What is the ideal first rifle for someone in nz. Just wondering what you think best make, model, and calbire for a first rifle is. It will be use mainly on deer, pigs and goats but also on tahr and chamois. price range is anywhere up to $1600
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What is the ideal first rifle for someone in nz. Just wondering what you think best make, model, and calbire for a first rifle is. It will be use mainly on deer, pigs and goats but also on tahr and chamois. price range is anywhere up to $1600
disregard what every body else says and get a tikka in 6.5.
Now duck Quickly!Quote:
Originally Posted by ht5455
Ideal first rifle is probably a jw15 22lr but if you must skip that step then probably a Tikka in any cal between 243 and 3006.
Something reliable but cheap and second-hand, so you don't lose much/any $ changing once you get a bit of experience and figure out what you really want.
Yup this. Get something, shoot the crap out of it and realise then what you really want - calibre, stock, trigger, scope, bipod, ammunition - then go out and buy *that* one with all the bells and whistles you can afford.Quote:
Originally Posted by GravelBen
But because there is no *best* rifle and you've written it's a first rifle, grab a .22 and shoot the living daylights out. It's cheap to shoot, easy to learn safety on and easy/quiet to shoot anywhere.
ruger american- cheap $799(theres a few around for $500 or so near new) - great rifles- resale value will be a lot better than if you spend 1000-1500....
Go to a shop and try - buy the one you like.
Best advice I ever got and it's what I did and I love it.
That is really good advice GB.Quote:
Originally Posted by GravelBen
Handle as many makes and models as you can, they will just about all fit your body in a different way. you want to shoulder it and for it to be comfortable. then go find that rifle as gravelben said secondhand is best. spend the money on optics and for you i would seriously look at 30/06 if you think its a bit of a thumper slap a limb saver on it that will stop any chance of a flinch developing. dont get talked into a muzzle brake unless you want to hunt with earmuffs.
Ditto on the .22LR comments ... but to answer the question. 25 years ago I asked Bill McLeod at Sportways Gunshed in Auckalnd the exact same question and he put a bunch of second hand .243's in my hands and I chose a boring old reliable & bullet-proof Ruger MkI(?)in .243.
I shot everything with it for 10 years ... from bunnies to tahr. Today, my mate owns it and he is carrying on that tradition of the one calibre for a whole lot of game. I have replaced it with a number of calibers depending on what I'm hunting ... and funnily enough, I'm looking at a Sauer Outback in .243. What goes around ... comes around eh?!?!
Nothing wrong with the .243 or poo43 as some people discribe them it's what I run and is my first centre fire and can't fault it @$1100 brand new from memory
This type of question pops up from time to time and the myriad answers usually ends up very confusing for the person who asked the question. But hers my two cents...
Firstly, there is no ideal calibre nor rifle for hunting the range of animals you want to hunt. When you say "first rifle", I am hoping you have already spent plenty of time shooting a .22 out in the field, so your question is about a weapon for larger game. If not, best advice is to get a .22 and go bunny hunting to learn al the basics.
For the range of NZs larger game animals, personal preferences will have hunters swearing by any calibre from 6mm/.243 up to 7mm Ultra Magnum and .30-06. Smaller calibres may lack knock over power, while larger calibres will boot the shit out of you with recoil. If your only going to shoot while hunting, then recoil isn't really a problem, because shots will be few and far between. But if you're going to shoot lots of goats or targets, I'd highly recommend a smaller calibre of 6.5mm/.270 or less.
I started on .303 and .308 & developed a flinch due to excessive repetitive recoil while competition target shooting. It took years to get over it and I now absolutely swear by 6.5x55 for everything. Minimal recoil, massive knock down energy and good range. I've never hunted tahr at long range and would probably invest in a 7mmSAUM if I was going to hunt them.
My suggestion to you is to buy a second hand .243/6.5x55/.308 with a good scope on it for around $800. Shoot the hell out of it on targets and animals and see if does what you want. If it does, maybe buy a new one. If not, you'll know which way you need to go instead.
Good luck, be safe and have fun!
Good advice @huntforlife.
Rifles are expensive. Scopes expensive.
Get one second hand and shoot the hell out of it and learn from the experience.
Tim
SKS?
* Cheap
* Rugged
* Reliable
* 7.62x39 knock down power
* Cheap ammo
* Little more accurate than an AK.
savage weather warrior.
Sako | Trade Me
See if this guy would do you a deal without the scope. I know it will still be a couple hundred more than wanting to sell but is a great rifle.
Mate, that rifle is a fine recommendation, but very pricey. Wish I had those dollars spare ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by mcche171
One of those deer finding ones!!! they are any price you want:D.My first rifle was a Weatherby 270 it killed deer my second was a Winchester 243 it also killed deer my third is a semi custom 260AI it also kills deer, neither of them are tikka and the first two incl scopes were under 1200
buy the best deal as long as its from 5.56mm to 7mm it will cover all your bases regaurdless of its brand.
Fixed it for ya;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Neckshot
Nice fix atleast you didn't try to put tikka in there VC:ORLY:.Its the nut behind the butt no sexual pun intended.................for a changeQuote:
Originally Posted by veitnamcam
Call the doctor neckers is feeling crook :PQuote:
Originally Posted by Neckshot
Had my fill last night:DQuote:
Originally Posted by hunter308
Sent from my HUAWEI Y210-0100 using Tapatalk 2
Quote:
Originally Posted by hunter308
Sounds like he hasn't been feeling himself lately. :)
Not last night atleast :DQuote:
Originally Posted by 7mmsaum
Sent from my HUAWEI Y210-0100 using Tapatalk 2
A second hand Tikka in 7mm 08 or 308 is what I'd suggest. Although, 243, 270, 6.5x55, 3006 would all do you well.
Should be able to find a good price on one with a Burris Fullfield II/2, which would have to be the nicest cheapish scope for typical NZ hunting use.
Some stores have good deals on new Tikka's with the Burris, which would be in your price range.
The T3 seems to be a fav in NZ; great rifle no doubt, shot my first goat with one in 6.5x55! It'd be my first choice for an 'all said and done' rifle, especially if you could get one used with the optics already on it.
Having said that, my precision rifle and deer hunting rifle are both based on Stevens 200 actions, which is the go to action for a lot of budget shooters that want lego rifles. It doesn't look like they're too easy to come by in NZ and getting aftermarket goodies for it could be way more trouble (and money) than it's worth but there's a bit of reading in the link below.
h ttp://www.mysticprecision.com/wp/1556/info-on-the-stevens-200/
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