Help me pick out my first rifle Please!

[SHY_Veritas 0]

So I'm looking to get my first rifle. I'd like a lever action handle but don't know if that is practical for if I ever want to go hunting. Which I think I do soon. I'm looking at a few. Can you guys help me out and tell me which one is better? And if you think a bolt action is better let me know which one you'd suggest.

 

Choice #1: Marlin 336W

Choice #2: Rossi M92

Choice #3: Winchester M94 Sporter (little out of my price range though)

 

[Gun Guy in NJ 10]

How about a Henry lever action. I love mine.

[BlueLineFish 615]

My vote is a Henry big boy in 357 or 44 magnum

[SHY_Veritas 0]

Can you mount a scope on that? Won't I need a scope for hunting? I saw the Henry Big Boy and like it but wasn't sure if a scope be attached or not.

[hd2000fxdl 422]

I would vote for the only one I have up there, and that would be a the Marlin, but really, I doubt you can go wrong with any of the ones you have listed..

[SHY_Veritas 0]

Oh and I want a powerful one. Lol. I like strong guns.

[Gun Guy in NJ 10]

You can mount a scope on both the 30-30 and the big boy Henry's

[hd2000fxdl 422]

I know you can on the Marlin..

[RecessedFilter 222]

What are you using it for? Hunting? Target? Fun?

 

The use all depends on what cartridge, in my opinion...

[SHY_Veritas 0]

Eventually I want to take it hunting. I haven't taken the necessary courses to start hunting but eventually I want to. So for now target shooting.

[Qel Hoth 33]

Eventually I want to take it hunting. I haven't taken the necessary courses to start hunting but eventually I want to. So for now target shooting.

 

Are you planning on hunting out of state? NJ doesn't permit centerfire rifles for hunting. Shotgun only.

[SHY_Veritas 0]

That's a good point. I'll probably start in NJ but want to go to other places like Canada eventually. Guess I'll have to get a shotgun before I consider hunting. So I guess target shooting first.

 

Ok... Dumb question. Was just looking at the Henry Big Boy 45LC. Since its a 45 can I use the same ammo as my XD.45??? I'm such a newb...

[Jon 264]

That's a good point. I'll probably start in NJ but want to go to other places like Canada eventually. Guess I'll have to get a shotgun before I consider hunting. So I guess target shooting first.

 

Ok... Dumb question. Was just looking at the Henry Big Boy 45LC. Since its a 45 can I use the same ammo as my XD.45??? I'm such a newb...

 

No. .45acp is NOT the same as .45 long colt.

 

[Damjan 73]

So I'm looking to get my first rifle. I'd like a lever action handle but don't know if that is practical for if I ever want to go hunting. Which I think I do soon. I'm looking at a few. Can you guys help me out and tell me which one is better? And if you think a bolt action is better let me know which one you'd suggest.

 

Choice #1: Marlin 336W

Choice #2: Rossi M92

Choice #3: Winchester M94 Sporter (little out of my price range though)

 

Go get yourself a mosin nagant as a first rifle and a shotgun for hunting eventually

[Teky0101 6]

The Dicks Sporting Goods in Deptford, NJ has a Marlin 30-30 with a scope for around $430. This would likely be a good gun for deer hunting. You will likely get better accuracy from a bolt action since you could get flat shooting calibers such as a 308. What is your budget? If you wanted to hunt in NJ you have to have either a shotgun or muzzle loader since there are very few areas you can hunt with a rifle. I hope this helps!

[Mikeythumbs 1]

30 30 with the new hornady leverevoltion (sp) would be a good choice for thick woods deer an even close range bear if ou put he bullet in the right place for deer I hear the new bullets are good out to 250 if you are going to use it as a woods gun it is nice and light and just feels good coming up to the shoulder. There is also less to catch on as the lever actions are usally a little shorter. If you are lookIng to use the gum for bear moose or elk I would step up in caliber maybe 444 marlin or the like built for lever guns

[RedBowTies88 41]

Oh and I want a powerful one. Lol. I like strong guns.

 

In that case this is definitely something to consider

 

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/60901/Marlin+1895+GBL+45-70+18+12%22+5%2B1

 

This gun can take handloaded 405 gr bullets and chuck them right around 2000fps.

[Parker 213]

My immediate answer as a pick from one of your three choices would be the Marlin. I don't think any one is particularly "better" but I would opt for the Marlin because it is the easiest and simplest to maintain & disassemble, to scope, to bore-sight and it's easily cleaned from the breech end.

 

But I concur with others. First pick your intended game and the types of terrain you'll be hunting in and account for the distance you may be shooting and then pick a rifle in the appropriate caliber.

 

Note: I'm struggling to understand how Winchester will ever sell many 94's at that price point. Lever-actions were always a sturdy, bread & butter gun that the everyman could afford. If you want to buy a newer lever-action, that's made by Miroku (the folks making the Winchester's today,) also look at a Browning BLR. They come in a myriad of cartridge choices and cost a bit less than the Winchester.

[MedicYeti 96]

I have had good experiences with Marlin rifles. I also enjoy my Henry Rifle. Yes a scope can be mounted on a Henry Rifle, and most other rifles.

But, what you should really do is buy an Arisaka action and build a custom gun around the action. It will take most cartrages popular for hunting and you can customize the barrel and stock to fit you perfectly.

