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1st rifle recommendation!

21K views 82 replies 29 participants last post by  trigger creep 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi guys I had a lot of help in this forum to choose my first semi auto pistol (SR9C) and now I need help on a rifle. I've narrowed down to 2. Also would like some help in caliber. I would eventually like to purchase a smaller caliber an larger caliber of the same make/model. The small caliber will be used for coyote and small varmint along with some target shooting. The larger caliber for deer and other large game later in life!

Rifle #1
Ruger all American: no scope $356 at Walmart.

Rifle #2
Remington 700 sps varmint 26" heavy barrel combo with scope. $450 on sale at dicks right now. Original price is $650. I'm sure the scope is garbage but could get me buy for a season maybe.

I can only afford 1 rifle right now and probably the smaller of the 2. I'm debating on a .223 or. 22-250. I currently have a 10/22 so need to fill the gap between that and the future big boy! Larger I'm debating on .308 or 30-06.
Thanks so much for any help on advance.
 
#4 ·
For a first one I'd go for larger first. 308, 30-30, or 30.06. Depends on primary use of course, just seems you'd want a general do all vs primarily varmint initially.

Of the two, the 22-250 has much better all around ballistics but is more expensive and not quite readily available (at least it was). Nothing wrong with the 223 at all.
 
#5 ·
.308 is a more powerful round, is currently easier to find and seems to be mostly cheaper than .223 right now. Go .308, but stay out of Dicks.
 
#7 ·
#13 ·
No, not necessarily. Ruger is building a solid rifle, that is worth more than what they're charging, because they want to sell guns. I don't own one, but I know enough about guns to say that they're a good deal for the money. If you're concerned about their durability, do as I said in my previous post, make it your varmint rifle. Your varmint rifle doesn't need to be bullet proof, but your big game rifle should be a little more durable; like the Ruger M77 is. Your varmint rifle needs a good trigger, it needs to be accurate, and it needs to be useable; the Ruger American fits the bill.
 
#10 ·
I'd rather have the Remington 700 in .308.
 
#11 ·
My varmint, target, deer rifle is a Ruger 77 Mk II Target .243 Winchester. With 55 or 58 grain cartridges, I can shoot varmints out to 500 yards. With 95 or 100 grain cartridges, I can shoot deer or elk out to 150 - 200 yards. It is heavy for long stalk deer or elk hunting, but manageable. I do a lot more varmint hunting and target shooting with it. I have a Browning A-Bolt in .325 WSM for hunting any large or dangerous game. With the two rifles, I can go from long range varmint hunting to African Plains hunting.
 
#12 ·
If I was you, I'd get the Ruger American in .22-250 or .243 for now, and save up for a better quality big game rifle. You don't need your varmint rifle to be as durable as your primary big-game gun, so the Ruger American fits that beautifully. After you can afford it, get something like a Ruger M77 in .308 or .30-06 for your big-game rifle. I wouldn't shy away from a .270 or 7mm-08 either for my primary big game gun either, but the .30's are the better choice.
 
#15 ·
Heavy barrels are not fun if you walk a lot to hunt coyotes. i have a very light weight CZ 223 that you can hit them as far away as you can see them. .223 is cheaper to shoot than other varmint rounds.
You can get some pretty cheap .223 Savages that are great shooters right now, if price is a main factor.
 
#16 ·
Price doesn't really matter to me just want a reliable hunting/fun target rifle in a small and large caliber. If I have to spend more i will. Not looking to shoot any competitions though. What's the real difference between light and heavy barrels then? More accurate, dissipates heat better, less recoil???
 
#22 ·
Ruger all the way, my fiancée got the American and its an excellent gun.
 
#25 ·
I was where you are early last year. I wound up with a Remington 700 SPS stainless in .308 with a Bushnell Elite 6500 4.5-16x50 scope. I went with the black synthetic stock but the wood ones are beautiful.

The Ruger All American is a very nice rifle, but I thought for the money I'd get the gold standard, which is the Remington 700. It's still the goto military sniper rifle basic platform. So, you can't argue with that. I'd like to bed the stock one day but not much other than that. Though, more likely I'd replace the stock with a Bell & Carlson, which doesn't need bedding.

You're off to a great start with the SR9c. Good luck on your rifle choice.
 
#27 ·
Well, I had my mind set on a .223 and a .308 until I looked at all my LGS ammo shelves :(. I got pretty discouraged and actually stopped thinking about the rifle for a few days! It's really a bummer to purchase a rifle just for what ammo is available during these times. I'm also considering spending more on a rifle I can use for a fun target/hunting gun instead of a cheap hunting only gun.
 
