High end rifles purchased by newbie shooters.....good idea or bad?

sylencer

sylencer

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So the debate is whether newbies should go out and buy a high end precision rifle (something like I don't know, a TRG or Coyote we'll say) or if they should buy something like a Savage or a Remington for their first rifle. Before we continue I want to make it clear that we are talking about new to precision shooting, not to shooting in general.

I'll start this off.
It's been said time and time again to people: "Don't cheap out on glass. You will end up selling it down the road for a better one." What is the difference between this and a rifle? If the shooter wants to spend four or five thousand dollars on his first precision rifle where is the harm?

Someone might suggest that "It's analogous to get getting your beginner driver's license and and buying a Porsche 911 for your first car." If you get your driver's license or gun license you have proven that your capable of safely driving a car or safely handling a rifle, respectively. What is wrong with owning a Porsche 911 as your first car? I may be argued that you might not be able to control the power and speed it produces (or afford the insurance). This in no way whatsoever can be affiliated with buying a high end rifle for a first rifle. (EVEN AS A FIRST TIME SHOOTER) A high end rifle is no less safe then a low end or average rifle. So this analogy doesn't apply.

Alternately, some might say that the shooter could ruin or damage the rifle or just not appreciate the value of the rifle's capabilities. To them I say, "Who cares? It's their rifle."
In the end when they do get the skill behind the rifle I say "kudos" to them for not having to go sell their now used rifle and lose money only to buy a high end and therefore more expensive one.

I personally support anyone who wants to dive in head first into precision shooting. There's nothing wrong with doing your research and selecting the best possible equipment for the job at hand.
 
I think the high end stuff will hold there value pretty well if you make a bad decision. The best idea is to buy high end used, try the best, then you know if you don't like the sport it's not the equipment. You'll usually get your money back on used off the EE?
 
If you can afford to buy nice things like a Sako or a Cooper,have at er!! Enoy the finer things in life.........Just don't cheap out on glass,and you got urself a keeper!
 
It's never a mistake to buy good tools........doesn't make you a craftsman though.
These days there are guns in every price range that will out shoot most of us! Buy the best you can afford or less if you are satisfied with less.
 
If you have the cash go ahead, buy a nice rifle BUT...

Don't cheap out on glass and leave plenty of cash to buy/make match ammo with.

There is no point in having a high end rifle that you can't afford to shoot because you spent too much of the budget on the rifle itself.

I started shooting Biathlon as a kid in Switzerland, that's how I learned to shoot. As an adult I shot SR for years, came to Canada have been in the CF for 12 years now.
This year I decided to get into precision shooting, so I bought the rifle that gave me the most wood, went straight for the Accuracy International AW.

Fantastic move on my part, love that thing. We got paid out this year so the cash was there so fuk it, you only live once. If you have the means then get what you really want and be happy.
 
So long as you understand that shoving Norinco ammo in it and pointing it at a target doesn't equal sub moa accuracy. So long as you're willing to learn how to shoot and reload and understand that it isn't going to shoot any better than a Mossberg until you do. Then learning to drive in a Porsche is just learning to drive, isn't it?
 
I don't see the point in buying something to exceed it. Its like buying a one bedroom condo for you and your pregnant wife. Seems a little foolish, maybe you don't have to go with an AW or a PGW out of the gates, but a cheap rifle with no room for add ons and poor glass get you nowhere in a hurry.
 
Think of it as renting if you do not wanna loose a poop tonne buy used but quality and it's really never an issue to sell my two cents. You can also use your things to trade up or down. Some guys are kinda right you should start off small and see if you like it. Mainly because you will need a good range finder 1000 a good bipod 100-500 a good scope 1000-4000 and maybe a spotting scope and some decent metal hardened steel targets. Then a place to shoot beyond 600 yards to even utilize the full potential or quality. Plus match ammo is like 35-50 a box and reloading still makes it even more accurate so another 1000 in reloading gear. Plus at least a 100 dollar drag bag or hardcase to protect your 7000 dollar rig. Then the time and money to get out there.
 
I should mention that this post is not directed to myself or anyone specific, it was brought up in another thread but had significance to that thread, but still an interesting debate. I figured i'd start it up in a new thread and see what people think.
 
If you can afford it jump right in and a TRG 22 or a Coyote or a AI are excellent choices for the so-called tactical precision work that the older, less PC, amongst us would have one time referred to as a sniper-type rifle. Likewise for something like F-Class why not get a rig built on a Barnard. The only caveat I say is that the cash outlay can be quite a bit and, if you decide that type of shooting isn't for you then ( while it can , of course, be sold ) a lot of money is, potentially, wasted. Bottom line = your cash your choice.
 
Cheap isn't cheap anymore after all the upgrades required to get it to "pro" level. Also no one wants your "cheap" used whatever when you are finished with it. Buy a factory "semi-custom" from a reputable company and it will be worth some thing when you decide to chase another rush.
 
If I could start over again I would just get a high end rifle, PGW, AI, etc. Like others have said the glass is just as important so this is assuming that that the new shooter has funds for that also. I get a lot of new shooters asking me what rifle to start off with and I tell them this also, most have a hard time grasping that we have 6-10k into just one precision rifle(with glass) but then I ask them how much there downhill mountain bike cost or camera or sled or (insert expensive hobby here) cost. Then ask them why they need such high end bike or camera and they start to realize that having the right equipment goes along ways when your trying to get good results and the same is true with precision shooting.

That said, one can certainly get good results from a factory rifle but if you know you have the best equipment theirs nothing to make excuses with, depending on what kind of person you are this can really speed up the leaning and skill development.

I have 6 rem 700's, 4 have aftermarket barrels and 2 have factory barrels, I have been wanting to consolidate a few of them and get a AI but I have a hard time parting with my rifles, especially after you get them just how you want them. I'm very interested to see what AI comes out with for at the shot show, maybe it will be enough to finally get me to buy one.
 
quentin wipf said:
If you can afford to buy nice things like a Sako or a Cooper,have at er!! Enoy the finer things in life.........Just don't cheap out on glass,and you got urself a keeper!
Click to expand...

you better belive it if you have the money buy the best you can and look after it. Working your way up this kind of thinking costs in the end
 
If you can afford it, don't buy crap, you're wasting your money! I used to think that Nightforce was the best there is...then I found USO...then I found Premier Reticles...then I found Schmidt & Bender. What I'm getting at is I wish I had just bought Premier scopes for all my rifles and been done with it(that's right, not S&B, but that's a different debate all together). Like most consumers, I lost money on my Nightforces and lost money on my USO but it was a learning process that brought me to the conclusion of what is best for me.

If I had to start from scratch, I would buy the best there is right from the start.
 
As far as I'm concerned, fill your boots BUT be a little smart about it - don't buy a 338LM or a 50 and then be stuck because you can't afford the ammo. Next, better to buy something one level down and start reloading than spend everything on the gun and buying either cheap ammo, or shooting 20 rounds a month because "match ammo costs too much".
 
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