Gun enthusiasts, need help choosing my first rifle...

[AmigaMan]

Originally posted by: JDMnAR1
OP didn't ask for any kind of recommendation on the optimal means of self defense, he asked for a recommendation on a rifle that might in extreme circumstances be used for self defense. I certainly agree that a .22 is not the prime candidate for self defense (as he readily acknowledges in his post), but in a pinch it could certainly serve in that capacity in the absence of anything better suited to the task.

GASP!!?!? Someone was reading my posts! This is exactly the point I'm trying to bring across. It's NOT for personal defense, although it can be used in such a capacity.

 

[BuckNaked]

I have had a couple of 10/22's, and they are great little guns... They are reliable, inexpensive, and there is a ton of add ons available for it... That would be my strong recommendation.

There are a lot of different models of .22's available, some are reliable, a lot of them are not... You can find some for incredibly cheap, or you can spend $1,000.00's of dollars. Some are quite accurate, again a lot of them are not.

The 10/22 in one of those great combinations of relatively inexpensive, generally quite reliable and reasonably accurate guns.... there is a reason its about the best selling .22 rifle out there by far. You can buy something else to be different, but the 10/22 is generally regarded as the benchmark within its category which others compete against or compare themselves too...

Your choice...

 

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: Buck_Naked

Originally posted by: sao123

Originally posted by: hanoverphist

Originally posted by: sao123



quite a difference between being able to take your time and hit a paper target on a wall 25 yards away consistently... and being able to be woke up in the middle of the night panic stricken and trying to find your gun, load it, and shoot someone in the dark, while they are stealing your stuff, or running at you with a knife from your own kitchen.


IMO...People who want self defense should go take martial arts... not buy a gun.

most self defense scenarios happen so quickly youd be hard pressed to get a gun out of the holster by the time you needed it... this is also why i carry a quick knife on my side as well as having a 4D mag (aka club) sitting next to my bed where my hand naturally falls. ive had to pull my gun twice in my life in self defense, and both times ended without firing. ive had to beat someone down way more than that in my quests for fun, never even having the time or space to draw a weapon. but ill tell ya, a 2AA minimag sure does the trick in a pinch, was as effective as stabbing them and i didnt have to explain much to the cops.

:thumbsup:
finally someone else with some common sense...

Never bring a knife to a gunfight....

ive never believed in that old addage...

 

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: JDMnAR1
OP didn't ask for any kind of recommendation on the optimal means of self defense, he asked for a recommendation on a rifle that might in extreme circumstances be used for self defense. I certainly agree that a .22 is not the prime candidate for self defense (as he readily acknowledges in his post), but in a pinch it could certainly serve in that capacity in the absence of anything better suited to the task.

yup, if you have the range to pop off a couple shots,do it... if they still advance, club em to death with the business end of the stock. it will give you at least 2 feet of extra range for whacking.

 

[hanoverphist]

so is browning not a contender for a decent 22 rifle? i have a browning (cant remember the model) that splits in two pieces, looks really neato and all but its never been fired... i still have the original packing for it. ive always contemplated taking it out on the range, but never have... are theirs comparable to the ruger and the marlin? (ive shot both of those extensively, my best friend has one of each... i liked the marlin better, but we had more issues with it than the ruger)

 

[SirStev0]

My first was a RR bbgun, worked up to my dad's old 22, first hunting rifle was a remington 308

 

[BuckNaked]

Originally posted by: hanoverphist
so is browning not a contender for a decent 22 rifle? i have a browning (cant remember the model) that splits in two pieces, looks really neato and all but its never been fired... i still have the original packing for it. ive always contemplated taking it out on the range, but never have... are theirs comparable to the ruger and the marlin? (ive shot both of those extensively, my best friend has one of each... i liked the marlin better, but we had more issues with it than the ruger)

The Browning is great .22, but they sell for quite a bit more than a 10/22...

Text

 

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: Buck_Naked

Originally posted by: hanoverphist
so is browning not a contender for a decent 22 rifle? i have a browning (cant remember the model) that splits in two pieces, looks really neato and all but its never been fired... i still have the original packing for it. ive always contemplated taking it out on the range, but never have... are theirs comparable to the ruger and the marlin? (ive shot both of those extensively, my best friend has one of each... i liked the marlin better, but we had more issues with it than the ruger)

The Browning is great .22, but they sell for quite a bit more than a 10/22...

