Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Explain to me why I shouldn't buy a Savage or Marlin .22 LR for <$200

Slims · 11-07-2006, 05:34 PM

Your plan sounds excellent. I have a whole bunch of nice rifles and pistols that I cannot afford to shoot frequently because the ammunition is so expensive. It is not difficult to run through 500 rounds in an afternoon (unless you are budget conscious). You can find a decent used .22 rifle for $100 or maybe even a little less. A simple bolt action .22 is easy and cheap to make well. Don't buy a bottom of the barrel .22 pistol...you will probably regret it. Browning and Ruger both make excellent pistols, and you can find them for a good discount used, but stay away from the really cheap off-brands. Also remember that whatever you buy, you will probably be able to sell it for close to your purchase price so you will really only be out money for the ammunition.

Taking care of a firearm also has a learning curve...which solvents melt your expensive polymer frame, how often you really need to oil them to keep them from rusting, how to avoid wearing a grove in the muzzle from your cleaning rod, etc. It wouldn't hurt to make your initial mistakes on a less expensive, more forgiving firearm like a smallbore rifle.

A long gun (rifle) is a good place to start. Since both of you are relatively new to shooting a rifle is probably your best bet, at least initially. And a .22lr is probably the best caliber as well.

I recommend a rifle because it is more difficult to make the sort of stupid mistake that results in someone getting shot. Trust me when I tell you that a lot of beginners do some really off the wall things with a pistol which are just less likely to happen with a rifle. For instance, if you are standing next to someone with a pistol, it is very easy to turn and point it at them if you have a problem or get distracted; the length of a rifle makes that more difficult. Also, you very rarely hear of people shooting themselves with their rifles, but it happens with pistols all the time. You should know and expect to obey the rules of gun safety, but realize that beginners (especially unsupervised ones) are likely to make unintentional mistakes.

.22lr is probably the best cartridge to start out on for several reasons:
1: It is cheap enough you can afford to shoot it lots. If you learn to shoot with a .22 you will be able to transition to a higher caliber weapon fairly easily. But if you buy a higher caliber weapon you may not be able to afford to shoot it enough to develop any real skill.

2: It has low noise and recoil: Noise and recoil are the biggest contributors to bad habits. People start to anticipate them and eventually will eventually develop a flinch that will haunt them for the rest of their shooting career. It is also much easier to evaluate shot placement, follow through, etc. with a weapon that doesn't knock you around.

3: It is non-threatening for your girlfriend. My wife and I took a neighbor and his wife out shooting not too long ago. We made the mistake of assuming that she had shot before and when she saw me shoot my .40 cal. pistol she started to cry and refused to shoot. We had to go back and get her a .22 so she could participate without being afraid.

After you have both become acustomed to shooting you will have a better understanding of where your needs lie and what your next purchase should be. For defense you may at that time want to look into more effective calibers, but only if your lady is willing and able to handle them. Also, just by spending some time at the range you will be able to see what other people are using and probably get some good instruction and ideas.

11-07-2006, 05:34 PM	#6 (permalink)
Slims Eccentric insomniac Location: North Carolina	Your plan sounds excellent. I have a whole bunch of nice rifles and pistols that I cannot afford to shoot frequently because the ammunition is so expensive. It is not difficult to run through 500 rounds in an afternoon (unless you are budget conscious). You can find a decent used .22 rifle for $100 or maybe even a little less. A simple bolt action .22 is easy and cheap to make well. Don't buy a bottom of the barrel .22 pistol...you will probably regret it. Browning and Ruger both make excellent pistols, and you can find them for a good discount used, but stay away from the really cheap off-brands. Also remember that whatever you buy, you will probably be able to sell it for close to your purchase price so you will really only be out money for the ammunition. Taking care of a firearm also has a learning curve...which solvents melt your expensive polymer frame, how often you really need to oil them to keep them from rusting, how to avoid wearing a grove in the muzzle from your cleaning rod, etc. It wouldn't hurt to make your initial mistakes on a less expensive, more forgiving firearm like a smallbore rifle. A long gun (rifle) is a good place to start. Since both of you are relatively new to shooting a rifle is probably your best bet, at least initially. And a .22lr is probably the best caliber as well. I recommend a rifle because it is more difficult to make the sort of stupid mistake that results in someone getting shot. Trust me when I tell you that a lot of beginners do some really off the wall things with a pistol which are just less likely to happen with a rifle. For instance, if you are standing next to someone with a pistol, it is very easy to turn and point it at them if you have a problem or get distracted; the length of a rifle makes that more difficult. Also, you very rarely hear of people shooting themselves with their rifles, but it happens with pistols all the time. You should know and expect to obey the rules of gun safety, but realize that beginners (especially unsupervised ones) are likely to make unintentional mistakes. .22lr is probably the best cartridge to start out on for several reasons: 1: It is cheap enough you can afford to shoot it lots. If you learn to shoot with a .22 you will be able to transition to a higher caliber weapon fairly easily. But if you buy a higher caliber weapon you may not be able to afford to shoot it enough to develop any real skill. 2: It has low noise and recoil: Noise and recoil are the biggest contributors to bad habits. People start to anticipate them and eventually will eventually develop a flinch that will haunt them for the rest of their shooting career. It is also much easier to evaluate shot placement, follow through, etc. with a weapon that doesn't knock you around. 3: It is non-threatening for your girlfriend. My wife and I took a neighbor and his wife out shooting not too long ago. We made the mistake of assuming that she had shot before and when she saw me shoot my .40 cal. pistol she started to cry and refused to shoot. We had to go back and get her a .22 so she could participate without being afraid. After you have both become acustomed to shooting you will have a better understanding of where your needs lie and what your next purchase should be. For defense you may at that time want to look into more effective calibers, but only if your lady is willing and able to handle them. Also, just by spending some time at the range you will be able to see what other people are using and probably get some good instruction and ideas. __________________ "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." - Winston Churchill "All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act out their dream with open eyes, to make it possible." Seven Pillars of Wisdom, T.E. Lawrence Last edited by Slims; 11-07-2006 at 05:39 PM..