First Rifle

Donster 125

Donster 125

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I wasn't too sure where to put this thread. I thought originally in the precision shooting thread, but i didn't know if the distance i would be shooting at qualified as such.

Anyway,

I will soon be in the market for my first rifle. I plan on target shooting. The closest range to me, that takes walk on guests, is 2 hours away (Kitchener). So, come summertime, i plan on going there about once or twice a month and firing off a few hundred rounds or so.

Many people have been recommending a Savage .17 HMR rifle, as it is apparently accurate out to 200 yards and the ammo is comparatively cheap when compared to .223 and .308 etc. Furthermore, the farthest i could shoot (re: the max length of the range) is 300 yards.

Would a .17 HMR be a good choice for a first gun at this range, or would i be better off with something else?

Thanks,

D
 
If you're shooting 200-300 yards then yes, i would go for .223 or .308. They are good choices. And yes, i have been drinking but i would bet that 90% of the people who resond to this thread might suggest the same. We'll see....
 
djmay71 said:
Savage makes good rifles- a .17 HMR calibre is a good starting calibre, but I'd also recommend looking into .22LR as well
Click to expand...

i originally was going to get a .22lr, but was told that it wasn't nearly as accurate (or have as much range) as the .17HMR
 
Donster 125 said:
i originally was going to get a .22lr, but was told that it wasn't nearly as accurate (or have as much range) as the .17HMR
Click to expand...

if your dead set on getting 200 yards, heed Dorian Gray's advice- go .223
accuracy generally has nothing to do with the gun- its the person firing the gun who affects accuracy the most
 
Have you considered .22 magnum?
Is there a 5mm rifle out there yet?

If you're set up for reloading I'd go with a centerfire.
 
for your FIRST rifle, i would get a 22lr
pennies per round, and you can work on your technique more for less cost

nothing wrong with a 17 either but it will just cost you more (30 cents vs 3 cents per shot)

BTW if youve never shot before 200 yards is a waste of your time
start at 30 yards, when you can shoot 10 rounds into the size of a quarter move the target back to 50 yards
then 75, then 100,125, etc etc
 
Fixit said:
for your FIRST rifle, i would get a 22lr
pennies per round, and you can work on your technique more for less cost

nothing wrong with a 17 either but it will just cost you more (30 cents vs 3 cents per shot)

BTW if youve never shot before 200 yards is a waste of your time
start at 30 yards, when you can shoot 10 rounds into the size of a quarter move the target back to 50 yards
then 75, then 100,125, etc etc
Click to expand...

can a .22lr do this?
 
Donster 125 said:
can a .22lr do this?
Click to expand...

Yes it can. Look for an accurate bolt action and put on an aperture (peep) sight in the rear and a globe foresight. I'd ask in the rimfire forum for suggestions.
By the time you're shooting well at 100 you'll be wanting a dedicated centrefire target rig.
Currently I'm shooting .308 at 300m and 500m and having great fun, but I'm already planning my next rifle, which will be a .223.
By doing that, I can cut my reloading costs and recoil in half. I just have to figure out how to finance it... :D
 
Donster 125 I think you may want to back up a bit before you head off following some of the guidance here. You say this is your first rifle and you want to do target shooting. If you have not engaged in rifle target shooting before you shoulkds start with official rimfire target shooting. That is ONLY shot with .22LR rifles. And most of that is done officialy at 25 or 50 meters. 100 meters maximum. I think the next people you would want to talk to are the target shooters at the Ontario Rifle Association. Best to find out exactly what target shooting is and then by a firearm that exactly matches your needs than buy the rifle and find out what target shooting is all about. If there is a Swiss Rifle Club near you they are also usually a treasure rove of shooting knowledge. Finally, if your answer is that you aren't talking about truly serious or formal target shooting, then I still think you are best with a .22LR as the firearms and ammo are cheaper and you can get match grade ammo fairly easily. Learn the basics well and all the rest of new types of shooting later becomes easier. And a quality botl action .22LR will allow you to do that. For my 2 cents anyway.
 
Thanks for the advice guys, I think I'll pick up a savage .22lr bolt action. Now I just have to decide between:

markiibtvs.png


OR

mako.jpg


Any recommendations on a scope?
 
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