How do you select a rifle?

[SKULLANDCROSSBONES65]

G'day. I've been studying various projectiles lately and it has got me thinking about this subject.

Lets assume that you only have a rimfire. What method would you use to select a new rifle?

How did you select the rifles that you now have?

How do you choose witch of your rifles to take hunting?

Who & why selects the rifle based on the game intended to be hunted?

Who & why selects the rifle based on the area they intend to hunt?

Tell me the story behind your rifle selection.

 

[predator86]

my awnser for every question you posted.......IT ALL DEPENDS ON MY MOOD.

 

[RedneckFur]

I choose rifles based on their intended use and their utility. Dont get me wrong, I do love beautiful rifles, blued steel, and nice wood. I'd not own a $5000 custom because I cant really take it out in the field without being a nervous wreck.

I own a Marlin 336 in 30-30 because its a very useful cartrige, with light recoil, the rifle is short, lightweight, easy handeling, and the shape fits me like a glove (guess I got lucky there ) Also, I can shoot 1.5" groups with mine, offhand, with only a sling for support. Its my go-to deer rifle, but its no benchrest rifle.

 

[bullspotter]

I have a tough time with this one. I have lots of good hunting cal guns, Some inherited, and a few i bought, 223 all the way to 300 ultra mag. I bought the 300 ultra cause at the time i was gun hunting elk alot in open areas, and wanted something that would thump an elk pretty good at 300-400 yards if needed, and also my weatherby 270 that i ended up with when dad died was getting some dings and scuffs from all the long hikes, packs and such, its still a beautifull gun, and i intend to keep it that way, its almost as old as me(35) but it is my fave shooter for deer. I have a new 30-06 i got for my brother, well sadly i got it back before he ever got to hunt with it, my son killed his first deer with it, an is the only one who has, so its pretty speacial to me. I have a bolt 223 that was dads that i killed several deer and antilope with, when i started hunting, I love to take this out shooting as its accurate as heck and cheap to shoot, i also have a few ARS, now those are just for fun, Love to take them out and light up the clays we set up to shoot, I also have a 357 mag lever gun, bought it cause i thought it would be cool to have a rifle and a pistol in the same cal.... got a smith 686 with 2x scope,(was also dads) both are fun to shoot, and have killed a deer with each, I also have a 45acp, just for shooting and possible bad guys in my house, that however was replaced with a 40 about a month ago, but i still like to shoot it. I would say mygoto guns for hunting are my 270 for deer, and 300 ultra for elk, the rest are just a good time going to the range shooting. I dont like to get board shooting the same ol stuff, so i have a good assortment to choose from.

 

[NWCP]

What I'm going to be using the gun for (range days, or specific game).
The distance I'll be shooting at.
Variety and availability of ammo for the gun. Ammo cost is a consideration as well.
The terrain I'll be shooting in.
Funds available for the purchase.

It's really not rocket science and you don't need a room full of guns to cover most of your needs. I get by with a 22LR, .22WMR, 17HMR, .223 Remington and a .308. While I have other caliber rifles and hand guns those I've listed are all I really need and I could probably sell the .22WMR and get by without it. Not that I'll be doing that anytime soon.

 

[sureshots]

Think about it

I read the Ads and look on the internet, do research, think about it for awhile and if I can convince myself that I need it (which I don't) I may buy it. My last venture was 2 Thompson Center ICONS. I liked the first one(nice Walnut stock) so well that I bought another (maybe to use some) with The camo Weathershield Syn. Stock.

 

[handlerer]

I have obtained my guns through impulse and circumstance. I inherited a MkV, from an uncle, an older, mid 70's, in walnut, a work of art, in 340 WBY. I was shopping for a pair of boots and walked over to the gun rack and saw a Vanguard, 300 WBY, marked down to $379, there was a sign above them saying ask to see the factory target, seeing the target,7". I walked out with it. I use this for mule deer, it's affect on a mule deer is awesome! Both bucks I have taken with it fell like I flipped a switch and just turned them off. If I am ever lucky enough to be drawn a bison I will use the 340 WBY, it's just too beautiful to go hauling it up the mountains and through the woods. It's an heirloom and and I have a sentimental attachment to it. I bought a Ruger stainless Superblackhawk,44 Mag, from my brother, and carry it hunting, just in case. Last hunting season 6 six hunters were attacked by grizzlies that beat them to their kills, here in Montana, one of whom was the deputy commissioner of wildlife and fisheries. None of the attacks were fatal if I remember correctly. My fun gun is a 580 series Mini-14. I reload for all of these so ammo isn't really a problem. I really would like a black bear, and bison hide in blanket mounts. I wasn't successful this black bear season, and drawing a bison is a once in a lifetime thing. I will keep trying though. I know I have the firepower for any thing on this continent, with the guns I own, but being impulsive, who knows what's next.

 

[stubbicatt]

Technical innovation

The rifles I really treasure are those which show something unique and techically innovative.

All this assumes suitable accuracy, but I bought the CZ because of the set trigger and the just excellent ergonomics.

The Mosin Nagants I bought I guess because of the history associated with them, and the faux sniper is a great hunting rifle at a favorable price point.

The HD rifles I bought because of stone reliability, and the technical aspects of the rifles was of great interest.

 

[2002gti]

for me its easy....

maybee a little too easy

i see, i like, i research and i buy - or dont buy

 

[Gunpowder&Lead]

Research, research and more research. Cost, Intended purpose, Availability(ie-AR parts are hard to find now), and Quality, all come into play. Sometimes I read an article and that sets the stage. Sometimes I see a gun at the Gun Club that I think I really need. That is how I got into my current project-An uber accurized AR.

