What is the best and cheapest rifle to begin hunting with? Also what is a good,cheap handgun for the range?

Question

I am going to start hunting and I want a handgun just to go to the range and shoot....Thanks

Answer 1

In my opinion the best rifle for the money is the marlin xl7, it shoots sub MOA at 100 yards and its under $400. Its really basic but shoots great, so a great beginner rifle. Also there is the mossberg 100 ATR for around the same price range but its not as accurate as the xl7.

Answer 2

Get a 4.10 or 20 gauge shotgun.

Maybe a .22, but .22's shoot LONG distances, so it would b better to start with a shotgun, because it doesnt go as far.

Also a shotgun is somewhat "easier" to kill since it can Spread instead of 1 small bullet going really fast. Its a easier way to hunt, but not at loong ranges.

so it depends on what your huntimg, but i'd still go with a shotgun

Answer 3

The new "Poor man's dear rifle" is the 7.62x39, of which remington offers in their model 799 bolt-action series (about .23-99 cents per round, depending on the brand). For a range pistol you DEFINITELY want a .22 long rifle revolver for minimum noise, cost, recoil, and jamming. Enjoy!

Answer 4

For hunting, a .22. Larger game, blackpowder side locks are the best value, .50 or .54 caliber, and you commonly get two seasons to use it, like deer in Missouri.

Range guns imply shooting a lot of ammo. The best values are .45, 9mm, and .38. Larger semi autos and revolvers are common and can be much less expensive if bought used. Learn what constitutes good functionable condition - bright bore, tight fits, etc. A showy finish will always cost more and deliver nothing in range performance.

Reloading will save money in the long run and allow more range time - you will have affordable ammo to shoot, and given time, more accurate as you can assemble what the gun prefers, not the store shelf average.

Answer 5

Well, Normally, I would recomend a .22 to get the basics down. If you want to go and hunt right now, theres many things you can get. If squirel hunting or small game, get that .22 after all. If Deer or the same size game, I suggest a Mosin Nagant. They are EVERYWHERE and like $90. Ammo is cheap, cheap, cheap. And for a cheap range pistol, try a Ruger Mark II or a .22 revolver. Both of these are excellent weapons for the money. Hope this helps. Ask me if you have any questions about these guns.

Answer 6

Used firearms.

Marlin model 60 and Ruger MKI or MK II pistol.

Both in .22 LR and get the basics of firearms handling down first. Then start hunting.

Answer 7

Mike-

The best rifle you could start with would be a Savage Arms, chambered for .223 or .243.  These are good enough to do some squirrel hunting, and if you choose the .243 you can at least do some deer hunting with it.  Savage makes an excellent rifle.  I have several of them in my collection including an Elk/Moose Rifle chambered for 7mm Remington Magnum.  That is a popper, so I would not recommend starting with that cartridge.  Basically nothing larger than .308 Winchester, for the rifle.  But I would start you with a .243 and go from there.

As for the handgun, I very rarely start my students with a semi-automatic pistol, like a 9mm.  Its too much for learning basic safety.  The Ruger MKII is an excellent choice for the start because it teaches basic operations and safety.  I also have a Smith & Wesson Revolver, in .22 LR.  These are my starter handguns for folks.

After they show some proficency with the .22 they graduate to the Old and Reliable .38 Special.  The revolver I have for this is a Ruger GP-100 chambered for .357 Magnum.  What is nice about this caliber is the fact you can shoot .38 Special in the weapon without damage and .38 Special is a fairly mild cartridge to begin with.

As I have learned in my years of being an instructor, the revolver serves both the master and the novice equally.  Revolvers are a very good choice for beginners because of their ease in instruction to the student.  There is no magazine, and no safety to deal with.  So the student can learn at a slower pace how to be safe with the sidearm.

Also, I find that most of my students end up prefering the revolver in the end, if the intent is for home defense purposes.  This is the other class I teach.

There are some fundamental issues that go with semi-automatic pistols in a home defense situation.  The biggest issue is a failure to fire on the first cartridge.  This can be attributed to 3 main problems.  Either the cartridge is faulty from the factory, or the pistol was stored without a cartridge in the chamber, or an empty magazine.  In either of these situations your are required to use both hands to cycle the slide to load a cartridge, or locate a loaded magazine.

This becomes a problem should you be on the phone with the Police Dispatcher while being agressed in your own home or hotel room.  

