Non-22 budget target rifle

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Ok so before I start, yes I am going green at the end of the week (currently dealing with some bs on paypal, should be cleared up by the end of the week), and yes I have done tons of research, watched videos, used search. But I am just looking for some opinions/options I may be overlooking. I was going to post in the firearms thread but I thought it wasn't too specific to any one, or few firearms so I am posting here, if a mod thinks it should be moved, go ahead.

OK, so I own a mossberg 500 and its good fun for the back yard, ect. BUT most ranges don't allow shotguns, and I have always been a precision shooter with my pellet rifles and really enjoy shooting my friends .22 magnum rifle. So I am looking for something that is good for med-long range target shooting. Yes I am aware that there are thousands of 22 rifles that would be perfect for this, but my concern is that I have been to every gun store within 45 mins of where I live and not a single one has 22 LR available and if I am going to throw money at something, I want to be able to use it. Which is why I went for the 12G in the first place. Cheap, widely available ammo and fun to shoot.

So this brings me to the reason I am posting this right now. I really like a lot of 308 rifles, but they can be pretty pricey. I would prefer semi-auto, as I have just never been a big fan of bolt action. I do like the Remington 700, but the bolt action is really the deal breaker for me. I really like guns with nice wood furniture, like the m1a and a lot of sks variants. However these run a bit higher than I am looking to spend, though maybe one day, or if I hold out for another year, I may be able to pick one up.

My current budget is around $700, though anything cheaper is always a plus! I have looked around a lot of shops in NH but I haven't really fallen in love with anything, and I am open to any caliber, as long as it is pretty available, and doesn't cost a fortune. Also, recoil isn't really a concern, I own a 12g and I do ok with high brass slugs.

So TLDR:
non 22 rifle that is good for target shooting
$700 budget
Looks/feels like m1a, sks, ruger 1022 style
Caliber not too important, just not 22lr
Semi-auto


So let me have your opinions/loves/distastes
Also I dont expect to walk into a store looking for a specific gun, but I could use some help narrowing it down/could use a direction/ideas. All the descent budget rifles tend to be 22LR
 
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Any interest in an AR? Your budget would support one.

An SKS would be quite a bit cheaper than your budget ($~3-400), but probably not as accurate as you are looking for, and not ideal if you want to mount an optic.

There is a reason that ARs are so popular.

Good luck
 
I just bought a Ruger American in .308. with a vortex crossfire 6-18 scope and rings, it was about $550. First time shooting 100 yards saturday and shot great for me as a newbie. Not semi auto though. The Ruger Gunsite is semi auto.
 
Sure but most of what I have looked at is up there in $$$, and to be honest If i was going to go that route I really like the AK platform and have always wanted one, however I know any I would be looking at in my price range would not be too accurate, and not the best build quality. When I do eventually look into getting an AK I want to go for one with a good build quality, and from what I have seen online/in shops, anything less than $700 is usually pretty badly beat up, or was not put together very well. Or is some sort of weird caliber/22lr knock off.

Also you should all know I do feel bad about making this sort of post, as I know they happen all the time, I am really just lost in the options and I have asked in stores and they have pointed me to the 22LR's every time.
 
A CMP garand fits your budget. Being the predecessor to the M14/M1A's, I'm sure you'd enjoy one. Not optics friendly, but they generally shoot great out to a few hundred yards with irons. You might like a used mini-14 for pretty much the same reasons. At that point you might as well just get an AR-15 though. Doesn't have the aesthetics you're looking for, but they can be found pretty cheap, are customizable, and can be pretty accurate.
 
Where in NH do you live? 22 ammo is readily available at places like Shooters Outpost, and Riley's and Bass Pro in Hooksett has had some lately. I scored quite a bit of 22 ammo from all 3 of those shops just last Friday.
 
I am in the Holderness/Thorton area. And I did see the 22lr at Rileys but that's like an hour drive for me, and to be honest I am not trying to drive an hour or more for a box of 50, when its 1 box per customer. It is just too inconvenient to have to drive that far to only get 1 box if they even have it.

