[dogbyte12]

Ping to those I found in an old hunting thread.

[LOC1]

Most of Louisiana is short shots in dense undergrowth, so a heavy bullet at low velocity has some advantages. Have seen people do very well with a Winchester model 94 30-30 scoped with a two power scope.

The high velocity light rounds, like a .243, are better suited for west Texas.

Don't know what So Carolina is like.

[Bubba_Leroy]

What game do you plan to hunt?

[MikeJ]

If you want a bolt-action, the Savage 110 is reputed to be an excellent bargain - inexpensive, quite accurate, and with an excellent, adjustable trigger. (I do not have personal experience with this one).

Of course, you probably won't go wrong with any used, name-brand rifle so long as it was not abused. Avoid older Rugers (bad barrels), but the newer ones are great.

As a general rule, you are looking a three things in a rifle:

1) It fits you. It should balence well, and feel steady in your hands. It should place your eye right in line with your sights or scope when you aim it. The trigger reach should be correct for you, and the safety should be in a handy place.

2) The trigger must break cleanly. Note that some triggers (such as the Rem 700) can be inexpensivly adjusted by any good gunsmith.

3) The saftey and sling swivels on a hunting arm must be silent.

If you want a good book on the topic, try Cooper's Art Of The Rifle.

Good luck!

[Hugin]

There are a number of low priced synthetic stock, bolt action "package guns" from Remington (model 710), Savage, etc. available for around $400 including scope. You can't go wrong with a versatile time tested cartridge like a 30-06, .270 or .308. The .308 has the added advantage of very cheap military surplus ammo so you can parctice a lot. I would probably go with the .308 for that reason.

[jdege]

Lose the idea that the gun you have to buy has to be the perfect gun. Whatever you get, you'll find some reason to buy another, a few years later.

John Ross (of "Unexpected Consequences") has some advice I think is really good, for those who've never really done much shooting: http://www.john-ross.net/newbies.htm

[...]

Go to a real gunshop.

Buy a Ruger 10/22 rifle with twenty spare magazines (they'll have to order them) and a Smith & Wesson .22 revolver. There are several models of S&W .22s; go to a gun shop and handle them all. Get the one that feels best in your hand. If you have large or small hands, ask the salesman about aftermarket grips (I like the wooden Hogue Monogrip) and try them out.

Buy one full case (Five THOUSAND rounds) of .22 long rifle ammo. Make sure you get ammo with 40 grain PLATED bullets--some of the cheapest promo ammo is unplated and will lead-foul your barrel.

Get hearing and eye protection, and some good gun lube, like Break-Free CLP.

All the above stuff should cost you about $1000.

Find an outdoor spot with a hillside where you can safely and legally shoot.

Find someone who is known as a competent and safe shooter to help you get started and keep you from learning bad habits, like putting your finger in the triggerguard when you pick up the gun. Call the local NRA office for a list of certified instructors.

Get an array of ecologically-sound targets that will move or break when hit. I like Ritz crackers because they're cheap, biodegradable, and break when hit. Acorns and pinecones are good, too. So are scrap chunks of pine 2x2s and 2x4s.

On a weeknight, while watching television, load all 20 of the Ruger rifle magazines. They hold ten rounds each. On Saturday or Sunday, shoot one carton (500 rounds) through the rifle and another carton through the pistol, always at targets that do something (like break or hop) when you hit them. Switch between the guns every 20-50 rounds. If you start in the morning, you will finish by late afternoon. If you prefer, shoot 250 rounds through each gun on Saturday and then again on Sunday. If you can't go through 500 rounds before lunch, you're not trying.

