My first rifle should be??? - Page 3

Shotgun693 · August 14, 2012, 09:42 PM

There's nothing wrong with a .357 lever action especially if you're carrying a revolver using the same round. You might drop by a few Cowboy Action Shoots in your area. Cowboy Shooters change guns a lot and you're 99% sure of getting a good gun with a little action work on it. My Son, my Daughter and my Wife all killed their first WT Deer with a Marlin .357. I lost count of the number I killed with it. They are great home defense guns. The .357 is one of the easiest rounds to reload.

DunRanull · August 15, 2012, 02:57 AM

The .357 mag, even in a Marlin, is marginal for deer. Would make an ok personal defense weapon but it emphatically does NOT "reach out and touch someone". I had one and was disappointed in it's capability. It is basically a pistol with a longer barrel. I would say the same for the .44mag carbine with it's rainbow trajectory. Again, I like mine but decided to get a .30-30 for a closer in deer rifle. Flatter shooting, more power, and there has been some pretty exciting ammo put out for .30-30 recently, including spire-points.
A .22 is a good starter rifle to learn some basic handling and range work. I learned a lot from my .22 bolt (which I still have 50 years later!) If I could put something in my scope I could hit it.. Graduated to a .30-30 Marlin and from there went to a Browning in .308.
A SCOPED SKS might make a good starter rifle with less expensive 7.62X39 ammo. More accurate than an AK and more distance.. Stay away from the MN carbines.. too much noise, muzzle-blast and often finicky sticky bolts.
Look around, shop.. read, and don't believe everything a gun-shop guy might tell ya. Or a gun forum guy either

August 14, 2012, 09:42 PM	#51
Shotgun693 Senior Member Join Date: September 3, 2011 Location: Poteet, Texas Posts: 959	There's nothing wrong with a .357 lever action especially if you're carrying a revolver using the same round. You might drop by a few Cowboy Action Shoots in your area. Cowboy Shooters change guns a lot and you're 99% sure of getting a good gun with a little action work on it. My Son, my Daughter and my Wife all killed their first WT Deer with a Marlin .357. I lost count of the number I killed with it. They are great home defense guns. The .357 is one of the easiest rounds to reload.

August 15, 2012, 02:57 AM	#52
DunRanull Junior member Join Date: April 24, 2005 Location: Southern Colorado, where a small working knowledge of southwestern Hispanic culture is considered polite. Posts: 99	The .357 mag, even in a Marlin, is marginal for deer. Would make an ok personal defense weapon but it emphatically does NOT "reach out and touch someone". I had one and was disappointed in it's capability. It is basically a pistol with a longer barrel. I would say the same for the .44mag carbine with it's rainbow trajectory. Again, I like mine but decided to get a .30-30 for a closer in deer rifle. Flatter shooting, more power, and there has been some pretty exciting ammo put out for .30-30 recently, including spire-points. A .22 is a good starter rifle to learn some basic handling and range work. I learned a lot from my .22 bolt (which I still have 50 years later!) If I could put something in my scope I could hit it.. Graduated to a .30-30 Marlin and from there went to a Browning in .308. A SCOPED SKS might make a good starter rifle with less expensive 7.62X39 ammo. More accurate than an AK and more distance.. Stay away from the MN carbines.. too much noise, muzzle-blast and often finicky sticky bolts. Look around, shop.. read, and don't believe everything a gun-shop guy might tell ya. Or a gun forum guy either