When it comes to an AR, there's just too many options and every store I have been to, I have never seen one below $1k, and I don't know much about prices/availability of ammo. I just know that everywhere I have looked around here, I have rarely, if ever, seen 22LR.
 
Since you want semi-auto, another plus that no one has mentioned so far about going AR is that you could buy it piecemeal so you could actually "afford" a much higher precision rifle than your current budget may allow and just buy components as you can afford. The only downside of course is that you don't have the instant gratification of grabbing something off the rack at your lgs and heading straight to the range. For instance you could buy a really nice quality target barreled upper for your price range, then just assemble the lower for a couple of hundred more with a precision trigger group. No matter "what" type of rifle you plan to buy, you will still have the expense of good glass and that alone will cost as much as most rifles if you really want precision.
 
Out of curiosity, what is it that makes you dislike bolt guns so much? Can't say I've met someone with that opinion before.
 
Ok so before I start, yes I am going green at the end of the week (currently dealing with some bs on paypal, should be cleared up by the end of the week), and yes I have done tons of research, watched videos, used search. But I am just looking for some opinions/options I may be overlooking. I was going to post in the firearms thread but I thought it wasn't too specific to any one, or few firearms so I am posting here, if a mod thinks it should be moved, go ahead.

OK, so I own a mossberg 500 and its good fun for the back yard, ect. BUT most ranges don't allow shotguns, and I have always been a precision shooter with my pellet rifles and really enjoy shooting my friends .22 magnum rifle. So I am looking for something that is good for med-long range target shooting. Yes I am aware that there are thousands of 22 rifles that would be perfect for this, but my concern is that I have been to every gun store within 45 mins of where I live and not a single one has 22 LR available and if I am going to throw money at something, I want to be able to use it. Which is why I went for the 12G in the first place. Cheap, widely available ammo and fun to shoot.

So this brings me to the reason I am posting this right now. I really like a lot of 308 rifles, but they can be pretty pricey. I would prefer semi-auto, as I have just never been a big fan of bolt action. I do like the Remington 700, but the bolt action is really the deal breaker for me. I really like guns with nice wood furniture, like the m1a and a lot of sks variants. However these run a bit higher than I am looking to spend, though maybe one day, or if I hold out for another year, I may be able to pick one up.

My current budget is around $700, though anything cheaper is always a plus! I have looked around a lot of shops in NH but I haven't really fallen in love with anything, and I am open to any caliber, as long as it is pretty available, and doesn't cost a fortune. Also, recoil isn't really a concern, I own a 12g and I do ok with high brass slugs.

So TLDR:
non 22 rifle that is good for target shooting
$700 budget
Looks/feels like m1a, sks, ruger 1022 style
Caliber not too important, just not 22lr
Semi-auto

So let me have your opinions/loves/distastes
Also I dont expect to walk into a store looking for a specific gun, but I could use some help narrowing it down/could use a direction/ideas. All the descent budget rifles tend to be 22LR


Sounds like a mid level AR is right up your alley.
 
If you define what you mean by "med-long range target shooting" you'll probably get better answers.
 
It isnt so much that I dislike bolt action, I just already have my pump action 12g to satisfy my need to chamber a round each shot. I really want something semi auto, that I can shoot targets with, and I am not a big fan of pistols. That's pretty much it. I am a huge fan of the M1 Garand, but that is far out of my reach and a bit unpractical. I do like AR's, I just see them as a big investment I am not really willing to make yet.

If it helps at all. I am very much a DIY kind of person, so something that you can tinker with I am always big on.

*I actually looked a lot into the 5.45x39 saiga but was not sure about the ammo availability.
 
It isnt so much that I dislike bolt action, I just already have my pump action 12g to satisfy my need to chamber a round each shot. I really want something semi auto, that I can shoot targets with, and I am not a big fan of pistols. That's pretty much it. I am a huge fan of the M1 Garand, but that is far out of my reach and a bit unpractical. I do like AR's, I just see them as a big investment I am not really willing to make yet.

