Curious About Rifles

[DSD1026 48]

So.. I'm a new shooter in general. Only shot a handgun a few times (only took once to get "hooked"). I understand the point of a shotgun if not for hunting or skeet/clay sport (home defense). What is the purpose of a rifle, other than hunting or competition? (Seriously). Or is it "just to have one"?

 

Just wondering why other have a rifle if for reasons other than hunting or competition.

[diamondd817 828]

Well what kind of rifle you refering to?

 

Bolt action? = hunting, target shooting, precision long range, etc

 

Semi-Auto (AR15)? = Self Defense, Tyrannical Goverment, everything else is secondary

[Tunaman 560]

The purpose of a rifle is to hit your target that is far away!

[Anselmo 87]

Far away is relative term but it's fun to put on a red dot sight and hit targets at 50 to 100 yards away. I enjoy shooting my rifles. You can mess around with optics like red dots or scopes. Even at 100 yards you start to need to think about bullet drop and all that fun stuff like minute of angle, too.

[Clintoon Eastwood 2]

I like how they look and I love to shoot paper targets and sometimes hunt, ohh yeah and I collect them.

[The_Matrix 105]

Its very simply....the challenge of long range accuracy.

 

Can't do that with handgun or Shotgun.

 

And...I just like to collect them.

[DSD1026 48]

hitting a target from a distance = hunting (or sniping) or competition

 

otherwise, its just for the hell of it, yeah? (i.e. just for fun).. im really just curious if thats why most have rifles.. doesnt matter what kind.. typically, hope defense would be shotgun or pistol (rifles arent normally considered for home defense as much as the other 2 styles of gun from what i've heard)

 

im just wondering if i should worry about getting the pistols first and we're still working on our SG (see other section for that issue)... i dont know.. maybe that will be an "in the future" thing, eventually.. although i will be going to visit my father in a couple months and he has a couple rifles that I will probably try..

 

oh, and just so no one thinks i have any bias, i really am just curious why people have them.. havent had any experience with them at all..

[Anselmo 87]

yes, target from a distance. Trying to consistently hit a quarter or nickel sized target at 50 or 100 yards is a challenge to me.

[Clintoon Eastwood 2]

Plus you can buy a thousand rifles at anytime and not have to apply for a damn PP

[DSD1026 48]

Plus you can buy a thousand rifles at anytime and not have to apply for a damn PP

true that! long guns FTW i guess.. lol

[pbkid6974 1]

Really? whats the point of a handgun? whats the point of a shotgun? they are all for HD and for fun. i trust my garand to put a target down always. working on my ar build now and that will hopefully fill the role of the garand as it is much handier in tight spaces. if there is no point to have a rifle then there is no point to have any gun. but then again it doesnt need a point other than i have a right to own one (or many).

[DSD1026 48]

seems like kind of an angry response for an innocent question. as stated in my original post and subsequent post(s), i was curious because i dont have one and am curious why others do.

[lunker 274]

Ballistics (in flight and terminal). Range. Accuracy. If you read enough about firearms you will see the quote "the purpose of a handgun is to fight your way to a rifle." You have a better chance of ending the fight with a rifle than a handgun (assuming you hit your target with each).

[JustJoe 0]

Balls to the wall honest answer. I don't care about hiting a mosquito in the ass at 1000ft. I don't care about the balisitcs, the bullet trajectory at long range.

I got my converted saiga for two reasons:

1-Because I can,

2-Because the antis hate that I have it.

 

It's all about spite

[302w 83]

Why do you shoot handguns? Because putting holes in paper/cans/bottles is fun!

[M1152 713]

So.. I'm a new shooter in general. Only shot a handgun a few times (only took once to get "hooked"). I understand the point of a shotgun if not for hunting or skeet/clay sport (home defense). What is the purpose of a rifle, other than hunting or competition? (Seriously). Or is it "just to have one"?

 

Just wondering why other have a rifle if for reasons other than hunting or competition.

you never shot a 22? believe it or not you use to be able to shoot 22 shorts on the Jersey Shore Board Walk, my guess is that's against law now because of some panty waist in Trenton. We don't want to let people actually see that guns could be fun and everyone that shoots one don't end up on the 6:00PM news.

 

People in this state use to just find an empty lot somewhere and just go shooting w/o a big hassle, now if you do that you get cuffed and carried off to jail. We use to shoot 22's at my brother-in-law old Tomato farm (NJ) for several hours on a Saturday or Sunday. They had an irrigation pond and we sit there shooting dragon flies off the Lillie pads. I started out with rifles and shotguns then got into handguns which I still own and and shoot on occasion but I prefer long guns for my recreational needs

[DSD1026 48]

nope, never shot a 22.. until New years Eve, I had never shot any gun (other than a BB gun when i was a kid) ever. I am what you guys call a "noob", but really got hooked and am just soaking up all sorts of info!

[maintenanceguy 510]

...People in this state use to just find an empty lot somewhere and just go shooting w/o a big hassle, now if you do that you get cuffed and carried off to jail. We use to shoot 22's at my brother-in-law old Tomato farm (NJ) for several hours on a Saturday or Sunday. They had an irrigation pond and we sit there shooting dragon flies off the Lillie pads. I started out with rifles and shotguns then got into handguns which I still own and and shoot on occasion but I prefer long guns for my recreational needs

 

There are still a few places left in the state where you can do that. I am fortunate enough to have grown up and to still live in one of them.

[M1152 713]

nope, never shot a 22.. until New years Eve, I had never shot any gun (other than a BB gun when i was a kid) ever. I am what you guys call a "noob", but really got hooked and am just soaking up all sorts of info!

If that’s the case I’d suggest you get yourself a 22. IMO many serious firearms aficionados regardless of knowledge and skill set own a 22. It is kind of the unwritten rule. They are fun and don’t break the bank. Especially if you have kids and want to take them to the range this way they are included and you don’t have to worry about little Johnny getting blown off the bench with your Mosin–Nagant.

Consider the Ruger 10/22 or the Marlin 60 which is a debate within itself, I have the Marlin 60. Want something different, take a look at the AR7. Obviously I have larger caliber riles and carbines but to me the 22 is still just as much fun to shoot as it was back in the 1960’s when I cracked off my first round.

There are still a few places left in the state where you can do that. I am fortunate enough to have grown up and to still live in one of them.

Enjoy it as long as you can. That's the way to go, your place your rules

[DSD1026 48]

i plan a ruger 10/22 purchase in the future..

[222 3]

Firearms has many facets.

 

If you are curious about rifles, I would suggest buying that 10/22 and converting it into a "Liberty Training Rifle" (Tech-sights + sling + extra magazine) and signing-up for the Appleseed down in Winslow. That's an inexpensive good foundation for standing, sitting and prone. If you earn a patch, it means you have built the skills to engage targets at 100, 200, 300 and 400 yards. Most attendees finish the clinics with more skills than they started with, but most also don't earn the patch.

 

Another aspect of rifles is benchrest. That's folks punching a quarter-inch inch hole 100 to 1000 yards away, then making the next 4 bullets fall into the same hole. Not an inexpensive pass time, but even you just dabble and observe, it is a great way to pick up fundamentals you can carry into all other aspects of shooting.