 

[j.chappell]

Lets assume that you only have a rimfire. What method would you use to select a new rifle?

First I would handle all that I was able too. Then I would do all of the "research" be it online, magazines, friends, and lastly in the shops. Then narrow down my choices by price, quality, accuracy, and intended use.

How did you select the rifles that you now have?

Some where well thought out researched purchases. Others were simply walking into a shop and seeing one that jumps out at me.

How do you choose witch of your rifles to take hunting?

Anymore this is but personal choice as I am comfortable in most any terrain with most any rifle. That being said I wouldnt want to carry a varmint rig while still hunting the mountains. I choose one in an appropriate cartridge for the game and then my situation.

Who & why selects the rifle based on the game intended to be hunted?

I once bought a rifle to take on a combo hunt for big hogs and whitetail. Not really cause I didnt have something that would work but because the one I choose worked better than what I had, and I just wanted the new one anyway, lol. At this point in my life I have enough rifles that I need not purchase anymore. Rifles purchased now are because I want them not that I need one for a specific game animal.

Who & why selects the rifle based on the area they intend to hunt?

This is why I bought my 257 WBY MAG. I had rifles that would work for the intended game and most of the terrain but I would have been limited in the open country we were going to run into, so I decided on the 257 for its more than super flat trajectory and effectiveness on medium sized game.

Tell me the story behind your rifle selection.

When I was young I was stricken with the Weatherby Bug. There was a local shop where the owner ran the shop most of the year but then guided in WY for a few months during their hunting seasons. He had a wide assortment of nice mid to high end rifles and 2 particularly nice 224 WBY MAGS. I drooled over them at the time due to lack of funds. They sat there for a few years but I was only 17, lived by myself, and had only 2 part time jobs that barely paid all of my bills I had not money for such rifles. Alas both were sold and I figured that I would never have a chance to own one as the prices had almost doubled in the few years that had passed.

Well times change and one day while doing some work for college I needed a break and started looking through auctionarms.com. I happen to come across a near perfect 224 Weatherby VarmintMaster with a buy it now price of only $750. I hit that mouse button so hard and fast I was sure that I broke it, lol. I couldnt believe it as the going price in our area if you could ever find one was around $1400 for one in decent condition. I emailed the guy the very next second and asked him how he would like to receive his payment.

That is my favorite walking varminter and may just be my favorite rifle.

J.

 

[2002gti]

yep - i get the bugs too. my most recent ones were the milsurp, colt, glock, sig, and now i have a weird strain of the remington flu.

 

[j.chappell]

and now i have a weird strain of the remington flu.

I'd be looking to get rid of that one ASAP, lol. Seriously, you could have worse, say maybe Mossbergitis or Steptataurus, lol.

J.

 

[Gunpowder&Lead]

Weatherby Varmintmaster

Chappell that is one sweet rifle. Would be my favorite too!

 

[j.chappell]

Thanks.

If you ever handle one you will know why it is my favorite. I cant even explain how great they are. Fit, finish, quality of materials, and accuracy are excellent.

J.

 

[Gunpowder&Lead]

My Uncle has a Mark V in 300 Weatherby Mag.. It will bang steel at 1000 meters with the best of them. When I was a kid, my best friends dad had Mark V Collection in every centerfire caliber offered at the time-- all the way up to 458 win mag. He took the Win mag to Africa and killed a record Cape Buffalo with it.

 

[dgludwig]

Unfortunately (or fortunately), my biggest dilemma is deciding on which rifle to take hunting. God bless America!

 

[johnwilliamson062]

Usually:
First I pick the cartridge or action type depending what I am interested in.
Then I look all over for who makes it in stainless.
Compare any results, write letters to companies that don't make it in stainless (marlin 357 lever.)
I buy it.


For what rifle I take hunting, whatever is reasonably accurate, stainless, and has the most firepower. I just put some rust on my blued Rem 11-87 after having out in the snow and sleet with me for a week. Terrible. I almost cried. Just slight surface where the barrell mates the receiver(I never thought to dry this off), but still...

 

[ThreeStepsAhead]

When I look for a rifle, I look first at what caliber round I intend to shoot with it. Usually, it is 5.56mm/.223 cal. From there, I look around. Forums and Google are a good place to start. As I look around, I take notes of what others say, prices of the rifles I like, and specials that companies are running.

If I can get to a gun store, I like to see how the rifles I am interested in feel in my hands.

Usually, I get excited and buy from a local gun shop, but for $25 they'll do FFL transfers.

Be impulsive, because the way the weapons market is these days, what you like may not be there tomorrow.

 

[ndking1126]

Questions I go through..

1) What do I want to do with it?
2) What is the cheapest caliber that will accomplish this (remember the cost of ammo will just about always be higher over the life of the rifle than the rifle ittself.)
3. What rifles are available in this caliber in the configuration I'm looking for (ie, bolt with thumbhole stock or maybe I'm wanting a lever action). Go try them on for size and fit.
4. Of all the options, which ones am I willing to buy? Which one can I find the best price on?

So for example my next purchase I would like to an accurate varmint rifle.
1.) Shoot accurately and with a small caliber
2.) I've thought about it and I've selected .223
3.) I really like the Howa 1500 varminter supreme and the Savage 12 BVSS
4.) Howa's price is pretty nice, but I'm expecting the Savage to be more accurate... so... depending on how I feel the day I go to buy it, I'd pick one or the other.