school me on gubs

[skyshark186]

Originally Posted by White Shark

Ruger 10/22. Move up to a .30-30 Lever action when you've mastered the .22LR. Then try a .30-06 or something similar that will give you a clean kill at distance without lifting you out of your boots everytime you shoot. All of these calibers are easily available even in small podunk towns. They are also easy to sell if you ever want to swap out for something else. They are also the cheapest to shoot in small, medium, and large cartridges.

Ruger 10/22 in .22LR
Marlin or Winchester .30-30 Lever Action (I like the Marlin)
Browning H-Bar or Remington or Weatherby .30-06
If you want Elk or larger, you might get into a .300 Weatherby Mag or 7MM Mag.

OVERKILL

a 22-250 is more than capable of a clean kill on a deer. It doesnt make a new shooter flinch like a 30 cal will.

308 will kill elk cleanly. You just need to aim. Thats why the guys who like big guns like them.......they dont have to aim

[Fly Rod]

Originally Posted by semlin

and say he figured his eventual objective would be to hunt deer and other big hairy mammals with it.

Originally Posted by stinkyfj60

The question was what gun to start shooting with if he no experience with guns.

Read again.

You don't have to start with a .22. I taught my nieghbor on my 7mm-08. He shot it four times at the range and on his second day of hunting killed an elk with it. He is 5'3" and may wieght 125 at best. He was out shooting me the first trip we made to the range.

[flintknapper]

Originally Posted by Fly Rod

Read again.

You don't have to start with a .22. I taught my nieghbor on my 7mm-08. He shot it four times at the range and on his second day of hunting killed an elk with it. He is 5'3" and may wieght 125 at best. He was out shooting me the first trip we made to the range.

No doubt... many people have learned to shoot, and shoot well, using a high powered rifle from the beginning.

Unless there is some need to rush things ( a hunting season approaching) then I still think he would be better served by taking his time, and starting with a .22 long rifle.

Everyone has a different tolerance for recoil. Some are not recoil sensitive at all, and others are. But, anyone can "manage" a .22.

Also, the average person is apt to spend more time shooting a rimfire....because of the low cost of ammo, low recoil, moderate report, etc..
All of this allows one to concentrate more on controlling your breathing, sight alignment, trigger squeeze, follow through.

I know there are exceptions, but if you give me a hundred "raw beginners", and we divide them evenly (50 with .22's and 50 with .308's), I'll wager that I'll have the .22 shooters doing better than the center fire group in short order.

The 7mm-08 round (140 gr.) you mention is a very good choice IMO. In fact, its what I shoot more often than anything else. In an 8 lb. rifle it produces about 13 lb. ft. of felt recoil (modest). By comparison, a 30.06 (150 gr.) in the same 8 lb. rifle is hitting you with about 17 lb. ft. of recoil.

The difference may not sound significant to those who do not shoot, but its quite noticeable.

I'm just saying that I think "ideally" one should start with a rim fire (if only for a short while) to help develop good shooting habits from the beginning. And later as well, to really "cement" them in place.

Just my .02 on it.

[Fly Rod]

I agree, I started on a .22 single shot when I was 6. If it is financially viable to start with the .22 then do it. Buy a good used one to get started.

[cruiserdan]

If it don't kick it ain't hot enuf......

[flintknapper]

Originally Posted by cruiserdan

If it don't kick it ain't hot enuf......

.460 Wby. Mag. In an 11.25 lb. rifle= 99.6 lb. ft. of recoil.....or "kick"!

How 'bout them apples?

Some of the older "English" cartridges exceed these figures considerably.

They would "kill on one end, and maim on the other"!

[flintknapper]

If you really want to "step up to the plate", try a .700 nitro express.

Visit your dentist first though. You'll want to be sure all of your fillings are firmly in place!

[brian]

i started my shooting career with a .50 flintlock. with 1 shot and a minute or so till the next, you learn to aim real quick.

[Fly Rod]

Originally Posted by flintknapper

.460 Wby. Mag. In an 11.25 lb. rifle= 99.6 lb. ft. of recoil.....or "kick"!

I shot this one a couple of times and a 505 Gibbs and something larger at a shoot. The 460 was quite whippy to say the least. But if you make the first shot count you won't need to worry about the second.

The 505 Gibbs and the Other, I can't remember, were on a Ruger #1 action. You pulled the trigger and waited for the powder charge to ignite. The two big guns were more of a push, by Mike Tyson. It is rather difficult to not flinch while you are waiting for the powder charge to light.

I now have a Ruger #1 45-70 and that gun is a kick in the ass to shoot. I reload so I can go from plinking loads to 458wm power loads. It is my prefered gun to hunt with now.

Yeti

[White Shark]

Originally Posted by skyshark186

OVERKILL

a 22-250 is more than capable of a clean kill on a deer. It doesnt make a new shooter flinch like a 30 cal will.

308 will kill elk cleanly. You just need to aim. Thats why the guys who like big guns like them.......they dont have to aim

Many States will not allow the use of .22 cal or even .243 cartidges on deer, elk, or bear. Sure, neck down a .30-06 and stick in a .22 slug and it will be plenty powerful, but the States are only concerned with caliber.

If I could only own 1 rifle, it would be a .30-06. It will kill small stuff in light loads and humanely kill anything found in North America with hot loads, and the ammo is cheap.

.308 is a nice cheap round too, but is a bit too light on bears, moose, and elk, even in hotter loads.

You can kill any animal on Earth with a .22 with the proper shot placement. So what? The idea is to kill the animal humanely, quickly, and without taking chances, making follow up shots neccessary. The .308 will kill elk, but a more powerful cartridge would be a better and safer choice.

[baxter650]

Here is a good starter gub, you don't have to be a very good shot.

[wildman4wheeler]

Wincester bolt action 7mm mag (pure punishment)

[skyshark186]

Originally Posted by White Shark

Many States will not allow the use of .22 cal or even .243 cartidges on deer, elk, or bear. Sure, neck down a .30-06 and stick in a .22 slug and it will be plenty powerful, but the States are only concerned with caliber.

If I could only own 1 rifle, it would be a .30-06. It will kill small stuff in light loads and humanely kill anything found in North America with hot loads, and the ammo is cheap.

.308 is a nice cheap round too, but is a bit too light on bears, moose, and elk, even in hotter loads.

You can kill any animal on Earth with a .22 with the proper shot placement. So what? The idea is to kill the animal humanely, quickly, and without taking chances, making follow up shots neccessary. The .308 will kill elk, but a more powerful cartridge would be a better and safer choice.

If a man holding a stick with a string tied to it and another sharp stick can kill all those animals and more with said instruments, I find the 308 to be a superb advantage.

The modern hunter is a lazy man at best. Rather than get close enough to ensure a kill with what he has, he invents a bigger round to do it from farther away.

I highly doubt a beginner is going to pick a moose for his first hunt. That would be stupid. The 308 will kill elk cleanly and effeciently, without reason for follow up shots. Ive got it on video....twice. It will also kill bear.....got that on tape too.

I stand by my comment.

ETA: Aww hell. If your gonna do it.......