Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

Our budget is in the $500 to $750 range. Any suggestions on which make/models are the best bang for the buck?

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

how old is he, how big ?

has he already passed the .22 beginners phase ?

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

He's about 6 foot 1 and weights about 160 lbs...21 years old.

He's never shot a rifle, only a hand-gun (my HK USP) and my uncle's shotgun (not sure what kind it is, but it's big).

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

that's some "little brother"

do you think he'd be insulted starting out with a .22 ?
be easier to learn the basics with a .22, then move up

was he comfortable with the recoil from the shotgun
anyway you can take him shooting with various rifles
has he made any mention what kind he wants

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

What is the plan for it's use? That would be the most important question, IMO.

Deer Hunting?
Varmint Hunting?
Home protection?
something else?

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

why not scrape up a few hundred more dollars and get him an AR15?

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

do you think he'd be insulted starting out with a .22?
Not at all...


was he comfortable with the recoil from the shotgun?
Yes, he was fine with it...


has he made any mention what kind he wants?
Nope...


What is the plan for it's use?
Hunting, home protection, and defending against a tyrranical government.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

don't you know it's illegal to buy a gun for somebody other than yourself? it says so right on the yellow form. :banana:

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

ha, i'm actually just going to give him the money with instructions on what to get...

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

I would suggest a 12ga semi-auto shotgun. With the right ammo, it is a good fit for all those.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

Hands down Ruger 10/22...affordability to shoot being the key factor.
With your budget you can put a real fun shooter together.
Check out this site for ideas.
http://www.rbprecision.com/id118.htm

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

I like the ruger 10\22.
If he goes used, an 870 and a 10\22 is a hell of a nice start.
He can progress to AR\ AK on his own if he gets into it.
Most of us do.

I used to have several .22's before the unfortunate accident.

ST

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

I don't know of too many 21 year old's today that can get their hands on enough money to live. Dating, cars, car insurance, food, etc. consume everything they have. What fun is having a firearm you can't affort to shoot much?

http://www.customruger1022s.com/pub/gallery/wiseman.jpg
$700

To add more fun:
http://www.e-gunparts.com/images/catalog/956820.jpg

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

It is not illegal to buy a firearm for someone else. The form just asks the question "yes" or "no" in order to restrict illegal strawman sales. You just check the "yes" box, and purchase the firearm for yourself, then give it to the brother.

It is perfectly legal (in all states that I am aware of) to buy a firearm to give as a gift to a family member or friend that has a legal right to own one.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

Let him shoot several and choose the one that 'fits'.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

By far the best value for a noob at this time is the Saiga .308 which can be had for ~$650 locally. Rifle is an AK action made in the AK plant in Russia, tough to beat. The 22" barrel is preferable over the 16.5" barrel.

http://www.coldwarshooters.net/image..._20in1_600.jpg

http://www.google.com/products?q=sai...f-8&scoring=pd

The 10/22 is a great little rifle to plink with, but as far as a manstopper it fails miserably.

Your criteria right there rules out the 10/22. If you're gonna get a rifle, don't compromise and get a hard-hitting caliber. If you've budget restraints, then get a Mosin Nagant. Then at least you have the horsepower to get the job done.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

I would be chiming in with the Ruger 10/22 crowd except that little brother is a grown man. Our 10/22 is what I give to my 6 and 9 year old daughters to shoot when we go out on the range.

My wife and 11 year old daughter really like the milsup semi-auto .30 M1 Carbine. It packs enough wallop that, after shooting it, the Ruger 10/22 feels like a BB gun. It is easy to use and very maneuverable.

My only negative about the M1 Carbine is that, like the Ruger 10/22, the bolt does not lock in the open position when the last round is fired from the magazine.

No one in the family except myself seems to enjoy shooting the Garand. Like Snake mentioned, I wanted something in a hard hitting caliber. That much firepower tends to frighten off the less initiated.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

I like the idea of a 10/22 for basic weapons familiarization/accuracy/trigger/sight practice, and a Remington 870 for more serious social encounters. If you've got $100 of so left over, THEN get a Mosin Nagant rifle. I really wouldn't recommend one as a first rifle for someone not already familiar with rifles.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

All good points. If you are only interested in a capable weapon to shoot a few times, and store in the house, get a high power rifle.
If you are interested in something for target shooting, that's different.
Who would be more efficiant...someone that can stick a .22 in your forehead everytime at 100 yards, because they practiced with 20,000 rounds.
Or someone with a .308 that has only fired a couple boxes of ammo?
When I was 21, I was shooting big bores, I liked the big bang.
Today, I don't like blowing a C-note everytime I shoot, so much.
The .22 allows me to shoot more.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

Anything and everything made by Century Arms International is crap. This is widely known in the gun community.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

Well I guess you got lucky, which is rare for the CAI shit.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

Not only has CAI FUBARed AKs, they routinely FUBARed FALs when they were doing L1A1 builds. Really, how is it possible to FUBAR a FAL or an AK? Yet CAI manages to do so.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

What else do you expect to hear from owners of CAI built guns?

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&c...ty&btnG=Search

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

Get a used ruger Ranch Rifle. They may not be accurate by AR standards but they have the high capacity goodness a young man craves in an relitively inexpensive cartridge.

This could have the added benifit of being banned which would give him instant monetay increase as well as a helthy disrespect for the bannors. Its just natural:rofl:


E-A

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

Hey Bliss,,,,,,,,,




++1





GRP

:36_3_16:

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

If I had to start from scratch with a 'social rifle', I'd go with either a Bulgy AK74 or a S&W AR in 5.45.

