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Good Plinking Rifle

9K views 35 replies 20 participants last post by  Sandman1 
#1 ·
So, I trying to help a friend pick out a rifle. We're looking at something in .223 or similar, semi-auto, accurate and fairly inexpensive. I have suggested an AR 15, but I'd like to see what else is out there. What she's looking for is something lightweight and compact. What do y'all think of the mini-14's? We've looked at the ranch rifles but have heard some bad things about their accuracy.
 
#2 ·
Light and accurate in a semi-auto is pretty much an oxymoron. Ruger is making a "target" Mini-14 you might look at if spooked by previous reports of the standard rifle. Anything in the black rifle catagory will weigh in at 8+ pounds or so, especially when using the 20 to 30 round magazine. Start adding all the aftermarket gizmos and the weight goes up from there.

OK - all your black gun owners jump in here with the tales of your "wonder gun" that shoots cloverleafs at 400 yds and weighs a mere 5 lbs. :D
 
#3 ·
I know that light and accurate usually don't mix. But as far as accuracy is concerned she's only shooting out to 150 to 200yrds max, most of it being under 100yrds. I believe that she is scared of not being able to handle a bigger gun. Up to now all she has shot has been a Ruger 22 carbine. Her first time shooting a "Big gun" was my Reminton 700 in 270win. Scared her pretty badly but not enough to stop shooting. She wants to go hog and varmint hunting with me, but she only has that 22 and my guns are a little too big for her. I'm trying to not "break the bank" on my suggestions as well.
I'm waiting on the wonder gun my self.
 
#23 ·
For a light, fun, semi-auto, around $600, your 2 best options would seem to be the M14 or the WWII sidearm, the M1 Carbine. I have shot both and found neither to be what I, personally, would consider "accurate", but they're fun and will send lots of ammo down range.

When you throw the thought of hunting into the equation, everything changes. The M1 Carbine lacks the accuracy for varmints and the energy for hogs. The one M14 that I shot was perhaps capable of a better group than the 4-5" I got, at 100 yards, but that is nowhere near good enough for varmints. It might be suitable for hogs but I feel the .223 is best used by an experienced hunter/shooter, when it comes to pigs-gone-wild, because they just aren't as easy to kill as deer, requiring more precise shot placement.

So, what you are asking for is a tall order, indeed. You want something cheap, light, "fun", semi-auto and powerful enough to kill a hog, without too much recoil. I'm not sure such a weapon exists. The best I can suggest is an M1 just for fun-shooting and a more serious gun for actual hunting.
 
#4 ·
.243 IMO... small enough for varmits, big enough for hogs. Light recoil. Personally, I'd get two separate rifles (or two barrels at least) for varmits and hogs... .223 for varmits and something like .260 Remington or 6.5x55SE for hogs. I know .223 can kill a hog but I would personally want something a little bigger.
 
#6 ·
Why not a High Point carbine in 9MM? They may not be real pretty, but they only cost a few hundred $ new and I have yet to read anything bad about them. They tend to be quite accurate and 9mm ammo isn't nearly as expensive as .223.
 
#7 ·
Mini 14s are plenty accurate for plinking, and the new ones (580 series and up) are pretty refined and should easily shoot inside of 2" at 100 yards. They have a lot thicker barrels and they have been tuned by Ruger to handle a lot better than the old ones. I have an old one the shoots just fine for what I use it for.

The Hi Point Carbines are pretty popular and fun and cheap to shoot.
 
#8 ·
For an aspiring shooter that is a bit concerned about recoil and budget-conscious, I think it would be hard to beat the H&R in 7mm-08. If you handload, put together some lighter weight bullets with moderate charges and let her enjoy shooting. For hunting loads, buy/load 140gr bullets of good construction and have her sight them in and get used to them with a lead sled. Once she's confident in her ability to shoot the gun, have her work her way up to shooting a few from the shoulder. When the time comes to drop the hammer on a hog, she won't notice it and should be able to shoot accurately, with confidence.

You could buy this gun and send the gun to their factory for a second barrel (.223?) to give a lot of versatility for less than most bolt-guns offer.

http://www.galleryofguns.com/genie/default.aspx?item=sb2-708

Just my .02.
 
#9 · (Edited)
ARs prices are coming down as I understand it. Not all ARs are that heavy. A standard M4 Carbine is 5.9 lbs unloaded and a full 30rd mag adds one pound. They are accurate enough for me to use is All Army Competition with irons sights to 500 yds. This is the same carbine I used for three tours in Iraq and 3 days prior to the match, jumped out of a C130 with it.



A flat top model will allow the use of adding a scope much more effeciently then mounting on top of carrying handle.

I haven't shot a Mini14 in over 20yrs but here Ruger really worked on getting the accuracy up. You might want to look at the KelTec 16 carbine in 5.56 also. Another caliber would be the 7.62x39 for plinking in either a AK type, SKS or Saiga. Good advice also given on the NEF rifle and order additional barrels as needed. With a proper bullet and shot placement 5.56 will kill deer and hogs, same with the 7.62x39.

