New Rifle For A New Nut

T

The Gun Nut

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Hello everyone!

As I'm still waiting for my PAL after 2 months, I am keeping an eye on the market for my first rifle.

I was advised by a gun collector friend of mine to start with a .22 LR for the following reasons:
1. Ammo is cheap so I can practice a LOT.
2. Since the bullet's mass and velocity are relatively low, the effects of wind and gravity are exaggerated meaning that I can practice my long-range shooting skills (my dream!) in shorter ranges.
Do you guys agree with this line of reasoning?

If yes, which gun/scope do you think I should buy?
The same friend suggested CZ (the 457 I believe) since they also can shoot 17 HMR with a simple barrel change and they are considered the best (in his words) for 22s.
I understand that Tikka and Ruger are pretty popular as well.

As for the scope do I need a rim fire scope or just a normal one? I am planning to buy a .30 cal rifle and a 12 gauge shotgun in the future to complete my arsenal Do you think I could use my first (practice) rifle's scope for my actual .30 rifle?

Price-wise, I prefer to keep it below 2K for the gun and the scope, but I don't want to compromise on accuracy too much.
Further, the weight of the gun shouldn't be a problem.

I wish you a great weekend ahead!
 
You can’t really go wrong with a cz 457. If you look at the pro varmint and want to do prs competitions at some point it will keep you in the production division. Pair that with something like a vortex venom and you should be close to your budget.
 
Go Slow. First rifle and already there are suggestions that I assume to beyond your knowledge and comfort level.
Definitely start with a 22. My signature will have another one entered shortly.
 
horseman2 said:
Go Slow. First rifle and already there are suggestions that I assume to beyond your knowledge and comfort level.
Definitely start with a 22.
Click to expand...

Excellent and wise advise.

For someone new to shooting, a bolt action .22LR rifle is a good place to begin. Before suggesting models, it's helpful to know how much your budget allows for rifle and for scope.

How much are you prepared to spend on ammo? Be aware that, while many .22LR ammos are, as you note above, "cheap" and you "can practice a LOT," the least expensive .22LR ammos are good for casual, inconsequential plinking and little more. For more meaningful shooting, ammo costs might not best be described as "cheap".
 
In addition to most of the above, I'd advise holding off on buying a xx-MOA rail until you develop some 'short-range' skill (100yds and under). I would also suggest getting a FFP scope with at least 50MOA Total vertical adj or you'll run out of 'hold' at 100yds or so with 20X+ mag. The FFP will give you adjustable parallax for diff distances.
Finally, Id advise getting a medium cost rifle - a low-end CZ at most. You can always 'move up' as your skill develops.
 
Get a canted rail to start because it makes no sense not to. Get a ffp scope with a 34mm tube so you can dial to distance when you eventually want to shoot to 2 or 300 yards with it. Don't get the lowest end model. Get one that has some adjustment in the stock so it's comfortable. If you go low end, you'll just upgrade it anyways and spend more than if you just started with something better. My biggest regret is starting with low priced junk instead of getting what I really wanted right out of the gate
 
laker415 said:
Get a cz457 in the mdt xrs chassis. Put on an area 419 50 moa rail. Get an Athlon midas tac or an arken of your liking. Get it in mils and ffp. Have fun
Click to expand...

Thank you for your suggestion. Couple of questions:
1. Why XRS and not Oryx or LSS?
2. When I buy the chassis from mdttac.ca does the price include the actual action or just the chassis (and the action has to be bought separately)?
3. What is rail moa? Is it the incline of the scope?

I understood the rest! Sorry for newbie questions!

Travis_m said:
You can’t really go wrong with a cz 457. If you look at the pro varmint and want to do prs competitions at some point it will keep you in the production division. Pair that with something like a vortex venom and you should be close to your budget.
Click to expand...

I have no experience with red dots but since I like long range, do you think it is worthwhile to start with a scope (the normal ffp kind not red dot, idk what to call them!)
 
Last edited:
grauhanen said:
Excellent and wise advise.

For someone new to shooting, a bolt action .22LR rifle is a good place to begin. Before suggesting models, it's helpful to know how much your budget allows for rifle and for scope.

How much are you prepared to spend on ammo? Be aware that, while many .22LR ammos are, as you note above, "cheap" and you "can practice a LOT," the least expensive .22LR ammos are good for casual, inconsequential plinking and little more. For more meaningful shooting, ammo costs might not best be described as "cheap".
Click to expand...

My budget for scope and rifle is roughly 2k. I understand that ammo is not exactly cheap but compared to the .30 cals that I was planning to buy at first, they are less expensive. I pay what I have to since it's a part of learning and there is no cheaper ammo right?