With a revolver, the tendancy is to leave the handgun loaded, and in a secure location.  I keep a small hand safe next to my bed, yes there is a loaded .357 Magnum in there, no my children cannot get to ANY of my firearms without my specific supervision, or that of my wife.

However, my point is with a revolver you never have to drop the phone.  You simply just pull the trigger to index the next cartridge to the firing position.  Yes you may only have 6 to 8 cartridges depending on the model of revolver, but if you need any more than 3 or 4 shots you are in big trouble, and even your 10 round 9mm is not going to get you out of trouble.

You are going to have some of these jokers state to you that .45ACP is the only way to go.  Not true.  Though .45 ACP is an excellent cartridge, it is normally too much for most folks to start with.  I'm not saying that it is a bad cartridge, that it's just alot of muscle to start with.

Now having said all of this, there is a very important piece of information you must understand.  Your defense pistol is a direct extension of your person.  Meaning, you need to practice with it often, and your hands need to be comfortable with its fit, form and function.  The last thing you need to be concerned with is the price tag.  The reason I say this is because; is your life worth going cheap on a sidearm, that you may have to rely on to get you out of the heat?

When you pick up the sidearm, there should be no doubt in your mind as to what you are doing.  If you have to think about this in a stressful situation, you are already dead.  

If you have a local firing range in your area that rents pistols, you sould try several of them to see what your hands, and eyes like best.  Ask yourself these questions as you are handeling each of them.

Do I like the way the grip feels in my hand?

Is the trigger placed comfortably in relation to my index finger?

Are the additional controls on the firearm in comfortable locations, and easy to operate?

Am I controlling the caliber in this pistol well enough to learn how to use the firearm proficently?

Is the firearm too heavy or too light?

Is the firearm easy to clean and care for?

Is the firearm easy to load and unload?

All of these questions are necessary to you selecting the right sidearm.  

As for your rifle, you are probably going to have to go with someone, who has several of them in a collection.  Same applies here, however, there are more things available to make rifles more comfortable to the shooters.  So again, this depends on you and your preferences.

In any event, I tell all of my students they should pick the largest possible caliber that is easy for THEM to control.  In my case, that is .40 S&W, in my duty pistol.  As for the home, as I said .357 Magnum lives there.

My revolver is a Ruger GP-100 4 inch barrel, (standard duty type revolver).  The sidearm I carry on duty for DHS is a Glock 22 in .40 S&W.  My wife also works for DHS, on a different contract, she carries a Glock 19 in 9mm on duty.

Now last tip.  Only use reloaded ammunition for range and practice purposes in your handguns.  If you keep the firearm loaded, keep it loaded with factory ammo designated for that caliber.  

In your rifle, do whatever you like.  Mainly because I doubt you are going to keep that loaded in your home.

As for the person who told you to get a shotgun, reconsider their suggestion AFTER you have more expereince.  A 12 Gauge is quite a sock in the arm for a beginner.

Good Luck!

Answer 8

Depends on what you're hunting! If it's just squirrels and such, I agree with Josey, get a .22. My brother got a Savage .22 for $90, and it shoots well and has been a good gun. If you're wanting to hunt deer and other such sized game, Harrington and Richardson make excellent single shot rifles that sell for around $200. You can get them in anything from .22 to .500S&W and most modern rifle cartridges in between.

About that pistol. I don't know what you would consider cheap, but Ruger and Taurus both make pretty good pistols for under $400. Josey is right. 9mm is a good choice for a range gun, because ammo is fairly cheap. If the Ruger and Taurus selections are still high, try a Kel-tec ($300 and under). At first the prices on the Kel-tec scared me away from them (a cheap pistol can often be a bad pistol) but I was impressed with the performance when my brother bought one. We were shooting hedgeapples from 30 feet. Don't know much else about 'em, haven't had it long.

Hope this helps,

Answer 9

I disagree with .22, it is to small to take any large game.  I would reccomend to take a different route and get a shotgun.  You can hunt a variety of upland game birds (something that rifles cant.).  It is great for nabbing turkeys etc.  You can also used slugs for larger game like Deer.  You can also convert a shotgun into a virtual rifle by using a slug barrel which is rifled and attaching a scope.

Answer 10

For the Rifle get a .22 for a begginer

And for Handguns a normal 9mm will to the job.