Text

aahh, i see your point... ive never really been into valuing my firearms... i leave that to my dad. he told me it was worth not firing, but a tool unused is a worthless tool, i always say... hence the inner torment on whether to take it out or not.

 

[IGBT]

Originally posted by: sao123
A 22 likely wont stop anyone who is trying to harm you... and If you intend to do any hunting of any type, a 22 is practically useless... The only real purpose for a 22, is training/target shooting.


I usually recommend a .270 Rifle, as it is the all-purpose hunting rifle. (large game, ground hogs)
Also, the 20 or 12 Guage shotguns are the best for home protection, and also still useful for all purpose hunting. (Small Game, Fowl, and Slugs)


Handguns are probably the best for personal self defense, as you can carry them anywhere, and are small enough to be consealed.


The thompson contender might be a good choice for you, as you can get a rifle caliber shot in a 12 inch barrel rifle. They have interchangable barrels, so you can transport it in a broken down state. The only thing is, they take lots of practice to master shooting, because of the high recoil...

..I've taken numerous coyotes with .22LR out to 50 yards. And carry a .22 mag SW revolver on the ranch and in the woods. Anybody that doesn't understand the lethal effects of the .22LR simply doesn't understand ballistics and the value of accurate follow up shots in close quarters. The .270 is also my choice for long distance scope hunting but would be a reckless choice for home defence in a densely populated area. A .22 will more then likely stay inside it's intended target rather then exit..thru the house and kill somebody next door.

 

[SilthDraeth]

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: JDMnAR1
OP didn't ask for any kind of recommendation on the optimal means of self defense, he asked for a recommendation on a rifle that might in extreme circumstances be used for self defense. I certainly agree that a .22 is not the prime candidate for self defense (as he readily acknowledges in his post), but in a pinch it could certainly serve in that capacity in the absence of anything better suited to the task.

GASP!!?!? Someone was reading my posts! This is exactly the point I'm trying to bring across. It's NOT for personal defense, although it can be used in such a capacity.

Amigaman, I wasn't trying to be off topic. I was just trying to address some of the people saying that it wouldn't be good to use it in that capacity. When in fact it would, if thats what you own, and it would be more than effective if you shot someone with it.

I have shot Marlins, and Rugers out of the ones you mentioned, and I voted for the Ruger. The 25 round banana magazines are great for practice shooting. You just load a few up ahead of time, and bring a couple 10 round magazines as well. They obviously take a little longer than a 10 round to load, but then you get to shoot twice as long before swapping magazines. A good trade off.

The marlin I shot, I had to drop the shells down a pipe next to the barrel. There is no way to increase the capacity like that.

 

[desy]

Marlins have both tube and removable magazine fed models
The Papoose is a great break down model with a clip and would fold up tigher than a Ruger which was a point of interest to the OP

 

[SilthDraeth]

Originally posted by: desy
Marlins have both tube and removable magazine fed models
The Papoose is a great break down model with a clip and would fold up tigher than a Ruger which was a point of interest to the OP

:thumbsup:

 

[Darwin333]

Originally posted by: desy

AR's and Shotguns
Good if you live in an urban environment where you expect to have to fight your way out.
Consider this, if you ever get into that situation where you need mountains of firepower to survive I'd expect your survival rate to be WAY down anyway as those people you are potentially shooting are probably shooting back. This is why the military needs these as the best available tools.

Get the 22 its the conerstone of any rifle collection and the perfect place to start because of its economy and usefullness.

You left out one option and that is to defend. Besides nuclear war or something I can't imagine a scenario that the government won't eventually get control of. The trick is to have enough supplies to last that long at the ability to defend those supplies (and your family, property etc.). During the aftermath of Katrina simply displaying the fact that we could defend ourselves helped us to avoid virtually any real confrontation. There where to many easier targets than to go messing with a couple of guys holding shotguns and AK-47's at the entrance to the neighborhood. You just need to be able to hold out, possibly for weeks, before the government comes in real force.

And I agree with what you said about the 22. Hell, a 22 is the first gun most people I know owned, including me. I got mine for Christmas when I was 10. My eyes lit up like I was just given a Sherman tank.

 

[pontifex]

what about this shotgun?