New Firearm Owner: Which Two?

C

carbon60

Explorer
I just received my possession and acquisition license, so now it's time to buy something.

My firearm ownership goals and general points:


  1. Small game hunting: generally this is grouse, ptarmigan, hare and rabbit;
  2. Fun in the gravel pits;
  3. The terrain around here is very dense with little open space: weight is important;
  4. Our weather sucks: stainless would be nice and reduce the likelihood of me having issues due to neglect;
  5. I have very little space and so must keep the number of firearms to a minimum;

My starting point has been to go for a .22LR and a 20 GA. The idea of .17 HMR for target shooting is also appealing, which led me to the CZ 455 Combo…

My budget is around $1500 or so, for both.

What would you do?

Thanks,

A.
 
J

jonnyquest

Adventurer
How about a 20 ga Rem 870 Express and a Ruger Mark III 22 lr 4" fixed sight. The 870 would be fine as is. Just get the full array of chokes. Replace the Ruger upper with a Paclite. Replace the Ruger trigger with a Volquartsen. Should be able to meet all your goals under $1500.


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WininUtah

WininUtah

Adventurer
I like the suggestion of a Ruger Mini 14, I had one and regret selling it. I do have a CZ452 American in 22LR and it is a very good gun, you wouldn't go wrong with a CZ455 and have the advantage of 2 barrels. I scoped mine with a 2x7 Leupold but will be changing it out for a 3x9 Leupold.

I'm not a shotgun guy, pick what suits you.
 
C

carbon60

Explorer
jonnyquest said:
How about a 20 ga Rem 870 Express and a Ruger Mark III 22 lr 4" fixed sight. The 870 would be fine as is. Just get the full array of chokes. Replace the Ruger upper with a Paclite. Replace the Ruger trigger with a Volquartsen. Should be able to meet all your goals under $1500.
Click to expand...

Should have clarified something important: I'm in Canada and can not carry a pistol, so long-guns only.

I'm busy reading about all the suggestions, thank you!
 
Dake21

Dake21

Adventurer
Why a 20 gauge? 12g will be less expensive to feed and they barely recoil any more. It available everywhere and you more load options. If you can buy a mossberg 500 combo with slug barrel you will be able to hunt deer, black bear, small game for under $500. You will be able to enjoy the cheap clayshot with it too for your sandpit fun. Rem 870 works too, handles them both and see what you prefer. I find then mossberg 500 lighter and hold 1 more round than the remy 870 but the remy feels sturdier and its heavier weight help to absorb more recoil.

Now, if you want a rifle you could have a SKS. $250 for an overbuilt rifle with hunting round available and surplus at a quarter of the cost (cheaper than 12g. Just make sure you clean it after because surplus ammo is corrosive and it will rust your firearm.) Since it's cheap and available everywhere, I don't mind beating mine around in the bush.

So 500 + 250 leaves you at half your initial budget. You could spend the rest on ammo or optics or something better than these choices maybe.

The Norinco M305 (M14 type rifle) is still affordable and is right now my personal favorite because I like tinkering and it's a nice platform. It's going to be a bit more accurate than the SKS and twice the price to feed and buy it but you get more terminal energy, better ballistics and ergonomics as a trade off. It's not a rifle that needs a lot of maintenance to work and it's still very effective in subartic climate unlike other semi-auto. Just make sure you inspect and handle the one you buy because some of them are poorly built. It's somewhat heavy by today standard however.
 
J

jonnyquest

Adventurer
What is the availability of .22LR ammo in Canada? In the U.S. it has become hard to find and more expensive than before. It's a useful round for small game, honing your shooting skills, and general fun. I'm not so sure the .17 is as useful and I think the ammo may be even more expensive. Do you want to buy new, practical, truly weather resistant guns or might you be interested in vintage guns? Are you interested in reloading ammo? Apparently you can own semi auto rifles in Canada.
 
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E

EMrider

Explorer
My shooting objectives are similar to yours, minus the lousy weather.

If I were to cover it all with one 22lr and one shotgun, I would go with a 12ga remington 870 wingmaster and a Henry 22lr lever action rifle with a 4x scope.

Both are very well made, reliable and should serve you well for decades.

Good luck choosing.

R
 
robert

robert

Expedition Leader
In your shoes I'd get some sort of twelve gauge with barrels/chokes to meet your needs and some flavor of .22 for fun, small game, practice, etc. If I were going to be hunting larger critters I'd pick up a bolt action rifle in whatever caliber is popular up there (30-06?).
 
C

cruiserpilot

Adventurer
As a Canadian, your original .22 and 20 ga is the place to start. Since you don't seem to have any experience don't listen to guys telling you
to buy some kind of semi-auto assault type gun. You need to start with common sense and keep it simple.
I'd recommend a bolt action .22 and pump action shotgun. You don't need stainless, just keep it clean and dry and oil it before and after use.
Do you have friends that shoot? Is there a local shooting range?
The most fun you'll have is with a bunch of targets and a few hundred rounds of .22. Cheap entertainment.
 
screwball48

screwball48

Explorer
Ruger 10/22 rifle and Remington 870 express in .20ga. For the shotgun I would get a shorter barrel. I know the laws on those in Canada are different than the USA just not sure how different. If you could get the 870 in a 14" or so barrel then I would go that route.


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