If it helps at all. I am very much a DIY kind of person, so something that you can tinker with I am always big on.

*I actually looked a lot into the 5.45x39 saiga but was not sure about the ammo availability.

You can build an AR for about 500.
 
heres my big fat opinion:

nevermind the rifle. first decide on the cartridge that you want to shoot, then consider the rifles that fire the cartridge. there are many reasons for this approach, but primarily cost because if you shoot often then the price of ammo will quickly eclipse whatever you spend on the rifle. further, applications and ranges should be factored into which cartridge you choose.

assuming you are going to be shooting approximately 100-300 yard ranges, then you've got some options for cartridges. IMO the following would be solid choices and VERY cost effective (i.e. <50c/rd):
-.223 remington
-7.62x54R
-.17HMR
-.308 is an option but it ain't cheap. also for target shooting within 200 yards it's overkill (unless hunting or self defense or non-target applications).

another issue here....IMO I would strongly reconsider bolt action rifles. the more rifles I have owned and shot, the more i appreciate a good bolt action. they are reliable, cost effective, easy to maintain and for the $$ can be wicked accurate. many people think about the lower rate of fire, but personally that's a non-issue if the shooter hits their target. the only drawback to bolt action IMO is that they require 2 hands to operate whereas if one hand gets injured then the semiauto can still shoot. again for target shooting that shouldn't matter.

if you are hell bent on semi auto, then i think your options on .223. for $700 budget, then you're looking at either a budget AR15 w DI, mini 14 or maybe keltec su-16. they are all good choices and many good threads/videos on them. there are other rifle options too. personally i would just reconsider the bolt action because for the $$ you will get far better accuracy and can put $$ towards a nice optic.

recently i acquired a mossberg MVP patrol chambered in .223. it's a bolt action but it uses AR15 magazines which is very convenient. the rifle shoots 1 to 1.5 MOA all day long. it is stupid accurate. I am very impressed by it. for $700 this rifle can be had with an optic. great value.

another awesome bolt gun is the ruger american in .223. honestly with bolt guns the options get huge. CZ, tikka, savage, remington the list gets quite long and all are great.

personally one of my favorite budget rifles is my mosin M91/30. the 7.62.54R cartridge is powerful and can of 440rds can be acquired for ~$100. again it's a bolt action but so what. the rifle will smack a 6" steel plate at 300 yards every single shot. it can be modified with all sorts of aftermarket furniture. personally i like scout scope setups so i used the brass-stacker mount with a cheap long relief scope. the gun is beast mode.

i am not opposed to semi auto. i'm a huge fan of that too. but IMO if cost is an issue then one can have so much better value and accuracy with a bolt gun. to get a quality semi auto I just feel the wallet has to really open up.
 
I'd have suggested a Savage Mark II in .17 HMR except for the "semi-auto" requirement. There seems to be no shortage of .17 HMR ammo.
 
I'd have suggested a Savage Mark II in .17 HMR except for the "semi-auto" requirement. There seems to be no shortage of .17 HMR ammo.

I have the savage 93r17 and its a freaking beast. LOVE IT.
only issue i have is magazines kinda suck. They work ok but sometimes feedlips need a little tweek.

if im doing 17HMR all over again, i go with the CZ 452 or whatever the CZ model is.

im routinely shockedby how few people shoot 17HMR. Im a 17HMR fanboy for sure, especially for just range fun.

volquortsen makes a TF semi auto riflein 17HMR. Everytime i see pictures i think theres a banana in my pocket but its not a banana.
 
I'd have suggested a Savage Mark II in .17 HMR except for the "semi-auto" requirement. There seems to be no shortage of .17 HMR ammo.

Cool cartridge, but not really suitable for mid to long range the way most people define it. I would put it squarely in the short range category.
 
