What would be a good, reliable rifle to use for home protection? My dad is thinking about getting a rifle because we are moving to rural area and feels a lot safer having a rifle in the house at all times. The budget is under $500. He is fairly new to firearms in general so something that is reliable and easy to maintain is a must.
Rifle for home protection?
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Sounds like an SKS is your cup of tea. I don't know how familiar you are with them so I'll assume little to none. Ten round magazine semi auto. If you live in the more free states, you can put a detachable 20 or 30 round magazine on it. Most Yugoslavian models are under $200. Russians are about $350 and up. Chinese are about $200-400 depending on condition.
The nice thing about the Russian and Chinese are the chrome lined barrels for easier cleaning. They are very reliable and ammo is common.
The nice thing about the Russian and Chinese are the chrome lined barrels for easier cleaning. They are very reliable and ammo is common.
MMcfpd
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With your budget you could also consider a Saiga or an AK, both of which can use the same 7.62x39mm round the SKS uses. New Saigas I've seen recently are in the $250-325 range.
And that budget could also conceivably get you a Beretta CX4 Storm in .45 ACP.
And that budget could also conceivably get you a Beretta CX4 Storm in .45 ACP.
jpwilly
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Yugo SKS would be okay an AKM (AK-47) would be better and still under $500. If you're worried about PC than maybe a basic Mini 14 in 223?
rangerruck
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or a saiga in 762.39r...or a .30 carbine, light , handy, ammo is not too expensive.
Deer Hunter
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I'll chirp in. A saiga, but in .223. Better ammo selection.
Pine Cone
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Marlin 1894C in .357 Magnum or Marlin 336 in .30-30
Lever rifles. They have stood the test of time. The 1894C can shoot .38 special or .357 magnum. More than enough to do the job of self defense. Reliable, easy to shoot, great guns!
Lever rifles. They have stood the test of time. The 1894C can shoot .38 special or .357 magnum. More than enough to do the job of self defense. Reliable, easy to shoot, great guns!
zxcvbob
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Marlin 1894 (or 1894C.)
yesit'sloaded
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I'm sorry but I have never seen a mini 14 that could hit anything over 1oo yards. I admit I have only fired two, but they just didn't do it for me.
Freelance Tax Collector
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I think for that price or not much more a plain-basic Oly or DPMS could be had.
B.D. Turner
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Marlin 1894 in .44 magnum. You can use safety slugs for inside duty.
ArfinGreebly
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HD Rifle
Saiga is good, and in .223 the wide range of ammo available gives flexibility.
Kel-tec SU-16B (16C if you're not in CA) is reliable, compact, light. Eats anything in .223/5.56 and just keeps shooting. Takes standard AR mags. Right at $500, but you can find them for less.
Marlin 336C in .30-30 will certainly git-er-done, but ammo cost will make it less fun to do regular target practice. Also makes a competent game rifle all the way up to black bear and large deer (elk, too, if you place your shot).
Marlin 1984C in .357/.38 special would be a good choice, and the range of ammo available in .38 special and .357 magnum is substantial.
If varmints are likely to be a factor, then any of these would be fine, but I would still lean toward the Marlin 1894C, as .38 special is a reasonable pest load, and .357 will take deer-sized game if needed.
With practice, a guy can put lead downrange from a lever gun with speed and authority, addressing multiple targets. The key is practice.
If getting enough practice is an issue, then the autoloaders like Saiga and Kel-tec will still allow a decent practical rate of fire.
Saiga is good, and in .223 the wide range of ammo available gives flexibility.
Kel-tec SU-16B (16C if you're not in CA) is reliable, compact, light. Eats anything in .223/5.56 and just keeps shooting. Takes standard AR mags. Right at $500, but you can find them for less.
Marlin 336C in .30-30 will certainly git-er-done, but ammo cost will make it less fun to do regular target practice. Also makes a competent game rifle all the way up to black bear and large deer (elk, too, if you place your shot).
Marlin 1984C in .357/.38 special would be a good choice, and the range of ammo available in .38 special and .357 magnum is substantial.
If varmints are likely to be a factor, then any of these would be fine, but I would still lean toward the Marlin 1894C, as .38 special is a reasonable pest load, and .357 will take deer-sized game if needed.
With practice, a guy can put lead downrange from a lever gun with speed and authority, addressing multiple targets. The key is practice.
If getting enough practice is an issue, then the autoloaders like Saiga and Kel-tec will still allow a decent practical rate of fire.
To address the "Mini 14s suck and can't hit a barn at 50 yards" issue: please be aware that Ruger has scrapped their old barrel equipment and the new Mini 14s are target quality.
I don't know what range of serial numbers kicks off this new quality version of the rifle, but it's definitely different.
Oh, and that breaks the $500 rule, since you aren't likely to see one of the new make floating around the used market.
I don't know what range of serial numbers kicks off this new quality version of the rifle, but it's definitely different.
Oh, and that breaks the $500 rule, since you aren't likely to see one of the new make floating around the used market.
charlie505
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For those that think the Mini14 can't hit anything - are you willing to stand infront of one?
I could keep all my shots in a 12 inch circle @ 100yds with a cheap red dot sight.
I would not hesitate to use it in a self defense emergency
I could keep all my shots in a 12 inch circle @ 100yds with a cheap red dot sight.
I would not hesitate to use it in a self defense emergency
The Annoyed Man
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How about a used Marlin Camp Carbine in .45 ACP?
Clipper
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$500.00 would buy a Hi-Point carbine, an inexpensive red dot, an ATI stock if the original is too ugly for you (it was for me), and leave about $250.00 for ammo! It's simple, tough and dead-nuts reliable, will handle any kind of 9mm ammo you want to feed it (and you can buy cheap WWB 9mm for about what .22mag costs), almost no recoil and is backed with a lifetime guarantee... And it's made in America.
