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View Poll Results: Read the post and choose your first rifle purchaseif you had to do it over again.
Break/rolling Block Action 22lr 1 0.96%
Lever 22lr 14 13.46%
Bolt 22LR 30 28.85%
Semi-auto 22lr 19 18.27%
Break/rolling centerfire 3 2.88%
Lever centerfire 4 3.85%
Bolt Centerfire 23 22.12%
Semi-auto centerfire 8 7.69%
Multi-caliber rifle system(AR or Encore type) 2 1.92%
Rifle shotgun combo(OU or switch barrels type such as Rossi) 0 0%
Voters: 104. You may not vote on this poll

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Old December 23, 2009, 11:53 AM   #1
johnwilliamson062
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What do you wish your first rifle was?

Go back to the beginning and put yourself into the position many new shooters or pistol/shotgunners are in, you want to buy your first rifle. You do not have a lot of shooting experience gained on a relative/friends rifle. You are new to rifle shooting. You do not own any rifles already. This isn't a "wish" like something uber expensive you get for free wish, but a to undo my ignorant noob mistake wish. Take into consideration all the costs, maintenance, resale, etc. Specify make/model in your post. Maybe not the first rifle you bought, but the first one you owned. If someone gifted you a rifle would there have been a better rifle to start with?

If YOU had to do it over again, knowing what you now know, what would your FIRST rifle purchase be?

I would definitely purchase a 22.
I would likely purchase the same Marlin 891T
I MIGHT go with a 10/22 like I have now though.

For the purpose of this poll surplus rifles are separate than center fires. Single shot bolts are in with repeating bolts.
Combo breaks are separate from other break action rifles. Specify caliber and gauge and such. I put these seperate from encore/ar b/c in most cases the barrels must be fitted by the manufacturer and are not "drop in."

I thought this might be a good thread to push new shooters to. If you want to include what you did buy and why it was a mistake that would probably also be helpful.

Last edited by johnwilliamson062; December 23, 2009 at 12:19 PM.
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Old December 23, 2009, 11:58 AM   #2
riggins_83
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If we're talking purchasing my own very first rifle as a little kid, probably a Marlin 60C 22LR tube fed.

If we're talking the first rifle I ever purchased for myself (not my hand me down 22 rifle) probably a Savage 111FXP3 7MM Rem mag.
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Old December 23, 2009, 12:06 PM   #3
svaz
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I was already an adult when I bought my first rifle. I was all gun-ho about putting in my paperwork to apply for the Army sniper school so I went out and bought a Rem 700 to practice. Things don't always turn out the way we want.

If I had to do it over again, I would have bought a couple of .22LRs instead so I could have spent more time at the range, or out in the woods, w/ my dad before he passed.
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Old December 23, 2009, 12:14 PM   #4
uncyboo
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My first rifle was an 03A3 my dad built. Wouldn't change that for the world.

The first rifle I bought for myself was a Sendero in 7mm STW. Wouldn't change that either.
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Old December 23, 2009, 12:30 PM   #5
fyimo
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My first rifle was an engraved Russian Mauser in 7.62x54 and I didn't know anything about rifles. It was beautiful but shot like crap key holing about every other shot. I wish I would have bought a Winchester Model 70 in 30-06 instead because it would have been a great rifle and ammo would have been easy to get.
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Old December 23, 2009, 12:40 PM   #6
Legionnaire
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Without reading your your instructions carefully, I almost voted bolt centerfire. But then I remembered that by the time I bought my first rifle, I had sent thousands of rounds of .22LR down range during my college years as a member of our college's rifle team. That experience stuck with me, so when I did buy my first rifle (years later), it was a bolt action centerfire (Remington Model Seven in .308). Without that experience, though, think I'd have gone with a good quality bolt action .22. My favorite rimfire is a Remington 541T, and I'd buy it again in a heartbeat.
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Old December 23, 2009, 12:44 PM   #7
SilentHitz
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Ruger #1, 30/06 or .308...accurate and well built.
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Old December 23, 2009, 01:00 PM   #8
Smokey Joe
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My first firearm...

If I had it to do over again this is one of only a few things in my life that I wouldn't even consider changing:

My first firearm that I owned myself was a Remington 513T, a target .22 rifle (which I still have, 50 years later, BTW) which my HS shooting coach sold me for a ridiculous price, even back then. He wanted to encourage what he saw as a shooter with promise.

I hope over the years I haven't been too great a disappointment. Thanks once again, Mr. Teasdale.
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Old December 23, 2009, 01:05 PM   #9
hoytinak
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When I first got into shooting I liked putting lots of rounds down range as quickly as possible without breaking the bank, therefore I'd go with a semi-auto .22lr (10/22). Although I bought a Henry youth model lever action .22lr for my 2yr old nephew for his first rifle...I'm counting down the days till it actually old enough to use it.
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Old December 23, 2009, 01:24 PM   #10
chris in va
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I also got started as an adult.

