advice for 1 last rifle

[flyingpoof]

Hello! I'm new to firearm world; looking to get into light hunting down the road. Got my pal and bought the gsg16 and savage R93 17 HMR last week. I'm wondering what I should get to be an all around rifle.

context: Wifey thinks since i havn't done anything yet (havn't shoot the guns/hunt/plink) I should stop buying; I told her ill buy 1 last one before I get more advanced so this is basically what I will have left to play with for the next little while

1. I really wanted the 22LR tikka; however I feel like the 17HMR is relatively close to 22LR; for plinking the GSG is enough; hunting wise i'm looking mostly into small game at most deer; not into any other big game for now
2. Ideally I think a rifle that would be a beginner friendly all purpose would be best probably 6.5 creedmore? or something without high recoil since i'm very new.
3. In terms of budget its kinda weird; theres technically no budget; I don't spend on other stuff so money isn't a problem but I also don't want my wife to know i've spend alot on guns lol

Any advice would be appreciated. If my though process is off more than welcome to tell me straight up. Sometimes i'm stuck in my little world Thank you all for taking the time to read!

[Snider shooter]

I am either going to be absolutely no help or extremely helpful.
There once was a wise man who told his wife absolutely nothing.
As he was a wise man.

Welcome to the addiction.

[Hmatt]

I don’t tell my wife about the guns I buy untill she has to pick them up from our PO Box I would not suggest going .30 cal right out the gate.. 6.5cm would be a good start. .223 would be better?

[flyingpoof]

LOL！ thank you I've thought about it too. I highly doubt she can tell the difference so technically I could get away with saying oh this is the gsg or this is the savage shes going to go huh?. The only problem is if she sees the whole lot someday as without restrictions I think I would have like 10 guns in a month so might turn out to bite myself after

[IvoB]

stick to old school calibers such as the 25-06, 243 winchester, 30-06, 270 Remington or 308 Winchester
Weatherby or HOWA would be my choice

[bottles]

6.5 creedmore, 308, 270; all good choices. Lots of people like tikka. I have 2 and they're good rifles. Keep doing research and see what your local store has. Handle a couple and see what feels comfortable. Enjoy!

[bdb.hunting]

243, 308, 6.5 creed, 6.5x55 Swede, 270.

All of these will hunt deer (almost all cartridges will) and then some. I’d look at what ammunition you can get locally to avoid shipping costs. If you’re after low recoil go with a short action sized cartridge. They tend to kick less due to less powder. A 30-06 is a great do it all rifle if you are confident in your skills and aren’t going to shoulder it wrong and develop a flinch. I’ve seen a few people do it because “.30-06 is what my dad shot so I want one too” when they are half the size of said dad. If I were to pick one for a new shooter I’d be picking a 243. Light recoil, good ballistics and cheap enough to shoot. An easy enough to find in multiple rifles. 6.5 Creedmoor is a great choice it has lighter bullets which helps mitigate recoil as well. (Gotta love physics.)

Check out as many as you can at the store, even better if you can at the range with other people helps getting behind a rifle with an optic on it.

It also pays to buy once cry once. Don’t buy the bottom of the barrel rifle get yourself something in the 1000-2000$ category. I personally like Tikka Rifles but plent of other good makes who make a decent rifle in that range. I like the new Ruger American Gen 2 got to handle one a few weeks ago it felt good and shouldered nice. A don’t forget to get yourself a nice optic at the same time don't cheap out. Guns and optics aren’t something you cheap out on IMO.

No matter what you do just enjoy it and have fun.

B

[flyingpoof]

stick to old school calibers such as the 25-06, 243 winchester, 30-06, 270 Remington or 308 Winchester
Weatherby or HOWA would be my choice

True! theres a reason they're old school

6.5 creedmore, 308, 270; all good choices. Lots of people like tikka. I have 2 and they're good rifles. Keep doing research and see what your local store has. Handle a couple and see what feels comfortable. Enjoy!

Ya I was looking into Tikka because of all the good reviews.

243, 308, 6.5 creed, 6.5x55 Swede, 270.

All of these will hunt deer (almost all cartridges will) and then some. I’d look at what ammunition you can get locally to avoid shipping costs. If you’re after low recoil go with a short action sized cartridge. They tend to kick less due to less powder. A 30-06 is a great do it all rifle if you are confident in your skills and aren’t going to shoulder it wrong and develop a flinch. I’ve seen a few people do it because “.30-06 is what my dad shot so I want one too” when they are half the size of said dad. If I were to pick one for a new shooter I’d be picking a 243. Light recoil, good ballistics and cheap enough to shoot. An easy enough to find in multiple rifles. 6.5 Creedmoor is a great choice it has lighter bullets which helps mitigate recoil as well. (Gotta love physics.)

Check out as many as you can at the store, even better if you can at the range with other people helps getting behind a rifle with an optic on it.

It also pays to buy once cry once. Don’t buy the bottom of the barrel rifle get yourself something in the 1000-2000$ category. I personally like Tikka Rifles but plent of other good makes who make a decent rifle in that range. I like the new Ruger American Gen 2 got to handle one a few weeks ago it felt good and shouldered nice. A don’t forget to get yourself a nice optic at the same time don't cheap out. Guns and optics aren’t something you cheap out on IMO.

No matter what you do just enjoy it and have fun.

B

Thank you for the tip! I looked into .30-06 my only worry is I might develop that flinch your talking about; though I'm like 6ft I have too little experience to know if I can handle the recoil so I thought if i need to stop buying for abit I rather be safe than sorry. And ya your absolutely right; looking at 1-2k range for the actual hunting rifle; the other ones are cheap and playful but this needs to be good and lasting.

[coyoteshooter]

Hello! I'm new to firearm world; looking to get into light hunting down the road. Got my pal and bought the gsg16 and savage R93 17 HMR last week. I'm wondering what I should get to be an all around rifle.

context: Wifey thinks since i havn't done anything yet (havn't shoot the guns/hunt/plink) I should stop buying; I told her ill buy 1 last one before I get more advanced so this is basically what I will have left to play with for the next little while

1. I really wanted the 22LR tikka; however I feel like the 17HMR is relatively close to 22LR; for plinking the GSG is enough; hunting wise i'm looking mostly into small game at most deer; not into any other big game for now
2. Ideally I think a rifle that would be a beginner friendly all purpose would be best probably 6.5 creedmore? or something without high recoil since i'm very new.
3. In terms of budget its kinda weird; theres technically no budget; I don't spend on other stuff so money isn't a problem but I also don't want my wife to know i've spend alot on guns lol

Any advice would be appreciated. If my though process is off more than welcome to tell me straight up. Sometimes i'm stuck in my little world Thank you all for taking the time to read!

one more vote for tika.....6.5 cr or 243....lee hand tool set....and your hooked.....after 50 yrs i still use the hand tool set for my best accuracy loads...the fun is out there and your off and running but learn one chapter well at a time......its as much fun to make em as shoot em don

[riversrest]

I'd get a hunting license before "looking to get into light hunting down the road".

What does "light hunting" mean, anyways ?