Interested in buying a rifle. Any suggestions?

[livvy]

It would be my first firearm. I'm more interested in learning to use a rifle than a handgun (for some reason handguns really freak me out). I'm a female, 5'5", and not particularly athletic. I'm interested mostly in target practice, a new hobby so to speak. I'm not particularly interested in hunting at this stage.

My question is what models would probably work best for me, something I could learn to fire with some accuracy without putting out my shoulder, or getting knocked on my ass? I fired a shotgun once many years ago when I weighed about 90 pounds soaking wet, and I still remember the kick...ouch!

Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

[Redneck Socialist]

1. Anything you want, as long as it's a .22

dirt cheap to feed, no recoil to speak of and fun to shoot.

Hard to go wrong with a Ruger 10/22 http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/FAProdResults?function=famid&famid=39&variation=10/22%AE%20Rimfire&bct=Yes&type=Rifle or a Henry lever action http://henryrepeating.com/leveroctagon.cfm if you want something more classic looking.

[livvy]

2. Thanks for the reply and the links. I'll check them out. n/t

[krispos42]

3. Marlin makes inexpensive .22 rimfires

A .22 LR rifle is dirt-cheap to buy ammo for. About 2 or three cents a round if you buy it in bulk, no recoil to speak of, not much blast. But of course wear hearing protection anyway.

The Model 60 is semi-automatic, with a tubular magazine. Hold 14 rounds (16 if you're creative), fires as fast as you can pull the trigger. Great fun at the range, especially against soda cans. I think my brother-in-law got one for $110 at Wal-Mart about three years ago.

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/SelfLoading/60.aspx

If you like clips instead, you can get the Model 795. Also semi-automatic, but with a ten-round clip. I think this would be a better hunting gun because it would be either to load and unload getting in and out of cars. It might also be better in a self-defense emergency as well, for the same reason.

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/SelfLoading/795.aspx

The Model 981T is a bolt-action tubular-magazine rifle. Same capacity as the Model 60. This ia good trainer if you're looking to practice working a bolt for a hunting rifle.

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/BoltAction22/981T.aspx

The Model 925 is a bolt-action rifle with a 7-round clip.

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/BoltAction22/925.aspx

The Golden 39A is a pretty sweet tubular-magazine lever-action rifle. My ex-wife's cousin had one, and I got to shoot it once. It was nice, very nice. It's a take-down gun, so you can break it down into two pieces for easy transport and cleaning.

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/22Rifle/Golden39A.aspx

You can also step up to rifles that fire the .223 Remington. This is essentially the same cartridge that the military uses. The recoil is pretty light, unlike a shotgun, but it is a bit stiffer than a .22LR. It is a bit pricier, but you can get basic stuff for as little as 20 cents a round. Wolf Ammunition makes cheap .223 ammo.

Savage makes some bolt-action rifles like the Model 11FXP3, and they have have a reputation for being both moderately-priced and accurate.

http://www.savagearms.com/11fxp3.htm

For a quality .223 semiauto, the Ruger Mini-14 has a reputation for being extremely reliable. You can get (depending on the state you live in) high-capacity magazines as well, up to 40 rounds. The Mini-14 also has the ability to take the 5.56x45mm ammunition that the military uses, which means you can buy military-surplus stuff as well as the civilian brand ammo. You can also use a Mini-14 pretty effectively in the self-defense role, if need be.

http://www.ruger.com/Firearms/FAProdResults?function=famid&famid=20&variation=Mini-14®%20Ranch%20Rifle&bct=Yes&type=Rifle

[livvy]

4. The Golden 39A looks interesting.

Since I know almost nothing about firearms, do you see any negatives about this model? It weighs a bit more than some of the other models. Do you think this would be a problem for a "lightweight" like me?
Thanks very much for your reply.

[krispos42]

5. No, you should be okay, I think

The weight of a rifle dampens the recoil significantly, so the 39A is heavy enough to barely twitch each time you fire. It is still lighter than nearly all high-power rifles, so it shouldn't be too much of an issue at all. If you are standing and shooting, then you can take a few moments to rest, reload, and let the gun cool off a little between strings of shots. If you are planning on shooting from a bench, then the weight is really not an issue because the gun will be resting on some sandbags.