Place your targets no farther than fifteen feet away for the rifle, eight feet for the revolver. When you get so you never miss a fist-sized target at this range, don't change the distance, change the speed. See how quickly you can hit ten or six targets. If you start missing, slow down a little. After you've shot half your quota, take some more deliberate shots at 30-50 feet. Notice how the bullet hits in a different spot at different distances. Go back to closer targets. NOTE: DO NOT always cock the revolver to shoot it; pull the trigger double action at least half the time. It is definitely harder to shoot accurately this way, but this is how you will be shooting a revolver in a defensive situation with a close-in assailant, so this is the way you want to do a lot of your practice.

Repeat the above exercise on the next four weekends.

In one month you will almost certainly be several orders of magnitude more proficient than you were before you walked into the gunshop, and a better shot than a sizable fraction of the police officers in this country.

If, after the first week or two, you find this effort a chore, take your guns, spare magazines, and remaining ammo back to the gunshop. You will lose about $250.

If you finish the month excited about your newly earned skills, looking forward to your next shooting outing, and needing more ammo, congratulations. You are now a member of the gun culture. Revise your budget to include $20-$400 per month for ammunition, depending on how much of it is low-cost .22s and how much is more expensive calibers. You are now ready to include more powerful centerfire arms appropriate for defense in your shooting education.

[Kadric]

My first sugestion would be to get a .22lr. Walmart sales the Marlin M-60 for right around $100.00. The reason for this sugestion is that if you are not use to using a rifle you can practice cheap. For a higher power one I would choose a Savage 110 in .308 Win (caliber is a personal choice this is one I already stock). If you do not plan on shooting pass 100 yards the lever action .30-30 would serve you well also.

[Tired_of_the_Lies]

If you are in Louisiana, you might try duck hunting. My Dad did that when I was a kid, and we had plenty of great duck gumbo. He and Mom grew the okra and tomatoes in a garden in our back yard.

[yarddog]

I believe if money were important, I would start off with a military surplus rifle. Some of the Mosin Nagants from the communist block countries are really good rifles. They can be had for as little as $50.

I do think I would go ahead and get a really clean one even if it costs more. For a little more you could get one of the best high powered rifles ever made, a military mauser.

I have seen some like new Yugoslavian ones for under $120. If you are lucky enough to find a good Swedish Mauser it is perhaps the best combo of accuracy and hunting caliber. They were once plentiful but are getting scarce because so many realize just how good they are. The only downside is the 6.5 ammo is not available at every Wal-Mart but is still not that hard to find.

As others have pointed out, a good .22 rifle is something you just about can't live without in the country. They are simply the single best and most useful gun you can own except for possiby a .22 pistol.

[AD from SpringBay]

If you are truly a beginner - go with a Ruger 10/22 - get a cheapy scope and about a gazillion rounds of cheap ammmo - then learn learn learn. Great for squirrel and rabbit.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

I would like to hear Freepers comments on buying a decent pump 12 ga. shotgun. Wal-mart and Sports Authority have a few shotguns for around $200. What brand/model do Freepers recommend in this range.

[mad_as_he$$]

As noted by others, tough question. My 19 year old daughter has broght down several large Mule Deer with her 243 -typically 150-200 yards shots. Very good flat shooting caliber. I use a 7mm Mag Sako and it also has never failed me. But in woody areas I would go with other recommendations such as 308. I would pass on any 30-30 for anything. It was my first gun and I chased more deer shot with that POS than any other round I have had. Of course there is nothing wrong with the old deer slayer 30-06. Many guns and factory ammo is still budget priced. FWIW if you qualed on M-16 then any lighter "deer" caliber will be a piece of cake. My hunting buddy uses a 6mm Sweedish and gets excellent results.

Find a gun you like and try it if it doesn't feel good you will never shot good.

Good luck and when you need venison recipes I am sure there are many available on FR.

[Lee Heggy]

Lots of good advice here.I don't hunt nearly as much as I would like but the two rifles I use cover pretty much any game I might be going after. One is a Savage, model 24 over and under-22 LR on top and 410 on the bottom. Excellent for small game as well as birds. The other is an 1873 Springfield trapdoor 45/70. Great for deer or just about anything else. Packs a big punch. I know these guns are maybe hard to find but they are what I like.

