Thread: First centrefire rifle

Originally Posted by un4giv3n

Yeah it was at Cu Chi tunnels dogmatix, It would be cool to try some centrefires before I decide what I want/am comfortable with. I was going to get a .22 but I have done a bit of shooting with a .22 and was kind of wanting to get something bigger. Hard to try out other calibers when everyone I know who shoots either has moved or does not normally shoot rifles anymore (someone has offered to take me shotgun shooting)

I wont be at the NZDA Auckland range in Riverhead again until 10 August, so if you can wait until then you can have a try at:

.223 Sako 75
6.5x55 Swe Tikka T3
.270 Sako 75
.308 Vepr
The Remington 700 30-06 isn't mine and doesn't have a scope, but I wouldn't recommend that as a first rifle anyway!

Originally Posted by dogmatix

I wont be at the NZDA Auckland range in Riverhead again until 10 August, so if you can wait until then you can have a try at:

.223 Sako 75
6.5x55 Swe Tikka T3
.270 Sako 75
.308 Vepr
The Remington 700 30-06 isn't mine and doesn't have a scope, but I wouldn't recommend that as a first rifle anyway!

Sounds good, probably wont be looking at getting a rifle before then anyways (have to get my FAL first anyways), hopefully will be able to make it out there as I am way out south

Cool, keep in touch and we'll tee it up closer to the time.

Hopefully the new Ardmore range isn't too far off, so that is something to look forward to.

Originally Posted by dogmatix

Cool, keep in touch and we'll tee it up closer to the time.

Hopefully the new Ardmore range isn't too far off, so that is something to look forward to.

Sounds good Yeah, the Defence force range is pretty good, last time I shot was shooting there with cadets but didn't shoot all that much, had to watch all the little cadets learn how to shoot

Nice selection of Rifles to have a play with!

Very generous offer that... you be able to gauge your recoil level.

I still reckon the humble 22 is a pretty good place to start. Cheapest calibre to shoot, fun as hell. and great to learn all the fundimentals on.

3-4 hundy will pick you up a good yankee one which will shoot tacs and provide you with years and years of service.

a jw15 scoped cheap as chips 120-150 not much to spend for a cheep practice gun and buy your centerfire as well
biggest piece of advice
1 spend as much as you can afford with rifles you get what you pay for
2 buy a good scope so meny people go and spend 1500 on a rifle and top it with $150 worth of cheep shit class........I was once told "good glass is just as important as a good rifle after all if you cant see the target it don't matter how good the rifle is

Originally Posted by Nick-D

I still reckon the humble 22 is a pretty good place to start. Cheapest calibre to shoot, fun as hell. and great to learn all the fundimentals on.

3-4 hundy will pick you up a good yankee one which will shoot tacs and provide you with years and years of service.

Absolutely right mate. I have a 10/22 that I used today to knock off 3 bunnies. Got one marinating the fridge for tomorrows dinner. A 22 is fun to shoot and an excellent filler when you can't get to a bigger farm or range.

Take your time and work out what type of shooting you would like to do and what type of shooting you'll actually do.
A couple or three years ago I finally got my fal. I had always done a fair amount of shooting on my uncles farm, using his guns so never needed to get my own. When I did get it I bought a ruger 10/22, a shot gun and a 223. Then I bought shortly after a norinco Jw15a with the over barrel suppressor because it was bolt action so my then 12yr old son wasn't going to use a semi 22. I now only have the norinco and the 223 out out that lot and I just bought a ruger 17hmr. The reason for selling the 10/22 was the norinco is so good I found myself having that in preference over the 10/22. I sold my shot gun because I want using it much at all and the type of shooting I found myself doing is small game hunting on the farm with occasional goat hunt. At the moment I have the rifles that suit how and what I shoot. The Jw15a for possum, hmr for rabbits, hare and pest birds at longer ranges than the Jw15a is capable of and the 223 if I go on a goat hunt. I'm not one for deer stalking so don't need anything bigger so no point spending coin on that type of rifle. If I was wealthy which I'm not, I'd have a rifle in every caliber just cause, but that's not how it is.

Sent from my work bench

Originally Posted by un4giv3n

Yeah it was at Cu Chi tunnels dogmatix, It would be cool to try some centrefires before I decide what I want/am comfortable with. I was going to get a .22 but I have done a bit of shooting with a .22 and was kind of wanting to get something bigger. Hard to try out other calibers when everyone I know who shoots either has moved or does not normally shoot rifles anymore (someone has offered to take me shotgun shooting)

6.5x55 will see you right. light on recoil and very able to knock over some meat for the freezer

Is there anywhere to shoot centrefires in Auckland other than the Deer stalkers range in Riverhead and the Waiuku pistol club?

Guys, i have "nothing to do with all the "picking" and "hard time" you guys give each other. All the opinions here are excellent and does not matter what kind rifle you get you will enjoy it. Rifle selection is very personal and a good "google" search in calibers regards performance and "costs" will give you a good base.
As said, my humble opinion is, as a "learner" a .22 is perfect to plink and some shooting technic practice, as you want to shoot critters you may need a "bigger" caliber, so, a .223 is a great rifle over all for Target shooting at many different range as you progress and some small ish animals, then come the "big knock down" calibers. The 308 is the must popular anywhere you go, a 30-06 has been a great all around cartridge too for ages and the good old 270 winchester so popular for the "flat" trajectory and now the "new comes" 7mm-08 and 6.5x55 are getting up there for shooters with some experience in shot placement etc in animals and Long range target shooting for the 6.5 caliber.
Many forgot to say, the 7.62X39 caliber is a great caliber too and lately with some "CHEAP" ammo deals, it will do you to play in the range and kill any critters in the bush.

My advise, think carefully about exactly what kind shooting you want to do, research about calibers and performances and ASK all this great people you have in this forum to help you.

Welcome and all the best.

highly recommend go check out your local club before going out and buying anything, try a few different cal's out from members there get educated before you make a decision what people suggest might be well in good but doesn't mean it will suit you as an individual. but you cant go wrong with a .22 everyone has to have one.22 bolt action jw15 or if you go semi a marlin 795 for out the box accuracy

If you want a cheap gun without too much kick you can't go past an SKS semi-auto which fires the cheapest centrefire ammo you can easily get. If you want something bigger that kicks like a cornered girl-scout but still cheap then a Mosin Nagant has sight marks out to 2km and can shoot cheap ammo ($1 per round) too. Both are very robust, incredibly easy to maintain and disassemble and require no special tools (most jobs can be done using just a live round). They both also accessorise quite nicely without having to mortgage the house for parts.

Swedish mauser, 6.5x55, you may have to fix up earlier owners' poor attempts at sporterising but I'm thinking it would be one of the cheaper ways to lay your hands on something that is fundamentally sound. Nice calibre, would suit your requirements I think.