However, the lever-action is less than ideal when shooting from a bench because the lever might hit the bench top when you try to reload. Something to think about. But that Old West cowboy look.... ah, there's just something about that, isn't there?

I have to say that the Marlin Model 60 was very fun to shoot. Being semiauto, all you have to worry about is keeping the sights on the target. No levers to flip or bolts to turn. And you can go into "Rambo" mode for a little action-movie fantasy if you want!

If I were you, I would personally take the 925 or the 981T. With the bolt action, it is easy to check and see if the gun is loaded or not, and you can remove the bolt for easy cleaning of the rifle. The Model 60, for all its fun, takes a little work to take apart and reassemble, and it's hard to work in the tight spaces of the 39A.

[Deep13]

7. The 39A is an excellent rifle. See my previous post.

[krispos42]

10. Yeah, it was a blast shooting it.

My ex's cousin's grandfather worked for Marlin, so it was kind of a heirloom. Probably will keep its value really well. I just found that I prefer working a bolt to having the lever banging my finger joints. But bolts just don't have that cowboy flair! :-)

[livvy]

8. Thank you so much for helping me out.

I think I'll see if the store near me carries the 925 so I can take a look at it. I do like the looks of the 39A, but the 925 is nice, too, and I think your advice with the cleaning, etc. makes good sense.
Thanks again! Much appreciated!
livvy

[krispos42]

11. No problem. We live for this kind of stuff! :-) n/t

[Deep13]

6. Echo the 0.22 recommendation. A word about the semi-autos.

That's the 0.22 "long rifle" and NOT the 0.22 magnum which costs as much as 0.38 and is almost as loud.

Those autoloaders are convenient to shoot, but they have some annoying properties. First among them is they are a bee-atch to keep clean. With each shot, some of the smoke gets into the receiver. As a result it gets very dirty. Since the receiver is not as open as on some other configurations, it can be hard to get in there for cleaning. What is more it can be pretty finicky. Auto loaders like my Ruger 10/22 prefer copper coated high velocity rounds. The copper keeps the bullet from deforming and misfeeding when the receiver gets hot. The high velocity makes sure there is enough recoil energy to operate the auto-ejection mechanism. These rounds tend to be a bit more expensive than plain lead or "standard" speed bullets. They are louder too creating that super-sonic crack noise with each shot. (No where near as loud as a centerfire bullet, though.)

Bolt action rifles are far more simple and much easier to keep clean than auto loaders. They all work. My recommendations are either Savage or Marlin for economy or Ruger if you want something built like a tank with a nice checkered walnut stock. I prefer the tube loaders over the removeable vertical magazines because they do not stick out. I prefer the detachable Ruger rotary magazines over either. They give each cartidge its own parking space and are flush with the stock.

I find the cowboy style lever action models to be very cool. They are easier to clean than automatics since the cartidge is done burning before it is ejected. Still, they do require a some amount of disassembly to get at the firing chamber. The best lever action 0.22 in production right now is the Marlin 39A. It is simply a marvel of engineering. It has a 24" hammer-forged barrel with 12 micro-groove rifling. One knob disassembles it for cleaning and the bolt is a single piece (unlike the now cancelled Winchester 9422). 0.22s do not need steel receivers, but that does not stop Marlin from machining theirs from a single piece of forged steel. It has checkered walnut stock and fore end, built in swiveles and is drilled and tapped for a scope. Lever loaders are generally not as accurate as other models, but the 39A is an exception. For less money, Henry makes their rifles in Brooklyn and the company has excellent customer service. I advise going with the "Golden Boy" over the plain model since the receiver seems a little more sturdy. They also have a pump-loader that is an excellent value.

For autoloaders there are a number of choices. The single most common production 0.22 in the world is the Ruger 10/22 with detachable rotary magazine. I have the deluxe model with the walnut stock. They are inexpensive, reliable and pretty accurate. They come with a rimfire scope base if you want to use it.

Never let the sun set on a dirty barrel. Use a steel rod with Shooter's Choice solvent. Hoppe's #9 dissolves powder, but not copper. Also it leaves a varnish that can gunk-up auto-loader parts especially.