My second suggestion would be an AK of some type. Cheap to buy, cheap to shoot, 5 to 30-round mags, also very reliable. light recoil. That $500.00 would also buy a mount and inexpensive optical sight with change left over for ammo...
I have both. for the house gun, the Hi-Point is shorter & handier. Hot hollowpoints are the ticket. But if there's livestock to protect and the shots might go beyond 50-75 yards on coyotes, feral dogs and such, the AK would get the nod.
My second suggestion would be an AK of some type. Cheap to buy, cheap to shoot, 5 to 30-round mags, also very reliable. light recoil. That $500.00 would also buy a mount and inexpensive optical sight with change left over for ammo...
I have both. for the house gun, the Hi-Point is shorter & handier. Hot hollowpoints are the ticket. But if there's livestock to protect and the shots might go beyond 50-75 yards on coyotes, feral dogs and such, the AK would get the nod.
Depends...
on where you live and whether you need protection from unfriendly critters or unfriendly humans.
A good dog will keep both away for the most part, or alert you to the situation.
SKS or an AK variant is a good choice for both.
An 18" lever action carbine in .44 Mag or .45 Colt is good for both.
12 Gauge with slugs/buckshot works too.
SU-16 or Mini-14 is good for smaller critters and unfriendly humans, but wouldn't be very good for bear.
.30 Carbine is my favorite for home defense (unfriendly humans).
on where you live and whether you need protection from unfriendly critters or unfriendly humans.
A good dog will keep both away for the most part, or alert you to the situation.
SKS or an AK variant is a good choice for both.
An 18" lever action carbine in .44 Mag or .45 Colt is good for both.
12 Gauge with slugs/buckshot works too.
SU-16 or Mini-14 is good for smaller critters and unfriendly humans, but wouldn't be very good for bear.
.30 Carbine is my favorite for home defense (unfriendly humans).
mpmarty
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+1 On the Marlin Camp Carbine in 45acp. Good luck finding one. It is the one long gun not in my safe. It leans against the headboard of my bed with a fifteen round mag full of Hornady 200gr +p hollow points.
Exmasonite
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Any particular reason to go with a rifle over a shotgun? Lose a little bit of range but go with a smoothbore and you can throw slugs and shot. For $500, you can get a good gun + 1-2 extra barrels for flexibility.
glockman19
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I wouldn't know which one to grab. Mini-14, AR-15, M1A, Marlin 1894SS .44, Remmy 700, Remmy 870 12 gague?
All would work just fine.
IMHO handguns are better, pistols over revolvers because of capacity.
All would work just fine.
IMHO handguns are better, pistols over revolvers because of capacity.
benEzra
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One of the cheapest options for a rifle, and very good:
http://www.raacfirearms.com/Saiga.htm
This is a civilian AK derivative. Only downside is that the magazine capacity is only ten rounds. One of these would be low to mid $200's, I think.
.223 Remington and 7.62x39mm are both relatively cheap to shoot compared to other calibers, and plentiful. .223 is probably a bit more accurate with readily available ammunition; 7.62x39mm is similar to .30-30 Winchester.
Step up to the mid-$300's, and you can get something like this (minus the optic):
Romanian SAR-1 (civilian AK lookalike)
Currently available Romanian AK's are WASR's, as SAR's are no longer imported:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WASR_series_rifles
Like Saigas and all other civilian NFA Title 1 rifles, SAR's and WASR's are non-automatic (this is not an actual AK-47). Standard magazine capacity is 30 rounds, though I often use 20's for general use because they are handier and lighter. That's a 20-rounder in the photo of the SAR-1 above. The optic is a Russian Kobra ($179).
The Kel-Tec SU-16, various lever actions, and even a 12-gauge shotgun (Remington 870 or Mossberg 500 with an 18" barrel and extended magazine tube) would also be excellent choices. The mini-14 would also be a decent choice, but is well out of your price range; you'd be hard pressed to find a mini-14 and two or three good defensive magazines (20 or 30 rd) for $500, IMHO.
http://www.raacfirearms.com/Saiga.htm
This is a civilian AK derivative. Only downside is that the magazine capacity is only ten rounds. One of these would be low to mid $200's, I think.
.223 Remington and 7.62x39mm are both relatively cheap to shoot compared to other calibers, and plentiful. .223 is probably a bit more accurate with readily available ammunition; 7.62x39mm is similar to .30-30 Winchester.
Step up to the mid-$300's, and you can get something like this (minus the optic):
Romanian SAR-1 (civilian AK lookalike)
Currently available Romanian AK's are WASR's, as SAR's are no longer imported:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WASR_series_rifles
Like Saigas and all other civilian NFA Title 1 rifles, SAR's and WASR's are non-automatic (this is not an actual AK-47). Standard magazine capacity is 30 rounds, though I often use 20's for general use because they are handier and lighter. That's a 20-rounder in the photo of the SAR-1 above. The optic is a Russian Kobra ($179).
The Kel-Tec SU-16, various lever actions, and even a 12-gauge shotgun (Remington 870 or Mossberg 500 with an 18" barrel and extended magazine tube) would also be excellent choices. The mini-14 would also be a decent choice, but is well out of your price range; you'd be hard pressed to find a mini-14 and two or three good defensive magazines (20 or 30 rd) for $500, IMHO.
dasmi
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If it was me, I'd probably get a KelTec Sub2000 with the Glock magazines, since I've got a Glock 17.
But an SKS or AK would also fit the bill, and for less money.
But an SKS or AK would also fit the bill, and for less money.
Clipper
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