First firearm question

[HoneyDutch]

I'm looking at buying my first firearm and want some insight. I want to get better at shooting and am leaning toward a .22 mainly for costs. I was looking at getting a Savage Mark II but went into my pawn shop today and came across an older Marlin tube fed semi-auto with scope and solid wood stock for $150. The stock has several markings on it but te scope, barrel, and trigger looked to be in pretty decent shape. The tube had a little trouble coming out for a few seconds but it slid out. It felt pretty solid.

I don't really know what Im looking for. I've shot several rifles, but don't really know how to judge a used rifle. Any insight on what I should do is very appreciated. Theres also a gun show coming up in a few weeks and was going to check that out.

I've shot a .357 6" revolver and would want that over anything but know it's probably not the best idea right now...

[Gaerek]

That Marlin is most likely a Model 60. They are great little guns. My Father in Law has a 60's era one, and it still shoots great. They still make them today. As long as the gun is in good working order, you shouldn't have any issues with it. Learn to disassemble and clean it, if you decide to go that route. You can get them for around $150 (give or take) new, so I wouldn't pay more than $70 or $80 from a pawn shop, used.

[Evan Thomas]

HoneyDutch, welcome to TFL.

The first question I'd ask is, what kind of shooting interests you? You may not be sure yet, which is fine, but if you're attracted to hunting as a longer-term goal, we'd likely give you a different set of suggestions from what we'd suggest if you're thinking about home defense, or eventually carrying a gun for self-defense. If you just want to get started, plinking and target shooting for a while, you should get the type of gun (likely a rifle or handgun) that interests you the most.

Another question: what kinds of places do you have access to for learning/practicing? That's going to determine what kind of shooting it's practical for you to do -- if you just have access to an indoor range, you're going to be limited in the distance you're shooting, compared to what you could do if you or a friend has acreage in the country, or if you can get to a good outdoor range.

If you do have a shooting range near you, someone there probably offers instruction. One of the best things you could do is to sign up for a class or two before you actually buy a gun -- you should be able to rent or borrow a variety of guns, which will give you a better idea of what you like. (In any case, you should plan on getting some training as soon as possible.)

As to "which gun," pretty much everyone who answers you will give you an answer based on personal prejudice. I'm no different, so I'll say that your first gun, IMHO, should be a bolt-action .22 like the Savage MKII. They're very accurate, cheap to shoot (at least in principle, and ammo prices/availability will come back to normal sooner or later), and have essentially no recoil --so you can shoot a lot without going broke, and focus on learning good technique without worrying about developing a flinch or other bad habits that can be hard for a beginner to avoid with the larger calibers. (You're right -- that .357 revolver isn't ideal to learn with. )

[HoneyDutch]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm not so sure what kind of shooting I want to get into. home defense is my number one goal but hunting would be fun. If I were to purchase a rifle, I'd like something with a wood stock that feels solid. For a handgun, revolver would be my choice.

I live somewhat close to a few shooting ranges, one of them being outdoor. I've been to the indoor one and nobody was very helpful. They just pointed me towards snubs and .22's

I was thinking about going into that pawn shop tomorrow and offering the guy $70 for the Marlin and hope he takes it. That way I can save up for something bigger.

[ZIA]

.22s are cheap & fun to shoot but if your #1 goal is home defense I would probably stay away from the .22. If you want something that isn't too bad in terms of price for home defense you should be able to find a lot of 12 gauges with 18.5" barrels. That way you can take care of your #1 goal and start working towards getting something that's fun for the range.

[dakota.potts]

Why not a .357 revolver that accepts .38 rounds? You can load it up with the lower power rounds for practice and build up to the heavier ones. This would help you make sure you're not developing a flinch which will affect your accuracy. The .22 is a great idea but considering how cheap they are, if it's in your budget and you want it a .357 revolver might not be a bad idea either.

[DaleA]

My advice would be go back to the ranges and see if any offer shooting classes. Take one or two. Meet your fellow students. Go shooting with them.

Also see if the range has any competition leagues. See what they shoot. Shooting in a league will get you to shoot regularly and you'll see how your skill matches up with others. It might be tough and a little embarrassing at first but it is fine way to improve your shooting ability and maybe even make some friends.

Most league shooters I've met have been good guys. If by some misfortune you run into the rare league that isn't very friendly to new shooters find a different league, they are out their and can be a lot of fun.

[Bluehighways]

Welcome to the world of firearms! I hope your journey is fun, rewarding and safe.

I'll share what I know. I own a Savage Mark II / .22lr and although it is cheaply made, and brand new it didn't cost much, it works fine. If I'd dropped $600.00 on a high end Browning I'd expect more, but you get what you pay for.

It's made out of stamped metal and the bolt action was a bit crunchy when new, and it has never had the precision fit of a high end rifle. That being said, it is a little tack driver.

With an inexpensive scope mounted on top it holds nice tight groups with almost any cheap plinking ammo except Winchester, and is fun trigger practice for little money.

I really like the accutrigger, and have mine set at the lowest setting. I've put a few thousand rounds through the gun and cycled the bolt enough times that the 'crunchy' spots have worn in and it's now quite smooth. For $197 it's a good little .22 lr.

If you're looking for home defense and recreational shooting all in one package you'd be hard to go wrong with a .357 magnum revolver. As was stated in an earlier post, it will shoot .38 special which is a great practice round and also economical. I have a .357 revolver and while I hardly ever shoot it anymore, it always seems to be the favorite choice among new shooters that I take to the range.

There are, of course more potent options for home defense. A 12 gauge with 18" barrel and buckshot is the ultimate, and millions of people keep them for that reason.

For someone just beginning their collection and getting into shooting, a .22 is very easy to get accustomed to since the recoil is minimal and rounds are cheap (if you can find them these days). If I were to have one and only one gun to my name - one that had to do it all - I would choose a .357 magnum.

