First Rifle Choice for the Novice Hunter. Some more Notes From an Old Fudd

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Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

yes Savage good writeups on accuracy not pretty but pretty effective - big calibre yes dead right get some experience first - but a whole world of hunting out there - bad habits yes I watched a new hunter shoot a heavy caliber one day and he flinched so badly he actually turned his head and shut his eyes when he pulled the trigger

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i have experience with the cheaper models of all the brands above they are all pretty rough finish with the best finish quality being Howa but all 3 shoot very well and at the end of the day that's what matters most

my 3 caliber suggestions for 1st centerfire assuming factory ammo
1st of all always gets a suppressed package this helps a lot with the bad habit's thing
243,7-08,308 with 308 being my personal least favorite but easy to get ammo for and they are effective for "normal" hunting applications
7-08 is an excellent compromise between power and recoil my personal favorite suggestion for someone wanting a good all-round deer rifle

243 is great as well but gets a little lacking with bigger animals (body shots) I once shot a big red stag 1st shot was a good one, but he pretty much didn't even flinch he would have died in hindsight, but we didn't want him running I had to put another 2 in him before he dropped 243 is perfect for fellow or goats

personally i run 6.5 (for the most part ) but i reload

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Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

agree with a lot you say Timmalatlon but cant agree with 30.30 and 7.62x39 they dont have any range -- squaw guns - give the new hunter a chance - 308 suppressed recoil as a lot have said should be quite okay and they have enough to take a red out to 300 easily and with some knowledge and target practice 400 - leave the 6.5 mm 243 to the guys with knowledge of its capability's- I would after over 50 years of hunting not recommend one and yes I have used them - - a .22 a 223 or .222 for meat hunts a .308 for the roar and a 12 gauge shot gun done deal - later a 7mm rem mag for thar

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If you are going out to 300m then I agree but for all the new shooters I take out, I have tried to get them within 150m and at that range the x39 and 30/30 are capable with light recoil..(esecially if they are a younger new shooter ). I am reluctant to push a new shooter to longer ranges until I know they are capable of consistantly hitting wha they aim at. And I agree, 308 suppressed would be my first preference as well.

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Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Ain't it a funny thing,the humble 177 slug gun/air rifle doesn't even get a mention anymore? Yet it teaches how to aim,how to hold,muscle memory and with a small amount of thinking can be used SAFELY in most town sections. Trying to get novice shooter to line up rifle when they don't have those basics,takes a fair bit of patience.I need to find really cheap slug gun for mate to use.funny I sold off the one I had only a few months ago lol

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I started out that way but when I got my centrefire I realised how completely rubbish most slug guns' triggers are. Taught me nothing about trigger control that I can think off

you may have learnt more than you realise yes most of them are crap triggers but to get groups requires mastering that crap creep and second stage

… said it before. 30-06. You want their first few hunts to be good ones with the deer down and no searching in the scrub for it.

Yes I think new hunters are different now to what they were back 50 years ago: bigger, taller, stronger, often with more money. Plus with a suppressor they can carry an 8 or 9 lb rifle no trouble and handle a bigger cartridge than we could. Also some can afford a new rifle like s Tikka or Sako or an X Bolt - considerably easier for a new shooter to use and learn with than a trusty second hander. Any thing that “needs a lot of love” is best left to older shooters.

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Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

yes you are right Mickey Duck cheap target practice just a pity cant be used in suburbs despite a good set up but yes a definite plus to teach new shooters

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Can't be used in suburbs???? Since when???

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Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Can't be used in suburbs???? Since when???

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to the best of my knowledge air rifles cannot be discharged in a built up area I am prepared to be corrected but I have always understood that

I know shooting the pegs so neighbours tighty whiteys fell on ground was frowned upon back in the day... But surely a safe backstop eg heavy ply and shooting on downwards angle is safe...if not where do they actually get used??

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Originally Posted by Micky Duck

I know shooting the pegs so neighbours tighty whiteys fell on ground was frowned upon back in the day... But surely a safe backstop eg heavy ply and shooting on downwards angle is safe...if not where do they actually get used??

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now you have me curious looking it up get back to ya unless someone else on here can find the legal definition

Its as long as you dont “annoy endanger or frighten”.

thats about what I found in my search but I will do some more digging I know if I opened up with one where I live - the boys in blue would be here very quickly

okay section 48 arms act applys no its not illegal to use an air rifle in a built up area but it must be done safely - so the 7 rules apply - it is an offence to use it in an unsafe manner - so supervision comes into play and that means with minors standing alongside them thats true supervision - consider firing zone - not annoying or frightening neighbours - if one told them what you are doing great - have a safe range - use the air rifle safely - and you should be okay - I would be damn carefull but no not illegal

Discharging firearm, airgun, pistol, or restricted weapon in or near dwellinghouse or public place
A person commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or to a fine not exceeding $10,000, if the person, without reasonable excuse, discharges a firearm, airgun, pistol, or restricted weapon in or near a dwellinghouse or a public place so as to—
(a)
endanger property; or
(b)
endanger, annoy, or frighten any person.

be good to see that reasonable excuse defined- would teaching Junior to shoot be a fit there ??

"So as to" is key. The purpose is so it's illegal to trash someone's house or intimidate them with an airgun.

the key point is without reasonable excuse what does that really mean

Well, hangfire is not an excuse with an air rifle.
But in all seriousness, 'reasonable excuse' is where a jury comes in. Can you convince 12 of your perrs?

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Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

the key point is without reasonable excuse what does that really mean

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In the wording they have used, reasonable excuses begins with anything that isnt specifically mentioned as not being permissable; so if you are not endangering property, or endangering, annoying or frightening any person, then you are a reasonably good...