CD
 
#10 ·
+1 to what Combat Diver said,

BUT. Economical? Not in my opinion. What I mean is that most any semi-auto tends to have folks shoot way faster than a *LEARNER* really should. Now for some one with a fair bit of experience, or if Good Discipline can be maintained while training, then sure!

That being said: http://www.ruger.com/products/m77HawkeyeLaminateCompact/models.html
These are Dang Hard To Beat for your stated criteria. Any of them are relatively mild in recoil. All can be taken hunting.

Good Shooting,
Gary
 
#11 ·
The important thing to do first, is to get used to the noise and recoil of a gun. That's where the High point in 9mm can be helpful. Cheap to shoot and it would give a new shooter the confidence to move up to a centerfire rifle cartridge for hunting without laying out large chunks of money.
 
#12 ·
does he have basic 22lr training.. if not thats the direction id point you in..
also i agree start with a bolt action..i got 22 semi.. but i know how to use it..one shot at a time like a bolt action..yes ive sprayed bullets before..but the only way id ever shoot at anything like that would be in the case of me being sure it was a burgler,,an no lights to see by..
one shot one kill ..just the way i think..good luck in your search..slim
ps don t have much long guns anymore ..just too shaky to use them.
 
#13 ·
She has quite a few years experience with a ruger 10/22. She has good control and is a good shot. She is just can't handle a heavy gun or heavy recoil. She's a lightweight. We looked at the Kel-Tec's, she doesn't like the looks but she likes the weight and some of the chamberings. She saw the sub-2000, I think she likes the fact that it is light, shoots pistol ammo and the price is hard to beat at $409. Don't know too much about them, but I have heard good things. What do y'all think?
 
#15 ·
Jodum, that's the gun I'm after, I'd get too jealous if she got that before me. lol. I told her about that one first, I don't think she'd shoot it if she had to cycle the action for each shot. She's wanting a semi-auto. We're trying to stay under about $600 including tax and shipping. The lowest price I've come across for the Marlin 1894c puts this just over this mark.
 
#17 · (Edited)
Wolfen, in the price range you describe and the requirements, semi auto, .223 caliber-ish and light weight, it really does look like the Mini 14 in the synthetic stock fits best.

There are tweaks for even the older ones that will only shoot 3 inches at 100 to make them nearly halve that grouping.

Now, if you had a .243 and she shot that... depending on what she felt about the recoil there, maybe a Remington semi in .243? They are fairly light and compact.

Or maybe a 10/22 Magnum? Add in .17 HMR barrel and bolt kit. Little more zip and zap there but still in a rifle she knows and shoots well.

The hog hunting makes this tough. .22 magnum or .17 HMR would work for varmints to 150 but not hogs.
 
#19 ·
Michael, she shot my 270win. It was a bit too much for her right now. How do the 243's kick? I've only been showing her calibers I've shot before, unfortunately that's not much on light weight rifles.
Diriel, Don't the M1 carbines kick hard? I don't think she could deal with that. But I may look into one for me though.
I think I'll try talking her into the mini 14. I may see if I can get it modified to a larger caliber.
 
#21 ·
Thinking of the M1 Carbine as a smaller ligher version of the Mini 14 but in .30 cal. You are getting the recoil confused with the M1 Garand which is a full size battle rifle firing the 30-06 cartridge.

CD
 
#24 ·
Everyone here must be very rich. I see alot of expenisive rifles that shoot expensive ammo being reccommened. How much "Plinking" can be done when the rifle cost $600-$1500 and the Ammo cost a small fortune too?
 
#28 ·
You talking about the M1? I bought one on an auction for $200 but to get ammo locally, I had to pay $45/50 rounds of .30 carbide ammo! But yea, kicks not much more than a .22 rimfire and I would not want to have my life depend on it stopping a hog...I would want to be up a tree where he would not be able to get to me if the bullet did not penetrate to vitals. For a semiauto on hogs I would think along the lines of an AR 10. It is designed around the .308 cartridge. But it would not be light or cheap to get the rifle and you are looking at about $1/round or more for factory ammo.
 
#26 ·
Well, nobody has said anything about this rifle yet, so I will....it's not a semi-auto, but it's the next-best thing..... see if you can find a 250 Savage lever action, and show her that. she might just fall in love...... it's a perfect low recoil cartridge for the gals, and still has plenty of pop to take deer and hogs reliably, and later you can load for it and load it up considerably with today's powder-bullet combo's..... I know this is somewhat of a weird suggestion, the fact is, the "old" 250 savage is a really wonderful cartridge that has been WAY under-exposed for many years..... probably very close to the perfect deer rifle out to around 300-350 yds.....
 
#27 ·
She's a great shot, with her 10/22 with iron sights she pulls 3-4 inch groups at the 100yrd range. I've seen her hit a squirrel off a tree at 75yrds. If we go hog hunting I'd put her in a stand so I'm not concerned about her. And I'd be close enough so that I could put any follow up shot that's needed. Her only hang-up is that she wants a semi-auto only.
I thought the M1 carbine was just a shorter version of the Garand. I didn't know it shot a different round. I may have to look into that.
Thanks for all of your suggestions and keep 'em coming.
 
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