Whats the best route out of my choices for a first rifle.

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Zanad

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I'm in a bit decision predicament, I'm getting my first semi-auto rifle. The only problem is that I cant decide on what to get. so I'm leaving it you highroaders on what to buy. I'm limited to around $1500(work bonus) as a price tag. I can only/want to buy one(1) gun at this time.

uses: target shooting, pest control, possibly hunting whitetail if I get the time(havnt been lately), and sitting close for possible HD scenario.

my choices:

completing an AR-15(My father has a complete unused lower)by buying a stag arms 6.8 upper w/ 60 rounds. ammo is available at local gun stores.- price...$425 used

buying a mini-14 NRA version. price.....around $700


an m1a scout , price, about my limit of $1500.


a new/used marlin 1894c 357 Mag... havnt found one yet


A siaga in shotgun or rifle form.(havent decided on what caliber)
prices from around $350 up to $650 for either shotgun or rifle.


last of my options is a really nice 10/22 thats already tacticooled for around $400


* not interested in handguns at this time.
 
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What Caliber do you really want? I would finish the AR-15. I have enjoyed shooting all of my friends AR-15's I have had the chance to shoot. I would buy new parts, and use what extra you have to buy some ammo. It will give you a chance to learn that gun inside and out.
 
First thing to do is decide what platform you want, AR style semi or bolt action. If you are planning on hunting what type of hunting might you be doing. An AR would be a great gun if your shooting varmints, but it wouldn't be my first choice on bigger game like a white-tails or the like.

If it is bigger game your after then I would highly suggest a good bolt action rifle. Remington 700, Winchester Model 70, Ruger Model 77, might also look at a Savage or Tika. All of these guns could be had used for less than $700 very easily.

You will need a good scope for a hunting gun and Leupold is one of the most well respected scopes in the mid dollar price range. You can get a good Vari-X III for $3-400 which would leave you with about $500 of your $1500 budget.

The other problem you will have is the caliber. WHats the range of your shots normally? I would highly suggest one of the more proven/popular calibers for ease of buying ammo and selling if you ever wanted ie: .308, 30-06, .270, .243, .300 win mag and others. The first three listed will take most any big game in North America.

Now a bolt action really ain't going to do you any good in a HD situation. Thats where the AR would come in. I am not going to pretend to know anything about AR's except that the newer Ruger SR 556 is supposed to be a pretty sweet gun but that would just about max your budget. Others that know more about the black guns will chime in and give you their opinions on those guns.

Like I said at the beginning, you will have to figure out what you want this gun primarily to be used for. If HD is number one then you need an AR and you could use that for some target shooting. If it is more for hunting go with a good bolt action and you can do some target shooting with it.

Just my thoughts good luck with your purchase.
 
Considering your budget seems to include $1,500 for the M1A Scout, you could afford two uppers, and make the AR twice the rifle...

Or one upper and a nice optic...
 
Winchester model 70 Extreme Weather SS, in either .243 or .308.

A friend of mine has one. Iirc, retail is about $1000 you can use the extra cash for ammo and put a good scope on it.
 
For your uses, the AR upper seems to be the best deal. It will accomplish your uses, the lower is already sitting around, so you should be able to get mags and ammo, and possibly a decent optic for your rifle as well.

However, for my money, I'd go with the M1A. I don't care what the price tags say, as far as I am concerned, the M14/M1A is and will always be at least twice the rifle any AR is. I am admittedly a little biased, but I didn't start out that way. I just have grown to like the M1A so much more. It just seems like the more solid, robust design. And since 6.8 still costs about as much as 7.62x51, and is often harder to find, I'd rather have the added power and range of the .308. This is esp true if the rifle is to be used for hunting, or for competition. Much more options for both in .308.
 
You may think you are buying a rifle for target shooting but the rifle you buy may well be the one you take to defend you loved ones. Buy a rifle that will shoot a true 2 MOA all day long in a common caliber. A rifle that will not jam in the first 500 rounds and a rifle that will not misfire.
The M1A
The M-1 garand
 
I would say get the 6.8 upper as well as either a 5.56 upper and a good optic and some ammo or get the 6.8 with a really nice optic and a good amount of ammo and mags. If you want to do lots of practice or plinking a 5.56 upper would be advantageous because the ammo can be had for less than half the cost of 6.8spc.
 
