Recomendations for a reliable rifle for my Dad.

[Nomad101bc]

My Dad is fairly new to the world of guns but will soon want something to plink. Right now he just has an over under Russian made Remington Spartan. The shotgun is built like a tank and is suiting for him since he is not the most diligent cleaner. Lots of fun shooting clay pigeons off our cabin deck in the free state of VT.

I was wondering if there was any semi-auto rifles you know of that are an affordable caliber and reliable? Accuracy is nice but I doubt he will be looking for a benchrest rifle. I was thinking maybe an SKS or something really durable along those lines.

 

[mike_in_md]

Ruger 10/22 semi auto rifle

 

[Nomad101bc]

Will it behave even if he only cleans the barrel?

 

[offthepaper]

Marlin 60 for real cheap plinkin'.
If he wants something with a little more "umph" maybe a Saiga. Lighter and better built than the SKS.

 

[strat81]

Saiga 223 if you can find one.

And depending on budget... http://cmmginc.secure-mall.com/shop/?shop=1&cart=945676&cat=33&

 

[Slugless]

Shooting off the cabin deck?

Marlin 60

 

[Bearhands]

"new to the world of guns"??? then a bolt action would be a responsible first step. IMHO.

 

[Huddog]

Look into a Milsurp. Some can be had at very reasonable prices and some ammunition is also very affordable. The guns are very durable and can take a bit of abuse but you need to teach Dad to maintain on a regular basis. For .22, either of the afformentioned rifles are reasonably priced and adequate for the purpose of plinking.

 

[Nomad101bc]

He likes wood furniture firearms not the trendy black rifles. How cheap is a decent military surplus SKS?

 

[Soap]

I'd go with a bolt action .22. They can get dirty as hell without having to clean the action. Just teach him to wipe off the bolt when he swabs the barrel and he'll be good to go.

 

[Huddog]

Saw an SKS yesterday at a gunshow for $175.00

 

[Cmdr. Gravez0r]

Saw an SKS yesterday at a gunshow for $175.00

that's the way to go right there, but you may have a little trouble finding them in VT.

 

[Beowolf1911]

mosin nagant cheap reliable and easy to find, plus they have the cool old gun look.

 

[spiroxlii]

If he's a new shooter but you're willing to brief him on SAFETY, then a small semiauto is not an unreasonable choice. He is an adult, and hopefully you won't just toss the rifle in his hands and send him on his way.

You mentioned cheap ammo. .22LR is definitely cheap. A Ruger 10/22 or a Marlin .22 semiauto would be a good choice. I can't speak for the Marlins, but I have a Ruger 10/22, and it will shoot forever with minimal maintenance. Most "issues" you hear about with the 10/22 are ammo-related, not really the gun's fault. Exceptionally dirty .22 ammo can make it so you have to clean the gun more often. Low quality ammo may result in misfires. I am working through a bulk pack of Remington Thunderbolts now. I had a couple of weak loads in this batch which fired and cleared the barrel but failed to cycle the action.

 

[spiroxlii]

The SKS and Mosin-Nagant have been suggested here too.

They are both reliable. They are both cheap. Ammo for both is affordable by rifle ammo standards, though nowhere nearly as affordable as .22LR ammo. They also both make a lot more noise and recoil than a .22 rifle would, especially the Mosin-Nagant. That could be a problem for a new shooter.

On the other hand, if your dad gets into more than target plinking and squirrel hunting, having something bigger than a .22 on hand might be good.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

Start your dad off with a .22. He'll have more fun with it. He can always get a bigger gun later on if he wants.

 

[Bartkowski]

Your dad will have to clean his Mosin thouroughly when he shoots corrosive ammo. You said your dad isn't very careful in his cleaning habits, so if he is not willing to change, you may want to consider something else.

If you do decide against a Mosin, an SKS is a fine alternative. Ammo isn't especially cheap, but it is reasonable.

 

[Frog48]

A .22, of some sort, definitely sounds like the best idea.

 

[W.E.G.]

Buy the gun YOU want.

Just leave it at his house.

 

[Nomad101bc]

I dont need another .22 bolt action my mom has 2 hand guns in .22 and I already have a rifle bolt action. I saw some very affordible military surplus SKS's come through my local dealer on consignment.

We live in CT our cabins in VT though and when we get a back stop built we will get to start shooting larger calibers than .22LR. So SKS's tend to be almost as reliable as their relatives the AK genre? Sounds like a fun gun to shoot for me too...BTW he has done a pistol safety course and used to shoot alot when he was little but developed hophlophobia in college. So I think he can handle and enjoy something like an SKS. What caliber is SKS 7.62?

 

[spiroxlii]

ALMOST as reliable as their AK cousins? HA!

The SKS is at least as reliable as an AK. And considering how many AK variants there and the wide range of quality (or lack thereof) you can find when you shop for an AK, I'd say getting an SKS is much less of a crap shoot than getting an AK is.

It fires the exact same cartridge as the AK. 7.62x39.