any better because of it.

And, as far as shoulder busting....to each their own but, I prefer not to waste meat by blowing bone all over the place. A deer with no lungs or heart is not going to run all that far.

[brdeano]

Shoulder vs Lungs is a personal choice. There's a lot of guys who'll side with you and say they won't shoot shoulders, nothing wrong with that. A premium bullet through the shoulders doesn't waste much meat. Have you tried using a 223 on deer with bullets that were made for the task? Most of the guys I talk to who frown on .224's for deer have either not tried them, or they have tried them with a bullet not designed for deer and had a horrible experience that left them with a bad taste in their mouth. A .270 shooting 130gr cup and core bullets works just as good as it always has, but bullet construction has come a long way in recent years and the small caliber chamberings seem to have benefited the most. The .224 running a Nosler Partition, Barnes TSX or Swift Scirroco is a different critter than a .224 running a varmint bullet. IMHO. :-)

[Kovernm]

Welcome from Marshall.

[Done Deal]

Shoulder vs Lungs is a personal choice. There's a lot of guys who'll side with you and say they won't shoot shoulders, nothing wrong with that. A premium bullet through the shoulders doesn't waste much meat.

Any time you are mixing bone with meat you are losing table fare. Since there isn't a ton of good meat up there to begin with, no sense wasting what there is.

I would also be willing to guess that most deer hunters don't see what their hits do to the meat....and blood running under the hide can mess up a bunch more.

Have you tried using a 223 on deer with bullets that were made for the task?

Nope, I have considered it but.....that is about as far as it has gotten.



With the price of ammo, I really haven't messed around trying to see what heavier bullets mine likes because I already have deer calibers that get the job done quite nicely.

[countryboy3248]

It also depends on where you plan on hunting. In the Shotgun zone, you cant use your 308's and what-not. But you can go with black powder rifle. check out Thompson's if thats where you'll be hunting.

Because I live, and hunt in the shotgun zone, that's what I have used for years. Ive seen people drop a deer with a .410. But I would go with the 870 combo. Nice gun. As for a pistol, your talking about a .40, just to shoot at the range, I would think about moving up to a .45, this way, you can go to the range, AND take the pistol hunting with you, just in case a deer is close enough. Just a thought!

Good luck, and Welcome:sniper2:

[garyjt]

This is a good point. I would definitely gt a 22 for small stuff and cheap practice. I have a marlin model 60 and love it.


Get a .22 handgun, and a .22 rifle.

I use the Marlin 39 lever, same one that Annie Oakley used, its accurate and flawless. Get a used one before they added the safety - its cheaper and its better.


I also use the HIgh Standard double nine western style revolver. You can get a good used one for $100 - 200.