What's a practical and somewhat economical hunting rifle (and caliber)

drpestilence

drpestilence

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I'm very new to all things firearms and am trying to work out future purchases to aspire too. Say society collapsed and you wanted to have a multipurpose rifle that could hunt deer and defend your cave/shack/rooftop/etc. What would you pick? (bonus points for why (extra bonus points for easy on the budget))

I've tried googling stuff, but am still presented with way more options then my mind can handle.

EDIT

I apologize for my ill-inconvenienced attempt at humor, I'm very new to this hobby and genuinely appreciate all your thoughts and responses.
 
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Hunt and defend and economical buy a m305 and a 1/8 drill bit. 308 for deer and If you are seriously worried about collapse which is a bit much but anyway, employ said drill bit
 
What?........No zombies?
Economical deer rifle equals a used win 94 or Marlin 336 in .30/30. Still relatively cheap to shoot.
In keeping with the world collapse theme you could also look at a Mossberg 464 spx ( yuck!!, it was nauseating to type that lol) in the same caliber.
 
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hawk-i said:
Society isn't going to collapse any time soon, at least not in Canada....next question. :)
Click to expand...

Don't bet on it.:(

OP, if you're just hunting & plinking on the Island, it's not hard to find an economical rifle like the SKS in 7.62x39 if you like autos. Lots of aftermarket goodies for these robust numbers out there & ammo is quite affordable.

If a lever action is more to yer preference, then a Mossberg 464 in .30-30 is a good choice as they come scope-ready & are accurate shooters.

For an economical bolt gun, one can get a Ruger American in 7.62x39 in the Ranch model.

There are numerous options out there, but it's up to one's wants & desires along with how much one can afford to spend.

To get even more value on shooting costs, it really pays to handload yer own ammo, especially if you cast yer own boolits.:)
 
cheapest entry level rifles are 22lr's of various types.
Next is arguably either .223 various types or 7.62.x39 with SKS
Next cheapest 7.62x54R Mosin Nagant 91/30 or .308 various rifles
(rifles are like horses, they cost different prices but they are all expensive to feed. Ammunition is horrendously expensive and seems to rise about 3-5%per month if the last year indicates anything)

You can hunt with options 2 and 3 on my list. There is no such thing as an all-rounder that will do everything well. Best thing would be to decide on your budget, what you want to use your rifle for and then align the two with what is available. If society falls in a world where the military has fully automatics and helicopters your home rifle collection is chump change and will get you in trouble as much as it will help. I am a budget minded shooter and started into firearms last year. Thus far I have invested approximately $10k into rifles, ammunition and storage equipment etc... Decide what interests you and fits your budget then start there.

Basic for start up to cover your bases
1- .22lr rifle
1- .30cal type rifle in .270win,.308win,7.62x39,30-30,7.62x54,.303 etc... (yeah theres lots more)
1- shotgun (I recommend 12ga as its common and relatively inexpensive if kept in 2 3/4" to 3"

After than you choose if you prefer bolt action vs semi-auto vs pump vs lever action, iron sight vs scope (scope type etc)

I enjoy history and found a niche in military surplus for myself to meld my hobby and interests together, that may/may not work for you its all a matter of preference. I have joined a range and hunt deer/moose so my gear works for that sort of thing. Likely you would get better out of box performance hunting with an entry level hunting rifles such as a Savage Axis etc... I'm stubborn and see no reason why I can't hunt with a Mauser, Mosin, SKS or SVT once ranged and proven accurate at the range. Just a matter of preference and depends on the amount of time you want to spend messing with your stuff.

Good Luck, be aware on this board many people are deeply invested into firearms and gun ownership rights. In the current political climate there is fear of any potential mention of hostile or militant action people specifically resisted against for fear of perpetuating the government agenda of disarmament and restriction. Universally the SKS is Canada's survival rifle, still its unlikely we will be refighting the war of 1812 (conceptually) anytime soon. Pick something you will enjoy to shoot safely, store your new firearms safely away from curious hands and use them for the legitimate purposes that are acceptable in the province that is at the range and or on private/crown land for hunting.
 
Cheapest? SKS and crate of ammo (800+ rounds) - under $500. After that, I'd go 223 (I know folks will say not big enough for deer - in a survival situation I'd even try it with a .22). There are some decent and affordable 223s out there. After that Remington 783 in 308, 30-06. I bought mine new with a 3x9 scope for under $500. It is a solid shooter and will shoot MOA or better. Plus there are tons of 308 ammo available in every sporting goods store.
 
Are you planning on going hunting right now? Or just in the event of the Apocalypse?

If you aren't planning on hunting right now, just get an SKS and a crate of ammo. Have some fun.
 
That's a really tough question. I won't even touch the end-of-world stuff. If that happens, all I need is a few feet of rope. For hunting, probably the best all-round cartridge in terms of ballistics, ammo availability and selection is probably the 308/30-06. It'll take anything in North America out to as far as most guys can shoot, and perform well in brush. You can get one at an extremely reasonable cost, and alight one, at that.

If you're hunting in brush and want to play, a lever gun is great, in pretty well any cliber. I'm partial to 44 Mag/45 LC, but any one will do. If you're looking straight survival, a shotgun might be your best bet. You can go for small game, medium gae, waterfowl, and big game with the same gun.

Your question is almost like asking what should my first car be. There are no right answers, just try a bunch of guns, if you can and get the most enjoyable one. However, for a first gun, you really should consider a .22. No better gun to get used to shooting with. Until you learn proper shooting techniques and trigger control, you'll pretty much be wasting ammo (which can be a ton of fun on its own) anyways.
 
Spend a little extra and get something like a Ruger Scout.... Compact-ish, 308 will kill anything and could take on a zombie if required!!! Dont buy cheep #### like sks's to hunt with, use them for play!
 
nomad 68 said:
What?........No zombies?
Economical deer rifle equals a used win 94 or Marlin 336 in .30/30. Still relatively cheap to shoot.
In keeping with the world collapse theme you could also look at a Mossberg 464 sox ( yuck!!, it was nauseating to type that lol) in the same caliber.
Click to expand...

I was checking out the Marlin 336, I have a deep fondness for level actions.
 
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