Cool cartridge, but not really suitable for mid to long range the way most people define it. I would put it squarely in the short range category.

IMO wind is the issue. I find 17hmr excellent out to 300 yards but if the wind is over 10mph yeah forget about it. I swear i have had rounds go left then up then right then back left again....it gets interesting especially as the round slows down.

With no wind its laser beam to 200 yards.
at 100 yards i can keep on target regardless of wind.
 
Thank you very much for the in-depth answer squib. I am a very big fan of the 7.62x54R idea, however not sure what is in my price range that would take that. It is hard to guess at prices without going into a store, and even then its hard to tell if its a good price if you aren't knowledgeable on the specific gun. I try to look things up on my phone but that only gets you so far and prices vary greatly by region so the internet is tough to judge.

I did look into the mosin at one point too, but wasnt too thrilled with it. I love stuff like the
Zastava M91 but thats obviously way out of the price rang as well, and probably a bit more long range than I am looking for.
 
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Why can't you shoot shotguns at The Pemi Fish and game club? I know they have a trap range. I used to shoot there when I belonged.
No .22 at Skips? He's probably your best bet around there for any. I'd also check in Martels in Laconia. He usually has a good selection although I'm not sure he's the cheapest around. And I'd check Walmart in Plymouth as much as I could for .22 ammo.

That said, I'd look into an AR myself. If not I'd be more likely to buy a bolt gun. You can find plenty of used rifles well in your budget.

If I wanted to look at a lot of different rifles I'd make the trip to Bow and Hookset at least to check some guns out. You can go to Lewis Arms in Bow, then run a few miles up the road to Rileys and then another mile or so to Shooters Outpost. You would find just about anything between them and you could price compare.
 
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Thank you very much for the in-depth answer squib. I am a very big fan of the 7.62x54R idea, however not sure what is in my price range that would take that. It is hard to guess at prices without going into a store, and even then its hard to tell if its a good price if you aren't knowledgeable on the specific gun. I try to look things up on my phone but that only gets you so far and prices vary greatly by region so the internet is tough to judge.

mosin M91/30. Can be had for under $200.
also mosin M38 or M44 carbine. Should be under $300.
tons of great youtube videos. Check out hickok45 and iraqveteran8888 channels.

The russians also made the SVT40 which was a semi auto version but its expensive and kinda collectors gun. Ive never seen one in person but im slightly obsessed w it.

for .223 chambering, your options are huge.
 
IMO wind is the issue. I find 17hmr excellent out to 300 yards but if the wind is over 10mph yeah forget about it. I swear i have had rounds go left then up then right then back left again....it gets interesting especially as the round slows down.

With no wind its laser beam to 200 yards.
at 100 yards i can keep on target regardless of wind.

No argument, it's a good short range cartridge.
 
Mid-long range shooting takes much more than a fancy rifle. Whatever the rifle, you'll need more than cheapo ammo to hit your shit.

I'd also look into pistol carbines. Most ranges are 100 yards anyway. At that range drunken Finns made subMOA submachine guns out of the factory.

Don't sweat it, it's not the last rifle that you buy. Buy something, enjoy, buy something else later.
 
VEPR in 54r. Can be had for under $900. Little more than the budget. But not by much.

Wow those are sweet, look a bit hard to come by unless ordered online. And yeah they are deff on the high end of the budget haha. Probably something I would look into longer down the line here, or if I can sell some of these expensive crap I have laying around everywhere. Any1 interested in a gold plated trumpet? haha
 
For target shooting im a huge fan of the bolt action, i love the rem 700, accurate aNd reliable platform! If your really not into the bolt, i like many others would go for an AR15. 100-200 yards is a walk in the park and 300-500 can be reached with proper optics. I would go with a 20" barrel, free floated preferably. Now is a great time to buy, look here on the boards, AR's have come down a bit in price!! And you can get steel tula for under $6 a box, decent brass for $9-10 a box and nice hunting/target loads for $18-21 a box. You can customize as you see fit when Your budget expands.
 
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