The Marlin 60 bored me to tears, especially as I could only use it punching paper. Wish I had started with my CZ carbine instead.
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Old December 23, 2009, 03:12 PM   #11
johnwilliamson062
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"The Marlin 60 bored me to tears, especially as I could only use it punching paper"
No small game?
Predator dispatching?
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Old December 23, 2009, 03:19 PM   #12
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My first rifle was a Winchester .22

And it was my 14th birthday present. I wanted a semi auto, I got a lever. My parents were smarter than I figured!
Wouldn't change that.
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Old December 23, 2009, 03:48 PM   #13
bryceh12321
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The first gun I ever got was a 410, break open, single shot.

The first rifle I myself bought was a Marlin 60/Tube Fed for about 90$ at walmart. That thing is still used atleast once a week. I can't think of any better rifle to learn with than a .22LR. Maybe if it were a bolt action or even single shot for safety reasons, it would be better, but that rifle is still one of my favorites.
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Old December 23, 2009, 03:55 PM   #14
sevensixtytwo
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If I was new to shooting, I should probably get a cheapo 22 or a surplus bolt, like the mosin nagant. Something cheap to shoot and learn with and not really have to worry about malfunctions. With a bolt action, you can learn good handling techniques, as a round is not in the chamber until you manually put it in the chamber.

I was not new to shooting by any means, and my first was a yugo ak.
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Old December 23, 2009, 04:01 PM   #15
MHbushmaster
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Mauser 98K in 7.92x57mm aka 8mm Mauser
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Old December 23, 2009, 04:32 PM   #16
StiveC2007
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How am I the only one that voted for the Lever action .22, come on the Henry Lever action .22 are execptionally nice
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Old December 23, 2009, 04:35 PM   #17
James R. Burke
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Just so happens I had the one I wanted to start off with. Wish I realized what it was, and did not sell it later. It shot many of my firsts, and had thousands of rounds put thru it. It worked great, and never had a problem. But like a idiot sold it one day for the money. It was a Remington Nylon 66 Mohawk brown in perfect shape. I remember begging my Dad to get it for me. I believe it was about 35.00 dollars, which was alot then. That Christmas under the tree even wrapped I new what it was. I was twelve at the time. Shooting then was alot different than today. Safety was built in you did not need to worry about kids doing things they should not with firearms. The only thing my Dad would get alittle made at was all the ammo I would put thru it when we went out. He always had a brick hid for when I ran out. Those were great days I will never ever forget!
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Old December 23, 2009, 08:52 PM   #18
Sport45
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I voted for the first rifle I bought and wish I still had. That one was a Marlin lever action in .357mag.

If the question was which rifle should be the first you own I'd have to go with my first rifle. A Marlin 49DL .22lr semi-auto that my dad gave me. I don't have that one any more either, but I don't want it back. I've already given it to my son.
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Old December 23, 2009, 10:21 PM   #19
NWCP
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My dad gave me his Winchester Model 69A 22LR when I was a kid. It was his first gun when he bought it in 1947. I wouldn't change a thing. I still shoot that gun frequently.
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Old December 23, 2009, 10:53 PM   #20
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first guns

My dad gave me a brand new winchester 94 22 when I was 12 yrs old, to pass my hunter safety shooting exam. Later when old enough to hunt big game, a savage 99 .308. Being a lover of lever guns, could not recomend any better selctions for firsts.
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Old December 23, 2009, 11:32 PM   #21
Fat White Boy
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I got my first .22lr when I was 5. My father got it from his father and now my son has it, His first child is a month old so she should get it in about 2015...I got away from hunting and shooting after the army, then got back into it at about 30 years old. The first rifle I bought at that time was a Model 1885 in .22-250, followed by many more of various designs and calibers...
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Old December 24, 2009, 12:04 AM   #22
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My first gun was a Marlin .22 tube fed, I don't know/remember what model it was, but I do remember a ton of fun with that gun. I must have been 10 or so when my father purchased it for me. I too wish it was still around.
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Old December 25, 2009, 07:37 PM   #23
paknheat
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Both my first rifles were Savage. 1st was a single shot .22 and the 1st centerfire was a Savage/Springfield in .222 Remington.Would'nt change a thing.
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Old December 25, 2009, 07:41 PM   #24
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My first rifle was what I wished - a 7mm Weatherby LH.
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Old December 26, 2009, 12:51 AM   #25
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My first rifle was a lever action .22 and I wouldn't change that today.

Oly
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