Help Me Pick A Rifle!

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jahwarrior

jahwarrior

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Apr 9, 2007
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Dickson City, PA
towards the end of the summer, i'm buying a rifle. i need one, actually; i want to have a well rounded set of guns, and i already have the handgun and shotgun parts filled. i just haven't decided what kind. i have a few different ones in mind, and i'd like some input. my choices are:

1. a Marlin 336, in .30-30; i live in PA, and this is probably the most popular gun around here. everyone i know who owns rifles owns at least one.

2. a Mini-14. i've shot this gun before, and liked it. i can't hunt with it, though, since it's semi-auto, so it would only be used for target shooting and home defense.

3. a Mosin Nagant. these are as common as Buck knives in sport shops around here, and so is the ammo, 7mm. most can be had for under $100, but i've only ever shot a bolt action once, and it was a .22LR of some sort.

4. a Hi-Point carbine, in either .45ACP or 9mm. the newest models have a good reputation, and are easily customizable, as far as optics and accessories are concerned. it wuld also let me take advantage of NOT having to invest in another caliber. again, this would be for target shooting and/or home defense.

these are pretty much the ones i've settled on. all my local shops carry one or all of them, and they're all within my price range, and comfort zone. i might look into building an AR next year, but right now, i'd rather get something from my list, since i'm a beginner at this.

what do you y'all think? thoughts? opinions? tell me your stories, and your experiences, not what your buddy told you about his friend's rifle, or what you read in an article or on the internet. ;)
 
What will you be using it for? You didn't say anything about that part.

I've got both a 336 and a Mosin. I only shoot at the ranges so they are just for plinking fun. Both are great fun in their own way. And with one being a lever and the other a bolt action they are very different. And if you can get the surplus 7.62x54R ammo for cheap then that may be the way to go for now.

But again, it all comes down to what you'll be using this rifle for. AND at what distances. If you need a scope to shoot the rifle the way you want then a Mosin is going to be a PITA to set up. Far easier to get something that'll accept scope mounts easily in that case.
 
3. a Mosin Nagant. these are as common as Buck knives in sport shops around here, and so is the ammo, 7mm. most can be had for under $100, but i've only ever shot a bolt action once, and it was a .22LR of some sort.
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7.62x54mm Rimmed, actually, but yes, it is common and cheap.

It would help if we had more parameters, but for a general purpose rifle, I'd say the Marlin. Can't hunt with the mini or the high point, the mosin isn't at all suited to defense use.
 
jahwarrior, please offer some commentary about your general uses, now and in the reasonable future. Targets and hunting? Targets only? Hunting only? Mostly just plinking?

And, probable distances. Rarely over 100 yards? Maybe wide-open country hunting, or maybe woods and forest?

All that makes a really big difference about what's good and what's a waste of time and money...
 
I would go with the Mosin. It'll give you a nice, cheap rifle that with a little work can be a very accurate hunting rifle as well as a fun range toy. I got mine to shoot about 1" at 100yds consistently by just doing a few hours of work in my garage. The biggest downside is if you want a scope for hunting, it's a pain to put one on. Recoil is stout, but not a problem, especially if you're used to shotguns.

If you want a recommendation for a different bolt action, I'd look into a Howa. I found mine for about $300-350 or so and it had a nice trigger and shot under 1" at 100yds right out of the box. The hogue stock is also a nice touch.

Personally I wouldn't go with the Hi-Point carbine if your main goal is to add a rifle to your collection.
 
Mosin Nagant! It can be used for hunting and plinking. And as a defense rifle it usually just scares them to death with the bayonet.:evil: I got mine for $80 and a set of mojo sights for $70. You can't go wrong with it.
 
sorry, guys, i should have included the parameters. i want a rifle for all-around use, from plinking to home defense to wilderness survival. i don't hunt recreationally, so that's not a priority. that's not saying i never will have to, in case of emergencies, but i have no plans on sitting in a blind in subzero weather for fun.

i live in northeastern PA, so much of the natural terrain is hilly, heavily wooded, and scattered with rivers. white tail and black bear are the biggest game around here. the Appalachian Trail runs through my area, as well, if that's any indicator of the geography.
 
much of the natural terrain is hilly, heavily wooded, and scattered with rivers. white tail and black bear
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Then definitely the nod to the 336. The more powerful 7.65x54mm Mosin has no advantage if the shots would be close, and gives up compactness and quick handling, and availability of ammo. Yes, 7.62x54 is common and cheap, but not common like .30-30 is. You can get .30-30 anywhere that sells ammo, and it's pretty affordable.

