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looking to buy my first rifle

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25 minutes ago, JasonSeidman said:

Not a gun I ever planned on getting. One day the wife showed me a pic of one and said that looks cool you should get one. AND SHE MEANT IT.  Having never been in such a scenario, I went right to RTSP and got one before her tune changed. I do have to say that I am very pleased with it overall.  That said, not for someone new to firearms. 

:)   :)

 

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On 12/30/2018 at 5:59 PM, Maksim said:

Where are you located?  Visit any of the vendors here and they will have plenty of guns for you to look at.

I do challenge the notion of "id ideally want to buy one rifle and it be top of the line since i really only want a single rifle," because quite frankly... that is a huge fallacy.  

As good as the SCAR is... they are expensive and generally, in NJ you cannot enjoy all of the cool evil features such as that folding stock.

Also, do you want a shooter?  Or a safe queen to show off?  Would you want something for long range shooting?  gun games like 3 gun?  or something more "historically accurate"?  There really is no "top of the line" rifle that does it all really well... there are always trade offs.

If you want really good long range shooting, you would get or build something like a 24" AR in 6.5, 6.8 or 224 Valk.  That gun is going to be extremely accurate, and could be top of the line, but completely impractical for shooting at most NJ ranges, or run and gun stuff, and certainly home defense.

The beauty of the AR platform is that you can have one lower and swap out the upper receivers for different purposes.

So my suggestion, go out and figure out what you want your gun to do, then shop for that purpose.

In the mean time, get a 22lr and go practice practice practice.

In reality, you need at least 12 guns or so, and we discussed this before... but as far as rifles.. you will eventually get/need...

1. 22lr for plinking, cheap shooting.  500 rounds for $20 vs 500 rounds for $125.

2. Home Defense type AR  16" or 14.5" plus brake in 223.

3. Bolt Action longer range 308... Remington 700, Savage 10, etc.

4. Mosin Nagant... cause everyone needs a Mosin... or 2... or 20.

5. AK variant.... because you need a backup gun for when your AR dies down. :lol:

 

im in north jersey across from manhattan, im looking for a reliable ar15 to take to the range, hunt with and god forbid for home defense. i understand the jersey retreat law and certainly wouldnt instantly gun down a home invader, i intend to follow nj gun laws to a T. i seen a daniel defense m4 that i liked for just under 2 grand, i dont mind spending that much on it since i know DD makes top quality rifles. as for long range shooting i suppose i can pick up a scar 20s further down the line if i decide i want to get into long range shooting, thats one of my dream rifles. 

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4 hours ago, JasonSeidman said:

I’ve spent many hours and shells learning just how far left I pull, but a laser may be a nice touch!

The pull to the left is because your right hand is acting as a fulcrum due to the recoil.  Get some Herter's 2 1/4" buckshot.  Helps tremendously with controllability. I bought a bunch of it several months ago.  No adapter needed like the Aquila and feeds 100% in any pump I've used it in.  6 pieces of 00.  Anything you hit with 6 pieces of 00 will swear it was hit by 8 or 9. 

I also put a ring of friction tape where the birds head grip meets the receiver.  Helps prevent your hand from sliding up which helps prevent the pull to the left.  Not a sexy, tactical fix but it works.

I have no problem making 25-30 yard center mass hits with my Shockwave using what I related.

I'm not a big fan of lasers.  They have their place but on a SD gun you need to be watching your target not looking for the laser.

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12 hours ago, JasonSeidman said:

That’s so true.  I love my shockwave, not sure how in any way it’s practical but boy is it fun to shoot!!!

I know what you mean! I'm looking to get me a Mare's Leg for the same reason.

Think back: Steve McQueen in "Wanted dead or alive" TV series, I think it was the 50's or 60's. So cool the way that thing got shot from the hip. B.S. I know, but,,,,,,,,sure seems fun.

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On 12/30/2018 at 11:29 PM, Oakridgefirearms said:

LOL, heard that before - then a year later they saying how they need to buy another safe because the one they have is full.

