First rifle to be bought.

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RudeThaiDude

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Hi,

I've been lurking the forums for quite some time now (think years) but I've finally decided to post because of a certain dilemma I'm facing. I have just turned 18 and decided to go purchase a longarm. However, I'm stuck trying to choose between a wood-stock Ruger 10/22, a stainless Ruger 10/22, and a Mosin Nagant 91/30 (or an M44 in the event the 91/30's are out of stock). I have no prior experience operating any firearms, but with that said, I am still looking at the MN91/30 simply because I'm afraid the Big 5's in CA will run out of them soon (as opposed to running out of 10/22s). With that said, what're your suggestions?

Also, for those who suggest the MN91/30: Despite the fact that I have not operated or purchased any firearms before, is there anything I should do when purchasing one, in terms of inspection?
 
As with any rifle you purchase you should always check certain areas of the gun itself. Check for crown damage. Also if you are able to take a look at the bore look for rust and pitting, look for sharp rifling too.
 
I have no prior experience operating any firearms, but with that said, I am still looking at the MN91/30 simply because I'm afraid the Big 5's in CA will run out of them soon
Click to expand...

Get the .22. If you got the extra cash get both the .22 and the Mosin, but I don't recommend shooting the Mosin until you shoot the .22 some and learn how to use a rifle.

I have visions of you pulling the trigger on a Mosin for the first time ever and saying "bloody hell that hurt, screw that"
 
I would suggest the 10/22 first. If you have little to no experience with rifles, a 22 offers an inexpensive and easy tool to quickly gain experience. You can take a 10/22 to the range with a $10 brick of ammo and fire it for most of the day, and as a bonus your shoulder won't be bruised for days. The mosin is a great rifle, with relatively cheap ammo available, easy to use, and has a long history in pivotal conflicts throughout the world, and it would make an excellent 2nd rifle, but you would always have the 10/22 around for cheap fun.
 
Since its your first, I'd go with the 10/22, not only because it was my first gun as well, but its the better training tool...

Then very soon after get a 91/30.







Then very soon after that get an M44.:D
 
I'd buy a new gun for a first rifle, also.

Those Mosins are old. One of mine came with a sight that's way off, and will need to be de-soldered with a torch to get it to shoot right. The bolts stick. You have to get all the grease off. Surplus ammo is corrosive, and you'll need to take special precautions and clean the rifle whenever you fire it; new ammo is expensive, though non-corrosive.

They're fun toys, but I wouldn't put all that between me and having fun shooting a rifle.

With a .22, you buy the gun and a brick of plated ammo. You shoot it. You clean and oil it eventually. If you leave it sitting there dirty, it won't rust out. I left a .22 dirty in a closet for 20 years. Took it out, cleaned it, and it's good as new.
 
I had a similar decision to make years ago. I went for the Mosin, for these reasons: 1) It's a great, all-around caliber that can be used for hunting, home defense, SHTF, etc. 2) surplus ammo is cheap, 3) the gun is like $89 from Big 5,
4) all this history makes it waay cooler than a new .22.

The Mosins sold at Big 5 are in excellent +, re-arsenaled condition with great bores. Buy a $15 recoil pad and be happy!
 
Don't get a candy bar (.22) when you're hungry for a steak (7.62x54r).

You can't disintegrate cinder blocks from 200 yards away with a .22, but the Nagant does it with style.
 
First answer the question of what you want to shoot at. If you only want to shoot paper at ranges out to 150 yds or so, get the .22, and you'll have cheap fun forever with it. If you want to shoot longer distance and/or do more damage, go with a bigger one.
I'm with a lot of folks on having a .22 for casual target practice, whether you get something bigger or not. Great to train with.
 
I had this decision almost two years ago when I hit the clock. I ended up getting a .22 bolt action; if you check your used gun racks at your local gun or pawn place, you might find a worthy rifle for very little

btw, no one will ever run out of Mosin Nagants(not in our lifetimes atleast); the russians made millions and millions of them and new ones are still turning up in eastern european backyards
 
I agree with others that you should become proficient with a .22lr before jumping into firing bigger rifles. This will help you avoid the infamous "flinch" that can be developed by shooting big guns first.

As for the Mosin, I would suggest taking some time to thoroughly research them (makes, markings, rarity, etc.) and then, if possible, buy one you can look at based on the research you did. This would lead to a much greater appreciation for the Mosin you end up with.
 
Thanks to everyone who posted for their input. I might check out the used gun racks or pawn shops for a .22 bolt or semi, because now that I think about it, $250 is quite a bit for me to spend at this point (for the 10/22, that is).
 
My very first cartridge rifle purchased by me was a Ruger 10/22 bought brand new from a Venture store.
Actually my Dad bought it for me, I was too young at the time to actually buy my own rifle, but he used my hard earned money.
Price was $58.67 with tax

Things have gone up in price since then but so have wages, it took me the better part of two years to scrape the money together and another six months to save enough for two spare magazines and a cheap scope.

If you really want that 10/22 save up and buy it, I don't think the rifle is going to disappoint you, something cheaper but easier to aquire right now probably will.
Mine was well worth the wait.
 
I learned to shoot with a .22 single shot rifle. If I had my way, all new shooters would learn with single shot rifles. It slows you down and encourages you to take your time with your shot and not get in a hurry or go rapid fire. You go through a lot less ammo and get more out of what you did shoot.

I would recommend the 10/22 out of those two choices. You really will need a lot of practice to get good with a rifle. .22 LR lets you do that for cheap and it can be shot at most any range. The 10/22 is a fun rifle as well and has some high capacity options to play with.

Also, I would recommend that you put in a lot of time using the iron sights before trying to upgrade to a scope. Scopes are great, but using iron sights well is a good skill and does not always come without practice.
 
I hope this thread isn't old enough to be considered dead, but is $220 for a 10/22($250 for the stainless model) in CA too steep of an asking price?
 
MechAg94 said pretty much exactly what I was going to say. So, just read his post again and put RT after it. ;)

Check pawn/used stores and you'll be amazed at the number of low cost/high quality .22LR bolt actions. Remington, Savage, Marlin, etc. You might even find a Romanian trainer which is excellent for....wait for it.....training, especially since the sight picture is just like the Mosin you're looking at. Just a thought.

Have fun with whatever you decide, and welcome in advance to the wonder (and highly addictive) world of firearm ownership.
RT
 
A .22 bolt action should be your first step, a 91-30 is a good choice for a second rifle. Years ago when money was tight, I used to skip lunch and pocket the money for a firearms purchase. Hey! anybody ever do this?...Essex
 
Go with the 10/22. No matter how tough times get - and they will in your 20's - you can always scratch together enough coin to buy some .22's to go shooting with. When I was in college I had a .22 pistol and a .357 pistol. Which one do you think got used the most? Oh - might as well buy the cheapest 10/22 you can find cause you will be swapping parts on it quicker than you think. With the 10/22 you can have both a wood-stocked sporter and a pistol-gripped folding stock mini-14 looking rifle within minutes.
 
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