And leverguns are just plain fun :D
 
I would take either the 336 or the hipoint, though I would probably look for the hi point in 9mm. The 336 would be my pick for a rifle you plan to take out in the woods and use for whatever comes your way. It may not be the best pick for bears, but if you are looking for a just in case type rifle rather than a dedicated hunter, it should do fine. .30-30 is a bit expensive to shoot in bulk, but if you reload it can be real cheap. The 9mm carbine has the benefit of being very cheap to shoot. If you want to shoot a bit on a budget, going with a pistol caliber is a good idea. 45 is about twice the price of 9mm around here. I'd feel more than comfortable with a loaded mag of top end 9mm defense loads if it were needed in that situation. If you are stuck on the 45, it isn't a bad route either, but just not near as wallet friendly to practice with at the range.
 
Id recommend the Mini-14 or Marlin 30-30

both are good guns, one will work better for a SHTF situation but you can hunt w/ a 30-30
 
Gonna reload? Get the 30-30. Hornady leverlution for game, Trailboss powder under molylube lead roundnose for plinking. Mosin Nagant is neat but not as all around useful for your needs.

blindhari
 
You say that you want a rifle for plinking, survival purposes, and home defense. You state that you already have a .45 or 9mm handgun. Sadly, any rifle that you acquire is going to be a compromise at best. I live in Pennsylvania as well and there are a few things that you might want to consider in your selection. Pennsylvania mandates manually operated rifles and pistols for hunting or taking any game including vermin. That puts semi auto's out of the question if you intend to blast any critter.

Most of the "wilderness" that you refer to in your area is State Gamelands or State owned forest. Plinking with a centerfire rifle on any State land is going to be looked upon with extreme disdain. Unless it's hunting season (and you don't hunt) discharging a centerfire rifle is going to be limited to firing on a range with a substantial backstop. Even with cheap surplus ammo you're going to find that any centerfire will get a bit pricy if you're going to "plink a lot"; even if you handload.

Most survivalists prefer a .22 caliber rifle due to the ability to pack lots of ammo and it's low report. A centerfire rifle isn't the answer if your intent is to put meat in the pot.

An old battle rifle is not the best choice for home defense either. Unless you live in an area where your nearest neighbor is 20 cornfields away, a rifle capable of slinging a slug 4 miles isn't the duckiest solution. Plus, you already have a home defense gun in the .45/9mm.

Finally, if it's not hunting season and you don't have a Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms, you can find yourself in a world of hurt if you stray off private property with any firearm. Based upon your criteria, I'd recommend you buy a .22 rifle.
 
Hornaday lit a fire under the old .30-30 when it introduced "LEVERevolution" ammo. Faster more accurate at longer ranges and etc.. I have been looking for a an older Marlin to try this cartage out. But for $350 for the rifle and $30 for 20 rounds I've continued to look. I did buy the High Point carbine in .45acp. It was an experiment on my part since I'd never even held one. But I'm not disappointed. It will fulfill all your requirements. If you don't reload the 9mm will be way cheaper to feed, just as much fun and still a capable home defense tool.
 
You say that you want a rifle for plinking, survival purposes, and home defense. You state that you already have a .45 or 9mm handgun. Sadly, any rifle that you acquire is going to be a compromise at best. I live in Pennsylvania as well and there are a few things that you might want to consider in your selection. Pennsylvania mandates manually operated rifles and pistols for hunting or taking any game including vermin. That puts semi auto's out of the question if you intend to blast any critter.
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i'm aware of this. this is why i'm considering a lever or bolt action.

Most survivalists prefer a .22 caliber rifle due to the ability to pack lots of ammo and it's low report. A centerfire rifle isn't the answer if your intent is to put meat in the pot.
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i also considered this, and i may consider it some more.

An old battle rifle is not the best choice for home defense either. Unless you live in an area where your nearest neighbor is 20 cornfields away, a rifle capable of slinging a slug 4 miles isn't the duckiest solution. Plus, you already have a home defense gun in the .45/9mm.
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i thought about this. shooting anything indoors is not something i look forward to, and in all likelihood, my the first thing i would reach for is a shotgun in the home; i use birdshot/game loads, to decrease the chance of overpenetration through the walls of the house. i still feel like i'm missing a vital element to my firearm selection, which is why i need to narrow down my rifle choices.