It has the option of shooting .38, which is friendly to your hands and can allow you to develop good technique, while also being able to shoot deadly .357's, which are as good as anything in a self defense situation.

Finally, as my collection has grown I may take as many as 3 rifles and 3 pistols to the range on any given outing, but I always bring a .22 for warm ups and form practice. After getting into my 'zone' I put the .22 away and bring out the .45's and centerfire rifles. If I had to donate all my guns to charity and keep only one, ironically it would be the one I shoot the least: my .357 revolver. It's the only one I own that does it all.

[Buzzcook]

Used shotguns can be found for very close to $100. They make pretty good home defense guns.

Keep looking for a nice .22 rife.

[HoneyDutch]

Thank you for the awesome replies, guys. Good news! My dad gave me his little Savage .22 he never uses. I've been shooting it at my friends property, but kind of want a handgun for defense as well. Anyway, a friend of mine showed me his Russian Makarov and I really liked it. I was looking at perhaps getting one of those or a Taurus Model 82 police revolver.

Thoughts? I really like the history of those guns and they seem like good deals if you can find the right one.

[dakota.potts]

I don't have a handgun myself but have settled on the CZ 75 for when I do get one. I am intrigued by the Makarov and would probably get one too. There are a lot of thoughts on them here. If you want a historic one, look for East German as they tend to have a nicer finish. Some have said the trigger is bad. I handled a CZ 75 and fell in love. If you like historic firearms, you might also consider the CZ 82. It's in the 9X18mm Makarov chamber as the Makarov is.

I would have bought a Tokarev by now if I could find the ammo.

[overthere]

If you are looking to spend around $150 for a .22 rifle I would highly recommend the Marlin 795, you can buy it new for $150:

http://www.gandermountain.com/modper...6672&aID=510B2

This is a great rifle, I own one and it is very accurate and fun to shoot.

I also own a Savage mk II as well and it is a great rifle too. The trigger is much better than on the Marlin.

http://www.gandermountain.com/modper...cgi?i=GM421232

[Skans]

I'd suggest that you go through a process of elimination that goes something like this:

1. Rifle or Handgun

2. If Rifle, what caliber; if handgun, what caliber

3. Then, consider what type of action you want - semi-auto, bolt, single shot, lever; in handguns, there are about 4 semi-auto actions and about 2 revolver types to choose from.

4. Price range; Used or New.

5. Then you can get into brand, and materials like steel & wood vs. alloy and poly.

It's sort of like saying - OK, I want to buy a vehicle, what should I get? Well, I might suggest a 32" sail boat. You've got to at least eliminate everything you are not interested in and set some parameters to get useful suggestions.

[HoneyDutch]

Haha, I know...makes me want to rip my hair out.

Well, since you put it that way...

Pistol
Revolver
Double Action
.357/.38
used $300 max (I know, I'm asking for a lot)

The Taurus model 82 fits that pretty neatly. I would buy it right now online (they're going for $189-$250 at the moment) but there is a gun show next weekend so I figured I should at least wait until then. I've wanted a revolver for some time now..

I've read online that the Model 82 is all steel and is a solid buy for money minus the finish.

[Skans]

Pistol
Revolver
Double Action
.357/.38
used $300 max (I know, I'm asking for a lot)
The Taurus model 82 fits that pretty neatly.

Now, you're on a roll. I think that is a good first choice for a gun in your price range. While I am not a big fan of Taurus autos (had one that broke), their all steel revolvers aren't bad for the price. They are fairly rugged and certainly reliable. The ability to shoot .38 special out of a .357 revolver is a real plus. Look for one that hasn't been shot a lot. It would be best if you can handle the revolver, feel whether the cylinder is nice and tight or lose, work the action to make sure it is smooth, make sure cylinder isn't rubbing on anything as it turns; look at the bore with a bore light and make sure it is nice and shiny; and generally make sure it hasn't been abused. The condition of the external finish can be an indication of the care the previous owner used in maintaining the gun - not always, but often.

If I were you, I'd jump in and buy that gun when you find the one you want in the best condition you can afford. If/when you want something different, then sell it or trade it - if you buy it used and shop around for it, you probably wouldn't lose much on a trade down the road.

[HoneyDutch]

It's been a while since I posted here but I figured I would finish my story. I just bought a Taurus Model 82 from a friend of mine at work for $200. It's not one of the SA imports - built on '03, nice blued finish, 4" barrel. It looks brand new. My friend had fired maybe 50 rounds through it and it just sat in his safe for a couple years. No signs of wear and shoots great. I picked up a few boxes of 158 grain ammo and had a blast. What I love most is how easy it is to shoot and how well it fits my hand.

I think it was a pretty good deal. Thank you for everyone who replied and helped me out. Very appreciated!

[gyvel]

Be very careful when purchasing any used Marlin/Glenfield in the Model 60 family. The feed guides are made of Zamak pot metal and tend to wear out fairly quickly.

I don't know if Marlin has standardized their design now, but, at one time, it was necessary to purchase a new bolt assembly along with the feed guide assembly as they would make engineering and design changes from time to time. At the time, the cost of the replacement parts set, plus the labor cost was almost what a new gun cost from Woolco or K-Mart.

Quite frankly, although I am not a super fan of Ruger, I would highly recommend the Ruger 10-22 rifle. I have owned mine since 1965 (serial no. 16xx) and have put countless thousands of rounds through it. The 10-22 will literally last you a lifetime.

[Evan Thomas]

Enjoy your revolver, Honeydutch. If you stick around here, you'll find a wealth of information about its care and feeding. Lots of other good stuff, too... you might just get hooked on shooting.

But I think we can close this one now...