5.45 is the only cartridge that can still be had cheap, sub 15cents per round delivered. It's no 308, but I like it's terminal effects better than 5.56 and 7.62x39, and it's a third the price of 7.62MM.

Did I mention it's cheap? How many people are going to go out and source 5k rounds for training and storage at 50 cents a pop?

Sorry, but the Mosinitis is lost on me. I probably own more Mosins than 99% of the people on this board, but come on, it's eleventy seven feet long, bolt action (and not a particularly slick one at that), slow, awkward, low capacity, and kicks like a mule.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

I recommend a Ruger 10/22 with a few 25 round magazines. Lots of fun to shoot and easy to learn with. Heck I've been shootin almost 50 years, I still prefer my .22's and I shoot them every day.
I'd also recommend a Mossberg 500 12 ga. shotgun and several hundred rounds of ammo, several kinds (shot, buck, slug).
These two firearms will serve a new shooter just fine and stay within your budget. Then, down the road you can start watching for a deal on an AK.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

Don't like the 870?
I'm partial to Remmington, even though both shotties are made in my home state.

Couldn't agree with you more on the 10\22. Fun, cheap to shot, SS holds up for years of use.
Ruger used to be made here too....

ST

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

I'd do this to but skip the Remington 870 as you had asked for a rifle recommendation.

10/22 is fun, easy to use, and inexpensive. He can learn good habits with it, then get something larger afterward.

You can purchase both rifles with ammo for less than your budget.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

Part of the fun of owning the 10/22, is the ability to build on it, custom stock, rework the action, swap barrel etc., and at a reasonable cost.
You also have the option to change to the .17 HMR cartridge.
RB Precision makes some quality billet aluminum stocks/parts that accept AR accessories.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

Ummm...no.

CAI stuff has the POTENTIAL of being "crap." Yes, their sloppy gunsmith "wizards" would probably last less than a week at a more "reputable" shop. Yes, you probably run a higher risk of receiving a weapon needing repair. I'd probably still rate them higher in quality than Hesse.

I've got some Century AKs and a Century L1A1. Of those weapons, I had to fix an excessive headspace problem with the L1A1 (I was getting casehead separations). The AKs run just fine. I AM leery of their CETME rifles, with ground bolt heads & the like.

If you can get the weapon from a local shop, where you are able to inspect it personally (and you are a knowledgeable buyer), you can avoid a lot of the typical "issues" seen with Century AKs (i.e., canted front sights).

If all you have available in your price range & neighborhood is Century built, go with it. Yes, you can get "perfect" weapons from DS Arms (FAL) or Fuller (AK), but you'll pay for the honor. Get what you can afford, while keeping an open mind & open eyes.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

I can agree with this, but an SKS might be a better value. Get a non-Yugo (not as heavy), fit it with a Tapco T6 stock and Tapco 20-round magazines.

Here would be my criteria:

1. Caliber - 30 (.308/7.62 NATO or 7.62x39 Russian)
2. Semiautomatic
3. Black (synthetic / blued)
4. Capable of high capacity magazines (20+)

You can go wrong with that criteria. I've still seen an occasional FN-FAL (Century receiver) around $900. If he wants to spend a little more than the Saiga, I would HIGHLY recommend the FAL.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

I think the idea of a ..22 rifle / shotgun combo makes a ton of sense

with those ..

ammo is relatively availible and relatively inexpensive for both
allows for 90% of normal hunting situations (birds,deer,varmits,small game)
the shotgun is probably #1 home defender choice


i would think you could get into a 10/22 and a 870 for the money if you shop carefully

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

Look into a Polish Tantal/AK74. They fall within your price range and bulk amounts of 5.45x39 can still be purchased on the cheap.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

Don't get a Century Tantal (which is about 90% of the Tantals on the market), as they use a .223 bbl rather than a .210...you can imagine the problems.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

Hmm....thanks for the info on the Tantal--I was considering one of them, but I think I'll pass.

What about a GI 30 carbine from the CMP??? Cheap, reliable and easy to shoot.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

Just saw that one of the sporting goods chains (Dick's, Big-5, Sports Authority... don't remember which one) is offering the Mossberg "Security" 20 inch 8-shot magnum pump for $289. I'm really tempted.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

Everyone should own a couple of War Babies! I love 'em. It's all my wife will shoot, mainly due to weight of the weapon and blast. They aren't very powerful, but they're plenty reliable, handy, and accurate out to 150ish yards. Wouldn't be my first choice for a firefight, but a bazillion dead Japs, Krauts, and Chinamen can't be wrong.:wink:

BTW, it's just the Century Tantals, the older ones (built on kits imported before they banned the importation of BBLs) are great.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

As a descendent from a long line of Chinese peasants, I would take offense at your post. You got the wrong rifle! Try the M1 Garand. That was my first rifle. That's a real MBR, and DCM still has ammo at about $75/192 rounds already loaded in clips and bandoliers! (limit 10 cases).

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

Sorry, I am too lazy to read through 2 pages ....
Did you buy your brother an AR15 yet?
If you did, now you can buy him a dozen magazines, and his first case of .223, and a cleaning rod.

Re: Buying a rifle for my little brother - need suggestions
 

Actually, I didn't get the wrong rifle. I'm a major fan of the Garand, and I own several of both. I was refering to the Carbine, which fought side by side with the Garand.

Simplify the process
 

If you choose anything other than a Ruger 10/22, start whittling away at the wish-list based upon ammo prices and availability.

.223
.308
7.62x39

I think this will greatly assist in simplifying the decision making process, and ammo acquisition always makes for a good investment.

My ammo purchases over the last ten years have outperformed both gold and silver by about 200%.