Finally, if it's not hunting season and you don't have a Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms, you can find yourself in a world of hurt if you stray off private property with any firearm. Based upon your criteria, I'd recommend you buy a .22 rifle.
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i currently have a range permit (a new requirement in PA to use public ranges), will be getting a hunting license this summer, and i'l be renewing my LTCF next month. dn't forget, a LTCF is only needed to conceal a handgun in public, or to carry in Philly.

damn it! now you've got me thinking about a .22! one more thing to spend money on....
 
dn't forget, a LTCF is only needed to conceal a handgun in public, or to carry in Philly.
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Nope. A License to Carry Firearms is just that. It's not limited to handguns or Philadelphia. It's necessary if you intend to carry a loaded firearm anywhere in Pennsylvania unless you're on private property. The exception is if you're actively hunting or fishing and, even then, a handgun requires a "Sportsman's License" in addition to your valid hunting or fishing license. Pennsylvania does not have a concealed carry law. If you don't believe me just try walking through downtown Scranton with a loaded rifle. I don't recommend it...
 
The advantage of a Mosin over the Marlin is that you can shoot more in practice. .30-30 is much more expensive, even reloaded, than 7.62x54R surplus. But the Marlin is going to be easier to tote. If you're not terribly familiar with rifles I would go with a nice Mosin for training purposes, learn the stances and practice practice practice.

Any rifle can be used for home defense provided you have the proper expanding rounds. But the .30-30 has the edge there due to the handiness of the platform.

The Marlin is much more difficult to disassemble than the Mosin, which also is a point in the Mosin's favor as a high volume training rifle.
 
Nope. A License to Carry Firearms is just that. It's not limited to handguns or Philadelphia. It's necessary if you intend to carry a loaded firearm anywhere in Pennsylvania unless you're on private property. The exception is if you're actively hunting or fishing and, even then, a handgun requires a "Sportsman's License" in addition to your valid hunting or fishing license. Pennsylvania does not have a concealed carry law. If you don't believe me just try walking through downtown Scranton with a loaded rifle. I don't recommend it...
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PA is an open carry state; a license is required to conceal, except for Philadelphia, which is a City of First Class (due to population); in Philadelphia, a LTCF is required to carry, openly or concealed. outside of Philly, a license isn't necessary to carry openly, on public property. LTCFs aren't a requirement to carry a rifle, except for Philly, once again. not that i would carry one down the street anyway, but i do regularly open carry a handgun in Scranton.

but, that's not what i want to debate (because there is no debating it). i just wanted rifle advice, and you gave me some good advice, actually. on rifles, not carry laws. ;)
 
Just a nice Rifle

How about a Scout Rifle built on a Mosin Nagant? I'ts 7.62 X 54mm kinda like a 303 british in power. http://tgrenterpries.com is there site but try
next week as there web site is down. Price complete with Scope &
all machining is done for $350 to $400 USD.

They are the inventors of the Brass Stacker & this is one nice rifle with
pleanty of good cheap ammo. I don't have one but I would bet they
are reloadable with many weights of bullets. Many surplus is steel case.

One last thought I never thought an American Arms maker Hornady
would load any of their ammo in Steel cases. I would not only get
spare parts but get primers, bullets & Powder that's for brass cases
of course. This is a tough but parts & springs do break & wear out.

Remember what a congressman said " We can not take there guns but
we can run them out of ammo. He then voted to Ban Black Talon ammo.
 
Just personal opinion here, but I'd take home defense out of the equation. I really don't think that a rifle is the best thing to grab, when you are in tight quarters and don't have any back up; not to mention the increased risk of over penetration. I've always preferred handguns for home defense. The are more maneuverable in tight quarters where there is more of a risk of a hand to hand confrontation. The handgun will likely be harder to have taken away from you or have the muzzle averted from the direction in which you are trying to shoot.

The mini 14 is a nice rifle, but for the price of them (and their magazines), I'd look at an AR15. ARs are typically more acccurate and there are more goodies that you can use to "personalize" your rifle. I do have to admit, though, that I find the mini more comfortable to go hiking around with.

The mosin is just too big to be considered handy and unless you have a specific purpose for a rifle, I think that handiness is an important attribute.

The Hi Point, is, well, a Hi Point. It's an inexpensive firearm that many like and find entertaining to shoot, but I really don't think that I'd have one to fill the rifle void in my collection. I consider it to be something that you buy after you already have something else that is really good. Not trying to knock it, I just don't consider it to be a "good gun."

And that leaves the lever gun, which is going to be my choice or recommendation. Over the past few years, I've gone through a few different interests from getting stuck on "tactical" rifles, like the AR15, to precision bolt guns. I'm pretty much getting away from the AR15. I suppose it's a nice tactical rifle, but I don't always need tactical, and I'm not always up for carrying everything associated with carrying an AR around. The bolt guns are really nice too, but all of mine are precision oriented, meaning that they are on the heavier side.

Lately, when I'm leaving the camp or hopping on the four wheeler to go clown around, but want to take something with me, I usually take a lever gun. All you need is the gun and an ammo pouch. They're easy to carry and mighty handy.
 
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