Buck1950 said:
In addition to most of the above, I'd advise holding off on buying a xx-MOA rail until you develop some 'short-range' skill (100yds and under). I would also suggest getting a FFP scope with at least 50MOA Total vertical adj or you'll run out of 'hold' at 100yds or so with 20X+ mag. The FFP will give you adjustable parallax for diff distances.
Finally, Id advise getting a medium cost rifle - a low-end CZ at most. You can always 'move up' as your skill develops.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your suggestions! So I guess an ffp normal (not rimfire specific) scope is the consensus. Do you recommend any specific brand or criteria (weight, glass quality, magnifying capability, etc.)?

And a normal wooden or plastic CZ 457 would be your recommendation? No chassis?
 
laker415 said:
Get a canted rail to start because it makes no sense not to. Get a ffp scope with a 34mm tube so you can dial to distance when you eventually want to shoot to 2 or 300 yards with it. Don't get the lowest end model. Get one that has some adjustment in the stock so it's comfortable. If you go low end, you'll just upgrade it anyways and spend more than if you just started with something better. My biggest regret is starting with low priced junk instead of getting what I really wanted right out of the gate
Click to expand...

Thank you for your valuable input. Any specific brand that you'd recommend for scope?
 
I'd recommend starting with a rifle that will perform well right out of the box and encourage you to chase better and better groups. A CZ 457 or 455 would be a great starter rifle. If you can find a 452, even better. From there you could save your pennies a bit longer and get an Anschutz or a Sako.

If you want something you can plink away the afternoon with and you like to tinker and accessorize, the old Ruger 10/22 is loads of fun, but don't expect too much from it in the accuracy department.

For the ruger or other semi-auto, any old rimfire scope will do (Bushnell, Cabelas, etc), for the CZ/Sako/Anschutz, you might want to spend a few hundred more on a Leupold - then you have a rifle and a scope that you'll enjoy for a lifetime.
 
Any CZ/Brno is a good place to start; their are others that are great too, but these set the standard.

Brno 2, 452, 455, 457; stay away from heave bull barrels; maybe great for long range accuracy for more advanced shooters, but most of us are hard pressed to see much difference with good middle of the road ammo, and the lighter barrel profiles make it a lot more versatile. I also own a Brno Mod 4; super heavy target rifle, and great for bench rest, but if you were to carry it in the field, after the first hour, you would be able to cut washers off of your arse, LOL.
 
I agree with the recommendations for a CZ 457. If long range is what you dream of and weight is of no concern, a heavier barrel will give you greater stability from a supported position, but it may be less versatile if you want to do other styles of shooting, unsupported positions etc.

The 457 is very versatile and it will serve you well for most general sporting purposes. And if you do find a niche you're particularly interested in, there are so many choices / styles in stocks, barrels, etc. there will most likely be something available to suit it. Many rimfires have quirks / drawbacks in some areas but the CZ 457 is one where I can't think of any major drawbacks. I also think the 457 is a better option for you (vs the 452) based on what you say you want to use it for.
 
The Gun Nut said:
Thank you for your suggestion. Couple of questions:
1. Why XRS and not Oryx or LSS?
2. When I buy the chassis from mdttac.ca does the price include the actual action or just the chassis (and the action has to be bought separately)?
3. What is rail moa? Is it the incline of the scope?

I understood the rest! Sorry for newbie questions!



I have no experience with red dots but since I like long range, do you think it is worthwhile to start with a scope (the normal ffp kind not red dot, idk what to call them!)
Click to expand...

If you go to tesro.ca, they have the 457 already in an XRS. The xrs is a better stock/shassis than and lss and oryx. It has chassis features with the feel of a classic stock. The oryx and lss, while cheap, arent as good as the xrs in my opinion.

If you buy a chassis from mdt, that is all you are getting. You would then drop in your barreled action

You want a rail with atleast 20 minutes of angle built into it. This allows you to zero your scope at 50 yards for example, and leave an ample amount of elevation available in your scope turret so you can dial farther out. A 50 moa rail is a better option with a 22, but you'd probably need a 34mm tubed scope to ensure you don't run out of adjustment.

Look at the Athlon midas tac or the arken sh4 or ep5 depending if you want to stretch your budget. This would get you a rig you can enjoy right away and grow into.
 
horseman2 said:
Go Slow. First rifle and already there are suggestions that I assume to beyond your knowledge and comfort level.
Definitely start with a 22. My signature will have another one entered shortly.
Click to expand...

Buck1950 said:
In addition to most of the above, I'd advise holding off on buying a xx-MOA rail until you develop some 'short-range' skill (100yds and under). I would also suggest getting a FFP scope with at least 50MOA Total vertical adj or you'll run out of 'hold' at 100yds or so with 20X+ mag. The FFP will give you adjustable parallax for diff distances.
Finally, Id advise getting a medium cost rifle - a low-end CZ at most. You can always 'move up' as your skill develops.
Click to expand...

Agree with this and the advice about the rifle - my personal opinion is to start with a "basic" CZ (varmint, American, etc). You can always get a chassis later as you hone in on what you prefer and sell the factory stock on whatever version rifle you bought initially. Save the $$$ for now.
 
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