Anyone who can fill a safe in a year and keep going has WAY TOO MUCH spending money!!! :good:

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11 hours ago, JasonSeidman said:

Not a gun I ever planned on getting. One day the wife showed me a pic of one and said that looks cool you should get one. AND SHE MEANT IT.  Having never been in such a scenario, I went right to RTSP and got one before her tune changed. I do have to say that I am very pleased with it overall.  That said, not for someone new to firearms. 

"that looks cool you should get one. AND SHE MEANT IT."

Tell her you have your replacement gent (ME!!! ) all picked out for her if you pass before her.  As a widow, you'll want her well taken care of, and I'm just the guy to be there for her.

 

P.S. Let her know I'll take good care of your gun collection too. 

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2 hours ago, 345Sire said:

Anyone who can fill a safe in a year and keep going has WAY TOO MUCH spending money!!! :good:

Just remember, you can't take that cash with you when you go.

Plus, don't you know the law and creed? "He who dies with the most toys.... WINS!"

 

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Unless you need that .458 SOCOM for hunting, punching holes in paper is just burning money.

I'd also say skip buying a .22 rifle or handgun. Unless you are a child or have some sort of disability that prevents you from safely handling a 9mm or 223, the .22 will feel like a glorified BB gun after your 1st mag change.

I'd say pick up a decent AR and 9mm handgun. 9mm and .223 are both extremely manageable in terms of recoil and will serve a variety of purposes beyond punching holes in paper. Affordable, tons of options, tons of ammo available as well. Save the money you would have spent on a more exotic caliber and either go to a IDPA or some other training class and learn to shoot it.  Keep shooting it. As you get more familiar with it, you can start changing things like handguards or triggers, or you can build up a new gun. 

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1 hour ago, shooter28 said:

I'd also say skip buying a .22 rifle or handgun. Unless you are a child or have some sort of disability

Or unless you want to learn to shoot really well.   The only thing that will teach you the fundamentals better than a .22 is a precision air rifle or pisltol.  The “glorified BB gun” you mentioned. 

 

Handling recoil isn’t a fundamental, it’s a distraction, best addressed only after you have a solid grasp of the fundamentals

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4 minutes ago, 10X said:

Or unless you want to learn to shoot really well.   The only thing that will teach you the fundamentals as well as a .22 is a precision air rifle or pistol.  The very “glorified BB gun” you mentioned. 

You can learn to shoot well on bigger calibers just as easily. Im not saying he should jump in a something huge but 9mm and .223 rifles have very mild recoil and are easily handled by just about anyone. There is enough recoil that forces you to focus on all the fundamentals without being overwhelmed by the explosion happening right in front of your face. With a .22, you can muscle the hell out of it with a crappy stance and you still can shoot well. Step it up to a bigger caliber and suddenly you cant muscle the gun and your poor stance now is the cause of your recoil management problems. 

Being able to smoothly pull a trigger doesnt require a small caliber gun. Pulling a trigger is pulling a trigger. Lining up iron sights or a red dot is the same regardless of caliber. Being able to read wind just takes practice and will be different for every caliber. You can learn how much the wind will push a tiny .22 around at different distances but the second you step up to a bigger round, you will need to completely readjust as a .223 or .308 will be completely different than a .22. 

 

 

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I disagree.  I’ve competed and coached at a pretty high level for a few decades—in a bunch of disciplines—and starting from scratch with centerfire rifles and pistols is never recommended if you want to be competitive.  You won’t learn follow through correctly, it’s much harder to call your shots, and the increased recoil can mask a host of errors of in the shooter’s technique.  And I don’t even know where to start with the whole  ‘muscle the hell out of it...and you can still shoot well’ comment in regards to .22s

There is a reason competitive shooters spend endless hours dry firing.  The absence of recoil makes it easy to spot and correct errors in technique. 

If you just want to blast away and have fun, fine.  I enjoy blasting away, too.  But that’s not the path to mastery. 

