Meet my brother's impossible demands

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My brother wants to get into shooting and has tried out some of my firearms (he has his restricted PAL.) He lives out in the country and wants to hunt deer and varmints and "bear or moose if necessary." I told him it would be a lot easier to buy an SKS because it meets his strict requirements that it be:
-semi-automatic
-cheap to shoot
-can be used for hunting

He said the SKS is good but it is not enough for moose or bear. He tried my Norinco M-14 and really liked it (it is modified with a scope and bipod and USGI stock.) He really likes the military look.

I tried to sell him on a Browning BAR and a Benelli R1, a Ruger Deerfield, and a Remington 7400. He liked the Browning Safari BAR model but prefers handguards or wood along the barrel rather than an exposed barrel. He really liked the AR-10 but I told him it was restricted.

So far the best candidate is the Sage MBR M-14, but it runs to $1300 plus which is too expensive for him. He absolutely won't go bolt action, pump action, or lever action. The SKS and M-14 are winning so far. I guess there's no "space gun" hunting rifle that would appeal to him, is there?
 
I can understand, I prefer semi's over any other action. Best bet would be a Browning Bar. Otherwise if he doesn't mind the weight there is nothing wrong with a Norinco M305, I used one last year.
 
I agree, the sks is not enough for bear or moose! His choices of semi auto's is pretty limited! He is going to have to make some compromises!
 
Just to be clear - is the only reason he likes the M-14 because it has a military look and the protected bbl ? I am not saying it is a bad choice, but am quite curious to know what appeals to him...

I think Gibbs505 is right - he is probably going to have to compromise on something "important" because frankly, there are not enough economical semi-auto rifles that seem to fit his multitude of needs. Perhaps he needs to think about what is REALLY a need and what is actually a WANT.
 
-semi-automatic
-cheap to shoot
-can be used for hunting
Click to expand...

I've got 3 ideas here:

1. get an sks and forget about the hunting part.

2. forget about the cheap to shoot part and get an M1A

3. give up on the semi and get a good entry level bolt gun

Sorry couldn't answer the impossible question:D
 
Get him a 7400, and an aftermarket pistol grip. A few companies make vertical pistol grip rifles with a full buttstock. It gives it a functional "Black gun" look, and gives it a bit cooler appeal if it has to fit the criteria above...
Get a carbine in 30-06, and ammo can be very affordable...
Just a thought, its still a functional hunting rifle, and for 50 bucks extra, why not?
 
Beretta A391
Semi auto
cheap to shoot
can use for hunting
:eek: :rolleyes: :confused:

Now,what are the other paramiters :confused: :confused: :confused:
How cheap :confused:
Hunt what :confused:
At what distance :confused:

A long bow or cross bow would also fit into some of these requirements :rolleyes: (except for the semi-auto bit):p

Why not just go out and buy a nice used 270 bolt action rifle and be done with it :rolleyes:
 
Yeah you guys are right on he's an Ontario semi-auto hunter and he has a style over substance problem. He is going to have to grow up and decide which is a want and which is a need. I am in agreement with you there. Worse than that he read the American M-14 forums with all their crap about the early Norincos and is leery about buying one despite the warantee. I think he is the target market for rifles like the 7400!

Oh, and thanks for the Beretta suggestion but he wants a rifle. He thinks the Garand is too expensive to shoot and impractical compared to the M-14. I am going to have him clean my M-14 and then a bolt-action and maybe then he will reconsider.

P.S. I had also suggested to him that he buy an SKS for practice and light hunting and a bolt-action rifle in a real caliber for moose and bear. But he said he only wanted "one gun" for ease of familiarity. I tried to sell him on a .45/70 lever because it would fit all his needs. (The part about bears is really for defense, not hunting)

Edit: Oh yes, he also gave me a really low target price, which is why I suggested the SKS and the M-14S. I guess he thinks fancy semi-auto centrefires in powerful calibres fall from the sky. I will not let him continue in this pursuit without more education.
 
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Let him buy an M-305, take it deer and moose hunting, miss both, blame the gun...figure he needs to get a lever, repeat all, try a pump, do it all over again...Eventually he'll be down to a stick with a nail in it.
Cool only counts for posing. Practice with any rifle counts in the real world.
Just 2 cents from an Ontario hunter that hunts with a bolt action, but shoots an M-305 as well.
 
The problem with a gun that's 'all around' is that it's useable for everything, but good at nothing. If he wants a plinker, get an SKS. If he wants a bear or moose-gun, then it won't be cheap to buy or shoot. If he wants a semi, he'd better be prepared for it to be more finicky about ammo and cleaning. If he expects to be able to hit what he shoots at, the cheapest thing going may not work so well.
 
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