It just so happens I have a stripped Arisaka receiver that can be yours for $35.

Now a little more seriously; this is a difficult question to answer without more information.

What's your ammo budget?

What range will you be shooting?

How much recoil can you handle?

What do you want to hunt?

Where do you want to hunt?

 

Of the 3 you have listed I'd reccomend the Marlin but that's my personal opinion.

You will find that asking "which gun?" is like asking "which tool do I need to rebuild a transmission?". Each gun and round has advantages and disadvantages. Handle guns. Research ammo. Shop around. And I you can, try the different guns.

If your anywhere near Cape May County I'd be happy to show you some of my rifles and let you try them. Just PM me.

[SHY_Veritas 0]

Ok so present goal is to find a lever action rifle that I can fire at a range. I'd like to shoot as far as possible at a club. Currently looking at CJRPC which is about 300 yards. I think I'm going to go with the Big Boy since everyone is in agreement it is a good gun. I WISH I could test fire these guns somewhere so I can ale a decision just like I did with my XD.45 which I am sooooooooo happy with. Anyone know anywhere I could shoot these rifles before I buy them?

[HavocMan 13]

If you decide that you want to get into target shooting first - and hunting later - a good rifle to start with is a Remington 700. This is a bolt action rifle. A 700 chambered in either .308 Winchester, .300 Winchester Magnum or .338 Lapua will be more accurate than any of the lever guns you are considering - especially when you are talking about stretching the range out to 300 yards or more. The 700 in any of these three calibers will also be better than the .30-30 for taking deer if you do get into hunting down the road.

 

On the other hand, if you simply like leverguns and want one, any of the leverguns you mentioned in your first post are fine. I wouldn't take a .357 Mag/45LC/44 Mag levergun out to hunt deer though. The .30-30 would be the minumum.

 

The question you need to answer honestly is "What am I really going to do with this rifle?"

 

Remember, you can always buy another rifle/shotgun to do a different job.

[Bully 749]

If you are looking to stretch the gun out and shoot accurately to 300 yards, I don't think a lever action is going to fit the bill.

 

If you are looking for a light woods gun that is fun to shoot and hunt, a lever action will fit the bill.

 

I have a Marlin 1894C .38/.357 Mag that I love shooting and plan to hunt. I bought it for fun, hunting, and HD, if necessary. It fits those bills quite well. If I was looking for a benchrest/target gun, I would have gone a different way. Most likely, I would have opted for a bolt gun (which was my original plan) but I just don't see myself sitting at a bench for the day and trying to make 1 hole with 5 bullets in a piece of paper. Define your purpose and buy the tool that fits, don't buy the tool and find a purpose.

 

Good luck with it and if you would like to try out my Marlin, PM me and you can give it a whirl.

 

Christopher

[NJdiverTony 27]

Since you stated that you want to hunt in NJ, and as some have pointed out you can't hunt with a ceterfire rifle in NJ, I would recommend a good slug gun if you're going to hunt deer. You can get something like the H&R Ultra Slug Hunter (12 or 20 gauge, but I use the 20) and put a nice scope on it for a total of under $500. I have this gun and it's a tack driver. I dropped a dear last season, right where it stood, from 130 yrds and have talked to someone that dropped a great deer with the same gun (but in 12 GA) at a distance of almost 200 yrds!!! Here's a shot of my USH:

 

[when_shtf 4]

I like this weapon. But I'm also partial to .30-30's. Great woods gun. As a woods gun, I don't have a scope on mine, but I can shoot 6" groups with the open sites at 100 yards.

 

 

[RecessedFilter 222]

Lever actions, with a powerful cartridge, are classic hunting rifles. I say you get one of them. Then get a .22 lever action so you have something to shoot at the range for much cheaper than shooting 30-30 or 30-06 or any other powerful, expensive deer hunting caliber.

[hd2000fxdl 422]

Lever actions, with a powerful cartridge, are classic hunting rifles. I say you get one of them. Then get a .22 lever action so you have something to shoot at the range for much cheaper than shooting 30-30 or 30-06 or any other powerful, expensive deer hunting caliber.

 

^^^ This ^^^

I have both a Marlin 39A 22LR LA and a Marlin 336 LA in 30-30, if I break it down to rounds fired with each as a ratio, I'm probably 2500-3000 rounds of 22LR vs 1 round of 30-30..

[Parker 213]

There is a certain mystic about a lever action. I have never handled or shot one that I didn't like.

[SHY_Veritas 0]

Thank you all for the usefull information. You've all taught me something. The first step is to come up with a clear purpose for the rifle. After some serious thought I've decided to spend some time familiarizing myself with firearms and shoot for fun for now. Once I've gained more knowledge then expand my horizons. So I've decided to shoot for fun. Since I'm a member already at Ready Aim Fire I've decided to just get a lever action if they are permitted to be shot there. Does anyone know? I've sent them an email, and am waiting to hear back. Once I get the OK I'll buy it.

 

So here is my question. Which one do you think is a better purchase?

The 44 Mag or the 45LC?

[when_shtf 4]

Get a .22LR. Cheap ammo and very accurate. In a word, fun.

[hd2000fxdl 422]

You know every time I see a thread title like this I just want to say, 50BMG is the only way to go and we will even meet you at the range and show you how to use it..

 

So what do you think guys, think we will have any takers??