Recommendations for a first rifle

[Itskeith]

Hi Rsh,

I'm new to all this also and will be moving to near a club in the near future :-)

I'm planning on starting with .22LR to (hopefully) develop some skill, but have been doing a lot of reading up also. Especially as I've been 'busy' convalescing.

I have bookmarked a few articles to gather info ref first choice of Full-bore rifle.

This generic one may be of interest.

viewtopic.php?t=16028

Please take the following with a huge pinch (shovel full) of salt which i know is extremely dangerous as I have no practical experience yet. I'll post this here in case it is of use as it is what I have gleamed from others. I'm sure others can more correctly confirm what I think is likely to be the case.

All the other 'Suggest first rifle for XXXX' posts I have bookmarked seem to state which distance they are to be used at. E.g. Please suggest a rifle / calibre for 300-600 yds, or for 1000 yds etc.

I have (I think)a couple of useful bookmarks depending on what distance you decide on.

So as well as the recommended sfind out what you like the feel of and which disciplines appeal, also work out which ranges distances you may have access to or are most likely to spend your time at. If it is < 600 yds or > 1000 yds this may well heavily influence your decision.

Hope that helps and apologies to all from a beginner who stands to be corrected.

Let us know how you get on.

Cheers.
Keith

[nickredhill]

Rather than starting a new topic on the same question, I thought I would resurrect this one, if that's ok.
I have my FAC and a Ruger RPR 22lr and I'm looking for the right choice for full bore.
After reading the comments above I looked at the Bergara B14 HMR and I see it's available in various calibres, such as .243 as well as 6.5CM and others. Would it be more economical for ammo costs to go for .243 ? What would be the advantages of one calibre over another for open air range shooting at, for example, Bisley ?

[billgatese30]

.243 FMJ target rounds aren't very common as its more commonly used as a hunting calibre, 6.5CM is very popular at the moment and there shouldn't be too much issue getting target ammo for that or 308, however the 6.5CM doesn't give much advantage over 308 up to 600 yards in reality so I wouldn't get too hung up and I'd rather get the best rifle rather than compromise for the sake of calibre unless you plan lots of 1000 yard shooting.

[nickredhill]

Ok, thanks for that. Good to know.
Since I already have a 22lr Ruger RPR, I've also looked at the RPR in 308/6.5CM. I think that would put me in the upto 600m category with 308 with the option to upgrade the barrel later to 6.5CM if desired. Any insights on that route would be very welcome. Or does anyone think there's a better choice ? I'm hoping the big disparity in price can be managed by buying used instead of new.

[billgatese30]

Not sure how easily swapped the barrels are on the Ruger but its not to my taste styling wise(personal choice). Plus in 308 the barrel drops to 20 inch so you may forfeit a few hundred fps compared to something with a slightly longer barrel (depending on the round/load). My choice would be a Tikka T3x CTR as its also available in both 308 and 6.5CM both with a choice of 20 or 24 inch barrel. Saves a few hundred quid new compared to the Ruger which could go towards scope/mounts/ammo etc too.

[Pippin89]

I would recommend .308 if the majority of your shooting is 900 yards and down. 6.5CM if the majority of your shooting is 1000 yards+. As Chris said, there is little to no advantage to 6.5CM below 1000 yards and it is more expensive to feed.
If you are shooting only at targets then I would suggest a longer barrel. 24" minimum but 26-28" ideally. Really it depends on what type of shooting you are planning on doing.

[nickredhill]

@pippin89 and @billgatese30 Thanks guys, very helpful

[20series]

Yes for my tuppence worth, 308 fits the description given, if Iwas starting again now I'd go with a Tikka, I went down the Remington 700 route and it had many tweeks to get it how I wanted.

Don't forget to leave money for a decent scope, again depending on budget a Sightron or Vortex will do the job nicely
Alan