Somewhere in Idaho

If I was about to buy my first rifle and lived in Idaho, I would lean toward the Remington Auto Loader in .30-06 caliber. On your $1500.00 budget, I believe you can outfit a Remington Model 7400 with good optics and accessories. The .30-06 caliber is still recognized as the best all around cartridge in North America with commercial loads ranging from 125 to 220 grain bullets. You can hunt just about any game on the continent with it. I have a daughter living in southeast Idaho and that was her weapon of choice. Just hard to beat the .30-06 for versatility. The Remington has been a proven piece for many years.
 
I'd go with an AR. The platform is versatile. .223 ammo is cheap so you can shoot it alot. The magazines are really inexpensive. An AR15 is just a plain blast to shoot.

I don't know what that reference to jamming in the 500 rounds was. A properly built AR from a reputable firm will run slicker than snot and won't give you any trouble.

All of this is assuming that by target shooting, you mean general target shooting for distances from 25 yards and beyond, out to the capability of the .223 round. Just shooting at stuff like soda cans and clay pigeons and stuff (varmints included).

If you're talking about long distance target shooting exclusively, the M1A would get my vote. The 7.62 is a pretty serious round. I don't own an M1A, now. I stick with the ARs. They are just plain fun.

If you decide later that hunting is higher up on your list of needs, you can just get an upper in a different caliber that is more appropriate for hunting what you want.

The downside to getting an AR is that it is very addictive. I don't think that I personally know anyone that has ARs and only has one.
 
If $1500 is indeed your limit, why not go with two rifles?

Kel-Tec SU-16 for 5.56/home defense/plinking/fun, and a serious hunting rifle with good optics.
 
arget shooting, pest control, possibly hunting whitetail if I get the time(havnt been lately), and sitting close for possible HD scenario.
Click to expand...

Either you have some really big pests, or really tiny deer to be able to use one gun for those extremes.........:D

I'd go with the Marlin, only because I haven't found them around either - everything is readily available all the time. It would be mediocre for target shooting, adequate for HD and pests, and doable on deer within its range
 
You asked for opinions so here's mine.
If I had your needs and budget, and was into the AR platform, I would go with a Remington R25 in 7mm-08. It's a great round. Small enough for varmints, plenty big for deer.
 
wincheste 94 :) got some new FTX those rubbery ballistic tippeds that are safe in those tubes, found a long lost buddy coming out of the gun cabinet once again.
 
Build the AR in .308. Not the 6.8 because it's on sale at the local Gun Shop (there's a reason it's on sale). You need something that can shoot out to 200 maybe 300 yrds in ID and it is cheeper than the 6.8. Put some good optics on it and stock up on ammo.
 
I don't think he said that lower was a .308 lower. If it is, go with that for sure. You should be able to finish it with your budget.

Are you looking for something that you can shoot a lot, or just want to have it to shoot occassionally? If you are going to want to shoot it a lot, the AR is the only way to go. Sorry for posting again, I just really love the .223 ARs.

I don't know if this is an option that you would consider, but CMMG does have their "bargain bin" ARs. I think they go for $625 for a hand picked one. Lots of guys on ARF have had good things to say about them. If you went that route, you could have your cake and eat it too.

Is that lower that you have complete or stripped? If it is complete, you put something special together and be way under your budget.

Are you looking for a carbine or something that is potentially super accurate. I know I didn't ask before, but asking whether you should buy an AR is kind of like asking if you should buy a Chevy. They come in lots of different flavors.
 
i would go with the m1a. or if you dont you can go with both the ar 6.8 upper & a 5.56 upper. it would be like having two rifles. plus when you goto the range you can shoot cheep 5.56 instead of more expensive 6.8.
 
the reason i mentioned the 6.8 upper is becasue it was offered by a private seller. i just talked to hiim yesterday and he said the upper was SOLD. that still leaves me with the option to finish the AR upper, but at a slightly higher cost.

now lets say I ditched the AR lower and bought an AR-10 style gun in .308. for waht i'm doing .308 might do well enough for my needs(see first post), but my question now turnes into;



are .308 AR's reliable?
 
Of what you have listed I own a NRA Mini and an 1894C (haven't shot it yet) and I can tell you I love the NRA Mini, but for a first rifle I would have to agree with the others on a 30-30. You can pick up a used 336 anywhere for $200-$300 and either keep it or sell it for probably what you bought it for if you want something else.
But, the NRA Mini's are getting harder to find...........
 
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