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2 hours ago, 10X said:

I disagree.  I’ve competed and coached at a pretty high level for a few decades—in a bunch of disciplines—and starting from scratch with centerfire rifles and pistols is never recommended if you want to be competitive.  You won’t learn follow through correctly, it’s much harder to call your shots, and the increased recoil can mask a host of errors of in the shooter’s technique.  And I don’t even know where to start with the whole  ‘muscle the hell out of it...and you can still shoot well’ comment in regards to .22s

There is a reason competitive shooters spend endless hours dry firing.  The absence of recoil makes it easy to spot and correct errors in technique. 

If you just want to blast away and have fun, fine.  I enjoy blasting away, too.  But that’s not the path to mastery. 

Maybe he doesn’t want to compete or be a Master. Maybe he just wants to shoot stuff.

Scar20 FTW!

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45 minutes ago, GRIZ said:

I want to get a Quigley Sharps!!!

The pedersoli replicas are sweet. I got to shoot one and was ringing steel at 200 yards at a range next to moroso speedway in Jupiter FL. The bullet was so slow that I had time to gently set the rifle down then hear the bullet impact the going. 

We took it out hog hunting  it diddent see any that day

 I cant imagine what a 45/120 would do to a hog but id bet we wouldent have to track it. 

https://www.buffaloarms.com/pedersoli-1874-sharps-q-down-under-sporting-rifle-34-45-120-45x3-1-4-black-powder-cartridge-rifle-s789000

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22 hours ago, Sniper said:

Just remember, you can't take that cash with you when you go.

Plus, don't you know the law and creed? "He who dies with the most toys.... WINS!"

 

Tell that bit about taking it with you to the Egyptian Pharaohs. :icon_e_wink:

To paraphrase Patton, "He who makes the OTHER guy die with less toys wins" !  :p

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18 hours ago, shooter28 said:

I'd also say skip buying a .22 rifle or handgun. Unless you are a child or have some sort of disability that prevents you from safely handling a 9mm or 223, the .22 will feel like a glorified BB gun after your 1st mag change.

Glorified BB gun, hmm,,,,,,,

There are a multitude of .22 shooters who'd disagree, and a bunch of them have no discernible disability. Several "rimfire" forums out there are filled with shooters, even long distance ones.

I  think (but can't swear to it) more .22 ammunition is sold than any other, and I don't think (but again, can't swear to it) that's solely due to it's low cost.

 How about hunting? Picture taking down a squirrel, rabbit or other "small game" with a .223 or similar?  

Oooh, a new product category, the .50 caliber food processor! Minces and dices, purees grouse in an instant! :mutley:

To steal a quote from someone else on here, "just sayen". :icon_e_smile:

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16 hours ago, fishnut said:

I've never grown tired of shooting .22 and its the most common caliber in my collection. I've been shooting for 27 years and I dont think I'll ever get tired of .22s 

Just my 2 cents 

I think your 2 cents is really 22 cents! 

I've recently lost track of just how much .22 ammo I have laying around with my recent bargain hunting. Kinda got lost in the mess. But it's plenty.

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Guess I should have thought more about the .22. They might be a great way to learn but to me, its just no fun after shooting a bigger caliber. They just dont keep my interest in all. My dad has a .22 and occasionally will bring it to the range and its just.....boring. Maybe you can diagnose some errors easier but my thought is dry firing and throwing some snap caps in a 9mm, and you can spot the same errors and fix them. Same thing goes for a rifle. Again, its just a 9mm and .223- there aint a whole lot of recoil, especially in NJ when most ARs have some sort of brake or comp. 

And for hunting, I was thinking deer, coyotes, etc. For rabbit and squirrels, I use an actual BB gun haha. 

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2 hours ago, 345Sire said:

I think your 2 cents is really 22 cents! 

I've recently lost track of just how much .22 ammo I have laying around with my recent bargain hunting. Kinda got lost in the mess. But it's plenty.

Oh yeah with the sales over the holidays I ended up buying 10k of 22 rounds. I'm good for a while. 

