Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

What kind of advice does anybody have for a first gun? But not like a cricket or an amateur gun. But like one that's not expensive to shoot or buy. I was thinking along the lines of a Marlin 980s, because i really love bolt actions!

What will you be using it for? Hunting? Self Defense? Or???

There are too many variables for us to make a suggestion. Once we know what it will be primarily used for, I am sure that you will receive multiple suggestions from all of the friendly people here!

Yarddawg wrote:What will you be using it for? Hunting? Self Defense? Or???

There are too many variables for us to make a suggestion. Once we know what it will be primarily used for, I am sure that you will receive multiple suggestions from all of the friendly people here!

Just plinking and I would like to be able to mount optics.

I like a Ruger 10/22 for cheap plinking. Mine has a cheap scope on it. It's a fun little gun to shoot, especially with a 25 round magazine. And you can get .22 ammo cheap compared to many others.

If you like bolt actions you should look at the CZ. Their .22s are great shooters. I think the 513 is about $250.00.
I have a 452 Ultra lux long barrel. Outstanding shooter.

Raoul wrote:If you like bolt actions you should look at the CZ. Their .22s are great shooters. I think the 513 is about $250.00.
I have a 452 Ultra lux long barrel. Outstanding shooter.

Thanks I'll definitely check that out! And sorry for not mentioning before,Rick, but my my brother already has a Ruger 10/22 lol.

If you want to shoot something bigger than .22 than you might want to try out a mosin nagant. The gun can be had for 100$ and the ammo is about 20 cents per round if you get milsurp ammo.

I thought the ammo was expensive?

NickLikesGuns wrote:I thought the ammo was expensive?

The hunting rounds go for 20$ to 30$ for a box of 20.The milsurp ammo is 20 cents a round.

Raoul wrote:If you like bolt actions you should look at the CZ. Their .22s are great shooters. I think the 513 is about $250.00.
I have a 452 Ultra lux long barrel. Outstanding shooter.

+1

CZ makes some very nice bolts for the money.

I'm starting to get the sense that cz makes good guns. (chuckle chuckle)

jim100 wrote:

NickLikesGuns wrote:I thought the ammo was expensive?

The hunting rounds go for 20$ to 30$ for a box of 20.The milsurp ammo is 20 cents a round.

Please keep in mind that what Jim 100 says is true. Military surplus ammo is very cheap. But cheap has a price. Most of the Milsurp ammo has corrosive primers. You will need to clean your rifle after each use with in a few hours at the very least or you will end up having pitting in the barrel.

Absolutely nothing wrong with shooting Milsurp ammo. I've done it and will do it again. Why not, the ammo is cheap and easy to find. Just clean your weopon!!

Several people beat me to it, but I've got to add my vote for a CZ also.
Several years ago I bought a CZ 452 Trainer, which is a CZ 452 Lux long barrel except with a beechwood stock instead of walnut.
I bought a Richards Microfit target stock for it that I've yet to finish inletting and pillar bedding.
I did pillar bed the beechwood stock, fire lap and float the barrel, and do a trigger job to reduce the trigger down to ~1.25#.
I've got a 6-24 x 40mm scope on it right now. This is the configuration I used a couple of years ago for benchrest competition.
I'm about to upgrade to a 10-40 x 50mm scope.

BELEIVE ME - This is a very low budget benchrest setup!!!

 OBTW - I qualified NRA Light Rifle Distinguished Expert with this rifle with a 9 power Weaver scope.

The 50 yd. benchrest competition I was in used a target that has a 1/16" diameter aim point (bull) and a 100 ring that is 9/16" in diameter.

AlanM wrote:Several people beat me to it, but I've got to add my vote for a CZ also.
Several years ago I bought a CZ 452 Trainer, which is a CZ 452 Lux long barrel except with a beechwood stock instead of walnut.
I bought a Richards Microfit target stock for it that I've yet to finish inletting and pillar bedding.
I did pillar bed the beechwood stock, fire lap and float the barrel, and do a trigger job to reduce the trigger down to ~1.25#.
I've got a 6-24 x 40mm scope on it right now. This is the configuration I used a couple of years ago for benchrest competition.
I'm about to upgrade to a 10-40 x 50mm scope.

BELEIVE ME - This is a very low budget benchrest setup!!!

 OBTW - I qualified NRA Light Rifle Distinguished Expert with this rifle with a 9 power Weaver scope.

The 50 yd. benchrest competition I was in used a target that has a 1/16" diameter aim point (bull) and a 100 ring that is 9/16" in diameter.

That is very cool. The CZ really is a shooter.

Raoul wrote:

AlanM wrote:Several people beat me to it, but I've got to add my vote for a CZ also.
Several years ago I bought a CZ 452 Trainer, which is a CZ 452 Lux long barrel except with a beechwood stock instead of walnut.
I bought a Richards Microfit target stock for it that I've yet to finish inletting and pillar bedding.
I did pillar bed the beechwood stock, fire lap and float the barrel, and do a trigger job to reduce the trigger down to ~1.25#.
I've got a 6-24 x 40mm scope on it right now. This is the configuration I used a couple of years ago for benchrest competition.
I'm about to upgrade to a 10-40 x 50mm scope.

BELEIVE ME - This is a very low budget benchrest setup!!!

 OBTW - I qualified NRA Light Rifle Distinguished Expert with this rifle with a 9 power Weaver scope.

The 50 yd. benchrest competition I was in used a target that has a 1/16" diameter aim point (bull) and a 100 ring that is 9/16" in diameter.

That is very cool. The CZ really is a shooter.

It does sound very cool. Any chance you can post a picture?

BlueTiki wrote:

jim100 wrote:

NickLikesGuns wrote:I thought the ammo was expensive?

The hunting rounds go for 20$ to 30$ for a box of 20.The milsurp ammo is 20 cents a round.

Please keep in mind that what Jim 100 says is true. Military surplus ammo is very cheap. But cheap has a price. Most of the Milsurp ammo has corrosive primers. You will need to clean your rifle after each use with in a few hours at the very least or you will end up having pitting in the barrel.

Absolutely nothing wrong with shooting Milsurp ammo. I've done it and will do it again. Why not, the ammo is cheap and easy to find. Just clean your weopon!!

I shoot mostly indoor the biggest they allow is 7.62x39. So I wouldn't get much chance to shoot it much.

I put a cheap Redhead scope on it to play with.

Raoul wrote:

I put a cheap Redhead scope on it to play with.

That is awesome! Nice gun! Are the rails milled in?