[livvy]

9. Thanks for the information.

I'll look at both the 925 and the 39A. Price may be a determining factor, at least until I get my feet wet. The 39A is quite a bit more. Maybe that could be my second rifle, if the sport suits me. From comments I've read in a couple of reviews, people really seem to like them.
Appreciate the cleaning solvent tip, too.

[Wcross]

12. This is what you need!

The Barrett Model 82A1 rifle gained worldwide popularity after pioneering the return of shoulder fired big-bore rifles for shooting enthusiasts. As a result of its unique operating cycle, the M82A1 easily fires the largest commercially available cartridge in the world, the .50 caliber. Yet, the Barrett M82A1 develops the lowest recoil force of any comparable rifle.

[livvy]

13. Yup, that looks about right.

Look out targets. Here I come!
I'm sorry, but I won't be happy with anything short of a shoulder model cannon. With my eye hand coordination, perhaps this is the answer!

[krispos42]

14. Don't forget to tell us what you get

I know I'm curious.

And try out the .22 before you buy the $9,000 Barrett! lol

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=60380282

[livvy]

15. I will. I think I might go take a look next week.

Once I get one, I'll let you all know what I decided on.
A friend of mine at work would like to take the safety lessons and practice also. She prefers a handgun, so we're looking for a place near us that can accommodate both our interests. Her husband is a hunter, so he's going to help with this part. He can't figure out why I'm interested in a rifle. I think he's thinking of my purposes from a personal protection point of view, which is his wife's (my friend's viewpoint).
Some of our friends at work have nicknamed us Annie and Bonnie. LOL...people can be so clever.

[krispos42]

16. You should be able to practice both at a pistol range

A .22 rifle is far less powerful than a typical pistol. A 25-yard pistol range should be able to accomodate a .22 rifle, no problem.

And tell your friend's husband that a rifle is easier to shoot, as well as cheaper than a pistol! :-)

A moderately-priced pistol runs in the $400-$500 range, a Marlin 925 or 981T about $150. Heck, you can buy a cheapie scope for about $40 to put on the rifle and still spend half of a pistol!

[livvy]

17. I purchased my rifle today.

I bought the Marlin 925. I pick it up on Tuesday. The salesman agreed that although the 39A was a sweet firearm, I'd be better off with the 925 as a first rifle. We laughed when I said maybe it could be my second purchase. And so the collector begins...
When I pick it up, he said he would show me how to clean it, basic safety stuff, how it works, etc. and he would give me a list of local clubs and firing ranges.

Thanks to you folks, I avoided making the wrong purchase. He was pushing the Model 982 until I pointed out that it was a Magnum, and that I'd been told that wasn't the best idea for me. To his credit, he thought it was a long rifle, a one up better than the 925, not a Magnum. He thought that Marlin made a long rifle with a walnut stock, with checkering, which he thought would be better for me. Once he looked over the catalog more carefully, he agreed that I had no choice but to go with the 925.

I've also found a wonderful instructor. I don't know why it never occurred to me before talking to my sister today, but my nephew-in-law is a police officer. She said he doesn't get out to target shoot as often as he'd like because he doesn't have anyone to go with. And, my brother-in-law owns two rifles, is a great, patient teacher, and he may like to do some target practice also. He hasn't gone in a long while, but apparently enjoys the sport. So now I have two people I can get some tips and help from.

On a humorous note, I'm always kidding my sister about how I might get disappeared someday by homeland security for my political/activist activities, who to contact when I disappear, and how to get to Guantanamo for family visits. Her comment today was, "Well, if you hadn't got their attention before, you probably got it with your purchase today."

Thanks again for your help and suggestions. It really helped to go into the store with some background information, and an idea about what I wanted. I'll post again after my first trip to the range.

[Redneck Socialist]

18. Congratulations

Be safe, have fun. :)

[livvy]

19. Thank you! I will.

Happy Thanksgiving....

[krispos42]

20. Excellent!

Glad to be of help. It helps to ask advice of people who have no financial interest in the purchase, after all! :-)

Have fun, and safe shooting. And when it's time to buy the next gun, well, we're here to help.