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.22 is a lot of fun, outstanding caliber to learn on and forgiving. 

also, whoever said it's a bb gun fun type caliber is smoking crack.  I think it's actually #1 or 2 for kills with a handgun.  Besides that, such ignorance is dangerous, would not shoot with someone like that for fear of them being full retard at the range

anyone learning to shoot ought to do a few things;

1.get a 22lr

2.use only irons

3.practice practice practice (precludes a bigger caliber due to cost).  Practice at different ranges, different weights, and with different targets.  The 22lr is so much fun

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i never said a .22 wasnt lethal- not sure where you are getting that from let alone saying im now ignorant and dangerous at the range. ive shot with a few guys here in classes and there never been an issue. i only said its boring for me. that doesnt make me a full retard at the range.

you learn to shoot the way you want to shoot. not everyone is the same. you want to use a 22 and irons? cool- go right ahead. if other people want to use a slightly bigger caliber and a red dot (since they have completely taken over the market)- cool. you want to talk about keeping it simple, putting a dot on a target is much simpler for a new guy than lining up multiple planes and keeping everything together. when my uncle (who competes,  is NRA instructor certified and been shooting since he was a kid) got me into shooting when I was young, he started me on a glock 17/19, and a colt hbar AR15 with an acog. worked just fine for me. 

and of course practice is the most important part. 9mm and .223 isnt that expensive. if you are blasting aways hundreds and hundreds of rounds at a range trip, you arent practicing anymore, regardless of if its .22lr or .9mm. you can practice just fine with moderate ammo counts. most intro and level 1 classes taught by some very well know instructors require at least a 9mm for handgun and .223 for rifle. good ones have ammo or time limits for their classes because they know after so many rounds or so much time, you arent learning any more.   

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29 minutes ago, shooter28 said:

i never said a .22 wasnt lethal- not sure where you are getting that from let alone saying im now ignorant and dangerous at the range. ive shot with a few guys here in classes and there never been an issue. i only said its boring for me. that doesnt make me a full retard at the range.

you learn to shoot the way you want to shoot. not everyone is the same. you want to use a 22 and irons? cool- go right ahead. if other people want to use a slightly bigger caliber and a red dot (since they have completely taken over the market)- cool. you want to talk about keeping it simple, putting a dot on a target is much simpler for a new guy than lining up multiple planes and keeping everything together. when my uncle (who competes,  is NRA instructor certified and been shooting since he was a kid) got me into shooting when I was young, he started me on a glock 17/19, and a colt hbar AR15 with an acog. worked just fine for me. 

and of course practice is the most important part. 9mm and .223 isnt that expensive. if you are blasting aways hundreds and hundreds of rounds at a range trip, you arent practicing anymore, regardless of if its .22lr or .9mm. you can practice just fine with moderate ammo counts. most intro and level 1 classes taught by some very well know instructors require at least a 9mm for handgun and .223 for rifle. good ones have ammo or time limits for their classes because they know after so many rounds or so much time, you arent learning any more.   

I am with you man... This topic went way off course. A new guy to the forum comes in and asks about getting a 458 SOCOM or a SCAR or an AR and all the professional operators here insist that he go out and buy a 10/22. This is all after he is accused at being a internet troll for asking advice. Nice warming bunch we have here. No wonder why there are not many new people posting.

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wow. what happend here... this thread has turned... well "special", yea we will go with that.

.22LR is the best caliber to practice the fundamentals of marksmanship etc. 

that being said, im with some of the others, i fn hate shooting it. i keep getting out of .22, and i know another one is in my future, because when it comes time to teach the fundimentals of shooting with the boys, 22LR.

I have spent hours pinking with a .22, and if i could walk out of my house and shoot, i would plink alot more with .22, and i wish i could, but no, for the limited amount that i get to shoot now a days i really dont want to spend it with a 22. I should but i dont.

I spend as much time as i can with my go to weapons platforms, then get my hands on anything i can to shoot for familiarity.

Everyone has a different path, maybe we'd have bigger numbers if well threads didnt go like this. and im guilty of it too at times, dont get me wrong.

 

and if we really want to go debating the lethality of .22 it all comes down to 3things SHOT PLACEMENT SHOT PLACEMENT and SHOT PLACEMENT. you can kill someone with .22 and you can fail at shooting yourself with 22 (i read a thing by former sabers goaltender Clint Malarchuk the other day, has his failed attempt on my mind) , just depends on where it goes :D

 

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