[VOA]

I am about to finally leave the urban jungle of Los Angeles and move down to
both Louisiana and South Carolina.

My apologies in advance if someone has already mentioned this...
Although I don't own one, you might think about including a 12-guage shotgun for
shooting slugs.
I wouldn't be suprised if the thick underbrush in parts of Louisiana
(the other "LA"!) and S. Carolina might make such a implement very useful
in hunting deer.

IIRC, the biggest buck taken in Oklahoma one year was done by a youngster (age 13-16?)
with a shotgun slug. I think the young shooter got the buck with a single slug that
gave an instant knock-down kill (quick and humane in this case).

Although you can probably only get decent accuracy out to 40-60 yards, at least with
a shotgun slug, you won't have a missed shot kill somebody/thing in the next county.

[Rebelbase]

Rossi makes a bunch of matched pair interchangable barrels in various calibers. http://www.rossiusa.com/ I think these are made in Brazil.

[FlyVet]

I agree with others on this thread who recommend the Savage bolt rifle. Don't own one, but have always read it's a good shooter at a bargain price. .308 is a "boring" round, but hard to beat for N. America. You could take on anything but brown bear at reasonable ranges. If you're a recoil wimp like me, that new .260 Remington round looks like the ultimate. Tremendous penetration, especially with 140-grain bullets. I own a .243, and while it's ok for deer, it's really a bit smallish for that purpose, and no-go for bigger stuff like moose, elk, and black bear. A lot of people like these new lightweight rifles with the short barrels, but keep in mind you lose a lot of velocity as compared to a 24" barrel. For instance, my .243 has an 18 1/2" barrel, and I've chronographed it around 2600 fps with a 100-grain bullet. A 24" barrel would do much better, around 2950 fps, significantly more range and power.

[Double Tap]

You have already stated that you were familiar with guns, so starting with a 22lr. handgun or rifle to learn to shoot is not really needed, although they are fun.

I would recommend a Marlin 336 in 30/30 or 35 Remington with a good 4x fixed or 3x-9x variable scope of good quality. Don't buy low end scopes as they are not worth the trouble. This rifle/scope combo will cost approx. $550 and will last as long as you do. It also will deliver more than enough accuracy for making shots out to 150 yards.

I once worked at a shooting range sighting in customers rifles that they had bought. I've never seen the combo above produce groups bigger than 2" at 100 yards if you can do your part.

If you decide to hunt in areas where the ranges exceed 150 yards, I would recommend just about any of the currently produced bolt guns by Remington, Ruger, Winchester, Browning... They are all of good quality and very accurate as a whole. I would stick to 308 Win., .270 Win. or 30-06 in a bolt gun for all around hunting in the Southern US.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Everybody should have at least one Ruger 10/22 in their collection.

[Travis McGee]

I'd get a Ruger 10/22 and a Ruger Standard Model .22 pistol, and then put a gazillion fun rounds through them.

Then you will be a shooter, and you will know what appeals to you for your next purchase.

A Savage 110 would be hard to beat for a .308 bolt action that "does it all" for little cost.

[LOC1]

After looking at all these replies and thinking about Louisiana some more, if I were going to buy just one gun, it would be a pump 12 gauge chambered for the 3 1/2' shells. Shoot steel shot in it for ducks and geese, use lead shot of appropriate size for squirels and doves, use 00 buck shot or slugs for deer and turkey. Only good for close ranges, but can hunt a lot of different game. And not an expensive gun, particularly if bought from some dude who gave up on slugging thru the mud to hunt geese.

Remington makes a pretty good pump 12 gague.

Happy hunting.

By the way, one of your biggest hunting expenses in Louisiana is going to be the cost of the hunting lease. Most of the public hunting areas are a little too crowded for my liking, and probably for yours. If you do try one of those, make yourself very visible.