#28 ·
First off avoid Dick's like the plague. That said .223 and 22-250 are great rifle calibers. .223 is pretty hard to come by right now and if you are going to spend the money on 22-250 rounds you might as well go to .308. It is a versatile round that will take down most anything it comes up against and can still be had for a reasonable cost at most firearms suppliers.
 
#38 ·
That's simply false. I know plenty of Coyote hunters that use .308's, it isn't overkill. Heck, some of them use bigger meaner stuff than that! The .308 is a fine target practice/hunting round, it's probably the best in fact. I know plenty of people who hunt groundhogs and Prairie Dogs even with .308's. The bottom line is, is it what YOU want. You can use it for everthing from Groundhogs to Moose effectively and ethically, but is it what YOU want. Everytime there's a gun scare .223 and .308 are unobtainable, so that has to be factored in as well. Most of the time there isn't a scare, so don't overthink that factor too much. It's a very tolerable gun recoil wise, the ammo's affordable and available whenever things are normal, it's versaitile, it really seems fit your bill about perfectly. In the end, you're the one buying and not me, but if I were you I'd probably get a .308. The .270, .30-06, 7mm-08, and .243 are options as well, but the .308 may be the right gun for you.
Why is it that the .223 and .308 are the most unobtainable during times like these? I don't mind buying multiple guns to satisfy different tasks I just work very hard for my money and want to make the right decision for a firearm that I will be able to hand down to my children in 50 years.
 
#46 ·
Why is it that the .223 and .308 are the most unobtainable during times like these? I don't mind buying multiple guns to satisfy different tasks I just work very hard for my money and want to make the right decision for a firearm that I will be able to hand down to my children in 50 years.
Because the .223 and .308 are rounds that are owned by military types who shoot a lot. Your average .270 or .30-06 owner isn't a tactical guy and doesn't own a semi-auto likely either, so he shoots less. People that have tactical .308's or .223 AR's just shoot A LOT. They aren't hunters and they view guns as more of a lifestyle than owners of traditional rifles. Nothing wrong with those people, it's just the truth.
 
#30 ·
If you are looking for an entry level rifle in .22-250, it would make good sense to check out the Savage Axis. For much less $'s than a Ruger American you can get an Axis that will print much better groups than the American. You should also take a look at the Savage 12FS for about the same price as the Ruger American. It has "out of box" accuracy that you have to experience for yourself to truly appreciate! The "Accu-trigger" seals the deal and puts it in a class of it's own for varmint hunting. I don't mean to disparrage Ruger in any way but in my own opinion Ruger can't hold a candle to Savage's legendary quality & accuracy for bolt guns. I purchased an Axis .22-250 when it replaced their former "Edge" model to use as my foul weather varminter and it truly amazed me with it's pinpoint accuracy. My first day out with it saw the demise of four crows from 300+ yards away! They appeared to have exploded from the inside out. I got the stainless version and added a Nikon scope all for under $450.00.
 
#34 ·
You do realize you're on a Ruger forum don't you? You do this a lot and now you've got me wondering, are you a Savage employee sent to assasinate the American and try to sell Axis's?:eek: Personally, I had an Axis, and I can tell you that IMO the American has the better feel, the better safety, the better trigger, and the better action. I have no beefs with the Axis, it's fine that you like them, it's just I wouldn't have the cojones to come on a Ruger forum and do what you just did. I don't know if I should congratulate you on your gutsiness, or chew you out for what you said. I also would like to know how you know that the axis is more accurate than the American, it's my understanding that both are exceptionaly accurate.
 
#33 ·
If you definitely want 2 different guns I'd choose 22-250 and 30-06

If you want just 1 gun I'd go 308, actually that's what I did.
 
#35 ·
Ruger American in .308. I've been looking at that one myself, lately. Looks like a good choice for a rifle.

.
 
#37 ·
For a small caliber I'd consider a Rifle in Ruger.204, mine will outshoot 22-250's out to 300 yrds with recoil so negligible, I can see the impact through my scope. Ammo currently is widely available now. For the larger caliber, I'd also consider a rifle in .270 Win, it has taken game all over the world and ammo is widely available now. Recoil is considerably less than in .308. Accuracy in the .308 won't outperform the .270 Win until past 500 yrds. IMHO
 
#41 ·
I had to read up on the 204 ruger, interesting round. Can't say that I've even seen it at a LGS but I'll keep an eye out now
 
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